Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-03-09
l turned and saw those behind, and the

only way open was to put my horse square
for the ridge, which at that point was as
steep as "a house roof. He made a gallant
dash, but just as he reached the crest a
wolf which was lying up in il bunch of
dried grass at the roots of a sagebrush
sprang up and bit him Oh the nose. In
his sudden fright the horse fell back. lost
his equilibrium, and we went rolling over
and over down the hillside. | could not
kick my feet clear Of the stirrups in time
and am sure the horse rolled over me three
or four times. | stood ten chances to one
of being killed, but | was not even badly
hurt, while the horse escaped without a
scratch.
We had lost time by the mishap, how.
ever, and while we lay in a tanglo after
the roll the whole force Of Indians came
up and I was made a prisoner before I
could fire a shot. Sixty seconds after fling
ing themselves Off their ponies I was dis
armed and securely bound, and then fol-
lowed a regular Fourth of July exultation.
They had captured a trooper without any
one being hurt, and they were full of re-
joicing. An Indian appreciates the ludi-
crous as we'll as the white man, and the
mishap brought about by the wolf was q
thing to laugh over. Taken all around,
they were good natured, and though they
knew I belonged to a command which was
hunting them down without mercy they
did not display the vengeful spirit l looked
for.
Having been captured by a detached
party, 1t was their duty to hand me over to
u chief. After half all hour of gloating
on1 roIO{aiun 7 Hxtac n,cI1ntaI ~, 49, 1uv
horse, my legs tied fast under his belly,
my elbows tied behind me, and when we
set off to the north one Of the warriors
had his horse made fast to mine. I could
speak the Sioux fairly well, but this fact l
repressed. They got it straight that l was
on my way to Fort Wallace from Custer
in the field, and INDUCED in the hope that
my capture would result In his going no
farther west. All were agreed that they
had accomplished a big thing In capturing
me, and that / was sure to die at the stake
and furnish plenty of amusement. After a
ride of about 20 miles we came upon a
party of 60 warriors under command of
Black Fox, a subchief of distinction, who
had been trying to get the Cheyennes to
join with him In all attack on Fort Wal
lace. AS the party was ready to move I
was sent Is miles to the northwest to a
village of about SO lodges, hidden away in
the hills. There were a dozen old men and
a score of half grown boys to guard the
village, and as soon as l was turned over
to them for safe keeping my troubles be-
gan. was bound to a tree in the center
Of the village, feet and hands tied, and for
two days and nights war the victim Of ev
| o~,v iv,S1;r,tt, c,,J -c,,1t +bo& &Ia ,r,,n,,o
and boys could invent. They dared not to
take my life nor seriously wound me, but
they kicked and cuffed and struck mo
with clubs; tore out my hair, blinded me
with mud and gave me no rest. The old
men had nc part in 1t, though they rather
encouraged the others.
On the morning of the third day five
warriors arrived with an army wagon
which had been captured. The vehicle
was full of forage and provisions and
among it's contents were six kegs of pow
der. All the stuff was unloaded, and the
six kegs were rolled together in Il separate
spot. Black Fox sent a message hat he
might not return for a week and that l
was to be vigilantly guarded, and this
caused a change in the programme. l was
removed to a lodge, two old men set to
guard me, and az the warriors who had
brought in the wagon rode off my hands
were united that I might eat my first
meal. When I had finished, the bonds
were not replaced. A portion of the COW
ering of the lodge was folded back, SO that
the sentinels and all others had a good
view of me, and any thought of escape
was simply absurd. The squaws and chill
dren let me alone until afternoon, being
busy inspecting the contents of the wagon
and full of curiosity, but about 8 o'clock
a squaw made ready to enter the lodge
with q stout stick in her hand to give me
a beating. She had lost her warrior hus-
band and a brother only a few days before
and wanted to take vengeance on me as
far as she dared. The two old men waved
her of, saying that Black Fox would have
me burned at the stake as soon as he ar
rived, but she insisted and grew furious,
and at length struck one of the sentinels.
This resulted In n row, which brought out
every soul in camp, and they were crowded
into the space between the kegs Of powder
and my lodge when a tragic event hap
pened.
/ think some of the boys took advantage
Of the row going on to break open a pow
der key, or perhaps in the scramble one of
the kegs was rolled into the fire. Be that
as 1t may, there was a sudden and tremen-
dous explosion or series Of explosions. The
noise was heard 20 miles away, and the
destruction wrought was something fear
full. I felt myself blown away with the
lodge, and 1t was several minutes after
when l stood on my feet on the far bank
Of the creek, q good hundred feet away.
Not a lodge was left standing. All around
me were manned and dying men, women
and children, with a dozen dogs rushing
to and fro and bowling dismally, and over
the village hung a black cloud, into which
the eye could not penetrate. I was bruised
| and sore and dumb with surprise, but
finding my feet free I started off to the
south and vas soon out Of sight. Two
days later l was picked up on the plains
| by q detachment from Custer command,
hungry and footsore and my ears still
ringing from the explosion, but not much
| the worse from my adventure. As to the
| village, we were told later on that out Of
900 people only 30 escaped death or Injury.
Scores Of people were blown to fragments,
while other scores were horribly burned
and suffered broken bones. / saw Black
Fox at Fort Wallace a year or SO after the
event, and he not only knew me at first
sight, but fastened to say:
Had I ordered you tonahawked when
you were brought to me that day all my
people would o be alive and well. Black
Fox made q mistake and has suffered foI
It,"
- ----- --
WinninS Hia wa1ar.
A tall, herculean Gascon, astrfae upon
a wretehed pony, encountered as he rode
over a bridge a richly dressed cavalier
,r,o,,ukod m n p0k1o ctood Ca1uttum thu