The Press., 1898-02-24
AN APACHE CAPTIVE.
THE TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE OF uT-
 TILE ANICETA CHAVEZ.

tGC NtNSGl ~ Sf1ANGZ.
 Captured by Geronimo's Hand and Dragged
 About For Two Months - Witnessed
 Much of the Savages' Bloody Work.
 Brutally Treated by the Squaws.
 During the last Apache war, ended ten years ago, there were two cases where white children were taken pris- oners by the Indians aud afteryard were recaptured and restored to their friends, said a southwestern mining engineer.
 "The first of the children captured and rescued in the last Apache war was Santiago McKin. The other was a little 10-year-old Mexican girl, Aniceta Cha veg. On June 20, 1886, detachment of Mexican troops surprised Chief Geron- imo's band 40 miles southeast of Mag dalena, in Sonora So sudden was their attack that the Indians fled, scattering to cover and at last making their escape As the soldiers searched the scene of the fight for the wounded anG the plunder they came upon little girl, ragged and barefooted, hiding among the rocks She was a child of Mexican blood, and when she was made aware that those about her were of her own race and friendly she told them her name and story.
 'She was Aniceta Chavez, who had been adopted into the family of a ranch man named Peck, living near Calaba- sas, A. T. On the previous April 27, when Geronimo made his bloody raid into the Santa Cruz valley, he killed Mrs. Peck and her young child, but carried Aniceta into captivity. That he should do so surprising thing as to spare her life was due probably to the | fact that in case of ultimately being compelled to surrender to the United | States troops he might secure better | terms by having a prisoner to deliver up to the whites. So the girl was hur- ried along with her captOrs and com pelled to witness the other murders that they committed after their slaughter at | the Peck ranch.
 Ut was hard work for her to keep up with her captors, but her life depended on it. Several times that day the squaws would have killed her, but Geronimo would not suffer it, though he allowed them to abuse and beat her to their hearts content But she was only at l buO O1 the Santa Cruz valley the Indians swung back to the Sierra Madre, and their long journey through mountains and desert was a rough and cruel one. The Indians, pursued ceaselessly by troops on both sides of the Mexican bor. der, travelled all day, never stoI ping for two nights in the same place. Their one meal q day, which they ate at night, consisted usually of hOrsef1esh, but if this were lacking and they were not | too closely followed the band scattered, the bucks ill search of small game and the women to gather snakes, lizards, grubs and edible roots and plants with which to make out a satisfying meal. Their only baggage, handled always by the squaws, consisted of blankets and papooses ill baskets, together with any plunder they desired to take along. The bucks carried their rifles and two belts of cartridges each. Usually the Indians had plenty of horses to ride, but they did their fighting on foot. They had ex- cellent fieldglasses, captured from the
 whites, and these they used constantly.
 In travelling, one Indian rode in advance
 of the band, exploring for dangers
 ahead, while another, mounted on 8 specially good horse, rode far ill the
 rear to signal to the others information
 of any signs he might see of pursuit
 and ready at the right time to spur for.
 ward and warn them.
 ''The Indian bucks, while they took
 little notice of Aniceta, were not un-
 kind to her, but to keep up with the
 party in its endless marching through 8
 mountainous country was fearful task
 for a child. Sometimes they followed
 trails and again traversed trackless
 region, often climbing heights so steer that the Indians had to dismuunt and
 lead their horses When travelling afoot,
 she was cautioned never to set her foot on soft soil, but only on rocks or grass. This was that her footprints might not
 betray the route the party was taking. When pursuit was not hot after them and there was no danger in sight, Ge ronimo would carry her on his horse. IT their flight the Indians found time fol
 considerable murdering and pl1nderine
 of the whites. She found the squaws more bloodthirsty and cruel than the , bucks, and they were ever eager to hacl and mutilate the bodies of any white
 person whom the warriors had killed.
 Where the Indians travelled she hat no idea, except that they kept almos altogether ill the mountains. From tho character of the scenery as she described , , 1t and the few buildings she saw tn, , , Indians must have kept most of tn, | time wholly south of the Mexican bor | der. It was the suddenness of the at tack by the Mexican troops that savet the girls life, for if the sQuaws had no been for the moment panic stricken the,
 would have killed her to prevent he being recaptured. But fortunately, be
 coming separated from them in the con 5 fusion, she remained in hiding whil they fled. When found by the Mexicans , she was in good condition physicall, , and mentally, except that she was worl by fatigue and exposure, and her fac ' was swollen from the beatings of tn squaws. Soon after her recapture tn Mexicans delivered her to the Unite, ! States authorities. who took measure to restore her to her friends l saw he
 soon after her return to Arizona brown faced, dark eyed child, handsome | as all American children are, and show l ing no signs of the hard experiences 0 her two months captivity with tn
 oruelest Indians that live. ''-New Tor l Sun.
 f 4 Wise Mule,
 r Among our pack mules was one wh ! l on a fishing trip several years befoI