The National tribune., 1898-07-28

years. After talking awhile longer, and
finding had no disposition to modest him
in any manner, he invited me to go with
him to his cave.
| Full of curiosity to see more of the
| strange mortal, l walked with him around
| the point, over piles of broken rocks,
which seemed to have been tumbled down
out of the side OF the mountain by an
| earthquake; he clambered, and followed
until we turned around the spur, when
he stopped before a little hole in the side
of a cliff, and pointing to it, said:
Oars whar lib, sah," and he led the
| way into it.
STOPPING down, followed him into the
cave, until he disappeared in the dark
ness, when l stepped to one side and
placed myself behind a huge rock, that
projected from the wall. l thought by
doing SO l would have a decided advan-
tage If he was disposed to be tricky. He
| then called out: "Jis' stop a mint, till l
strikes light"
He soon had large iron lamp burning,
which lit up the whole cave; after which
he proceeded to light fire and cook me
something to eat. He had plenty to live
on-four, bacon, sugar, coffee, and tea.
He boosted of this-said he lived as well
as de white folks; but what was the
greatest mystery to me was the fact that
he had a large amount of clothing in his
caVe-both mems and women S wear. In
one place were several fine coats hanging,
and in another, pants, vests and female
apparel kept constantly between him
and the door, without acting as if l sus
pected anything. But could not possibly
devise how he came by these articles,
and therefore did not like to put myself in
his power, lest my coat might soon hang
w tn the rest.
Without seeming to care anything about
1t, asked a few questions about his
hunting, and the profits it brought him;
RAJ f,o h, rfn
any with the Indians. l found he pro-
cured his -four and bacon by selling
game to the officers and soldiers at differ
ent posts; and that there were a good
many other runaways in the mountains,
and that BurleSon' s men had caught half
a dozen of them and sent them to the
settlements. j did not deem it prudent to
tell him l wanted to go to Burleson S /!
camp, or that knew anything about it,
After eating heavy dinner with him,
| bid him hearty good bye" and told |
him l must ride. He inquired very
where was going, and / told |
him, without hesitating, to Fort Mason. |
He accompanied me down the mountain |
t0 nay horse, and when had mounted, he |
shook hands with me kindly, as only a |
negro can, when he is in earnest, saying: |
"Massa, you won't neber tink hard O. |
old Uncle jim; deed thort you are ono O
dem fellers from Texas"
Al bCRLESON' ) CAMP.
put out at a good gait, and got to the
crossing of the creek about an hour be-
ore shutdown. When there, had a hard
lime to determine which way to go, but
finally turned up the creek, which hap
Dened to be the right course, and
cached BurlesOn S camp some time after
lark, and was warmly welcomed by the
Captain and his men.
The region over which I travelled
1xa,, yoI 4 I
On the Clear Fork of the
Brazos l could see immense herds shad-
ng themselves during the heat of the
lay. From the top OF the table land, on
he southwest side Of the Clear Fork,
could see more than so groups of these
at once, and many of them
numbered from 20 to So 1t would be
altogether safe to estimate the whole
number in sight at once at 500
After a day of rest in camp Joined a
party in a bear hunt up Jim Ned Creek,
stream named after jim Ned, Caddoe
warrior of considerable note He is a
nan of decided character, large size, and
endowed with no ordinary degree of cour
,gc. Capt. Beaver, or as he is commonly
allied, Black Beaver, full-blood Indian,
md a very truthful man, who has known
Jim Ned since his birth, says his father
was a full blooded Indian woman Never
heless, Jim Ned is very white, and
would pass for white man in almost any
:roHd.
Our luck in the hunt was extraordinary. t
We had procured coed CCgS fIe III TIC
and had rare sport. In three
days we killed five bears, one elk, and a
number of deer We found wild honey in
of which we partook literally. |
On our return we discovered every thing |
in commotion, as the Indians had made
their appearance in the neighborhood, and |
had been stealing horses; and party OF |
citizens were in the camp, ready to pilot /
us to the scene of the disturbances. The |