Mexico weekly ledger., 1898-02-24

~cussednes5 clear to the brim. The
saddle l was riding on was a naked
Mexican tree covered with rawhide
and afforded about as comfortable a
seat as two fence rails would if you
were to place them about two inches
apart. We had to cross numerous
branches running into the creek and
every time we came to one that had
any mud along its banks that mule
would drop on his stomach and wiggle
himself across just like a snake and
then spring to his feet as quick as a
CAT. Now, the trouble with that mule
was that he had been mired down in
deep mud before leaving Missouri and
when a mule is once mired he is
always mired, for he never forgets it.
l know that one seemed 10 lear mud
as much as the devil is said to fear
holy water. Every time that the mule
went down the boys would laugh for
it was exceedingly funny to them, but
it was neither funny nor pleasant to
me.
Well, we followed that trail until
the sun was nearly down, when it
suddenly turned to the left, passed
through a dense hazel tnicket and
crossed to the north side of the creek.
Half a mile ahead of US there was q
high ridge running down to the creek
and on top of this, standing close to
an oak tree with his blanket wrapped
around him, l caught a glimpse of an
Indian sentinel. He disappeared the
moment 1 saw him and when 1 spoke
to the boys about it they all said that
they did not see him. We then rode
rapidly to the top of the hill and when
we reached it one of the boys caught
a glimpse of the Indian away down in
the creek bottom running like a scared
deer, and there curling above the tops
of the trees vas the black smoke of
the Indians camp fire. We rode
rapidly down the mill and when within
couple of hundred yards OF the camp
we saw the Indians mounting their
ponies and wheeling into line, whilst
chief stood behind his pony on
the ground and motioned to as to
keep back. He yelled at us in his
own language, which We did not
and ~gesticulated wildly
with his hands, but we rode straight
ahead until within forty yards of the
line and then stopped.
There were about 40 Indians and
every n held a murderous looking
wager - Mississippi rife - pointin
at us and waiting the
orders to fire. Sitting on that
mule, with nothing in the shape of q
weapon except a knife in my pocket,
and looking straight in the muzzles of
hose deadly rifles was not a pleasant
situation, but, strange to say, I felt
no fear. There were but six of us and
,wo had rifles, two had pistols and two
nothing but pocket knives.
One of our boys drew his six shooter
Ind, taking aim at the chief, swore
hat he was going to shoot him.
Every Indian sat like a bronze statue
IN his pony and not one of them msde
! move Or even batted his eye. "You
,ad better put that pop-gun down."
aid l. Lowering his pistol he turned
me and said: "Why had / better
lot shoot that chief" "well,n said I,
lyon might hit him and you might not,
rat there is one thing sure and that lie,
hat they have got the drop on us and
will send everyone Of us to kingdom
ONE at the first fire.n Il
After rejecting q moment he asked
ne what I thought We had better do.
There is only one thing that we can
said !, Sand That IL to turn around /,
nd so back the way we came.n 81
eiieve that you are right said he, so /,
70 turned around and rode slowly ]
way. When we had nearly reached u