The National tribune., 1898-07-14

) StIdlHnt INTO tnOSc TWO great, merry eye
e balls. We stood thus for perhaps 20 sec
5 onds when the animal, putting its foot
softly to the ground, stepped half n dozen
D PAGES toward us and stopped upon its
hinder legs for mement, while its tail
5 moved gracefully to and fro. 1t eyed us
5 thus for perhaps five seconds, then
turned itself and again retreated into the
5 depths of the forest, looking back as it
: went until it got considerable distance
from us, when it uttered a scream so loud
| and shrilI, that it echoed through the
woods like the shrek of terrified wo-
| man, except that it was louder than the
human voice. 1t was a panther of the
largest size.
Early next morning we dispatched our
breakfast mounted our horses and again
struck out on the trail, keeping good
lookout for Indians. 1t was scarcely half
an hour after sunrise when we deserted
faint smoke curling up through the timber
on the river bottoms, but apparently not
in the direction in which we were travel
ing. Leaving the trail, we moved directly
| toward the smoke at q charge, and as we
entered the timber we could see 10 or Il
dozen Indians spring up from the ground,
rifles in hand the whole party scamper-
ing off toward a thicket some distance
away.
There was no chance to cut them off
from the thicket before they could enter
it; but we kept up the charge until we
had come within 200 yards of it, when we
received a pretty well-directed volley from
behind the bushes. We then hastened to
surround the thicket as quickly as pos
Sible, but while we were doing this the
SavageS mounted their horses and charged
out upon and over us, | might almost
say, for we had deployed too far TO be able
to rally in time to prevent it,
Lieut.. Carmack rallied his men and
made preparations for n pursuit. We had
discharged portion of our muskets and
pistols in the melee, which had to be re-
loaded, and one of our men had received q
wound in the arm from an arrow and two
horses had been hurt in the charge. 1t
was short Job to extract the arrows from
the horses, though they fought and kicked
frantically; but not so with the man.
Carmack tried to pull the arrow out, but it
was no 60 Next Sharp proposed to try it.
He had had some experience in such
matters, having been wounded more than
once with arrows in his time. Opening
his hands, he took the arrow between his
palms and began rolling and lifting it at
the same time.
The wounded man, whose name was
Williams, sat still on a log and endured
the torture heroically. 1t lasted a full
minute-this rolling and twisting-before
the.dull arrow had cut it's way out Of the
flesh. His success so elated Sharp that
he held it up triumphantly, saying
Thar, now. ! told you so; eff you'd a
pulled agin on that arrer you'd did the
business for that arm. Do you see that"
he continued, pointing to where the arrow
was bent against the bone: now the Won
der is that the spike hadn't come out
the fust pull you made"
Hastily bandaging Wlliams's arm, we
mounted and commenced the pursuit.
The Indians had headed directly for the
Upper Reserve. now about II miles dis
tant, and in a short while we gave up
pursuit.
On the following day we rode back to the
CaddOc village and once more found every
thing in excitement: the cause being a
report to the effect that the wild Conan
ches had come down on the Lower Re
serve and stolen IS bead of horses and
then made good their escape. Capt
Brown, with as many of his men as could
be spared, and large force of Regulars
and friendly Indians, were soon on the
trail, while a party Of that were left
had nothing to do but to rest ourselves
and horses until they returned.
About the first of August, Capt. Brown
sent Capt. Knowiin to- the fork, with SINH
lar orders given to Lieut.. Garmack, viz: to
fire on any of Katampsie's band who
might be found off their reservation.
| We saw no Indianf nfsigns until we got
within about three miles of the Reserve
| line on the east, when we were suddenly
attacked while at dinner by about 80
COmanches. Our horses were concealed
| in thicket nearby, and were not dis
covered by the Indians at all, or it would
| have been impossible for us to have saved
| them. We were seated round in n ring with
our smoking mess pans filled with stewed
| venlSOn in the center, when we were sud
denly startled by the long, fierce war
whOop, and looking up we saw large
| party OF ComancheS in full war paint and
costume, each with every feather that his
| vanity or the custom OF his tribe would
| prompt or allow him to wear, streaming
in the wind, while their horses were liter
ally bedezined with paint and silver
plate.
The warriors shields and clothing were
| likewise spangled all over with silver; but
we had no time to enjoy this splendid ar
ray OF barbaric pomp, although it was one
| possessed OF fearful interest to us.
When we first discovered them they
| were under full headway, coming around
a point OF timber, and the next instant
| they came down upon us at a charge. We
had barely time TO seize our rifles, which
were lying beside us, and spring to the
side OF house nearby, when they sent Il
/ shower OF arrows among us.
| We delivered a hasty but well-directed
volley we ran, and emptied seven of
| their saddles. Staggered and annoyed at
resistance from so small party, they
circled away to a safe distance, reformed
and charged down upon US again, this
| time sweeping around us in a complete
circle and getting between us and our
| horses. But their arrows flew among us
harmlessly, while five more of the assail-
| ants fell from our welI-directed fire
| But they were not yet defeated, and re-
| turned upon us a third time. We were
| then ordered 10 aim at their horses and
think the bullet Of every man must have
| taken effect, and some must have e OF two |
shots, for we killed Is horses, and there
| were but 13 of us in our party.
The Indians now circled away out of !
sight, around the point of timber where
we had first observed them, and did not
return. Presently we saw runner start
for the village at full speed, and in about
half an hour we could see Squaws and
boys carrying guns and shot pouches to
the Indians in the timber. Seeing this
the Lieutenant inquired:
"What do you say, boys; shall we fight
with them"
Eight them," was the answer on all
sides
We had q hope of being relieved by tho
Regulars from Camp Cooper, and this, with
our recent success, made US confident of
victory BY this time we could see the
Indians filing around the point of timber
and approaching US on foot in the fullest !
confidence They moved on toward us
until nearly within rifle range, when they
went down into deep sraVine which ran
nearly in a half circle saro1lnd the house.
and about 80 yards dist a1ct from it,
1t was evident from theirGelberate move
ments that they inteagled to make sure
work Of it this time, oven if it was slow.
For my part | could afBaost feel the scalp
slip on my head. Tlje sAvages followed
the ravine and wereMsoAh within short
rarge, and began to peep over the bank
at us We kept alcloSewta itch but did not
fire Il gun, for we WeTdpex&ecting a charge |