The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-01-01

US OH the track, and With my
men I pushed onward toward a
high hill where I felt certain the
divided parties would come to-
gether again. Sure enough I
was right in my surmise: for the
tracks plainly showed that the
two squads of Indians with their
stolen horses had met on the
hill, and resumed their trip
southwark in a body. At sever
al other points on the journey
similar attempts to throw US of
the trail were made, but they
were not successful.
"The most difficult time to fol-
low an Indian or Mexican trail is
in extremely dry weather when
hoof prints of horses or shoe
prints of man cannot be discern
ed on the rocky ground. The
only guidance then is to watch
for overturned stones and broken
grass. If the stones show a
fresh side I know that the trail
is not more than a few hours old.
If the sun has commenced to
'sun-burn' the stone I know that
the trail is from two to five days
old. 1t is also comparatively
easy to determine the age of the
trail at river crossings. The
condition of the footprsnts in the
mud or sand is a sure guidance.
It frequently happened that the
trail disappeared when a stream
of running water was reached.
This was due to the fugitives
going either up or down the
stream. We usually knew the
rendezvous of the Indians OF
outlaws we were pursuing, and
this ruse seldom succeeded in
keeping US off the trail for any
great length of time.
Il have frequently trailed In
dians from Central Texas to the
Mexican border. In those stir
ring days little was thought of
such trips. We almost lived in
the saddle and were prepared to
leave on a long chase at a mo-
ment's notice. It was this eter-
nal vigilance that finally sup
pressed the Indian nepredations
in west Texas and broke up the
many bands of outlaws that
infested the Rio Grande border
in the '7Os and early '90s. The
Rangers gave no quarter; and
many battles occurred which
were never heard of by the gener-
al public. The Rio Grande was
no barrier when the Rangers
were hot on chase for Indians
or outlaws. Many instances oc,
Cured where the pusuit was
continued far into Mexico, and
desperate fights occurred on
Mexican soil. 1t was only by
going into their own territory in
Mexico that the rangers were
able to put a stop to the raids
that these Indians we're con.
stantly making on this side OF
the border.
"Captain L. II. McNelly and
his company of rangers were
the terror of the Mexican cattle
and horse thieves who infested
the border. This brave band of
rpen performed some wonderful
feats of endurance and bravery.
Nothing seemed too desperate
for them to undertake. Hardly
&, day passed that they did not
have a fight. I remember one
chase which Captain McNelly
and his man had after a band OF
Mexican cattle thieves. The
outlaws had stolen a herd of 25C
head Of cattle and driven them
into Mexico. McNelly and his
company struck the trail in No,
vember, 1875. After a chase OF
several days the thieves were
overtaken at Las Cuevas, Mexi,
co. In the fight that took place
five Mexicans we're killed and
one was wounded. The cattle
were recovered. The rangers
remained in the vicinity of Las
Cuevas for several weeks scout
ing for members of the band OF
outlaws who had escaped. They
came across a. slaughter house
for stolen cattle, about 40 miles
north of Las Cuevas. A Mexi-
cans ranchero was in charge OF
the place and he was killed.
Three months later Captain Nc
Nelly and his company struck a
party of Mexicans crossing stol-
en- cattle at a point below Rio
Grande City. The rangers fired
ON the Mexicans, killing two and
badly wounding another. The
cattle were recovered. These
are only a few of many deeds OF
caring performed on the frontier
by the rangers during those
early days of lawlessness. New
York Sun.
GA ToREA.
Fears the 1l1h' Kind m You Fave Always Bought