The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-10-15

pursuit OF this industry nau, however.
been handicapped in the early days of
Arizona by constant depredations of the
Apaches, too frequently accompanied by
bloodshed. In the beginning of the S0s
the cattlemen, seeing that the reservation !
and Indian Agency at San Carlos had
become fixture, and contributed to
great extent toward keeping the ApacheS
within certain boundary, had introduces
large herds upon the ranges lying south
Of the Rim" so called on account OF
its forming the southern limit Of the Mo
Eollon range Of mountains. IL IS Wen
known that the Indians were more afraid
Of three cowboys than of 10 soldiers
Small marauding bands of these Indians
as well as those living upon the White |
Mountain Reservation, near Fort Bowie |
formerly Cochise's but after 1876 Geron-
limos bandl. would slip out secretly from
the reservation and commit all the devltry |
that opportunity offered. 1t is also said:
and, believe, has been proven in several
instances, that small parties of Apachcs
were granted a short leave of absence !,
by manner of a written pass signed by
the Indian Agent, ostensibly in order to
hunt deer and antelope, which game was
then very plentiful all over that region,
and that such small bands did not always
limit their exploits to the legitimate OBJ
ject for which the pass was given.
The cowboys are nothing if not brave;
In fact, it would seem that fear has for
them only an abstract meaning, and Is
not known by them in its concrete form.
A general outbreak from San Carlos. it
Is true. was not an infreQuent occurrence
In those days, and might be expected Mt
almost any time until the Chiricahua
Apaches were captured by Gen. Miles
and incontinently sent far away from
their mountain Businesses and the theater
of their murderous raids. Whenever such
an outbreak occurred, or was expected
from appearances. according to the prin-
ciple that coming events cast their
shadows before" the cattlemen and their
cowboys were generally prepared to meet
all contingencies; this the Apaches knew,
and would invariably direct their flight
southwark, into the Mexican State of Sc
nora. where they had many hiding places
in the mountain Businesses Of the Sierra
Madre.
FOR COWBOY FOURTH.
The Fourth of July, 1881, was coming
on, and the cowboys along and south of
the Rim passed the word along from
ranch to ranch that a meeting would be
held on a certain day in May, at central
location called Walnut Grove, for the pur
pose of taking concerted steps toward
holding grand celebration of the Nations
anniversary of independence. This call
was attended to with great alacrity all
dlOuS lue anu early III
began to take shape. Cowboys are pro-
verbally active. and prefer Mt all times
quick work to lengthy deliberations.
The place selected for the celebration
was that shady Walnut Grove, through
which runs babbling brook of mountain
water, clear as crystal. Three commit
tees were appointed to take charge of the
business in hand; one on finance. that took
charge of the contributions and disburse
ments; another on arrangements, which
took In hand the management Of the pro-
gram, including ceremonies and refresh
ments, and third, called the Committee
of Invitations, among which were several
Mexican "vaqueros," with families, who
undertook to induce large contingent of
dark-eyed senoritas to grace the occasion
BY their presence. The general program
included, besides Specializing and the
reading Of the Declaration Of Indepen-
dence," barbecue, horse racing, lariat-
(the breaking in Of heretofore unridden
mustang), dance In the evening, and a
grand finale" consisting in the letting
Oh Of fireworks Of every description.
The contributions were opened on the
spot and dropped into the committee hat
with liberality known to and practised
emily by that free-and. easy-going frater-
nifty. The feminine Contingent. besides
promising literal supply of tizwin, "ta
males" "enchiladas' and other Mexican
delicacies, began at once the preparation
Of bunting and flags, for which the mate
rial was easily obtained from the store of
the Indian trader at San Carlos and at
Holbrook. the recently-esta blished town
and railway station On the Southern Pa
ei6c route. The Committee Of Arrange
ments prepared q list of assorted liquid
refreshments, canned goods, sweetmeats
and fireworks, and sent 1t to Tucson, with
request that the goods be shipped, with
cut fail, to reach Holbrook not later than
July 1.
HANK AND YANK
The most active members of this latter
community were the two cowboys men-
TONED above, employed by the nc ranch.
as they would express It; they were called
Hank and Yank, respectively, and were
men Of splendid physique and undaunted
daring. with which they united many so
or, In their vernacular. chums, clinging to
one another with that inseparable compan-
ionship and mutual devotion which is sup
posed to have existed between Damon and
Pythias Of old.
The danger of encountering hostile
Apaches while abroad was at all times
much reduced by travelling during the
night: therefore, when Hank and Yank
received notice from the freight agent at
Holbrook that their STUFF had arrived
thsy procured q Studebaker wagon and
two stout mules, with which they drove
to the railway station, a distance Of about
20 miles, during the night Of May 81
They rested their team during the follow
ing day, with the intention of starting with
their toat toward nightfall. 1t would
seem, however, that the royal game of
poker, with perhaps other inducements,
retarded their start, and 1t was we'll to-
ward midnight when they pulled out from
Holbrook. 4 10-enllon key of whisky con-
stituted one package Of the freight sew.
sfal boxes of sweet wine, intended for the
ladies, and II boxes Of assorted fireworks
Of Chinese manufacture, packed in light
and thin board cases completed tho load.
Hank and Yank sat side by side upon ths.
high wagon seat their revolvers in their
belts, their rifles within reach. When
morning dawned they were still about 20
miles from their destination; they were
travelling slowly at the time, not only on
account Of the steep grade they were as
csnding, but also because they were upon
the partly sandy, partly rocky ground of
a small and narrow canyon. a branch OF
the long and dark Devils Canyon.
Suddenly the mules made tremendous
jump to the right, the wagon struck q big
rock. and the shock precipitated the two
men from their high perch to the rocks
below. At the same time they heard
some shots fred in their immediate vicini
ty. and the fearful Apache yell, wei
known by It's peculiar "tremolo" Beins
knocked almost senseless from the VIC
lencs Of their fall, they could not realiz,
at once what was doing, and before they