The National tribune., 1903-07-30

tlement by the Quartermaster of the army
depot vouchers for hay delivered at Wal
len in October. of the previous year. Dur
ing this period l became acquainted with
Alex. Levin, who in 1870 became my
brother-in-law by marriage, l marrying his
wife's sister. He had established small
brewery, with which was connected bar
and lunch room, situated at the foot or
western end of what is now known as Pen-
ninrton street. This establishment did a
fourishing business.
also became acquainted with one Col.
Levy 2. Ruggles, whose residence was at
Florence, or the southern border of the
ella River, and about one mile distant
from it toward the Casa Grande ruins
This man claimed, as first settler of that
region. the usual 16O acres as a homestead.
embracing the then incipient settlement OF
Florence. He described the land taken
up by him as first class for agricultural
purposes, and the facilities for irrigation
all along the valley as unsurpassed, ana
offered to give me good town lot Tree ol
charge if | could make UP my rlnd 10
erect a brewery upon it. Just then, how
ever, | considered myself bound TO my
friend and partner. l.. B. Wooster, and
returned to our ranch at the Palo parade
where | found that Wooster had IN the
meantime plowed and planted to corn
and beans about 80 acres of our land, and
had begun the manufacture of adobes
with four MeXicans. whom he had hired
for the purpose. with a view of erecting
an adobe building and corral upon the
site Immediately adjoining the Palo parade
dwelling upon the north side. His wife,
partly on account of the constantly threat
ening danger from rowing Apaches, partly
on account of her precarlous health, had
temporarily moved to the town of Tubac,
and | resumed the culinary duties of the
establishment. which also involved the
procuring of fresh meat with my shotgun
and the gathering of dry wood from the ad-
joining mesquit groves.
Once a week / would ride to Tubac for
the mail and the purchase of such articles
at Mr.. Yerkes's store as were needed IN
the household. On these occasions would
also cali for the mail for such farmers as
lived along my route, and even those who
lived as far south as Calabasas, and had
given instructions to the Postmaster to
that effect.
One day in August l brought to the
ranch several letters destined for nelghbors
to the south of us. and on the following
day made ready to start upon their de-
livery About Il mile south of us there
the circumstances the brothers Chambers.
Their place was called the Bosque Ranch
(bosque-a grove of treesD, from the fact
that near their dwelling was a grove of
cottonwood trees.
About one and a-half miles farther
south there was another ranch called the
Aqua Fria (eold water) rahch. Upon this
there lived at the time the same Capt.
Gwen who had been member of the
LEGISLATURE as before stated. For him l
had a letter. as well as several for one
Long, J. B. Blanchard and George Sauii-
lers at Calabasas. At this place there was
a blacksmith shop. When l was ready
to mount, Wooster, who desired to break
some ground for a vegetable garden. asked
me to take a plow point along and have
it sharpeDed at the shop at Calabasas. l
tied it fast upon the rear part of my sad
die, and started upon our black horse.
which, although of considerable age, was
still quite serviceable.
AMBUsHED BY APACHEs.
Between the Bosque and Aqua Fria
ranches, about half way, there was at the
time a long, narrow slough containing wa
ter pretty nearly the whole year through.
1t was overgrown with canebrake. in
which innumerable blackbirds nested in
season and found feed at all times, ap-
parently. My route lay along the eastern
edge of this slough, and made a sudden
bend along about the middle of the slough,
on account of the protruding point of a
ridge descending from the feft hand side
of the road. lined here by foothills.
/ Travelled along without any thought of
danger, when my attention was suddenly
called, upon a very large flock of noisy
blackbirds arising from the slough and
flying hastily away from the road toward
the west. l think my first surmise was
that somebody, unseen by me, was hunt
ing in the canebrake. At all events,
was put on the alert by the circumstance
and caused my horse TO travel at faster
gait. The moment / had turned the pro-
truding corner of the descending ridge
the frantic yells of about a dozen Apaches
in my rear startled me, as well as the
horse, and l felt burning sensation along
that part of the body which sat upon the
saddle. The whirr of several arrows
passed by my ears, and l heard the re-
port Of pistol or rifle.
Well was it for me that | had become
a good rider by that time. for the horse
gave jump of at least 10 feet. :nat came
very near unseating me, ard then ran
faster than / ever saw tina. horse run
straight along the road 10 the Aqua Fria
Ranch, where had to use all my strength
to bring him to a stop.
Investigation here showed that the one
bullet fired at me had struck the plow
point upon my saddle, had thence glanced
off, passed between my legs, making q
shallow furrOw on the inside of my left
thigh, and finally lodged in the base OF
the horn on my Mexican saddle. cannot
understand to this day how it came about
that these Apaches, who numbered at leas
II, as their tracks subsequently showed
displayed such poor craftsmanship, fol
even my horse was untouched. The only
explanation seems to me to be that they
were in great hurry, and felt themselve.
unsafe, as a mounted party of six pros
pectors going to the Huachuca Mountain.
were only a short distance behind me- Thi
did not know at the time of the attack
ANOTHER SETTLERS ADVENTURE WITH
INDIANS.
When / arrived at Calabasas and relat
ed my adventure, Mr. II. G. Long told M
the following occurrence which had hap
pened to him only few days previous:
Il am cultivating patch of gardel
truck about half mile below here. AbUI
week ago my shotgun got out of order
and L started for Tubac on foot to have
fixed by George Toddenworth, who, a
you know, is quite an expert in firearms
/ took the path leading by my vegetabI
garden to the main road. At the junction
l met two miners from the Cerrc Colo
rado, who were looking for me, havin