The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-27

wars?" asked the colonel from the
West. Didn't you read in the papers
few weeks ago that the Apaches were
making things warm in Arizona-broke
loose from the reservation, killed a
half dozen white men and were final
ly driven back, with a loss of about
thirty-five killed, by soldiers?''
But that was only a row brought
about by a land dispute, such as might
happen between white men," said one
of the group.
mo, it wasn't" persisted the colonel,
1T was nothing less than an old
fashioned warpath party. It's true
that the Indians no longer rise by
thousands, but that's because they've
thinned out. Those that are left en-
Joy fight just as much as their IA
theirs did, either with white men or
one tribe against the other.
1T is only in those communities
where Indians have taken to farming
and cattle raising that there is no
trouble. They have interests in prop
erty at stake, so they don't fight. But
the brave who has nothing to lose ex-
cept a horse and a skin tepee has all
the vagabon's love of a muss. It's the
small nomadic tribes that give trou-
BILE, and there are lots of them left.
There is a comparatively small area
of land in the United States where
hundred good fights take place each
year. The center of that turbulent dis
trict extends for miles into either state
from the southern half of the boun-
dairy line between New Mexico and
Arizona. 1t is miles away from rail-
ways or telegraph stations, and the
consequence is that the fights, which
occur almost daily, are never recorded
in the press. Only last year l had
an experience down there that was as
warm an affair as 1 ever had in the
early sixties.
81 was down on the ella river look
ing over a piece of land L wanted to
buy for sheep raising. 1 liked the
place all right-water and pasturage
just suited me-so 1 began to consider
it seriously.
Ever have any trouble with In
dians" 1 asked the old pioneer who
owned the land.
Wall he said Injuns do get a lit
tie restless now and agin, but it don't
mount to much. Sometimes they do
slide over yere from the reservations,
an then they do a lot o. yellin an
whoopin', and we whoop little, too.
but faint nothin serious. Jest livens
up both parties enough to give 'em
new zest. Kinder keeps things from
gettin' monotonous. Fact is, we'd a
heap rather have them little jambo-
rees once in a while to keep our blood
from gettin' sluggish
II didn't consider that the old mans
point of view might not be mine, SO
I mentally made the note, Indians not
troublesome
Next day I proposed we go out on
a hunting trip, and the old man agreed
Some neighbors of his Joined us, and
we set out on horses, just ten OF us.
1--WE struck a trail into the hills and
camped that night in beautiful spot
was considerably surprised that the
country wasn't more thickly inhabit-
ed; l found out later. Next morning
we weren't long in discovering bear
tracks and we hit on after them
About noon we discovered big grlz-
Fly wallowing in a pool of water
so we tethered our horses, and, leaV-
ing a Mexican to watch them, ad-
Vanced on foot to interview the bear
eve had just spread ourselves out
in fine style to open fire, when shot
rang out in a chaparral above us, and
we heard the Spat of a bullet as 1t nit
the rocks just where our game was.
The grizzly let out grunt and looked
up. Then we opened fire. The bear
JuSC rose lIOIIl lildl pun Int q
mountain in eruption, and with just
about as much noise. He came right
for us, and the rifle cracks sounded
like a full-sized battle. But just as
the bear was coming close enough to
make US consider a quick retreat, he
fell dead.
I'VE all rushed up with whoop,
but about the same time there was
another whoop from the chaparral and
four Indians came pelting down on
us. They reached the bear just as we
did. Then followed an exciting de-
bate. 1 couldn't understand what they
said but the old man evidently could,
for he answered chem back in their
own tongue. 1t seems they claimed
the bear, because they fired the first
shot, but the old man wouldn't have
it that way. He told them to git,
and as we outnumbered them, they
got but they were pretty sulky
about it.
1--WE skinned the bear and were hit
ting the trial back to camp. Suddenly
we heard shot and bullet whistled
right between us.
" Hit fer the rocks, boys' shouted
the old man; and following him, we
made up hill for some granite shafts
sticking up, with bullets flying thick.
Meanwhile 1 could hear Indians whoop-
ing behind us.
"When we got behind the rocks, we
had time to look, and there were about
twenty Apaches coming across the
landscape on their ponies. AS soon as
we opened fire they paused and began
the old game of circling They simply
crouched over their saddles and made
circuit around our hill, firing all the
time. Our Mexican friend dropped
dead but soon we saw an Indian fall,
too. The firing was like gigantic
Fourth of July celebration.
"Those Indians kept up a steady fire
till dusk. We saw another of them
his arm and another of our men was
wounded in the neck.
THAT night was one of the I'M
pleasantest l ever spent. We expected
an attack every moment, but when
morning came. the Indians were gone.
" It's all right, boys, said the old
man, they've cooled down and quit.
I'VE got back TO the ranch without
seeing more Indians But that settled
me on buying land for sheep raising
there. / wanted 10 leave right off so
the old man escorted me back TO the
railway station.
We'll. would you believe It, on the
station platform I saw on Of those
same Indians who had claimed our
bear. Before I could get over my SUR
prise, the old man walked up TO him,
the two shook hands. and they con-
Yersed
What's that niean7' ! asked, when
ne reiOined me.
"'oh. we nas gest a-talhn' over the