The daily Alaskan., 1904-03-10
\ R.JSE ID S..I'E THE E12T.
torigiuall

IOrlginall
 You want to hear how Fort N. was saved from massacre by Indians, do youg Well. l can tell you since l was there
 Fort N. was a blockhouse, a store and few dwellings The Apaches came down so suddenly that We had DO time to prepare We divided between the blockuouse and thc store. There were several thousand dollars worth of goods. Including provisions, in the store, besides ammunition, which it wasn't advisable to let the Indians have. The building stood about 200 yards from the blockhouse, and a path had been worn between the two was in the blockbouse with the eight men and the women and children. There were seven men in the store. This comprised all the people ln the place The division of force was all right, but the division of ammunition was an wrong. That in the fort had been suffered to run low, There was plenty In the store, but no time to move it You see. a man came gauopng In to give warning, and ten minutes later down came the Indians.
 It was about noon when tue attack began. and by 4 o'clock there wasn't a pound of powder left to usiu the block house. We had kep, up our spirits ull we learned of the dcdcicucy, several of the women doing good service at the loopholcs and altogether making it so hot for the red devils that they didn't dare make rush across the open. But when the ammunition gave out We were seized with a sudden fright IllI admit that my mind got on the butch cry of the women and children that was sure to come and ! couldn't get it off. There was but one thing to do some one must make run for the store and a run back with ammunition. or course there wasn't one chance ln ten of bis getting through either way but be might make the ont trip even if be had to drag himself in with bullet holes In him and tell them what we needed. l Slsnalf Great Scott. Don't you sup pose the Indians would understand a signal: And when they did that would be the end of us.
 We'll We had two brothers In the place. the Gordous. They kept the store. Jim Gordon was with us in the blockuouse with the Gordon women and children. and John was at the' store. John was lhe husband and fu- . ther Jim was a bachelor John incl trusted Jim with his family while he looked ofter the property. Jim Gordon was perfect deer at running and had pr1cdccd ziggg motion ou pur- pose to dodge Indians and their fire He volunteered Co try a run for the store. He started jus, at dark when mist was rising from the ground. There was a rainfall ol lead poured at him, but be had made half the distance be- fore be felI The darkness came on ] and We knew for certain the IudiauH would steal up and get poor jim.
 During the night we were at the mercy of the redskins if they had only known it. made up my mind to try a skulk through to the store, for we felt sure the attack would be renew cd at daylight Soon after midnight l cuwled out and got over some twenty yards when ] saw the dark forms of Indians keeping watch between the two wings of our little army. ! crept to the left to circumvent them and had made considerable distance when down in a depression in the ground a party Of them suddenly lighted a Are, and near by. bound to tree, l saw poor Jim Gordon He wasn't dead but was as white as a corpse The Indians blocked the way ] was going. SO ] turn ed. but found them everywhere, and finally. coming to clump of thick bushes. ] lay concealed There wasn't much chance of my getting through, and confess thc sight of Jim Gordon rather took the starch out of me.
 l lay hidden tul daylight and the In- Jiuns then began to make preparations for rush. It was plain they were go- . ing to attack the blockhouse. possibly because they had diyined from Jim Gordons attempt that the garrison was . n need of something. Just os they were about to start a figure came from ,he store and walked very slowly to- ward tlc Indians. who were mostly located near thc tree to which Jim Gordon was secured One or two shots were fired at tle figure without ap- parent effect The chief then stopped . any more suooHu. Perhaps he thought a messenger was coming Go bring a sur render vus wondering at the slow eho. alike movement of the advancing figure when ! noticed commotlon . among the mdiaus. Several of them . ran and looked at Jim Gordon, then gan back to stare at the dgure which ! could now see was white as ashes in the face. Then one after another the Indians started back. apparently ter TOT stricken. and by lhe time the spec tral figure had come near enough for nlc to distinguish who it was nearly all Of them had fled.
 You may be sure ] wondered what it was that made them get away SO fast l An Indian isn't such a fool as to be . luped simply by @ man playing ghost . Whom saw f.rr f.n frurn was TOhn