Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1904-01-25

. 9 the winter of 'e9-7o left
/ Hardyville, on the Great
view Colorado, for Central Ari-
Eona Il the mountains south of Zuni.
Over 800 miles of desert, mountain
and canyon we passed, and at last the
Sierra Blanca, south Of Zuni, was
sighted and we were. i'll the land of
sold and the Indian.
I had command Of the party, having
General Beale, and l gave strict orders
against separating when we reached
The head waters OF the Chiguito, where
1ur prospecting was to begin.
=. From the very first hour we were in
fuck K. Never had any of lis seen such
indications, and we were all sansuine
that in q few months we could turn
DacE. with our pack mules and horses
laden down With gold dust and gold
nuggets.
We were at work for 4 few weeks
fDefo.e We saw any signs Of Indians,
and then but the track Of one, who
must have passed through, or rather
slose to, our camp the previous night.
J Gid not like this; but the fact gave
lis no trouble, and that day, in ON
toany with Sam Howard, l assembled
an arroyo, along which the indications
advanced.
We were on foot, with our trusty
rifles on u shoulders, and felt safe
from the attack Of Indians. particular
y on the mesa, for the sides of the
-tabie-like hill We're nearly precipitous.
evas by the arroyo up which we had
:ome.
zone week at this is all T want"
exclaimed Sam, looking around, like
sne il a delightful dream, at the prodi-
gal p%rofusion Of golden particles.
"VYell, Sam, what will you do with
al your wealth when you have got
bacE?' I asked, as We proceeded
farther and farther across the mesa,
seeing no diminution in the visible
wealth it contained.
Il will make q Decline for home,
and just as 0 0 as Julia can get ready
{ will marry he answered, gleefully,
as he saw. in imagination the bliss
IF such an event. Then he turned and
asked, what will you do, old fellow:'
II left home, Sam, to win wealth
Cor the wife and two little ones 1 left
behind years ago.. That wealth Sc
cured, | will go back, get a farm, and
tSe happy with the dear wife who has
;geen SO true, and in seeing my children
grow up With more Of the blessings Of
wealth and education than I ever ell
Ioyed," was the reply.
My first impulse after making this
discovery was to send down for my
companions, but the fascination OF the
place was too great to leave it for a
mon nt; so I determined to make 4
thorough exploration Of this El Dorado,
and when this was done, to so down
and report to companions, whose
delight at the discovery it gave me a
great deal Of pleasure to imagine.
We walked so slowly, and in so many
notwithstanding at times to examine
the ground, and to put nuggets into
Aur bags-that the SUI: was nearly
down when we halted under the shell
ter of q rock at the further side Of the
mesa, and ate With q keen relish the
bread and meat we had brought with
as. We had walked q .ong distance,
But I knew we were not over two miles
in d straight line from the head Of the
> ,-l>o~ -3>a ,.,oo1 --,~ ~,o,
and washed down by a draught Of
water from Sans canteen. We started
tack, half intoxicated with delight.
while Sans boyish shouts came back
in laughing echoes from the rocks and
preciDitous walls Of the mesa.
"uold, SAM" :.'
I laid my hand restrainingly on his
arm, for I heard a shrill yell following
his last shout, and my trained ears
told me at II c it was not an echo.
We both listened ~breathlessly, and in
a few seconds again came the yell,
from 4 rock about 500 yards in front,
and this was answered, not by echoes,
but hy a csoras of fierce yells that
seemed to om from the walls of the
mesa around us.
"Indians!" calculated Sam, with a
pale face.
Eyes, Indians; and all around u.s."
replied, for the yells increased in fury
and I. heard the zip zip OF arrows on
the rocks abouta!s, though the archers
were not visible.
sect your rifle ready, Sam, and fol
low me-"
I knew that OUT only hope of safety
depended on getting into the arroyo
before dark-indeed, it "a the only
means Of descent I knew of-and once
in there, l thought our friends below