Arizona republican., 1905-09-02
A QUARTET OF TRAVELLERS
Four Indian Boys Who Have NO Fear
OF the Desert.

1t is probable that no more weary
and fatigued persons ever lay down to
rest in this country, than a quartet
of Indian boys who sought their beds
at the Phoenix Indian school about
10 o'clock Thursday night unless per-
hapS it may have been some one so
weary he never woke up again. But
these boys were all right yesterday
except that they were a bit sore, and
there was nothing the matter with
their appetites.
Wednesday morning three Apache
boys about twelve or fourteen years
old. having decided that life at the
school was not as attractive to them
as their native heath, slipped away
from the institution and started imme-
diately for the wiclups of their an
cestors in the neighborhood of Camp
Verde. Though they were Arizona
born and bred, they We're yet too
young to really appreciate just what
kind of a contract they had undertake
en- in August weather. They were en-
tirely unprepared for travel, having
previously made no arrangements,
were on foot and did not even have a
canteen. They went directly north via
the Black Canyon road, having no fear
of the desert and seemingly but little
knowledge of it.
The absence of the boys from the
school was not observed for two or
three hours and then action was taken
al once to trail them. \ Modoc In
dian boy and an Apache Mohave boy
about nineteen years old were dis
patched on horseback to try and find
them. They left the school about l
o'clock and sometime was spent in 10
eating the trail of the fugitives. The
pursuing party finally learned that
the three runaways had passed Har-
din's station on the Arizona canal and
gone directly north toward Gibsons
station, thirty-five miles north OF
Phoenix. They followed them. think
ing to overtake them in Il short time
and themselves having no lunch or
canteen. But they had no. properly
estimated the speed of am Indian boy
homeward bound. even on desert
road. 1t was late in the afternoon
when they overlook the two smaller
boys about half way between Hardin's
and Gibson's stations. The older of the
three fugitives had gained passage
behind a mounted Mexican going to-
ward Gibson's and had told his COM
panions that he would get water there
and come back to them as they had
only started with a beer bottle fun
from Hardin's and it was long since
exhausted. None of them knew how
much further it was to Gibson's so the !
party pressed on to overtake him. y
short time afterward one Of the horses /
gave out. There was nothing that
could be done for him and he was
left in the road, the saddle and bride (
being put on the other horse. which |
I hen hor1uDa nj he
party proceeded on foot. Finally the /,
Modoc left the other two in charge of (
the Apache Mohave pursuer and tax /
ing the horse went on ahead to Glib /
sons for water. There he found the |
third fugitive pretty nearly tired out.
and explained to him the futility OF /
continuing his expedition. The MeXi-
can on horseback had in the meantime
gone on. This was about midnight
and getting the fugitive to agree to
await his return, the Modoc got a
tin can and filing it with water re-
turned to the desert party which he
reached before any of them had sue
cumbed TO thirst All went on to Glib ]
sons. arriving there before daylight.
only to find that the third fugitive,
not to be caught, had con-
tinued his journey north. They fol-
lowed him four miles further TO Glib
sons upper station. formerly the Al
<ire ranch, and learned he was still
some miles ahead of them. As there
was water enough in the creeks to as
sure him of not perishing they decided
to let him go and securing breakfast
at the station they took a light lun-
cheOn and Immediately started back to
Phoenix. By ten o'clock in the fore
noon they were back to the lower sta
ton, utilizing the horse as 4 pack ami
NAL for the saddles, a little luncheon
and a small canteen OF water. They
were brave and determined to walk