Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-16


across the mountains. The Indians knew
Il and settled down to beseige us.
Written on = Drumhead.
Second day a Pueblo Indian came down
off the mountains on a burro. Looking
after some sheep, perhaps. He couldn't
talk English, and II he could talk Spanish
we wouldn't have known H. But we and
he could say "Alcalde de Toas." which
meant head man OF Taos. The Pueblos and
Navatos didn't like each other, but with a
war with the whites on their hands the
latter wouldn't stir up another with the
Pueblos. They'd let his man through. and
we could give him a letter which he could
give the Alcalde and troops be sent TO our
relief. But, although chwartz had a PEN
ell, there wasn't a scrap Of paper in the
command. Couldn't write on handkerchiefs,
the pencil was 80 hard. or on sage brush,
the only wood available,
II was thinking" said Drummer Ration.
that you could write on q strip Of drum
head like pie"
Which we ala, taking the strip from the
snare head, and the drum could still be
played. But II would be q week or more
before we could expect relief, and we were
provisloned for four days. We didn't like
the thought OF eating pack mules, and 1t
didn't seem Anglo-Saxon to let even COO
Indians bottle us up without making some
attempt to get out.
A night attack, a rear or flank attack, is
always disconcertinK, even to civilized
troops, and It Is completely demoralizing
to uncivilfzed forces. So long as they felt
there was any chance that we would try
to break out no one would watch us more
sharply than those Navajos, but II We
- IT - L. -. -. 49, A.
keep quiet for any period they would aban-
don guard entirely for that period.
We'll sing and dance around our fires,
pretending to be very jolly and engrossed
in fun said Schwartz, land after a bit
most Of us will sneak out and get behind
'em and attack"
Asking the captains pardon and the
other officers pardons," suddenly said Muir
ply, saluting at least three times, know
ing It is not the part OF a private, and a
fifer at that, to hand In advice, nay l call
to your recollection that among indian
dancing accompanied by singing means get
ting ready to fight, and they're liable to
think hat Is what our demonstration
means, and are our men actors enough so
their voices wouldn't betray 1t was manu-
featured merriment7 Indians are very keen
about such things. But II I might suggest
sirs, 1 would play some lively tunes on my
fife, and that would furnish the noise neces-
sary TO attract their attention and explain
the dancing. Besides, the voice Of the fife
is always the same. and the Indians could
not detect any insincerity in It."
A Complete ROut.
At s o'clock ten men we're left jigging to
Murphy's fife around a big fire in the cen
ter Of our bivouac, and the rest Of the
command made o wide detour, got down to
the plain and behind the Indian camp. We
crept up almost upon 1t unchallenged
Lieutenant Sawyer made a reconnaissance.
There aren't a fourth of them here.
They can't be making an attack or they'd
all, b gone. What does 1t mean2"
Means they've crept up to listen to Muir
ply and watch the jlgging; Just dribbled
away one by one without any concerted
action. They're between here and our biv-
ouac,' said Schwartz.
And II they let their curiosity and pleas
ure lead them near enough to find there
are only eleven men there it will be the
end of the filing said McAndrews.
We moved up the slope, silent, dark fig
ures, slowly moving nearer the merry
strains of Murphy's jlgs. We threaded our
way among them quickly. making no reply
to an occasional gruut, all about In the
loose, open mob OF Indians, and "Bang!"
went MeAndrew's Pistol, 'bang." went
sixty-four rifles, and away, went the Nava-
Jos. Never was there a more complete
rout.-Philadelphia Ledger.