El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-11-17

Q let Tor Ludt purpose and called out,
/ as cool as cucuBher-f
Boys We are going TO see some
/ fun, there are from 500 TO 400 Indians
I after me. I want you TO fire low and
Kill the horses. not the men. Poor dew
4 lis. I intend giving them a good sea re.
/ Gunners, depress that four FOUNDER,
{ and stand ready to fire when / give
the word"
All was done as he directed. We
soon heard the thunder OF their
horses hoofs and then most eNcit-
ing scene was presented to our view;
al least 500 Indians who were after
ward found to be COmsnCheS armed
and equipped for a grand hunting ex-
petition. burst on our view. They ure-
sented gallant sight, armed as they
were. with bows and arrows. lauces
and knives. tThe Indians prefer the
bow and arrow for hunting 10 the
rifle II makes no noise and does not
alarm the Eame-)
Indians Frightened Off.
Instead Of finding a small camp OF
a dozen trsppers and hunters. whom
they were prepared TO annihilate, they
beheld a large encampmeut of pale
faces mot NTeEicanSl. well protected.
with 100 rifles held in twice as many
hands. and all pointed at them. Their
establishment can be better ina Eiued
the extreme, and many a wa gh-' and
an Ugh resCunded from their COP
per-cOlored threats They were Just
wheeling round 20 retreat when Mau-
relic gave the order 10 fire.
Bang" went the fOur-pOunder.
and ping" went the rifles. all aimed
very low. OF probably 100 saddles
would have been emptied- As il was,
after the smoke had cleared away.
We saw q number or horses on the
ground. some killed outright, some
MORALLY wounded. some with their
legs broken Their late riders were
being taken up by their more for
tunate brethren. who. notwithstand-
ing their carrying double. went OFF
at two-thirty pace. Never we're
poor wretches so frightened. and they
kept up their headlOnE speed until
they were quite out or sight
We never knew If We killed any Of
their men. as Indians always carry
off their slain and wounded. but as
the captain. from motives Of human
ity. aimed low. it is probable that
few. If any. we're killed. we emerged
from our camp and counted 50 Indian
horses lying. on the plateau. About
80 were quite dead. the remainder. be-
ing desperately wounded, were hu-
namely shot i'm the head TO put them
out Of their misery
Reaching the PevOE.
We raised camp the next morning
after breakfast and proceeded on our
westward march IN due course Of
time, without anything worth special
mention. we found ourselves at the
teadwaters Of the Rio COncho. and
struck q small stream We afterward
found 20 be the South Fork Cf the
ConchO- After few days travel we
reached the source of the South Fork,
2 number Of springs. We halted here
Two DAYS. and as We were leaving the
neigh borhood Of streams and il was
uncertain when we should find water,
our chief ordered all the deerskins
taken about 1901 20 be sewed Up and
filled with water from the springs.
This was = wise precaution. as it was
afterward OF Creat service to us
Our object was now to strike the
Rio Pecos. tributary OF the Rio
Grande- but our course being con-
stsntly interrupted by rocks and "a
vines. 70 avoid them We DETECTED too
much to the south and finally struck
the Pecos. after a fatiSuing march OF
six days, going over a distance that
would have taken Us only three DAYS
had we known the road better.
Water Carried in DeerskinH.
After resting for Two days TO re-
fresh our men and recruit our cattle,
we followed the Pecos river. our
course being on the high tablelands,
running parallel with the river from
quarter 20 half a mile distant from
the stream. We camped each night
as near 10 the river as we could on
with deerskins to be filled and a we'll
armed escort We made short stages,
and camped early each eveninC-
Wood not being plentiful, we had diff
ficuIty IN finding enough TO build our
fires We met with no buffalOes and
other game was not plentiful. II was
only at night by watching the river
banks az places where the deer came
TO drink that v-e were enabled 70 pro-
cure enough veuisoH 20 Feed our
camp
We finally came 70 small stream
flowing into the pecos which we af-
terward found was called by the In
dams Toyah creek. Leaving this