The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1921-04-29
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| upon them. turned and fled in every
direction for their bows, arrows and
rifles.
The view which their hurried rout-
ing disclosed filled me with apprehen-
sion and with rage. Under the clear
rays of the Arizona moon lay Powell,
his body fairly bristling with the ar
rows Of the braves. That he was al
ready dead I could not but be con-
vinced, and yet 1 would have saved
his body from mutilation at the hands
Of the Apaches as quickly as would
have saved the man himself from
death.
Riding close to him reached down
from the saddle, and grasping his
cartridge belt drew him up across the
withers Of my mount. To return by
the way had come would be more
hazardous than to continue across the
plateau. so, putting spurs to my poor
beast, made a dash for the opening
to the pass which could distinguish
on the far side Of the tableland.
The Indians had by this time dis
covered that was alone and was
pursued with imprecations, arrows
and rifle balls. The fact that I was a
rather rapidly moving target saved
me. from the various deadly projectiles
of the enemy and permitted me to
reach the shadows of the surrounding
peaks before an orderly pursuit could
be organized.
My horse was travelling practically
unguided, as knew that I had prob
ably less knowledge of the exact loca-
ton Of the trail to the pass than he,
and thus It happened that he entered
a defile which led to the summit of
the range and not to the pass which ]
had hoped would carry me to the val
ley and to safety.
My first knowledge that was on
the wrong trail came when I heard
the yells of the pursuing savages sud-
denly grow fainter and fainter far off
to my left.
drew rein on little level promon-
tory overlooking the trail below and
to my left, and saw the party of pur-
suing savages disappearing around the
point of a neighboring peak.
! knew the Indians would soon dis
cover that they were on the wrong
trail and that the search for me would
be renewed In the right direction as
soon as they located my tracks.
! had followed the trail for perhaps a
hundred yards when a sharp turn to
the right brought me to the mouth of
large cave. The opening was about
four feet in height and three to four
feet wide, and at this opening the trail
ended.
Dismounting, laid Powell upon the
ground, but the most painstaking ex-
animation failed to reveal the faintest
spark of life.
Leaving the body where 1t lay on
the ledge I crept into the cave to re-
connoiter. / found large chamber,
possibly a hundred feet in diameter
and thirty or forty feet in height; a
smooth and well-worn floor, and many
other evidences that the cave had, at
some remote period, been Inhabited.
AS was continuing my examina-
ton I commenced to feel a pleasant
drowsiness creeping over me which ]
attributed to the fatigue of my long
and strenuous ride, and the reaction
/ from the excitement of the fight and
the pursuit.
I soon became so drowsy that
could scarcely resist the strong desire
to throw myself on the floor Of the
cave for few moments rest, but ]
knew that this would never do, as II
would mean certain death at the
hands Of my~red friends, who might