The Lamar register., 1921-01-26
CHAPTE Err I.


do not know why / should fear
death, l who have died twice and am
still alive; but yet | have the same
horror of II as you who have never
died. and It is because OF this terror
OF death. | believe, that l am SO CON
vinced Of my mortality.
And because OF this conviction /
have determined to write down the
story Of the interesting periods OF my
life and of my death. | cannot ex-
plain the phenomena can only set
down here In the words OF an or
dinary soldier of fortune chronicle
Of the strange events that befell me
during the ten years that my dead
body lay undiscovered In an Arizona
cnve.
Ny name Is John Carter: | am bet
ter known as Captain Jack Carter Of
Virginia. At the close OF the Civil
war I found myself possessed of sew
eral hundred thousand dollars tCon-
federate) and a captains commission
In the cavalry arm OF an army which
no longer existed. Masterless, pennl-
less, and with my only means of live
lihood. fighting, gone, ! determined to
work my way 10 the Southwest and
attempt to retrieve my fallen fortunes
In a search for gold.
I spent nearly year prospecting
In company with another Confederate
officer, Captain James X. Powell OF
Richmond We were extremely for
tunate, for late in the winter OF 1865.
after many hardships and privations.
we Iocnted the most remarkable gold
bearing quartz vein that our widest
dreams had ever pictured.
As our equipment was crude In the
extreme we decided that one Of us
must return to civilization. purchase
the necessary machinery and return
with a sufficient force OF men properly
to work the mine.
As Powell was familiar with the
cal requirements OF mining we deter
mined that It would be best for him
to make the trip.
On March 3, 1865. Powell and
packed his provisions on two Of our
burros, and bidding me good-by he
mounted his horse. and started down
the mountainside toward the valley.
across which led the first stage OF his
journey
could see him and his little pack
animals picking their way down the
mountainside toward the valley. and
all during the morning would catch
I occasional glimpses of them as they
topped a hog back or came out upon a
level plateau Ny last sight of Powell
was about three In the afternoon as
he entered the shadows of the range
on the opposite side Of the valley.
Some hours afterward happened
to glance casually across the valley
and was much surprised to note three
little dots in about the same place
had last seen my friend and his two
pack animals. am not given 10
needless worrying. but the more
tried to convince myself that all was
well with Powell. and that the dots
had seen on his trail were antelope OF
wild horses, the less was able TO as
sure myself
Powell. ! knew, was well armed
and. further. an experienced Indian
fighter: but l too had lived and fought
for years among the Sioux in the
North. and I knew that his chance.
were small against a party OF Gun
ming trailing Apaches. Finally ]
could endure the suspense no longer
and. arming myself with two Colt re-
volvers and a carbine, strapped two
belts OF cartridges about me and
catching my saddle horse. started
down the trail taken by Powell In the
morning.
Close upon dusk. l discovered the
point where other tracks Joined those
of Powell. They were the tracks OF
unshod ponies, three OF them. and the
ponies had been galloping.
followed rapidly until about mid.
night, ! reached the water hole where
Powell had expected to camp
was Interested to note that the
tracks of the pursuing horsemen. for
such l was now convinced they must
be, continued after Powell with only a
brief stop at the hole for water; and
always ut the same rate OF speed a.
his.
was positive now that the trailers
were Apsches and that they wished to
capture Powell alive for the fiendisb
pleasure of the torture, 50 urged my