Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1923-01-06

have determined to write down tn
story of the interesting periods of m
life and of my death. / cannot eS
plain the phenomena l can only sc
down here In the words of an OF
binary soldier of fortune a chronicl
of the strange events that befell m
during the ten years that my deaf
body lay undiscovered in an Arizona
cave
My name is John Carter; am bet
/ ter known as Captain Jack Carter o
! Virginia. At the close of the Civil
war | found myself possessed of sew
eral hundred thousand dollars (Con
federate) and a captains commission
in the cavalry arm of an army which
no longer existed. Masterless, PENN
less, and with my only means of live
lihood. fighting. gone. I determined t.
work my way to the Southwest ant
attempt to retrieve my fallen fortunes
In a search for gold.
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 located 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 sufficient force of men properly
to work the mine.
AS Powell was familiar with the
country, as well as with the mechani-
cal requirements Of mining we deter
mined that II would be best for him
to make the trip.
On March 3, 1866. Powell and 1
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 I would catch
occasional glimpses Of them as they
topped a hog back or came out upon
level plateau. My 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 l 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 to
needless worrying, but the more l
tried TO convince myself that all was
well with Powell, and that the dots l
had seen on his trail were antelope or
wild horses, the less was able to as
sure myself
Powell, l knew, was well armed
and, further, an experienced Indian
fighter; but too had lived and fought
for years among the Sioux in the
North, and I knew that his chances
were small against a party of cum
ming trailing Apaches. Finally 1
could endure the suspense no longer,
and, arming myself with two Colt re-
volvers> and a carbine, l strapped two
belts of cartridges about me and
catching envy 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 70 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 at the same rate of speed as
his.
/ was positive now that the trailers |
were Apaches and that they wished to |
capture Powell alive for the fendish
pleasure of the torture, so urged my
horse onward at a most dangerous
pace, hoping against hope that would
catch up with the red rascals before
they attacked him.
/ had forged ahead for perhaps a
mile or more, and had passed through
4 narrow. Overhanging gorge just be-
'ore entering suddenly upon the table
and, and the sight which met my eyes
Tiled me with, CONSERVATION and dis
nay.
The little stretch of level land was
white with Indian tepees. and there
we're probably half a thousand red
clustered around some OBJ
ect near the center of the camp.
vas, Of course, positive that Powell
vas the attraction, but whether /
bought or acted first I do not know,
ut within an instant from the mo
lent the scene broke upon my view
lad whipped out my revolvers and
vas charging down upon the entire
rmy Of warriors, shooting rapidly,
4