Year: 1864

80
to Elmira, no more was said at that time.


"Nothingsmore of Importance occurred,
until about threeso'clock in the afternoon.
A friend of mine by the name of George
Reynolds, and myself were walking ahead
of the wagons, when we came upon the
bodiessof two Apache Indians who had
cash in the shape ofsa cross cut in their
foreheads. / Immediately recalled what
Elmira had told me that afternoon, and
which ] there, related to my companion,
aWe proceeded to dig a grave and
were busy at it when the wagons came
along. They all soon. kneE the story,
and wondered what great wrong the wild
man had suffered that he wreaked this
vengeance upon those savages in so sum-
mary manner. But we had not time to
waste in suppositions; the night was
drawing on, and we had yet to find q
camping ground; 50 hastily covering up
the bodies we pushed on. sui
The hunter paused. There was a look
of sadness on his face which could not
account for; nervous elutching Of fin,
gers for which I could find no reason;
but it was soon to come. 80 ~


"That night" said he, with faint tre-
NOR in his voice. chow shall describe
that night tha:terrible night 1t seems
all before me now-that-but must not
anticipate.
4We were encamped in a deep canon,
through which ran a beautiful stream.
The night was dark and cloudy, and not
. star was to be seen. We all went to
bed pretty early, but our minds were too
much engrossed with the incidents of the
morning to sleep. 1t was about ten O'Clock,
and lay on my back thinking of the
wild hunter and the two Apaches, when
there arose such: a wild, unearthly cry
that it makes my blood curdle in my veins
to even think of it. - -. 3, .7al


"Buk that was not all. Simultaneous
with the cry came a swarm of Apache Ie-
dians; and them --oh, my Godw cried
the hunter, btrying his face in his hands,
"then came the slaughter. It is the same
story repeated that of an Indian massa-
Gre. But we fought 'em, cried the trap
per, raising his head, while triumphant
gleam shone in his eye, sswith the shrieks
of our wives, and the cry Of our little
ones in our ears we fought 'em- But all
through that terrible fight was not alone.
When it first commenced I heard hoarse
shout by my side, and turning / beheld
the wild hunter. ESQ
II never saw anything on this earth
fight like he did. 10 his right hand he
carried tomahawk, which, every time it
descended, entere a redskins brain. In
his left hand was his bowie with. which
he branded them as fast as they fell. Oh,
it was terrible night anf5


"Allof that once happy party was left
dead on the ground, with the exception
of two-little Elmira and myself. We
were both taken prisoners, but / managed
to escape before we had gone two miles.
As for the wild hunter, he disappeared
as soon as the fight was over-he went as
mysteriously as he came. -, 2


"After l had escaped from the savases,
and was beyond pursuit, I sat down upon
large stone to think of what was bes. to
do. Whittier should I go !? 1 was over
one hundred miles from settlement one
way, and eighty-two the other Even if
l had wished to walk the distance, what
would I eat /? I had no arms, not even q
knife to kill game You may imagine
the fix was in. ~s4


"I probably sat there an hour before
was determined on the course / should
pursue At the end of that time arose
and made my way to the scenes of the
late massacre. Everything was as we had
left it. The first thing'I did was to bury
the bodies The next to find some food.
The wagons were still there, but every
thing was gone. Finding I could get nc
food, 1 left the place and started after
the Indians, who had taken a northern
direction. IF any one then would have
asked me what my purposes were, I could
not have told them, for I had no fixed
plan, no defnite-id to 90 by.


'stIt was about four O'Clock when left
the dreadful spot, and commenced my
| journey after the savages. I had pret.
" rough time, for had mighty bad
road to travel over. up hill and down
crossing streams and leaping over ravines
but got through it all, and came oai
safe, although not without some scratch.
es. After while it got dark, but an un


erring instinct seemed to guide ne, aud
I made my way along uninterruptedly
until about ten O'Clock that right, wher
Iacame across something that stopped my
progress. si5


"It was nothing more nor less than the
Apache camp. It was in q kind of 'ra


vine or canon, situated good deal Ike
the one in which the massacre had taker
place. The red villains were all seated
around the FIRE smoking. was puzzled
for moment what to do, until I saw lit


tie Elmira seated off q little distance from
the root of the tree. My course was de.
cidej upon. ! had come upon the camp
from the entrance of the valley, and Il
| possible, would leave it in that direction


But I would not leave it alone. / mus


have Elmira. Slowly and cautiously ]
dragged my way towards her, My greai
fear was that she might see me before
could get to her, and make my presence
known by crying out. I had got nearly
to her and was congratulatiHg myself on
the success cf my plan, when the girl
turned her head. / thought all was lost
Ibut instead Of running to the fire as ]
supposed she would lin case she saw me
came right toward demeI ss5ss sfs