THE CAPTURE.
We were now fairly started on our journey, and but for a singular
feeling of depression which weighed down my spirits and seemed a
presentiment of evil to come, I should have had little doubt of our
ability to overtake the train and travel safely with it to our
destination. This feeling, however, caused me to become taciturn and
apprehensive, so much so, that I was frequently rallied upon the subject
by my companions.
For many days, however, we followed the trail without special incident;
the tracks of wagons giving us an easy guide. We found grass, wood and
water in abundance, and traveling light and unimpeded by others, felt
confident that we were gaining upon the train and would undoubtedly
overtake them shortly.
We crossed several rivers and streams, most of them fordable, but one or
two we found wide and deep and were compelled to float our wagon across.
We saw some game, antelopes and deer, and shot a few, forming a welcome
addition to our larder; but they were generally shy and kept out of
reach, without wandering too far from the track. For two days we had
been journeying through an entirely different country from that which we
had passed. It was almost a barren desert, treeless, without game, and,
but little water; on its hard surface the wagon wheels made scarcely an
imprint, and it was with the greatest difficulty that we could take up
the trail. The evening of the second day found us still on the road, as
we could find no water, without which we could not camp. Before sunset
we had noticed a low fringe along the horizon which looked like timber,
and knowing there must be water there, determined to push on and reach
it, if possible, before camping for the night.
After a weary march we reached the edge of the desert plain, and found a
small stream, clear but shallow; its banks lined with tall cottonwood
trees. Here we rested, and our tired animals fully appreciated the cool
water and the luxuriant "gramma" grass which abounded.
While standing watch, a precaution we never neglected, I fancied I heard
a distant rifle shot, and roused my father and brother, fearing Indians
might be near at hand, for we were now in very dangerous country and
father declared that he had seen "Injun sign" the day previous, but a
scout through the cottonwood grove revealed nothing, and as the sound
was very faint and was not repeated, we concluded it was only fancy;
father muttering as he crawled under his blanket that I was getting too
almighty scarey for a backwoodsman.
This incident however aroused those apprehensive feelings that had
before troubled me, but which had been quieted for a time by the
uneventful nature of our journey. We were not again disturbed that
night, but at sunrise we made a discovery that filled us with
dismay--_We had lost the trail!_ This we were convinced was the result
of our night journey, and father was confident that we could recover it;
but, when after several hours spent in a fruitless endeavor to find
where it crossed the stream, I urged that we should take our own trail
back to the point at which it diverged from that of the train, he
positively refused to do so; declaring that he wasn't a greenhorn to get
scared at so small a matter, and that he should push on in a
southwesterly direction, and take his chance of intersecting the trail,
he asserting that we must have strayed to northward of it. My brother
and myself protested against so rash an undertaking, but in vain; and we
finally started on what was destined to be our last day's journey
together.
Our route now lay across a verdant and apparently boundless prairie. Far
as the eye could reach it was a level plain, without landmarks,
trackless as the sea, covered with a living carpet of emerald green. At
another time I could have spent hours in gazing upon its vast expanse,
and fancying its changed appearance when its surface should be furrowed
by the plow and its fruitful soil reward the farmer's labor; but the
presentiment of evil which I found it impossible to shake off, oppressed
my spirits rendering me anxious and fearful.
A few moments took us out of sight of the cottonwood grove, and but for
the aid of father's pocket compass we could have had little idea of our
direction, but by its assistance we traveled steadily in a southwesterly
coarse, father being confident that we had strayed north of the trail
and that by taking this course we must sooner or later regain it. Until
nearly noon we kept steadily on, seeing nothing to indicate that we were
near the trail. Just before noon we halted to rest and feed the animals
and prepare a meal for ourselves.
The morning had been sultry and we were all sufficiently fatigued to
find a brief rest very acceptable. Refreshed by half an hour's rest, we
were preparing to start, when my brother who had moved off in advance,
suddenly exclaimed, "father's right after all, there are mounted men
ahead, it must be the train!" Animated by the hope that our solitary
wanderings were nearly over and our perils past, we pushed ahead, urging
our animals forward with all possible speed.
The distant horsemen were moving parallel to our route, and apparently
had not perceived us. We shouted and fired our rifles, a commotion was
visible among them, they halted, wheeled, and a number suddenly galloped
towards us with the speed of the wind. My brother, who had ridden far
ahead of us swinging his cap and hallooing loudly, suddenly pulled up
his horse and with a cry of terror rode back to us with his utmost
speed. We were not long at a loss to understand the meaning of this
proceeding; as he neared us his warning shout of Indians! Indians! was
borne to us upon the breeze. But it needed not that to apprise us of our
peril; ere he reached us the advancing horsemen had approached so near
that we could plainly, see instead of the friends we sought, a horde of
hideous savages, naked to the waist, besmeared with war paint in many
strange devices, their tall lances waving, their ornaments glittering in
the sun--on, on they came, giving vent to the most blood-curdling yells
it had ever been my fortune to hear.
In this desperate strait my father alone preserved his coolness; the
warlike spirit of the old frontiersman was roused in an instant. With
lightning-like rapidity he had unhitched his team and so disposed them
with our horses and the wagon as to form a sort of square, the horses
and mules were tied together and to the wagon, thus avoiding the danger
of their being stampeded. Inside this square we placed ourselves, and
levelling our rifles across the backs of our living bulwark awaited the
attack. My poor mother and wife, terrified almost to the verge of
insensibility, we compelled to lie down in the bottom of the wagon, and
so arranged its cargo as to protect them from any stray shot which might
strike it.
At first it seemed that the savages intended to ride us down by sheer
force of numbers, which they might easily have done; but our determined
aspect and the three shining tubes aimed at them, each ready to send
forth its leaden messenger of death, evidently changed their
determination; for before getting within range, their headlong gallop
became a moderate lope, then a walk, and they finally halted altogether.
A short council followed, during which we had an excellent opportunity
to observe our foes, and concert our plans for defence. Father cautioned
us to hold our fire until absolutely certain of our mark, and that, if
possible, but one must fire at a time, as it was of the utmost
importance to be prepared for a sudden dash. We examined the loading of
our rifles and pistols, put on fresh caps, and with wildly beating
hearts and nerves strained to their utmost tension, awaited the
onslaught.
Our enemies now seemed to have arrived at some determination, for their
consultation was at an end--an old Indian who, from his dignified
bearing and authoritative manner appeared to be their chief, made a sign
with his hand, and spoke a few words in a loud tone. The incessant
jabbering which they had kept up from the moment they halted instantly
ceased, and one after another a number of young warriors, perhaps
twenty, rode out in single file upon the prairie. After gaining a
distance of about one hundred yards from the main body they increased
the intervals separating them to some fifty paces, and then inclining
the course so as to form a sort of half circle, they increased their
speed and came on with the evident intention of circling round us.
These manoeuvres had not escaped our notice, but neither my brother
nor myself understood their import. That my father did so, however, was
evident.
"Surround!" he muttered, the instant the movement began. "I thought
they'd try it, blame their ugly picters." "Now boys," he continued,
"keep cool and keep your eyes skinned, don't throw away a shot, and
don't fire 'till I give the word." He then explained the method of this
peculiar stratagem of Indian warfare. The twenty picked men were about
to ride around us in a circle, at top speed, delivering flights of
arrows as they passed, their object being to disconcert us and draw our
fire; our guns once empty, the main body whom we observed held
themselves in readiness, would ride in, and by a sudden dash, end the
skirmish by our death or captivity.
Father's warning was delivered in far less time than it has taken to
write this--and it was barely concluded before the attacking party were
circling round us, uttering their vengeful war cries, and gradually
drawing nearer and nearer. Standing back to back, we watched their every
movement, my brother and myself expecting every moment to have an
opportunity to tumble one or more of the bold riders from their horses;
but a few seconds showed us the futility of this. As they came within
range, each Indian _disappeared behind the body of his horse_. A hand
grasping the withers of the horse, and a foot just showing above his
back, were all that could be seen--perhaps a painted face would be seen
for an instant under the horse's neck, but instantly disappearing--while
the hiss of an arrow would tell that the rider had sped the shaft to its
mark; the horse all the while going at full gallop. At no moment could
any one of us have fired with any chance of hitting an Indian. The
horses we could have shot without difficulty, but this was just what our
enemies wanted. Could they but induce us to waste our fire upon the
horses, we would soon be at their mercy. So, with an effort, we
restrained our inclination to risk a shot, and watched their every
movement with the cat-like vigilance of men who knew that their lives
were trembling in the balance.
Round and round went the circle of the hunt, flight after flight of
arrows whistled past us, or spent their force against the wagon, still
we were unharmed; although our escapes were narrow and incessant. The
mules and horses were struck repeatedly, but so tightly were they bound
together with leathern thongs that not even death could separate them.
As our tormentors came around for the fifth time, one of the horses
stumbled and fell and rolled completely over, pitching his rider
headlong upon the prairie. Before he could regain his horse, father's
rifle cracked and the unlucky equestrian rolled prone upon the ground
with a bullet in his brain.
[Illustration: The Capture.]
"That's one less," muttered father, grimly. "I thought I'd fetch ye, ye
painted varmint." "Don't fire for your lives, boys," he continued,
"'till I'm loaded." They were the last words he ever uttered.
Simultaneously with their utterance came the hiss of an Indian arrow,
and with a deep groan he sank to the ground. Terror stricken, and with
anguished hearts we raised him in our arms. Alas, the deadly aim had
been too true; the shaft, entering his right eye had penetrated the
brain, and we saw at a glance that our dear father was no more. Racked
by contending emotions, we had almost forgotten our imminent peril; as
we turned to confront the foe, we saw that our hesitation had been
fatal; the red warriors were upon us like a living tide, and for a few
seconds a wild melee followed; we battled hand to hand with the
desperation of fiends; it was but for an instant; my brave brother fell
covered with wounds, and his death shriek was still ringing in my ears,
when I received a blow upon the head which stretched me senseless upon
the ground. I seemed to experience the sensation of falling from a vast
height, then came a sudden shock and all was blank.