The pursuit of the Apache chief; a story of the campaign against Geronimo

Front matter

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THE PURSUIT OF THE APACHE CHIEF

By

Preface

Arizona is a land of romance and adventure. In the great Southwest the Apache Indians years ago made a name that became known throughout the country. Indeed, the name has gone far beyond the bounds of the United States and to-day is a familiar one in certain foreign cities. The campaign of General Miles against Geronimo, the wily, able and treacherous leader of these Indians, has provided the basis for this story. Many of the details have been related to me or given by those who were familiar with the campaign. The writer acknowledges his indebtedness for this material, and is under special obligation to General Miles, himself, for information he has kindly provided.

Evebett T. Tomlinson

Elizabeth, New Jersey

Contents

CHAP'i‘£a PAGE

n. A Band op Apaches 4 16

III. Under the Mountain . . . ; 5 ; , 26

Chapter I In The Devil's Canon"

T HIS is where I saw a bear day before yesterday.”

“If there was one here then we ought to find one here now.”

“That doesn't most always follow. Bears are strange creatures. Sometimes I have known 'em to hang 'round a canon like this for weeks at a time and then again they wouldn’t show up for days. I reckon they have a feeding ground hereabouts and when there are berries and other things to be had, they work their vein for all its worth and then when they've got all they can, go out and look for something else. Just now, however, we had better keep quiet and be on the lookout.”

There were three members of the little party which late in the summer of 1886 was entering a great gorge in Arizona which was known as the Devil ’s Canon. The oldest member of the little band was Z. Taylor Smith, a man about sixty years of age, hale and strong. The name of Old Bough and Ready had appealed strongly to the parents of the prospector and at the time of the birth of their boy they were united in their plan to call their offspring by the name of the President. This name, however, among those who knew him best, was commonly shortened to Zack. His face had been bronzed by his many years in the southwest. He had been one of the Forty-niners, who had gone in that famous year to California, when gold had been discovered near Sacramento.

Apparently his fortune had not yet been made, however, although every year his courage was still strong, and now, after the passage of a quarter of a century, he was still confident that he would find gold in the near future.

The second member of the trio was a young engineer named J ohn McBrier. Two years before the time when the events in this story occurred he had graduated from one of the 2

IN THE DEVIL’S CKNON

famous mining schools in the middle west. Possessed of some means and with no one dependent upon him, for his father and mother were dead, he had decided to go alone into the region where copper and gold were being found, and with all the hopefulness of youth he was confident that he, too, would soon be able to discover that which would amply reward him for his search. Two years had passed since he had come and the gold for which he had been searching had not yet been found. His spirits, however, were still undaunted and his courage was as strong as when he had first entered the marvelous regions. He was now about twenty-four years of age, tall and strong, and his hands and face were almost as bronzed as those of his older companion.

The third member of the group was Alfred McBrier, Jack’s younger brother. He was seventeen years of age and at the close of school early in June he had taken the long journey across the plain from his home in St. Louis. All his anticipations of riding over the desert or climbing among the canons of the Sierras had been more than fulfilled. Several days had elapsed since his arrival and every 3 moment had had its own special joy for the daring yonng hunter. He resembled his older brother, although he was not as heavy and his eyes were dark instead of being blue like Jack’s. To Alfred his older brother was the most wonderful man in the world. What Jack told him must be true anyway, and what Jack did or was able to do, in Alfred’s mind, was beyond the power of any other man to accomplish.

Three days previous to the entrance of the little band into the Devil’s Canon, Zack had discovered the presence there of what he declared to be “the biggest b’ar between California and Washington.” His description had been so interesting that his younger companions had been as eager as he to hunt out the monster and secure his skin. It was for this purpose that now they were slowly making their way up the rocky and difficult slope of the canon.

Frequently they halted for rest and to look keenly all about them. As yet no sign of the bear had been discovered. Above them was the clear blue of the Arizona sky. Indeed, there was a blueness in it, which is perhaps not to be found elsewhere. Only an occasional fleck of clouds was to be seen in the white expanse above 4

IN THE DEVIL’S CA^ON them and the yellow sunlight of the summer day was golden and mellow beyond the power of any writer to describe.

“Do you hear the b’ar a-groanin’?” inquired Zack, abruptly.

All three men instinctively swung the rifles they were carrying and leaned forward, listening intently.

From the depth of the canon before them there came the sound as of some mighty power groaning and moaning in agony. Beginning with a low note the muffled sound increased in volume until it became a great roar. Then, after a minute had passed the sound gradually subsided, becoming indistinct and soon no longer was heard.

“What is that?” inquired Alfred quickly.

1 1 1 told you , 9 7 replied Zack, 4 ‘ that was the old b’ar a-groanin’. At least that’s what the Apaches say and they ought to know for they have lived in these parts a good many hundred years.”

“It sounded,” suggested Jack, “as if it came from that cave yonder,” pointing as he spoke toward an opening that appeared in the side of the mountain.

“Let’s go in and drag him out,” suggested Alfred, eagerly.

“That’s a good suggestion,” assented Zack, turning and leading the way toward the opening which was not more than a hundred feet away.

Entering the cave the hunters in single file crawled through a long, narrow passage. They were surprised to find that as they glanced into the cavern the light was almost as clear and strong as in the upper world. Where it came from not one of them could tell.

As they proceeded they were all silent and in a measure forgot the purpose of their entrance. All three were startled by the marvelous sight which met their eyes. As far as they were able to see there were gleaming pillars of quartz and glittering stalactites that fairly dazzled their eyes. Everywhere about them they saw what appeared to be the glitter of gold. They were no longer thinking of the bear and after they had advanced a few yards all three halted and looked about them.

“This looks like a nugget,” suggested Alfred as he stooped and picked up a tawny colored rock of the size of his fist.

He had no sooner grasped it, however, than once more the mysterious moaning and groaning began again. Bewildered by the overwhelming sound and almost terror stricken by the mystery of the wonderful place in which they were standing, Alfred quickly dropped the nugget he had discovered and listened intently to what seemed to be peal after peal of thunder that rolled up from the depths below.

Indeed to the startled boy the sounds seemed to culminate in what was an unearthly shriek.

In a low voice he turned to their guide and said, “Zach, what is that? Have you ever heard anything like it before?”

“I heard this same racket once, ” replied Zach solemnly without looking at the lad. “I came up here with my partner when things didn’t pan out in California in Forty-nine, at least they didn’t pan out for me. We hadn’t been successful, so there wasn’t anything left for us to do but to start out prospectin’ for ourselves. For weeks and months we tramped around without seein’ a single soul. We came into this part of the country and for all I know into this very canon. One day while we were huntin ’ here we got after a b’ar just as we all started out to 7 do just now. I got a shot at him and crippled him. We trailed him through the woods for a considerable distance and then he wentv down into one of the worst canons I have ever seen. I think very likely it was this very one. It looked just about as unearthly as this one does.”

! 4 ‘What happened to the bear?” inquired

Alfred.

1 “Oh, the b’ar finally went into a cave and just then my pard said to me, ‘Look at me quick, Zach, is there anything the matter with me?’ He spoke just as the moanin , and groanin’ began. I looked at him just as he told me and he was a sight. He was as pale as death and tremblin’ all over and great drops of sweat stood out on his face. That low moanin’ sound that we heard had been growin’ louder and my pard said he felt just as if something unearthly was reaching out behind him and tryin’ to get hold of him. I told him it was nothin’ but the old b’ar a-groanin’ and he said just as you did a 'little while ago, ‘Let’s go in and drag him out.’ So we went into the cave and along a narrow passage just like this. It was almost as light in there as it is here. My friend picked up a

IN THE DEVIL’S CA&ON nugget wHich lie thought was gold same as you did, but just as he picked it up the sighin’ and the moanin’ and the groanin’ broke out again and wound up with an awful shriek. My pard dropped his nugget and that was the last time I ever saw him. He seemed to disappear right off the earth. From some reports that came to me I thought maybe he was still around these parts and that’s the reason why I came up here this summer.”

“He would be changed so that you wouldn’t recognize him,” suggested Jack.

“I have no doubt,” assented Zach, “hut there are some things about him that couldn’t change. In the first place he was the biggest man I ever saw in my life. He was almost seven feet tall and was built accordin’.”

“He must have been a giant,” suggested Alfred.

j “He was. If you should ever see him you never would forget him. ’ ’

“And you still think he’s around here?” in* quired Jack.

“The Apaches have told me of a man who lives up here somewhere in one of these canons and according to their words he would fit the 9 description of my old friend. They say that he’s crazy and it may be that he is.”

‘ ‘When did you first hear about this?”

“The Apaches told me about it last Spring. There’s been quite a bit of copper found in Arizona and I decided to come over here and do some prospectin’ for myself. I got caught one night in one of the Apache villages and had to stay until mornin’.”

“What do you think of the Apaches?” inquired Alfred.

“There isn’t language fit to use that will describe what I think of ’em,” said Zach tartly. “They’re the cutest and the smartest Indians in all the southwest. They go on working for months just as orderly and peaceable as anybody on earth. Then all at once they’ll be taken with the war fever and off they’ll go. And when they go to war they don’t have any halfway measures. Of all the cruel, bloodthirsty varmints that ever lived an Apache on the warpath can beat the world. And he’s smart too. He’ll lie right down on the desert alongside of some cactus bush and you can’t tell he’s there. Very likely he’ll be covered up with the sand. Then when you come along the first thing you 10 know a shot will come up out of the ground and oil you’ll go to the Devil’s Canon. I have even known some of them to hide right under the cactus bush, I mean they were buried under it. Their eyes are as shiny as the stars. They are good friends when they are friends, but when they’re on the warpath, they don’t seem to be friends with anybody. They’ll torture their prisoners, they’ll steal anything, and you can’t place any more dependence upon their word than you can upon the wind when it sweeps over the desert. Indeed, you can’t place half as much dependence, for there’s one thing about these desert winds that you can always be sure of.”

“ What’s that!” inquired Alfred.

“You can be perfectly sure that you can’t be sure of anything about them. That being the case all you have to do is to act accordin’.”

“The Apache has been quite a big horse thief,” said Jack. “At least that’s the report that’s come to me since I’ve been out here.”

“Horse thieves! They can beat the record. I’ve known ’em sometimes when they were runnin ’ away from their enemies to ride until their horses absolutely dropped to the ground. Then 11 the Apaches would leave the poor beasts, steal other horses, if they could, and from anybody, and ride on until they had found some place where they could hide among the mountains. They’ll climb cliffs that I think even a fly would slip up on. They’ll paint themselves so that they look just like the rock and when you come along innocent and unsuspectin’ the first thing you know the rock will fire at you the same as you get a rifle ball out of the cactus bush back on the desert. Yes, sir, the Apaches when they start in are about the hardest people to fight I have ever heard of. I don’t believe Napoleon Bonaparte could have done much with ’em.”

“ There have been rumors,” suggested Jack, 'That they are getting ready to start on the warpath again.”

“Just like ’em,” muttered Zach. “You never can tell. They’ve got a fellow down there now. His real name is Goyathly, but everybody calls him Geronimo. He isn’t a real chief, for among the Apaches the chieftainship is hereditary. The real chief is Natchez, leastwise he’s the one who is entitled to the position, but the real leader is Geronimo. He’s a dangerous man. I never saw such bright eyes in any hu- 12 man face as he has got, and when you look at his jaw you know he wouldn’t give up until he’s dead and even then you’ll have your work cut out to prove that he is dead. I have heard some rumors that he’s stirred up the Apaches to fight for their rights.”

“Why shouldn’t they fight for their rights!” asked Alfred promptly.

“They haven’t any right to steal children to say nothing about horses and other stuff, set fire to the houses, shoot the men when they’re at work and ”

‘ ‘ They probably are trying to drive the people from the lands which they think are theirs ” interrupted Alfred.

“Get out. It’s no such thing. They don’t own these lands, though they think they do.”

“Who does own them!”

“The settlers that come in here.”

“How did they get them!”

“Took them. They registered their claims. They were squatters, and no Indian in the world has the right to drive them off.”

“Not even if he squats on their land!” inquired Alfred with a laugh.

“It seems to me,” broke in Jack, “that we’re 13 forgetting what we came here for. We were looking for a bear, weren’t we?”

6 1 That’s what we came for,” assented Alfred, 4 ‘but when we heard the groaning and all the racket that was going on we stopped to listen to it and the first thing we knew we were hearing about the Apaches. All I hope is that they, won’t get started on our trail.”

“Maybe we’ll find what my pard said he was going to look for up here. That will help us,” suggested Zach.

“What was that?” inquired Alfred.

“It’s what is known as the great Medicine Stone. It’s said that the Apaches have a great stone half as big as your fist that ’s almost pure diamonds. They say the light from it fairly blinds your eyes. They keep it up here somewhere among these canons and my pard is said to have been looking for that big stone, though accordin’ to all reports it brings bad luck to any man that finds it. ’ ’

“I shouldn’t call it that, ” laughed Alfred, “if I could find a diamond half as big as my fist, though honestly, I’m just as anxious not to see any Apache in here as I am to find that great Medicine Stone ”

Alfred instantly became silent as bis brother seized him by his right arm and pointing np the canon said in a low voice, “Do yon see those Indians ?”

Alfred did not reply though he was aware of the passing of twenty mounted Indians, whose ponies delicately picked their way among the bowlders.

“What are they?” he whispered, “Are they Apaches?”

“They are,” answered Zach promptly.

“What are they doing up here?”

“They look a good deal as if they were on the warpath. They haven’t seen us yet and the best thing for us to do is to make sure that they don’t spy us out. We’ll have our hands full if they do.”

CHAPTER H

T HEY haven’t seen us yet,” whispered Zach excitedly. “The best thing for us to do will be to dodge back out of sight and run around the gorge. 7 ’

Acting instantly upon the advice of the old prospector all three turned and began to retrace the way over which they had come. They were crouching as they ran, every one carrying his rifle in such a way that he could instantly raise it to his shoulder, and frequently all three glanced behind them to make sure that their flight had not been discovered.

They ran swiftly up the gorge, but they had not advanced far when a wild yell from the Indians disclosed the fact that their presence was now known. There was no question either that the Indians were now on the warpath, for with a wild yell they started their horses in swift pursuit of the fleeing men.

Aware now that further attempts at conceal- 16 ment were useless, the fugitives increased their speed and leaped from boulder to boulder as they dashed down the canon.

Following Zach’s direction they turned aside from the main gorge and, dropping swiftly into a minor canon, were lost to sight for a few minutes, at least, by the Apaches. In the midst of the gorge was a swift mountain stream which even now, although it was summer, was more than half full of water. Opposite them huge perpendicular walls arose, some of them hundreds of feet above the place over which they were passing. These walls were on each side and apparently there was no break in them.

They had not advanced far before they were once more aware that the Indians were in pursuit, although as Alfred glanced behind him he was convinced that only part of the Apaches they had seen were following them.

“What has become of the others V 9 he asked of Zach.

“ I ’m afraid, ’ 9 answered the prospector, ‘ ‘ that they have divided and part of them are following us and the rest of them are trying to make for the other end of the gorge. If they get there before we do it will mean that we are 17 caught between the two bands. Our only hope is to make better time.”

The Indians now had leaped from the backs of their ponies and were following swiftly on foot, for no horse could make its way over the rough and rocky bottom of the gorge.

All three were well aware of the endurance of the Apaches in such an effort. It was a common report that an Apache runner was able to cover a hundred miles in a single day. They ran as if they were machines, well oiled and in perfect condition. If the pursuit lasted long there was slight question as to its outcome. The Indians would overtake the white men and they would be compelled soon to abandon the desperate efforts they now were making to gain the end of the gorge before their enemies could arrive.

“ Follow me !” called Zach, as leaping upon a bowlder he stepped upon a wide cliff that ran by the side of the stream. The rock seemed like a shelf, which had been cut in the side of the mountain. It was at least three feet wide and apparently smooth so that there was not much difficulty in making excellent time as the three runners fled across it.

The sun already had disappeared behind the mountains. Night would soon be at hand and the peril of the fugitives would be greatly increased.

Aware of their danger, all three exerted themselves as they had not done since the flight began. They were all breathing heavily, however, and in spite of the shadows that were already darkening the canon their faces were streaming with perspiration.

The light rapidly disappeared and when only a few minutes had elapsed the approaching darkness was already manifest throughout the canon. The rocks and cliffs took on a ghostly form. To the anxious little band the fantastic forms of the rocks seemed to be like those of their enemies. They were fearful of an attack from the front now as well as from the rear because Zach had told them that they were now coming near to the end of the gorge. Suddenly Zach stopped abruptly and seizing each of his companions by his right arm he said, “Look yonder ! ’ 9

Startled as they were by the abrupt command the two brothers glanced at the opposite side of the canon and were almost as startled as the prospector had been. On the sheer face of the precipice they saw the reflections of weird dancing figures. The dancers apparently were engaging in a fantastic form of amusement. There were wild leaps and wilder gesticulations and then the strange group joined hands and danced about some object in its center which was not plainly seen by the beholders.

At that moment the groaning from the earth once more was heard. The sound, muffled at first, increased in volume until it became a roar like that of a passing railway train. The terrifying sound increased in volume, accompanied at intervals by other sounds that resembled the hissing of escaping steam. When at last the roaring had reached its climax once more it began to recede, becoming dimmer and dimmer until at last only a faint rumble was to be heard. So fascinated had the beholders been by the spectacle at which they were gazing that for a brief time the thought of their pursuers had been forgotten.

They were still more startled when suddenly they saw the reflections on the cliff beside them scatter like a band of frightened children. Their amazement was still more apparent when 20 into the midst of the circle around which the Indians had been dancing there stepped a figure that appeared to be twice as large as any of the previous ones they had seen. In the hands of this huge actor was a mighty club which he wielded as deftly and lightly as if it had been without weight.

It was not long, however, before the figures of the dancing warriors no longer were seen and Zach turned to his companions and said, “I reckon our friends, the Apaches, have gone.”

“What makes you think that?” inquired Jack.

“I know how they feel about this canon up here and when they heard this awful groanin’ and saw what we saw on the other side of the cliff over yonder, you may make up your mind that they didn’t stay here very long. You know there’s a lake of hot water not very far from here and the Indians have a story that that is the place where the devil takes his victims and throws them into that hot water and they are never seen again. ’ ’ He added thoughtfully, “But what troubles me is that glimpse we had of that big chap with the club. As I told you I’m looking for my old pal, Jake. I 21 told yon there were reports among the Apaches that there was a man up here in the canon who was as big as any three ordinary men and that he was either crazy or a wild man. You know I half believe that figure we saw was my old pal. ’ ’

“Why not find out?” suggested Alfred.

“It’s getting dark now,” replied Zach, “and I don’t think we want to spend much time here after the night has settled down. The Apaches may get their courage up again and come after us. I’m sure now that they have gone back.”

“Don’t you think,” suggested Jack, “that they might like to wait for us out near the entrance to the gorge?”

“That’s possible,” acknowledged Zach, “but I think our best plan will be to chance it. The sooner we start the better our chances will be.”

Acting upon the prospector’s suggestion all three turned and retraced their way. In the darkness their progress was hindered, but they steadily continued on their way until at last they once more were in the main canon. There they halted and endeavored to ascertain whether or not the Apaches were in hiding there.

Convinced after a brief time that the Indians

Fad fled, the three white men resumed their efforts and cautiously made their way down the canon. A moon by this time had come up and there was sufficient light to enable them to pick their way. They halted frequently to ascertain whether or not the Indians had gone, but without any sign of the presence of their enemies they at last came to the open side of the mountain and without any molestation succeeded in making their way back to their camp.

This camp was so located that it was not only sheltered hut protected from any sudden attack. There had not entered into the minds of the campers any thought of the possibility of an attack by the Indians, their only fear being that of a prowling mountain lion or an over curious bear.

Now, however, after they had seen the band of Apaches, they were well aware that they were no longer as secure as they previously had thought.

“We’ll be all right to-night,” declared Zach confidently. “The Apaches won’t come back until it is daylight. They don’t like that roarin’ although it probably has been goin’ on here 23 since long before tbe Indians ever built a tepee in Arizona .’ ’

All three were thoroughly wearied by their efforts and as soon as they had prepared and eaten a light supper they sought their blankets and soon were soundly asleep.

In the morning, however, when Alfred and Zach arose they discovered that Jack was no longer in the cabin. Neither was much concerned about his absence, for the young engineer occasionally had left his companions and been absent two or even three days before he returned.

Zach and Alfred prepared their breakfast and saved a portion for the missing member of the camp.

When noon arrived and Jack had not returned their anxiety came back with redoubled force. The knowledge that the Apaches were once more on the warpath was not only disquieting, but alarming. If Jack had ventured into a place where they could attack him the prospect of his speedy return was not bright. It was difficult for them, however, to believe that any such dire event had befallen their com- 24 rade. If either of them had been able to see at that moment what was befalling the missing member of their little band their fears would have been greatly increased.

Chapter III

W ITHOUT disturbing his companions Jack had arisen before either of the others was awake. Impelled by the recollection of the exciting events of the preceding day he mounted a pony and rode swiftly to the entrance of the Devil ’s Canon, in which the exciting experiences with the Indians and the huge, unknown man whom Zach confidently declared to be his old pard had occurred.

About one hundred yards from the entrance he hobbled his faithful little pony and then with his rifle grasped in his hand entered the region into which they had gone the preceding afternoon. As he followed the pathway over which the three hunters had gone, Jack’s anxiety increased. He recalled the stories which Zach had told of the determined and treacherous nature of the Apaches and if now they were really on the warpath, as he had declared them to be, there was serious trouble ahead for 26 the scattered people of the southwest. Even the little band of three members which was camping near the entrance to the canon would not be entirely without peril. As Jack thought of his younger brother, of whom he was exceedingly proud, he almost decided that he would suggest breaking up the camp the following day and going back to the settlement where he had his office.