well trained, because the distances were kept remarkably well. Their actions reminded me of a circus, but I did not look at them with the same sensations of pleasure. The continual series of war-whoops and yells which accompanied their performances failed to make the mules break away before they were well secured, and our uneasiness was removed on that account.
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In the meantime we were not idle, although we found it was impossible to do any effective work at that distance, because the Indians clung to the opposite side of their horses, out of sight, and the rapidly moving animals were exposed to an uncertain aim. Finally one of the horses dropped in his tracks, and the dismounted Indian hastened to shelter behind a tree in his vicinity. The range was open before him, and he fired several shots at Torres without effect before that gentleman realized that he was being used as a target, and when a bullet threw bark in his face from a limb that served as a rest for his rifle, he abandoned his exposed position and joined Black and myself in front of the mules.
The instant the horse fell one of the Indians uttered a peculiar whoop which made Torres think one of them was wounded, but it was explained when they gathered near the animal and proceeded to rescue the Indian. After he was mounted behind one of them they sped away, uttering a series of war-whoops until they disappeared over a neighboring hill.
The fight only lasted about fifteen minutes, in which time about seventy-five shots were fired, and the only trophy of the battle was a dead horse! The carcass was examined and a hole was found, about two inches below the base of the left ear, where the bullet had entered that caused his death. The investigation decided a question with reference to who fired the fatal shot by awarding the honor to Black and his five-shot Colts rifle, because it was evident that the wound was not made by a Henry rifle, the weapon carried by Torres and myself. The only thing left by the owner that might have served as a memorial of our victory was a piece of rope around the beast's neck, and that we did not remove.
Torres conducted an established business in both Piedras Negras and San Antonio, and it was necessary for him to visit those places frequently, consequently he was often on the road, and generally he traveled with me.
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When Henry rifles, that chambered eighteen cartridges, were first put on the market they cost $95 apiece, and Torres and myself probably owned the first that were brought to Texas. We ordered them through Mr. Hummel, of San Antonio, the father of Charles Hummel, now City Treasurer of said city, who still keeps up the business of Hummel & Son. This was our first opportunity to test them in battle, and perhaps the Indians, who knew nothing about them, were disconcerted by our rapid fire. We were much pleased with them, although we could not brag on our marksmanship on that occasion, but it was no proof that Mr. Black's rifle was superior because it was the only weapon that drew blood, or that Pablo's Spencer carbine, which he did not have an opportunity to use, was not just as good.
The Indians we encountered belonged to the same tribe that killed John Sanders three days before. He resided on the Rio Frio, below the Eagle Pass road, and he was a good friend of mine. They would have made a good haul by capturing my hack, as I had ten thousand dollars in Mexican silver that was consigned to Goldfrank, Frank & Co., wholesale dry-goods merchants in San Antonio.
Mr. Black was afterwards killed by Tom Wall, in Uvalde, and Angel Torres, who was an uncle of Modesto Torres, of San Antonio, is also dead. Pablo Castro afterwards joined a band of cattle thieves and was killed near the Rio Grande.
On another trip, in the spring of 1867, Thomas B. McManus and Sam White, of Eagle Pass, and Herman Schleuning, now in Austin, accompanied me to San Antonio. We proceeded as far as Ranchera Creek, about four miles east of the present site of Sabinal station, without meeting with another adventure of any kind. At that point, where we suspected no danger, we were very much surprised, about nine o'clock at night, when a party of Indians charged out of the darkness in our direction. Their
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frightful war-whoops, which they uttered with the intention of scaring our mules, were startling, and we expected an attack, but, much to our relief, they passed some distance in front of us, after changing their course, and soon disappeared. No shots were fired on either side, partly because they were too far away, but really their movements were so rapid there was no chance for a fight and we were very well satisfied to see them go.
I had another and worse fright when on my way to Eagle Pass, that also occurred in 1867. I was traveling alone on that trip, and after changing mules at Chichon station, twenty-seven miles east of Eagle Pass, had proceeded about six miles, when I saw a dust rising about two mile away, to the left of the road, beyond a hill that obstructed my view. The time was about two o'clock in the afternoon, and I knew that the cloud of dust was raised by something moving in my direction under cover of the hill. My impression was that they were Indians, and I waited until they appeared on the brow of the naked elevation more than a mile distant. I then saw ten men driving a herd of loose horses and mules, and my fears convinced me that my first impressions were correct.
I realized the danger of my situation and could see no chance for me to get out of their way. With the determination to defend myself as best I could, I hurried my team to a lone mesquite tree, that stood about one hundred yards from the road, and tied them to it with a heavy rope that I always carried for emergencies. As the mules were skittish when anyone got in front of them, it was necessary to approach them with a great deal of care, and I could ill afford to spare the time it took to secure them. I then prepared to protect myself against the approaching enemy with my Henry rifle and an abundant, supply of cartridges.
The herd and its drivers were then much nearer and could be seen more distinctly. Much to my gratification
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I perceived that the herd was driven by Mexicans, and as they crossed the road about five hundred yards behind me they passed without noticing me. Perhaps the animals had been stolen and evidently they were smuggled across the Rio Grande somewhere between Laredo and Eagle Pass.
Rattlesnakes were found in great numbers in west Texas and they were enemies that had to be guarded against at all times. Wild turkeys always show a great antipathy to them and never fail to make a deadly and persistent attack until the reptile is destroyed. An opportunity to witness such conflicts is seldom offered, therefore, I will notice one instance of the kind that came under my observation.
I was traveling the road near Uvalde when I saw a large flock of wild turkeys in an open glade near the highway. I stopped when I saw the gobblers had congregated in a circle where they seemed to be fighting, but I soon perceived that they were killing a large rattlesnake. One after the other would spring into the air in rapid succession and come down on the reptile, which they struck a hard blow with one wing that might have been heard quite a distance. Apparently all the gobblers took part in the fracas, and they appeared to be greatly excited, but the hens fed quietly in the vicinity and seemed to be indifferent to what was going on.
I watched them about ten minutes before they observed my presence and became alarmed. After they disappeared in the brush I approached the place and found the snake coiled up and almost dead. Evidently the gobblers had been engaged in killing him for some time before I appeared on the scene, and if they had not been disturbed the victim would have provided a feast for the whole flock, because it was their custom to eat the snakes killed in that way.
Deer are equally prejudiced against rattlesnakes and invariably attack them in favorable localities. Nature
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has made them enemies, and it is said that when an en- counter is unavoidable, with no available means of escape, the snake appreciates the danger; also that it makes no effort
