IV
IN A NAVAJO TRAP
Six miles from Jemez our road, which, after leaving the cultivatedvalley of the Pueblos had narrowed to a path, entered the forest andran along the side of a small brook, which it continued to follow forseveral miles, and then rose gradually to the side of a range ofhills. We were walking our animals along the side of this acclivity,at a considerable distance above the brook on our left, their hoofsmaking no noise in the soft, black earth, when I was startled by thebraying of an ass somewhere in the ravine.
Sergeant Cunningham and Corporal Frank threw themselves quickly fromtheir saddles and held the horses by the bits to prevent them fromresponding to the greeting, and I quickly sought a place from which Icould make an observation.
We were in a clump of evergreen trees which commanded a view of theravine and obscured us from sight in all directions. Looking acrossthe ravine, I caught a glimpse of a party of Indians a little beyondthe brook. Through my glass I made them out to be a party oftwenty-seven Navajos, sitting about a camp-fire eating their dinner.
As many ponies were grazing near, and a mule and burro. From certainpeculiar markings I had observed the day Cordova joined me in thevalleys, I had no difficulty in recognizing the last two animals to behis property. Packs were lying near the fire, showing that thecaptured animals were being used as beasts of burden.
All this time I had entirely overlooked the presence of my dog Vic.Had I thought of her in season, it would have been easy to have kepther close at my heels; but I had left her free to wander, not thinkingof any threatening danger.
Suddenly I heard a chorus of grunts from the Indians, and looking intheir direction I saw Vic stand for an instant with her forefeet on aprostrate log, look questioningly at the savages, and then drop downinto the furze and disappear.
The sight of a white man's dog, wearing a brilliant metallic collar,produced an electrical effect. Instantly the redmen sprang to theirfeet, seized their arms, and began saddling and bridling their ponies.
"Vic has betrayed us, sergeant," I said. "We must get out of here asquickly as possible."
As we sprang into our saddles and regained the trail Vic came with abound before us, and I immediately gave her positive orders to keepclose at our heels. We rode as fast as it was possible to do withoutmaking a noise, hoping that we might get a considerable distance awaybefore we were discovered. We had not proceeded far, however, when ayell announced that we were seen.
As we galloped on we saw that it was impossible for the Indians tocross to our side of the ravine. Every mile we passed the path rosehigher and the sides of the stream grew more precipitous. The Indianswere pursuing a path parallel to ours and about half a mile in ourrear. What was the nature of the country ahead we did not know. Thefact that they were pursuing, and with such eagerness, seemed toindicate they knew of some advantage to be gained farther on.
On and on we rode, I in advance, the sergeant next, and Frank behind.The trail wound through the trees and clumps of underbrush, withoccasional openings through which we could catch glimpses of our eagerpursuers. The prospect appeared exceedingly gloomy.
As we galloped on I noticed at last, through a rift in the wood aconsiderable distance in advance, an eminence or butte which liftedits summit nearly three hundred feet skyward, and which presented onthe side towards us an almost perpendicular wall. When we approachedit we saw a neat log-cabin nestling under its overarching brow. Wedismounted, led our panting and utterly exhausted animals into thecabin, closed the doors, and went to the windows with our rifles.
The cabin was about thirty by twenty feet in area, and stood with itsnorthern end close against the perpendicular wall of the butte, withan overhanging cliff a hundred feet above it. If a stone had beendropped from the sheltering cliff it would have fallen several feetaway from the cabin's southern wall.
At the end of the cabin farthest from the butte the ground upon whichit stood broke off perpendicularly twenty feet downward, to aspring--the source of the brook we had been following since we leftJemez. The only way to cross from one trail to the other, except bygoing several miles down the brook or to the north end of the butte,was, therefore, through the cabin, and for this purpose a door hadbeen placed in each side. The cabin could be approached only on theeast and west sides, and was unassailable at its north and south ends.
Each wall contained a small window, except the one which restedagainst the butte, and there a wide, stone fireplace had been built.Three men with plenty of rations and ammunition could make a gooddefence. Water could be had by lowering a bucket or canteen from thesouthern window to the spring, twenty-four feet below its sill.
The Indians had discovered that we had found shelter from theirpursuit and for the present were safe, and all but five, who soonafterwards appeared in the edge of the forest to the east, had joinedthe main party to the west of us. They showed great respect for ourplace of refuge and rifles, and kept well out of range. Thesergeant's and my Springfield rifle could throw a bullet farther andcould be loaded more rapidly than any rifles in their possession, andFrank with his Spencer could fire about twenty balls to our one.
We removed the saddles and bridles from our animals, and, hitchingthem in the corners each side of the fireplace, began a discussion ofour prospects.
"If we could keep a couple of fires going before the doors during thenight, sir," said the sergeant, "we might keep them away."
"I am afraid a fire would be of greater advantage to them than to us,"I replied; "we should have to expose ourselves every time wereplenished it. I wonder if the roof is covered with earth? It isflat."
"I'll tell you in half a minute, sir," said Frank, and entering thefireplace he proceeded to ascend the wide-mouthed chimney by steppingon projecting stones of which it was built. In a moment he called downto me, "Yes, sir; it is covered with about two feet of earth."
"All right then. If we can get pine enough to keep a blaze going thenwe will have one. A fire on the roof will illuminate everything aboutus and leave our windows and doorways in darkness. It will aid our aimand confuse the Indians."
We set to work at once and pulled down all the bunks, and with largestones from the fireplace succeeded in breaking into fragments thepine puncheons and posts of which they were made. Then SergeantCunningham ascended the chimney and tore away one side of the partwhich projected above the roof--the side looking in the directionopposite the precipice. This would enable one of us to stand in thetop and replenish the fire, and at the same time remain concealed fromthe enemy. As we could be fired upon from only two directions, thefire tender would be safe.
Fortunately, Padre Gutierrez's housekeeper had put up a lunchsufficient to last us, including Vic, for three days, and water couldbe drawn easily through the southern window with a canteen and lariat.
"I'm afraid those chaps 'll get us in the end, sir," observed thesergeant. "Of course we can eat horse-meat for a while after ourvictuals are gone, but we are three and they are twenty-seven--we areprisoners and they are free."
"Very true, sergeant," I replied, "but something may turn up in ourfavor. The Jemez party will reach camp day after to-morrow, and whenit learns we are not there we shall be looked up."
"If another party of Navajos don't jump them, sir."
"Of course, the chances are against us, sergeant, but let us keep upour spirits and make a good fight."
"I'll do my best, sir, as I always have done, but this is a beastlyhole to be caught in."
"But why don't you send Vic for help, Mr. Duncan?" asked Frank.
"Laddie, I believe you have saved us! Thank you for the suggestion.We'll put the little girl's education to a practical test."
"What! Going to send her to Jemez for the men?" asked SergeantCunningham.
"No; I hardly think I could make her understand our wishes in thatdirection, but there is no doubt she can be sent to camp. She has donethat many times."
"Yes, sir, she'll go to the valley," said Frank. "You know I sent herwith a message to
you from San Antonio Valley, six miles. I wonder howfar camp is from here?"
"'Bout nine miles," replied the sergeant; "but she'll do it, I think.Look at her!"
Vic had come forward, and sat looking intelligently from one to theother of us while this discussion ran on.
"All right, little girl," I said, patting and smoothing her silkycoat, "you shall have a chance to help us after dusk. Go and lie downnow."
The dog went to a corner and, lying down on Frank's saddle-blanket,appeared to sleep; and while Corporal Frank took my place at a windowI wrote a message to Sergeant Mulligan at the camp, describing ourdesperate situation and requesting him to send a detachment to ourrescue. I also prepared a flat, pine stick, and wrote upon it, inplain letters, "Examine her collar." I intended she should carry thestick in her mouth, as she had hitherto carried articles and messages,fearing she would not understand she was to go on an errand unless allthe conditions of her education were observed.
During that day the Navajos simply showed their presence occasionallyamong the trees, far away on either flank. We once heard the rapidstrokes of an axe, as of chopping, and wondered what it could mean.Nothing further happened till dusk. Then I called Vic and attached thenote to her collar, wrapped in a piece of my handkerchief.
"I think, sergeant," I said, "we had better send our message before itgets darker and the Navajos close up nearer or the corporal lights hisfire."
"Yes, she can't leave any too soon, sir, I think. It's going to bepokerish work for us before morning, and I shall be mighty glad to seea few of old Company F appear round that rock."
After fastening the note securely in the dog's collar, I placed thestick in her mouth and, opening the eastern door, said, "Now, littleVic, take that stick to the sergeant--go!"
She turned from the doorway, crossed the room, and dropped the stickat Sergeant Cunningham's feet. The sergeant stooped, and placing hishand under her chin raised her head upward and laid his bronze cheekaffectionately upon it. "Well, Vicky," he said, "there is but onesergeant in the world to you, and he is here, isn't he?"
"That's so, sir," exclaimed Corporal Frank, addressing me. "We neversent her to anybody but you, the sergeant, and the cook."
"True enough. I'll have to send her to the cook--the only one now incamp to whom she has borne messages. As he is the dispenser of finebones and dainties, and she has had nothing to eat since morning,perhaps it is as well he is to receive this message. Here, Vic,"placing the chip once more in her mouth, "take this stick to thecook--go!"
The setter looked at me an instant, then at the sergeant and corporal,walked to the door, looked out, and then glanced questioningly at me.
"Yes, little one; the cook--go!"
She bounded through the doorway and turned the corner of the butte ata run, bearing our summons to our comrades at Los Valles Grandes.
For some time after the departure of Vic the sergeant and I stood atour windows and gloomily watched the darkness deepen in the woods.Frank looked out of the window above the spring and was also silent.I was disposed to put off the lighting of our fire upon the roof aslong as it appeared safe to do so, in order to husband our fuel. Theanimals, disappointed of the forage usually furnished them at thishour, stamped impatiently and nosed disdainfully the stale straw andpine plumes which we had emptied from the bunks and which were nowscattered over the floor.
It was during a momentary lull of this continuous noise that I heard acrushing sound as of a heavy wheel rolling over twigs and gravel, butwas unable to guess its meaning.
Fearing that further delay to light our fire might bring disaster uponus, I told Corporal Frank to kindle it. He ascended the chimney,lighted a few splinters of pitch-pine and placed them upon the roof,and as soon as they were well lighted added to them half a dozenbillets of wood which Sergeant Cunningham passed up to him. Soon abrilliant blaze was leaping upward, and, being reflected strongly bythe white sandstone of the overhanging cliff, lighted the whole spaceabout the cabin.
As soon as Frank descended to the floor we gazed long and anxiouslyout of the windows. Everything about us was now plainly visible to oureyes, and we felt sure our movements could not be seen by the Navajos.To the east all was silent, and for a long while we saw nothing inthat direction to suggest a lurking foe. To the west we could see noenemy, but the same mysterious sound of crushing and grinding came toour ears. What could it be, and what did it threaten? Adjusting myfield-glass I looked from my window in the direction of the puzzlingsound, and on the farther edge of the opening, near the wood, saw alog about three feet in diameter and twenty-five or more in lengthslowly rolling towards us, propelled by some unseen force.
Passing the glass to the sergeant, I said: "The Indians seem to berolling a log in our direction. What do you think of it?"
"I think it's easy to understand, sir," replied the sergeant, after along look. "That log is a movable breastwork, which can be rolled toour door."
"True, sergeant. Probably a dozen or more warriors are lying behind itand rolling it forward. Rather a black prospect for us if we cannotstop it!"
We all three gathered at the western window, and for some momentswatched the slow approach of the moving breastwork.