Wild Life in the Far West: Being the Personal Adventures of a Border Mountain Man. Captain James Hobbs
looked bluish, and didn't relish the reproof, as it reflected on his skill with the rifle.
Late in the afternoon, just before we camped, I was made the victim of misplaced confidence, and in a way which did not tend to raise me in the estimation of Spiebuck.
I was at the rear of the train, riding carelessly along in company with the young squaws, and some of the Mexicans we had rescued. On coming to a small stream of water, one of the squaws made known by signs that she wanted a drink. I dismounted, drank myself, and told one of the Mexican boys to carry her some water in his gourd, while I fixed my saddle, which had got loose, laying my gun down for that purpose.
The whole train was ahead. The squaw seeing her chance for an escape, broke the gourd over the boy's head, drenching him with water, and wheeling her horse, she was off in a twinkling. Although we ex- pected to realize the same sum for the squaw prisoners as for the scalps, I could not think of shooting this young girl, for she was barely sixteen years of age, even if in addition to her own scalp, she did take away one of our horses. I went forward to Kirker, and reported that one of the squaws had escaped, and gave the particulars.
Spiebuck was quite indignant, and said he would have shot her if he had been in the rear of the train, and there would have been a scalp and a horse saved. Before we started next morning, Spiebuck mounted all the squaws on the poorest animals we had, so they could not get a chance to run away.
RECEPTION AT CHIHUAHUA. 93
The next day we readied the Mexican settlement of San Andreas, where we laid over two days, on account of our pack mules having very sore backs. We then resumed the march, and in three days more arrived in Chihuahua, having traveled slowly, on account of the sheep and goats. Our arrival was anticipated; for Mexican couriers had gone ahead and reported to the governor that we were coming, with many prisoners, scalps, and a large drove of captured animals.
Five miles out of the city, we met the governor, with a band of music, his wife with him in a carriage, and hundreds of people, who had come out to greet us with a cordial welcome.
The governor pronounced us a brave set of men, and inquired how many men we had lost. We reported that the half-breed Mexican, who went out as our guide, and two Shawnees were killed, and two or three slightly wounded.
Spiebuck, who had charge of the scalps, which were packed on a mule, ordered the driver up to show them to the governor.
"What d'ye think o' them fellers?" said Spiebuck, triumphantly, to the governor.
The governor asked him how many there were. Spiebuck replied that there were one hundred and eighty-two; besides a good many sunk in the lake before he could get them off. Also, eighteen good scalps on the heads of as many squaws we had brought along as prisoners.
This declaration amused the governor very much, and he ordered the liveliest music while we were being escorted in. When we arrived at the plaza in front of the palace, three cheers were given by the great crowd around, for Captain Kirker and our party. The
94 DELIVERY OF SCALPS.
scalps were then counted and delivered to the gov- ernor, and a receipt taken. After this receipt was given, Spiebuck brought up the Indian girls, and said, "Here's eighteen more." The governor refused to re- cieve them as scalps, or to pay for them at any price, when Spiebuck said if all he wanted was to have their scalps taken off, it was but a small job; and taking out his hunting knife, started for one of the girls, who ran screaming and terrified towards me for protection. The governor then called out to him to hold on, for he would pay for them as scalps. He took charge of them, and locked them up in a room by themselves.
After this part of the business had been transacted, Kirker brought forward the rescued women and chil- dren, and delivered them, stating that we looked to the authorities to send them home. For our part, we made them a present of the sheep and goats, and looked to the citizens of Chihuahua to come forward liberally with gifts of clothing, etc., as they were very destitute. The governor cheerfully promised to assist them.
We now went to the Bull Pen, and deposited our arms and accoutrements, discharged our cargo, sent our animals to a pasture, under protection of Mexicans provided by the governor, and went to a grand dinner Which had been gotten up in our honor, and served in the palace. It was splendid, and enjoyed by all of us; and after dinner we were invited, by the governor, to attend a ball, which he said he had prepared for us, to come off that evening. Spiebuck responded that he was no dancer, but he could drink his share of wine and whisky; which we knew to be the truth.
The ball commenced at eight o'clock, and we amused ourselves previous to that hour, by marching
VISIT TO MR. PORES. 95
around town, visiting our friends; for everybody was anxious to entertain the Apache company.
Kirker and I went to see Mr. Pores, the owner of the train we had recaptured from the Apache robbers. He was overjoyed at our success, and we arranged to divide everything the next morning, except the whisky. That, we told him, would be impossible, for what the Apaches didn't drink up, our party had fin- ished. This he laughed at, and thought we deserved much praise for what we had done towards wiping out that miserable Apache nation ; and promised to assist us in any further military movements. We appreci- ated his offer, for he could do a great deal for us, as his property in Mexico was reported to be worth two millions of dollars.
Leaving our friend Pores, we went around to Mr. Speyers' s store. He was glad to welcome us back, and presented Mr. Kirker and myself with a new suit of clothes, in which to attend the ball. The hospitality of the saloon keepers in the city was so great, that our Shawnee friends were very much elated, and went whooping and yelling over the town, like wild men.
At eight o'clock we went to the ball. Not more than ten of our company attended, as most of them were too much intoxicated to get there. Soon after three o'clock in the morning, we returned to our bar- racks in the Bull Pen, and slept till noon. Rising at the call of a messenger, we found an invitation for several of us to attend a complimentary dinner at Riddle & Stephens's hotel. After dinner, we went to Mr. Pores's, and with him and his son, proceeded to the division of the recovered property, dividing equal- ly all the mules that bore his brand. And we also turned over to him half the goods. After this was
96 CONFERENCE WITH THE GOVERNOR.
done, lie gave us a bill of sale of our share of the property; thus showing himself to be a gentleman, as well as a man of business.
A day or two after this division, we went to Mr. Potts' s mint with our metallic ores, which we requested him to assay. He found them very rich in gold, silver, and copper. We had some virgin copper, apparently pure metal, that assayed twenty-five per cent. gold.
Next day we visited the governor, to talk over mat- ters relating to our agreement. He said he had not funds to pay us for over forty scalps, but would settle for the balance soon. Kirker, Spiebuck, and myself were present. Spiebuck said that was no way to do business. It was not the way the United States gov- ernment did their business, for they always performed their agreements. We received the pay for forty scalps ($2000) and asked the governor how long before he would pay the balance. He answered that all the tobacco in Mexico belonged to the government, and as fast as he could sell it he would pay us. We left the palace, and went up to the Bull Pen, and calling to- gether all hands, reported what had taken place.
This Bull Pen, as we called it, was the amphitheater, where they had bull fights, and made a very conveni- ent head-quarters for our noisy, reckless party.
The money received by us for the forty scalps, was then divided equally among the party. Spiebuck was very indignant at not receiving his money, and said he would not work any more for such a government. Kirker and I advised him to join with us in an expe- dition to the region we had just visited. It was the richest country in the world, Kirker thought, and if the government was too poor to pay us for scalps, we could make our fortunes digging gold.