The mochila was good
as a shield, for an arrow would not go through it except at very
short range. I cut the reins off of the bridle, and as the bit was
a very heavy one, I thought it would answer pretty well as a sling
shot in close quarters.
I had no idea of getting out without a desperate fight with
ninety-nine chances against me to one in my favor. After I had my
rig complete I started to crawl away flat on the ground like a
snake, I would crawl for a short distance, then stop and listen.
It was very dark, there being no moon in the fore part of the
night. I was expecting every minute to feel an arrow or a tomahawk
in my head. After working my way down the hill some hundred yards
or so, I came to a tree and raised up by the side of it. I stood
and listened for some time, but could not hear anything of the
Indians, so I struck out in the direction of camp, walking very
cautiously for some little distance.
After traveling about six miles I felt comparatively safe, knowing
they could not do anything toward tracking me until morning and
did not think they would even be able to track me then.
I passed over a great deal of rocky country where there was but
little vegetation. Finally I laid down to wait until morning, and
I must say that I never had been out in all my life when I
actually longed for daylight to come as I did that long and lonely
night, and I believe that I would freely have given five hundred
dollars to have had a man there with me that night; not that I was
afraid of Indians, for I considered that I had given them the
slip, and did not believe they would be able to overtake me before
I would reach camp even though they should be able to track me the
next morning.
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