Adventure, June 1911 — page 101: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Adventuring in Tiburon become a head-wind and so cause us to perish of thirst. So we have resolved to land, since we might as well die fighting as die of thirst. Ahtt has just seen a squaw come out of a clump of brush with a water- olla on her head. This may be a decoy to lead us into a trap. Anyway, here goes— for water or a row, or water and a row! tei Jan. 25—Well, we had the row! EE Ahtt has two bullet-wounds, one in the flesh of the shoulder and a glanc- ing shot in the head. I think his skull is very hard. Charlie is shot twice in the same leg. If God ever made a brave and. devoted man, Ahtti is one! Here is how it happened: Ahti and I being the best shots, we acted as guards for To-weé and Charlie, who were hurriedly to fill the cans. Ahté took the 30-40 and I took the 25-35. We waded ashore and each took a high ‘knoll of sand on either side of the water- hole. Seeing no Seri Indians, we waved for Charlie and To-weé to come on with the cans. Charlie carried two of the good five- gallon cans and the 30-30 carbine. To-weé came behind him with the other two good cans and the three canteens. He also brought an iron pot to fill with. To-weé was unarmed. Just as Charlie ang To-weé béfan to fill the* cans, we _were fired on by concealed Seris, who lay ¥ in some scrub brush about one hundred Sade away. Ahtdt called to me to watch on my right. I turned just in time to see a big Seri buck aiming at me—not over thirty yards away. I ducked as he fired, then shot him in the mouth. He fell flat at the shot, lying sprawled on the sand, with the whole back of his head blown out by the bullet. ‘To-weé shouted and, run- ning over amid a shower of bullets, got his gun—a .44 Winchester carbine. Seeing this, the Seris yelled and rushed us, losing four moremen. In this rush they wounded Ahit in the shoulder and Charlie in the right leg. When the Seris broke for cover Charlie and To-weé began hastily filling the cans. Just as these were nearly full, they began yelling again and opened a hot fire. This time they broke Charlie’s wounded leg with another shot. We could see numbers of the Indians hastening down from the high ground to reenforce those who were engaged with us. To-weé now ran to the boat with two full cans and returned for more. Char- lie was unable to stand, but sat grimly on 287 the sand, pumping lead at the brush. To- weé now secured the other two cans apd again ran for the boat. This left Charlie and three full canteens* at the spring. Seeing that Charlie could not walk, Ahtt ran down, shouldered Char- lie, took up the three canteens and started staggering for the boat. At this the rushed again, yelling and firing like de Ahtt now set Charlie down on the sand an both men began firing on the Seris. Ahtt was now struck in the head, falling to the ground. Iran from my knoll to succor the two men on the ground, but before I got there Ahti rose up and killed the nearest Seri. Ihere upset two Seris in succession, and they again broke for cover. Ahtt picked up Charlie once more, while I took the three canteens. ‘Thus we reached the boat and put out under a heavy fire from the brush. To-weé and I now set the mainsail and we were soon out of range. I gave To-weé the tiller and began to look after the wounded. I tore up two shirts, bandaged Charlie’s bleeding leg and made him as comfortable asI could. Ahti had fainted from loss of blood and his heroic over- exertion, but I gave him some hot coffee and this brought him to. AsI bathed an4 hon-. dagédais wounds I saw hima weakly 7 smiling. “What in the —— are you grinning about?” I asked him. “We killed many of them and we are all | alive,” he answered. To-weé was the most dejected man of the lot. A perverse demon seemed to have entered his savage so At supper he refused to eat. ‘‘What is the matter with you?” I asked. He replied that he was an old squaw, since he had not slain an enemy. He deplored the fact that he did not know how to hit with a rifle. ‘‘Had I had my bow and quiver of arrows, I could tell a better story!” said he. I first chided him, then complimented him on his valor, saying that but for his coolness and devotion to duty we would all have been slain. At this he brightened up and ate a hearty meal. iG Youth and a stout heart are helping him recover ata bound. His wounds were only flesh-wounds and, while he is weak and a bit feverish, he is getting well fast. I am wetting the bandages of both men with sea-water; though salt and pain- ful, I believe it does their wounds good. Jan. 26—Ahtu is much better. COnMICOOCKKS. CO S