A Sportsman 367 



to meet there the Southern Pacific from California, we 

 concluded to push on, and from Deming go on to the 

 west for fifty or a hundred miles, where glowing ac- 

 counts of antelope, deer, wild turkeys and bear, as well 

 as of mineral deposits of great value, would be realized. 



But we found these reports to be less than depicted. 

 There poor Captain Slawson met his death, a most 

 fearless man, and reckless of danger. He was in- 

 duced to join an excursion into the MogoUon range 

 of mountains, where the Apaches, in detached parties, 

 were on the warpath. The party was composed of 

 four — Captain Slawson, J. P. Risque, Jack Magruder 

 and G. P. Smith — all acquaintances of mine. I was 

 invited to accompany them, but would not for a 

 moment consider it under the existing conditions. 



Magruder, the only survivor, gave me an account 

 of the result. The second day out from Silver City, 

 while passing mounted on trail through a ravine, and 

 while approaching a group of small trees and under- 

 brush, a remark was made by Magruder that it was 

 a good place for Indians to hide in. No sooner said 

 than Slawson, being in the lead, answered: "There 

 are your Indians, Jack," and at the moment they 

 were fired upon. All but Magruder fell mortally 

 wovmded, shot through. A dozen Apaches rushed 

 tipon them, firing as they came. Magruder, being 

 untouched, had his horse fall with him, from which 

 he disengaged himself, and with his repeating rifle 

 rushed to the shelter of an adjoining boulder, being 

 repeatedly fired at, but escaping all the bullets. From 

 the boulder he held the Indians off and managed to 

 work his way up the hill among the rocks behind 

 him, escaping all the shots; and, being a good shot 



