Trail and Camp-Fire 



stated with an air of apology, he knew it was 

 all right, " because it was November, and 

 March is the only month that counts for me. 

 I always notice that if I manage to get through 

 March I always live the rest of the year." 



While not an admirer of Indian character in 

 general, Cherry paid the " sincerest form of 

 flattery " to one of them in the person of 

 lago, and at one time this trait of his came 

 near getting all of us into trouble. The last 

 year we were together, the Indians, always 

 more or less dangerous, were especially treach- 

 erous. They would get together in small 

 raiding parties, and swoop down on defense- 

 less cattlemen, disappearing as quickly as they 

 came, and leaving a trail of murder and deso- 

 lation wherever they went, until finally the 

 Government had to send several troops of in- 

 fantry and cavalry to protect the lives and 

 property of the settlers. One day our party 

 surprised one of these murderous bands and 

 made them all prisoners, and were marching 

 them to the nearest army post, when, at a given 

 signal, they made a break for liberty. Most of 

 them escaped ; a few did not. Some time 

 afterward the State authorities sent an agent 

 to inquire into this part of the " massacre," as 



66 



