MooNEY] THK CAVE IN THE "jORNADO" 303 



Indians (B'sikwita), who, however, were rather doubtful allies, as one 

 of them, who spoke Comanche, shouted to the Kiowa in that language, 

 encouraging them to hold out. 



On being driven into the cave the Kiowa found themselves cut oft' from 

 both food and water. They were watched so closely by the ^Mexicans 

 that they could only venture out to the edge of the water under cover 

 of darkness to get a hasty drink or cut from the dead horses a few 

 strips of putrefying flesh, which they had to eat raw. One man was 

 shot in the leg while thus endeavoring to obtain water. From the 

 stench of the dead horses, and the hunger, thirst, and watchfulness, 

 they were soon i-educed to a terrible condition of suffering. 



On exploring the cave to see if there might be any means of escape, 

 they found that it extended a considerable distance, and at the farther 

 end was a hole opening to the surface. Oiie of them climbed up and 

 thrust his head out of the opening, but was seen by the soldiers, who 

 at once eflfectually closed the hole. Tt was evident that the Mexicans 

 were afraid to attack the Indians and were determined to keep them 

 penned up until they were starved. To add to their distress, the decay- 

 ing carcasses of the horses soon made the water unfit to drink. After 

 ten days of suttering they realized that a longer stay meant dying in the 

 cave, and it was resolved to make a desperate attempt to escape that 

 night. 



The sides of the well were steep and difficult, but they had noticed 

 a cedar growing from a crevice in the rock, the top of which reached 

 nearly to the height of the cliff, and it seemed just possible that by its 

 means they might be able to climb out. That night, after dark, they 

 made the attempt and succeeded in gaining the top without being dis- 

 covered by the soldiers on guard. One only, the man who had been 

 shot in the leg, was unable to climb. He implored his comrades to 

 take him with them, but finding that impossible, they answered that it 

 was his life against theirs and if they remained with him or lost time 

 in trying to get him out they would all perish together. They urged 

 him to have a strong heart and die like a warrior; he calmly accepted 

 the inevitable, saying only, " When you get home, tell my comrades to 

 come back and avenge me." Then he sat down by the side of the well 

 to await death when daylight should reveal him to his enemies. His 

 name, D.igoi, deserves to be remembered. 



Dohasiin was the first to reach the top; he belonged to the Kaitsc'Tiko, 

 and it is said that before leaving the cave he had sung the song of that 

 warrior order in which they bid defiance to death, the same which 

 Set iingya afterward chanted before he sprang upon the guard and was 

 riddled with bullets by the soldiers. 



As they emerged they saw the fires of their enemies burning in vari- 

 ous directions about the mouth of the cave. The Indians were shel- 

 tered by the darkness, but some of the soldiers heard a slight noise 

 and fired at random in that direction, and seriously wounded Kofiate, 



