“There were four of us,” said he, “all Mes-…
source date: 1891
availability: public-domain

adventure of these four Indians was related to me by Roman Chiquito himself. I would like to tell it in his own simple words, but as he spoke a mixture of Apache, Spanish and English his exact language cannot of course be given, but I have endeavored to preserve his style. “There were four of us,” said he, “all Mes- calero Apaches; every day the soldiers would march us out to work; there were hundred sol- diers, thousand soldiers ; when Apache no work hard, soldiers hit him with gun, say ‘d— n Apache’. My heart got very sick. I say Roman you go back to Mescalero country. You not go back you die here in calaboose. Then I say to other Apache, come we run away, go back to Mescalero country. Then other Apache he say no; soldier shoot, kill Apache. Then I say no, soldier he shoot, no hit Apache. Then I say if soldier kill Apache all right, better than cala- boose. Then other Apache he cry, then he say all right, tomorrow Apache all run. Other day Apache he work all day, then when soon come night soldier he say ‘d~n Apache vamose cala- boose! Then I say to Apache, now ! run 1 Then all Apache run, not run straight, run like snake, then, soldier he shoot; boom! boom! twenty