tied  onto  the  horse,  and  the 
animal  led  into  camp.  Other  horses  were  then 
secured,  and  with  fresh  assistants,  Kirker  re- 
turned to  the  scene  of  the  fight  where  the  man- 
gled remains  of  the  three  brave  boys  killed  early 
in  the  morning  were  secured  and  brought  back 
to  camp.

Ophner,  after  many  months  of  suffering, 
recovered,  but  wears  a wooden  leg  in  place  of 
the  one  with  which  he  started  out  to  hunt  Ge- 
ronimo. During  the  same  year  Gene  Kirker 
and  Chas.  Reese  were  going  from  Tombstone 
to  the  mine  in  a wagon  when  they  were  attack- 
ed by  Indians.  Reese  was  shot  through  the  head 
but  did  not  die  for  several  minutes.  Like  his 
brother.  Gene  Kirker  stayed  with  his  friend 
until  he  was  dead,  then  cut  a mule  out  of  the 
team  and  mounted.  While  cutting  out  the  mule 
he  was  shot  twice  through  the  right  leg,  which 
was  afterwards  amputated.

Of  the  ten  Americans  who  originally  went 
into  the  camp,  but  two  are  now  alive,  the  others 
having  been  killed  by  Indians.

The  mine  is  now  shut  down  temporarily, 
but  run  steadily  for  over  two  years.  The  mill 
contains  20-stamps,  and  the  ore  averages  about 
$40.  The  great  draw-back  to  mining  in  that 
section  is  the  expense  of  securing  supplies, 
which  are  mostly  packed  in  on  mules.  Wood  is 
also  quite  expensive  as  it  had  to  be  packed  in  on 
burros  or  mules.

( 87  )

Alhambra  Via 
Saddle  Rock  Canon