Page:On the border with Crook - Bourke - 1892.djvu/518



THE EFFECTS OF BAD WHISKEY UPON SAVAGE INDIANS—THE WRETCH TRIBOLLET—SOME OF THE CHIRICAHUAS SLIP AWAY FROM MAUS DURING A RAINY NIGHT—THE BURIAL OF CAPTAIN CRAWFORD—CROOK'S TERMS DISAPPROVED IN WASHINGTON—CROOK ASKS TO BE RELIEVED FROM COMMAND IN ARIZONA—"GERONIMO" INDUCED TO COME IN BY THE CHIRICAHUA AMBASSADORS, "KI-E-TA" AND "MARTINEZ"—TREACHERY SHOWN IN THE TREATMENT OF THE WELL-BEHAVED MEMBERS OF THE CHIRICAHUA APACHE BAND.

"Alchise" and "Ka-e-ten-na" came and awakened General Crook before it was yet daylight of March 28th and informed him that "Nachita," one of the Chiricahua chiefs, was so drunk he couldn't stand up and was lying prone on the ground; other Chiricahuas were also drunk, but none so drunk as "Nachita." Whiskey had been sold them by a rascal named Tribollet who lived on the San Bernardino ranch on the Mexican side of the line, about four hundred yards from the boundary. These Indians asked permission to take a squad of their soldiers and guard Tribollet and his men to keep them from selling any more of the soul-destroying stuff to the Chiricahuas. A beautiful commentary upon the civilization of the white man! When we reached Cajon Bonito, the woods and grass were on fire; four or five Chiricahua mules, already saddled, were wandering about without riders. Pretty soon we came upon "Geronimo," "Kuthli," and three other Chiricahua warriors riding on two mules, all drunk as lords. It seemed to me a great shame that armies could not carry with them an atmosphere of military law which would have justified the hanging of the wretch Tribollet as a foe to human society. Upon arriving at San Bernardino Springs, Mr. Frank Leslie informed me that he had seen this man Tribollet sell thirty dollars' worth of mescal in less than one hour—all to Chiricahuas—and upon being remonstrated with, the