Chunda; A Story of the Navajos (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1906. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XXVII THROUGH THE FIRES INTO LIFE The morning hours had passed in the mountain fortress with increasing forebodings of evil designs against the captives. It was a relief to Redford to perceive Eulalia's exhaustion, for she was still much inclined to sleep and but partly sensible of the peril that hung over them both. From the entrance of the cavern where they were confined could be seen much that was transpiring around them. New faces were peering in upon them every few minutes, and the noise of many voices and angry altercations was reechoed from the rocks and caves around the open space upon which they looked from their prison. There were many arrivals from the dance until noon, each one announced by an exulting laugh or whoop as they leaped down into the gorge. There was evidently yet no thought of the avenging force that was approaching them from another direction than the one they had taken, and by a trail known to only the chief Shamans. Their movements were too deliberate to betray any unusual excitement, such as the report of the advance of a rescuing party would have produced among these warriors. The Shamans were heard to announce that they would wait until sundown, that everyone of their own number might be present at the trial of the caplives, and a few other principal men of large influence might arrive, on whose cooperation they were depending in their plot to expel the white men from their reservation. Their absence had already caused them some uneasiness. But it was difficult to restrain the growing impatience of those who were already here. Some of them insisted that a force be sent to guard the entrance of the gorge as far as the beginning of the mountain canon. There were a few who volunteered to go, but no one to give the comma...