nawasa

We took our ride, and as soon as we were well away from the village Nawasa told me that she had seen the white girl and completed plans for her escape. She said that after making arrangements with the girl, she Nawasa had not gone to the Apache village, but had met the girl at the huckleberry patch most every day.

William F. Drannan - Thirty-One Years on the Plains and in the Mountains, Or, the Last Voice from the Plains : An Authentic Record of a Life Time of Hunting, Trapping, Scouting and Indian Fighting in the Far West

I stayed at the village that night, and the next morning the three of us started out to gather huckleberries. After we were on the ground and were busying ourselves gathering berries, Nawasa said: "If you will go on that little hill" pointing to a hill near by "at noon to-morrow, I will bring the white girl here to this tree, and you can see her for yourself."

William F. Drannan - Thirty-One Years on the Plains and in the Mountains, Or, the Last Voice from the Plains : An Authentic Record of a Life Time of Hunting, Trapping, Scouting and Indian Fighting in the Far West

I did not know at the time whether she was ashamed or whether she had been with the Indians so long that she was really afraid of a white person; but Nawasa was not long in getting to her, and the girl would look at me and then look back, as though she had a notion to go back to the Apache village. When I rode up to where she was, she dropped her head and would not look up for some little time.

William F. Drannan - Thirty-One Years on the Plains and in the Mountains, Or, the Last Voice from the Plains : An Authentic Record of a Life Time of Hunting, Trapping, Scouting and Indian Fighting in the Far West

As soon as we were out of hearing of the other Indians, she and her brother commenced asking all sorts of questions concerning the girl; whether I thought she would be happy with her own people or not. Those Indians had learned in some way that somewhere, a long distance away, the white people had great villages, and Nawasa asked if I thought the white girl would be taken to the large cities.

William F. Drannan - Thirty-One Years on the Plains and in the Mountains, Or, the Last Voice from the Plains : An Authentic Record of a Life Time of Hunting, Trapping, Scouting and Indian Fighting in the Far West

I met the two young Indians about two miles from the village, where they had come to meet me, and they were both riding one horse, Nawasa riding behind her brother. When I met them she jumped off from behind her brother and said she wanted to try my horse to see how he rode, and she got on Mexico behind me and rode to camp.

William F. Drannan - Thirty-One Years on the Plains and in the Mountains, Or, the Last Voice from the Plains : An Authentic Record of a Life Time of Hunting, Trapping, Scouting and Indian Fighting in the Far West

I saw that her face was badly tattooed, but her body was not, and as she stood there, apparently undecided what to do, she was to me an object of pity, and her dejected countenance would, I think, have appealed strongly to even Jim Bridger's heart. I told Nawasa to help her on behind me, for we must be off quick. Nawasa said: "She don't want to go."

William F. Drannan - Thirty-One Years on the Plains and in the Mountains, Or, the Last Voice from the Plains : An Authentic Record of a Life Time of Hunting, Trapping, Scouting and Indian Fighting in the Far West

We rode some distance before I said anything to the girl, though Nawasa had kept along at our side, talking to her all the time to keep her spirits up. Finally I spoke to her in the English language, but it was some time before I could get her to utter a word; I don't know whether it was through fear or bashfulness.

William F. Drannan - Thirty-One Years on the Plains and in the Mountains, Or, the Last Voice from the Plains : An Authentic Record of a Life Time of Hunting, Trapping, Scouting and Indian Fighting in the Far West

She made me promise her not to go any nearer the Apache camp at this time, for, said she, "If they suspect anything wrong, the white girl will be traded off to the Indians in Mexico for a slave." After making arrangements to meet the next day, Nawasa rode off toward the Apache town, and her brother and I rode back to the Pima village.

William F. Drannan - Thirty-One Years on the Plains and in the Mountains, Or, the Last Voice from the Plains : An Authentic Record of a Life Time of Hunting, Trapping, Scouting and Indian Fighting in the Far West

At this, Nawasa spoke and said: "Many times I have gone with her to the village and heard her sing a pretty song, but I could not understand a word of it." I asked if this girl was living yet. Nawasa said: "Yes, I see her every few days." I asked her what size the girl was, and from what I could learn she was almost grown.

William F. Drannan - Thirty-One Years on the Plains and in the Mountains, Or, the Last Voice from the Plains : An Authentic Record of a Life Time of Hunting, Trapping, Scouting and Indian Fighting in the Far West

But Nawasa assured her there was no danger, saying: "Esta umbra mooly ah-me-go," meaning, "This man is a great friend of mine;" and she again told her not to be afraid, for I would take her to her own people. This seemed to give her some encouragement. After the young Indian had shown me the direction to Fort Yuma, by landmarks, etc., I asked him how far it was.

William F. Drannan - Thirty-One Years on the Plains and in the Mountains, Or, the Last Voice from the Plains : An Authentic Record of a Life Time of Hunting, Trapping, Scouting and Indian Fighting in the Far West