Cochise/Teamsters/Return Scenario

         

Cochise and 5 of his warriors riding back from a meeting with Mangas Coloradas at Stein’s Peak were crossing Sulphur Spring when they saw dust in the distance manufactured by a Pindah supply train of 5 teamsters carrying cotton cloth, bales of wire, ammunition on the Tucson road. Cochise motioned to his warriors to fan out, and to prepare an ambush. The warriors drawing from the example of legendary Child - of -Water buried themselves into the sand like gophers, invisible to oncoming teamsters, and as the three wagons came across the hill, the phantom warriors emerged ghost like from the landscape striking mercilessly and quickly. It was over in five minutes. The warriors freed the mules from the wagons, gathered the guns and cotton cloth, and prepared to vanish into Dragoons.  Cochise before leaving had his men check the pockets of the slain Pindah for gold/money which could be traded in Sonora or Chihuahua for guns/ammunition. One of the whites still alive but badly wounded was found with an Apache scalp in his saddle bag. Cochise winced upon seeing the scalp, probably a women or child, felt his rage exploding within. He heard the anguish of the women crying out for justice. Apaches did not take scalps as they saw such mutilation as a terrible “spiritual” travesty.  Over the years the war with Pindah had become increasingly brutal. Cochise ordered his men to dig a hole and placed the Pindah in it as deep as his neck so only the head remained visible. Then he had his men covered the man‘s head with honey and watched as the ants came and began to eat away  his face, eyes, nose with the man crying  loudly for mercy. The death was agonizing. Apache justice would be served as it would doom the victim to wonder aimlessly in the spirit world. Cochise took inner satisfaction: “it was just punishment for the wrongs done the Apaches who were ironically viewed as “animals” by Whites”. Mounting his roan, he then motioned Nahilzay to lead the way back to western stronghold as the “People” would begin to worry about what was delaying him. Within an hour, the silhouettes of the Dragoons appeared, and flashing glass signals were sent that Cheis was returning. Chokonens made ready for his return by preparing a welcome. Women lit the fires into the stronghold and the people gathered forming a path and began to intone “Here He comes”, “Here He comes”, and “He ride before them”, “His name is Cheis”, “His Name is Cheis”. As Cochise and the small party emerged from the Canyon into the protective valley below the greeting became ever louder. Nahilzay leading the way gave a short rendition of their encountered with the Teamsters, and the role played by Cochise as a prelude to celebration that would take place that evening regarding their safe return in which the “People” would thank the mountain spirits, “Gaans", for the continued protection of their leader.