| They drew straws to see who would kill the babies.It | | | | oak bushes to dry while they cooked the larger portion |
| was a fall day at an Indian encampment in the Tonto | | | | of horsemeat over an open fire.When the meat was |
| Basin of Arizona. Lined up on their cradleboards | | | | cooked, the men gorged themselves on the sweet |
| against a rock wall were seven little Apache babies. | | | | horseflesh, which they favored above all other. When |
| The weather was so nice, some babies slept while | | | | the men finished, the women too, then ate with gusto. |
| others gazed out upon the strange world around | | | | After tending and nursing their babies, the cherubs |
| them.The late Roscoe G. Willson, in his Arizona Tales | | | | were returned to their papoose baskets along the wall. |
| run regularly by The Arizona Republic newspaper, told | | | | The women joined the group of men sleeping off their |
| this story. The story illustrated how otherwise | | | | heavy meal beneath the deep shade of oak |
| hard-bitten men could not overcome the power that | | | | trees.Soon, a clattering of blue jays signaled to the |
| emanates from a baby.All about the camp, in 1871, | | | | Indians that something was amiss. Before the Indians |
| there was a scene of great activity. The men in the | | | | could rise to their feet, rifle shots rang out from the |
| Apache camp came dashing in at early morn, driving a | | | | hillsides and oak thickets. Several Apache men and |
| large herd of horses, stolen that very morning from the | | | | women were killed before they could rise.The |
| Bowers Ranch east of Prescott, Arizona.The Apache | | | | attackers were settlers from Prescott, on the hunt for |
| men and women of the camp were excited as they | | | | the horses stolen that morning from the Bowers |
| talked about their great success. The women busied | | | | Ranch. John B. Townsend, an Indian fighter, headed the |
| themselves cooking the meat of a horse they had | | | | group. The Indians knew him to be brave and fearless |
| slaughtered. They laid strips of raw horseflesh on the | | | | and held him in great respect. |