Ervin Wilson's Wild Ride


Written by Kirk Hawley

My little brother Joe and me rode on up the Spanish Valley
To where the trail left Pack Creek for the foothills to the south.
It didn't take two seconds for the Indians to surround us
They'd never been much trouble but my heart was in my mouth

I looked around and tried to spot an Indian that I knew
The red men are our brothers and we try to treat 'em so.
But none of them were smiling and I didn't know a-one
And I saw them pull their rifles and I knew we'd better go.

I kicked my horse into a run and busted through that mob
And I looked at Joe behind me to be sure that he had run.
But behind me was and Indian with a grin that froze my blood
And I was staring right into the barrel of his gun.

I laid my head down on my horse's neck and heard a shot
I kicked my horse so hard I thought that all his ribs were broke.
He must have been as scared as I, he galloped up that hill
And I hoped that I could hide out in the aspens and the oak.

My dad had said if I would keep those mountains on my left
I'd ride around the range and I would come up to the road
That takes you to LaSal, that some folks call Coyote
A place that's somewhat civilized, with people that we know.

And as I rode the sun went down and I was hid by darkness
But sometimes I would hear his horse and I was filled with dread.
If I could hear his hoofbeats I knew he could hear mine
And sometimes his were well behind and sometimes up ahead.

I broke out of the bushes as the sun rose up beside me
And I was standing on a road, my tired horse beneath me.
And to my left the chimneys and the smoke from morning fires
That Indian broke out of the brush himself, and right beside me.

I turned and rode into that town a-screaming and a-crying
Until I came up alongside the Maxwell's old corral.
Cornelius Maxwell saw us and he shot into the air
That Indian turned and rode away and I'd made it to LaSal.

Cornelius called out We're Attacked and shouted the alarm
They barricaded up the town and waited for a foe.
But on one ever came and they all stood down with relief
But I was sick with worry for my little brother Joe.