Legends and Stories of the Big Bend Area
Mystery Apache Pair Once Left Tracks in Big Bend-Curious Never Were Able to Find Fugitive Couple
News Article by Dick Harvey---believed to have been published in the San Angelo Times
Old-yellowed news article found--does not give a date but says Vol 10, No 44.
Life in the Big Bend was considered pretty tame in the early 80's, tame in comparison with hazards of prior years. The Comanches had been driven north by the white men. Their famous trails into Mexico grew less and the September moon no longer ran red with the blood of their victims. The last great chief of the Apaches, Alsate, was said to be a prisoner in the home of the Mexican general who captured the last remnant of his tribe.
Out of this period grew the story of Big Foot and Little Foot, thought to be the last of the Apaches. Three cowboys, combing the mountains for stray horses, camped on the bank of the Rio Grande one night close to where one of the old Comanche trails forded the river through Chisos Pass. A few years before they would not have turned in without posting a guard. They did not guard that night and probably thought of nothing more bloody than the steaks they would cut off the deer which they had killed and hung in a tree out of reach of four-footed night prowlers. The next morning the deer was gone and prints of two sets of moccasin-clad feet were found in the dust. One set was large as those of a man. The other was small.
In their anger the cowboys attempted to follow the thieves, but soon lost the trail among the rocks. So began the pilfering of Big Foot and Little Foot. Years passed during which the tracks made by Big Foot and Little Foot were seen for miles along the river. And although the two entered numerous camps and settlements in search of food, they were never seen. Expert trackers attempted to follow them, more out of curiosity than anything else since they took so little, but the fugitives were never traced to their hiding place.
As suddenly as they had begun, the footprints ceased and were seen no more Years later the body of an Apache was found in a cave. He was laid out in ceremonial state with all his worldly possessions at his side. It was generally thought the dead Indian was Big Foot and that Little Foot was his squaw. Apparently they had escaped when the tribe was made captive and had taken refuge in their native country. No further trace of Little Foot was ever found.
Another version of the story is that Big Foot was the Chief Alsate and that they sought refuge in the Chisos Mountains. But E.E. Towsend, who has devoted much time to the study of the country and to its people, said he once encountered a Mexican who related that his grandfather was the general who captured the Apaches and that Alsate lived at his grandfather's house until he died.
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