with a current of swift and deep water, while a steep bank upon the other side showed the enemy at its very verge. Nothing daunted we plunged in, and, almost as soon, gained the opposite shore. Ascending the bank we attracted the notice of the sentinels, and received the challenge:
Quienes veniren?" — who comes?
Que dijo? "— what do you say?
"Quienes veniren, carraho?"
At this a rush was made upon the challengers, who were almost instantly disarmed, and our whole party, leaping into camp, gave to the enemy the first intimation of its presence.
"Munchos Tajanos! " — exclaimed one, as the astonished Mexicans snatched their arms.
"Si, munchos Tajanos. —Quieron los scoupetas!"— was the reply, as we sprang to prevent them.
Here a smart struggle ensued, which resulted in the defeat of the enemy with a loss of five killed, four wounded, and eighteen prisoners, —the remainder having escaped despite our efforts to prevent it, — but all the camp equipage fell into our hands, with seventy-two head of horses and mules. Among the arms taken were two or three pieces that had belonged to the Texan Santa Fe expedition of the fall of ‘41.
A council was now held to decide upon the expediency of proceeding immediately to the neighboring town. A majority at first were favorable to the proposition;— but some objected, and urged the imprudence of weakening our force by a division, as we should either be necessitated to do, in that event, or relinquish the advantages already gained, — and, further, the enemy, being aware of our approach, was doubtless prepared to oppose a dangerous resistance, such as would be attended with great risk of life on our part, without securing any possible benefit in its result. The latter reasons influenced the decision, and orders were accordingly given to withdraw from the scene of action.
In the interim the wounded had been carefully attended to, and, as we were about to leave, the prisoners were all set at liberty, with these words:
"You are now free. Bury your dead, and remember in future how vain it is to resist the arms of Texas. Tell Amijo, your General, the Texans are men, and not wild beasts. They never kill an unresisting enemy, they never kill a prisoner of war. He has done both, —but let him beware how he does it again, for the lives of ten Mexicans shall be the forfeit for each offence."
All things being arranged for a retrograde movement, we were promptly under way upon our return march to the Cimarone. The route led within ten or twelve miles of the Waggon Mound, at which point a large number of dark-looking objects appeared, but so indistinctly we were unable to determine their nature;—these, as we subsequently learned, were a body of Mexican troops, numbering seven hundred and fifty men.
Continuing our course, about noon we made camp at a gap in the mountain ridge, facing from the west the head branches of the Colorado.
The sentinels were cautiously posted, two upon the summit in the rear, and two with the horses in front, and express orders given to them not to leave their stations until relieved, and to give immediate notice of the appearance of any suspicious object. The remainder of the party were soon busily
