Mexico to the Mountains 91 



neighbor. The public square is a fine one, and 

 the cathedral front the most beautiful I have seen 

 on this side of the Atlantic. The workmen who 

 did the carving came from Spain, and the stone 

 from the Rocky Mountains, so goes the story. 

 Saltillo has many good points, it is clean, well 

 regulated, and [has] better buildings than any I 

 have seen except at Monterey, yet we pushed on, 

 and have made our camp at Buena Vista, six miles 

 further on. High mountains bound our view on 

 every side. Buena Vista had its battle, and few 

 of us but have some friend or acquaintance sleep- 

 ing there. 



Parras, May 28th. I shall never forget the 

 Buena Vista Camp, the night of the 23d and 24th, 

 it was the night previous to our departure for this 

 place ; the guard was slow in coming out, Montrose 

 Graham was guard over my tent that watch, and 

 as Simson called his guard to order, and faced me, 

 where I had risen up to see who were changing, 

 George Weed let his rifle fall. The cock was 

 down on the nipple, contrary to a positive order; 

 in falling, the head of the hammer struck the 

 ground first, and, as if the trigger had been pulled, 

 it went off. An exclamation came from either 

 side, one "Mr. Audubon's killed," the other from 

 me : "Who's hurt?" A groan from poor Graham 

 was the answer. We were all hurry for lights 

 and water, and the Doctor. All loved Graham, 



