86 LIFE SKETCHES OF A JAYHAWKER 



It was most increditable how quick they could all get into a dead run and 

 consequently all hands had to be on guard night after night because all 

 we had was at stake. I would get so worn out for want of sleep that I 

 could see fire flashes before my eyes. I didn't know hardly whether I was 

 asleep or awake and all the others were in a like condition; but after about 

 a week we had no more trouble and drove on up the coast road without any 

 great mishaps. 



At San Buenaventura we lost some horses that had gotten away from 

 the herd during the night and as soon as daylight came I went out after 

 them and took a Spanish man with me. At about three miles away we over- 

 took two of them and I sent them back with the Spaniard and rode pretty 

 fast after the other five and in going across the valley I saw them at a 

 distance rising the hill just beyond the valley, so I rode as fast as my horse 

 could travel, but at the top of the hill I lost their tracks. Two of them had 

 trail ropes and were very easily trailed so I searched the country round 

 for miles, but could get no trace of them. I met one or two droves of cattle 

 and the vaquero told me they were sure they had not passed them, so I 

 traveled until dark and no sign of them. So I took the saddle off of my 

 horse and let him graze tied to my leg, as I could not stake him out for 

 fear the coyotes would cut him loose and leave me afoot many miles from 

 anywhere. As soon as daylight came I started to a Spanish ranch a few 

 miles away, where I had been the day before, and where I made inquiry, 

 but they said they had seen no stray horses. I inquired if I could get some 

 breakfast, and they said I could and by the way I had not eaten anything 

 since the day I started out. After eating a pretty hearty breakfast and 

 getting a little corn for my horse, paying my bill and getting in the saddle, 

 I let loose on them with all the bad Spanish I could think of. I started on 

 knowing full well that they were the ones that had stolen the horses and 

 had them hid away. 



I had gone perhaps three or four miles on the road back when I hap- 

 pened to look around and here were eight men coming on horseback. They 

 were not very far away and I saw that I had to prepare and prepare quick, 

 for I knew they were after me, but as luck was in my favor I saw a wash 

 in a dry creek at one side, the bank of which was about twenty feet high. I 

 Immediately turned my horse in the creek and had the high bank for pro- 

 tection on one side, therefore they could not surround me. They all had 

 their loops ready to lassoo me and drag me, for that is one of the ways 

 they have of putting people to death. I allowed them to come up within 

 about 40 yards and then told them to stop. I had a good Colts Navy revolver 

 in my holster and on my saddle, as it was my custom to carry it there. By 

 this time I had it in my hand and ready for business. When I told them 

 to halt they all ran their horses together and held a little consultation about 

 what to do. They talked quite low, but I could understand them to say 

 "It's no use now, we will go on and maybe we will get him later." So when 

 they started on I started immediately after. Soon they turned a point and 

 were out of my sight and there I saw my chance to escape. I turned off 

 from the road and followed a dry ravine or gulch that ran at right angles 

 with the road and pretty well up towards the divide between there and 

 another stream several miles away. That left the divide between me and 

 my assailants, for I was satisfied that they had kept to the road and lay in 



