SURPRISED BY MEXICANS. 319 



there were no enemies to fear in the neighbourhood, we 

 slept without placing any sentinels. Great, nevertheless, 

 was our disappointment, when, on waking in the morning, 

 we ascertained that we had lost several horses, and, among 

 others, the superb animal which had carried me the day 

 before, and upon whose services I had greatly relied. We 

 had been followed by some Mexican brigands, well ac- 

 quainted with the habits of riflemen, and who, knowing 

 with how entire an absence of precautions these people 

 always pass their first nights in the field, had profited by 

 our profound sleep, the necessary consequence of our 

 excesses at table, to pounce down upon, and carry off, 

 our horses. 



Vexed as each one was at so annoying a misadventure, 

 a, general amusement prevailed in camp when it was dis- 

 covered that the little fat man's dock-tailed pony had also 

 been exposed to the covetousness of the robbers. But the 

 enraged animal, much more wicked of temper than for- 

 midable in size, had, as it appeared, compelled the thief to 

 retreat, and not without punishing him for his attempted 

 theft ; for under the hoofs of the little horse we found a 

 crushed sombrero,* and on the grass we traced the out- 

 line of a man who had evidently been upset with vio- 

 lence while endeavouring to secure his spoil. So vigorous 

 a defence raised the pony, as you will suppose, cent, per 

 cent, in everybody's estimation. 



By this mishap we were compelled to await the return 

 of the messengers whom we sent to the nearest hacienda, 

 with orders to carry off the horses necessary to remount 

 our troopers. We were well aware that our purveyors 

 would find no lack of animals to choose from, and yet we 



* A broad-brimmed hat of straw or felt. 



