IN THE OLD WEST 259 



of the convent were earnestly directed, as here the 

 enemy was first expected to make his appearance. 

 Presently a few figures were seen to crown the 

 ridge, clearly defined against the clear evening 

 sky. Not more than a dozen mounted men com- 

 posed this party, which all imagined must be 

 doubtless the vanguard of the thousand invaders. 

 On the summit of the ridge they halted a few min- 

 utes, as if to reconnoiter; and by this time the 

 California horsemen were halted in the plain, mid- 

 way between the Mission and the ridge, and dis- 

 tant from the former less than half-a-mile, so that 

 all the operations were clearly visible to the lookers 

 on. 



The enemy wound slowly, in Indian file, down 

 the broken ground of the descent; but when the 

 plain was reached, they formed into something 

 like a line, and trotted fearlessly towards the 

 Californians. These began to sit uneasily in their 

 saddles ; nevertheless they made a forward move- 

 ment, and even broke into a gallop, but soon 

 halted, and again huddled together. Then the 

 mountaineers quickened their pace, and their loud 

 shout was heard as they dashed into the middle 

 of the faltering troop. The sharp cracks of the 

 rifles followed, and the duller reports of the smooth- 

 bored pieces of the Californians ; a cloud of smoke 

 and dust arose from the plain, and immediately 

 half-a-dozen horses, with empty saddles, broke 

 from it, followed quickly by the Californians, fly- 



