210 LIFE IN THE FAR WEST 



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 movement, 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 dalf-a-dozen 

 horses, with empty saddles, broke from it, followed 

 quickly by the Californians, flying like mad across the 

 level. The little steady line of the mountaineers 

 advanced, and puffs of smoke arose as they loaded and 

 discharged their rifles at the flying horsemen. As the 

 Americans came on, however, one was seen to totter in 

 his saddle, the rifle fell from his grasp, and he tumbled 

 headlong to the ground. For an instant his companions 

 surrounded the fallen man, but again forming, dashed 

 towards the Mission, shouting fierce war-hoops, and 

 brandishing aloft their long and heavy rifles. Of the 

 defeated Californians some jumped off their horses at the 

 door of the Mission, and sought shelter within j others 

 galloped off towards the sierra in panic-stricken plight. 

 Before the gate, however, still paced valiantly the proud 



