A MILITARY PICNIC. 325 



lazy and dissatisfied, lying around the fort doing nothing 

 but guard-mounting, &c., was an encouragement to the 

 settlers and miners whose ranches and camps we visited and 

 undoubtedly acted as a check on the hostile Indians ; for, 

 while we were in the mountains, 110 raid of consequence was 

 made by them the capture of a small burro train and 

 the killing of its arrearos, an attack on the Californian 

 mail, and the murdering of two adventurous mining pros- 

 pectors, being, if I recollect rightly, the extent of their 

 operations. We returned to district head-quarters in time 

 to make preparations for the trip to the Bio Tame'na 

 rancho, and the pow-wow there with the Apache-Yumayas, 

 bringing with us a welcome contribution to the garrison 

 mess fat venison, wild turkeys, quails, and sun-dried Gila 

 trout. 



We remembered the injunction of Pah-Squal pere not to 

 bring any soldiers with us, but, as it might prove a most 

 fatal policy to allow the Apache-Yumayas to find them- 

 selves preponderately strong when we held our conference 

 with them, to avoid any display of force, and still have 

 some additional strength, we had recourse to the following 

 arrangements : Four dragoons, in stable dress and only 

 carrying their Colt's holster-pistols, and each with a stock- 

 whip in his hand, drove the two bullocks. The two six- 

 mule covered army-waggons had each its postilion on the 

 near wheeler, and a man on the box, all dragoons, looking 

 as unlike soldiers as they could. In each waggon, sitting 

 on the flour sacks and concealed by the waggon covers, were 

 more dragoons, packed like sardines in a box, a dozen in 

 each waggon. So, in addition to our select embassy of five, 



