336 ON THE FEONTIEE. 



dangers were, in a manner, provided for. Before leaving the 

 fort it had been arranged that the general would send out, 

 the day after we left, a detachment of cavalry to camp on 

 Ash Creek, which was about ten miles from the rancho, 

 with orders that if the officer in command did not hear 

 from us within two days' time after his arrival, he was to 

 push on to the rancho and put his force at X.'s disposal ; 

 or should he not require assistance, or have left, then to act 

 as the circumstances of the case might require. Our inten- 

 tion was, therefore, so soon as it became dark, to alter our 

 course and make for Ash Creek and camp there for the 

 night, travelling in the mean time as much as possible in the 

 open ground. 



There was another danger to be guarded against. The 

 three Indians being on foot, could, if they thought fit, and 

 without appearing to do so purposely, contrive to drop 

 behind all of us, then three noiseless arrows would make the 

 odds in their favour three to two and the remaining two 

 might also be easily shot down ere they knew their 

 comrades had fallen. To prevent any such game as that, it 

 was arranged that one of us should be always behind the 

 last Indian ; but the three chiefs showed no inclination to 

 lag ; they took a steady dog-trot of about six miles an hour, 

 and went along with such an^ appearance of ease that it gave 

 the impression they could go on ad infinitum. I suspect 

 they were sho wing-off. We had made about three miles 

 when it became necessary to cross a strip of broken ground 

 masked with juniper trees and dwarf-cedars. On the edge 

 of this covered way the Indians halted. Pah-Squal un- 

 slung his carbine and cocked it, and each of the other 



