362 ON THE FEONTIEE. 



and each assault had been easily beaten off with loss to the 

 assailants and without any to the defending party. At the 

 time of the incident I am about to relate, an unusually 

 large and valuable lot of animals were on the premises, 

 for in the stables stood my friend's and his major-domo's 

 saddle-nags, the mounts for the herders, and the work- 

 mules at that time in use, while the corral was nightly full. 

 First, there was in it the " patron's " herd : twenty horses 

 and mares, as many mules, a dozen yoke of work oxen, 

 and about eighty milch cows with their respective calves. 

 Secondly, a band of about thirty saddle-horses, owned by 

 men who, having ridden into the country, had sent them to 

 be " ranched." There were no stages or other conveyances 

 into Arizona at that time, and few men liked to part with 

 their saddle-horses, knowing it was often impossible to buy 

 a mount when wanted, while no man cared to keep his 

 steed in a stable, which it would cost more in one month to 

 do than the horse would sell for "inside," as these pioneers 

 call the United States. Thirdly and lastly, but far from 

 least, the corral held the Government herd of over four 

 hundred beeves. 



This herd of Government cattle was what remained of 

 a drove that had come from Mexico to supply with beef the 

 district head-quarters, and which had been herded close 

 thereto, until, having eaten all the grass, it had to be 

 moved further off, where though strongly guarded by 

 cavalry the ground being a succession of rocky ravines, 

 timber groves, chaparral thickets, open glades and moun- 

 tain spurs, some of the beeves were almost daily " lifted," 

 while the cavalry in charge, who furnished herders, con- 



