200 INDIANS TORTURE A MAN. 



grass is dry-looking stuff very short and curly, but it is wonder- 

 fully fattening for cattle and horses ; and we noticed one very 

 curious thing with regard to it, which was that if any of our 

 animals were picketed so as to be able to reach the sandy road 

 we were travelling on, they would always feed on the dusty grass 

 beside it and on the little ridges between the tracks. Another 

 thing we noticed was that whereas up to this time we had 

 noticed no rattlesnakes, we now found a great many of them, 

 lying as a rule under the mesquit bushes. This was the only 

 wood we could get, unless we came to some small river, where 

 there were other varieties, and fortunately it would burn equally 

 well whether green or dry. 



On reaching Fort Mason we camped close to the officers' 

 quarters, and went to call on Captain Thomson, who was in 

 command, and were very hospitably welcomed. We found 

 that the news we had heard of the Comanches being in the 

 neighbourhood was correct, some men having come in a few 

 days before, who had reported that when about a day's 

 journey from the post, bringing two cart-loads of supplies for 

 the sutler, they had been set upon by Indians and one of their 

 number captured, the remainder of them having managed to 

 escape into some bushes which happened to be near, and that 

 while lying there they had heard the agonized shrieks of their 

 companion, whom they afterwards found had been almost 

 entirely flayed alive. This story Captain Thomson confirmed, 

 as he had lately returned from the scene of the fight, where 

 he had found and buried the body of the man referred to. 



We heard here of a celebrated guide called " Big-foot 

 Wallace/' but on going to see him we found that he also 

 would not risk himself with so small a party. This man had 





