SPY CAMP. 807 



time, most luckily furniBhed us with a breakfast, though nothing furthef 

 entered our mouths till the" morning of the third day from this, when, com- 

 ing to the site of a recent Indian encampment, we succeeded in gathering 

 a few pieces of dry buffalo hide, that lay scattered about — so hard and tough 

 tlie wolves had tried in vain to gnaw them ; these, after being boiled some 

 twelve or fourts^en hours, afforded us a paltry substitute for something bet- 

 ter, but of so glutinous a nature it almost cemented the teeth employed in 

 its mastication. 



The two days following we were again doomed to go hungry and began 

 to talk seriously of the imminent danger of starving to death. 



This interval had brought us into tlie canon of de las Aminas, where, 

 having struck camp, several of the men sought a temporary respite irom 

 tiie torments of hunger by eating roasted cacti ; — the article at first tasted 

 well, and from the recommendation of the essayists, several were induced 

 to partake of it quite heartily. 



But the lapse of a brief hour or two brought with it the " tug of war," 

 when the inherent properties of the cacti began to have their effect upon 

 the enervated systems of the participants. 



The painful consequences of this strange diet at first were a weakness 

 in the joints, succeeded by a severe trembling and a desire to vomit, accom- 

 panied with an almost insufferable paia in the stomach and bowels. 



Three or four of the unfortunate sufferers were in such extreme pain they 

 rolled upon the ground for agony, with countenances writhing in every im- 

 aginable shape of frightful distortion. 



Hereupon it was decided to sacrifice one of our animals as a last re-oort, 

 which was promptly done, and we ended our fast of nearly seven dayn' con- 

 tinuance with a feast of mule meat. 



I had heretofore cherished a decided repugnance to tliis kind of food, but 

 am in justice bound to say, it proved both sv/eet and tender, and sccrcely 

 inferior to beef. The supply thus obtained lasted till we came airoiig buf- 

 falo, when ample amends were made for previous abstinence. 



The only game encountered during the march was an ocuapional band of 

 antelope or wild horses, whose extreme vigilance and caution set at defi- 

 ance all attempts to approach tliem, and sported at the >hr jr^sy of our des^ 

 perate efforts. 



Our camp, at the termination of this arduous rj-d eventful jorirTiey, was 

 in a small grove of cottonwood, about eight hu-id eJ yards bolov;^ the point 

 at which the trail, from Bent's Fort to Taos, cto'>p3j [he right hand fork of 

 the de las Animas. 



It was faced on the north by a broad sand/ pa'.rie, fjently undulating 

 that, at intervals, disclosed a good soil, and led to a distant ridge of pine-clai 

 hills ; while from the west, at a distance of some twenty or thirty miles, 

 the proud and isolated summits of the Spanish Peaks, or Huaquetories, 

 arose to view, and from the southwest, the lofty and noble tierras lempladas 

 that skirt the heads of the Cimarone and Colorado, whose broad topa 

 showed themselves in beautiful contrast with the sharp, snow-clad moun 

 tain forming the eastern boundary to the valley of Taos ; then, upoo tht 



