816 lirrEI^SR THIRST. 



jnnetion wm formed, not. \vitii the army we had hoped to find, but with th« 

 mere handfuJ who had parted from us a few weeks smce at the Arkansas. 



Discouragement and discontent were depicted upon the countenance of 

 every one, as the lateness of the season admonished us of the extreme un- 

 certainty of the arrival of expected reinforcements. The dreaded approach 

 cf the uuraanches, tliose unsparing enemies of the Texans, of whom we 

 had received reliable intelligence, far more tlian the proximity of four 

 hundred Mexican troops, gave us just cause for apprehension. A council 

 was held forthwith, to decide upon the course proper to be pursued. Pru- 

 dence seemed to dictate an abandonment of our present position, — while 

 the enemy were looking for us in anotlier quarter, we might steal a maich 

 upon him in his own country. 



These suggestions gave tone to subsequent movements, and early in the 

 morning of the day following we were under way. For ten or fifteen miles, 

 our course continued up the dry sand-creek that had marked our place of 

 rendezvous, and the night following was passed with a few lodges of Ara- 

 pahoe, who were encamped at a small pool of water near a bluff bank of 

 ■andstone. 



This rock exhibited many rude engravings upon its smooth side, repre- 

 senting men, women, and cliildren, dogs, snakes, and hzards, with various 

 i^er devices, — evidently the work of ancient artists in commemoration 

 sf some remarkable «xicurrence connected with tlie former history of the 

 fmimtry. 



I examined tiie sketch with deep interest, and felt as if glanchig at the 

 (.kecure records of the greatness ^md glory of some extinct nation, writ- 

 iiJa in a language, like itself, now no longer known. 



Our hunters, having accompanied the Indians to the cliase, soon after 

 I... turned with a choice supply of fresli meat, and four woif pups. Tlie 

 AJiUter had been taken by an Indian boy, tln-ee or four years old, who 

 fsarlessly entered the den, during tiie absence of tlie dam, and bore away 

 kiiir defenceless family in triumph. 



The next day saw us again en route. One of our men, having obtained 

 £jrinission of tlie commanding officer, proceeded a short distance in ad- 

 vuacc of tiic main party for the purpose of hunting. Not paying strict 

 attention to the course proposed, he mistook liis way, and, despite our con- 

 tinued efforts to sot him aright, could no longer be seen or heard of, and 

 we were at lengtli reluctantly forced to give liim up. 



Continuing up the creek some two days, we found it ver}^ difficult to 

 procure water, and were often compelled to dig for it in the sand to a depth 

 of tliree or four feet. 



Fn)m this point, we bore south-southwest, and after more than a day and 

 night's hard travelling, over an arid sand-prairie, favored by neither tree, 

 iihrub, nor watercourse, we arrived at the head of a small affluent of the 

 Cimarone, inducting us to tiie bewitcliing scenery of tiie thrice lovely val- 

 ley that lay hmnured withui ita giant wafis. 



The fatigue of a forced march, combined witli the sweltering heat of ao 

 aimom lornd ami by day and scorching winds by nighty in additioiB to th« 



