In Old Mexico 135 



he overtook them and headed them round in 

 the right direction. When the proper start 

 was accompHshed, away we went up the val- 

 ley, travelling hour after hour until water had 

 almost disappeared from the creek, with only 

 here and there a water-hole marking its bed, 

 whilst darkness was fast approaching. " Let 's 

 camp here for the night — plenty of feed and 

 water for the horses " ; thus at length the guide 

 spoke, as he jumped from his horse and 

 started in to perform the necessary camp- work 

 for our comfort before retiring. So we 

 camped there that night. 



The next morning we started bright and 

 early for game, our appetites craving fresh 

 meat; for we had none of us tasted any for 

 a week. The camp was surrounded by tall 

 dry grass, and from fear of fire running a 

 plentiful supply of water was thrown on the 

 embers of our camp-fire to extinguish every 

 possible spark. For just at that time towards 

 the south the heavens were black with smoke 

 — suggesting to us that some careless person 

 had caused the destruction of a great deal of 

 valuable timber and days of hard work for 



