490 OCEAN TO OCEAN ON HORSEBACK. 



Away we tore over hill-top and through canyon 

 until but three or four Indians could be seen in pur- 

 suit, when Gordon, saying it would be much better for 

 both to take separate routes, at once dashed off through 

 a ravine to the right. One Indian considerably in ad- 

 vance of his companions was at this time closing upon 

 rae, but I sent a bullet into his horse, which put a tem- 

 porary stop to pursuit and would have enabled me to 

 distance my pursuers in the saddle had not my own 

 horse fallen an instant later through a well-directed 

 shot from the Indian I had just dismounted. 



I now dropped into a gulch, remaining hidden until 

 morning. With the coming light I found the coast 

 clear, and, emerging from my place of concealment, 

 set out in a southwesterly direction, which brought me 

 to a cattle ranche late in the afternoon, grateful, indeed, 

 for liberty regained and for the freedom which en- 

 abled me to continue my journey toward the shores of 

 the Pacific. After listening to my story the generous 

 ranchmen whom I here met supplied me with food and 

 a fresh mustang. Again facing westward I pursued 

 my course over the Rockies, striking the Old Govern- 

 ment Trail near Fort Steele at the end of three days. 



