108 SHORT STALKS 



from the cotton-trees on the bank and leavino- banks of 



O 



ice stranded along the edge. On the third day's voyage, 

 on rounding a corner, they perceived the smoke from the 

 cam]) of the marauders, who had not reckoned on this 

 determined pursuit. Cautiously landing and creeping up, 

 the one man in camp quickly yielded to a call to " throw 

 up his hands." Then, lying in wait for the other two, they 

 also, on their return from hunting, were in turn " beaded " 

 and secured. 



Now the average Westerner would probably have used 

 a short and sharp method with such evildoers, but that 

 was not Mr. Eoosevelt's way. The real difficulties of the 

 capture only now began. The problem was to bring three 

 wholly reckless and unscrupulous ruffians down to town 

 in the depth of winter, guarding them day and night. 



The first and perhaps the most efiectual measure was to 

 remove their boots. In those parts the ground is fre- 

 quently covered with a cactus, so dwarfed as to be 

 almost invisible, and covered with sharp spines, which 

 will bring a man, who attempts to walk unshod, to the 

 ground with an involuntary yell. It was impossible to 

 face the current, and the voyage had to be resumed down 

 stream ; but an unexpected obstacle was encountered 

 in the before-mentioned jam of ice, which they overtook, 

 and which was slowly creeping, like a ploughshare, 

 down the bed of the river. Thus the party was forced 

 to dawdle down for eiglit days in the wake of the ice, 

 with dwindling stock of provisions, at length reduced 

 to a little flour without yeast ; and never for a moment 

 could the anxious watch be relaxed. At lenoth a ranche 

 was reached whence a rouoh wao-o-on was obtained, in 



