300 



CHAPTER XXIX. 



Betnnitothe Fort. — Texan recraidng officer. — ^New plans. — Volunteer. — ^Th« Cbaiio* 

 Shot, or Special Providence. — Texan camp. — Country contiguous to the Arkansas, 

 from Fountaine qui Bouit to the Rio de las Animas. — Things at rendezvous.— A, 

 glance at the company. — Disposal of force. — March up the de las Animaa. — The 

 country ; Timpa valley, and its adjoining lulls, to the de las Animaa. — The latter 

 stream ; its canon, valley and enchanting scenery. — Tedious egress. — Unparalleled 

 luflering from hunger, toil, and cold. — Wolf flesh and buffalo hide. — Painful coiv- 

 sequences of eating cacti. — A feast of mule meat after seven days' starvation. — 

 Camp at the Taos trail.— The adjacent country.— Strict guard.— A chase. — Th« 

 meet reward for Treason. 



On the 16th of Feb., my stock of ammunition having failed, I proceeded 

 to Fort Lancaster for a fresh supply, where I encountered a Texan recruit- 

 ing officer, sporting a Colonel's commission, that bore the signature of 

 " Sam Houston," President of the Republic. 



The object of this personage was to raise a company of volunteer rifle- 

 men, to act in conjunction \vith a large force said to be then on its way for 

 the invasion of Santa Fe. The main design of the expedition was to annoy 

 the Mexican frontier, intercept their trade, and force them, if possible, to 

 some terms by which a peace might be secured between the two countries. 



The proposed rifle company was to be vested with discretionary powers, 

 and perform the duties of a scouting party to the main army. Each of its 

 members was to be regularly enlisted for the term of nine months, — armed 

 with a good rifle and pistols, and mounted upon a stout, serviceable horse. 



Great inducements, by way of promises, were also held out, to secure a 

 prompt and ready enlistment ; and, in fact, tlie whole affair was represented 

 in a light so favorable, few possessed of the necessary means for equipping 

 themselves refused to enter their names upon the muster-roll, and raliy 

 beneath the banner of the Lone Star. 



One thing, however, served to awaken in the bosom of each the genuine 

 martial spirit, more than all the eloquence of the fluent Colonel ; — this was 

 the unfurlment of the identical flag, bullet-pierced and tattered, that had 

 Btood as tlie genius of victory at the sanguinary battle of Corpus Christi, in 

 the early days of the Texan revolution. 



Who could refuse to respond favorably to a call backed by argument! M 

 potent ? — not I. 



Soon after Colonel Warfield, for such was the officer's name, set out on 

 his return to the scene of intended operations, accompanied by some twelve 

 or fifteen men, having named for his rendezvous a point within the Mexi- 

 can territory, near the confluence of the Rio de las Animas and the waters 

 of the Arkansas. Circumstances were such at the time it was inconve- 

 nient for me to leave, and eight or t*a days intervened before my departure U 

 join the eiqpedition. 



