260 INTENSE THIRST. 



junction was formed, not with the armtj we had hoped to find, but with the 

 mere handful who had parted from us a few weeks since 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 

 of the Cumanches, those unsparing enemies of the Texans, of whom we 

 had received reliable intelligence, far more than 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 another quarter, we might steal a march 

 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- 

 pahos, who were encamped at a small pool of water near a bluflT bank of 

 sandstone. 



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

 senting men, women, and children, dogs, snakes, and lizards, with various 

 other devices, — evidently the work of ancient artists in commemoration 

 of some remarkable occurrence connected with the former history of the 

 country. 



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

 obscure records of the greatness and glory of some extinct nation, writ- 

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



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

 returned with a choice supply of fresh meat, and four wolf pups. The 

 latter had been taken by an Indian boy, three or four years old, who 

 fearlessly entered the den, during the absence of the dam, and bore away 

 her defenceless family in triumph. 



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

 permission of the commanding officer, proceeded a short distance in ad- 

 vance of the main party for the purpose of hunting. Not paying strict 

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

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

 we were at length reluctantly forced to give him up. 



Continuing up the creek some two days, we found it very difficult to 

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

 of three or four feet. 



From 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, 

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

 Cimarone, inducting us to the bewitching scenery of the thrice lovely val- 

 .ey that lay immured within its giant walls. 



The fatigue of a forced march, combined with the sweltering heat of an 

 almost torrid sun by day and scorching winds by night, in addition to the 



I 



