368 Reminiscences of 



himself, and abundantly supplied with cartridges, 

 either killed or wounded several of the Indians, which 

 enabled him — though at great risk — to extend the 

 distance between them. 



Over an hotu* he held them off without being 

 wounded, when he observ^ed at a distance two of the 

 Indians making a circuit around to get at his rear. 

 He confessed to feeling that his hour had about come, 

 dark was approaching, and it became a serious 

 question if he could hold out long. 



Looking back in his retreating, he observed the 

 cribbing of a miner's tunnel up the hill beyond, for 

 which he made a great rvm and succeeded in reach- 

 ing it. Upon entering this tunnel he was surprised 

 to see a dim light a long distance in, which he made 

 for, and was still more surprised to find two miners 

 at work there, entirely oblivious of the firing which 

 had been going on. Both were armed, and when 

 acquainted with the situation put out their candles 

 and awaited the issue, intently watching the mouth 

 of the tunnel for dusky forms. But none came, and 

 in a silent hour of the night the three men stole forth 

 to the cabin of the two miners, half a mile off, which 

 they found undisturbed, and from there made their 

 way to the nearest settlement. 



From Isleta we pushed on b}' the freshly built 

 railroad to Deming nearly to the south end of the 

 Territory, arriving there at an early hour. Here, on 

 this day of our arrival, the important connection of the 

 Santa F^ railroad was made with the Southern Pacific 

 railroad from California — a meeting of two great rail- 

 roads which for many months had been pushing on 

 for this connection. 



