308 DEATH OF MR. LANGHAM. 



On the 4th of April, 183S, we departed from 

 Santa Fe. Our little party was found to con- 

 sist of twenty-three Americans, with twelve 

 Mexican servants. We had seven wagons, 

 one dearborn, and two small field-pieces, be- 

 sides a large assortment of small-arms. The 

 principal proprietors carried between them 

 about $150,000 in specie and bulKon, being 

 for the most part the proceeds of the previous 

 year's adventure. 



We moved on at a brisk and joyous pace 

 until we reached Ocate creek, a tributary of 

 the Colorado, a distance of a hundred and 

 thirty miles from Santa Fe, where we encoun- 

 tered a very sudden bereavement in the death 

 of Mr. Langham, one of our most respected 

 proprietors. This gentleman was known to 

 be in weak health, but no fears were enter- 

 tained for his safety. We were all actively 

 engaged in assisting the more heavily la- 

 den wagons over the miry stream, when he 

 was seized with a fit of apoplexy and ex- 

 pired instantly. As we had not the means 

 of giving the deceased a decent burial, we 

 were compelled to consign him to the earth 

 in a shroud of blankets. A grave v^^as ac- 

 cordingly dug on an elevated spot near the 

 north bank of the creek, and on the morning 

 of the 13th, ere the sun had risen in the east, 

 the mortal remains of this most worthy man 

 and valued friend w ere deposited in their last 

 abode, — without a tomb-stone to consecrate 

 the spot, or an epitaph to commemorate his 

 'nrtues. The deceased was from St Louis, 



