INDIANS DESCRIED. 33 
about the region, as we supposed,* of the 
boundary between the United States and 
Mexico; when Lieut. Bowman, in pursuance 
of his instructions, began to talk seriously of 
returning. While the wagons were stopped 
at noon, a small party of us, including a few 
dragoons, advanced a few miles ahead to take 
a survey of the route. We had just ascended 
the highest point of a ridge to get a prospect 
of the country beyond, when we descried a 
herd of buffalo in motion and two or three 
horsemen in hot pursuit. “ Mexican Cibole- 
ros!” we all exclaimed at once; for we sup- 
posed we might now be within the range of 
the buffalo hunters of New Mexico. Clap- 
‘ping spurs to our horses, we set off towards 
them at full speed. As we might have ex- 
pected, our paooinbiate approach frightened 
them away and we soon lost sight of them 
altogether. On reaching the spot where they 
had last been seen, we found a horse and two 
mules saddled, all tied to the carcass of a 
slain buffalo which was partly skinned. We 
made diligent search in some copses of small 
growth, and among the adjacent ravines, but 
could discover no further traces of the fugi- 
tives, e Indian rigging of the animals, 
however, satisfied us that they were not Mex- 
icans, 
We were just about giving i the pursuit, 
when a solitary Indian horseman was espied 
upon a ridge about a mile from us. My 
subsequent observations, this ap to have been 
some ales west f the 10th degre of ong 
