[7] 



28 



^ 



« 



''TheriJ goes my arm})— you see but a small portion of itj there 

 are many more behfnd — resistance is useless. *" 



"Mr. alcalde, and you two 'captains of militia, the laws of my 

 country require that all men w^ho hold office under it shall tate the 

 oath of allegiance. I do not wish for the present, until affairs be- 

 come more settled, to disturb your form of government. If, you 

 are prepared to. take oath's of allegiance, I shall continue you in 

 office and support your authority." 



This was a bitter pill- but it was swallowed by the discontented 

 captaiif, with downcast eyes. ' The general remarked to him, in 

 hearing of all the people: " Captain, look me in the face while you 

 repeat the oath of office." The hint was understood; the oath 

 taken, and the alcalde and the two captains pronounced to be con- 

 tinued in office. The citizens were enjoined to obey the alcalde, 

 &c. &c. The people grinned, and exchanged looks of satisfaction; 



ex 



felt— that their burdens, if nr)t relieved, were at least shifted to 

 some uhgalled part of the body. 



We descended by the same ricketty ladder by which we had 

 climbed to the tops of the houses, mounted our horses, and rode 



th 



mountains, two miles distant. 



The sun shone with dazzling brightness; the guidons and colors 

 of each squadjron, regiment, and battalion were for the first time* 

 unfurled. The drooping horses seemed to take courao-e from the 



gay array. The trumpeters sounded " to horse," with spirit, and 

 the hills multiplied and re-echoed the call. All wore the aspect 

 of a gala day; and, as we approached the gorge, where we expected 

 to meet the enemy, we broke into a brisk trot, then into a full gal- 

 lop, preceded by a squadron of horse. The gorge was passed, but 

 no person seen. 



One by one the guidons were furled; the men looked disappoint- 

 ed, and a few minutes found us dragging our slow lengths alono- 

 with the usual indifference in regard to every subject except tha't 

 of overcoming space. 



Two miles further brought us to another pass as* formidable as " 

 the first, and 'all the intermediate country was broken and corered 

 with a dense growth of pine, pjiion, and cedar. Here the moiin- ' 

 tains of red sand-stone, disposed in horizontal strata,' begin to rise 

 to the height of a thousand feet above the road. Nine miles more 

 brought us to Tacolote. 



Here we met the alcklde and the people in the cool and spacious 

 residence of the former, where the drama above described was 

 again enacted. -This time it was. graced by the presence of the 

 women with their bare ankles, round plumr. arms, and slippered 

 feet. " . ^ 



Wc marched ten miles farther, to the Yernal springs, and halted 



at the upper spring, and observed 



abo 



feet south of the upper spring. 



Observed 9 altitudes of polaris, 7 of alpha aquil^, and 7 of arc- 

 turus. Latitude 35^ 23' 19'' j longitude ?! 01m. 23- 



