2 ae te ee JU » 
river winds below in a beautiful semicircle, bending to the west. » 
- QOn-either side is excellent grass, inpaliel untouched, and shaded 
~ by large cottonwoods. To the west, the hills of Pulvidera form an 
- amphitheatre. The whole picture, the loveliest I have seen in New: 
“Mexico, loses nothing by being projected, from where. we stood, 
against the red walls of the Sierra Grande, which extend from 
Zandia southward, dividing the waters of the Bscrco, of the east, 
from those of the Rio Grande. vee ‘i 
I longed to cross these mountains and explore the. haunts of 
the Apaches, and the hiding place of the Cone , and look’ 
up a nearer route home by the way of the Red river, which 
the hunters and yoyageurs all believe to exist. But onward for 
California was the word, and he who eviated from the trail of the 
army must expect a long journey for his jaded beast and several 
days’ separation from his baggage. We were not on an exploring 
expedition; war was the object; yet -we had now marched one 
thousand miles without fleshing a sabre. 
Arrived at the town of Pulvidera, which we found, as its name 
_implies, covered with dust, we received full accounts of the attack 
made on the town by the Apaches the day before. The dragoons 
arrived too late to render assistance. . 
About one hundred Indians, well mounted, charged upon the _ 
town and drove off all the horses and cattle of the place. The — 
terrified inhabitants fled to their mud houses, which they barricaded. 
The people of Lamitas, a town two miles below, came to the res- 
cue, and seized upon the pass between the Sierra Pulvidera and the 
Sierra Secoro. The Indians seeing their retreat with the cattle and 
goats cut off, fell to work like savages.as they were, killing as 
many of these as they could,and scampered off over the mountains 
and cliffs with the horses and mules, which they could more easily 
secure. I 
This same band entered the settlements some Ho ha eal when 
& 
Lad 
were marching on Santa Fé, and when Armijo ha “called all 
carried off fifteen or sixteen of the prettiest women. 
Women, when captured, are taken as wives by those who cap- 
ture them, but they are treated by the Indian wives of the capturers 
as slaves, and made to carry wood and water; if they chance to be 
pretty, or receive too much attention from their lords and masters; — 
_.they are, in the absence of the latter, unmercifully beaten and | 
_ otherwise maltreated. The most unfortunate thing which can befal 
a captive woman is to be claimed by two persons. In this case, 
she is either shot or delivered up for indiscriminate violence. 
hese banditti will not long rével*in scenes of plunder and vio- 
lence. . Yesterday Colonel Doniphan’s regiment was directed to 
march into their country and destroy it. One of their principal 
settlements, and farming establishments, is said to be nearly due 
west from here, about two days’ march;. the road leading through 
-the formidable pass above noted. < 
Yesterday and to-day we came across some unoccupied strips of 
_ ground. Their number yesterday -was.greater than to-day; for) — 
-  gince we passed Pulvideray-the sandqhilig-encroach on the river and 
of the connie to its defence. In this foray, besides horses; 
Pp 
ee ee re 
a 
ag ee 
