148 NEW TEACKS IN NOETH AMEEIGA. 



I found the fonda, or L-otel, very comfortable : tlie bed- 

 rooms were large, usually eontaming each tbree beds. Mine 

 opeued upon tbe com-t-yard, and as ligbt was admitted by 

 a trap-door at tlie top, wbich also acted as a ventilator and 

 coiild be put up or do^vn at pleasure, I converted my chamber 

 with ease into a dark room, and used the court-yard as my 

 photographic studio. Thither, in the morning, I brought 

 the Navajos, and with a good deal of difficulty and persuasion 

 obtained a capital group, the most conspicuous object in it 

 being the admiral's cocked hat and tin ornament worn by 

 the chief. I then let them mount their horses^ and took 

 another view of them in travelling rig. 



The photographic stndio was kept going all the time, and 

 whenever I conld decoy a Pncblo Indian wandering about the 

 streetj or a pictui'esque little black-eyed scnoritta, or any other 

 study into my net, they did not escape without leaving an 

 impression behind them. The fair sex were rather hard to 

 manage, as they had an idea tliat they were turned upside 

 down in the camera, and strongly objected to such a liberty 

 being taken with them. Often, after spending much time 

 and trouble in collecting and forming a group, some knowing 

 one would start this idea, and all would run for their lives, 

 and hide. 



Earl}^ on the morning of the third day after our arrival at 

 Santa Fe, two of oui- friends came into the fonda — Calhoim 

 and Imbrey Millar — ^whom we parted with at Fort Lyon ; and 

 before evening all Millar's party arrived safe and sound, but 

 much travel-stained and almost shoeless, from their mountain 

 explorations. After leaidng us at Fort Lyon, they had 

 followed up the Ai'kansas and .its tributary, the Huerfano, 

 through the Sangre de Cristo Pass to Fort Garland, a military 

 post in the centre of the Eocky Mountains of Colorado; and 





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