TO FREDERICKSBURG. 59 
The Colonel said he was the first settler in the 
valley of the Piedernales, and for many miles around. 
In his colony were people of all trades. He told me 
that his crop of corn this year would amount to seven 
- thousand bushels, for which he expected to realize 
one dollar and twenty-five cents per bushel. Finding 
that I had not the means to transport the corn I 
should absolutely require for my journey, I struck a 
bargain with Colonel Wight for another team, con- 
sisting of a wagon and four mules, which he agreed to 
deliver to me at Fredericksburg. 
Taking leave of our Mormon friends, we rode on 
two miles, to an encampment of Delaware Indians. 
Stopped to see a chief, whom I was advised to employ 
to accompany us to El Paso, where he had been with 
other parties, and who, from his acquaintance and 
influence with the Indian tribes on our route, might 
be of great service. Unfortunately he was absent, 
and not expected to return for a week. This people 
did not present a flattering appearance, and seemed to 
have few more comforts than the wild and unsubdued 
tribes we afterwards met. A mile further brought us 
to the United States military post, called Fort Martin 
Scott, under the command of Colonel Stannaford. 
This was the most extreme post on the frontier. We 
were kindly received by the officers here, and fur- 
nished by the acting commissary, Lieutenant Blake, 
with such provisions as we stood in need of. After 
an hour’s delay, we rode on, about two miles further, 
to Fredricksburg, and pitched our tents on an open 
spot in the centre of the village. 
This i flourishing German settlement, founded 
