mere MR Ns fee Pee et NTN 
LOSE THE TRAIL. 107 
Of course I had a compass, and we first tried to steer by it; 
our mules responded well to the spurs, and we kept them 
jogging along and climbing up and down the most terrible 
places. However, the country got worse, and by sunset this 
miode of solving the difficulty was proved a failure. Van 
Alstine then determined to keep to one arroyo, and follow it, 
if possible, down to the Altar River. 
On we went, hour after hour, winding about at the bottom 
of the gully, now pushing through thick brushwood, then 
climbing over masses of rock, sometimes in the darkness 
knocking our heads against overhanging branches ; for, as the 
moon was obscured by clouds, the mules alone were able to 
see. About ten o’clock we almost tumbled up to the animals’ 
necks, without knowing it, into a wide stream, which proved 
to be the Altar River. We found a road on the other side, 
and, four miles further, a ranche, where we pulled up. I 
passed a capital night coiled up in my buffalo robe at the 
bottom of a cart in the yard, but a worse fifty miles I never 
passed over than those which formed our fourth day’s march. 
One day’s rest was absolutely necessary to the mules, so 
next morning we did not go further than six miles, where 
was another ranche at which we could obtain 
accommodation, and something to eat besides 
dried mutton and tortillas. Here we passed the next 
twenty-four hours, and here occurred a tragedy which is, I 
think, worth relating. 
This ranche was a good representative of its class. It was 
built of adobe on a rising ground overlooking the narrow 
little valley of the Altar River, and was to all intents and 
purposes a fortification. Four walls about 12 feet high, 
without windows, enclosed it in the form of a square ; and at 
three of the angles three watch-towers—also built of adobe— 
Dec. 6. 
