350 WILD SCENES AND WILD HUNTERS. 



In truth, we were an odd-looking set — each one dressed in 

 buckskin, fashioned and trimmed very much to suit individual 

 taste, with no sort of respect to uniformity — our whole equip- 

 ment making up a singular amalgamation of Mexican, Indian 

 and American costumes, while our arms were of almost every 

 conceivable stamp. The most experienced hunters carried 

 the old-fashioned long-barreled rifle, single-barreled pistols, 

 and a heavy knife ; while those of us just from the States, 

 were loaded down with the newest inventions — six-shooting 

 revolvers, double-barrels, and all sorts of new-fangled notions, 

 which we supposed were to make us, individually, a host — for 

 which imwarranted supposition we got ourselves laughed at 

 most heartily, and were afterwards glad to have time for 

 repentance. 



Our horses, some of them mustangs, others American, had 

 been carefully selected with reference to their speed and 

 endurance ; and all, with the exception of the Doctor's 

 nondescript pony, were fine looking animals. 



After clearing the narrow streets of the dilapidated town, 

 and gaining the open prairie, which lay stretched like an 

 ocean before us, with its long waves stilled upon the leap — it 

 was a glorious intoxication to feel the noble brutes exulting 

 in their strength beneath us, as they bounded over the undu- 

 lations; and, in one full ringing shout, our pent-up spirits 

 greeted the mountain winds that came dashing their cool wel- 

 come against our faces ! 



Ho ! for the mountains ! ho ! away ! 

 For merry men are we ! 



A short but rapid ride through a lovely region — whose 

 diversified features shifted in panoramic changes every moment 

 as wc dashed by— -brought us to a small stream, which was 

 to be our camping place for the night ; and here, we must 

 confess, tha* as is invariably the case on the first night out, 

 there was a sort of intoxication rife round our camp-fires very 



