188 



JOURNEY ACROSS 



sent off for some of the Santa Fe troops, fearing 

 another visit from the enemy. 



We were not sorry to leave this ill-fated 

 spot, and the miserable faces about it, and so 

 galloped on till quite dark. It was then ne- 

 cessary to ride more cautiously, and we were 

 obliged to grope our way through marshy lands, 

 trusting to the knowledge of the peon, and the 

 sagacity of our steeds. At eleven o'clock, we 

 reached a post-hut built on an elevation, our 

 approach to which was announced some time 

 before our arrival, by the loud barking of several 

 dogs : nevertheless we found the postmistress 

 and her family fast asleep in the traveller's hut, 

 which they had to evacuate forthwith, in order 

 to let us in. They were soon busily employed 

 in making a fire, cooking up the usual mess 

 of mutton broth, and roasting some beef on a 

 stick. These poor people were particularly 



