TO DELAWARE CREEK. 
107 
any portion of their camp equipage, or cooking uten- 
sils, they would differ from those of Americans. The 
remains of their food, too, would differ. Tortillas, 
tamaules, frijoles. Chili Colorado, and dried beef would 
appear ; instead of hard bread, fried pork, beef-steak, 
etc.'^' If a Mexican wears a shoe, it will be very dif- 
ferent in form from an American one. 
The extent of a party is shown by the number of 
foot-prints. This cannot be told while it is in motion, 
as there may be a large number of animals driven in a 
herd with but few riders ; but when the camp fires are 
examined, the number of persons can be detected with 
a considerable degree of certainty. The freshness of 
the foot-prints, the dung of the animals, and other signs 
show how recently a party may have passed ; and there 
are other marks by which its rate of travelling can be 
ascertained. 
Many are complaining to-day of illness, from indul- 
ging in fresh meat. It is hard to restrain travellers 
who have been living on salt pork, and but a scanty 
allowance of that, when a superabundance of fine fresh 
beef and veal is placed before them. 
I have omitted to mention an incident that occurred, 
one of those which help to make up the chapter of 
events, and show the difficulties of our mode of travel- 
ling. Soon after we retired, there was a cry from the 
guard of “ Turn out all hands, a mule in the river.” The 
men all rushed from their tents, lanterns were lit, and 
^ Tortillas are their cakes of corn, or wheaten flour. Tamaules are 
minced meat, rolled up in corn shucks, and baked on coals. Frijoles^ 
dark Mexican beans. Chili Colorado^ red peppers. 
