COPPER MINES. 
351 
The following day Colonel Craig again set out with 
some eight or ten men, being all that he could mount, 
together with Captain Buford and his command. A 
few civilians joined the party as volunteers. All were 
well mounted and armed, and carried their provisions 
and camp equipage on pack mules. They took no 
tents, and as little baggage as possible. 
The loss of so many animals at this particular junc- 
ture was a most serious additional impediment to the 
movements of the Commission. We had had no more 
than were absolutely necessary, and now some of the 
parties must necessarily be delayed until others could 
be procured. Nevertheless, I was determined to get 
off, if we had any means of going, and the necessary 
preparations for the journey proceeded. That General 
Conde might not be disappointed by my not meeting 
him at the Burro Mountains according to agreement, I 
despatched Mr. James Steele and Mr. Scott, assistants 
in the Surveying corps, to his camp to make known to 
him our losses by the Indians, which might delay us a 
few days beyond the time. But we had not yet got 
through our troubles. 
On the morning of the 24th August, the alarming 
intelligence was brought us, that the Indians had 
entered the valley where the animals were grazing, 
about half a mile from the fort, and had run off all the 
mules and horses belonging to Colonel Craig, together 
with the eighteen mules used by Captain Buford, to 
transport his wagons from Dona Ana. Great conster- 
nation was caused by this news, particularly as it was 
followed by a report that the Indians were endeavor- 
ing to drive off our cattle, of which we had nearly a 
