410 
SAKTA CRUZ 
two mules could be obtained here, for which I paid 
seventy-five dollars each. I also procured some fiour 
for Colonel Graham. On the 28th, he took his depar- 
ture for the Copper Mines, where his engineers and 
the party for the survey of the Eio Grande, were still 
awaiting his return. 
During our stay here, Dr. Webb was engaged three 
quarters of his time in attending the sick ; for in addi- 
tion to the many that were sufi'ering with fever, there 
were cases of a more complicated nature, which re- 
quired the performance of surgical operations. For 
his services he made no charge. One would suppose 
that after attentions of this kind, and the restoration of 
one of their number from captivity, some little grati- 
tude would have been shown us by the people of this 
place ; instead of which, however, depredations were 
nightly committed in our camp. Meat was stolen from 
the pot in which it was cooking ; blankets were taken 
from the men while asleep ; and all the ropes and iron 
stake-pins that secured our animals were carried off. 
These last were a serious loss to us, and could not 
be replaced. We were finally compelled to keep the 
people away from our camp ; and I felt it my duty to 
complain to the Cura of the pilfering propensities of 
his fiock. He was fully aware of their thievish dispo- 
sition, but was unable to restrain them. Many wanted 
to be employed as arrieros ; but after the examples we 
had of their dishonesty, I thought it prudent to have as 
little to do with them as possible. I engaged, how- 
ever, Jesus Ortis, the father-in-law of Inez, to be our 
guide to Magdalena, and further if necessary. 
Se;ptember Being unable to procure any thing 
