DETENTION AT URES. 
451 
out a force to expel the invaders. But strange as it 
may appear, this town, with a population of thirteen or 
fourteen thousand souls, could muster only forty hired 
men to send against a party of about one hundred In- 
dians, who were ravaging the richest portion of the 
State, murdering its inhabitants, destroying their crops, 
and robbing the haciendas and ranchos of their most 
valuable stock. These men were armed and mounted, 
and sent in pursuit under the command of an officer. 
They came up with the enemy about five leagues from 
Ures ; but what was the result ? The Indians imme- 
diately made a desperate charge upon the Mexicans, 
putting the whole body to flight, and killing about 
thirty of their number. The officer and a few others, 
who succeeded, after being hotly pursued, in making 
their escape to Ures, reported themselves to be all 
that survived ; but a few stragglers subsequently turn- 
ed up. The officer’s own excuse was, that his men all 
fled ; and it being useless for him to attempt to cope 
with the enemy single handed, he was obliged to run 
with the rest to save his life. I saw a gentleman a 
few days after, who visited the spot where the fight 
took place. The Mexicans were all lanced in the back^ 
and their muskets, which were found lying by their 
sides, had not been discharged. The Apaches care lit- 
tle for fire-arms themselves : they can neither keep them 
in order nor obtain ammunition ; and as long as they 
have nothing but Mexicans to contend with, their 
bows, arrows, and lances, are quite sufficient. 
December 20th. A band of fifty Indians of the Goco- 
Maricopa tribe, from the river Gila, arrived in town 
this morning. The object of their visit was to com- 
