288 CASAS GRANDES TO 
bound for California. We stopped about ten minutes 
to exchange a few words, though we could not distin- 
guish faces. This we were, in a measure, compelled 
to do, to separate our animals from those of the passing 
train, for all were now mixed up together. The party 
was from Missouri, and had come by the way of El 
Paso. They gave us some news from the latter place, 
which was very acceptable. Inquiries were made by 
each party about the grass and water on the route, 
when, the animals becoming restive, we bade them 
adieu, and resumed our journey. 
Up to this time, the tempest had not in the least 
abated. Indeed the darkness seemed growing still 
thicker, while the flashes of hghtning were becoming 
less frequent, which rendered it more difficult to keep 
on our course. After a longer interval than usual, the 
heavens were again lighted up, when I found myself 
going in an opposite direction to the right one, and the 
party much scattered. Leroux came up, and said that 
it was absolutely necessary to stop where we were; as 
some of the pack-mules were missing, and it was 
impossible to keep together or find our way in such 
impenetrable darkness. I accordingly had my mules 
taken out and hitched to my wagon; the same was 
done with the teams. All the pack-mules that could be 
found, were brought together; and the horsemen fast- 
ened their animals wherever they could find a bush. 
Dr. Webb and myself remained quietly in our wagon. 
In the midst of the storm Mr. Thurber, with a great 
deal of perseverance, succeeded in making a fire. This 
was done by taking the leaves of some books that had 
seen their best days, and protecting them from the 
