The
fact is that many of the depredations committed in those days, for
which the Indians were blamed, were done by those fiendish
Mexicans.
When the time arrived for starting and we were mounted, Uncle Kit,
Johnnie West and Mr. Hughes came out to bid us good-bye.
Johnnie West said: "Well, I am afraid I shall never see you again,
for those Mexican guerrillas are worse than Indians, especially
when they think a traveler has money about him."
All this helped to put me on my guard, and I didn't even tell Juan
that I had money with me.
We started on our journey with two saddled horses and one pack-
horse each. We met numerous little bands of Navajoe Indians, but
they being on good terms with the whites, gave us no trouble,
whatever. We also met numerous little squads of Mexican
guerrillas, but they not suspecting two boys as young as we were
with having money, did not disturb us. Uncle Kit had sent the
shabbiest looking horses along that he had, in order to deceive
them. Every band of Mexicans that we met on our trip would ask us
where we were from, where we were going and our business. I always
told them that I was from Taos, and was going to the City of
Mexico to see a friend, and they would pass on.
The first river we came to, Juan asked me if I could swim. I told
him that I did not know, as I had never had a trial.
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