He had never ridden her when
going into a fight except the time of which I made mention when
out on the scouting tour. He said to me: "She is too fine an
animal for me, and if you will train her a little she will be a
perfect companion to you."
This black mare proved to be the most intelligent animal that I
had ever owned in my life, and there was nothing she seemed to
dislike so much as the sight or even the scent of an Indian. Often
when out scouting I have got off of her and let her feed at the
end of a picket rope while I would lie down and sleep, and the
moment she would see or scent anything strange she would come to
where I was lying and paw until I would raise up and look in the
direction of whatever object she had seen or heard, and in less
than three months she was the pet of the entire command. She would
follow me like a dog anywhere I would go.
We pulled out for the mountains, and went something like one
hundred and fifty miles from Fort Yuma before making a halt for a
permanent camp-this being the fore part of February, 1866-and as
soon as we were fairly settled we began active work.
We had only been there a few days when George Jones came in and
reported having seen the trail of a band of Indians coming from
the direction of Black canyon. George, myself and four other
scouts started out immediately to take the trail, which was ten
miles south of our quarters.
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