The Mexicans had been there
ahead of us and removed everything but their dead comrades, those
they did not attempt to remove or even bury, leaving them for the
wolves that roved the country in search of food.
We were soon on their trail, which was easily followed, as they
were driving a large band of stock. About the middle of the
afternoon we came in sight of them. When they first saw us we were
so near them that they deserted their band of stock and ran for
their lives. We gave chase, but could not get any nearer. We
followed them until dark, our horses being badly jaded, and I had
now been in the saddle for two days and one night in succession,
so we made camp for the night. The next morning a detail of six
men was made to drive the stolen stock back to the settlement
where it belonged, there being some forty head of horses and
mules. The balance of us returned to the trail, lay over and
rested one day. This put a stop to the Mexicans troubling the
settlement for some time.
Pulling on for the mountains, the second day we saw the ruins of
two wagons that had been burned, but could get no trace of the
teamsters. The supposition prevailed that they were taken
prisoners by the Apaches. The Lieutenant established his
headquarters fifty miles from where he had his quarters when we
were out before, and now active work commenced, for there was
plenty of it to be done.
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