governor had to proceed. There they learnt with dismay that the force
they would have to contend with was at least ten times more numerous
than their own; they were too brave, however, to retire without a blow
in defence of their independence, and remembering the intimacy
contracted with me, together with the natural antipathy of the Indians
against the Watchinangoes, or Mexicans, they determined to ask our help,
offering in return a portion of the wealth they could command in
cattle, arms, ammunition, and other articles of great value
among savages.

The governor's army amounted to five hundred men, two hundred of them
soldiers in uniform, and the remainder half*d stragglers, fond of
pillage, but too cowardly to fight for it. It was agreed that I and my
men, being all on horseback, would occupy the prairie, where we would
conceal ourselves in an ambush. The Montereyans and their friends were
to make way at the approach of the governor, as if afraid of disclosing
the ground; and then, when the whole of the hostile enemy should be in
full pursuit, we were to charge them in break and put them to rout. All
happened as was anticipated; We mustered about three hundred and fifteen
men, acting under one single impulse, and sanguine as to success. On
came the governor with his heroes.

A queer sight it was, and a noisy set of fellows they were;
nevertheless, we could see that they were rather afraid of meeting with
opposition, for they stopped at the foot of the hill, and perceiving
some eight or ten Montereyans at the top of the pass, they despatched a
white flag, to see if it were not possible to make some kind of
compromise. Our friends pretended to be much terrified, and retreated
down towards the prairie. Seeing this, our opponents became very brave.
They marched, galloped, and rushed on without order, till they were