The cattle-thieves were evidently congratulating themselves upon
having run the gantlet of the military camp and being out of danger,
for they had abandoned the traditional reserve of the Indian race, and
were talking loudly and hilariously as they passed my wing of the
ambuscade. The Indians fell completely into the trap, and they and the
cattle with them were captured without any difficulty.

During the winter our supply of grain ran short, and I sent a party,
with the Cordovas as guides, to Jemez. They were unable to get through
the snow, and the elder Cordova was so badly frost-bitten that in
spite of all we could do he died in the camp.

Then I went with a larger party, and was successful. On June 1st
orders came to break up the camp, and on the 9th the accumulated
stores of nineteen months' occupation were packed, and with a train of
ten wagons we set out for Santa Fé.




VI

CROSSING THE RIVER


Two days after my arrival at the Territorial capital I was ordered to
proceed alone to Los Pinos, a town two hundred miles south, in the
valley of the Rio Grande, and report to Captain Bayard, commanding
officer of a column preparing for a march to Arizona.