A Campaign in New Mexico - Chapters I-II



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CHAPTER I.
Texas and her boundary. Army of the West and the author's volunteering at 
St. Louis. A coup d'oeuil. The prairies. Indian woman and her child. A 
rainstorm. The son of the murdered Chavis. Swarm of annoying insects. 
Buffaloes and buffalo meat. Fish in the prairies. A volunteer buried. Sand-
hills and their appearance owing to sunlight. Gusts of hot wind. Wolves. A 
volunteer in a fit likely to have been shot. Indian fear of cannon. Dead 
Indian chief in a tree. The dried body of an Indian walking. Prairie-dog 
towns and rattlesnakes. 

WHEN the Texian revolutionary army, after their many victories under the 
command of General Sam Houston, halted on the banks of the Rio Grande, a 
council of officers was called, to determine what should be the boundary 
of the new republic. All the officers present, with the single exception 
of Houston, advised that the chain of mountains, lying about one hundred 
miles west of the Rio Grande, should be adopted as the western boundary 
line: thus em-

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bracing the rich and thickly-settled valley of the river; but Houston 
overruled their decision, and insisted that the river itself should be the 
line, from its mouth on the Gulf of Mexico, as far north as the 39 of 
longitude, thence directly southward to Red River, and, after following 
the windings of which for some distance, to run along the western boundary 
of Louisiana to the Gulf. The line proposed by the junior officers of the 
council would have embraced the whole of the states of New Mexico and 
Coahuila, as well as Texas -- while that insisted on by Houston, and which 
was finally adopted, divided each of the former about the middle. The 
object of carrying the line so far north at the western corner of the 
Territory, was in order to include the rich valley of Taos, which 
contains, among other places, the city of Santa Fe, well known as the 
headquarters for the immense trade which is carried on, by means of 
caravans, between the northern parts of Mexico and the United States. This 
trade is principally managed by citizens of Missouri, where all these 
trading expeditions are fitted out and dispatched. The Texian government 
had enough to occupy them in resisting the incursions of Mexico in the 
south and, therefore, could not find time to subjugate the more northern 
part of their territory. So that this part remained, until the year one 
thousand eight hundred and forty-six, in the possession and under the 
dominion of the Mexican government; and although, when Texas was received 
as one of the United

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States, it was accepted with the boundary which I have stated, yet, not 
until the numerous annoyances of the Mexicans had forced our government to 
post, on the banks of the Rio Grande, the "Army of Occupation," was the 
important trade carried on between Missouri and Santa Fe considered worthy 
of protection, and, then, only in connection with the plan already 
determined upon for the opening campaign in Mexico. The governor of New 
Mexico, Manuel Armijo, had subjected the American traders to numerous 
extortions; for instance, collecting a duty of five hundred dollars on 
each wagon load of goods. Now this, as the goods mostly sold by them were 
the coarser kinds, was a serious imposition. To remedy this state of 
things, and also to carry out a very important part of the plan of 
operations resolved upon by our government in its then warlike position 
against Mexico, the President of the United States ordered General 
Kearney, an old and tried officer, whose achievements in Florida are 
known, to raise a sufficient number of volunteers, although not to exceed 
three thousand, which, being united with such regulars as might then ???? 
iver called Fort Leavenworth, were to form an army to be called the "Army 
of the West." With this small body he was to cross the western prairies 
and take possession of New Mexico, making Santa Fe, which is the capital, 
the centre of his operations. This expedition was not unfraught with 
danger: not only were the troops to cross nearly one thousand miles of 
uninhabited prairie, subject to annoyance from hostile Indians,

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and run the chance of starvation should their supplies of food be, by any 
means, cut off, but they were ordered to hold the country, after they had 
conquered it, well assured that no reinforcements would be sent out. 
General Kearney was also empowered to proceed to California after 
subjugating the Mexicans. He, in obedience to these orders, called upon 
the Governor of Missouri for one thousand volunteers, to be raised from 
the different river counties of the state. One battalion, to consist of 
two companies, was to serve as light artillery and the rest as mounted 
riflemen. The Governor, in apportioning out this requisition, called on 
the county of St. Louis to furnish the separate battalion of artillery, 
dividing the rest of the draft among the several counties north of it. 
Perhaps no place could be found which would so readily respond to such a 
call as St. Louis: for, it being the point where the Santa Fe traders 
procure their goods, it is a common thing to observe their arrival with 
numerous packages of specie, which they freely use in making their 
purchases. This naturally gives the idea of vast mines of gold and silver 
at Santa Fe; and the young men of all classes were eager to go -- indeed, 
it became a question who must be left; as, besides gold and silver and 
visions of flowery prairies, buffalo hunting and Indian skirmishing, 
General Kearney was well known to be a kind officer to his men, although a 
strict disciplinarian -- and Richard H. Weightman, a gentleman of St. 
Louis, who had received his education at West Point, although he had never 
yet seen service, no sooner declared his inten-

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tion to form a company, than his list was filled by some of the first 
young men in the city. Happening to be at St. Louis, and my time hanging 
heavily on my hands from unusual inactivity, I obtained an introduction to 
Mr. Weightman, and was so much pleased with his frank open countenance and 
gentlemanly bearing that I speedily enrolled myself in his corps. The 
service was to be for one year or for a less period if found expedient. 
Each soldier was to furnish himself with a good horse, saddle, clothing -- 
in short, everything except arms. Although we were not absolutely required 
to uniform ourselves, it was recommended that a suitable uniform would be 
desirable, so we provided a neat dress, somewhat similar to the fatigue 
dress of the regulars. We also got our Spanish saddles all made of one 
pattern. The common but good article we procured could hardly, strictly, 
be called a saddle, as it consisted of nothing but the skeleton or tree of 
one, with the girth and stirrups attached. The object of this simplicity 
was to render it as light and cool as possible to the horse; and, by 
putting a good Mackinaw blanket above as well as beneath, it made a 
comfortable seat -- the blankets forming our beds at night. Our horses 
were good, being principally Illinois grass-fed animals, just suited to 
the service for which they were now wanted. Mine carried me more than two 
thousand miles in the Mexican country, and he was, at last, stolen from me 
at Saucillo, about eighty miles below Chihuahua, and I almost felt I could 
have cried when, after long search, "Old Tom" could not be found. An 
important part of our equipment was a stout leathern waist belt, 
supporting a good butcher-knife, to which many of us added

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a revolving pistol, a weapon we found very useful. And knowing that we 
should be obliged to go over long distances without finding water, we all 
provided ourselves with tin canteens holding half a gallon: -- these, 
covered with a piece of blanket, kept wet to cool the water, are a very 
necessary article.

Numerous stories of Indian massacres and eases of starvation on the 
prairies were told to us by our friends, in the hope to deter us from 
going; and all this was increased by an old Canadian hunter named Antoine, 
one of our company. He was a genuine specimen of a Rocky Mountain hunter, 
and nothing seemed to please Antoine better than to get a knot of us 
"green-horns" around him, questioning about prairie life, and to give us 
the most discouraging answers. It was not done from a bad motive, but, 
seemingly, in a kind and considerate manner; and yet he did evidently 
delight to paint everything to the inexperienced in the worst possible 
view. However, Antoine had been a great traveller, and, so, was privileged.

When we arrived at Fort Leavenworth, we were received into the service of 
the United States. We were detained at the fort until the end of the month 
of June, by the non-arrival of our cannon, which were daily expected from 
Springfield. For some time previous and during our stay, every second or 
third day would witness the departure of long trains of government wagons, 
which, loaded with provisions, were dispatched with orders to push on as 
fast as possible to Bent's Fort, a trading post about five hundred miles 
on the road, there to await our arrival.

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After numerous delays, on the 30th of June, 1846, we started on our long 
journey; and not very encouragingly, for we left our captain ill at the 
fort, and, therefore, went under the command of the first lieutenant. This 
cast a shadow on our spirits, as Weightman was a great favorite. The first 
day's journey was uninteresting, as we only marched eleven miles, and much 
of this was through the farm attached to the fort. Our whole battery, 
embracing the pieces of the company commanded by Captain Fisher, consisted 
of eight long brass six-pounders and two twelve-pound howitzers; and to 
each of these, as well as to the caissons, were harnessed four fine 
dragoon horses. But many of these had never felt harness before, and, at 
first particularly, gave us much trouble; and, on the second day, when we 
came to and forded a beautiful stream, running through a narrow belt of 
timber, we found it almost impossible to get our teams to pull together, 
and it was, at last, found necessary to dismount the men and have them 
drag the cannon up the muddy bank.

From where I stood, on the opposite side, my attention was drawn to one of 
the prettiest coups d'oeil I ever saw. Below me, plunging and kicking, 
were the horses attached to the pieces, surrounded by the men, and, on the 
opposite side, seen through the trees and shrubbery, were the rest of our 
company in their bright and gay uniforms, grouped around their shining 
cannon, appearing along the winding path which led down the high steep 
bank of the stream. The sun was almost totally excluded overhead, and the 
warmth of coloring thus given to the scene rendered it truly beautiful.

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When we emerged from this belt of trees, the first prairies met our view. 
The grass was as high as the backs of our horses, and grew so rank as to 
render it almost impossible to make our way through it, except just in the 
road. We found it sprinkled with flowers which, although neither so 
beautiful nor so abundant as I had anticipated, gave it a pleasing 
appearance which we missed in the prairies that we afterwards passed. 

Perhaps it is one of the most beautiful sights in nature to see a puff of 
wind sweep over these grassy plains, turning the glistening sides of the 
grass to the sun, and seeming to spread a stream of light along the 
surface of the wave-like expanse. And a sight of these prairies would 
often cause Bryant's beautiful lines to rise to my lips, and I would 
picture to myself the magnificent plains peopled by the almost extinct red 
man -- his leaving for a wider hunting ground -- and fancy, with the poet 
and his murmuring bee-

"The sound of that advancing multitude
Which soon shall fill these deserts.
From the ground
Come up the laugh of children, the soft voice
Of maidens and the sweet solemn hymn
Of Sabbath worshippers."

Here, by a mistake of our guide, we lost the California emigrants' path; 
but, on crossing a high roll in the prairie, we found out our mistake, 
and, after much difficulty, got into the right road again.

About forty miles from the Fort, the Kansas or Kaw river crosses the road, 
and, on reaching it, we found a regular ferry established by government 
and managed by two Indians. This is one of the most beautiful rivers I 
ever beheld; and

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although but a quarter of a mile across, it is very deep in some places, 
but clear as crystal, sweeping rapidly along between high rocky banks, 
and, at last, emptying itself into the Missouri, a few miles above 
Independence.

On its banks, near our camp, in a bark cabin, I saw a beautiful and noble-
looking Indian woman -- a beauty of that order which might command 
admiration rather than affection. Her fine black eye shone as she observed 
our admiring gaze; but she continued swinging her child, which, tied to a 
piece of bark, hung from the roof by a thong of deer's hide, without 
deigning to return our notice of her. By the side of the cabin, on a 
freshly-barked tree, were drawn, with charcoal, several Indian 
hieroglyphics. The whole scene, cabin, woman and papoose staring at us 
with its large eyes, realized one of Cooper's life-like Indian sketches.

We had hitherto been travelling what is known as the military road, and 
only struck the great Santa Fe road on the fourth of July, at what is 
called Elm Grove. We now considered ourselves fairly on the great prairies.

How discouraging the first sight of these immense plains is to one who has 
read the numerous glowing accounts of them! How far short they fall of 
these descriptions, none can imagine who have not seen them! -- only 
covered with a short poor grass in some parts, and, in others, producing 
nothing but a dry bushy plant or wild sage; they may be travelled over for 
miles and miles, without your finding bush or tree to obstruct or break 
the view. In many places it is so perfectly level, that you appear, when 
passing over them, to be travelling in the hollow of a mighty bowl; on all 
sides,

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the surface, although flat, appears to swell at the horizon, while you are 
apparently climbing up the side towards that edge which you never 
approach. But, oh, the breath of the prairies! When the breeze, which 
always rises at sundown, fans your cheek after a hot day's ride, you sink 
quietly to sleep, feeling that that soft delicious air is bringing health 
and strength to your weary body. How much I felt this can only be known to 
myself. One of my reasons for going on this expedition was, to obtain the 
restoration of my health, which had been, for some time, very much 
impaired; and when I bade adieu to St. Louis, I hardly expected to get 
across the prairies alive. But I had not been a week upon them before I 
felt that my whole being was changed, and ere I reached the settlements, I 
was one of the most robust of the whole company.

At the Cotton-wood forks of the Neosho, where we encamped on the ninth, we 
were visited by a tremendous rainstorm, which soon flooded the bottom in 
which we were encamped. I can hardly imagine a more woe-begone looking set 
of men than we were the day we remained here. All the morning the rain 
poured down in torrents; not a particle of anything could we cook, but 
sat, wrapped in our soaking blankets, in our little six feet square tents, 
which by no means kept out the rain, but rather sifted it and made it more 
penetrating, while around each tent we had thrown up a small embankment, 
which prevented the entrance of the water. About noon the sun shone; and 
we, heroes, might be seen, crawling, one after the other, out of our 
canvas dwellings. At night, we lay down in our wet blankets on the muddy

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ground, and, in spite of the exposure, there were no colds complained of 
in the morning. We, of the city, had been considerably sneered at by the 
country volunteers, who called us "The City Pets," prophesying that the 
effect of our previous indoor lives would now be seen, but I can affirm 
that we, who had previously led what would be called by many a delicate 
life, had fewer cases of sickness, and less shirking of duty, than 
occurred amongst those young farmers whose whole lives had been spent in 
the open air, and of whom the other companies were formed.

The place we were now at is the same where the trader Chavis was so 
brutally murdered in 1848, by a party of land pirates. His grave lies just 
outside the belt of timber which skirts the stream. I, afterwards, while 
in Mexico, met with a young son of Chavis, about eleven years old, who had 
come to our camp to get medical advice for an uncle. In the course of 
conversation we asked him, knowing that he had been educated at St. Louis, 
how he liked Americans? His little eyes glittered, as he exclaimed, "When 
I am a man, I shall be a soldier; and then I'll kill every American I can. 
They murdered my father, and I'll pay them for it!"(*)

Captain Weightman arrived the night before we left this encampment. We 
passed on the 8th, the Lost Spring, so 

(* How true to nature is Walter Scott. After writing the above, I came 
across the following passage in "The Monastery." "The trembling mother, 
half fearing as he spoke, drew the children towards her, one with either 
hand, while they both answered the stranger. 'I will not go with you,' 
said Halbert, boldly; 'for you are a false-hearted southron; and the 
southrons killed my father, and I will war on you to the death when I can 
draw my father's sword.'")

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called on account of a remarkable difficulty in finding the exact spot 
where it rises. As we were moving out of camp in the morning, a light 
rain, which had been falling for some time, ceased, and the sun shone 
brightly out. The heat of its rays seemed to engender, from every blade of 
the wet grass, countless myriads of a small insect, bearing some 
resemblance to a gnat, which covered us and our horses so thickly that the 
original color of whatever they alighted upon could not be distinguished. 
Without biting, they got into the nostrils, eyes, and ears, creating a 
singularly pricking sensation, and making our horses almost frantic with 
pain. After an hour's annoyance, a light breeze arose and swept them away.

We arrived at Pawnee Forks on the fifteenth of July; and found the stream 
so high that we were forced to wait until the next day for it to subside. 
This stream runs very rapidly, between high, steep banks, and any slight 
rain on the mountains will make it rise so high in six hours that the 
traders are not infrequently detained several days before it falls 
sufficiently to allow them to pass. Here, I first tasted buffalo meat. Our 
hunters, who were selected from the companies each morning, had been 
successful in killing three out of an immense herd which we had seen 
crossing a roll of the prairies during the day. There must have been three 
or four thousand in the herd, and, from the distance, they resembled a 
shadow east upon the earth from a black cloud as it passes across the sun. 
The buffaloes killed consisted of two old tough bulls and a nice young 
cow -- the latter of which, Antoine, our hunter, had taken; but, in the 
general

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arrangement of making all buffalo taken form common stock, we had to run 
the chance of our meat and only part of one of the old bulls fell to us, 
which made Antoine so angry, that he went to General Kearney and told him 
he would in future hunt for none but his own company; -- as this was not 
allowed, he hunted no more. 

On account of the entire absence of wood here, we had to use the dry dung 
of the buffalo, called by the hunters bois de vache or buffalo chips, for 
fuel. There was plenty of it around our camp, and it had one advantage 
over wood, it requiring no chopping. It makes a good and hot fire without 
flame, but has a strong ammoniacal odor, which is imparted to everything 
cooked by it. 

Our buffalo meat, which we simply roasted on the live embers, of course 
partook largely of this flavor, supplying the want of pepper, which our 
mess was out of. The part most esteemed by hunters is the small entrails, 
about a foot in length, and called by the delectable term, "marrow guts." 
These, although highly relished by the old hunters, never looked very 
inviting to me! To tell the truth, I was much disappointed in the flavor 
of buffalo-meat, and would rather have a piece of good beef.

The buffaloes, themselves, have the ammoniacal smell I have mentioned. 
This may, probably, arise from the earth which adheres to them after 
rolling in the mud where they stop, as the soil of the prairies is 
strongly impregnated with different salts. The mud-holes where they roll 
or wallow, become, sometimes, of very large size, from these living mud-
scows carrying off, one after another, considerable quantities of the 
moist soil. The hunters call them "buffalo

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wallows." The rain forms them into ponds, and fish are frequently found in 
them -- where do these fish come from?

A volunteer from one of the St. Louis companies was drowned during our 
stay at Pawnee Forks. He received a prairie burial; wrapped in his blanket 
and clothes, he was placed in his grave, and, without any form, it was 
filled up and covered over with stones, to prevent the wolves from 
meddling with the body.

We found the Arkansas River, which we struck on the nineteenth of July, 
very shallow; and this is frequently the case with its tributaries. They 
are sometimes dry; and then resort is had to digging a well in the bed of 
the river, in order to get water enough for cooking. It can thus always be 
found in abundance, by going down two or three feet, and it is always 
clear and cold.

Although the northern bank of the Arkansas is well covered with grass, and 
scattering groves of trees are not unfrequent, yet the southern bank 
consists of nothing but huge sand-hills, entirely destitute of vegetation. 
We had been travelling within sight of these hills for several days before 
we came to the river, and could hardly believe that we did not see large 
cities on the banks -- indeed, we could plainly distinguish gilded domes 
of churches and roofs of houses, -- the deception was caused by the rays 
of the sun upon the pointed sand hills.

While on our march along the banks of the river a singular phenomenon 
occurred. Towards the middle of the day, while no breeze was stirring, we 
were met by successive blast of heated air, so hot as to scorch the skin 
and make it

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exceedingly painful to breathe; and these continued upwards of two hours. 
The sky, at the time, was entirely cloudless; but these gusts bore no 
resemblance to an ordinary current of wind, but rather to a blast from a 
furnace.

Although we had, by this time, arrived at the principal buffalo range, we 
saw but very few herds. The first sight of one of these animals at once 
shows him to be no easy customer to manage. The little glittering eye 
shines through the immense mass of long hair which covers the head and 
neck, giving the creature an exceedingly vicious appearance; while the 
contrast in size which is afforded between its hind and fore quarters adds 
materially to its hideousness, for he appears to be all head and 
shoulders, tapering off to the very point of the tail.

Their pace, which is called by the hunters loping, is very singular, being 
a clumsy sort of gallop, but having the peculiarity of both fore feet 
being lifted off the ground at the same time and then both hind feet the 
same -- giving the animal the motion of a ship in a heavy sea, first bows 
up, then stern. However, they manage to leave the ground behind them at a 
very rapid rate, and will frequently outrun a good horse. The best mode of 
hunting them is on horseback and with pistols. A horse that has been used 
to the chase will bring you close enough to almost touch the side of the 
buffalo, when you easily kill him by a well-directed shot behind the 
shoulder blade. At first a horse cannot be induced to approach one of 
these animals, and will exhibit the utmost terror when brought within 
scent of them; but after a few essays he is as fond of the sport as his 
master. As much depends on the truth of the first shot, a horse

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must know his business, for, by swerving at a wrong moment, he will cause 
the buffalo to receive only an irritating wound, and, in that ease, the 
character of the chase is changed -- the creature at once becomes a 
dangerous assailant, losing immediately all his previous fear of man and 
rushing to the attack with frightful bellowings.

Large gray wolves abound in all parts of the prairies and in Mexico, but 
particularly about the buffalo range. They are generally seen in packs, 
and will scent fresh meat or blood at a great distance; and being 
exceedingly cowardly they never attack man -- and unless driven by hunger 
will not kill any animal, preferring dead carcasses. It was almost 
impossible to get any sleep during the night after we had killed any 
cattle, as these animals would assemble around our camp and, sitting upon 
their haunches, howl in the most mournful manner all night long. Captain 
Fisher having been obliged to leave a sick horse behind one morning, sent 
back two men to kill him about an hour afterwards, his feelings for his 
tried steed making him wish to spare him further suffering. When the two 
men reached the spot where he had been left, a few picked bones, 
surrounded by a pack of snarling wolves, were all they found.

One night, while standing as sentinel on the outer side of our horses at 
the Big-timber on the Arkansas, I observed a man coming rapidly towards 
me, tossing his arms wildly in the air. I immediately levelled my gun at 
and challenged him; and receiving no answer I was on the point of firing, 
when it occurred to me that it could not be an enemy, as no Indian would 
have acted thus, so I cautiously approached

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the man, who was now but a few steps off. I discovered it to be one of our 
own men, only partly dressed, and who had been seized with a fit, and was 
thus rambling unconsciously about. He had a truly narrow escape, as, had I 
acted strictly by my orders, I should have fired. I had hardly got him to 
his tent and again taken my post when daylight began to show itself. I was 
leaning upon my carbine, with my back to a small ravine along the edge of 
which my post extended and my mind in a quiet reverie, when, suddenly, 
from behind a bush, not three feet from me, a big gray wolf set up his 
dismal cry unconscious of my presence. It, annoyingly, took me by 
surprise; -- snatching up a stone, I hurled it after his howling wolfship 
as he dashed precipitately down the ravine. I would have given something 
to have been allowed to shoot him, but as orders were to shoot nothing of 
less size than an Indian, I dared not alarm the camp by a shot.

In one of the country companies, called by us Grass-eaters or 
Doniphesians, two horses were shot by some frightened sentinel who had 
mistaken them for Indian warriors.

We saw but few Indians, and they carefully avoided us. All those bands 
that roam over the prairies have a great dread of cannon. This will 
account for their avoidance of us. They consider and call artillery 
thunder and lightning instruments. A band of them, a few years ago, 
attacked a party of traders who, besides their rifles, were armed with a 
small two-pounder cannon, which was fired with terrible execution upon 
their assailants. This taught them to respect artillery, and their fear 
has not subsided.

One evening, after encamping in a patch of timber, what

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was, apparently, a huge nest, was observed in the top of a high tree, from 
which all the lower boughs had been cut. This, on close examination, 
proved to be a room constructed of buffalo robes among the branches, 
inside of which was laid in state the dead body of an Indian chief, while, 
under and around him were the finest skins and embroidered dresses, 
together with his arms and pipes. The air is so pure and dry in these 
plains that Indian bodies, thus deposited, do not putrify. On Choteau's 
Island, two of our men found a dead Indian lying on the ground, which, by 
means of sticks, they made to stalk about the Island to the surprise and 
terror of some who were not aware of the motive power.

We passed by and over several prairie dog towns. One of these was very 
extensive, being three or four miles in circumference, and the ground 
shook under us as we crossed it, with a hollow sound, as if we were 
passing over a bridge. Although the name of dog is applied to these little 
animals, they bear no possible resemblance to our dogs, even their cry is 
most like a bird's chirp. They are much smaller than generally 
represented, being a trifle less in size than the common rabbit, and far 
superior to the latter in flavor. Between the skin and the flesh is a 
thick layer of fat which is a celebrated cure for rheumatism when applied 
as an ointment. We used it upon the sores on the backs of our horses 
occasioned by the chafing of the saddle, and it cured them at once. The 
old story of the rattlesnake and prairie dog associating together is now 
exploded, it having been proved that the former devours the pups of the 
latter, and that directly a snake takes possession of a hole it is, at 
once, deserted by its former inhabitant.

It was, by no means, an unusual occurrence for us, after a heavy dew, to 
kill, in the morning, within a quarter of a mile of camp, more than twenty 
rattlesnakes, which, having come out to imbibe the dew, had become 
benumbed by the cool night air and, so, were an easy prey. Our Major awoke 
one morning with one of these reptiles coiled up against his leg, it 
having nestled there for warmth. He dared not stir until a servant came 
and removed the intruder. I had now as opportunity of testing the truth of 
what I had heard, but never before believed: in the month of August only, 
these snakes are doubly venomous, but totally blind. An old hunter will 
tell you that the poison then is so virulent as to deprive the reptile of 
sight.



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CHAPTER II.
Rendezvous of the army near Bent's Fort. Soldiers put on short allowance. 
Slapjacks. Number of troops. A suspicious Mexican shown the camp and 
dismissed. Hunters. Antonio, his lasso and silver mounted saddle. The 
Rocky Mountains. A thunder storm. First Mexican settlement. Expected fight 
son of General Salazar taken. San Miguel del Vada. Pecos, an Aztec town, 
and its traditions and immense bones. A Catholic mule. Santa Fe, its 
palace and its calaboose. Shops for the traders. Kendall's gun. Burying 
Mexican children. Inhabitants described. Jars. Tortillas and Atole. 
Donkeys. Mules and their title deeds. Mustangs and a particular cream 
colored stallion. Mode of breaking the wild horse. 

WE encamped on the 29th day of July about twelve miles below Bent's Fort. 
This was to be the rendezvous for the "Army of the West, " and the first 
resting place since our march commenced. Hitherto we had had a sufficiency 
of both grass and water for our horses and provisions for ourselves. But 
our spies had just come in and reported that, beyond the fort, grass and 
water were very scarce; and General Kearney, in consequence of the 
scarcity of the provisions furnished for us, ordered that we should be put 
upon only half a pound of flour and 3/8ths of a pound of pork per day each 
man. This deprived us of coffee, sugar, salt, rice,

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&c., which had previously helped to make our provisions palatable. Now, 
our meals will consist of dough, if a simple mixture of flour and water 
deserves that name, fried in grease, or else what we used to call 
slapjacks, this being a thin variation of the aforesaid dough, poured into 
a hot frying-pan. Not very desirable fare; but we went to it jokingly.

Just above Bent's Fort we found all the traders who had started this 
autumn encamped, with the exception of the trader Speyers, who had hurried 
forward, having ammunition and arms with him to sell to the Mexicans. 
Though pursued by a party of our dragoons, he succeeded in reaching Santa 
Fe; and left again for the lower country. The traders generally had been 
ordered by General Kearney to here await his arrival. The troops which had 
come in amounted to one thousand seven hundred and fifty-seven; among 
them, were eight companies under Colonel Doniphan, consisting of eight 
hundred and fifty men, and two companies of infantry. It will be seen that 
our whole number was small as an army; however, we were in good spirits. 
Nor were they damped by the following incident. A Mexican had been sent 
in, on some frivolous message to Captain Moore, (the officer who had gone 
after Speyers), with instructions to take a good look at the army. General 
Kearney, having discovered that this was the fellow's object, had the 
whole camp shown to him, and then dismissed him, with instructions to tell 
all he had seen to the governor of New Mexico. After going through the 
camp, he lifted up his hands, and, apparently in good earnest, exclaimed 
in Spanish, "Alas! for my poor country."

Page 38

Bent's Fort is so named after the owners, (George and Charles Bent), who 
have long traded with Mexico and the Indians. It is merely a trading-post 
for the latter, and consists of a square of mud-houses, with a stockade 
around it. Here are kept the usual necessaries for the hunters who come 
and sell the skins they may have secured in the mountains around. These 
poor men are paid for their furs in goods, at most extortionate prices; 
for instance, they are charged twenty-five dollars for a gallon of brandy, 
while the New York price is two dollars. These hardy fellows, after having 
collected a sufficiency of furs and buckskins, bring them to the Fort, 
where, after bartering them off, they furnish themselves with a

sufficiency of powder, lead and tobacco for another six months' trip to 
the mountains, and take the balance in whisky, with which they remain 
intoxicated as long as it lasts; and when it is gone, and all applications 
for more on credit are refused, they coolly shoulder their rifles and 
start off to do all the same thing over again.

At Bent's Fort we obtained a supply of draught mules to fill the places of 
the many horses we had killed by fatigue on the march -- out of the 
hundred fine cannon horses with which we had started, not more than forty 
were left, and of these, not more than ten ever got to Santa Fe.

The Mexicans have always been justly celebrated for their dexterity with 
the lasso; and while crossing the prairies I had several opportunities of 
seeing a man in the employ of Bent, named Antonio, use it. He, having a 
very well-trained pony, boasted that he could hold anything, even a 
buffalo, with his nicely plaited lasso of deerskin, which always hung

Page 39

at the pommel of his heavily silver-mounted saddle. In holding an animal 
after he is noosed, the principal skill lies in the horse; who, as the 
lasso is fastened to the pommel of the saddle, unless very careful in 
properly bracing himself, will be overthrown by the sudden jerk. One day, 
an old buffalo-bull passed near the wagon-train, and Antonio was told to 
show his skill on him. Proudly and confidently he started and threw his 
lasso, but, instead of catching the creature by the horns, as he should 
have done, he foolishly threw it over his head, thus noosing him round his 
powerful neck. The horse, seeing the lasso tightening, braced himself 
back; and, for an instant, it was a trial of strength between horse and 
buffalo; but the next moment, the bull was scouring away with the lasso, 
garnished with the silver-mounted pommel of Antonio's saddle, which had 
been torn off in the struggle.

Our time was too precious to allow us to linger here, and, on the second 
day of August, we again took up our line of march, leaving, just above the 
Fort, the Arkansas River, much to our regret; for on its banks we had 
always found a sufficiency of wood, water and grass. We started this 
morning, at eight o'clock, and were not out of the saddle until two 
o'clock the next morning; and then encamped by the side of some small salt 
ponds, entirely without either wood or grass, and the water so brackish as 
to be almost unfit for drinking. Our wagons not having come into camp with 
us, we none of us thought it worth while to await their arrival, but all 
lay down to sleep supperless. Never was anything enjoyed more by me than 
my sleep that night, except the

Page 40

next morning's breakfast. My bed, however, was only the ground with two 
blankets, and my saddle for a pillow, and my breakfast, salt pork and 
slapjacks. I had not eaten anything since seven o'clock the previous 
morning.

As we left the fort, the Rocky Mountains began to show themselves in the 
horizon, and, gradually, became more and more distinct. We had seen the 
snowy cap of Pike's Peak, the highest point north of the city of 
Chihuahua, the day before we reached the fort.

When we reached the foot of these mountains, I was disappointed to find 
them so entirely destitute of wood. They were bare, with no real beauty, 
aside from the grandeur inseparable from such enormous masses of rock and 
mountain, and although a few are covered with small firs, we crossed but 
one of these.

While encamped on the Rio Colorado, after crossing the first or Ratone 
range of the Rocky Mountains, I witnessed the coming up of a thunder storm 
among them, a sight not to be easily forgotten. We lay in a low valley, 
while, surrounding us, were immense peaks. Slowly, on all sides, great 
black clouds came rolling over the mountains, seeming too heavy to float, 
and sinking gradually down the sides. At last, when nothing could be seen 
around but these black clouds, shutting out the world from us, a long 
quivering roll of thunder echoed through the valley and the gates of 
heaven seemed to open on the mountains, for the rush of rain was almost 
confined to them -- we receiving only scattering drops.

The first Mexican settlement was reached on the 13th of

Page 41

August, being a small village on the river Moro. It consisted of a few mud 
huts, and was called Lower Moro. Nothing could be more discouraging to men 
fated to remain a whole year in Mexican territory than the first view of 
this town. The houses or hub were built half underground, and consisted of 
but one room roofed with logs. In one of them I found a Scotchman, with 
his yellow wife and mongrel young ones. He owned large quantities of 
stock, and had several Mexican herders in his employ. He had made himself 
comparatively rich by supplying traders with mules and cattle. The few 
Mexicans who came around the camp certainly did not inspire us with any 
fear, but rather with disgust -- swarthy, lean and dirty, in a few rags 
and with a torn old blanket around them, they were pictures of misery.

The next day we encamped at a continuation of the same village, called 
Upper Moro. Here, the houses were a shade better, being entirely above 
ground, and several acres planted in maize. On an eminence stood a fort, 
which, the day before, had held a small force of Mexican soldiers, who had 
retired before us. However, our spies gave us to understand that a force 
of three or four thousand intended to attack us the next day in a narrow 
defile, called the Moro Pass, about a mile from the village. At this point 
the road, after passing between two high and perpendicular rocks, winds 
through hill and mountain for several miles. While we were at our scanty 
breakfast, our Major passing by, very gravely advised us not to eat too 
much, as we should fight the better for it. At this village, as at every 
other we entered, General Kearney delivered an address to the people 
through his interpreter,

Page 42

after the alcalde or mayor had taken the oath of allegiance to the United 
States.

The signal for mounting, called boots and saddles, was quickly obeyed the 
next morning, and we filed out of camp in good order. At this moment, our 
Captain, whom we had left ill at Bent's Fort, joined us; and, being 
deservedly a favorite, was received with hearty cheers. All the other 
troops preceded us through the Moro Pass; and just as a turn of the road 
took them from our sight, our bugler sounded the trot. Supposing that our 
comrades were already engaged, we belabored our cannon-mules into a trot 
with our sabres; and, in a few minutes, found the rest of the force drawn 
up in battle array. We galloped quickly to our position in the centre near 
General Kearney, who, surrounded; by his staff, was standing on a small 
eminence. No enemy could be discovered by us; but, after half an hour's 
suspense, our spies came in with the intelligence that the Mexican force 
had fallen back on the Pecos Pass and would there entrench themselves. We 
passed scattered houses and small towns, until we came to the village of 
Vegas, on the Gallinas river, where it passes through an immense cleft in 
the rocks. Here we encamped, and being on guard this night, had laid 
myself down about twelve o'clock to take a short nap, when I heard the 
sentinel near me challenge some one, who proved to be a sergeant from our 
outposts, with a prisoner in charge, who had been taken at one of the 
pickets. I accompanied the sergeant to General Kearney's tent, where we 
left our prisoner. The stranger was a young handsome Mexican, and

Page 43

declared himself to be a son of General Salazar. This young man's object 
was, apparently, friendly, as he stated that he had come out in order to 
inform us that the Mexican army, which had numbered four thousand men 
under the command of Governor Armijo, had been strongly intrenched at the 
Pecos Pass, intending to give us a warm reception, but had disbanded the 
night before, in consequence of some quarrel about precedence in rank 
among the officers; and he assured us that our entry into Santa Fe would 
be bloodless. Not knowing how much of this information might prove true, 
we took care not to lose sight of the gentleman; and an especial guard was 
assigned to him.

The next evening we stopped at San Miguel del Vada, where Kendall's party 
was so badly treated and Howland and another barbarously murdered by this 
same Governor Armijo. As we passed slowly through the Plaza in which these 
poor men had been executed, a moody silence pervaded the whole, save the 
whispered words "Kendall," "Alamo," "Armijo" and every one seemed relieved 
when we had left San Miguel del Vada behind us.

On the night of the 17th of August we halted at Pecos. This is a small 
Mexican village that takes its name from the ruins of the Indian town 
which formerly stood here. All that is left of what was one of the most 
celebrated of the Aztec towns is the church, which is of immense size, and 
supposed to be over five hundred years old. This is the church which 
contained the sacred fire, said to have been kindled by Montezuma with 
orders to keep it burning until his return. The fire was kept alive for 
more than three hundred

Page 44

years, when, having, by some accident, been allowed to go out and most of 
the town having been depopulated by disease, the remainder of the 
inhabitants abandoned the place and joined a neighboring village. There 
are many traditions connected with this old church, one of which is that 
it was built by a race of giants fifteen feet in height, but these dying 
off, they were succeeded by dwarfs with red heads, who, being in their 
turn exterminated, were followed by the Aztecs. But a singular part of the 
story is that both the large and the small men were white. The bones which 
have been dug from the floor of the church are, certainly, of gigantic 
size. A thigh bone that I saw could never have belonged to a man less than 
ten feet high. While myself and a companion were examining the edifice, a 
mule that we had tied outside, having got loose, very leisurely walked in 
after us, apparently as anxious to satisfy his curiosity as ourselves, and 
without hesitation went straight to the place where the altar had formerly 
stood. This was raised three or four steps higher than the body of the 
church. Up these walked the mule, and, having reached the top step, he 
gravely turned round and, giving vent to his feelings and piety in a long 
Eehaw, as gravely descended and walked out of the building.

The day on which we reached Santa Fe we passed through the defile in which 
we were to have been resisted. On seeing the great advantages we should 
have had to fight against, we could only look at each other with a stare 
expressive of "we are well out of it." The canon or valley, in which the 
enemy were to have met us, winds between high mountains for miles and 
then, after passing between

Page 45

two enormous perpendicular rocky precipices, ascends and widens gradually 
for some yards. The road is on a narrow shelf of the rock, only just wide 
enough for a wagon, the rest of the gorge being a deep rocky gully about 
twenty yards across. Just at the top of the slight ascent in the road, the 
Mexicans, it seems, had planted their battery, having felled some trees 
and thrown them across the pass -- thus occupying a raking position along 
it. The rocks on each side being too steep to climb, the only way for us 
would have been to carry the position by a coup de main; and this, well 
armed with artillery as they were, would have been no easy affair for us. 
In fact, five hundred resolute men could have defended the pass against 
twice our force. On the evening of the 18th day of August, we fired a 
salute of thirteen guns over the city of Santa Fe. Our first view of this 
place was very discouraging. Although much larger than any we had seen 
yet, still there were the same mud walls and roofs and the accompaniments 
of dirt, pigs and naked children. The city was, in a measure, deserted, 
the inhabitants having been persuaded that we should rob and ill-treat 
everybody and destroy everything; sobbing and crying were heard from the 
houses; and it was only after a long speech from our General that they 
were at all pacified.

The City of Santa Fe, although spread over a large extent of ground, is 
very thinly inhabited; and, with the exception of the buildings around the 
public plaza, consists only of scattered huts, surrounded by large fields 
of Indian corn. On one side of the public square, which is of considerable 
extent, stands the governor's Palace. It is the only building

Page 46

in the whole city having glazed windows. The palace is a long mud edifice, 
one story high, with a portico formed by extending the roof some distance 
over the street, and supported by smooth trunks of trees. This portico is 
also extended in front of all the houses facing the plaza -- and it proved 
a comfortable protection to our poor sentinels in rainy weather. The 
palace has at one end the government printing office; and at the other, 
the guard-house, and calaboose or prison. There are fearful stories 
connecting Armijo's name with this prison; and the known brutality of his 
disposition has undoubtedly here led him to sacrifice, for their gold, 
better men than himself. On examining the walls of the small rooms, I 
found, stuffed into holes, locks of human hair, with rude crosses drawn 
just above them, and invocations to the saint I cannot exactly account for 
these locks of hair thus illustrated; but I observed the same thing in a 
wall in Santa Fe, against which, it was said, some prisoners had been 
shot. Around the three remaining sides of the plaza, were small shops for 
the accommodation of traders, who, when they arrive, immediately hire 
them, to show off their goods to pedlers who make this place their 
rendezvous. Indeed, it is this trade solely that gives Santa Fe its 
importance. These shops are not exactly such as our merchants at home 
would choose to show their goods in, being without a window -- the only 
light that the dirty sales-room receives is through the door. We erected, 
in the middle of the plaza, a high mast, from which now waves the American 
flag; while across the square is ranged artillery, embracing the guns we 
brought out, as well as the pieces we found here and elsewhere.

Page 47

Among the latter, is the beautiful six-pounder which Kendall's party had 
with them. It bears upon it the lone star of Texas, and the name of her ex-
governor, "M. B. Lamar," and upon the sight is engraved "Santa Fe." 
Armijo, in his retreat, had buried this gun in the Pecos pass, but we 
found it, and had the impudence to fire our morning and evening signals 
from it.

Fronting the governor's palace, on the plaza, stands an old church, which 
was robbed of all its plate and ornaments some time before we arrived. It 
is allowed to go to ruin in consequence of this desecration. On each side 
of the altar is much fine carving, and above, there has been good 
painting; but the rain has beaten through the roof upon it, and nothing is 
now left but a head, apparently of an angel, which is beautifully painted. 
The date upon a tomb in the edifice is 1768, but the church itself is much 
older.

Although there are four other churches, there is no burying-ground, and 
the dead are interred by the side of the road, just out of the city, with 
simply a pile of stones, and a small wooden cross on the top of it. I did 
not witness any grown Mexican buried while I was in Santa Fe, with the 
exception of an officer, and he was interred with military honors; persons 
of both nations following to the grave. But our troops had brought the 
measles with them, and it was soon communicated to the children of the 
inhabitants, and carried off many of them; therefore, funerals among the 
young were common. In these processions, two men went first, bearing 
spades with which to dig the grave; next, music, consisting, generally of 
a violin and clarionet played to some livelier

Page 48

tune; after these came the bier, upon which was placed the body, generally 
without coffin -- the latter, (black, with white tape crossed all over
it,) being borne empty by two children across their shoulders, walking 
behind; the body was usually in its best clothes, strewed with flowers, 
and lying upon a white pall; the bier was borne on the shoulders of four 
children, generally girls; and after these came the friends, without any 
order, dressed in their most showy clothes, and most of them provided with 
a bottle of aguardiente, or home-made brandy. After the ceremonies in the 
church were ended, the poor little innocent was buried by the roadside, 
and a pile of stones raised over it; and if the father was too lazy to 
make a cross for his child's grave, he stole one from an adjoining stone-
pile. And the funeral party went home pretty tipsy.

General Kearney occupied the governor's palace, and quarters were selected 
for the men, and an hospital arranged. The Mexican houses, although very 
uncomfortable-looking from the outside, are, generally, by no means so 
within, for being well whitewashed there, they look clean, and are at all 
times cool. The walls are built of large bricks of mud called adobes, 
about two feet long by one foot wide, and four inches thick; and the mud 
being mixed with fine cut straw, and dried in the sun, holds very well 
together, if carefully handled. These are built up with mud for mortar, 
and very often plastered with the same substance both inside and out; but, 
as the tools used are only a spade and wooden trowel, the walls are not 
generally very smooth. On the top of these walls are laid young trees, for 
rafters, upon which are

Page 49

again laid small sticks, placed close together, and, over all, a coat of 
mud from six to eight inches in thickness. This roof, of course, is quite 
flat, but the walls being built at least a foot higher than the roof on 
all sides, with holes here and there to let the water escape, they prevent 
the earth from washing off, and, as the grass soon grows upon this roof, 
it becomes impervious to the water. The floor is nothing but the bare 
earth, trodden down hard; and I can say, from experience, that it makes 
the hardest of beds -- rock not even excepted! The walls and ceiling are 
whitewashed with a solution of bone-lime, made quite thick, and laid on by 
means of a buckskin. The houses are often whitewashed, both externally and 
internally, and the lime being of a brilliant white, renders the room very 
light, although, perhaps, the only opening is at the door, or a little 
grated window about a foot square -- no window-glass being used. The 
houses of the poorer classes only consist of one room, with generally a 
partition wall, as high as the waist, running almost across it; and around 
the walls are built broad seats, upon which the blankets that compose the 
beds of the family are laid during the day. At night, the children use 
these benches as bedsteads, while the rest of the family, consisting, 
probably, of three generations, sleep promiscuously upon the floor, in 
filthy sheepskins and blankets. The better sort sleep upon sacks of 
feathers, and in low trundle bedsteads, hewed with an axe from the rough 
wood. As regards the people who inhabit the houses, it is a hard task to 
describe them. The children from the age of four downwards, are generally 
left entirely naked -- this, however, occurs more in the country

Page 50

than in towns.

The women of Santa Fe, being mostly poor, are badly clothed, and are very 
dirty, which does not add to the attractiveness of their ugly dark 
countenances. They marry very young, but do not seem to know what virtue 
or modesty is; and being almost the slave of the husband, who will sit day 
after day in the sun, and smoke his cigaritos, without offering to assist 
his hard-working wife in anything, are very fond of the attentions of 
strangers. Those who have much white blood in them are pretty, but these 
are seldom found among the lower order, which numbers as one hundred to 
one in proportion to the upper class.

The men are the meanest, most contemptible set of swarthy thieves and 
liars to be found anywhere. The rich ones will cheat and swindle; and the 
poor sneakingly pilfer anything. The commonest class are generally dressed 
in cheap dyed goat-skin pantaloons, made of two different colors, which 
are dressed like our buckskins and are as soft; a coarse shirt, and a 
blanket of a quality according to the circumstances of the wearer; a palm-
leaf hat generally completes the dress. Shoes are a luxury only worn by 
those who can afford them, being replaced by those who cannot, with a 
piece of raw bullock's hide, tied on the sole of the foot. Among the 
better sort, the pantaloons are of cloth, ornamented with stripes of 
colored goatskin; and they wear blue jackets with plenty of buttons, and a 
black oilskin cover to their wide-brimmed him; a hat-band ornamented with 
silver, and a small silver plate on each side of the crown. The pantaloons 
of all classes have buttons all the way down the outside of each leg, 
which, however, are never really buttoned, but allowed

Page 51

to hang loose; exposing a pair of white cotton drawers under them. And 
more to the south, all classes wear a red sash around the waist. The part 
of the dress which at once tells the wealth of the wearer, is the poncho 
or blanket. This, although called a blanket, is nothing like the article 
known among us by that name, it being without nap and wove, according to 
value, in small or large patterns. The common ones are only white, striped 
with black, and worth about a dollar, and from the latter price they rise 
even to two hundred dollars. Some are really beautiful, and being of fine 
wool, show charmingly their brightly-colored small patterns. The good ones 
are almost impervious to rain, and you may even pour water into the folds 
of the Poncho, and it will not run through. They are all made with a hole 
in the centre, through which the wearer puts his head, and as it reaches 
nearly to the ankles, both before and behind, it forms an excellent 
protection against the weather; and when not so required, it is thrown 
carelessly and worn, with an air, over the left shoulder. Several of the 
good ones, costing from fifteen to thirty dollars, were brought home for 
counterpanes by our men. However, this quality is only to be found on the 
backs of the Mexicans, and a serious obstacle presents itself to many 
persons against possession, for there is an universal presence of vermin 
on the bodies of all the inhabitants, and it is not unusual to see women 
and men stop suddenly, expertly hunt, and a sharp sound announces to you a 
death -- while the next minute they handle the fruit or cheese which they 
are offering to sell to you. The women wear, if poor, an under garment 
without

Page 52

sleeves and one petticoat, quite short and leaving the shoulders and bosom 
exposed. A narrow but long scarf, either gray or black, called a reboso, 
is brought over the top of the head and across the face, leaving only the 
eyes exposed -- the ends, by crossing them over the bosom, supply the 
place of bodice. It is under no circumstances laid aside while the owner 
is awake, being used dextrously even at times of working or cooking, 
never, however, allowed to come in the way of the occupation. The women of 
the higher classes are very fond of wearing an infinity of petticoats, 
which can all be seen one a little below another. The Mexican women are 
the most graceful and boldest walkers I know, their step being always free 
and good, and their carriage never too stiffly upright. From being 
accustomed, when young, to carry heavy jars of water on their heads, they 
acquire a grateful oscillation of their bodies.

The jars I mention are of all sizes; and with the rare exception of a 
copper pan now and then, are the only articles used to cook or hold water. 
They are made by the Indians taut of a very abundant brick clay, being 
baked of a red color and glazed only inside, globular in shape, with a 
short neck and somewhat small mouth. At all the farms or ranchos we found 
the dung of cattle pressed into large slabs, which we ascertained were, 
when dry, to be used to bake the jars. These articles supply the place of 
metal vessels, as they stand heat well. Articles of metal are very scarce. 
I do not believe that there are two doors in all Santa Fe hung on metal 
hinges, they being made to turn on wooden pegs, the same with the shutters 
to windows.

Page 53

The food of the poorer people consists of a sauce made by mixing the 
powdered red pepper, Chili Colorado, with hot water, and eaten with 
Tortillas. These are thin cakes, thus made: the dry Indian corn is, first, 
slightly parched, then ground on their mills, which consist simply of two 
stones; the largest, generally about two feet by one foot and a few inches 
thick, is hewn out of the hard boulders which abound in this country, and 
are cut so that, by means of two legs, they rest on the ground at an angle 
of 35 degrees ...[missing text]...

Page 54

ment for eating was used. Another favorite dish is Tole, or rather Atole. 
This is prepared of various materials, mostly of the common meal. However, 
to make it really good, it should be prepared in an open vessel by 
heaths -- a few quarts of milk or water; and when it boils, stirring in a 
mixture of fine wheat flour mixed with the meal of the small pinon nuts, 
obtained from a species of the pine tree. After being boiled a short time, 
it becomes very palatable, and a great satisfier of hunger. When made with 
only water and corn meal, it is, of course, not so inviting, although by 
no means bad. The meal of an ordinary Mexican man is about half a pint of 
red pepper, with three or four hot tortillas. This he has without 
variation all his life, many of them never tasting meat; while those who 
do, cook it only after it has been dried or jerked; -- as we used to say, 
after all taste has been jerked out of it.

Our wood was brought to us nicely cut in short sticks by Mexicans, and 
packed on little donkeys. These animals are very numerous; and you may 
often see, moving along with a short rocking motion, large bundles of hay, 
fodder or other articles, without perceiving anything to cause the motion, 
except whisking about behind will be a donkey's tail. These animals are 
treated with great cruelty by their masters, who not only overload them, 
but, going upon the old idea that a donkey eats nothing, do not provide 
food for them. Children ride them, just jumping on and always sitting upon 
the hind quarters and never on the body of the animal, using a small club, 
with which they guide by thumping the creatures on either side of the 
head. This system of guidance does very well until some green fodder or 
other tempting morsel meets

Page 55

the donkey's sight, when all the thumps and thwacks upon the head avail 
nothing; and a rider has no recourse but to slide down over the tail, and, 
by main force, push the animal away. These creatures are never harnessed 
in any other way than by putting on a pack saddle, and to which is 
fastened the equally balanced load. They are driven generally in numbers 
by one man on foot, who, with a short stick, thumps or pokes any loitering 
ass, at the same time uttering tesh! tesh! which sound comprises all the 
donkey vocabulary -- answering for "go ahead," "stop," "turn," &c.

The Mexican mules are very poor, smaller than those of America, and are 
principally used for packing. Their loads vary from two hundred to four 
hundred pounds. The Mexicans, through carelessness, allow the mules' backs 
to become chafed with the pack-saddle, and they soon are useless. 
Occasionally a fine riding mule may be met with, commanding an exorbitant 
price. These poor animals, as well as the horses, often present a very 
ludicrous appearance, the mule, as he passes through different hands, 
being branded, and thus carrying his "title deeds" on his hide: each 
owner, on purchasing, stamps him with a hot branding iron, having a 
combined mark, looking most like a Spanish notary's rubric, or Chinese 
characters; and when he is again sold, the iron is reversed and the brand 
is put immediately under the former. The first is called "fierro," and the 
second "venta." The first place for branding is the shoulder; and as this 
part will hold but one brand, the neck is next used, and after that the 
hips and hind leg. The production of the last fierro is sure evidence of 
ownership; and any ignorant person, not having

Page 56

the "venta" branded underneath, may probably lose his mule, as the former 
owner can again claim the creature.

Most of the riding is upon their small mustangs or ponies, of which there 
is a great abundance. In the southern parts are many herds of them running 
wild -- never having felt the control of man. While travelling southward, 
I suddenly aim upon a herd of them; and their action, while running from 
me, was beautiful. One of them, in particular, a small cream-colored 
stallion, who seemed to be the leader, lagged a little behind; and, after 
taking a good look at me, galloped off, playing a thousand antics; then, 
after a few minutes, he would stop, and, turning his head, would have 
another good look -- when he would again bound off. He was large for a 
mustang, and made me wish to have a lasso over his head. The Mexicans, 
when they "break in" one of these, do it thus: noosing the rope around the 
creature's nose, the breaker lets him bound to the extent of the rope, say 
from fifteen to twenty feet, when, by a skillful pull, the horse is thrown 
upon his back; after repeating this until the animal evidently understands 
that he is not free, the man gathers the rope up, and, jumping on the 
creature's bare back, using the rope by way of bridle, urges him on with 
whip, heel and voice. He goes with the speed of the wind; but becomes 
weary; is brought back quite subdued, and, bridled, again ridden until he 
is covered with foam, being completely cowed. These ponies are only used 
for riding, and when equipped with beautiful silver-mounted bridle and 
saddle, they have a pretty appearance. They are never over eleven hands 
high; and although well made, are not capable of great speed or pos-

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sessed of much wind. They are, however, full of action, and can endure 
much thirst and hunger -- thriving better on grass or fodder than on corn 
or oats. Generally when a Mexican mounts a horse, it is upon a very heavy 
silver mounted saddle, with large wooden stirrups. Behind him and upon the 
haunches, and entirely concealing them, there is a large flap of leather, 
ornamented with silver studs, or covered with long black hair. The 
Mexicans always arm their heels with long blunt spurs, which they keep in 
constant action on the ribs of the animal.

I have seen these spurs with the rowels seven inches in diameter, and the 
shank in proportion. All rich Mexicans carry, fastened to the pommel of 
the saddle, a pair of shaggy goatskins, with embroidered leather 
trimmings. These are used to cover the leg in hot weather, and hang from 
the hip to below the foot of the rider. The bit, like the spur, is of the 
most cruel kind -- so made that it would be an easy thing to break the 
horse's jaw by a smart pull; and, hung inside of the mouth, are small 
loose pieces of copper which keep it always sore. Nothing could be better 
calculated than the whole equipment to ruin a horse -- the sharp bit 
spoiling the paces, and the heavy saddle and equipments destroying his 
back.