obstacles and privations, finally
accomplished the feat of crossing the snow-clad mountains, and after
a long and fruitless search for the Indians, the men were obliged to
turn about, because their stock of provisions was running low. As
the command emerged through the "_Sangre de Christo Pass_," on their
return route, they came suddenly into view of a village of Apaches.
As soon as the Indians were discovered the charge was sounded, but the
animals of the dragoons were too much jaded to obey the summons with
the celerity wished for by their riders; the result was that, besides
a considerable amount of plunder, only two persons were taken, but
they, fortunately, proved to be no less than two important chiefs. In
order to impress these Indians with the fairness and liberality which
his government wished to show to the red men, after a long talk,
in which the colonel exacted promises of good behavior, he let the
prisoners go. They departed, to forget as quickly as possible all
their vows and promises; for, seemingly, they will act in no other
way than as their own savage instinct teaches. After this affair, Col.
Beall made a direct march for Taos, where he remained for some time,
attending to the ordinary duties of his garrison.

In the treaty between the United States and New Mexico, entered into
at the close of the Mexican War, a clause was inserted binding the
former to turn over to the latter all the Mexican captives then held
by the Indians who inhabited territory belonging to the first named
government. The carrying out of this provision of the treaty involved
the United States government in a large and constant bill of expense.
This was, undoubtedly, unavoidable, for even had the clause not been
inserted in the treaty, the maintenance of about the same frontier
military forces would have been necessary. It would have proved a
difficult matter to carry out this treaty to the letter.

If it had been so carried out to the letter, the Camanches would have
been great sufferers, for at least one third of the blood that now
runs in their veins is Mexican. During the last half century, and
perhaps longer, they have been accustomed to make annual visits into
the Mexican settlements of Old Mexico. The object of these hostile
incursions has ever been to load themselves with plunder. They steal
all the horses that fall in their way, and also take for captives as
many young children as they can lay hands on. The latter are bro