e made
short work of him; but, before they could have killed him, it is safe
to affirm that Armador Sanchez would have had a companion with whom
to draw in his last breath. Fortunately affairs took a better turn and
the expressman finished his journey without further trouble.

To return to my own case--I was obliged to visit Taos. As an escort, I
was allowed one faithful and brave soldier. We traveled together over
the first half of our journey, and as we had considered, far the most
dangerous part, in perfect safety. At the Mexican town of Costillo,
after our day's ride, we rested for the night. Our fears of meeting
Indians were now almost dispelled; but still, we took the precaution
to question the Mexicans of the town in regard to their knowledge of
their whereabouts. In reply we were invariably answered that no fresh
signs had been discovered and that intercourse was both safe and free
for the remainder of our route. By the first appearance of daylight
on the following morning we were up and preparing for our journey, and
but a little time elapsed before we were leisurely traveling along on
the main road. We had left the town but a few miles behind us when
the morning sun began to make its appearance in all his splendor. The
country through which we were journeying was prairie land, and was
bounded on either side by lofty and picturesque mountains, and the
distance of the one range from the other was considerable, but yet
could fully be taken in by the eye almost at a single view. As we rode
along, we were amusing ourselves admiring the beauty of the morning,
and especially directed our attention to the rising of the sun. All at
once, just as we had reached a high plateau of land, the soldier
made the discovery of a flock of sheep at a great distance off on
the prairie. They appeared to be moving under rather suspicious
circumstances. We reined up our horses, for the purpose of obtaining
a better observation. What puzzled us, was the dim figures of,
apparently, mounted men, who were moving at great speed from one point
of the band of sheep to another, as if hurrying them along. After
taking a searching look, we came to the conclusion that the horsemen
which we saw were hostile Indians, as we had not been accustomed to
see Mexican herders mounted and acting so strangely.

The herders, near the towns in New Mexico, are usually small boys, who
are under the surveillance of one or two men stationed near by. When
the A