be resumed.

At a council held among the chief officers, it was decided that the
best and surest course to be followed would be to divide the forces
and send them out in quest of the Indians, as if they were separate
commands. Thus it might happen that being caught between the two,
as they were running from danger they would rush into it and receive
chastisement sufficient to answer all purposes. Acting on this plan,
Colonel St. Vrain, with most of the Volunteers, was ordered to proceed
in one direction, while Colonel Fauntleroy, with the main division,
started in another; while on his route, Colonel Fauntleroy traveled
close in under the mountains, and kept his men as much concealed as
possible, making most of his marches by night. He traveled through the
Valley of San Luis up to its head.

The Valley of San Luis is about one hundred miles in length. Its
greatest width is fifty miles. On either side, it is bounded
by snow-capped mountains. The scenery of the valley is very
prepossessing, being sure to enchant the eye throughout its entire
length. In the south, the valley is continuous with prairie land,
which extends down as far as the settlement of Rio Colorado. It is
well watered by mountain streams and bears the appearance of being an
excellent farming district; but, the probability is, that its climate
is too cold for raising crops, and that its true value will be found
chiefly to consist in using it for grazing purposes. From time to
time, the Indians have reported that it contains gold mines, but there
are no authentic proofs that this is a fact.

At one time, the Indians succeeded in making the Mexicans converts
to the belief in the existence of these mines, as they showed them
specimens of gold which they affirmed to have been taken from them.
It was agreed that, for this valuable information, presents, such as
blankets, horses, and guns, should be made to those Indians who had
openly proclaimed the good news, provided they could conduct the
Mexicans to them. A party was formed and started to explore the
valley, but, as nothing was afterwards heard of their success, and, as
many of them, to all external appearances, were as poor as ever when
they returned, it is presumed that they were duped by the Indians. The
bottom land of the Rio Grande which skirts the southern border of the
valley of San Luis, is, judging from the luxuriant hay crops which it
produces, year by year, quite a good farming section; and,