o imagine that the visitors of the
night previous were the creation of a dream; but the sight of their
footprints in the sand, soon dissipated that theory, while they plainly
told them the necessity of greater caution.

Breakfast dispatched, we got under way once more; and, during the next
three or four days crossed several spurs of the Burro and Pelloncillo
ranges of mountains, and over that portion of the great Madre Plateau,
that lies along the thirty-second parallel,--but saw no Indians.

This fact gave Hal a good opportunity to laugh at what he termed my
vision; nor did he fail to improve the opportunity.

Jerry and I often consulted together, and wondered why it was that we
heard nothing more from the spies that had visited us; for, as Jerry
wisely said, "If they'd come along and have it out with us, one way or
t'other, he wouldn't keer; but ter keep us always expectin' 'em, is what
wears a feller out. By'm by, when we git keerless, they'll ketch us
nappin', and then, God help us, that's all."

Our route, the next day, passed through a fertile
_cienega_,[Valley.] thence over an alkali plain. It was while
crossing this latter, that I met with an adventure, the most desperate we
encountered on the trip. Our route carried us over this vast plain,
strongly impregnated with alkali, and sparsely covered with dwarfed
mesquite with an occasional cluster of _yuccas_, scarce two feet in
height; and was so level, we could see for miles over it in any
direction.

The road was thickly covered from five to six inches deep, with an
impalpable dust, so fine that the lightest footstep, or breath of air,
sent it in clouds above our heads. So dense was it, that it completely
enveloped our whole party, making it impossible for us to distinguish one
another, at a distance even of three or four feet.

Jerry and myself had been riding a few rods in advance of the wagons; but
he returned to them for the purpose of giving some order, while I
continued on. So open was the plain, that it seemed impossible for any
foe to be concealed upon its surface; and we naturally abated somewhat,
the vigilance we should have maintained, had we been passing through a
rocky _canon_, or wooded defile. We therefore rode carefully along,
shrouded in dust, but not dreaming of danger.

Suddenly, without the least warning, three or four muskets, and a shower
of arrows, were discharged upon us from a spot not twenty yards away.

A clap of thunder from a