g a zigzag trail around the eminence, the
top was at last reached, and they emerged into a rough country, broken by
ravines and hills. Passing a day at a small Mexican village, they set off,
the next morning, in search of the Apaches. Carson's keen, quick eye
caught the trail, and rapidly they pursued their way for a couple of days,
when they overtook the Indians, leisurely resting in one of their small
villages. The horses of the savages were fresh, and remembering the
death-dealing rifle of the white man, most of the Indians saved themselves
by flight. The steeds of the soldiers were too weary for pursuit. Yet many
Indian warriors were struck down by the bullets of their pursuers, and
the horses and camp furniture of the savages, such as it was, fell into
the hands of Colonel Cook's party. Mr. Carson describing these events
says:

"To Captain Sykes, who commanded the infantry, is due the greatest amount
of praise for the part he acted in our adventures. When his men were
almost broken down with sore feet, long and difficult marches, want of
provisions, the coldness of the weather, and with their clothing nearly
worn out, and when they were on the point of giving up in despair, they
were prevented from so doing by witnessing the noble example set them by
their captain. He showed them what a soldier's duty really was, and this
so touched their pride that they hobbled along as if determined to follow
him until death relieved them from their sufferings.

"Although this officer had a riding animal at his disposal, yet never for
once did he mount him; but instead lent the horse to some deserving
soldier who was on the point of succumbing to overwork. When the Indian
village was discovered, he cheered his men from a limping walk into a sort
of run, and dashing through a swollen mountain stream, which was nearly up
to their armpits, and full of floating ice, he was, with his company, the
foremost in the attack."

Night put a stop to the pursuit. The next morning, at an early hour,
Colonel Cook's dragoons were again in motion, following, under the
guidance of Mr. Carson, the fresh trail of the routed Indians. On and
still on they pressed for many weary leagues, through valleys and over
snow-clad mountains, until they found that it was impossible to overtake
the red men. The sagacious Indians broke up their party into small squads
of two and three and scattered in all directions. To continue the pursuit
would be like chasing