yed by fire. So ended the Crabb
Expedition, one of the most ill-fated and melancholy of any in the
bloody annals of Mexico.

The result of this expedition, commonly called "Crabb's," was that the
Mexican government laid an embargo upon all trade with this side of the
line, and business of all kinds was paralyzed.

Under these circumstances I crossed the desert on mule-back to Los
Angeles, with only one companion, and went to San Francisco to take a
rest.

III

War-Time in Arizona

The invasion of Sonora in the summer of 1857 by filibusters from
California, generally called the "Crabb Expedition," caused the pall of
death to fall on the boundary line of Mexico. Forty-two Americans had
been massacred at Caborca, and many Mexicans had been killed. The
abrasion was so serious that Americans were not safe over the Mexican
boundary, and Mexicans were in danger in the boundaries of the United
States.

Gabilonda, who was the only Mexican officer who protested against the
massacre, came very near being mobbed by Americans in Tucson, although
he was perfectly innocent of any crime,--on the contrary, deserved
credit for his humanity in rescuing the boy Evans. Gabilonda was
subsequently tried by a Mexican court martial organized by Pesquiera,
the Governor of Sonora, and acquitted. He lived to a green old age as
Collector of Mexican customs on the boundary line, and died honored and
respected.

When I returned from San Francisco to the mines, in the winter of 1857,
the country was paralyzed; but by the talisman of silver bars the mines
were put in operation again, and miners induced to come in from Mexico.
Christmas week the usual festival was given at Arivaca, and all the
neighbors within a hundred miles invited.

In 1858 the business of the Territory resumed its former prosperity, and
the sad events of the "Crabb Expedition" were smoothed over as far as
possible. The government had subsidized an overland mail service at
nearly a million a year, called the Butterfield line, with daily mails
from St. Louis to San Francisco, running through Arizona. The mail
service of the West has done a great deal to build up the country; and
population came flocking into the Territory with high hopes of its
future prosperity.

General Heintzelman obtained a furlough, and came out to superintend the
mines. Colonel Samuel Colt, of revolver fame, succeeded him as president
of the company, as he had contributed about two hundr