'Farther than this, my experience runneth not. The reader may
think I have drawn a fancy sketch--that I have colored the picture
too highly: now, while I sincerely trust he may never be in a
situation to test its truth from actual experience, I would in all
sober seriousness say to him, that many of the sensations I have
just described I have myself experienced, and so did the
ninety-and-eight persons who were with me from the time when we
first entered the grand prairie until we reached the flock of
sheep, to which more pleasing subject I will now return.'

The history of the base betrayal of the party to the Mexicans by one of
their members named LEWIS, gives us a picture of Mexican duplicity most
vivid and striking: but it is only the prelude to cruelties more barbarous
and revolting than have recently stained the acts of any but the most
savage and uncultivated natives. After being disarmed, under pretence that
it was only a formality, and then promised that their arms would be at
once restored, they were seized and ordered to be _shot_; but from this
they were saved by the interference of one of the Mexican officers less
blood-thirsty than the rest. They were immediately started off for Santa
Fe, half-starving and worn down by fatigue, and heard the bloody order
given to the armed guard which attended them: 'If any one of them pretends
to be sick or tired on the road, '_Shoot him down and bring back his
ears_.'' The following extracts describe some of the scenes they were
forced to witness:

'A walk, or rather a hobble of two hours, for we were so stiff and
foot-sore that we could not walk, brought us once more to the
plaza or public square of San Miguel. The place was now literally
filled with armed men--a few regular troops being stationed
immediately about the person of Armijo, while more than
nine-tenths of the so-called soldiers were miserably deficient in
every military appointment. A sergeant's guard of the regular
troops was immediately detailed to take charge of our little
party, and after bidding adieu to Don Jesus, as we hoped forever,
we were marched to a small room adjoining the soldiers' quarter.
This room fronted on the plaza, and had a small window looking out
in that direction; but the only entrance was from a door on the
side. Sentinels were immediately placed at the little window and
door, leading us to