his generous nature would never have permitted him to save his
life at the expense of that of the noble fellow who was thus sacrificing
himself. As it was, he darted away, and his liberator, receiving the
shock of the assailants, killed two of them, and fell pierced with their
rifle-balls[23].

[Footnote 23: So sacred are the laws of hospitality among these Indians,
that a dozen lives would be sacrificed if required, to save that of a
guest. In sacrificing himself for Roche, the Comanche considered that he
was doing a mere act of duty.]

[Illustration: "They galloped across the plain, dragging after them
three mangled bodies."]

The report of the rifles recalled Roche to his senses, and joining once
more the three remaining Indians, he rushed madly upon the hunters, and,
closing with one of them, he ripped him up with his knife, while the
Comanches had each of them successfully thrown their lassoes, and now
galloped across the plain, dragging after them three mangled bodies:
Roche recovered his saddle and holsters, and taking with him the corpse
of the noble-minded Indian, he gave to his companions the signal for
retreat, as the remaining hunters were flying at full speed towards
their camp, and succeeded in giving the alarm. An hour after, they
returned to us, and, upon their report, it was resolved that we should
attack the Texans that very night.

About ten o'clock we started, divided into three bands of seventy men
each, which made our number about equal to that of the Texans; Roche,
who was disabled, with fifteen Indians and the five Americans remaining
in the camp. Two of the bands went down the river to cross it without
noise, while the third, commanded by Gabriel and me, travelled up the
stream for two miles, where we safely effected our passage. We had left
the horses ready, in case of accident, under the keeping of five men for
every band. The plan was to surprise the Texans, and attack them at once
in front and in rear; we succeeded beyond all expectations, the Texans,
as usual, being all more or less intoxicated. We reached their fires
before any alarm was given.

We gave the war-whoop and rushed among the sleepers. Many, many were
killed in their deep sleep of intoxication, but those who awoke and had
time to seize upon their arms fought certainly better than they would
have done had they been sober. The gallant General Smith, the bravest of
the brave and ex-butcher, escaped at the very beginning of t