ow rays glancing upon the snowy crystals of the cone caused it to
glitter like a coronet of gold. The sight cheered us on.

The sun set, and the moon took his place in the heavens. Under her pale
light we travelled on--the peak of the mountain still glistening coldly
before us. We travelled all night--and why not? There was nothing to
halt for. We could not have halted, except to die.

The morning broke upon us as we dragged wearily along. We could not
have ridden less than an hundred miles since leaving the Pecos river;
and yet, to our dismay, the mountain was still at a good distance before
us. As the day brightened, we could trace the configuration of its
base; and we observed that upon its southern face a deep ravine indented
the mountain nearly to its top. On its western side--the one nearest
us--there was no such feature; and we conjectured that the most likely
place for water would be in the ravine on the south, where a stream
would be formed by the aggregation of the melted snows.

We directed our course toward the point, where the ravine appeared to
have its debouchement on the plain. We had calculated rightly. As we
approached it, winding round the foot of the mountain, we saw a line of
a bright green colour, running out into the brown desert. It looked
like a low hedge, with here and there tall trees growing up above the
rest. We knew well what it was--a grove of willows, with trees of
cotton-wood interspersed. We knew them to be the sure signs of water,
and we hailed their appearance with delight. The men huzzaed hoarsely--
the horses neighed--the mules hinnied--and, in a few moments more, men,
mules, and horses, were kneeling by a crystal streamlet, and drinking
deeply of its sweet and refreshing waters.

CHAPTER THREE.

THE VALLEY OASIS.

After so long and terrible a journey, of course, we all stood in need of
rest and refreshment. We made up our minds to stay by the stream all
night, and perhaps for a day or two. The fringe of willows extended on
both sides of it for a distance of fifty yards into the plain; and among
these, growing under their shade, there were patches of grass--that
species known in Mexico as the _gramma_ grass. It is a rich, nutritious
herbage; and horses and cattle--as well as the buffaloes and other wild
animals--are very fond of it. Our mules and horses gave proof of this;
for, as soon as they had satisfied themselves with the water, they
attacked it with