lead, and before the infantry had all passed, the horses of the dragoons had to be sent back to assist them.  To facilitate this fording, Kit Carson crossed and recrossed the stream at least twenty times.  No serious accident occurred, although three of the dragoons came near being swept down the current, which, at the time, was very swift and strong.  Had they gone below the fording-place, they would most assuredly have been drowned, as the river there takes a fearful leap through a cut in the rocks.  Having safely gained the opposite shore, the men found that their labors had but just commenced.  In front of them stood a precipice that was, at the least calculation, six hundred feet in height, of solid rock, and almost perpendicular.  Up this ascent the command had to mount, by following a zigzag trail.  With much trouble and toil, the summit of the height was reached, when they once more commenced their journey over a diversified country, made up of plains and ravines.  No grass or water was found until the expedition arrived at a small Mexican town called Sirvilletta.  Here an encampment was formed for one night, and here their animals were to have their last rations of corn and forage.  The sale of these latter articles proved a windfall to, and made glad the hearts of the inhabitants of the settlement; for the money which they received, in exchange for their produce, was the largest sum they had ever possessed.  Thus, in more ways than one, these campaigns in the mountains caused good results.

These settlements on the remote frontiers of the territory of New Mexico are composed of very poor people, who, for many years succeeding their first efforts on establishing their small farms, find great difficulty in doing more than to feed themselves.  Their distance from markets such as Taos affords, prevents them from transporting thither more than their small surplus of grain; but, as in this case, on thus finding many hungry horses and mules to feed, their corn-stalks and wheat-straw come into demand, and bring them in a remuneration in ready money, in sums which they have not even dreamed of before.  The only difficulty in trading with such people is to fix a fair price on their produce; for they are so fearful of not receiving enough, that they often overshoot the mark, and charge so much as to prevent other expeditions of the same sort from visiting them.  With the few dollars in their pockets thus gained from the party, these Mexicans for once felt themselves rich men.

Early on the subsequent day the whole force was again in motion, and continued an active march for two days over a rough country.  At last Kit Carson struck the Indian trail.  The course was instantly made to suit this trail, when the party marched on two days more at a rapid pace.  On the second day’s march, the Indians were overhauled.  The band of Apaches had been jogging on slowly, and consequently, their animals were in good order.  The case was far different with their pursuers; their horses were