UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 AT LOS ANGELES 
 
 ROBERT ERNEST COWAN
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF 
 
 3. L'ccjen& of llortbcru 
 
 R 
 
 CAPTAIN MAYNE REID, 
 
 , AUTHOR OF 
 
 RI*LE-RANOERS," "SCALP-HUNTERS," ETC. ETC. 
 
 IN THREE VOLUMES. 
 
 VOL. III. 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 DAVID BOGUE, FLEET STREET. 
 1855. 
 
 (Right of Tnaulatwn rtxi-ved by the Author.)
 
 LONDON : 
 Printed by G. BAHCLA.V, Castle St. Leicester Sq.
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 CHAFTER I. 
 
 THE monk who presented himself was the 
 same who had figured at the dinner-party. 
 He was the senior of the two that directed 
 the mission, and in every respect the ruler 
 of the establishment. He was known as 
 the Padro Jonquin, while his junior was the 
 Padre Jorge. The latter was a late addition 
 to the post, whereas Padre Joaquin had been 
 its director almost since the time of its 
 establishment. He was, therefore, an old 
 
 VOL. III. B 
 
 256731
 
 2 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 resident, and knew the history and character 
 of every settler in the valley. For some 
 reason or other he held an inveterate dis- 
 like to the family of the cibolero, to which 
 he had given expression upon the evening 
 of the dinner-party, although he assigned 
 no cause for his hostility. It could not 
 have been because he regarded them as 
 " hereticos," for though the Padre Joaquin 
 was loud in his denunciations of ah 1 who 
 were outside the pale of the Church, yet in 
 his own heart he cared but little about such 
 things. His zeal for religion was sheer hypo- 
 crisy and worldly cunning. There was no 
 vice practised in the settlement in which 
 Padre" Joaquin did not take a leading part. 
 An adroit monte player he was, ready to 
 do a little cheating upon occasions a capital 
 judge of game " gallos," ever ready to stake 
 his onzas upon a " main." In addition to
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 3 
 
 these accomplishments, the padre* boasted of 
 others. In his cups, and this was nothing 
 unusual, he was in the habit of relating the 
 liaisons and amourettes of his earlier life, 
 and even some of later date. Although the 
 neophytes of the mission were supposed 
 to be all native Tagnos with dark skins, 
 yet there was to be seen upon the esta- 
 blishment quite a crowd of young mestizoes, 
 both boys and girls, who were known as 
 the "sobrinos" and " sobrinas" of Padre* 
 Joaquin. ' 
 
 You cannot otherwise than deem this 
 an exaggeration : you will imagine that no 
 reverend father could practise such conduct, 
 and still be held in any sort of respect 
 by the people among whom he dwelt? So 
 should I have thought had I not witnessed 
 with my own eyes and ears the "priest-life" 
 of Mexico. The immoralities here ascribed to
 
 4 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 Padre* Joaquin can scarcely be called excep- 
 tional in his class. They are rather common 
 than otherwise some have even said universal. 
 
 It was no zealous feeling of religion, then, 
 that could have " set" the monk in such hostile 
 attitude against the family of the poor cibolero. 
 No. It was some old grudge against the 
 deceased father, some cross which the padre 
 had experienced from him in the days of 
 the former Commandante. 
 
 As Padre Joaquin walked forward on the 
 azotes, his busy bustling air showed that 
 ho was charged with seme " novedad ;" and 
 the triumphant smile upon his countenance 
 told that he calculated upon its being of 
 interest to those to whom he was about 
 to communicate it. 
 
 "Good day, father! Good day, your re- 
 verence !" said the Commandante and Roblado 
 speaking at the same time.
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 5 
 
 " Buenos diets, cavalleros /" responded the 
 padre. 
 
 " Glad to see you, good father !" said 
 Roblado. " You have saved me a ride. I 
 was just in the act of starting for the 
 mission to wait upon your reverence." 
 
 " And if you had come, capitan, I could 
 have given you a luxury to lunch upon. We 
 have received our buffalo-tongues." 
 
 " Oh ! you have ! " cried Vizcarra and 
 Roblado in the same breath, and with an 
 expression of interest that somewhat surprised 
 the padre. 
 
 " Ha ! you greedy ladrones ! I see what 
 you would be after. You would have me 
 send you some of them. You sha'n't have a 
 slice though that is, unless you can give me 
 something that will wash this dust out of my 
 throat. I'm woeful thirsty this morning."
 
 6 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 "Ha! ha! ha!" laughed the officers. 
 "What shall it be, father?" 
 
 "Well let ine see. Ah! a cup of 
 'Bordeos' that you received by last arrival." 
 
 The claret was ordered and brought up; 
 and the padre, tossing off a glassful, smacked 
 his lips after it with the air of one who well 
 knew and appreciated the good quality of 
 the wine. 
 
 "Linda! lindissima!" he exclaimed, roll- 
 ing his eyes up to heaven, as if everything 
 good should come and go in that direction. 
 
 " And so, padre," said the impatient Ro- 
 blado, "you have got your buffalo- ton gues ? 
 Your hunters, then, have returned?" 
 
 "They have; that is the business that 
 brought me over." 
 
 " Good ! that was the business that was 
 about to take me to the mission."
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 7 
 
 " An onza we were both on the same 
 errand ! " challenged the padre*. 
 
 "I won't bet, father; you always win." 
 
 " Come ! you'd be glad to give an onza 
 for my news." 
 
 "What news? what news?" asked the 
 officers at once, and with hurried impatience 
 of manner. 
 
 " Another cup of Bordeos, or I choke ! 
 The dust of that road is worse than pur- 
 gatory. Ah! this is a relief!" 
 
 And again the padre swallowed a large 
 glassful of claret, and smacked his lips as 
 before. 
 
 "Now your news, dear padre"?" 
 
 " Pues, cavalleros our hunters have re- 
 turned !" 
 
 "Tpiteaf" 
 
 " Puea que! they have brought news." 
 
 "Of what?"
 
 8 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 " Of our friend the cibolero." 
 
 "Of Carlos?" 
 
 " Precisely of that individual." 
 
 " What news ? Have they seen him ?" 
 
 " No, not exactly Aim, but his trail. They 
 have discovered his lair, and know where he 
 is at this moment." 
 
 " Good ! " exclaimed Vizcarra and Roblado. 
 
 " They can find him at any time." 
 
 "Excellent!" 
 
 " Pues, cavalleros; that is my news at 
 your service. Use it to your advantage, if 
 you can." 
 
 "Dear padre!" replied Vizcarra, "yours 
 is a wiser head than ours. You know the 
 situation of affairs. Our troopers cannot 
 catch this villain. How would you advise 
 us to act?" 
 
 The padre" felt nattered by this confidence. 
 
 "Amigos!" said he, drawing both of
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 9 
 
 them together, " I have been thinking of this ; 
 and it is my opinion you will du just as well 
 without the help of a single soldier. Take 
 these two hunters into your confidence so 
 far as may be necessary equip them for 
 the work set them on the trail ; and if they 
 don't hunt down the heretic rascal, then I, 
 Padre Joaquin, have no knowledge of men." 
 
 " Why, padre" !" said Robladv ; " it's the 
 very thing we have been thinking about the 
 very business for which I was about to seek 
 you." 
 
 " You had good reason, cavalleros. In my 
 opinion, it's the best course to be followed." 
 
 "But will your hunters go willingly to 
 work? They are free men, and may not 
 like to engage in so dangerous an enter- 
 prise." 
 
 " Dangerous !" repeated the padre. " The 
 danger will be no obstacle to them, I promise
 
 10 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 you. They have the courage of lions and 
 the agility of, tigers. You need not fear that 
 danger wiU stand in the way." 
 
 " You think, then, they will be disposed 
 to it?" 
 
 " They are disposed I have sounded 
 them. They have some reasons of their own 
 for not loving the cibolero too dearly ; and 
 therefore, cgyalleros, you won't require to use 
 much persuasion on that score. I fancy you'll 
 find them ready enough, for they have been 
 reading the proclamation, and, if I mis- 
 take not, have been turning over in their 
 thoughts the fine promises it holds out. Make 
 it sure to them that they will be well re- 
 warded, and they'll bring you the cibolero's 
 ears, or his scalp, or his whole carcass, if you 
 prefer it, in less than three days from the 
 present time! They'll track him down, I 
 warrant."
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 11 
 
 " Should we send some troopers along 
 with them ? The cibolero may not be alone. 
 We have reason to believe he has a half-blood 
 with him a sort of right-hand man of his 
 own and with this help he may be quite a 
 match for your hunters." 
 
 "Not likely they are very demonios. 
 But you can consult themselves about that. 
 They will know best whether they need assis- 
 tance. That is their own affair, cavalleros. 
 Let them decide." 
 
 " Shall we send for them ? or will you send 
 them to us ? " inquired Roblado. 
 
 " Do you not think it would be better for 
 one of you to go to them ? The matter 
 should be managed privately. If they make 
 their appearance here, and hold an interview 
 with either of you, your business with them 
 will be suspected, and perchance get known 
 to him. If it should reach his ears that these
 
 12 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 fellows are after him, their chances of taking 
 him would be greatly diminished." 
 
 "You are right, father," said Roblado. 
 " How can we communicate with these fellows 
 privately ? " 
 
 c " Nothing easier than that, capitan. Go 
 to their house I should rather say to their 
 hut for they live in a sort of hovel by the 
 rocks. The place is altogether out of the 
 common track. No one will be likely to 
 see you on your visit. You must pass through 
 a narrow road in the chapparal; but I shaft 
 send you a guide who knows the spot, and 
 he will conduct you. I think it like enough 
 the fellows will be expecting you, as I hinted 
 to them to stay at home that possibly they 
 might be wanted. No doubt you'll find them 
 there at this moment." 
 
 "When can you send up the guide?" 
 " He is here now my own attendant will
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 13 
 
 do. He is below in the court you need lose 
 no time." 
 
 " No ; Roblado," added the Coramandante, 
 " your horse is ready you cannot do better 
 than go at once." 
 
 " Then go I shall : your guide, padre ?" 
 
 "Esteban! Hola! Esteban!" cried the 
 padre, leaning over the wall. 
 
 " Aq*i, Senor" answered a voice. 
 
 " Sube! sube! anda .'" (Come up quickly.) 
 
 The next moment an Indian boy appeared 
 upon the azotea, and taking off his hnt ap- 
 proached the padre with an air of reverence. 
 
 " You will guide the capitan through the 
 path in the chapparal to the hunters' hut." 
 
 " Si, Scnor." 
 
 " Don't tell any one you have done so." 
 
 " No, Senor." 
 
 " If you do you shall catch the ' cuarto ! ' 
 Vaya!"
 
 14 THE WHITE CHTEP. 
 
 Roblado, followed by the boy, descended 
 the escalera ; and, after being helped on his 
 horse, rode away from the gate. 
 
 The padre", at the invitation of Vizcarra, 
 emptied another cup of Bordeos ; and then, 
 telling his host that a luncheon of the new 
 luxury awaited him at the mission, he bade 
 him good day, and shuffled off homeward. 
 
 Vizcarra remained alone upon the azotea. 
 Had any one been there to watch him, they 
 would have noticed that his countenance 
 assumed a strange and troubled expression 
 every time his eyes chanced to wander in 
 the direction of La Nina.
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 ROBLADO entered the chapparal, the boy 
 Esteban trotting a few paces in advance of 
 his horse's head. For half-a-mile or so he 
 traversed a leading road that ran between the 
 town and one of the passes. He then struck 
 into a narrow path, but little used except by 
 hunters or vnqueros in search of their cattle. 
 This path conducted him, after a ride of two 
 or three miles, to the base of the cliffs, and 
 there was found the .object of his journey 
 the dwelling-place of the hunters. 
 
 It was a mere hut a few upright posts 
 supporting a single roof, which slanted up, 
 with a very slight inclination, against the face
 
 16 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 of the rock. The posts were trunks of a 
 species of arborescent yucca that grew plen- 
 tifully around the spot, and the roof thatch 
 was the stiff leaves of the same, piled thickly 
 over each other. There was a sort of rude 
 door, made of boards split from the larger 
 trunks of the yucca, and hung with strong 
 straps of parflecke, or thick buffalo leather. 
 Also a hole that served for a window, with a 
 shutter of the same material, and similarly 
 suspended. The walls were a wattle of vines 
 and slender poles bent around the uprights, 
 and daubed carelessly with a lining of mud. 
 The smooth vertical rock served for one 
 side of the house so that so much labour 
 had been spared in the building and the 
 chimney, which was nothing better than a 
 hole in the roof, conducted the smoke in 
 such a manner, that a sooty streak marked 
 its course up the face of the cliff. The door
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 17 
 
 entered at one end, close in by the rock, but 
 the window was in the side or front. 
 Through the latter the inmates of the hut 
 could command a view of any one approaching 
 by the regular path. This, however, was a 
 rare occurrence, as the brace of rude hunters 
 had but few acquaintances, and their dwelling 
 was far removed from any frequented route. 
 Indeed, the general track of travel that led along 
 the bottom line of the bluffs did not approach 
 within several hundred yards of this point, in 
 consequence of the indentation or bay in 
 which the hut was placed. Moreover, the 
 thick chapparai screened it from observation 
 on one side, while the cliffs shut it in upon 
 the other. 
 
 Behind the house that is, at the hinder 
 end of it was a small corral, its walls rudely 
 constructed with fragments of rock. In this 
 stood three lean and sore-backed mules, and 
 
 VOL. III. C
 
 18 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 a brace of mustangs no better off. There was 
 a field adjoining the corral, or what had once 
 been a field, but from neglect had run into 
 a bed of grass and weeds. A portion of it, 
 however, showed signs of cultivation a 
 patch here and there on which stood some 
 maize plants, irregularly set and badly hoed, 
 and between their stems the trailing tendrils 
 of the melon and calabash. It was a true 
 squatter's plantation. 
 
 Around the door lay half-a-dozen wolfish- 
 looking dogs; and under the shelter of the 
 overhanging rock, two or three old pack-saddles 
 rested upon the ground. Upon a horizontal 
 pole two riding saddles were set astride 
 old, worn, and torn and from the same pole 
 hung a pair of bridles, and some strings of 
 jerked meat and pods of chile pepper. 
 
 Inside the house might have been seen a 
 couple of Indian women, not over cleanly
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 19 
 
 in their appearance, engaged in kneading 
 coarse bread and stewing tasajo. A fire 
 burnt against the rock, between two stones 
 earthen pots and gourd dishes lay littered 
 over the floor. 
 
 The walls were garnished with bows, 
 quivers, and skins of animals, and a pair of 
 embankments of stones and mud, one at each 
 corner of the room there was but one 
 room served as bedstead and beds. A brace 
 of long spears rested in one corner, alongside a 
 rifle and a Spanish cscopeta; and above hung a 
 machete or sword-knife, with powder-horns, 
 pouches, and other equipments necessary to 
 a hunter of the Rocky Mountains. There 
 were nets, and other implements for fishing 
 and taking small game, and these consti- 
 tuted the chief furniture of the hovel. All 
 these things Roblado might have seen by 
 entering the hut; but he did not enter, as
 
 20 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 the men he was in search of chanced to be 
 outside the mulatto lying stretched along the 
 ground, and the zambo swinging in a ham- 
 mock between two trees, according to the 
 custom of his native country the coast lands 
 of the tierra caliente. 
 
 The aspect of these men, that would 
 have been displeasing to almost any one 
 else, satisfied Roblado. They were just the 
 men for his work. He had seen both before, 
 but had never scrutinised them till now ; and, 
 as he glanced at their bold swarth faces 
 and brawny muscular frames, he thought 
 to himself, "These are just the fellows to 
 deal with the cibolero." A formidable pair 
 they looked. Each one of them, so far as 
 appearance went, might with safety assail an 
 antagonist like the cibolero for either of them 
 was bigger and bulkier than he. 
 
 The mulatto was the taller of the two.
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 21 
 
 He was also superior in strength, courage, and 
 sagacity. A more imamiable countenance 
 it would have been difficult to meet in all 
 that land, without appealing to that of the 
 /ambo. There you found its parallel. 
 
 The skin of the former was dull yellow in 
 colour, with a thin beard over the cheeks and 
 around the lips. The lips were negro-like, thick, 
 and purplish, and behind them appeared a 
 double row of large wolfish teeth. The eyes 
 were sunken their whites mottled with yel- 
 lowish flakes. Heavy dark brows shadowed 
 them, standing far apart, separated by the 
 broad flattish nose, the nostrils of which stood 
 so widely open as to cause a protuberance on 
 each side. Large ears were hidden under 
 a thick frizzled shock that partook of the 
 character both of hair and wool. Over this 
 was bound, turban fashion, an old check 
 Madras kerchief that had not come in contact
 
 22 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 with soap for many a day; and from under 
 its folds, the woolly hair straggled down 
 over the forehead so as to add to the wild 
 and fierce expression of the face. It was 
 a countenance that proclaimed ferocity, reck- 
 less daring, cunning, and an utter absence of 
 all humane sentiment. 
 
 The dress of the man had little in it 
 differing from others who lead the life of a 
 prairie-hunter. It was a mixture of leather 
 and blanket. The head-dress only was 
 peculiar. That was an old souvenir of the 
 Southern States and their negro life. 
 
 The zambo had a face as ferocious in its 
 expression as that of his confrere. It differed 
 in colour. It was a coppery black com- 
 bining the hues of both races from whom he 
 derived his origin. He had the thick lips and 
 retreating forehead of the negro, but the 
 Indian showed itself in his hair, which
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 28 
 
 scarcely waved, but hung in long snaky tresses 
 about his neck and shoulders. He was 
 altogether less distinguished-looking than his 
 comrade the mulatto. His dress partook 
 of the character of his tribe wide trousers 
 of coarse cotton stuff, with a sleeveless shirt 
 of the same material, a waist scarf, and 
 coarse seraph. Half the upper part of his 
 body was nude, and his thick copper-coloured 
 arms were quite bare. 
 
 Roblado arrived just in time to witness 
 the finale of an incident, that would serve to 
 illustrate the character of the zambo. 
 
 He was half sitting, half lying in his 
 hammock, in the enjoyment of a husk cigar, 
 and occasionally striking at the flies with his 
 rawhide whip. He called out to one of the 
 women his wife, for the time, 
 
 "Nina! I want to eat something is 
 the guisado ready?"
 
 24 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 " Not yet," answered a voice from the hut. 
 
 "Bring me a tortilla then, with chile 
 Colorado." 
 
 " Querido you know there is no chile 
 Colorado in the house," was the reply. 
 
 " Nina ! come here ! I want you." 
 
 The woman came out, and approached the 
 hammock, but evidently with some mistrust. 
 
 The zambo sat perfectly silent until she 
 was close enough for his purpose, and then 
 suddenly raising the rawhide, which he had 
 hitherto held behind him, he laid it with ah 1 
 his strength over her back and shoulders. 
 A thin chemisette was all that intervened to 
 hinder the full severity of the blows, and 
 these fell thick and fast, until the sufferer 
 took courage and retreated out of reach ! 
 
 " Now, Nina, dear love ! the next time I 
 call for a tortilla with chile Colorado you'll 
 have it won't you, dear pet?"
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 25 
 
 And then laying himself back in his ham- 
 mock, the savage uttered a roar of laughter, 
 in which he was joined by the mulatto, who 
 would have done just the same by his better 
 half for a like provocation ! 
 
 It was just at this crisis Roblado pulled 
 up in front of the hovel. 
 
 Both got to their feet to receive him, and 
 both saluted him with a gesture of respect. 
 They knew who he was. The mulatto, as the 
 principal man, took the principal part in the 
 conversation, while the zambo hung in the 
 back-ground. 
 
 The dialogue was carried on in a low tone 
 on account of the women and the boy Esteban. 
 It resulted, however, in the hunters being 
 engaged, as the padre had suggested, to track 
 and follow the cibolero Carlos to death or 
 capture. If the former, a large sum was to
 
 26 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 be their reward if the latter, a sum still 
 larger nearly double ! 
 
 With regard to assistance from the troops, 
 neither mulatto nor zambo wished for any. 
 Quite the contrary. They had no desire that 
 the magnificent bounty should be diminished 
 by subdivision. As it stood, it would be a 
 small fortune to both of them, and the 
 brilliant prospect whetted their appetite for 
 the success of the job. 
 
 His errand having been thus accomplished, 
 the officer rode back to the Presidio ; while the 
 man-hunters immediately set about making 
 preparations for their expedition.
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE mulatto and zambo, Manuel and Pepe 
 were their respective names in half-an-hour 
 after, were ready for the road. Their pre- 
 parations did not cost them half that time ; 
 but a quarter of an hour was spent on the 
 ffuisado, and each smoked a husk cigarrito, 
 while their horses were grinding up the half- 
 dozen heads of green maize that had been 
 thrown them. 
 
 Having finished their cigars, the hunters 
 leaped into their saddles, and rode off. 
 
 The mulatto was armed with a long rifle, 
 of the kind used by American hunters, and
 
 28 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 a knife of the sort, since known as a 
 " Bowie," with a strong thick blade keenly 
 pointed and double-edged for some inches 
 from the point a terrible weapon in close 
 combat. These arms he had brought with 
 him from the Mississippi valley, where he 
 had learnt how to use them. 
 
 The zambo carried an escopeta strapped 
 in a slanting direction along the flap of his 
 saddle, a "machete" upon his thigh, and a 
 bow with a quiver of arrows hung over his 
 back. The last of these weapons for 
 certain purposes, such as killing game, or 
 when a silent shot may be desirable is 
 preferred to any sort of fire-arms. Arrows 
 can be delivered more rapidly than bullets, 
 and, should the first shot fail, the intended 
 victim is less likely to be made aware of 
 the presence of his enemy. 
 
 In addition to these weapons, both had
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 29 
 
 pistols stuck in their belts, and lazos hanging 
 coiled from their saddle-bows. 
 
 Behind them on the croup each carried 
 his provisions a few strips of tasajo with 
 some cold tortillas tied in a piece of buck- 
 skin. A double-headed calabash for water, 
 with sundry horns, pouches, and bags, com- 
 pleted their equipment. A pair of huge 
 gaunt dogs trotted behind their horses' heels, 
 fierce and savage-looking as their masters. 
 One was the wolf-dog of the country, the 
 other a Spanish bloodhound. 
 
 " What road, Man'l ? " inquired the zamlw) 
 as they parted from the hut ; " straight down 
 tothePecos?" 
 
 " No, Pepe boy ; must climb, go 
 round. Seen making down valley, some- 
 body guess what we 're after send him 
 word we 're coming. He suspect we not 
 grow rich so easily. No must get up by
 
 30 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 old track cross to dry gully down that to 
 Pecos. Take longer make things surer, boy 
 Pepe." 
 
 " Carrambo ! " exclaimed Pepe. " It 's 
 a murderous climb. My poor beast's so 
 jaded with the buffalo running, that he Ml 
 scarce get up. Carraif" 
 
 After a short ride through the thicket 
 and along the bottom of the cliffs, they 
 arrived at a point where a ravine sloped 
 to the upper plain. Up the bottom of this 
 ravine was a difficult pass difficult on 
 account of its steepness. Any other horses, 
 than mountain-reared mustangs, would have 
 refused it, but these can climb like cats. 
 Even the dogs could scarcely crawl up 
 this ascent. In spite of its almost vertical 
 slope, the hunters dismounted, crawled up, 
 and, pulling their horses after them, soon 
 reached the table-land above.
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 81 
 
 After breathing themselves and their 
 animals, they once more got astride, and, 
 heading northward, rode rapidly off over 
 the plain. 
 
 " Now, boy Pepe," muttered the mulatto, 
 " chance meet any sheep-keepers, going after 
 antelope ; you hear ? " 
 
 " Aye, Man'l ; I understand." 
 
 These were the last words exchanged be- 
 tween them for ten miles. They rode in file 
 the mulatto in .the lead, the zambo in his 
 tracks, and the dogs following in the rear. 
 These two went also in file, the bloodhound 
 heading the wolf. 
 
 At the end of ten miles they reached a 
 dry river channel, that ran transversely across 
 their route. It was the same which Carlos 
 and his party had followed on the day of 
 their escape after the affair at the Presidio. 
 The hunters entered it, and turning down-
 
 32 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 ward, as Carlos had done, followed it to 
 its mouth upon the banks of the Pecos. 
 Here was a grove of timber, which they 
 entered, and, having dismounted, tied their 
 horses to the trees. These animals, though 
 lately arrived from a long journey, and now 
 having passed over more than thirty miles 
 at a brisk rate, showed no symptoms of 
 being done up. Lean though they were, 
 they possessed the tough wiry strength of their 
 race, and either of them could have gone 
 another hundred miles without breaking down. 
 'This their masters well knew, else they 
 would have gone upon their man-hunt with 
 less confidence of success. 
 
 "May gallop away on his fine black," 
 remarked the mulatto, as he glanced at the 
 mustangs. "Soon overhaul him again 
 won't we, boy Pepe?" 
 " CUnga ! we will."
 
 THE WHITE CfllEF. 33 
 
 "Brace of hacks tire out racer, won't 
 they, boy Pepe?" 
 
 " Cldngara ! So they will, Man!" 
 
 "Don't want to try that game though 
 do the job easier; won't we, boy Pepe?" 
 
 "I hope so, Man'l." 
 
 " Cibolero in the cave sure stays there 
 no better place for him. Won't be caught 
 sleeping, - troopers never follow him up 
 the pass. Convenient to valley. Goes back 
 and forward spite of spies. Tracks could 
 lead nowhere else sure in the cave, horse 
 and all. When? that the trouble, boy 
 Pepe." 
 
 " Es verdad! if we knew when he was 
 in, or when he was out, either." 
 
 " Aye, knew that, no difficulty, set our 
 trap easy enough, boy Pepe." 
 
 " He must surely be there in daytime ? " 
 
 VOL. III. D
 
 34 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 " Just been thinking goes to the settle- 
 men t s must be by night, that's clear 
 goes there, boy Pepe, maybe not to rancho, 
 somewhere near. Must go to meet Anton. 
 Not like Anton meet him at cave giiero 
 too sharp for that goes out to meet Anton, 
 sure ! " 
 
 " Might we not track Anton ? " 
 
 "Might track Anton no good that 
 would have to deal with both together. 
 Besides, don't want kill Anton no ill-will 
 to Anton make things worse if find Anton 
 with him. Never do, boy Pepe have 
 hands full with giiero himself plenty do 
 capture him. Must not forget capture 
 not kill leave that to them. No use 
 track Anton know where t'other keeps. 
 If didn't know that, then might track 
 Anton."
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 85 
 
 " Can't we get near the cave in daylight, 
 Man'l? I don't have a good memory of 
 the place." 
 
 "Mile no nearer unless he sleep 
 when sleep? Tell me that, boy Pepe!" 
 
 "And suppose he be awake?" 
 
 " See us enter the canon, mile off jump 
 into saddle, pass up to plain above maybe 
 three days before find him again maybe 
 not find at all, boy Pepe." 
 
 " Well, brother Man'l I have a plan. 
 Let us get near the mouth of the canon, 
 and hide outside of it till night then as 
 soon as it is dark creep into where it narrows. 
 He will come down that way to go out. 
 What then? we can have a shot at him 
 as he passes!" 
 
 "Pooh, boy Pepe! Think lose chance 
 of half reward risk whole by shot in dark ? 
 Dam! no have whole or none set us
 
 36 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 up for life take him alive, take him alive, 
 sure." 
 
 " Well then," rejoined the zambo, " let 
 him pass out of the canon, and when he's 
 gone clear out of reach, we can go up, 
 get into the cave, and wait his return. 
 What say you to that?" 
 
 " Talk sense now, boy Pepe something 
 like plan about that what w r e do but 
 not go inside canon till giiero clear away. 
 Only near enough see him go out, then 
 for cave right plan to take him. Sun 
 near down, time we start come!" 
 
 " Famos!" 
 
 Both mounted, and rode forward to the 
 bank of the river. There was no ford at 
 the spot, but what of that? With scarce 
 a moment's delay, they plunged their horses 
 into the stream, and swam across. The dogs 
 followed their example, and all came out
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 37 
 
 dripping on the opposite bank. The evening 
 was chill, but what was heat or cold to 
 such men ? Nothing signified their wet 
 clothes to them ; and without halting they 
 rode straight forward to the ceja of the 
 Llano Estacado, mid having reached it 
 turned to the right, and rode along the 
 base of the bluffs. 
 
 After following the line of the ceja for 
 two or three miles they approached a spur 
 of the cliff that ran out into the plain, and 
 gradually tapered to a point, sinking lower 
 as it receded from the Llano. It ended 
 in a clump, or rather several clusters of 
 isolated rocks, and boulders, that stood near 
 each other. The place was not timbered, but 
 the dark rocks irregularly piled upon each 
 other gave it a shaggy appearance ; and among 
 their crevices, and the spaces between 
 them, was ample room for even a large 
 
 2567H1
 
 38 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 party, both of men and horses, to lie con- 
 cealed. 
 
 The end of this rocky promontory was the 
 point towards which the mulatto was steering. 
 It formed one side of the ravine in which 
 lay the cave, while another similar ridge 
 bounded the ravine on its southern side. 
 Between them a deep bay indented the cliff, 
 from which a narrow difficult pass opened 
 up to the high plain above. It was the 
 same ravine in which the cattle of the young 
 ranchero Don Juan had been slaughtered! 
 These were no longer to be seen, but their 
 bones were still visible, scattered over the 
 plain, and already bleached white. The 
 wolves, vultures, and bears, had prepared 
 them for that. 
 
 The man-hunters at length reached their 
 destination; and, having led their horses in 
 among the loose boulders, fastened them
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 39 
 
 securely. They then crept up through crevices 
 in the rocks, until they had reached the 
 crest of the ridge From this point they 
 commanded a view of the whole mouth of 
 the land-bay, about three hundred yards in 
 width, so that no object, such as a man 
 or horse, could pass out or in without their 
 observing it unless the night should chance 
 to be very dark indeed. But they expected 
 moonlight, by the help of which not even a cat 
 could enter the ravine without their seeing it. 
 
 Having found a spot to their liking 
 they lay down, with their bodies concealed 
 from any one who might be passing on the 
 plain below either in front of or behind 
 them. Their horses were already hidden 
 among the large masses of rock. 
 
 To the minds of both their purposed 
 plan of action was clearly understood. They 
 had their reasons for believing that the
 
 40 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 cibolero, during his period of outlawry, 
 was dwelling in a cave that opened into 
 this ravine, and which was well known to 
 the mulatto that Carlos came out in the 
 night, and approached the settlements, the 
 place was but ten miles from his own 
 rancho and that he was met somewhere by 
 Antonio, who gave him information of what 
 was going on, bringing him provisions at the 
 same time. 
 
 It was their intention to wait until Carlos 
 should pass out, then occupy the cave them- 
 selves, and attack him on his return. True 
 they might have waylaid him on his going forth, 
 but that might result in a failure. Catch him 
 they could not while mounted. They might 
 have crept near enough to get a shot at him ; 
 but, as the mulatto had said, that would 
 have risked their losing him altogether. 
 
 Moreover, neither wanted to take only his
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 41 
 
 scalp. The mulatto in particular had resolved 
 on earning the double price by taking him 
 alive. Even though it cost them some 
 additional risk, his capture would doubly 
 reward them, and for money these desperadoes 
 were ready to venture anything. Withal, they 
 were not so daring as to have cared for an 
 open encounter. They knew something of the 
 mettle of " el gi'iero," but they trusted to 
 the advantage they should obtain over him by 
 stratagem. On starting out, they had resolved 
 to follow him up, and steal upon him when 
 asleep and the plan which they had now 
 formed had been the result of cogitations by 
 the way. In Manuel's mind it had been deve- 
 loped long before the suggestion of the zambo. 
 They rested their hopes upon the belief that 
 their victim would not know that they were 
 after him he could not have heard of their
 
 42 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 return from the buffalo-hunt, and therefore 
 would be less on the alert. They knew 
 if Carlos became aware that they were upon 
 his trail he would pursue a very different 
 course from that observed towards his soldier- 
 pursuers. Prom these he could easily hide at 
 any time upon the Llano Estacado, but it was 
 different with men like the hunters, who, though 
 they might not overtake him at the first 
 burst, could follow on and find him again 
 wherever he should ride to. 
 
 But both mulatto and zambo believed 
 that their presence would be unsuspected 
 by the giiero, until they had laid hands 
 upon him. Hence their confidence of success. 
 
 They certainly had taken measures that 
 promised it supposing their hypothesis to 
 be correct that is, supposing the cibo- 
 lero to be in the cave at that moment,
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 43 
 
 and that during the night he should come 
 out of the ravine. 
 
 They were soon to know the sun had 
 already gone down. They would not have 
 long to watch.
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 CARLOS was in the cave, and at that very 
 moment. Ever since the affair at the 
 Presidio he had made it his dwelling, his 
 " lair," and for reasons very similar to those 
 which the mulatto had imparted to his com- 
 panion. It afforded him a safe retreat, and 
 at a convenient distance from his friends 
 in the valley. Out of the ravine he could 
 pass with safety by night, returning before 
 day. During the day he slept. He 
 had little fear of being tracked thither by 
 the troopers; but even had they done so, 
 his cave entrance commanded a full view 
 of the ravine, to its mouth at nearly a
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 45 
 
 mile's distance, and any one approaching 
 from that direction could be perceived long 
 before they were near. If a force of 
 troopers should enter by the mouth of 
 the ravine, though both sides were inaccessible 
 cliffs, the cibolero had his way of escape. 
 As already stated, a narrow pass, steep 
 and difficult, led from the upper end 
 of the gully to the plain above. Steep 
 and difficult as it was, it could be scaled 
 by the black horse; and, once on the wide 
 plain of the Llano Estacado, Carlos could 
 laugh at his soldier-pursuers. 
 
 The only time his enemies could have 
 reached him would be during his hours of 
 sleep, or after darkness had fallen. But 
 Carlos was not afraid even then. He went 
 to sleep with as much unconcern as if he 
 had been surrounded by a body-guard ! 
 This is explained by a knowledge of the
 
 46 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 fact that he had his guard a faithful guard 
 the dog Cibolo for although Cibolo had 
 received some lance-thrusts in his last terrible 
 encounter, he had escaped without any fatal 
 wound. He was still by the side of his 
 master. While the latter slept the sagacious 
 animal sat upon the ledge, and watched 
 the ravine below. The sight of a soldier's 
 uniform would have raised the hair along 
 Cibolo's back, and drawn from him the 
 warning growl. Even in the darkness no 
 one could have got within several hundred 
 yards of the cave without attracting the notice 
 of the dog, who would have given his master 
 time to get off from the most rapid pursuers. 
 The cave was a large one, large enough to 
 hold both men and horses. Water, pure crystal 
 water, dripped from the rocks near its inner 
 end, and lay collected in a tank, that from 
 its round bowl-like shape seemed to have
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 47 
 
 been fashioned by the hand of man. But 
 it was not so. Nature had formed this 
 bowl and filled it with choicest water. Such 
 a formation is by no means uncommon in 
 that region. Caves containing similar tanks 
 exist in the Waco and Guadalupe Mountains 
 lying still farther to the south. 
 
 It was just the spot for a hiding-place a 
 refuge for either robber, outlaw, or other fugi- 
 tive and circumstanced as Carlos was it was 
 the very dwelling for him. He had long known 
 of its existence, and he shared that, know- 
 ledge only with hunters like himself and the 
 wild Indians. No settlers of the valley ever 
 ventured up that dark and dismal ravine. 
 
 In his lair Carlos had ample time for 
 reflection, and bitter often were his reflections. 
 He had information of all that passed. 
 Antonio managed that. Nightly did he meet 
 Antonio at a point on the Pecos, and receive
 
 48 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 from him the " novedades " of the settlement. 
 The cunning mulatto had guessed correctly. 
 Had Antonio brought his news direct to the 
 cave, he might have been followed, and 
 the hiding-place of Carlos have been thus 
 discovered. To prevent that the cibolero 
 nightly went forth to meet him. 
 
 Antonio, in collecting the news of the 
 settlement, found in the young girl Josefa 
 an able adjutant. Through her he learnt 
 that Catalina de Cruces was kept under 
 lock and key that Roblado had only been 
 wounded, and would recover that new 
 officers went out with the scouting parties 
 and that his master's head had risen in price. 
 The shallow artifice of the spies around the 
 rancho had long been known to Carlos. 
 Shallow as it was, it greatly annoyed him, 
 as by these he was prevented from visiting 
 his mother and sister. Through Antonio,
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 49 
 
 however, he kept up almost daily commu- 
 nication with them. He might have been 
 apprehensive in regard to his sister, after 
 what had occurred, but the villain Vizcarra 
 was an invalid, and Carlos rightly judged why 
 Rosita was permitted to go unmolested. He 
 had little fear for her at least for a time 
 and ere that time expired he should bear her 
 away, far out of the reach of such a danger. 
 
 It was for that opportunity he was now 
 waiting. With all the vigilance of his foes, 
 he had no fear but that he could steal his 
 own mother and sister almost at any time. 
 But another was to be the companion of 
 their flight another dear as they, and far 
 more closely guarded ! 
 
 For her only did he risk life daily 
 for her only did he sit hour after hour in 
 that lone cave brooding over plans, and 
 forming schemes of desperate peril. 
 
 VOL. III. E
 
 50 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 Kept under lock and key closely watched 
 from morn to night, and night till morning 
 
 how was she to be rescued from such a 
 
 situation ? This was the problem upon which 
 his mind now dwelt. 
 
 She had given him the assurance of her 
 willingness to go. Oh ! why had he not 
 proposed instant flight ? Why did he neglect 
 that golden moment? Why should either 
 have thought of delay? That delay had 
 been fatal might retard their purpose for 
 months, for years perhaps for ever! 
 
 But little cared Carlos for the anger 
 of his enemies little for the contempt in 
 which he was held throughout the settlement 
 she alone was his care his constant soli- 
 citude. His waking hours were all given 
 to that one thought how he would rescue, 
 not himself, but his mistress. 
 
 No wonder he looked anxiously for the
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 51 
 
 night no wonder lie rode with impatient 
 eagerness towards that lone rendezvous on 
 the Pecos. 
 
 Night had come again; and, leading his 
 horse down the slope in front of the cave, 
 he mounted, and rode off toward the mouth 
 of the canon. The dog Cibolo trotted in 
 advance of him.
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE man -hunters had not long to wait. 
 They had anticipated this. There was a 
 moon which they had also expected. It 
 was a bright moon at intervals, and then 
 obscured for minutes at a time l)y the pas- 
 sage of dark clouds over the canopy. 
 
 There was no wind, however, and the air 
 was perfectly still. The slightest noise could 
 have been heard for a long distance in the 
 atmosphere of that elevated region so pure 
 and light that it vibrated afar with the slightest 
 concussion. 
 
 Sounds were heard, but they were not 
 made by either the dogs or horses of the
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 53 
 
 hunters well trained to silence nor by the 
 hunters themselves. Both lay stretched in 
 silence; or if they spoke, it was only in 
 whispers and low mutterings. 
 
 The sounds were those of nature such 
 as it exists in that wild region. The " snort " 
 of the grizzly bear from the rocky ledge 
 the howling bark of the coyote" the "hoo- 
 hoop " of the burrowing owl, and the shrill 
 periodical cries of the bull-bat and goat-sucker. 
 For a while these were the only sounds that 
 fell upon the ears of the ambushed hunters. 
 
 Half-an-hour elapsed, and during all that 
 time neither permitted their eyes or ears to 
 rest for a moment They gazed up the ravine, 
 and at intervals glanced outwards upon the 
 plain. There was a probability that their 
 victim might be abroad even in the day 
 and with such men no probability was allowed
 
 54 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 to pass without examination. Should it prove 
 to be so, and he were to return at that 
 time, it would frustrate the plan they had 
 arranged. But for such a contingency the 
 mulatto had conceived another that was, to 
 steal during the night, as near the cave as 
 possible within rifle-shot if he could wait 
 until the giiero should make his appearance 
 in the morning, and wing him with a bullet 
 from his rifle in. the use of which weapon 
 the yellow hunter was well skilled. To shoot 
 the horse was another design. The horse 
 once killed or crippled, the cibolero would 
 be captured to a certainty; and both had 
 made up their minds, in case a good oppor- 
 tunity offered, to despatch the noble animal. 
 
 These men knew a certain plan by which 
 their victim could be killed or captured 
 that is, supposing they had been certain he
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 55 
 
 was in the cave a plan which could scarce 
 have failed. But yet, for reasons of their 
 own, they would not adopt it. 
 
 It would have been simple enough to 
 have conducted a party of dragoons to the 
 head of the pass, and there have stationed 
 them, while another party entered the canon 
 from below. As the sides of the ravine 
 were impassable precipices, the retreat of the 
 cibolero would have been thus cut off at 
 both ends. True, to have reached the upper 
 plain, without going through the ravine itself 
 and that, as we have seen, would have 
 defeated such a plan would have cost a 
 journey to the troop to be stationed above. 
 But neither Vizcarra nor Roblado would 
 have grudged either the time or the men 
 to have rendered success thus sure. 
 
 The mulatto and his dusky camarado 
 knew all this perfectly, but to have caused
 
 56 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 such a plan to be put in execution, was the 
 last thought in their minds. Such a course 
 would have been attended with but little peril 
 to them, but it would have brought as little 
 pay, for every trooper in the whole band 
 would have claimed equal share in the 
 promised reward. That would not be very 
 satisfactory to the hunters, whose heads and 
 knowledge had furnished the means and 
 the ways. 
 
 Neither entertained any idea of following 
 such a course. Both were confident in their 
 ability to effect their object, without aid from 
 any quarter. 
 
 From the time they had taken their 
 station on the rock, half-an-hour was all 
 they had to wait. At the end of that 
 period, the quick ears of both caught the 
 sound of some one coming from the direction 
 of the ravine. They heard a horse's hoof
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 57 
 
 striking upon loose shingle, and the rattling of 
 the displaced pebbles. A debris of broken 
 fragments filled the bottom of the ravine, 
 brought there duriug rain-torrents. Over 
 this ran the path. A horseman was coming 
 down it. 
 
 " The guero !" muttered the mulatto ; " be 
 sure, boy Pepe." 
 
 "Trust you for a guess, brother Alan'l ; 
 you were right about the tracks we first 
 fell in with. The cave's his hiding-place to 
 a certainty. We'll have him sure when he 
 comes back. Carrai! yonder he comes!" 
 
 As the zambo spake, a tall dark form was 
 perceived approaching down the ravine. By 
 the moon gleaming upon it, they could make 
 out the figure of a horse and rider. They 
 had no longer any doubt it was their intended 
 victim. 
 
 "Brother Man'l," whispered the zambo,
 
 58 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 "suppose he passes near! why not bring 
 down the horse you can't miss in this fine 
 light both of us can aim at the horse if 
 we stop him we'll easily overtake the giiero." 
 "Won't do, boy Pepe not easily over- 
 take giiero a-foot. Get off among rocks hide 
 for days can't track him a-foot be on his 
 guard after give us trouble old plan best 
 let pass have him safe when he come back 
 have him sure." 
 "But, Man'l- 
 
 "Dam! no need for buts always in a 
 hurry, boy Pepe have patience no buts, 
 no fear. See, now !" 
 
 This last exclamation was intended to 
 point out to Pepe that his suggestion, even 
 though a wise one, could not have been 
 carried out, as the horseman was not going 
 to pass within range of either rifle or escopeta. 
 It was plain he was heading down the
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 59 
 
 middle of the canon, keeping equally distant 
 from the sides, and this course would carry 
 him out into the open plain two hundred 
 yards from the ambush of the hunters. 
 
 So did it, for in a few moments he 
 was opposite the spot where they lay, and at 
 full that distance from them. A shot from 
 a hunter's rifle would not have reached 
 him, and the bullet of an escopeta would 
 have been an uncertain messenger. Neither 
 thought of firing, but lay in perfect silence, 
 firmly holding their dogs down in the crevice 
 of the rocks, and by gestures enjoining them 
 to be still. 
 
 The horseman advanced, guiding his horse 
 at a slow pace, and evidently observing 
 caution as he went. While passing, the 
 moon shone full upon him, and the bright 
 points of his harness and arms were seen 
 sparkling under her light. His fair com-
 
 (J0 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 plexion, too, could be distinguished easily, as 
 also his fine erect figure, and the noble out- 
 lines of his horse. 
 
 "The giiero!" muttered Manuel; "all 
 right, boy Pepe!" 
 
 " What's yon ahead?" inquired the zambo. 
 
 " Ha ! didn't notice that. Dam ! a dog ! 
 dog, sure." 
 
 "It is a dog. Malraya!" 
 
 "Devil roast that dog! heard of him 
 before splendid dog, boy Pepe. Darn ! that 
 dog give us trouble. Lucky, wind t'other 
 way. Safe enough now. Dam ! see ! " 
 
 At this moment the horseman suddenly 
 stopped, looking suspiciously in the direction 
 of the rocky spur where they lay. The dog 
 had given some sign. 
 
 "Dam!" again muttered the mulatto; 
 "that dog give us trouble yet thank our 
 luck, wind t'other way."
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 61 
 
 There was not much wind either way, 
 but what there was, was in the faces of the 
 hunters, and blowing from the horseman. 
 Fortunately for them it was so, else Cibolo 
 would have scented them to a certainty. 
 
 Even as things stood, their ambush was 
 near enough discovery. Some slight noise 
 from that quarter perhaps the hoof of 
 one of their horses against the turf had 
 awakened the dog's suspicions though nothing 
 had been heard by his master. Neither was 
 the dog sure for the next moment he threw 
 down his head and trotted on. The horse- 
 man followed, and in a few minutes both were 
 out of sight. 
 
 " Now, boy Pepe, for the cave ! " 
 
 Both descended from the ridge, and 
 mounting their horses rode through among 
 the scattered rocks. They entered the ravine,
 
 62 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 kept up its edge until the gradual narrow- 
 ing brought them into the same path by 
 which the horseman had lately descended. 
 Up this they rode, keeping their eyes bent on 
 the cliff to the right for on that side was 
 the cave. 
 
 They had no fear of their tracks being 
 discernible, even should the giiero return by 
 daylight, for the path lay over hard rock 
 already marked by the hoofs of his own horse. 
 For all that the mulatto was uneasy ; and at 
 intervals repeated half to himself, and half 
 in the hearing of his companion, 
 
 " Dam ! dog give trouble, sure give 
 trouble dam !" 
 
 At length the mouth of the cave, like a 
 dark spot upon the rock, appeared on one 
 side. After silently dismounting, and leaving 
 his horse with Pepe, the mulatto crawled up 
 the ledge and reconnoitred the entrance.
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 63 
 
 Even the probability that some one might 
 have been left there was not overlooked by 
 this keen hunter, and every precaution was 
 taken. 
 
 After listening a moment at the entrance 
 he sent in the dogs, and as neither bark 
 nor howl came out again, he was satisfied 
 that all was safe. He then crawled in him- 
 self, keeping on the shadowy side of the rock. 
 When he had got fairly within the cavern, he 
 struck a light, at the same time shading it 
 so that its gleam might not fall on the outside. 
 With this he made a hurried examination of 
 the interior ; and, now satisfied that the place 
 was untenanted, he came out again, and 
 beckoned his comrade to bring up the horses. 
 
 These were led into the cave. Another 
 reconnaissance was made, in which the 
 few articles used by Carlos for eating and 
 sleeping were discovered upon a dry ledge.
 
 64 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 A serape, a small hatchet for cutting fire- 
 wood, an olla for cooking, two or three 
 cups, some pieces of jerked meat and 
 fragments of bread, were the contents of the 
 cavern. 
 
 The best of these were appropriated by 
 the intruders ; and then, after fastening their 
 horses in a secure corner and making them- 
 selves thoroughly acquainted with the shape 
 and position of the rocky interior, the light 
 was extinguished, and, like beasts of prey, 
 they placed themselves in readiness to receive 
 their unsuspecting victim.
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 CARLOS, on leaving his cave, proceeded with 
 the caution natural to one circumstanced as 
 he was. But this night he was more than 
 usually careful. He scanned every bush and 
 rock that stood near his path, and that 
 might have sheltered an enemy. Why to- 
 night more cautious than before? Because 
 a suspicion had crossed his mind and 
 that, too, having reference to the very men 
 who were at the moment in ambush so 
 near him ! 
 
 At various times of late had his thoughts 
 reverted to these men. He knew them well, 
 and knew the hostile feelings with which 
 
 VOL. III. F
 
 66 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 both, but particularly the mulatto, regarded 
 him. He thought of the probability of their 
 being set upon his trail, and he knew their 
 capability to follow it. This had made him 
 more uneasy than all the scouting of the 
 dragoons with their unpractised leaders. He 
 was aware that if the cunning mulatto and 
 his scarce less sagacious comrade were sent 
 after him, his cave would not shelter him 
 long, and there would be an end to his 
 easy communication with the 'settlement. 
 
 These thoughts were sources of un- 
 easiness ; and would have been still more 
 so, had he not believed that the hunters 
 were absent upon the plains. Under this 
 belief he had hopes of being able to settle 
 his affairs and get off before their return. 
 That morning, however, his hopes had met 
 with discouragement. 
 
 It was a little after daylight when
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 67 
 
 he returned to his hiding-place. Antonio, 
 watched closely by the spies, had not been 
 able to reach the rendezvous until a late 
 hour, hence the detention of Carlos. On 
 going back to his cave he had crossed a fresh 
 trail coming in from the northern end of 
 the Llano Estacado. It was a trail of horses, 
 mules, and dogs ; and Carlos, on scrutinising 
 it, soon acquainted himself with the number 
 of each that had passed. He knew it was 
 the exact number of these animals possessed 
 by the yellow hunter and his comrade; and 
 this startled him with the suspicion that it 
 was the return trail of these men from their 
 hunt upon the prairies ! 
 
 A further examination quite assured him 
 of the truth of this. The footprints of one of 
 the dogs differed from the rest ; and although 
 a large one, it was not the track of the 
 common wolf-dog of the country. He had
 
 68 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 heard that the yellow hunter had lately be- 
 come possessed of a large bloodhound. These 
 must be his tracks ! 
 
 Carlos rode along the trail to a point 
 where it had crossed an old path of his 
 own leading to the ravine. To his astonish- 
 ment he perceived, that, from this point one 
 of the horsemen, with several of the dogs, 
 had turned off and followed his own tracks 
 in that direction ! No doubt the man had 
 Jbeen trailing him. After going some distance, 
 however, the latter had turned again and 
 ridden back upon his former course. 
 
 Carlos would have traced this party 
 farther, as he knew they must have passed 
 on the evening before. But as it was now 
 quite day, and their trail evidently led to 
 the settlements, he dared not ride in that 
 direction, and therefore returned to his 
 hiding-place.
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 69 
 
 The incident had rendered him thought- 
 ful and apprehensive throughout the whole of 
 that day ; and as he rode forth his reflections 
 were upon this very subject hence the caution 
 of his movements. 
 
 As he emerged from the ravine, the dog, 
 as stated, made a demonstration, by suddenly 
 turning toward the rocks, and uttering a low 
 growl. This caused Carlos to halt, and look 
 carefully in that direction. But he could 
 see nothing that appeared suspicious ; and 
 the dog, after a moment's pause, appeared 
 satisfied and trotted on again. 
 
 " Some wild animal, perhaps," thought 
 Carlos, as he set his horse in motion, and 
 continued on over the plain. 
 
 When fairly out into the open ground, 
 he quickened his pace ; and after a ride of 
 about six or seven miles arrived on the
 
 70 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 banks of the Pecos. Here he turned down- 
 stream, and once more, riding with caution, 
 approached a grove of low timber that grew 
 upon the bank. This grove was the point 
 of rendezvous. 
 
 When within a hundred yards of it, the 
 cibolero halted upon the plain. The dog 
 ran on before him, quartered the grove, and 
 then returned to his master. The horseman 
 then rode boldly in under the shadow of 
 the trees, and, dismounting, took station 
 upon one side of the timber, to watch 
 for the coming of his expected messenger. 
 
 His vigil was not of long duration. In 
 a few minutes a man on foot, bent into 
 a crouching attitude, was seen rapidly ad- 
 vancing over the plain. When he had 
 arrived within three hundred yards of the 
 grove, he stopped in his tracks, and uttered
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 71 
 
 a low whistle. To this signal the cibolero 
 replied, and the man again advancing as 
 before, was soon within the shadow of the 
 grove. It was Antonio. 
 
 "Were you followed, amigo?" asked Carlos. 
 
 " As usual, master ; but I had no difficulty 
 in throwing them off." 
 
 " Hereafter it may not be so easy." 
 
 "How, master?" 
 
 " I know your news the yellow hunter 
 has got back?" 
 
 " Carrambo ! it is even so ! How did 
 you hear it, master?" 
 
 " This morning after you had left me, I 
 crossed a trail I knew it must be theirs." 
 
 "It was theirs, master. They came in 
 last evening; but I have worse news than 
 that." 
 
 " Worse ! what ? 
 
 "They're after you!"
 
 72 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 " Ha ! already ? I guessed that they 
 would be, but not so soon. How know 
 you, Anton?" 
 
 " Josefa she has a brother who is a 
 kind of errand-boy to Padre Joaquin. This 
 morning the Padre took him over to the 
 Presidio, and from there sent him to guide 
 Captain Roblado to the yellow hunter's hut. 
 The Padre threatened the boy if he should 
 tell any one ; but on his return to the 
 mission he called on his mother ; and Josefa, 
 suspecting he had been on some strange 
 errand for he showed a piece of silver 
 got it all out of him. He couldn't tell 
 what Roblado and the hunters talked about, 
 but he fancied the latter were preparing 
 to go somewhere as he left them. Now, 
 putting one thing with another, I'm of the 
 mind, master, they're on your trail." 
 
 "No doubt of it, amigo I haven't the
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 73 
 
 slightest doubt of it. So I'll be chased 
 out of my cave that's certain. I believe 
 they have a suspicion of where I ain already. 
 Well, I must try to find another resting- 
 place. 'Tis well I have got the wind of 
 these rascals they'll not catch me asleep, 
 which no doubt they natter themselves they're 
 going to do. What other news ?" 
 
 " Nothing particular. Josefa saw the girl 
 Vicenza last night in company with Jose, but 
 she has had no opportunity of getting a word 
 with the Senorita, who is watched closely. 
 She has some business with the portero's wife 
 to-morrow. She hopes to hear something 
 from her." 
 
 " Good Antonio ! " said Carlos, dropping 
 a piece of money into the other's hand, 
 "give this to Josefa tell her to be active. 
 Our hopes rest entirely with her."
 
 74 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 "Don't fear, master!" replied the half- 
 blood. "Josefa will do her best, for the 
 reason that," smiling, "her hopes, I believe, 
 rest entirely upon me." 
 
 Carlos laughed at the naive remark of 
 his faithful companion, and then proceeded to 
 inquire about other matters, about his 
 mother and sister, about the troopers, the 
 spies, and Don Juan. 
 
 About the last Antonio could give him 
 no information that was new. Don Juan 
 had been arrested the day after the affair 
 at the Presidio, and ever since had been 
 kept a close prisoner. The charge against him 
 was his having been an accomplice of Carlos, 
 and his trial would take place whenever 
 the latter should be captured. 
 
 Half-an-hour was spent in conversation, 
 and then Carlos, having receive/I from the
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 75 
 
 half-blood the packages containing provisions, 
 prepared to return to his hiding-place in 
 the Llano Estacado. 
 
 " You will meet me here to-morrow night 
 again, Anton," said he at parting. " If 
 anything should happen to prevent me 
 coming, then look for me the night after, 
 and the night after that. So buenas noches, 
 amigof" 
 
 "Buenas noclies, mi amo!" (" Good night, 
 master!") 
 
 And with this salutation the friends for 
 they were so turned their backs on each 
 other and parted. 
 
 Antonio went crouching back in the 
 direction of the valley ; while the cibolero, 
 springing to his saddle, rode off toward the 
 frowning bluffs of the Llano.
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THE "report" delivered by Antonio was of a 
 character to have caused serious apprehension 
 to the cibolero fear, in fact, had he been the 
 man to have such a feeling. It had the effect 
 of still further increasing his caution, and 
 his mind was now bent with all its energies 
 upon the craft of taking care of himself. 
 
 Had he contemplated an open fight, even 
 with the two strong men who were seeking 
 him, he would have been less uneasy about 
 the result ; but he knew, that, strong as they 
 were, these ruffians would not attack him 
 without some advantage. They would make 
 every effort to surprise him asleep, or other-
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 77 
 
 wise take him unawares. Against their wiles 
 he had now to guard himself. 
 
 He rode slowly back to the ravine, his 
 thoughts all the while busied about the 
 yellow hunter and his companion. 
 
 " They must know of the cave," so ran his 
 reflections. " Their following my trail yester- 
 day is an evidence that they suspected some- 
 thing in the direction of the ravine. They had 
 no doubt heard of late affairs before getting so 
 far. Some hatero on the outer plains has 
 told them all very like; well, what then? 
 They have hastened on to the mission. Ha ! 
 the Padre Joaquin took the boy over to the 
 Presidio. I see I see the Padre is the 
 ' patron ' of these two ruffians. They have 
 told him something, else why should he be off 
 to the Presidio so early ? News from them 
 and then Roblado starting directly after to
 
 78 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 seek them! Clear clear they have dis- 
 covered my hiding-place!" 
 
 After a pause : 
 
 " What if they have reached the ravine in 
 my absence ? Let me see. Yes, they've had 
 time enough to get round; that is, if they 
 started soon after Roblado's interview. The 
 boy thinks they did. By heaven ! it's not too 
 soon for me to be on the alert." 
 
 As this thought passed through the cibo- 
 lero's mind, he reined up his horse ; and, 
 lowering his head, glanced along the neck of 
 the animal into the darkness before him. He 
 had now arrived at the mouth of the canon, 
 
 4 
 
 and nearly on the same track by which he 
 had ridden out of it ; but the moon was 
 under thick clouds, and the gloom of the 
 ravine was no longer relieved by her light. 
 "It would be their trick," reflected he,
 
 THE WHITE CHIEE. 79 
 
 " to get inside the canon, at its narrow part, 
 and wait for me to come out of the cave. They 
 would waylay me pretty handy there. Now 
 suppose they are up the canon at this mo- 
 ment?" 
 
 For a moment he paused and dwelt upon 
 this hypothesis. He proceeded again. 
 
 " Well, let them ; I'll ride on. Cibolo 
 can beat the rocks a shot's range ahead of me. 
 If they're ambushed there without him finding 
 them, they'll be sharper fellows than I take 
 them to be ; and I don't consider them flats, 
 either, the scoundrels ! If he start them, I can 
 soon gallop back out of their reach. Here ! 
 Cibolo!" 
 
 The dog, that had stopped a few paces in 
 front, now came running back, and looked up 
 in his master's face. The latter gave him 
 a sign, uttering the simple word " Anda ! " 
 
 At the word the animal sprang oft', and
 
 80 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 commenced quartering the ground for a cou- 
 ple of hundred yards in advance. 
 
 Following him, the horseman moved for- 
 ward. 
 
 In this way he approached the point 
 where, the two walls converging, narrowed the 
 canon to a space of little more than a hundred 
 yards. Along the bases of the cliffs, on both 
 sides, lay large loose rocks, that would have 
 given cover to men in ambush, and even 
 horses might have been concealed behind them. 
 
 " This," thought Carlos, " would be the 
 place chosen for their cowardly attack. They 
 might hit me from either side with half an aim. 
 But Cibolo makes no sign. Ha ! " 
 
 The last exclamation was uttered in a short 
 sharp tone. It had been called forth by a low 
 yelp from the dog. The animal had struck the 
 trail where the yellow hunter and his com- 
 panion had crossed to the middle of the
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 81 
 
 ravine. The rnoon had again emerged from 
 the clouds, and Carlos could see the dog 
 dashing swiftly along the pebbles and up the 
 ravine towards the mouth of the cavern ! 
 
 His master would have called him back, 
 for he was leaving the loose rocks unsearched, 
 and, without that being done, Carlos felt that 
 it would be perilous to proceed farther; but 
 the swiftness with which the dog had gone 
 forward showed that he was on a fresh trail ; 
 and it now occurred to the cibolero that his 
 enemies might be within the cave itself ! 
 
 The thought had hardly crossed his mind 
 when the dog uttered several successive yelps ! 
 Although he had got out of sight, his master 
 knew that he was at that moment approach- 
 ing the mouth of the cave, and running 
 upon a fresh scent. 
 
 Carlos drew up his horse and listened. 
 He dare proceed no farther. He dared not 
 
 VOL. III. G
 
 82 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 recall the dog. His voice would have been 
 heard if any one were near. He reflected 
 that he could do no better than wait till the 
 dog should return, or by his attack give 
 some sign of what he was after. It might, 
 after all, be the grizzly bear, or some other 
 animal, he was pursuing. 
 
 The cibolero sat upon his horse in perfect 
 silence not unprepared though for any sud- 
 den attack. His true rifle lay across his 
 thighs, and he had already looked to its flint 
 and priming. He listened to every sound, 
 while his eyes pierced the dark recesses of 
 the ravine before and around him. 
 
 Eor only a few moments this uncertainty 
 lasted, and then back down the chasm came a 
 noise that caused the listener to start in his 
 saddle. It resembled the worrying of dogs, 
 and for a moment Carlos fancied that Cibolo 
 had made his attack upon a bear! Only a
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 88 
 
 moment did this illusion last, for his quick ear 
 soon detected the voices of more dogs than 
 one; and in the fierce confusion he distin- 
 guished the deep-toned bark of a bloodhound! 
 
 The whole situation became clear to him 
 at once. His enemies had been awaiting him 
 in the cave for from it he was certain that 
 the sounds proceeded ! 
 
 His first instinct was to wheel his horse 
 and gallop out of the canon. He waited a 
 moment, however, and listened. 
 
 The worrying noise continued, but, amid 
 the roar and barking of the dogs, Carlos 
 could distinguish the voices of men, uttered in 
 low hurried tones, as if addressing the dogs 
 and also one another. 
 
 All at once the conflict appeared to cease, 
 for the animals became silent, except the 
 hound, who at intervals gave out his deep
 
 84 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 loud bay. In a moment more he, too, was 
 silent, 
 
 Carlos knew by this silence that Cibolo 
 had either been killed upon the spot, or, 
 having been attacked by men, had sheered off. 
 In either case it would be of no use waiting his 
 return. If alive, he knew that the dog would 
 follow and overtake him. Without further 
 delay, therefore, he turned his horse's head, 
 and galloped back down the ravine.
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 ON arriving at the mouth of the ravine, he 
 halted not in the middle of the plain, but 
 under the shadow of the rocks the same 
 rocks where the hunters had placed them- 
 selves in ambush. He did not dismount, but 
 sat in his saddle, gazing up the canon, and 
 listening for some token of the expected 
 pursuit. 
 
 He had not been long in this spot, when 
 he perceived a dark object approaching him. 
 It gave him joy, for he recognised Cibolo 
 coming along his trail. The next moment 
 the dog was by his stirrup. The cibolero 
 bent down in his saddle, and perceived that
 
 86 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 the poor brute was badly cut and bleeding 
 profusely. Several gashes appeared along his 
 sides, and one near his shoulder exhibited a 
 flap of hanging skin, over which the red stream 
 was pouring. The animal was evidently weak 
 from loss of blood, and tottered in his tracks. 
 
 " Amigo ! " said Carlos, " you have saved 
 my life to a certainty. It's my turn to save 
 yours if I can." 
 
 As he said this he dismounted, and, taking 
 the dog in his arms, climbed back into the 
 saddle. 
 
 For a while he sat reflecting what to do, 
 with his eyes turned in the direction from 
 which he expected the pursuit. 
 
 He had now no doubt as to who were 
 the occupants of the cave. The bay of the 
 hound was satisfactory evidence of the pre- 
 sence of the yellow hunter, and of course the 
 zambo was along with him. Carlos knew of
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 87 
 
 no other bloodhound in the settlement the 
 one heard must be that of the mulatto. 
 
 For some minutes he remained by the 
 rocks, considering what course he had best 
 take. 
 
 " I'll ride on to the grove," reflected he, 
 " and hide in it till Antonio comes. They 
 can't track me this night it will be too 
 dark. The whole sky is becoming clouded 
 there will be no more moon to-night. I can 
 lie hid all day to-inorrow, if they don't follow. 
 If they do, why, I can see them far enough 
 off to ride away. My poor Cibolo, how you 
 bleed ! Heavens, what a gash ! Patience, 
 brave friend! When we halt, your wounds 
 shall be looked to. Yes ! to the grove I'll 
 go. They won't suspect me of taking that 
 direction, as it is towards the settlements. 
 Besides, they can't trail me in the darkness. 
 Ha ! what am I thinking of? not trail me in
 
 88 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 the darkness ! What ! I had forgotten the 
 bloodhound ! God, preserve me ! These 
 fiends can follow me were it as dark as pitch ! 
 God preserve me ! " 
 
 An anxious expression came over his coun- 
 tenance, and partly from the burden he held 
 in his arms, and partly from the weight of his 
 thoughts, he dropped into an attitude that 
 betokened deep depression. For the first 
 time the hunted outlaw showed symptoms of 
 despair. 
 
 For a long while he remained with his 
 head leaning forward, and his body bent over 
 the neck of his horse. 
 
 But he had not yet yielded to despair. 
 
 All at once he started up, as if some 
 thought, suddenly conceived, had given him 
 hopes. A new resolution seemed to have been 
 taken. 
 
 " Yes !" he soliloquised, " I shall go to the
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 89 
 
 grove direct to the grove. Ha ! you blood- 
 thirsty yellow-skin, I'll try your boasted skill. 
 We shall see we shall see. Maybe you'll 
 get your reward, but not that you are count- 
 ing upon. You have yet something to do 
 before you take the scalp of Carlos the 
 cibolero ! " 
 
 Muttering these words he turned his 
 horse's head, renewed his hold of the dog and 
 the bridle, and set off across the plain. 
 
 He rode at a rapid pace, and without cast- 
 ing a look behind him. He appeared to be 
 in a hurry, though it could not be from fear 
 of being overtaken. No one was likely to 
 come up with him, so long as he kept on at 
 such a pace. 
 
 He was silent, except now and then when 
 he addressed some kind word to the dog 
 Cibolo, whose blood ran over his thighs, and 
 down the flanks of the horse. The poor
 
 90 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 brute was weak, and could no longer have 
 kept his feet. 
 
 " Patience, old friend ! patience ! you 
 shall soon have rest from this jolting." 
 
 In less than an hour he had reached 
 the lone grove on the Pecos the same 
 where he had lately parted with Antonio. 
 Here he halted. It was the goal of his 
 journey. Within that grove he had resolved 
 on passing the remainder of the night, and, if 
 not disturbed, the whole of the following day. 
 
 The Pecos at this point, and for many miles 
 above and below, ran between low banks that 
 rose vertically from the water. On both sides 
 its " bottom" was a smooth plain, extending 
 for miles back, where it stepped up to a 
 higher level. It was nearly treeless. Scat- 
 tered clumps grew at distant intervals, and 
 along its margin a slight fringing of willows. 
 This fringe was not continuous, but broken
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 91 
 
 here and there by gaps, through which the 
 water might be seen. The timber clumps 
 were composed of cotton-wood trees and live- 
 oak, with acacias forming an underwood, and 
 occasionally plants of cactus growing near. 
 
 These groves were so small, and so distant 
 from each other, that they did not intercept 
 the general view of the surface, and a person 
 occupying one of them could see a horseman, 
 or other large object, at a great distance. A 
 man concealed in them could not have been 
 approached by his enemy in daylight, if awake 
 and watching. At night, of course, it was 
 different, and the security then afforded de- 
 pended upon the degree of darkness. 
 
 The " motte," at which the cibolero had 
 arrived, was far apart from any of the others, 
 and commanded a view of the river bottom 
 on both sides for more than a mile's distance. 
 The grove itself was but a few acres in size,
 
 92 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 but the fringe of willows running along the 
 stream at both ends gave it, when viewed 
 from a distance, the appearance of a wood of 
 larger dimensions. It stood upon the very 
 bank of the stream, and the selvidge of 
 willows looked like its prolongation. These, 
 however, reached but a few feet from the 
 water's edge, while the grove timber ran out 
 several hundred yards into the plain. 
 
 About this grove there was a peculiarity. 
 Its central part was not timbered, but open, 
 and covered only with a smooth sward of 
 gramma grass. It was, in fact, a glade, nearly 
 circular in shape, and about a hundred yards 
 in diameter. On one side of this glade the 
 river impinged, its bank being almost a tan- 
 gent line to it. Here there was a gap in the 
 timber, so that out of the glade could be 
 obtained a view of the bottom on the other 
 side of the stream. Diametrically opposite to
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 93 
 
 this gap another opening, of an avenue-like 
 form, led out into the adjacent plain, so that 
 the grove was in reality bisected by an open 
 line, which separated it into two groves, nearly 
 equal in extent. This separation could only 
 be observed from certain positions in the 
 plain one on each side of the river. 
 
 The glade, the avenue of a dozen yards 
 leading from it to the outside plain, and the 
 plain itself, were all perfectly level, and co- 
 vered with a smooth turf. Any object upon 
 their surface would be easily perceptible at a 
 distance. The grove was thickly stocked with 
 underwood principally the smaller species of 
 " mezquite." There was also a network of 
 vines and Dianas that, stretching upward, 
 twined around the limbs of the live oaks the 
 latter forming the highest and largest timber 
 of all. The underwood was impenetrable to 
 the eye, though a hunter could have crept
 
 94 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 through it in pursuit of game. At night, 
 however, even under moonlight, it appeared 
 a dark and impassable thicket. 
 
 On one side of the glade, where the 
 ground was dry and sandy, there stood a 
 small clump of pitaliaya cactus. There were 
 not over a dozen plants in all, but two or 
 three of them were large specimens, sending 
 up their soft succulent limbs nearly as high 
 as the live oaks. Standing by themselves in 
 massive columns, and so unlike the trees that 
 surrounded them, they gave a peculiar cha- 
 racter to the scene; and the eye, unaccus- 
 tomed to these gigantic candelabra, would 
 scarce have known to what kingdom of nature 
 they belonged so unlike were they to the 
 ordinary forms of vegetation. 
 
 Such were the features of the spot where 
 the hunted outlaw sought shelter for the 
 night.
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 CARLOS spoke the truth when he gave his 
 dog the credit of having saved his life, or, 
 at all events, his liberty, which in the end 
 amounted to the same thing. But for the 
 sagacious brute having preceded him, he would 
 certainly have entered the cave, and as cer- 
 tainly would he have been captured. 
 
 His cunning adversaries had taken every 
 step necessary for securing him. They had 
 hidden their horses far back in the cavern. 
 They had placed themselves behind the jutting 
 rocks one on each side of the entrance so 
 that the moment he should have shown himself
 
 96 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 they were prepared to spring upon him like a 
 brace of tigers. 
 
 Their dogs, too, were there to aid them 
 crouched by the side of their masters, and 
 along with them, ready to seize upon the 
 unsuspecting victim. 
 
 It was a well-planned ambuscade, and so 
 far well executed. The secrecy with which the 
 hunters had left the settlement, and made their 
 roundabout journey their adroit approach to 
 the ravine their patient behaviour in watch- 
 ing till Carlos had ridden out of the way, 
 and their then taking possession of the cave, 
 were all admirably executed manoeuvres. 
 
 How was it possible the cibolero could be 
 aware of, or even suspect, their presence? They 
 did not for a moment fancy that he knew of 
 their return from their hunting expedition. It 
 was quite dark the night before, when they had 
 passed up the valley to the mission ; and after
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 97 
 
 unpacking the produce of their hunt, which 
 had been done without observation, the Padre 
 Joaquin had enjoined on them not to show 
 themselves in the town before he should send 
 them word. But few of the mission servants, 
 then, knew of their return ; and for the rest, 
 no one knew anything who would or could 
 have communicated it to Carlos. Therefore, 
 reasoned they, he could have no suspicion of 
 their being in the cave. As to their trail 
 up the ravine he would not notice it on 
 his return. He would only strike it where 
 it led over the shingle, and, of course, there 
 it would not be visible even in daylight. 
 
 Never was a trap better set. He would 
 walk into the cave unsuspectingly, and per- 
 haps leading his horse. They would spring 
 upon him dogs and all and pinion him 
 before he could draw either pistol or knife ! 
 There seemed no chance for him. 
 
 VOL. III. H
 
 98 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 For all that there was a chance, as the 
 yellow hunter well knew; and it was that 
 which caused him at intervals to mutter, 
 
 " Dam ! fear dog give us trouble, boy 
 Pepe." 
 
 To this the zambo's only response was 
 the bitter shibboleth " Carajo ! " show- 
 ing that both were uneasy about the dog. 
 Long before this time both had heard of the 
 fame of Cibolo, though neither had a full 
 knowledge of the perfect training to which 
 that sagacious animal had attained. 
 
 They reflected that, should the dog enter 
 the cave first, they would be discovered by 
 him, and warning given to his master. Should 
 he enter it before the latter had got near, the 
 chances were that their ambuscade would 
 prove a failure. On the other hand, should 
 the dog remain in the rear, all would go right. 
 Even should he approach at the same time
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 99 
 
 with his master, so that the latter might get 
 near without being alarmed, there would still 
 be a chance of their rushing out upon and 
 shooting either horse or rider. 
 
 Thus reasoned these two treacherous ruf- 
 fians in the interim of the cibolero's absence. 
 
 They had not yet seated themselves in the 
 positions they designed to take by the 
 entrance of the cave. They could occupy 
 these at a moment's warning. They stood 
 under the shadow of the rocks, keeping watch 
 down the ravine. They knew they might 
 be a long time on their vigil, and they 
 made themselves as comfortable as possible, 
 by consuming the meagre stock of provisions 
 which the cibolero had left in the cave. 
 The mulatto, to keep out the cold, had thrown 
 the newly appropriated blanket upon his 
 shoulders. A gourd of chingarito, which 
 they had taken care to bring with them,
 
 100 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 enabled them to pass the time cheerfully 
 enough. The only drawback upon their 
 mirth was the thought of the dog Cibolo, 
 which every now and again intruded itself 
 upon the mind of the yellow hunter, as 
 well as upon that of his darker confrere. 
 
 Their vigil was shorter than either had 
 anticipated. They fancied that their intended 
 victim might make a long ride of it perhaps 
 to the borders of the settlement that he 
 might have business that would detain him, 
 and that it might be near morning before he 
 would get back. 
 
 In the midst of these conjectures, and while 
 it still wanted some hours of midnight, the 
 mulatto, whose eyes were bent down the ravine, 
 was seen suddenly to start, and grasp his 
 companion by the sleeve. 
 
 " Look ! yonder, boy Pepe ! Yonder come 
 giiero ! "
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 101 
 
 The speaker pointed to a form approaching 
 from the plain, and nearing the narrow part of 
 the ravine. It was scarce visible by the un- 
 certain light, and just possible to distinguish 
 it as the form of a man on horseback. 
 
 " Carr-rr-a-ai ! it is carr-r-ai!" replied 
 the zambo, after peering for some time 
 through the darkness. 
 
 " Keep close in, boy Pepe ! hwish ! Pull 
 back dog ! take place lie close I watch 
 outside hwish !" 
 
 The zambo took his station according to 
 the plan they had agreed upon ; while the 
 yellow hunter, bloodhound in hand, remained 
 by the entrance of the cave. In a few 
 moments the latter was seen to start up with 
 a gesture of alarm. 
 
 "Dam!" he exclaimed. "Dam! told 
 you so all lost ready, boy Pepe dog on 
 our trail!"
 
 102 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 " Carajo, Man'l ! what's to be done ? " 
 eagerly inquired the zambo. 
 
 "In in let come in kill 'ini in cave 
 in!" 
 
 Both rushed inside and stood waiting. 
 They had hastily formed the design of seizing 
 the cibolero's dog the moment he should 
 enter the cave and strangling him if possible. 
 
 In this design they were disappointed ; for 
 the animal, on reaching the mouth of the 
 cave, refused to enter, but stopped upon 
 the ledge outside and commenced barking 
 loudly. 
 
 The mulatto uttered a cry of disappoint- 
 ment, and, dropping the bloodhound, rushed 
 forward, knife in hand, to attack Cibolo. At 
 the same moment the hound sprang forward, 
 and the two dogs became engaged in a desperate 
 conflict. This would have terminated to the 
 disadvantage of the hound, but, in another
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 103 
 
 moment, all four mulatto, zambo, hound, and 
 wolf were assailing Cibolo both with knives 
 and teeth. The latter, seeing himself thus over- 
 matched, and having already received several 
 bad cuts, prudently retreated among the rocks. 
 
 He was not followed, as the ruffians had still 
 some hopes that the cibolero, not suspecting 
 what it could mean, might yet advance towards 
 the cave. But these hopes were of short du- 
 ration. Next moment through the dim light 
 they perceived the horseman wheel round, and 
 gallop off towards the mouth of the ravine ! 
 
 Exclamations of disappointment, profane 
 ejaculations, and wild oaths, echoed for some 
 minutes through the vaulted cavern. 
 
 The excited ruffians at length became 
 more cool, and, groping about in the dark- 
 ness, got hold of their horses, and led them 
 out upon the ledge. Here they stopped
 
 104 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 to give further vent to their chagrin, and to 
 deliberate on their future course. 
 
 To attempt immediate pursuit would not 
 avail them, as they well knew the cibolero 
 would be many a mile out of their reach, 
 before they could descend to the plain. 
 
 For a long time they continued to give 
 utterance to expressions of chagrin, mingled 
 with anathemas upon the head of the dog 
 Cibolo. At length becoming tired of this, 
 they once more set their heads to business. 
 
 The zambo was of opinion it would be use- 
 less to go farther that night they had no 
 chance of coming up with the cibolero before 
 morning in daylight they would more easily 
 make out his trail. 
 
 " Boy Pepe, fool ! " was the mulatto's reply 
 to these observations. " Track by daylight 
 be seen spoil all, fool Pepe!"
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 105 
 
 "Then what way, brother Man'l ?" 
 
 " Dam ! forgot bloodhound ? Trail by 
 night fast as ride soon overtake giiero." 
 
 "But, brother Man'l, he's not going to 
 stop short of ten leagues from here ! We can't 
 come up with him to-night, can we?" 
 
 " Fool again, boy Pepe ! Stop within ten 
 miles stop because won't think of blood- 
 hound won't think can trail 'im stop, 
 sure. Dam! that dog played devil thought 
 he would dam!" 
 
 "Malraya! he won't trouble us any 
 more." 
 
 " Why think that, boy Pcpe ?" 
 
 "Why, brother Man'l! because I had 
 my blade into him. He'll not limp much 
 farther, I warrant." 
 
 "Dam! wish could think so if could 
 think so, give double onza. But for dog have 
 giiero now. But for dog, get giiero before sun
 
 106 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 up. Stop soon don't suspect us yet 
 don't suspect hound stop, I say. By mighty 
 God sure !" 
 
 "How, brother Man'l? you think he'll 
 not go far off?" 
 
 " Sure of it. Giiero not ride far nowhere 
 to go soon trail 'im find 'im asleep crawl 
 on 'im but for dog crawl on 'im, sure." 
 
 " If you think so then, I don't believe you 
 need trouble yourself about the dog. If he 
 lives twenty minutes after the stab I gave 
 him, he's a tough brute, that's all. You find 
 the giiero, I promise you'll find no dog with 
 him." 
 
 "Hope so, boy Pepe try anyhow 
 Come !" 
 
 Saying this the yellow hunter straddled 
 his horse, and followed by the zambo and the 
 dogs commenced moving down the rocky 
 channel of the ravine.
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 HAVING arrived at the point where the horse- 
 man had been last seen, the mulatto dis- 
 mounted, and called up the bloodhound. 
 He addressed some words to the dog, and 
 by a sign set him on the trail. The animal 
 understood what was wanted, and, laying his 
 nose to the ground, ran forward silently. 
 The hunter again climbed back to his saddle, 
 and both he and his companion spurred 
 their horses so as to keep pace with the 
 bloodhound. 
 
 This was easy enough, though the moon 
 was no longer seen. The colour of the dog 
 a very light red rendered him conspicuous
 
 108 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 against the dark green sward, and there were 
 neither bushes nor long grass to hide him. 
 Moreover, by the instruction of his master, 
 he moved slowly along the trail although 
 the scent was still fresh, and he could have 
 gone at a much faster rate. He had been 
 trained to track slowly in the night, and also 
 to be silent about it, so that the "bay" 
 peculiar to his race was not heard. 
 
 It was two hours, full time, before they 
 came in sight of the grove where the cibolero 
 had halted. The moment the mulatto saw 
 the timber, he pointed to it, muttering to 
 his companion: 
 
 "See, boy Pepe ! dog make for island see 1 
 Bet onza giiero there. Dam ! there sure !" 
 
 When they had arrived within five or 
 six hundred yards of the grove it was 
 still but dimly visible under the darkening 
 sky the yellow hunter called the dog off
 
 THE WHITE CHIEP. 109 
 
 the trail, and ordered him to keep behind. He 
 knew that the horseman must have passed either 
 into the grove or close beside it. In either 
 case his trail could be easily taken up again. 
 If as the mulatto from his excited manner 
 evidently believed their victim was still in the 
 grove, then the dog's sagacity was no longer 
 needed. The time was come for them to take 
 other measures. 
 
 Diverging from his forward course, the 
 yellow hunter rode in a circle, keeping at 
 about the same distance from the edge of 
 the timber. He was followed by his com- 
 panion and the dogs. 
 
 When opposite the gap made by the 
 avenue, a bright blaze struck suddenly upon 
 their eyes, causing both to rein up with an 
 exclamation of surprise. They had arrived at 
 a point commanding a view of the glade, in the 
 centre of which they perceived a large fire !
 
 HO THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 "Told so, boy Pepe! fool's asleep yonder 
 never dream could trail him by night don't 
 like cold good fire believe safe enough. 
 Know that glade cunning place only see 
 fire from two points. Ha! yonder horse!" 
 
 The figure of a horse standing near the 
 fire was plainly discernible under the light. 
 
 " Dam ! " continued the hunter ; " giiero 
 bigger fool than thought 'im. Mighty God, 
 see ! believe 'im sleep yonder ! him, sure !" 
 
 As the mulatto uttered these words, he 
 pointed to a dark form by the fire. It 
 appeared to be the body of a man, prostrate 
 and asleep. 
 
 " Santissima, it is!" replied the zambo. 
 " Snug by the fire, too. He is a fool ! but, 
 sure enough, he could have no thought of 
 our following him in a night so dark as this." 
 
 " Hwish, dam ! dog not there, giiero ours! 
 No more talk, boy Pepe! follow me!"
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. Ill 
 
 The mulatto headed his horse, not direct 
 for the grove, but for a point on the bank of 
 the river some distance below. They rode 
 silently, but now with more rapidity. 
 
 Their victim was just where they would 
 have wished him, and they were in a hurry 
 to take advantage of his situation. The 
 nature of the ground was well known to 
 both, for they had shot deer from the cover 
 of that very copse. 
 
 On arriving at the river bank, both dis- 
 mounted ; and having tied both their horses 
 and dogs to the willows, they commenced 
 moving forward in the direction of the grove. 
 
 They observed less caution than they 
 might otherwise have done. They felt 
 certain their victim was asleep by the fire. 
 Fool, they thought him! but then how was 
 he to have suspected their presence? The 
 most cunning might have deemed himself
 
 112 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 secure under such circumstances. It was 
 natural enough that he had gone to sleep, 
 wearied as no doubt he was. Natural, too, 
 that he had kindled a fire. The night had 
 become unpleasantly cold, and it would have 
 been impossible to sleep without a fire. All 
 that seemed natural enough. 
 
 They reached the edge of the grove, and 
 without hesitation crawled into the underwood. 
 
 The night was still, the breeze scarce 
 turned a leaf, and the slightest rustling 
 among the bushes could have been heard 
 in any part of the glade. A low murmur 
 of water from a distant rapid, a light ripple 
 in the nearer stream, the occasional howl of 
 the prairie wolf, and the dismal wailing of 
 night-birds, were the only sounds that fell upon 
 the ear. 
 
 But although the man-stalkers were making 
 then* way through thick underwood, not a
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 113 
 
 sound betokened their advance. There was 
 no rustling of leaves, no snapping of twigs, 
 no crackling of dead sticks, under the pressure 
 of hand or knee, no signs of human presence 
 within that dark shrubbery. These men well 
 knew how to thread the thicket. Silent, as 
 the snake glides through the grass, was their 
 advance. 
 
 In the glade reigned perfect silence. In 
 its very centre blazed a large fire that lit up 
 the whole surface with its brilliant flames. 
 It was easy to distinguish the form of a 
 fine steed the steed of the cibolero stand- 
 ing near the fire ; and, nearer still, the pro- 
 strate form of his master, who seemed asleep ! 
 Yes, there were the manga, the sombrero, the 
 botas and spurs. There was the lazo reaching 
 from the neck of the horse, and, no doubt, 
 wound around the arm of the sleeper! All 
 these points could be determined at a glance. 
 
 VOL. III. I
 
 114 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 The horse started, struck the ground with 
 his hoof, and then stood still again ! 
 
 What had he heard? Some wild beast 
 moving near ? 
 
 No, not a wild beast worse than that. 
 
 Upon the southern edge of the glade a 
 face looked out from the underwood a 
 human face ! It remained but a moment, 
 and was then drawn back behind the leaves. 
 That face could easily have been recognised. 
 Its yellow complexion, conspicuous under the 
 glare of the blazing wood, told to whom it 
 belonged. It was the face of Manuel the 
 mulatto. 
 
 For some moments it remained behind the 
 leafy screen. Then it was protruded as before, 
 and close beside it another face of darker 
 hue. Both were turned in the same direction. 
 Both regarded the prostrate form by the fire, 
 that still appeared to be sound asleep ! The
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 115 
 
 eyes of both were gleaming with malignant 
 triumph. Success seemed certain their 
 victim was at length within their power! 
 
 The faces were again withdrawn, and for 
 a minute neither sound nor sight gave any 
 indication of their presence. At the end of 
 that minute, however, the head of the mu- 
 latto was again protruded, but this time at 
 a different point, close to the surface of the 
 ground, and where there was an opening in 
 the underwood. 
 
 In a moment more his whole body was 
 drawn through, and appeared in a recumbent 
 position within the glade. 
 
 The head and body of the zambo followed ; 
 and both now glided silently over the grass 
 in the direction of the sleeper. Flat upon 
 their bellies, like a pair of huge lizards, they 
 moved, one following in the other's trail! 
 
 The mulatto was in the advance. His
 
 116 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 right hand grasped a long-bladed knife, 
 while his gun was carried in the left. 
 
 They moved slowly and with great caution 
 though ready at any moment to spring for- 
 ward should their victim awake, and become 
 aware of their presence. 
 
 The unconscious sleeper lay between them 
 and the fire. His form cast a shadow over 
 the sward. Into this they crept, with the 
 view of better concealment, and proceeded on. 
 
 At length the mulatto arrived within three 
 feet of the prostrate body ; and gathering him- 
 self he rose upon his knees with the intention 
 of making a spring forward. The sudden 
 erection of his body brought his face full 
 into the light, and rendered it a conspicuous 
 object. His time was come. 
 
 The whip-like crack of a rifle was heard, 
 and at the same instant a stream of fire 
 shot out from the leafy top of a live
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 117 
 
 oak that stood near the entrance of the 
 avenue. The mulatto suddenly sprang to 
 his feet, threw out his arms with a wild 
 cry, staggered a pace or two, and, dropping 
 both knife and gun, fell forward into the fire ! 
 
 The zambo also leaped to his feet ; 
 and, believing the shot had come from 
 the pretended sleeper, precipitated himself 
 upon the latter, knife in hand, and drove 
 his blade with desperate earnestness into the 
 side of the prostrate form. 
 
 Almost on the instant he leaped back 
 with a yell of terror ; and, without stopping 
 to assist his fallen comrade, rushed off over 
 the glade, and disappeared into the under- 
 wood. The figure by the fire remained 
 prostrate and motionless ! 
 
 But at this moment a dark form was 
 seen to descend through the branches of the 
 live oak, whence the shot had come ; a shrttT
 
 118 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 whistle rang through the glade ; and the steed, 
 dragging his lazo, galloped up under the tree. 
 A man, half-naked, and carrying a long 
 rifle, dropped upon the horse's back ; and the 
 next instant both horse and man disappeared 
 through the avenue, having gone off at full 
 speed in the direction of the plain !
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 o was he then who lay by the fire? 
 Not Carlos the cibolero ! It was his manga 
 his botas his hat and spurs his com- 
 plete habiliments ! 
 
 True, but Carlos was not in them. He 
 it was, who, half-naked, had dropped from 
 the tree, and galloped off upon the horse ! 
 A mystery ! 
 
 Less than two hours before, we left him 
 where he had arrived upon the edge of the 
 grove. How had he been employed since 
 then ? A knowledge of that will explain 
 the mystery. 
 
 On reaching the grove, he had rid3en
 
 120 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 direct through the avenue, and into the 
 glade, where he reined up his horse and 
 dismounted. Cibolo was gently laid upon 
 the soft grass, with a kind expression; but 
 his wounds remained undressed for the pre- 
 sent. His master had no time for that. 
 He had other work to do, which would 
 occupy him for the next hour. 
 
 With a slack bridle his horse was left to 
 refresh himself on the sward, while Carlos 
 proceeded to the execution of a design that 
 had been matured in his mind during his 
 long gallop. 
 
 His first act was to make a fire. 
 The night had grown chill enough to give 
 excuse for one. It was kindled near the 
 centre of the glade. Dry logs and branches 
 were found among the underwood, and these 
 were brought forward and heaped upon the 
 pile, until the flames blazed up, illuming
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 121 
 
 the glade to its very circumference. The 
 huge pitahayas, gleaming in the red light, 
 looked like columns of stone ; and upon these 
 the eyes of the cibolero were now turned. 
 
 Proceeding towards them, knife in hand, 
 he commenced cutting through the stem of 
 the largest, and its tall form was soon laid 
 prostrate upon the grass. When down, he 
 hewed both stem and branches into pieces 
 of various length, and then dragged them 
 up to the side of the fire. Surely he did 
 not mean to add them to the pile! These 
 green succulent masses would be more likely 
 to subdue the flame than contribute to its 
 brilliancy ! 
 
 Carlos had no such intention. On the 
 contrary, he placed the pieces several feet 
 from the fire, arranging them in such a manner 
 as to imitate, nearly as possible, the form atf& 
 dimensions of a human body. Two cylindrical
 
 122 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 pieces served for the thighs, and two more 
 for the arms, and these were laid in the 
 attitude that would naturally be adopted 
 by a person in repose or asleep. The 
 superior shoulder was represented by the 
 "elbow" of the plant; and when the whole 
 structure was covered over with the ample 
 "manga" of the cibolero, it assumed a 
 striking resemblance to the body of a man 
 lying upon his side ! 
 
 The head, lower limbs, and feet, were 
 yet wanting to complete the design for it 
 was a design. These were soon supplied. 
 A round clew of grass was formed; and 
 this placed at a small distance from the 
 shoulders, by means of a scarf and the cibo- 
 lero' s hat, was made to look like the thing 
 for which it was intended a human head. 
 The hat was slouched over the ball of grass 
 so as nearly to conceal it, and seemed
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 123 
 
 as if so placed to keep the dew or the 
 musquitos from the face of the sleeper! 
 
 The lower limbs and feet only remained 
 to be counterfeited. With these considerable 
 pains had to be taken, since being nearest 
 to the fire according to the way in which 
 hunters habitually sleep they would be 
 more exposed to observation than any other 
 part. 
 
 All these points had been already con- 
 sidered by the cibolero ; and, therefore, 
 without stopping for a moment he proceeded 
 to finish his work. His leathern "botas" 
 were pulled off, and adjusted at a slight 
 angle to the thighs of pitahaya, and in such 
 a way that the rim of the ample cloak 
 came down over their tops. The huge spurs 
 were allowed to remain on the boots, and 
 could be seen from a distance gleaming p 
 the blaze of the fire.
 
 124 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 A few more touches and the counterfeit 
 was complete. 
 
 He that had made it now stepped back 
 to the edge of the glade, and, passing 
 around, examined it from different points. 
 He appeared satisfied. Indeed, no one would 
 have taken the figure for anything but that 
 of a sleeping traveller who had lain down 
 without taking off his spurs ! 
 
 Carlos now returned to the fire, and 
 uttering a low signal brought the horse up 
 to his hand. He led the animal some 
 paces out, and tightened the bridle-rein by 
 knotting it over the horn of the saddle. 
 This the well-trained steed knew to be a 
 command for him to give over browsing, 
 and stand still in that same place until 
 released by the hand of his master, or by 
 a well-known signal he had been taught to 
 obey. The lazo fastened to the bitt-ring
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 125 
 
 was next uncoiled. One end of the rope was 
 carried to the prostrate figure, and placed 
 under the edge of the manga, as though 
 the sleeper held it in his hand ! 
 
 Once more the cibolero passed round 
 the circumference of the glade, and surveyed 
 the grouping in the centre. Again he 
 appeared satisfied ; and, re-entering the 
 thicket, he brought out a fresh armful of 
 dry wood and flung it on the fire. 
 
 He now raised his eyes, and appeared to 
 scrutinise the trees that grew around the 
 glade. His gaze rested upon a large live oak 
 standing at the inner entrance of the avenue, 
 and whose long horizontal limbs stretched 
 over the open ground. The top branches 
 of this tree were covered thickly with its 
 evergreen frondage, and laced with vines 
 and tillandsia formed a shady canopy. 
 Besides being the tallest tree, it was
 
 126 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 most ample and umbrageous in fact, the 
 patriarch of the grove. 
 
 "'Twill do," muttered Carlos, as he 
 viewed it. " Thirty paces about that just 
 the range. They'll not enter by the avenue 
 no no danger of that, and if they did 
 but no they'll come along the bank by the 
 willows yes, sure to do so now for Cibolo." 
 
 He glanced for a moment at the dog, that 
 was still lying where he had been placed. 
 
 " Poor fellow ! he has had it in earnest. 
 He'll carry the marks of their cowardly knives 
 for the rest of his days. Well he may live 
 long enough to know that he has been avenged 
 yes! that may he. But what shall I do 
 with him?" 
 
 After considering a minute, he conti- 
 nued -. 
 
 " Carrambo ! I lose time. There's a half- 
 hour gone, and if they've followed at all,
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 127 
 
 they'll be near by this time. Follow they 
 can with their long-eared brute, and I hope 
 he'll guide them true. What can I do with 
 Cibolo? If I tie him at the root of the 
 tree, he'll lie quiet enough, poor brute ! 
 But, then, suppose they should come this 
 way ? I don't imagine they will. I shouldn't 
 if I were in their place; but suppose they 
 should, the dog would be seen, and might 
 lead them to suspect something wrong. They 
 might take a fancy to glance up the tree, 
 and then No, no, it won't do some- 
 thing else must be done with Cibolo." 
 
 Here he approached the root of the live 
 oak, and looked inquiringly up among its 
 branches. 
 
 After a moment he seemed to be satisfied 
 with his scrutiny. He had formed a new 
 resolution. 
 
 " It will do," he muttered. " The
 
 128 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 can lie upon those vines. I'll plait them a 
 little for him, and cover them with moss." 
 
 Saying this he caught hold of the lower 
 limbs, and sprang up into the tree. 
 
 After dragging down some of the creeping 
 vines, he twined them between the forks of 
 a branch, so as to form a little platform. He 
 next tore off several bunches of the tillandsia, 
 and placed it over the spot thus wattled. 
 
 When the platform was completed to his 
 satisfaction, he leaped down again ; and, 
 taking the animal in his arms, carried him up 
 to the tree and placed him gently upon the 
 moss, where the dog lay quietly down. 
 
 To dispose of himself was the next con- 
 sideration. That was a matter of easy ac- 
 complishment, and consisted in laying hold 
 of his rifle, swinging his body back into the 
 tree, and seating himself firmly among the 
 branches.
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 129 
 
 He now arranged himself with care upon 
 his seat. One branch, a stout one, supported 
 his body, his feet rested upon another, while a 
 third formed a stay for his arms. In a fork 
 lay the barrel of his long rifle, the stock firmly 
 grasped in his hands. 
 
 He looked with care to this weapon. Of 
 course it was already loaded, but, lest the 
 night-dew might have damped the priming, he 
 threw up the pan-cover, with his thumb-nail 
 scraped out the powder, and then poured in 
 a fresh supply from his horn. This he ad- 
 justed with his picker, taking care that a 
 portion of it should pass into the touch-hole, 
 and communicate with the charge inside. 
 The steel was then returned to its place, 
 and the flint duly looked to. Its state of 
 firmness was felt, its edge examined. Both 
 appeared to be satisfactory, so the piece was 
 
 VOL. III. K
 
 130 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 once more brought to its rest in the fork 
 of the branch. 
 
 The cibolero was not the man to trust 
 to blind chance. Like all of his calling, he 
 believed in the wisdom of precautions. No 
 wonder he adopted them so minutely in the 
 present instance. The neglect of any one of 
 them might be fatal to him. The flashing 
 of that rifle might cost him his life ! No 
 wonder he was particular about the set of 
 his flint, and the dryness of his powder. 
 
 The position he occupied was well chosen. 
 It gave him a view of the whole glade, and 
 no object as large as a cat could enter the 
 opening without being seen by him. 
 
 Silently he sat gazing around the circle 
 of green shrubbery silently and anxiously 
 for the space of nearly an hour. 
 
 His patient vigil was at length rewarded.
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 131 
 
 He saw the yellow face as it peered from the 
 underwood, and for a moment hesitated about 
 firing at it then. He had even taken sight 
 upon it, when it was drawn back ! 
 
 A little longer he waited till the mulatto, 
 rising to his knees, offered his face full in the 
 blazing light. At that moment his finger 
 pressed the trigger, and his unerring bullet 
 passed through the brain of his treacherous 
 foeman !
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 THE zambo had disappeared in the under- 
 wood almost at the same instant that Carlos 
 had mounted and galloped out through the 
 avenue. Not a living creature remained in 
 the glade. 
 
 The huge body lay with arms outstretched, 
 one of them actually across the blazing pile! 
 Its weight, pressing down the faggots, half- 
 obscured their light. Enough there was to 
 exhibit the ghastly face mottled with washes of 
 crimson. There was no motion in either body 
 or limbs no more than in that of the coun- 
 terfeit form that was near. Dead was the 
 yellow hunter dead! The hot flame that 
 licked his arm, preparing to devour it, gave 
 him no pain. Fire stirs not the dead !
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 183 
 
 Where were the others ? They had gone 
 off in directions nearly opposite ! Were they 
 flying from each other? 
 
 The zarabo had gone back in the same 
 direction whence he had come. He had gone 
 in a very different manner though. After 
 disappearing behind the leafy screen, he had 
 not halted, but rushed on like one terrified 
 beyond the power of controlling himself. The 
 cracking of dead sticks, and the loud rustling 
 among the bushes, told that he was pressing 
 through the grove in headlong flight. These 
 noises had ceased so, too, the echo of hoofs 
 which for a while came back from the gal- 
 loping horse of the cibolero. 
 
 Where were they now zambo and cibo- 
 lero? Had they fled from each other? It 
 would have seemed so from the relative 
 directions in which they had gone.
 
 134 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 It was not so in reality. Whatever desire 
 the zambo might have felt to get away from 
 that spot, his antagonist had no such design. 
 The latter had galloped out of the glade, but 
 not in flight. 
 
 He knew the zambo well enough to tell 
 that his courage was now gone. The sudden 
 loss of his comrade, and under such mys- 
 terious circumstances, had terrified the black, 
 and would paralyse him almost beyond the 
 power of resistance. He would think of 
 nothing else but making his escape. Carlos 
 knew that. 
 
 The quick intellect of the latter had 
 taught him whence his enemies had come 
 from the lower or southern side of the grove. 
 He had, indeed, been looking for them in that 
 direction, and while scrutinising the under- 
 wood, had given most attention to that edge
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 135 
 
 of the glade lying to the south. He con- 
 jectured that they would deem this the safest 
 way to approach him, and his conjectures 
 proved true. 
 
 Their horses would be loft at some dis- 
 tance off, lest the stroke of their hoofs might 
 alarm him. This, too, was his conjecture, and 
 a just one. Still another, also just, was that 
 the zambo was now making for the horses ! 
 This last occurred to Carlos as he saw the 
 other rushing off into the underwood. 
 
 Just what the zambo was doing. Seeing 
 his leader fall so mysteriously, he thought no 
 longer of an encounter. Flight was his only 
 impulse. To get back to the horses, mount 
 and ride off, his one purpose. He had hopes 
 that Carlos would not hastily follow that he 
 might escape under cover of the darkness. 
 
 He was mistaken. It was just to defeat
 
 136 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 this purpose that Carlos had galloped forth. 
 He, too, was resolved to make for the horses ! 
 
 Once in the open plain, he wheeled to 
 the right, and rode round the grove. On 
 reaching a point where he could command a 
 view of the river he reined up. His object 
 in doing so was to reload his rifle. 
 
 He threw the piece into a vertical position, 
 at the same time groping for his powder-horn. 
 To his surprise he could not get his hands 
 upon it, and on looking down he saw that it 
 was gone ! The strap by which it had been 
 suspended was no longer over his shoulders. 
 It had been caught upon a branch, and lifted 
 off as he had leaped from the tree ! 
 
 Annoyed with this misfortune, he was 
 about turning his horse to hurry back to the 
 live oak, when his eye fell upon a dark figure 
 gliding over the plain, and close in to the
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 137 
 
 fringe of willows by the river. Of course it 
 was the fleeing zambo there could be no 
 doubt of that. 
 
 Carlos hesitated. Should he return for 
 the powder-horn, and then waste time in re- 
 loading, the zambo might escape. He would 
 soon reach the horses, and mount. Had it 
 been day Carlos could easily have overtaken 
 him, but not so under the night darkness. 
 Five hundred yards' start would have carried 
 him safe out of sight. 
 
 The cibolero was full of anxiety. He had 
 ample reasons to wish that this man should 
 die. Prudence as well as a natural feeling of 
 revenge prompted this wish. The cowardly 
 manner in which these hired ruffians had 
 dogged him had awakened his vengeance. 
 Besides, while either lived, the outlaw knew 
 he would have a dangerous enemy. Th^ 
 zambo must not escape !
 
 138 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 It was but for a moment that Carlos he- 
 sitated. Should he wait to reload his rifle 
 the other would get off. This reflection 
 decided him. He dropped the piece to the 
 ground, turned his horse's head, and shot 
 rapidly across the plain in the direction of the 
 river. In a dozen seconds he reined up in 
 front of his skulking foe. 
 
 The latter, seeing himself cut off from the 
 horses, halted and stood at bay, as if deter- 
 mined to fight. But before Carlos could dis- 
 mount to close with him, his heart once more 
 gave way ; and, breaking through the willows, 
 he plunged into the river. 
 
 Carlos had not calculated upon this. He 
 stood for some moments in a state of surprise 
 and dismay. Would the fiend escape him? 
 He had come to the ground. Whether should 
 he mount again or follow on foot ? 
 
 He was not long irresolute. He chose the
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 189 
 
 latter course, and, rushing through the willows 
 where the other had passed, he paused a 
 moment on the edge of the stream. Just 
 then his enemy emerged upon the opposite 
 bank, and, without a moment's halt, started 
 off in full run across the plain. Again Carlos 
 thought of following on horseback, but the 
 banks were high, a horse might find it 
 difficult to ford at such a place, perhaps 
 impossible. There was no time to be lost in 
 experiments. 
 
 " Surely," thought Carlos, " 1 am swift 
 as he. For a trial then ! " 
 
 And as he uttered the words he flung 
 himself broad upon the water. 
 
 A few strokes carried him across the 
 stream; and, climbing out on the opposite 
 bank, he sprang after his retreating foe. 
 
 The zambo had by this time got full
 
 ]40 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 hundred yards in the advance, but before he 
 had run two hundred more, there was not half 
 that distance between them. There was no 
 comparison in their speed. Carlos fairly 
 doubled upon his terrified antagonist, al- 
 though the latter was doing his utmost. 
 He knew that he was running for his life. 
 
 Not ten minutes did the chase continue. 
 
 Carlos drew near. The zambo heard his 
 footsteps close behind. He felt it was idle 
 to run any longer. He halted, and once more 
 stood at bay. 
 
 In another instant the two were face to 
 face, within ten feet of each other ! 
 
 Both were armed with large knives their 
 only weapons and, dim as the light was, the 
 blades of these could be seen glittering in the 
 air. 
 
 The foes scarce waited to breathe them-
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 141 
 
 selves. A few angry exclamations passed 
 between them; and then, rushing upon each 
 other, they clutched in earnest conflict ! 
 
 It was a short conflict. A dozen seconds 
 would have covered its whole duration. For 
 a while the bodies of the combatants seemed 
 turned around each other, and one of them 
 fell heavily upon the plain. A groan was 
 uttered. It was in the voice of the zambo. 
 It was he who had fallen ! 
 
 The prostrate form wriggled for a moment 
 over the ground it half rose and fell again 
 then writhed for a few seconds longer, and 
 then lay still in death ! 
 
 The cibolero bent over it to be assured 
 of this. Death was written upon the hideous 
 face. The marks were unmistakeable. The 
 victor no longer doubted ; and, turning away 
 from the corpse, he walked back towards*he 
 river.
 
 142 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 Having regained his rifle and powder- . 
 horn, and reloaded his gun, Carlos now pro- 
 ceeded to search for the horses. 
 
 These were soon found. A bullet was 
 sent through the head of the bloodhound, and 
 another through that of his more wolf-like 
 companion, and the horses were then untied 
 and set free. 
 
 This done, Carlos once more returned to 
 the glade, and after lifting Cibolo down 
 from his perch, he approached the fire, and 
 gazed for a moment at the corpse of the 
 yellow hunter. The flames were blazing more 
 brightly than ever. These were fed by human 
 flesh! 
 
 Turning in disgust from the sight, the 
 cibolero collected his garments, and once more 
 mounting into the saddle, rode off in the di- 
 rection .of the ravine.
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 THREE days had elapsed from the time that 
 the yellow hunter and his companion had 
 started on their expedition. Those who sent 
 them were beginning to grow impatient for 
 some news of them. They did not allow them- 
 selves to doubt of the zeal of their employees, 
 the reward would secure that, and scarce 
 did they doubt of their success. The latter 
 seemed to all three, Roblado, Vizcarra, and 
 the Padre", but a consequence of the former. 
 Still they were impatient for some report 
 from the hunters if not of the actual capture, 
 at least that the outlaw had been seen, or that * 
 they were upon his trail.
 
 144 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 On reflection, however, both Padre and offi- 
 cers saw, that it would not be likely they should 
 have any report before the hunters themselves 
 came back, either with or without their captive. 
 
 " No doubt," suggested the monk, " they 
 are after him every hour, and we shall hear 
 nothing of them until they have laid hands 
 upon the heretic rascal." 
 
 What a startling piece of news it was 
 to this charming trio, when a Jiatero brought 
 the information to the settlement, that he had 
 seen two dead bodies upon the plain, which 
 he recognised as those of the mission hunters 
 Manuel and Pepe ! 
 
 His report was that he had seen them, 
 near a grove upon the Pecos, that they 
 were torn by the wolves and vultures but 
 that what still remained, of their dress and 
 equipments, enabled him to make out who 
 they were for the hatero had chanced to
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 145 
 
 know these men personally. He was sure 
 they were the mulatto and zambo, the hunters 
 of the mission. 
 
 At first this "mysterious murder," as it 
 was termed, could not be explained except 
 upon the supposition that the " Indies bravos" 
 had done it. The people knew nothing of the 
 duty upon which the hunters had been lately 
 employed. Both were well enough known, 
 though but little notice was taken of their 
 movements, which lay generally beyond the 
 observation of the citizen community. It 
 was supposed they had been out upon one 
 of their usual hunts, and had fallen in with 
 a roving band of savages. 
 
 A party of dragoons, guided by the hatero, 
 proceeded to the grove ; and these returned 
 with a very different version of the story. 
 
 They had ascertained beyond a doubt that 
 both the hunters had been killed, not by 
 
 VOL. III. L
 
 146 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 Indian arrows, but by the weapons of a white 
 man. Furthermore, their horses had been left, 
 while their dogs had been killed the skele- 
 tons of the latter were found lying upon the 
 bank of the river. 
 
 It could not have been Indians, then. 
 They would have carried off the animals, 
 both dogs and horses, and, moreover, would 
 have stripped the dead of their equipments, 
 which were of some value. Indians? No. 
 
 There was not much difficulty in deciding 
 who had committed this murder. Where the 
 skeletons of the dogs were found the ground 
 was soft, and there were hoof-tracks that did 
 not belong to the horses of the hunters. These 
 were recognised by several. They were the 
 tracks of the well-known horse of Carlos the 
 cibolero. 
 
 Beyond a doubt Carlos had done the deed. 
 It was known that he and the yellow hunter
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 147 
 
 had not been on friendly terms, but the con- 
 trary. They had met and quarrelled, then ; or, 
 what was more likely, Carlos had found the 
 hunters asleep by their camp-fire, had stolen 
 upon them, and thus effected his purpose. 
 The mulatto had been shot dead at once, and 
 had fallen into the fire, for part of the body 
 was consumed to a cinder ! His companion, 
 attempting to make his escape, had been 
 pursued and overtaken by the bloodthirsty 
 outlaw ! 
 
 New execrations were heaped upon the 
 head of the devoted Carlos. Men crossed 
 themselves and uttered either a prayer or 
 a curse at the mention of his name; and 
 mothers made use of it to fright their 
 children into good behaviour. The name 
 of Carlos the cibolero spread more terror 
 than the rumour of an Indian invasion! 
 
 The belief in the supernatural became
 
 148 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 strengthened. Scarce any one now doubted 
 that the cibolero's mother was a witch, or 
 that all these deeds performed by her son were 
 the result of her aid and inspiration. 
 
 There was not the slightest hope that 
 he would either be captured or killed. How- 
 could he ? Who could bind the devil and 
 bring him to punishment ? No one any longer 
 believed that he could be caught. 
 
 Some gravely proposed that his mother 
 the witch should be taken up, and burnt. 
 Until that was done, argued they, he would 
 set all pursuit at defiance ; but if she were 
 put out of the world, the murderer might 
 then be brought to justice ! 
 
 It is probable enough that the counsels 
 of these and they were the majority of the 
 inhabitants would have prevailed ; especially 
 as they were openly approved of by the 
 padres of the mission but before the public
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 149 
 
 mind became quite ripe for such a violent 
 sacrifice, an event occurred which completely 
 changed the current of affairs. 
 * $ 
 
 It was on the morning of a Sunday, 
 and the people were just coming out of 
 the church, when a horseman, covered with 
 sweat and dust, galloped into the Piazza. 
 His habiliments were those of a sergeant 
 of dragoons; and all easily recognised the 
 well - known lineaments of the sergeant 
 Gomez. 
 
 In a few minutes he was surrounded 
 by a crowd of idlers ; who, although it was 
 Sunday, were heard a few moments after 
 breaking out into loud acclamations of joy. 
 Hats were uptossed and vivas rent the air ! 
 
 What news had Gomez announced? A 
 rare bit of news the capture of the outlaw !
 
 150 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 It was true. Carlos had been taken, and 
 was now a prisoner in the hands of the 
 soldiers. He had been captured neither by 
 strength nor stratagem. Treachery had done 
 the work. He had been betrayed by one 
 of his own people. 
 
 It was thus his capture had been effected. 
 Despairing for the present of being able to 
 communicate with Catalina, he had formed 
 the resolution to remove his mother and 
 sister from the valley. He had prepared 
 a temporary home for them far off in the 
 wilderness, where they would be secure from 
 his enemies, while he himself could return 
 at a better opportunity. 
 
 To effect their removal, watched as they 
 were, he knew would be no easy matter. But 
 he had taken his measures, and would have 
 succeeded had it not been for treason. One of
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 151 
 
 his own people a peon who had accompanied 
 him in his last expedition betrayed him to 
 his vigilant foes. 
 
 Carlos was within the rancho making a 
 few hasty preparations for the journey. He 
 had left his horse hidden some distance off 
 in the chapparal. Unfortunately for him, 
 Cibolo was not there. The faithful dog had 
 been laid up since his late encounter at 
 the cave. To a peon had been assigned 
 the duty that would otherwise have been 
 intrusted to him that of keeping watch 
 without. 
 
 This wretch had been previously bought 
 by Roblado and Vizcarra. The result was, 
 that instead of acting as sentinel for his 
 master, he hastened to warn his enemies. 
 The rancho was surrounded by a troop ; an 
 although several of his assailants were killed
 
 152 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 by the hand of Carlos, he himself was finally 
 overpowered and taken. 
 
 Gomez had not been five minutes in 
 the Piazza, when a bugle was heard sounding 
 the advance of a troop, which the next 
 moment denied into the open square. Near 
 its middle was the prisoner, securely tied 
 upon the back of a saddle-mule, and guarded 
 by a double file of troopers. 
 
 An arrival of such interest was soon 
 known, and the Piazza became filled with 
 a crowd eager to gratify its curiosity by 
 a sight of the notorious cibolero. 
 
 But he was not the only one upon 
 whom the people gazed with curiosity. There 
 were two other prisoners one of whom 
 was regarded with an interest equal to that 
 felt at the sight of the outlaw himself. 
 This prisoner was his mother. Upon her
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 153 
 
 the eyes of the multitude turned with an 
 expression of awe mingled with indignation ; 
 while jeering and angry cries hailed her as 
 she passed on her way to the Calabozo. 
 
 " Mucra la hcchicera! Mucra!" (Death 
 to the witch let her die !) broke from ruffian 
 lips as she was carried along. 
 
 Even the dishevelled hair and weeping 
 eyes of her young companion her daughter 
 failed to touch the hearts of that fanatical 
 mob, and there were some who cried, 
 " Mveran los dos! madre y hija!" (Let 
 both die mother and daughter !) 
 
 The guards had even to protect them 
 from rude assault, as they were thrust hastily 
 within the door of the prison ! 
 
 Fortunately Carlos saw nought of this. 
 He was not even aware that they were 
 prisoners! He thought, perhaps, they had
 
 154 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 been left unmolested in the rancho, and 
 that the vengeance of his enemies extended 
 no farther than to himself. He knew not 
 the fiendish designs of his persecutors.
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 THE female prisoners remained in the Cala- 
 bozo. Carlos, for better security, was carried 
 on to the Presidio, and placed in the prison 
 of the guard-house. 
 
 That night he received a visit. The Com- 
 mandante and Roblado could not restrain 
 their dastard spirits from indulging in the 
 luxury of revenge. Having emptied their 
 wine -cups, they, with a party of boon com- 
 panions, entered the guard prison, and amused 
 themselves by taunting the chained captive. 
 Every insult was put upon him by his half- 
 drunken visitors every rudeness their inge 
 nuity could devise. 
 
 For long all this was submitted to in
 
 156 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 silence. A coarse jest from Vizcarra at length 
 provoked reply. The reply alluded to the 
 changed features of the latter, which so exas- 
 perated the brute, that he dashed, dagger in 
 hand, upon the bound victim, and would have 
 taken his life, but that Roblado and others 
 held him back ! He was only prevented 
 from killing Carlos by his companions de- 
 claring that such a proceeding would rob 
 them of their anticipated sport ! This consi- 
 deration alone restrained him; but he was 
 not contented until with his fists he had 
 inflicted several blows upon the face of the 
 defenceless captive ! 
 
 "Let the wretch live!" said Roblado. 
 " To-morrow we shall have a fine spectacle 
 for him ! " 
 
 With this the inebriated gang staggered 
 out, leaving the prisoner to reflect upon this 
 promised " spectacle."
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 157 
 
 He did reflect upon it. That he was to be 
 made a spectacle, he understood well enough. 
 He had no hopes of mercy, either from civil 
 or military judges. His death was to be the 
 spectacle. All night long his soul was tor- 
 tured with painful thoughts, not of himself, 
 but about those far dearer to him than his 
 own life. 
 
 Morning glanced through the narrow 
 loophole of his gloomy cell. Nothing else 
 nought to eat, to drink no word of consola- 
 tion no kind look from his ruffian gaolers. 
 No friend to make inquiry about him no 
 sign that a single heart on earth cared for 
 him. 
 
 Midday arrived. He was taken, or rather 
 dragged, from his prison. Troops formed 
 around, and carried him off. Where was he 
 going ? To execution ?
 
 158 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 His eyes were free. He saw himself taken 
 to the town, and through the Piazza. There 
 was an unusual concourse of people. The 
 square was nearly filled, and the azoteas that 
 commanded a view of it. All the inhabitants of 
 the settlement seemed to be present in the 
 the town. There were haciendados, rancheros, 
 miners, and all. Why ? Some grand event 
 must have brought them together. They had 
 the air of people who expected to witness an 
 unusual scene. Perhaps the "spectacle" pro- 
 mised by Roblado ! But what could that be ? 
 Did they intend to torture him in presence 
 of the multitude ? Such was not improbable. 
 
 The crowd jeered him as he passed. He 
 was carried through their midst, and thrust 
 into the Calabozo. 
 
 A rude banqueta along one side of his cell 
 offered a resting-place. On this the wretched
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 159 
 
 man sank down into a lying posture. The 
 fastenings on his arms and legs would not 
 allow him to sit upright. 
 
 He was left alone. The soldiers who had 
 conducted him went out, turning the key 
 behind them. Their voices and the clink of 
 their scabbards told him that some of them 
 still remained by the door. Two of them had 
 been left there as sentinels. The others 
 sauntered off, and mingled with the crowd of 
 
 civilians that filled the Piazza. 
 
 ***** 
 
 Carlos lay for some minutes without mo- 
 tion almost without thought. His soul was 
 overwhelmed with misery. For the first time 
 in his life he felt himself yielding to despair. 
 
 The feeling was evanescent ; and once 
 more he began to reflect not to hope no ! 
 Hope, they say, dies but with. life : but that i 
 a paradox. He still lived, but hope had died.
 
 160 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 Hope of escape there was none. He was too 
 well guarded. His exasperated enemies, having 
 experienced the difficulty of his capture, were 
 not likely to leave him the slightest chance 
 of escape. Hope of pardon of mercy it 
 never entered his thoughts to entertain either. 
 
 But reflection returned. 
 
 It is natural for a captive to glance 
 around the walls of his prison to assure 
 himself that he is really a prisoner. It is 
 his first act when the bolt shoots from 
 the lock, and he feels himself alone. Obe- 
 dient to this impulse, the eye of Carlos 
 was raised to the walls. His cell was not 
 a dungeon a small window, or embra- 
 sure, admitted light. It was high up, but 
 Carlos saw that, by standing upon the 
 banqueta, he could have looked out by it. 
 He had no curiosity to do so, and he lay still. 
 He saw that the walls of his prison were not
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 161 
 
 of stone. They were adobe bricks, and the 
 embrasure enabled him to tell their thickness. 
 There was no great strength in them either. 
 A determined man, with an edge-tool and 
 time to spare, could make his way through 
 them easily enough. So Carlos reflected : 
 but he reflected, as well, that he had neither 
 the edge-tool nor the time. He was cer- 
 tain that in a few hours perhaps minutes 
 he would be led from that prison to the 
 scaffold. 
 
 Oh! he feared not death not even tor- 
 ture, which he anticipated would be his lot. 
 His torture was the thought of eternal sepa- 
 ration from mother, sister, from the proud 
 noble girl he loved the thought that he 
 would never again behold them one or 
 other of them this was the torture that 
 maddened his soul. & 
 
 Could he not communicate with them ? 
 
 VOL. III. M
 
 162 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 Had he no friend to carry to them a last 
 word ? to convey a dying thought ? None ! 
 
 The sunbeam that slanted across the cell 
 was cut off at intervals, and the room dark- 
 ened. Something half covered the embrasure 
 without. It was the face of some idle lepero, 
 who, curious to catch a glimpse of the captive, 
 had caused himself to be hoisted upon the 
 shoulders of his fellows. The embrasure was 
 above the heads of the crowd. Carlos could 
 hear their brutal jests, directed not only 
 against himself, but against those dear to him 
 his mother and sister. While this pained 
 him, he began to wonder that they should be 
 so much the subject of the conversation. He 
 could not tell what was said of them, but in 
 the hum of voices their names repeatedly 
 reached his ear. 
 
 He had lain about an hour on the ban- 
 queta, when the door opened, and the two
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 163 
 
 officers, Vizcarra and Roblado, stepped within 
 the cell. They were accompanied by Gomez. 
 
 The prisoner believed that his hour was 
 come. They were going to lead him forth to 
 execution. He was wrong. That was not 
 their design. Far different. They had come 
 to gloat over his misery. 
 
 Their visit was to be a short one. 
 
 " Now, my brave ! " began Roblado. 
 "We promised you a spectacle to-day. We 
 are men of our word. We come to admonish 
 you that it is prepared, and about to come off. 
 Mount upon that banqueta, and look out into 
 the Piazza ; you will have an excellent view of 
 it ; and as it is near you will need no glass ! 
 lip then ! and don't lose time. You will see 
 what you will see. Ha ! ha ! ha ! " 
 
 And the speaker broke into a hoarse 
 laugh, in which the Commandante, as 
 as the sergeant joined; and then all three,
 
 164 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 without waiting for a reply, turned and 
 went out, ordering the door to be locked 
 behind them. 
 
 The visit, as well as Roblado's speech, 
 astonished and puzzled Carlos. For some 
 minutes he sat reflecting upon it. What could 
 it mean? A spectacle, and he to be a spectator? 
 What spectacle but that of his own execution? 
 What could it mean ? 
 
 For a time he sat endeavouring to make 
 out the sense of Roblado's words. For a 
 good while he pondered over the speech, until 
 at length he had found, or thought he had 
 found, the key to its meaning. 
 
 " Ha ! " muttered he ; " Don Juan it is 
 he ! My poor friend ! They have condemned 
 him, too ; and he is to die before me. That is 
 what I am called upon to witness. Fiends ! 
 I shall not gratify them by looking at it. 
 No ! I shall remain where I am."
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 165 
 
 He threw himself once more prostrate 
 along the banquctn, determined to remain in 
 that position, lie muttered at intervals : 
 
 "Poor Don Juan! a true friend to 
 death aye, even to death, for it is for me he 
 dies for me, and oh ! love love " 
 
 His reflections were brought to a sudden 
 termination. The window was darkened by a 
 face, and a rough voice called in : 
 
 " llola ! Carlos, you butcher of buffaloes ! 
 look forth ! Carajo ! here's a sight for you ! 
 Look at your old witch of a mother ! What 
 a figure she cuts ! Ha ! ha !" 
 
 The sting of a poisonous reptile a blow 
 from an enemy could not have roused Carlos 
 more rapidly from his prostrate attitude. As 
 he sprang to an upright position, the fasten- 
 ings upon his ankles were forgotten ; and, 
 after staggering half across the floor, he 
 down upon his knees.
 
 166 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 A second effort was made with more 
 caution, and this time he succeeded in keep- 
 ing his feet. A few moments sufficed for him 
 to work himself up to the banqueta; and, 
 having mounted this, he applied his face to 
 the embrasure and looked forth. 
 
 His eyes rested upon a scene that caused 
 the blood to curdle in his veins, and startled 
 the sweat in bead-drops over his forehead. 
 A scene that filled his heart with horror, 
 that caused him to feel as if some hand was 
 clutching and compressing it between fingers 
 of iron !
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 THE Piazza was partially cleared the open 
 space guarded by lines of soldiers. The 
 crowds, closely packed, stood along the sides 
 of the houses, or filled the balconies and 
 azoteas. The officers, alcalde, magistrates, 
 and principal men of the town, were grouped 
 near the centre of the Piazza. Most of these 
 wore official costumes, and, under other cir- 
 cumstances, the eyes of the crowd would have 
 1 been upon them. Not so now. There was 
 a group more attractive than they a group 
 upon which every eye was gazing with intense 
 interest. 
 
 This group occupied a corner of the Plma
 
 168 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 in front of the Calabozo, directly in front 
 of the window from which Carlos looked, out. 
 It was the first thing upon which his eyes 
 rested. He saw no more he saw not the 
 crowd, nor the line of soldiers that penned 
 it back he saw not the gaudy gentry in the 
 square ; he saw only that group of beings 
 before him. That was enough to keep his 
 eyes from wandering. 
 
 The group was thus composed. There 
 were two asses small shaggy brown animals, 
 caparisoned in a covering of coarse black 
 serge, that hung nearly to their feet. Each 
 had a coarse hair halter held in the hand of 
 a lepero driver, also fantastically dressed in 
 the same black stuff. Behind each stood a 
 lepero similarly attired, and carrying " cuartos" 
 of buffalo-skin. By the side of each ass was 
 one of the padre's of the mission, and each 
 of these held in his hand the implements of
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 169 
 
 his trade book, rosary, and crucifix. The 
 priests wore an official look. They were in 
 the act of officiating. At what ? Listen ! 
 
 The asses were mounted. On the back of 
 each was a form a human form. These 
 sat not freely, but in constrained attitudes. 
 The feet were drawn underneath by cords 
 passed around the ankles; and, to a sort of 
 wooden yoke around the necks of the animals, 
 the hands of the riders were tied so as to 
 bring their backs into a slanting position. 
 In this way their heads hung down, and their 
 faces, turned to the wall, could not yet be seen 
 by the crowd. 
 
 Both were nude to the waist, and below 
 it. The eye needed but one glance at those 
 forms to tell they were women ! The long 
 loose hair in the one grey, in the other 
 golden shrouding their cheeks, and hamnpg 
 over the necks of the animals, was further
 
 170 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 proof of this. For one it was not needed. 
 The outlines were those of a Venus. A 
 sculptor's eye could not have detected a fault. 
 In the form of the other, age had traced its 
 marks. It was furrowed, angled, lean, and 
 harsh to the eye of the observer. 
 
 Oh, God ! what a sight for the eye of 
 Carlos the cibolero ! Those involuntary riders 
 were his mother and sister ! 
 
 And just at that moment his eye rested 
 upon them aye, and recognised them at a 
 glance. 
 
 An arrow passing through his heart could 
 not have inflicted keener pain. A sharp, 
 half-stifled scream escaped his lips the only 
 sign of suffering the ear might detect. He 
 was silent from that moment. His hard quick 
 breathing alone told that he lived. He did 
 not faint or fall. He did not retreat from the 
 window. He stood like a statue in the posi-
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 171 
 
 tion he had first taken, hugging the wall with 
 his breast, to steady himself. His eyes re- 
 mained fixed on the group, and fixed too in 
 their sockets, as if glued there ! 
 
 Roblado and Vizcarra, in the centre of the 
 square, enjoyed their triumph. They saw 
 him at the embrasure. He saw not them. 
 He had for the moment forgotten that they 
 existed. 
 
 At a signal the bell rang in the tower of 
 the paroquia, and then ceased. This was the 
 cue for commencing the horrid ceremony. 
 
 The black drivers led their animals from 
 the wall, and heading them in a direction 
 parallel to one side of the Piazza, stood still. 
 The faces of the women were now turned 
 partially to the crowd, but their dishevelled 
 hair sufficiently concealed them. 
 
 The padre's approached. Each selected
 
 172 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 They mumbled a few unintelligible phrases in 
 the ears of their victims, nourished the crucifix 
 before their faces, and then retiring a step, 
 muttered some directions to the two ruffians 
 in the rear. 
 
 These with ready alacrity took up their 
 cue, gathered the thick ends of their cuartos 
 around their wrists, and plied the lash upon 
 the naked backs of the women. The strokes 
 were deliberate and measured they were 
 counted ! Each seemed to leave its separate 
 wale upon the skin. Upon the younger 
 female they were more conspicuous not that 
 they had been delivered with greater seve- 
 rity, but upon the softer, whiter, and more 
 tender skin, the purple lines appeared plainer 
 by contrast. 
 
 Strange that neither cried out. The girl 
 writhed, and uttered a low whimpering, but
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 173 
 
 no scream escaped her lips. As for the old 
 woman, she remained quite motionless no 
 sign told that she suffered ! 
 
 When ten lashes each had been adminis- 
 tered, a voice from the centre of the Piazza 
 cried out, 
 
 " Basta por la nitia f" (Enough for the 
 girl.) 
 
 The crowd echoed this ; and he, whose 
 office it was to flog the younger female, rolled 
 up his cuarto and desisted. The other went 
 on, until twenty-five lashes were told off 
 
 A band of music now struck up. The 
 asses were led along the side of the square, 
 and halted at the next corner. 
 
 The music stopped. The padres again 
 went through their mumbling ceremony. The 
 executioners performed their part only one 
 of them this time as by the voice of the 
 crowd the younger female was sparedihe
 
 174 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 lash, though she was still kept in her de- 
 graded and shameful position. 
 
 The full measure of twenty-five stripes 
 was administered to the other, and then again 
 the music, and the procession moved on to the 
 third angle of the Piazza. 
 
 Here the horrid torture was repeated, and 
 again at the fourth and last corner of the 
 square, where the hundred lashes the full 
 number decreed as the punishment were 
 completed. 
 
 # * * * 
 
 The ceremony was over. The crowd 
 gathered around the victims who, now re- 
 leased from official keeping, were left to 
 themselves. 
 
 The feeling of the crowd was curiosity, not 
 sympathy. Notwithstanding all that had 
 passed before their eyes, there was but little 
 sympathy in the hearts of that rabble.
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 175 
 
 Fanaticism is stronger than pity ; and who 
 cared for the witch and the heretic? 
 
 Yes there were some who cared yet. 
 There were hands that unbound the cords, 
 and chafed the brows of the sufferers, and 
 flung rebosos over their shoulders and poured 
 water into the lips of those silent victims 
 silent, for both had fainted ! 
 
 A rude carreta was there. How it came 
 there, no one knew or cared. It was getting 
 dusk, and people, having satisfied their curi- 
 osity, and hungry from long fasting, were 
 falling off to their homes. The brawny driver 
 of the carreta, directed by a young girl, and 
 aided by two or three dusky Indians, lifted the 
 sufferers into his vehicle, and then mounting 
 himself, drove off j while the young girl, and 
 two or three who had assisted him, followed 
 the vehicle. 
 
 It cleared the suburbs, and striking i
 
 176 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 bye-road that traversed the chapparal, arrived 
 at a lone rancho, the same where Rosita had 
 been taken before for it was Josefa, who 
 again carried her away. 
 
 The sufferers were taken inside the house. 
 It was soon perceived that one no longer 
 suffered. The daughter was restored to con- 
 sciousness, only to see that that of her mother 
 had for ever fled ! 
 
 Her temples were chafed her lips moist- 
 ened her hand pressed in vain. The wild 
 utterance of a daughter's grief fell unheard 
 upon her ears. Death had carried her spirit 
 to another world.
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 FROM the embrasure of his prison Carlos 
 looked upon the terrible spectacle. We have 
 said that he regarded it in silence. Not 
 exactly so. Now and then, as the blood- 
 stained lash fell heavier than usual, a low 
 groan escaped him the involuntary utterance 
 of agony extreme. 
 
 His looks more than his voice betrayed 
 the fearful fire that was burning within. 
 Those who by chance or curiosity glanced 
 into the embrasure were appalled by the ex- 
 pression of that face. Its muscles were rigid 
 and swollen, the eyes were fixed and ringjejj, 
 with purple, the teeth firmly set, the lips drawn 
 
 VOL. III. N
 
 178 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 tight over them, and large sweat-drops glis- 
 tened upon the forehead. No red showed 
 upon the cheeks, nor any part of the face not 
 a trace to tell that blood circulated there. 
 Pale as death was that face, and motionless 
 as marble. 
 
 From his position Carlos could see but 
 two angles of the Piazza that where the 
 cruel scene had its commencement, and that 
 where the second portion was administered. 
 The procession then passed out of sight ; but 
 though his eyes were no longer tortured by 
 the horrid spectacle, there was but little relief 
 in that. He knew it continued all the same. 
 
 He remained no longer by the window. 
 A resolve carried him from it, the resolve of 
 self-destruction ! 
 
 His agony was complete. He could 
 endure it no longer. Death would relieve 
 him, and upon death he was determined.
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 179 
 
 But how to die? 
 
 He had no weapon ; and even if he had, 
 pinioned as he was, he could not have used it. 
 
 But one mode seemed possible. To dash 
 his head against the wall! 
 
 A glance at the soft mason- work of adobes 
 convinced him that this would not effect his 
 purpose. By such an effort he might stun, 
 but not kill himself. He would wake again 
 to horrid life. 
 
 His eyes swept the cell in search of some 
 mode of self-destruction. 
 
 A beam traversed the apartment. It was 
 high enough to hang the tallest man. With 
 his hands free, and a cord in them, it would 
 do. There was cord enough on them for the 
 purpose, for they were bound by several varas 
 of a raw-hide thong. 
 
 To the fastenings his attention was npjL, 
 directed ; when, to his surprise and delight, he
 
 180 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 perceived that the thong had become slack 
 and loose ! The hot sweat, pouring from his 
 hands and wrists, had saturated the raw-hide, 
 causing it to melt and yield ; and his despe- 
 rate exertions, made mechanically under the 
 influence of agony and half-madness, had 
 stretched it for inches ! A slight examination of 
 the fastenings convinced him of the possibility 
 of his undoing them ; and to this he applied 
 himself with all the strength and energy of 
 a desperate man. Had his hands been tied 
 in front, he might have used his teeth in the 
 endeavour to set them free ; but they were 
 bound fast together across his back. He 
 pulled and wrenched them with ah 1 his 
 strength. 
 
 If there is a people in the world who 
 understand better than any other the use of 
 ropes or thongs, that people is the Spanish- 
 American. The Indian must yield to them
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 181 
 
 in this knowledge, and even the habile sailor 
 makes but a clumsy knot in comparison. No 
 people so well understand how to bind a 
 captive without iron, and the captive outlaw 
 had been tied to perfection. 
 
 But neither ropes of hemp nor hide will 
 secure a man of superior strength and reso- 
 lution. Give such an one but time to operate, 
 and he will be certain to free himself. Carlos 
 knew that he needed but time. 
 
 The effect produced by the moistening of 
 the raw-hide was such, that short time sufficed. 
 In less than ten minutes it slipped from his 
 wrists, and his hands were free! 
 
 He drew the thong through his fingers to 
 clear it of loops and snarls. He fashioned 
 one end into a noose ; and, mounting upon the 
 banqueta, knotted the other over the beam. 
 He then placed the noose around his naked 
 throat calculating the height at whidr it
 
 182 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 should hang when drawn taut by the weight 
 of his body ! and, placing himself on the 
 elevated edge of the banqueta, he was pre- 
 pared to spring out 
 
 " Let me look on them once more before I 
 die poor victims ! once more 
 
 The position he occupied was nearly in 
 front of the embrasure, and he had only to 
 lean a little to one side to get a view of the 
 Piazza. He did so. 
 
 He could not see them ; but he saw that 
 the attention of the crowd was directed 
 toward that angle of the square adjacent to 
 the Calabozo. The horrid ceremony would 
 soon be over. Perhaps they would then be 
 carried within sight. He would wait for the 
 moment, it would be his last 
 
 " Ha ! what is that ? Oh God ! it is " 
 
 He heard the " weep " of the keen cuarto 
 as it cut the air. He thought, or fancied, he
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 183 
 
 heard a low moan. The silence of the crowd 
 enabled him to distinguish the slightest 
 sounds. 
 
 " God of mercy, is there no mercy ? God 
 of vengeance, hear me ! Ha ! vengeance ! 
 what am I dreaming of, suicidal fool? 
 What! my hands free can I not break the 
 door? the lock? I can but die upon their 
 weapons ! and maybe " 
 
 He had flung the noose from his neck, and 
 
 was about to turn away from the window, 
 
 when a heavy object struck him on the 
 
 forehead, almost stunning him with the blow ! 
 
 At first he thought it was a stone from the 
 hand of some ruffian without ; but the object 
 in falling upon the banqueta, gave out a dull 
 metallic clink. He looked down, and in the 
 dim light could make out that the thing 
 which had struck him was of an oblong shape. 
 He bent hastily forward, and clutched it.
 
 184 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 It was a parcel, wrapped in a piece of silken 
 scarf and tied securely. The string was soon 
 unfastened, and the contents of the parcel 
 held up to the light. These were a roleau of 
 gold onzas, a long bladed knife, and a folded 
 sheet of paper ! 
 
 The last occupied his attention first. The 
 sun was down, and the light declining, but in 
 front of the window there was still enough 
 to enable him to read. He opened the paper 
 and read : 
 
 " Your time is fxed for to-morrow. I 
 cannot learn whether you will be kept where 
 you are all night, or be taken back to the 
 Presidio. If you remain in the Calabozo, 
 well. I send you two weapons. Use which 
 you please, or both. The walls can be 
 pierced. There will be one outside who will 
 conduct you safe. Should you be taken to 
 the Presidio, you must endeavour to escape
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 185 
 
 on the way, or there is no hope. I need not 
 recommend courage and resolution to you the 
 per son if cation of both. Make for the rancho 
 of Jowfa. There you will find one who is 
 now ready to share your perils and your liberty. 
 Adieu! my soul's hero, adieu!" 
 
 No name appeared. But Carlos needed 
 none be well knew who was the writer of 
 that note. 
 
 " Brave, noble girl ! " he muttered as he 
 concealed the paper under the breast of his 
 hunting-shirt, "the thought of living for you 
 fills me with fresh hope gives me new nerve 
 for the struggle. If I die, it will not be by 
 the hands of the garrotero. No, my hands 
 are free. They shall not be bound again 
 while life remains. I shall yield only to 
 death itself." 
 
 As the captive muttered these thoagnts 
 he sat down upon the banqueta, and hurriedly
 
 186 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 untied the thongs that up to this time had 
 remained upon his ankles. This done, he 
 rose to his feet again; and, with the long 
 knife firmly clutched, strode up and down 
 the cell, glancing fiercely towards the door 
 at each turning. He had resolved to run the 
 gauntlet of his guards, and by his manner 
 it was evident he had made up his mind to 
 attack the first of them that entered. 
 
 For several minutes he paced his cell, 
 like a tiger within its cage. 
 
 At length a thought seemed to suggest 
 itself that caused a change in his manner, sud- 
 den and decided. He gathered up the thongs 
 just cast off; and, seating himself upon the 
 banqueta, once more wound them around his 
 ankles but this time in such a fashion, that 
 a single jerk upon a cunningly-contrived knot 
 would set all free. The knife was hidden 
 under his hunting-shirt, where the purse had
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 187 
 
 been already deposited. Last of all, he un- 
 loosed the raw-hide rope from the beam, and 
 meeting his hands behind him, whipped it 
 around both wrists, until they had the appear- 
 ance of being securely spliced. He then as- 
 sumed a reclining attitude along the banqueta, 
 with his face turned towards the door, and 
 remained motionless as though he were asleep !
 
 CHAPTER XVIL 
 
 IN our land of cold impulses of love cal- 
 culating and interested we cannot under- 
 stand, and scarcely credit, the deeds of reckless 
 daring that in other climes have their origin 
 in that strong passion. 
 
 Among Spanish women love often attains 
 a strength and sublimity, utterly unfelt and 
 unknown to nations who mix it up with their 
 merchandise. With those highly-developed 
 dames it often becomes a true passion un- 
 selfish, headlong, intense usurping the place 
 of every other, and filling the measure of the 
 soul. Filial affection domestic ties moral 
 and social duty must yield. Love triumphs 
 over all.
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 189 
 
 Of such a nature of such intensity was 
 the love that burned in the heart of Catalina 
 de Cruces. 
 
 Filial affection had been weighed against it; 
 rank, fortune, and many other considerations, 
 had been thrown into the scale. Love out- 
 balanced them all; and, obedient to its im- 
 pulse, she had resolved to fling all the rest 
 behind her. 
 
 It was nearing the hour of midnight, and 
 the mansion of Don Ambrosio was dark and 
 silent. Its master was not at home. A 
 grand banquet had been provided at the 
 Presidio by Vizcarra and Roblado, to which 
 all the grandees of the settlement had been* 
 invited. Don Ambrosio was among the num- 
 ber. At this hour he was at the Presidio, 
 feasting and making merry. 
 
 It was not a ladies' festival, therefore 
 Catalina was not there. It was, indeed, rather
 
 190 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 an extemporised affair a sort of jubilee to 
 wind up the performances of the day. The 
 officers and priests were in high spirits, and 
 had put their heads together in getting up the 
 improvised banquet. 
 
 The town had become silent, and the 
 mansion of Don Ambrosio showed not a 
 sign of life. The portero still lingered by the 
 great gate, waiting his master's return ; but 
 he sat inside upon the banqueta of the saguan, 
 and seemed to be asleep. 
 
 He was watched by those who wished him 
 to sleep on. 
 
 The large door of the caballeriza was open. 
 Within the framework of the posts and lintels 
 the form of a man could be distinguished. It 
 was the groom Andres. 
 
 There was no light in the stable. Had 
 there been so, four horses might have been 
 seen standing in their stalls, saddled and
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 191 
 
 bridled. A still stranger circumstance might 
 have been observed around the hoofs of 
 each horse were wrapped pieces of coarse 
 woollen cloth, that were drawn up and fastened 
 around the ankles! There was some design 
 in this. 
 
 The door of the caballeriza was not visible 
 from the saguan; but at intervals the figure 
 within the stable came forth, and, skulking 
 along, peeped around the angle of the wall. 
 The portero was evidently the object of his 
 scrutiny. Having listened a while, the figure 
 again returned to its place in the dark 
 doorway, and stood as before. 
 
 Up to a certain time a tiny ray of light 
 could be detected stealing through the cur- 
 tains of a chamber- door the chamber of 
 the Sefiorita. All at once the light silently 
 disappeared ; but a few moments after, the
 
 1 92 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 door opened noiselessly. A female figure 
 glided softly forth, and turned along under 
 the shadow of the wall, in the direction of 
 the caballeriza. On reaching the open door- 
 way she stopped, and called in a low 
 voice : 
 
 "Andres!" 
 
 " Agui, Senorita" answered the groom, 
 stepping a little more into the light. 
 
 "All saddled?" 
 
 "Si, Senorita." 
 
 "You have muffled their hoofs?" 
 
 " Every one, Senorita." 
 
 "Oh! what shall we do with him?" 
 continued the lady in a tone of distress, and 
 pointing toward the saguan. " We shall not 
 be able to pass out before papa returns, and 
 then it may be too late. Santissima!" 
 " Seiiorita, why not serve the portero as
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 193 
 
 I have done the girl ? I'm strong enough 
 for that." 
 
 " Oh, Vicenza ! how have you secured her ?" 
 " In the garden-house, tied, gagged, and 
 locked up. I warrant she'll not turn up 
 till somebody finds her. No fear of her, 
 Senorita. I'll do the same for the portero, if 
 you but say the word." 
 
 " No no no ! who would open the 
 gate for papa ? No no no ! it would not 
 do." She reflected. "And yet if he gets 
 out before the horses are ready, they will 
 soon miss pursue overtake him. He will 
 get out, I am sure of it. How long would it 
 occupy him ? not long. He will easily undo 
 his cord fastenings. I know that he once 
 said he could. Oh, holy Virgin ! he may now 
 be free, and waiting for me ! I must haste 
 the portero Ha ! " 
 
 VOL. III.
 
 194 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 As she uttered this exclamation she turned 
 suddenly to Andres. A new plan seemed to 
 have suggested itself. 
 
 " Andres ! good Andres ! listen ! We 
 shall manage it yet!" 
 
 " Si, Senorita." 
 
 "Thus, then. Lead the horses out the 
 back way, through the garden can you 
 swim them across the stream?" 
 
 "Nothing easier, my lady." 
 
 " Good ! Through the garden take them 
 then. Stay!" 
 
 At this she cast her eyes toward the en- 
 trance of the long alley leading to the garden, 
 which was directly opposite to, and visible 
 from, the saguan. Unless the portero were 
 asleep, he could not fail to see four horses pass- 
 ing out in that way dark as was the night. 
 Here, then, a new difficulty presented itself.
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 195 
 
 Suddenly starting, she seemed to have 
 thought of a way to overcome it. 
 
 " Andres, it will do. You go to the 
 saguan. See whether he be asleep. Go up 
 boldly. If asleep, well; if not, enter into 
 conversation with him. Get him to open 
 the little door and let you out. Wile him 
 upon the street, and by some means keep 
 him there. / shall lead out the horses." 
 
 This was plausible, and the groom pre- 
 pared himself for a strategic encounter with 
 the portero. 
 
 "When sufficient time has elapsed, steal 
 after me to the garden. See that you manage 
 well, Andres. I shall double your reward. 
 You go with me you have nothing to fear." 
 
 "Senorita, I am ready to lay down my 
 life for you." 
 
 Gold is powerful. Gold had won the 
 stout Andres to a fealty stronger than friends
 
 196 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 ship. For gold he was ready to strangle the 
 portero on the spot. 
 
 The latter was not asleep only dozing, as 
 a Spanish portero knows how. Andres put the 
 stratagem in practice, he offered a cigar ; and 
 in a few minutes time his unsuspicious fellow- 
 servant stepped with him through the gate, 
 and both stood smoking outside. 
 
 Catalina judged their situation by the 
 hum of their voices. She entered the dark 
 stable; and gliding to the head of one of the 
 horses, caught the bridle, and led the animal 
 forth. A few moments sufficed to conduct it 
 to the garden, where she knotted the reins to 
 a tree. 
 
 She then returned for the second, and the 
 third, and the fourth and last all of which 
 she secured as she had done the first. 
 
 Once more she went back to the patio. 
 This time only to shut the stable-door, and
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 197 
 
 lock that of her own chamber ; and, having 
 secured both, she cast a look towards the 
 saguan, and then glided back into the garden. 
 Here she mounted her own horse, took the 
 bridle of another in her hand, and sat waiting. 
 
 She had not long to wait. Andres had 
 well calculated his time, for in a few minutes 
 he appeared in the entrance; and, having 
 closed the gate behind him, joined his 
 mistress. 
 
 The ruse had succeeded admirably. The 
 portero suspected nothing. Andres had bidden 
 him " buenas nochcs," at the same time ex- 
 pressing his intention of going to bed. 
 
 Don Ainbrosio might now return when he 
 pleased. He would retire to his sleeping-room 
 as was his wont. He would not know before 
 morning the loss he had sustained. 
 
 The mufflings were now removed from the 
 feet of the horses, and plunging as silently as
 
 198 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 possible into the water, the four were guided 
 across the stream. Having ascended the 
 opposite bank, they were first headed towards 
 the cliffs, but before they had proceeded far in 
 that direction, they turned into a path of the 
 chapparal leading downward. This path would 
 conduct them to the rancho of Josefa.
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 FROM the position he occupied, Carlos did not 
 fail to observe the outlines of his prison, and 
 search for that point that might be pierced 
 with least trouble. He saw that the walls 
 were of adobe bricks strong enough to 
 shut in an ordinary malefactor, but easily cut 
 through by a man armed with the proper tool, 
 and the determination to set himself free. 
 Two hours' work would suffice, but how to 
 work that two hours without being interrupted 
 and detected? That was the question that 
 occupied the mind of the captive. 
 
 One thing was very evident; it would be
 
 200 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 unwise to commence operations before a late 
 hour until the relief of the guard. 
 
 Carlos had well calculated his measures. 
 He had determined to remain as he was, and 
 keep up the counterfeit of his being fast 
 bound until such time as the guard should 
 be changed. He knew that it was the duty 
 of the old guard to deliver him to the relief; 
 and these would assure themselves of his being 
 in the cell by ocular inspection. He guessed 
 that the hour of guard mounting must be 
 near. He would, therefore, not have long to 
 wait before the new sentries should present 
 themselves in his cell. 
 
 One thought troubled him. Would they 
 keep him in the Calabozo that night, or take 
 him back to the Presidio for better security ? 
 If the latter, his only chance would be as she 
 had suggested to make a desperate effort, and 
 escape on the route. Once lodged in the
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 201 
 
 guard-house prison, he would be surrounded 
 by walls of stone. There would be no hope 
 of cutting his way through them. 
 
 It was probable enough he should be 
 taken there ; and yet why should they fear his 
 escape from the Calabo/o fast bound as 
 they believed him unarmed, guarded by 
 vigilant sentinels? No. They would not 
 dream of his getting off. Besides, it would 
 be more convenient to keep him all night in 
 the latter prison. It was close to the place 
 of his intended execution, which no doubt was 
 to take place on the morrow. The garotta had 
 been already erected in front of his gaol ! 
 
 Partly influenced by such considerations, 
 and partly that they were occupied with plea- 
 santer matters, the authorities had resolved 
 on leaving him where he was for the night, 
 though Carlos was ignorant of this. 
 
 He had, however, prepared himself for
 
 202 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 either contingency. Should they convey him 
 back to the Presidio, he would seek the best 
 opportunity that offered, and risk his life in a 
 bold effort to escape. Should he be permitted 
 to remain in the Calabozo, he would wait till 
 the guard had visited him then set to work 
 upon the wall after they had gone out. In 
 the event of being detected while at work, 
 but one course remained, run the gauntlet 
 of the guard, and cut his way through 
 their midst. 
 
 His escape was not an affair of such im- 
 probability. A determined man with a long 
 knife in his grasp one who will yield only 
 to death is a difficult thing to secure under 
 any circumstances. Such an one will often 
 effect his freedom, even when hemmed in by a 
 host of enemies. With Carlos, however, the 
 probabilities of escape were much greater. He 
 was individually strong and brave, while
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 208 
 
 most of his enemies were physically but 
 pigmies in comparison. As to their courage, 
 he knew that once they saw him with his hands 
 free and armed, they would make way for 
 him on all sides. What he had most to fear 
 was the bullets of their carbines ; but he had 
 much to hope from their want of skill, and the 
 darkness would favour him. 
 
 For more than an hour he lay along the 
 banqueta, turning over in his mind the chances 
 of regaining his liberty. His reflections were 
 interrupted by an unusual stir outside his 
 prison. A fresh batch of soldiers had ar- 
 rived at the door. 
 
 Carlos' heart beat anxiously. Was it a 
 party come to conduct him to the Presidio ? 
 It might be so. He waited with painful 
 impatience listening to every word. 
 
 To his great joy it proved to be the arrival 
 of the relief-guard; and he had the satis-
 
 204 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 faction of hearing, by their conversation, that 
 they had been detailed to guard him all 
 night in the Calabozo. This was just the 
 very thing he desired to know. 
 
 Presently the door was unlocked, and 
 opened, and several of the men entered. 
 One bore a lanthorn. With this they 
 examined him uttering coarse and insulting 
 remarks as they stood around. They saw that 
 he was securely bound! After a while all 
 went out and left him to himself. The door 
 was of course relocked, and the cell was again 
 in perfect darkness. 
 
 Carlos lay still for a few minutes, to assure 
 himself they were not going to return. He 
 heard them place the sentries by the door, 
 and then the voices of the greater number 
 seemed borne off to some distance. 
 
 Now was the time to begin his work. 
 He hastily cast the cords from his hands and
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 205 
 
 feet, drew the long knife from his breast, and 
 attacked the adobe wall. 
 
 The spot he had chosen was at the corner 
 farthest from the door, and at the back side 
 of the cell. He knew not what was the 
 nature of the ground on the other side, but 
 it seemed most likely that which would lie to- 
 wards the open country. The Calabozo was no 
 fortress-prison a mere temporary affair, used 
 by the municipal authorities for malefactors of 
 the smaller kind. So much the better for 
 his chances of breaking it. 
 
 The wall yielded easily to his knife. The 
 adobe is but dry mud, toughened by an 
 admixture of grass ; and although the bricks 
 were laid to the thickness of twenty inches or 
 more, in the space of an hour Carlos suc- 
 ceeded in cutting a hole large enough to pass 
 through. He could have accomplished 
 this feat in still shorter time, but he was
 
 206 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 compelled to work with caution, and as 
 silently as possibly. Twice he fancied that 
 his guards were about to enter the cell, and 
 both times he had sprung to his feet, and 
 stood, knife in hand, ready to assail them. 
 Fortunately his fancies were without foun- 
 dation. No one entered until the hole was 
 made, and the captive had the satisfaction to 
 feel the cold air rushing through the aperture ! 
 
 He stopped his work and listened. There 
 was no sound on that side of the prison. 
 All was silence and darkness. He pressed 
 his head forward, and peered through. The 
 night was dark, but he could see weeds and 
 wild cactus plants growing close to the wall. 
 Good ! There were no signs of life there. 
 
 He widened the aperture to the size of his 
 body, and crawled through, knife in hand. 
 He raised himself gradually and silently. 
 Nothing but tall rank weeds, cactus plants, and
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 207 
 
 aloes. He was behind the range of the dwell- 
 ings. He was in the common. He was free ! 
 
 He started towards the open country 
 skulking under the shadow of the brush- 
 wood. A form rose before him, as if 
 out of the earth, and a voice softly pro- 
 nounced his name. He recognised the 
 girl Josefa. A word or two was exchanged, 
 when the girl beckoned him to follow, and 
 silently led the way. 
 
 They entered the chapparal, and following 
 a narrow path, succeeded in getting round 
 the village. On the other side lay the rancho, 
 and in half-an-hour's time they arrived at 
 and entered the humble dwelling. 
 
 In the next moment Carlos was bending 
 over the corpse of his mother ! 
 
 There was no shock in this encounter. 
 He had been half prepared for such an event. 
 Besides* his nerves had been already strained
 
 208 THE WHITE CHIEF; 
 
 to their utmost by the spectacle of the 
 morning. Sorrow may sometimes eclipse 
 sorrow, and drive it from the heart; but 
 that agony which he had already endured 
 could not be supplanted by a greater. The 
 nerve of grief had been touched with such 
 severity that it could vibrate no longer ! 
 
 Beside him was one who offered con- 
 solation she his noble preserver. 
 
 But it was no hour for idle grief. Carlos 
 kissed the cold lips hastily embraced his 
 weeping sister his love. 
 
 "The horses?" he inquired. 
 
 " They are close at hand among the 
 trees ! " 
 
 " Come, then ! we must not lose a mo- 
 ment we must go hence Come ! " 
 
 As he uttered these words, he wrapped 
 the scrape around the corpse, lifted it in his 
 arms, and passed out of the rancho.
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 209 
 
 The others had already preceded him to 
 the spot where the horses were concealed. 
 
 Carlos saw that there were five of these 
 animals. A gleam of joy shot from his eyes 
 as he recognised his noble steed. Antonio 
 had recovered him. Antonio was there, on 
 the spot. 
 
 All were soon in the saddles. Two of 
 the horses carried Rosita and Cataliua ; the 
 other two were ridden by Antonio and the 
 groom Andres. The cibolero himself, carry- 
 ing his strange burden, once more sprang 
 upon the back of his faithful steed. 
 
 "Down the valley, master?" inquired 
 Antonio. 
 
 Carlos hesitated a moment, as if deli- 
 berating. 
 
 "No," replied he at length. "They 
 would follow us that way. By the pass of 
 La Nina. They will not suspect us of taking 
 
 VOL. in. . ?
 
 210 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 the cliff road. Lead on, Antonio ! the 
 chapparal path you know it best. On!" 
 
 The cavalcade started, and in a few 
 minutes had passed the borders of the town, 
 and was winding its way through the devious 
 path that led to the pass of La Nina. No 
 words were exchanged, or only a whisper, as 
 the horses in single file followed one another 
 through the chapparal. 
 
 An hour's silent travel brought them to 
 the pass, up which they filed without halting 
 till they had reached the top of the ravine. 
 Here Carlos rode to the front, and directing 
 Antonio to guide the others straight across 
 the table-land, remained himself behind. 
 
 As soon as the rest were gone past, he 
 wheeled his horse, and rode direct for the 
 cliff of La Nina. Having reached the ex- 
 tremity of the bluff, he halted at a point 
 that commanded a full view of San Ilde-
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 211 
 
 fonso. In the sombre darkness of night the 
 valley seemed but the vast crater of an ex- 
 tinct volcano; and the lights, glittering in 
 the town and the Presidio, resembled the 
 last sparks of flaming lava that had not yet 
 died out ! 
 
 The horse stood still. The rider raised 
 the corpse upon his arm; and, baring the 
 pale face, turned it in the direction of the 
 lights. 
 
 "Mother! mother!" he broke forth, in 
 a voice hoarse with grief. " Oh ! that those 
 eyes could see that those ears could hear! 
 If but for a moment, one short moment 
 that you might bear witness to my vow ! 
 Here do I swear that you shall be revenged ! 
 From this hour I yield up my strength, my 
 time, my soul and body, to the accomplish- 
 ment of vengeance. Vengeance ! why do I 
 use the word? It is not vengeance, but
 
 212 THE WHITE CHltfF. 
 
 justice justice upon the perpetrators of the 
 foulest murder the world has ever recorded. 
 But it shall not go unpunished. Spirit of 
 iny mother, hear me ! It shall not. Your 
 death shall be avenged your torture shall 
 have full retribution. Rejoice, you ruffian 
 crew ! feast, and be merry, for your time of 
 sorrow will soon come sooner than you 
 think for ! I go, but to return. Have 
 patience you shall see me again. Yes ! 
 once more you shall stand face to face with 
 Carlos the cibolero ! " 
 
 He raised his right arm, and held it 
 outstretched in a menacing attitude, while 
 a gleam of vengeful triumph passed over 
 his countenance. His horse, as if actuated 
 by a similar impulse, neighed wildly; and 
 then wheeling round at a signal from his 
 rider, galloped away from the cliff!
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 AFTER having witnessed the disgusting cere- 
 mony in the Piazza, the officers returned to 
 their quarters at the Presidio. 
 
 As already stated, they did not return 
 alone. The principal men of the place had 
 been invited to dine with them cura, padres, 
 alcalde, and all. The capture of the outlaw 
 was a theme of public gratulation and re- 
 joicing ; and the Commandante and his captain 
 to whom was due the credit were deter- 
 mined to rejoice. To that end the banquet 
 was spread at the Presidio. 
 
 It was not thought worth while to remove 
 Carlos to the soldiers' prison. lie could
 
 214 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 remain all night in the Calabozo. Fast 
 bound and well guarded as he was, there 
 was not the slightest danger of him making 
 his escape. 
 
 To-morrow would be the last day of his 
 life. To-morrow his foes should have the 
 pleasure of seeing him die to-morrow the 
 Commandante and Roblado would enjoy their 
 full measure of vengeance. 
 
 Even that day Vizcarra had enjoyed part of 
 his. For the scorn with which he had been 
 treated he had revenged himself though it 
 was he who from the centre of the Piazza had 
 cried " Basta!" It was not mercy that had 
 caused him to interfere. His words were not 
 prompted by motives of humanity far other- 
 wise. 
 
 His designs were vile and brutal. To- 
 morrow the brother would be put out of the 
 way, and then
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 215 
 
 The wine the music the jest the loud 
 laugh all could not drown some bitter re- 
 flections. Ever and anon the mirror upon the 
 wall threw back his dark face spoiled and 
 distorted. His success had been dearly pur- 
 chased his was a sorry triumph. 
 
 It prospered better with Roblado. Don 
 Ambrosio was one of the guests, and sat 
 beside him. 
 
 The wine had loosened the heart-strings of 
 the miner. He was communicative and 
 liberal of his promises. His daughter, he 
 said, had repented of her folly, and now 
 looked with indifference upon the fate of 
 Carlos. Roblado might hope. 
 
 It is probable that Don Arabrosio had 
 reasons for believing what he said. It is pro- 
 bable that Catalina had thrown out such hints, 
 the better to conceal her desperate design. 
 
 The wine flowed freely, and the guests of
 
 216 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 the Commandante revelled under its influence. 
 There were toasts, and songs, and patriotic 
 speeches ; and the hour of midnight arrived 
 before the company was half satiated with 
 enjoyment. 
 
 In the midst of their carousal, a proposal 
 was volunteered by some one, that the out- 
 law Carlos should be brought in ! Odd as 
 was this proposition, it exactly suited the half- 
 drunken revellers. Many were curious to 
 have a good sight of the cibolero now so 
 celebrated a personage. 
 
 The proposal was backed by many voices, 
 and the Commandante pressed to yield to it. 
 
 Vizcarra had no objection to gratify his 
 guests. Both he and Roblado rather liked 
 the idea. It would be a further humiliation 
 of their hated enemy. 
 
 Enough. Sergeant Gomez was summoned, 
 the cibolero sent for, and the revelry went on.
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 217 
 
 But that revelry was soon after brought to 
 a sudden termination, when Sergeant Gomez 
 burst into the saloon, and announced in a 
 loud voice that 
 
 The prisoner had escaped! 
 
 A shell dropping into the midst of that 
 company could not have scattered it more 
 completely. All sprang to their feet chairs 
 and tables went tumbling over glasses and 
 bottles were dashed to the floor, and the 
 utmost confusion ensued. 
 
 The guests soon cleared themselves of the 
 room. Some ran direct to their houses to 
 see if their families were safe; while others 
 made their way to the Calabozo to assure 
 themselves of the truth of the sergeant's 
 report. 
 
 Vizcarra and Roblado were in a state 
 bordering upon madness. Both stormed and
 
 218 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 swore, at the same time ordering the whole 
 garrison under arms. 
 
 In a few minutes nearly every soldier of 
 the Presidio had vaulted to his saddle, and 
 was galloping in the direction of the town. 
 
 The Calabozo was surrounded. 
 
 There was the hole through which the 
 captive had got off. How had he unbound 
 his fastenings who had furnished him with 
 the knife? 
 
 The sentries were questioned and flogged 
 and flogged and questioned but could tell 
 nothing. They knew not that their prisoner 
 was gone, until Gomez and his party came to 
 demand him ! 
 
 Scouring parties were sent out in every 
 direction but in the night what could they 
 do ? The houses were all searched, but what 
 was the use of that ? The cibolero was not
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 219 
 
 likely to have remained within the town. No 
 doubt he was off once more to the Plains ! 
 
 The night search proved ineffectual; and 
 in the morning the party that had gone down 
 the valley returned, having found no traces 
 either of Carlos, his sister, or his mother. It 
 was known that the hechiccra had died on the 
 previous night, but where had the body been 
 taken to? Had she come to life again, and 
 aided the outlaw in his escape? Such was 
 the conjecture ! 
 
 At a later hour in the morning, some 
 light was thrown on the mysterious affair. 
 Don Ambrosio, who had gone to rest without 
 disturbing his daughter, was awaiting her pre- 
 sence in the breakfast-room. What detained 
 her beyond the usual hour ? The father grew 
 impatient then anxious. A messenger was 
 at length sent to summon her no reply to 
 the knocking at her chamber-door!
 
 220 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 The door was burst open. The room was 
 entered it was found untenanted the bed 
 unpressed the Senorita had fled ! 
 
 She must be pursued ! Where is the 
 groom ? the horses ? She must be overtaken 
 and brought back ! 
 
 The stable is reached, and its door laid 
 open. No groom! no horses! they, too, 
 were gone ! 
 
 Heavens ! what a fearful scandal ! The 
 daughter of Don Ambrosio had not only 
 assisted the outlaw to escape, but she had 
 shared his flight, and was now with him ! 
 "Huycron!" was the universal cry. 
 
 The trail of the horses was at length 
 taken up, and followed by a large party, both 
 of dragoons and mounted civilians. It led 
 into the high plain, and then towards the 
 Pecos, where they had crossed. Upon the 
 other side the trail was lost. The horses had
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 221 
 
 separated, and gone in different directions, 
 and their tracks, passing over dry shingle, 
 . could no longer be followed. 
 
 After several days' fruitless wandering, 
 the pursuing party returned, and a fresh one 
 started out ; but this, after a while, came 
 back to announce a similar want of success. 
 Every haunt had been searched; the old 
 rancho the groves on the Pecos even the 
 ravine and its cave had been visited, and 
 examined carefully. No traces of the fugitives 
 could be discovered ; and it was conjectured 
 that they had gone clear off from the confines 
 of the settlement. 
 
 This conjecture proved correct, and guess- 
 ing was at length set at rest. A party of 
 friendly Comanches, who visited the settlement, 
 brought in the report, that they had met the 
 cibolero on their way across the Llano Estacado 
 that he was accompanied by two women
 
 222 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 and several men with pack-mules carrying 
 provisions that he had told them (the In- 
 dians) he was on his way for a long journey 
 in fact, to the other side of the Great Plains. 
 
 This information was definite, and no 
 doubt correct. Carlos had been often heard 
 to express his intention of crossing over to the 
 country of the Americanos. He was now 
 gone thither most likely to settle upon the 
 banks of the Mississippi. He was already 
 far beyond the reach of pursuit. They 
 would see him no more as it was not likely 
 he would ever again show his face in the 
 
 settlements of New Mexico. 
 
 ***** 
 
 Months rolled past. Beyond the report 
 of the Comanches, nothing was heard of 
 Carlos or his people. Although neither he 
 nor his were forgotten, yet they had ceased 
 to be generally talked of. Other affairs
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 223 
 
 occupied the minds of the people of San 
 Ildefonso ; and there had lately arisen one or 
 two matters of high interest almost sufficient 
 to eclipse the memory of the noted outlaw. 
 
 The settlement had been threatened by an 
 invasion from the Yutas which would have 
 taken place, had not the Yutas, just at the 
 time, been themselves attacked and beaten by 
 another tribe of savages ! This defeat had 
 prevented their invasion of the valley at least 
 for that season, but they had excited fears for 
 the future. 
 
 Another terror had stirred San Ildefonso 
 of late a threatened revolt of the Tagnos, 
 the Indies mansos, or tame Indians, who formed 
 the majority of the population. Their brethren 
 in several other settlements had risen, and 
 succeeded in casting off the Spanish yoke ! 
 
 It was natural that those of San Ildefonso 
 should dream of similar action, and conspire.
 
 224 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 But their conspiracy was nipped in the 
 bud by the vigilance of the authorities. The 
 leaders were arrested, tried, condemned, and 
 shot. Their scalps were hung- over the gate- 
 way of the Presidio, as a warning to their 
 dusky compatriots, who were thus reduced to 
 complete submission ! 
 
 These tragic occurrences had done much 
 to obliterate from the memory of all the 
 cibolero and his deeds. True, there were 
 some of San Ildefonso who, with good cause, 
 still remembered both ; but the crowd had 
 ceased to think of either him or his. All 
 had heard and believed that the outlaw had 
 long ago crossed the Great Plains, and was 
 now safe under the protection of those of 
 his own race, upon the banks of the Mis- 
 sissippi.
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 AND what had become of Carlos? Was it 
 true that he had crossed the great plains ? 
 Did he never return? What became of 
 San Ildefonso? 
 
 These questions were asked, because he 
 who narrated the legend had remained for 
 some time silent. His eyes wandered over the 
 valley, now raised to the cliff of La Nina, and 
 now resting upon the weed-covered ruin. 
 Strong emotion was the cause of his silence. 
 
 His auditory, already half guessing the 
 fate of San Ildefonso, impatiently desired to 
 know the end. After a while he continued. 
 
 Carlos did return. What became of San 
 
 VOL. III. Q
 
 226 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 Ildefonso? In yonder ruin you have your 
 answer. San Ildefonso fell. But you would 
 know how ? Oh ! it is a terrible tale a tale 
 of blood and vengeance, and Carlos was the 
 avenger. 
 
 Yes the cibolero returned to the valley of 
 San Ildefonso, but he came not alone. Five 
 hundred warriors were at his back red war- 
 riors who acknowledged him as their Jeader 
 their " White Chief." They were the braves of 
 the Waco band. They knew the story of his 
 wrongs, and had sworn to avenge him ! 
 
 It was autumn late autumn that love- 
 liest season of the American year, when the 
 wild woods appear painted, and Nature seems 
 to repose after her annual toil when all her 
 creatures having feasted at the full banquet 
 she has so lavishly laid out for them, appear 
 content and happy. 
 
 It was night, with an autumnal moon
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 227 
 
 that moon whose round orb and silvery 
 beams have been celebrated in the songs of 
 many a harvest land. 
 
 Not less brilliant fell those beams where 
 no harvest was ever known upon the wild 
 plain of the Llano Estacado. The lone hatero, 
 couched beside his silent nock, was awakened 
 by a growl from his watchful sheep-dog. 
 Raising himself, he] looked cautiously around. 
 Was it the wolf, the grizzly bear, or the red 
 puma? None of these. A far different 
 object was before his eyes, as he glanced over 
 the level plain an object whose presence 
 caused him to tremble. 
 
 A long line of dark forms was moving 
 across the plain. They were the forms of 
 horses with their riders. They were in single 
 file the muzzle of each horse close to the 
 croup of the one that preceded him. From 
 east to west they moved. The head of the line
 
 228 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 was already near, but its rear extended 
 beyond the reach of the hatero's vision. 
 
 Presently the troop filed before him, 
 and passed within two hundred paces of 
 where he lay. Smoothly and silently it 
 glided on. There was no chinking of bitts, 
 no jingling of spurs, no clanking of sabres. 
 Alone could be heard the dull stroke of the 
 shoeless hoof, or at intervals the neigh of an 
 impatient steed, suddenly checked by a 
 reproof from his rider. Silently they passed 
 on silent as spectres. The full moon gleam- 
 ing upon them, added to their unearthly 
 appearance ! 
 
 The watcher trembled where he lay 
 though he knew they were not spectres. He 
 knew well what they were, and understood 
 the meaning of that extended deployment. 
 They were Indian warriors upon the march. 
 The bright moonlight enabled him to distin-
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 229 
 
 guisli farther. He saw that they were all 
 full-grown men that they were nude to the 
 waist, and below the thighs that their 
 breasts and arms were painted that they 
 carried nought but their bows, quivers, and 
 spears in short, that they were braves on the 
 war-trail! 
 
 Strangest sight of all to the eyes of the 
 hatero was the leader who rode at the head 
 of that silent band. He differed from all the 
 rest in dress, in equipments, in the colour of 
 his skin. The hatero saw that he was white! 
 
 Surprised was he at first, on observing 
 this, but not for long. This shepherd was 
 one of the sharpest of his tribe. It was he 
 who had discovered the remains of the yellow 
 hunter and his companion. He remembered 
 the events of that time. He reflected ; and in 
 a few moments arrived at the conclusion, that 
 the White Chief he now saw could be no other
 
 230 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 than Carlos the cibolero ! In that conjecture 
 he was right. 
 
 The first thought of the hatero had been 
 to save his own life by remaining quiet. 
 Before the line of warriors had quite passed 
 him, other thoughts came into his mind. The 
 Indians were on the war-trail! they were 
 marching direct for the settlement, they were 
 headed by Carlos the cibolero ! 
 
 The history of Carlos the outlaw now came 
 before his mind he remembered the whole 
 story; beyond a doubt the cibolero was 
 returning to the settlement to take vengeance 
 upon his enemies ! 
 
 Influenced partly by patriotism, and partly 
 by the hope of reward, the hatero at once 
 resolved to defeat this purpose. He would 
 hasten to the valley and warn the garrison ! 
 
 As soon as the line had filed past, he rose 
 to his feet, and was about to start off upon
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF* 231 
 
 his errand ; but he had miscalculated the 
 intelligence of the white leader. Long before, 
 the flanking scouts had enclosed both him and 
 his charge ; and the next moment he was a 
 captive ! Part of his flock served for the 
 supper of that band he would have betrayed. 
 
 Up to the point where the hatero had been 
 encountered, the White Chief and his followers 
 had travelled along a well-known path the 
 trail of the traders. Beyond this, the leader 
 swerved from the track ; and without a word 
 headed obliquely over the plain. The ex- 
 tended line followed silently after as the 
 body of a snake moves after its head. 
 
 Another hour, and they had arrived at the 
 ceja of the Great Plain at a point well 
 known to their chief. It was at the head of 
 that ravine, where he had so oft found shelter 
 from his foes. The moon, though shining 
 with splendid brillance, was low in the sky,
 
 232 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 and her light did not penetrate the vast chasm. 
 It lay buried in dark shade. The descent was 
 a difficult one, though not to such men, and 
 with such a guide. 
 
 Muttering some words to his immediate 
 follower, the White Chief headed his horse 
 into the cleft, and the next moment dis- 
 appeared under the shadow of the rocks. 
 
 The warrior that followed, passing the 
 word behind him, rode after, and likewise 
 disappeared in the darkness ; then another, 
 and another, until five hundred, mounted men 
 were engulfed in that fearful -looking abysm. 
 Not one remained upon the upper plain. 
 
 For a while there struck upon the ear a 
 continued pattering sound the sound of a 
 thousand hoofs as they fell upon rocks and 
 loose shingle. But this noise gradually died 
 away, and all was silence. Neither horses nor 
 men gave any token of their presence in the
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 233 
 
 ravine. The only sounds that fell upon the ears 
 were the voices of nature's wild creatures whose 
 haunts had been invaded. They were the wail 
 of the goat-sucker, the bay of the barking- 
 wolf, and the maniac scream of the eagle. 
 * * * * 
 
 Another day passes another moon has 
 arisen and the gigantic serpent, that had all 
 day lain coiled in the ravine, is seen gliding 
 silently out at its bottom, and stretching its 
 long vertebrate form across the plain of the 
 Pecos. 
 
 The stream is reached and crossed ; amidst 
 plashing spray, horse follows horse over the 
 shallow ford ; and then the glittering line 
 glides on. 
 
 Having passed the river lowlands, it 
 ? ascends the high plains that overlook the 
 valley of San Ildefonso.
 
 234 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 Here a halt is made scouts are sent 
 forward and once more the line moves 
 on. 
 
 Its head reaches the cliff of La Nina, just 
 as the moon has sunk behind the snowy 
 summit of the Sierra Blanca. For the last 
 hour the leader has been marching slowly, as 
 though he waited her going down. Her light 
 is no longer desired. Darkness better befits 
 the deed that is to be done. 
 
 A halt is made until the pass has been 
 reconnoitred. That done, the White Chief 
 guides his followers down the defile ; and in 
 another half-hour the five hundred horsemen 
 have silently disappeared within the mazes of 
 the chapparal ! 
 
 Under the guidance of the half-blood 
 Antonio, an open glade is found near the 
 centre of the thicket. Here the horsemen
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 235 
 
 dismount and tie their horses to the trees. 
 
 The attack is to be made on foot. 
 
 ***** 
 
 It is now the hour after midnight. The 
 moon has been down for some time ; and the 
 cirrus clouds, that for a while had reflected her 
 light, have been gradually growing darker. 
 Objects can no longer be distinguished at the 
 distance of twenty feet. The huge pile of the 
 Presidio, looming against the leaden sky, looks 
 black and gloomy. The sentinel cannot be 
 seen upon the turrets, but at intervals his shrill 
 voice uttering the " Centinela alertef" tells 
 that he is at his post. His call is answered 
 by the sentinel at the gate below, and then 
 all is silent. The garrison sleeps secure 
 ren the night-guard in the saguan, with 
 .bodies extended along the stone ban- 
 queta, are sleeping soundly. 
 
 The Presidio dreads no sudden attack
 
 236 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 there has been no rumour of Indian incursion 
 the neighbouring tribes are all en paz ; and 
 the Tagno conspirators have been destroyed. 
 Greater vigilance would be superfluous. A 
 sentry upon the azotea, and another by the 
 gate, are deemed sufficient for the ordinary 
 guardianship of the garrison. Ha ! the in- 
 mates of the Presidio little dream of the 
 enemy that is nigh ! 
 
 "Centinela alerter once more screams the 
 watcher upon the wall. " Centinela alerte!" 
 answers the other by the gate. 
 
 But neither is sufficiently on the alert to 
 perceive the dark forms that, prostrate upon 
 the ground, like huge lizards, are crawling 
 forward to the very walls. Slowly and silently 
 these forms are moving, amidst weeds and 
 grass, gradually drawing nearer to the gate- 
 way of the Presidio. 
 
 A lanthorn burns by the sentinel. Its
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 237 
 
 light, radiating to some distance, does not 
 avail him he sees them not ! 
 
 A rustling noise at length reaches his ear. 
 The " quien viva ?" is upon his lips ; but he 
 lives not to utter the words. Half-a-dozen 
 bow-strings twang simultaneously, and as 
 many arrows bury themselves in his flesh. 
 His heart is pierced, and he falls, almost 
 without uttering a groan ! 
 
 A stream of dark forms pours into the 
 open gateway. The guard, but half awake, 
 perish before they can lay hand upon their 
 weapons ! 
 
 And now the war-cry of the Wacoes peals 
 out in earnest, and the hundreds of dark war- 
 riors rush like a torrent through the saguan. 
 
 They enter the patio. The doors of the 
 hiartos are besieged soldiers, terrified to 
 confusion, come forth in their shirts, and 
 fall under the spears of their dusky assailants.
 
 238 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 Carbines and pistols crack on all sides, but 
 
 those who fire do not live to reload them. 
 
 ***** 
 
 It was a short but terrible struggle 
 terrible while it lasted. There were shouts, 
 and shots, and groans, mingling together 
 the deep voice of the vengeful leader, and the 
 wild war-cry of his followers the crashing of 
 timber, as doors were broken through or 
 forced from their hinges the clashing of 
 swords and spears, and the quick detonation 
 of fire-arms. Oh ! it was a terrible conflict ! 
 
 It ends at length. An almost total 
 silence follows. The warriors no longer 
 utter their dread cry. Their soldier-enemies 
 are destroyed. Every cuarto has been cleared 
 of its inmates, who lie in bleeding heaps over 
 the patio, and by the doors. No quarter has 
 been given. All have been killed on the spot. 
 
 No not all. There are two who sur-
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 239 
 
 vive two whose lives have been spared. 
 Vizcarra and Roblado yet live ! 
 
 Piles of wood are now heaped against the 
 timber posterns of the building, and set on 
 fire. Volumes of smoke roll to the sky, 
 mingling with sheets of red flame. The 
 huge pine-beams of the azotea catch the 
 blaze, burn, crackle, and fall inwards, and 
 in a short while the Presidio becomes a mass 
 of smoking ruins ! 
 
 But the red warriors have not waited for 
 this. The revenge of their leader is not yet 
 complete. It is not to the soldiers alone 
 that he owes vengeance. He has sworn it 
 to the citizens as well. The whole settlement 
 is to be destroyed ! 
 
 well this oath was kept, for before 
 the sun rose San Ildefonso was in flames. 
 The arrow, and the spear, and the toma-
 
 240 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 hawk, did their work ; and men, women, and 
 children, perished in hundreds under the blaz- 
 ing roofs of their houses ! 
 
 With the exception of the Tagno Indians, 
 few survived to tell of that horrid massacre. 
 A few whites only the unhappy father of 
 Catalina among the rest were permitted to 
 escape, and carry their broken fortunes to 
 another settlement. 
 
 That of San Ildefonso town, Presidio, 
 mission, haciendas, and ranchos in the short 
 space of twelve hours had ceased to exist. 
 The dwellers of that lovely valley were no 
 more ! 
 
 ***** 
 
 It is yet but noon. The ruins of San 
 Ildefonso are still smoking. Its former deni- 
 zens are dead, but it is not yet unpeopled. 
 In the Piazza stand hundreds of dusky war- 
 riors drawn up in hollow square, with their
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 241 
 
 faces turned inward. They are witnessing a 
 singular scene another act in the drama of 
 their leader's vengeance. 
 
 Two men are mounted upon asses, and 
 tied upon the backs of the animals. These 
 men are stripped so that their own backs 
 are perfectly bare, and exposed to the gaze of 
 the silent spectators ! Though these men no 
 longer wear their flowing robes, it is easy to 
 distinguish them. Their close-cut hair and 
 shaven crowns show who they are the padres 
 of the mission ! 
 
 Deep cuts the cuarto into their naked 
 skin, loudly do they groan, and fearfully 
 writhe. Earnestly do they beg, and pray 
 their persecutors to stay the terrible lash. 
 Their entreaties are unheeded. 
 
 JTwo white men, standing near, overlook 
 the execution. These are Carlos the cibolero 
 and Don Juan the ranchero. 
 
 VOL. III. R
 
 242 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 The priests would move them to pity, but 
 in vain. The hearts of those two men have 
 been turned to stone. 
 
 "Remember my mother my sister!" 
 mutters Carlos. 
 
 "Yes, false priests remember!" adds 
 Don Juan. 
 
 And again is plied the cutting lash, until 
 each corner of the Piazza has witnessed a 
 repetition of the punishment ! 
 
 Then the asses are led up in front of the 
 parroquia now roofless and black ; their heads 
 are fastened together, so that the backs of their 
 riders are turned toward the spectators. 
 
 A line of warriors forms at a distance 
 
 off their bows are bent, and at a signal a 
 
 flight of arrows goes whistling through the air. 
 
 The suffering of the padres is at an end. 
 
 Both have ceased to exist !
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 243 
 
 I have arrived at the last act of this ter- 
 rible drama ; but words cannot describe it. 
 In horror it eclipses all the rest. The scene 
 is La Nina the top of the cliff the sam 
 spot where Carlos had performed his splendid 
 feat on the day of San Juan. 
 
 Another feat of horsemanship is now to be 
 exhibited. How different the actors how 
 different the spectators ! 
 
 Upon the tongue that juts out, two men 
 are seated upon horseback. They are not free 
 riders, for it may be noticed that they are tied 
 upon their seats. Their hands do not grasp a 
 bridle, but are bound behind their backs ; and 
 their feet, drawn together under the bellies 
 of their horses, are there spliced with raw- 
 hide ropes. To prevent turning in the saddle, 
 othea thongs, extending from strong leathern 
 waist-belts, stay them to croup and pommel, 
 and hold their bodies firm. Under such a
 
 244 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 ligature no horse could dismount either with- 
 out also flinging the saddle, and that is guarded 
 against by the strongest girthing. It is not 
 intended that these horsemen shall lose their 
 seats until they have performed an extraordi- 
 nary feat. 
 
 It is no voluntary act. Their counte- 
 nances plainly tell that. Upon the features of 
 both are written the most terrible emotions 
 craven cowardice in all its misery despair in 
 its darkest shadows ! 
 
 Both are men of nearly middle age both 
 are officers in full uniform. But it needs not 
 that to recognise them as the deadly enemies 
 of Carlos Vizcarra and Roblado. No longer 
 now his enemies. They are his captives ! 
 
 But for what purpose are they thus 
 mounted ? What scene of mockery is to be 
 enacted ? Scene of mockery ! Ha ! ha ! ha ! 
 
 Observe! the horses upon which they sit
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 245 
 
 are wild mustangs ! Observe ! they are blinded 
 with tapajos ! 
 
 For what purpose ? You shall see. 
 
 A Tagno stands at the head of each 
 horse, and holds him with difficulty. The 
 animals are kept fronting the cliff, with their 
 heads directed to the jutting point of La 
 Nina. 
 
 The Indians are drawn up in line also 
 facing to the cliff. There is no noise in their 
 ranks. An ominous silence characterises the 
 scene. In front is their chief mounted upon 
 his coal-black steed; and upon him the eyes 
 of all are fixed, as though they expected some 
 signal. His face is pale, but its expression 
 is stern and immobile. He has not yet reached 
 the completion of his vengeance. 
 
 There are no words between him and his 
 victims. All that has passed. They know 
 their doom.
 
 246 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 Their backs are towards him, and they see 
 him not ; but the Tagnos who stand by the 
 horses' heads have their eyes fixed upon him 
 with a singular expression. What do these 
 expect ? . A signal. 
 
 In awful silence was that signal given. 
 To the right and left sprang the Tagnos, 
 leaving free the heads of the mustangs. 
 Another signal to the line of mounted war- 
 riors, who, on receiving it, spurred their horses 
 forward with a wild yell. 
 
 Their spears soon pricked the hips of the 
 mustangs, and the blinded animals sprang 
 towards the cliff! 
 
 The groans of agonised terror that escaped 
 from their riders were drowned by the yells of 
 the pursuing horsemen. 
 
 In a moment all was over. The terrified 
 mustangs had sprung out from the cliff had 
 carried their riders into eternity !
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 247 
 
 The dusky warriors pulled up near the 
 brink, and sat gazing upon each other in silent 
 awe. 
 
 A horseman dashed to the front; and, 
 poising his horse upon the very edge, looked 
 down into the abysm. It was the White 
 Chief. 
 
 For some moments he regarded the 
 shapeless masses that lay below. He saw 
 that they moved not. Men and horses were 
 all dead crushed, bruised, and shattered a 
 hideous sight to behold ! 
 
 A deep sigh escaped him, as though some 
 weight had been lifted from his heart, and, 
 turning around, he muttered to his friend : 
 
 " Don Juan ! I have kept my oath she is 
 
 The setting sun saw that long line of
 
 248 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 Indian warriors filing from the valley, and 
 heading for the plain of the Llano Estacado. 
 But they went not as they had come. They 
 returned to their country laden with the plun- 
 der of San Ildefonso to them the legitimate 
 spoils of war. 
 
 The cibolero still rode at their head, and 
 Don Juan the ranchero was by his side. The 
 fearful scenes through which they had just 
 passed, shadowed the brows of both ; but 
 these shadows became lighter as they dwelt 
 on the prospect before them. Each looked 
 forward to a happy greeting at the end of his 
 journey. 
 
 Carlos did not remain long among his 
 Indian friends. Loaded with the treasure 
 they had promised, he proceeded farther east, 
 and established a plantation upon the Red 
 River of Louisiana. Here, in the company
 
 THE WHITE CHIEF. 249 
 
 of his beautiful wife, his sister, Don Juan, and 
 some of his old servants, lie led in after years 
 a life of peace and prosperity. 
 
 Now and then he made hunting excursions 
 into the country of his old friends the Wacoes 
 who were ever glad to see him again, and 
 still hailed him as their chief. 
 
 Of San Ildefonso there is no more heard 
 since that time. No settlement was ever after 
 made in that beautiful valley. The Tagnos 
 released from the bondage which the padres 
 had woven around them were but too glad 
 to give up the half-civilisation they had been 
 taught. Some of them sought other settle- 
 ments, but most returned to their old habits, 
 and once more became hunters of the plains. 
 
 Perhaps the fate of San Ildefonso might 
 have attracted more attention in other times ; 
 but it occurred at a peculiar period in Spa- 
 nish-American history. Just then the Spa-
 
 250 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 nish power, all over the American continent, 
 was hastening to its decline ; and the fall of 
 San Ildefonso was but one episode among 
 many of a character equally dramatic. Near 
 the same time fell Gran Quivira, Abo, Chilili, 
 and hundreds of other settlements of note. 
 Each has its story each its red romance 
 perhaps far more interesting than that we have 
 here recorded. 
 
 Chance alone guided our steps to the fair 
 valley of San Ildefonso, chance threw in our 
 way one who remembered its legend the 
 legend of the White Chief.
 
 EXPLANATORY NOTES.
 
 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
 " Not a mountain to be seen /'* Page 2. 
 There is nothing that can fairly be denominated a 
 " mountain" lying to the eastward of the great Rocky 
 Mountain range. The whole vast tract between that 
 and the Mississippi and indeed still further on to the 
 almost parallel ridge of the Alleghanies is a cham- 
 paign country. Much of it is hilly or " rolling ;" but 
 in no part is it mountainous; and the chains known 
 on maps as the " Ozark Mountains" and others do not 
 deserve this character. They are only hills or ele- 
 vated ridges. From this general statement must be 
 excepted certain spurs, and even isolated "sierras,** 
 that run eastward from the Rocky Mountain chain, 
 often to the distance of a hundred miles or more. 
 .Such are the Sierras Waco and Guadalupe, near the 
 latitude of El Paso del Norte. It was, no doubt, by 
 rciforts of these isolated chains that Humboldt was 
 misled, when he created for us a branch of the great 
 northern Andes extending from the neighbourhood of 
 El Paso, and ending in the Ozark Mountains of Mis- 
 souri ! It is needless to say that no such branch
 
 254 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 exists. It was one of the bold guesses of the great 
 geognosist that after-research has proved to be fan- 
 ciful. West of the Rocky Mountains the American 
 continent assumes a very different aspect from that 
 which characterises it on the east of this chain. 
 There mountains are observed in every direction, and 
 the traveller is astonished by their fantastic forms and 
 groupings. The plains which lie between them, too, 
 are more table-like ; and piedmont, or foot-hills, rarely 
 exist. The mountain rises directly from the plain, 
 either by a gentle declivity, or, in some instances, 
 almost vertically. This character is also observed 
 among some of the eastern spurs of the main chain, 
 particularly in the latitude of Texas. 
 
 " Sierra Blanca" Page 2. 
 
 The Sierra Blanca is so called because the tops of 
 this range are usually covered with snow. The snow 
 of the Sierra Blanca is not " eternal." It only remains 
 for about three parts of the year. Its highest peaks 
 are below the snow-line of that latitude. Mountains 
 that carry the eternal snow are by the Spanish Ame- 
 ricans denominated " Nevada." 
 
 " The Grand Prairie." Page 2. 
 
 This name is somewhat indefinite, being applied 
 
 by some to particular portions of prairie land. 
 
 Among the hunters it is the general name given to 
 
 the vast treeless region lying to the west of the tim-
 
 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 255 
 
 bered country on the Mississippi. The whole longi- 
 tudinal belt from the Lower Rio Grande to the Great 
 Slave Lake is, properly speaking, the Grand Prairie ; 
 but the phrase has been used in a more restricted 
 sense, to designate the larger tracts of open country, 
 in contradistinction to the smaller prairies ; such as 
 those of Illinois and Louisiana, which last are sepa- 
 rated from the true prairie country by wide tracts of 
 timbered surface. 
 
 " Settlements of Nuevo Mexico" Page 3. 
 The settlements of New Mexico covered at one 
 time a much wider extent of country than they do 
 now. The Indians have been constantly narrowing 
 the boundaries for the last fifty years. At present 
 these settlements are almost wholly restricted to the 
 banks of the Del Norte and a few tributary streams. 
 
 " Gramma grass." Page 3. 
 
 The Chondrosium, a beautiful and most nutritious 
 herbage that covers many of the plains of Texas and 
 North Mexico. There are several species of grass 
 known among Mexicans as "gramma;" one in parti- 
 cular, the Chondrosium fceneum, as a food for horse?, 
 it little inferior to oats. 
 
 isltut 
 
 " The agave." Page 4. 
 
 The agave, or "American aloe," is a characteristic 
 plant of Mexican vegetation, though not met with in
 
 256 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 that part of the continent east of the Mississippi ; 
 that is, within the old boundary of the United States. 
 In the interior of the continent, and on to the 
 western coast, the kingdom of the agave extends 
 farther to the north. So do several other plants and 
 animals of tropical character ; so does the isothermal 
 line, which latter fact may account for the former 
 ones. In the interior of the continent the agave is 
 found as far north as the parallel of 34 or 35. 
 
 There are several species of this singular plant. 
 The maguey (pronounce magay) is that which is 
 cultivated in certain districts, and produces the pulque 
 (pronounced pulky). The leaves of this are of sombre- 
 green colour, of large size ; and differ altogether in 
 appearance from those of the wild species. The pita 
 is a variety of the agave, from which most excellent 
 cordage and thread is manufactured. It is a com- 
 ponent of the underwood of those extensive chap- 
 parals (jungles) which cover large tracts of the 
 Mexican territory. Its long curving blades are 
 usually of a mottled red, white, and green colour, as 
 though sunburnt; and their margins are thickly set 
 with thorns of a fish-hook shape ; so that no ordinary 
 pair of " overalls" can withstand them. This variety 
 is usually found in a wild state in the midst of 
 thickets, or standing by itself in the open ground. A 
 fuller note upon this interesting plant is given in an 
 appendix to the romance of the " Scalp-Hunters."
 
 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 257 
 
 " Yuccas" Page 4. 
 
 Of these there are several varieties and distinct 
 species found in Northern Mexico. Like the agave, 
 they are tropical or sub-tropical. Species are found 
 in Florida, and even as far north as the Carolinas ; 
 but they appear in full luxuriance upon the Rio 
 Grande, and throughout the table-lands. Although 
 their province is tropical, that is not exactly their 
 character. They are rather a vegetation of tropic 
 highlands or high plateaux, requiring a colder climate 
 than the palms ; to some species of which they bear a 
 considerable resemblance. 
 
 As already stated, half-a-dozen species of yucca 
 have been determined as indigenous to the region of 
 the Rio Grande. Some are low plants, branching, as 
 it were, out of the ground, and radiating in every 
 direction, while others are raised upon thick stems to 
 a height of forty feet, and carrying full heads of 
 clumsy branches with terminal bunches of hard spiky 
 leaves. Several of the species produce edible fruits. 
 
 " Solitary palmetto" Page 4. 
 
 The name "palmetto" is given throughout Ame- 
 rica to plants of a very different character. In some 
 parts the arborescent yucca is so termed; while, in 
 Cuba, the " mountain," or " cabbage-palm," is the 
 palmetto. 
 
 "Palmilla" and "palmetto" (signifying little palm) 
 
 VOL. III. 8
 
 258 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 are Spanish-American designations for several species 
 of yuccas and Chamcerops. 
 
 " Very grass carries its thorns!" Page 5. 
 A species of grass covering the desert plains of 
 Northern Texas, and known as mezquite grass, is 
 actually invested with jaggy spikes that, on rough 
 handling, penetrate the skin. There are two varieties 
 of mezquite grass one only is thorny. 
 
 " Cotton-wood" Page 5. 
 
 The cotton-wood (Populus angulatus) is the tree 
 of the prairie country par excellence. It is met with 
 where no other timber grows, fringing the margins of 
 the streams, or standing in groves. There are several 
 varieties of populus, all known by the general name 
 cotton-wood. The name is derived from the resem- 
 blance which the downy pollen of the seed-pods bears 
 to cotton. 
 
 "Live-oak." Page 5. 
 
 Michaux, the French botanist, whose great work, 
 the " Sylva Americana," is decidedly the best book 
 yet published on the subject, has made a mistake in 
 relation to the live oak ( Quercus virens}. He states 
 that it only inhabits near the sea, and is not found 
 beyond a hundred miles (if my memory serve me 
 rightly) from the coast. This is an error. The live 
 oak may be met with in valleys far in the interior of
 
 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 259 
 
 Texas, and many hundred miles from the shores of the 
 Gulf of Mexico. 
 
 " Presidio." Page 8. 
 
 The Presidio, or garrison, was the usual accompa- 
 niment of the mission. The missions in California, 
 Sonora, New Mexico, and Texas now nearly all in 
 ruins were not the private speculations of a parti- 
 cular religious sect. They were under" the sanction 
 and protection of the Spanish government ; and to 
 each mission a small garrison of soldiers was attached, 
 to guard them against the hostility of the Indios 
 bravos those Indians who preferred remaining in 
 their idolatry to becoming slaves or serfs of the mis- 
 sionaries. The soldiery were under the command of 
 an officer or officers, whose authority was quite in- 
 dependent of the Padres ; and the barrack, or " Pre- 
 sidio," was a separate building, sometimes standing at 
 a considerable distance from the mission-house. The 
 " Pueblo," or town, was the offspring of both ; and its 
 mixed population consisted of discharged soldiers, 
 their wives, and children also of traders, hunters, 
 neophytes of the mission, and civilised Indians. If a 
 mining district, of course this formed still another 
 source of population. 
 
 Such has been the origin of nearly all the frontier 
 towns of North Mexico, as well as those of California. 
 From very different sources spring up the towns upon
 
 260 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 the eastern or American edge of the great wilder- 
 ness ! 
 
 " ffaciendados."Page 8. 
 
 The owner of a "hacienda" (estate or large tract 
 of land). The haciendado is the great proprietor in 
 the country. The estates are larger or smaller ; but 
 several are celebrated for their immense extent. The 
 traveller may sometimes make two or three good days' 
 journey, all the while passing through the hacienda of 
 a single proprietor. The term "hacienda" is some- 
 times applied to the great house or mansion, where the 
 owner of the estate resides. 
 
 " Live only in legends." Page 9. 
 This is quite true. Within the last thirty or forty 
 years whole settlements, containing large towns and 
 villages, have been depopulated by the hostile Indians 
 Apaches, Navajoes, Utahs. Comanches, and Lipans 
 and scarce a trace remains even of their history, 
 Several provinces, each of them as large as England, 
 have returned to their original wildness, and become 
 once more a hunting-field for the the aboriginal lords 
 of the soil ! I could very easily demonstrate, had I 
 space, that were it not for the Anglo-American inva- 
 sion from the east, the Indian would have pushed the 
 Spaniard from off the continent of America in less 
 than another century ! This destiny, however, has
 
 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 261 
 
 been altered. The strong hand of the Saxon, or 
 rather the Celt (for America is Celtic not Saxon), 
 has interfered in the quarrel, and will prevent the " 
 Indian from what might be practically termed a just 
 retaliation upon the cruel conquerors of his race. 
 
 " Cackle of his fighting-cock" Page 11. 
 
 There is no exaggeration in all this. Every tra- 
 veller in Mexico has witnessed such scenes, and many 
 have borne testimony to these and similar facts. I 
 have often seen the fighting chanticleer carried inside 
 the church under the arm of its owner, while tho 
 latter entered to pray ! 
 
 " Fiestas principals " Page 1 2. 
 
 The more noted Saints' days or religious festivals' 
 as St. John's, Good-Friday, Guadalupe, &c., are so 
 styled to distinguish them from the many others of 
 lesser celebrity. 
 
 " Tailing the bull." Page 12. 
 "Bull-tailing" (coleo de toro) and "running the 
 cock" (correr el gallo) are favourite sports in most 
 parts of Mexico, but particularly in the Northern 
 provinces. They were also Caliibrnian games while 
 that country was Spano- Mexican. 
 
 " The Apache." Page 13. 
 One of the largest tribes of the " Indios bravos"
 
 262 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 or wild Indians, i.e., Indians who have never submitted 
 to the Spanish yoke. Their country lies around the 
 heads of the Gila, extending from that stream to 
 the Del Norte, and down the latter to the range of 
 another large and powerful tribe the Comanches 
 also classed as " Indies bravos." 
 
 " Familias principales" Page 14. 
 
 The " first families," a United States phrase, is 
 the synonyme of " familias principales" of Mexico. 
 
 " Commerciante" Page 14. 
 
 Merchant or extensive trader. Merchandise is not 
 degrading in Mexico. The rich merchant may be one 
 of the " familias principales." Although there is still 
 an old noblesse in the Mexican republic, the titles are 
 merely given by courtesy, and those who hold them 
 are often outranked and eclipsed in style by the pros- 
 perous parvenu. 
 
 " Alcalde." Page 14. 
 
 Pronounced Alkalde. The duties of the Alcalde 
 are very similar to those of a magistrate or justice of 
 the peace. Every village has its Alcalde, who is 
 known by his large gold or silver-headed cane and 
 tassel. In villages wliere the population is purely 
 Indian, the Alcalde is usually either of Indian or 
 mixed descent often pure Indian.
 
 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 263 
 
 " Mode de Paris /"Page 14. 
 
 The upper classes in Mexico, particularly those 
 who reside in the large cities, have discarded the 
 very picturesque national costume, and follow the 
 fashions of Paris. In all the large towns, French 
 tailors, modistes, jewellers, &c., may be met with. 
 The ladies wear French dresses, but without the 
 bonnet. The shawl is drawn over the head, when it 
 becomes necessary to cover it. The hideous bonnet 
 is only seen upon foreign ladies residing in Mexico. 
 The city gentleman of first-class wears a frock-coat, 
 but the cloth jacket is the costume of the greater 
 number. A long-tailed dress-coat is regarded as an 
 outre affair, and never appears upon the streets of a 
 Mexican town. 
 
 " Gachupino" Page 16. 
 
 A Spaniard of Old Spain. The term is used con- 
 temptuously by the natives, or Creoles (Criollos), of 
 Mexico, who hate their Spanish cousins as the Ameri- 
 cans hate Englishmen, and for a very similar reason. 
 
 j " Hija de algo." Page 16. 
 
 Literally, " son of somebody." Hence the word 
 hidalgo. The " blue blood " (sangre azuT) is the term 
 for pure blood or high birth.
 
 264 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 " Poblanas." Page 16. 
 
 A poblana is, literally, a village girl or woman, 
 but in a more specific sense it signifies a village belle, 
 or beauty. It is nearly a synonyme of the Spanish 
 " maja." 
 
 " Don Juan Tenorio." Page 16. 
 Don Juan Tenorio a celebrated character of 
 Spanish romance and drama. He is the original from 
 which Byron drew his conception of Don Juan. He is 
 the hero of a thousand love-scrapes and " desafios" or 
 duels. The drama of " Don Juan Tenorio " still keeps 
 the Spanish stage, and Spaniards can hardly find 
 words to express their admiration of its poetry. It 
 requires two nights to play this piece, which is about 
 twice the length of a regular five-act play. 
 
 " Teniente." Page 17. 
 
 " Lugar-teniente " is lieutenant in Spanish, but 
 the "lugar" is left out, and " teniente" stands for the 
 title of the subaltern. 
 
 " Quien sabe?" Page 17. 
 
 A noted phrase which figures largely in Spanish 
 dialogue. Literally, " Who knows ?" 
 
 " Gambucinos and rancher os" Page 18. 
 Gambucino, a petty miner, who digs or washes 
 gold on his own account. Ranchero, the dweller in a
 
 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 265 
 
 rancho, or country hut. The ranchero class corre- 
 spond pretty nearly to that known as " small farmers," 
 though in Mexico they are more often graziers than 
 agriculturists. 
 
 " Enaguas" Page 18. 
 
 Sometimes written " nagua," the petticoat usually 
 of coarse blue or red cotton stuff, with a list of white 
 or some other colour forming the top part. 
 
 "Jteboso." Page 19. 
 
 The scarf of greyish or slaty blue, worn by all 
 women in Mexico, except the ladies of the Upper Ten 
 Thousand, who use it only on occasions. 
 
 "Allegria." Page 19. 
 
 A singular custom prevails among the women of 
 New Mexico, of daubing their faces all over with the 
 juice of a berry called by them the " allegria," which 
 gives them anything but a charming look. The juice is 
 of a purplish red colour, somewhat like that of black- 
 berries. Some travellers allege that it is done for 
 ornament, as the Indians use vermilion and other pig- 
 ments. This is not a correct explanation. The " alle- 
 gria" is used by the New Mexican belles to preserve 
 the complexion, and get it up towards some special 
 occasion, such as a grand fiesta or " fandango," when 
 it is washed off, and the skin comes out clear and free 
 from "tan." The "allegria" is the well-known
 
 266 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 "poke -weed" of the United States (Phytolacca 
 decandra.) 
 
 " Sombrero." Page 19. 
 
 The black glaze hat with low crown and broad 
 leaf is a universal favourite throughout Mexico. It is 
 often worn several pounds in weight, and that, too, 
 under a hot tropic sun. Some sort of gold or silver 
 lace-band is common, but' frequently this is of heavy 
 bullion, and costly. 
 
 " Pueblos." Page 20. 
 
 There are many towns in New Mexico inhabited 
 exclusively by " Pueblos," a name given to a large 
 tribe of civilised Indians, Indies mansos (tame In- 
 dians) such tribes are called, to distinguish them from 
 the Indios bravos, or savages, who never acknowledged 
 the sway of the Spanish conquerors. 
 
 "Peons" Page 21. 
 
 The labouring serfs of the country are peons. 
 They are not slaves by the wording of the political 
 law, but most of them are in reality slaves by the law 
 of debtor and creditor. 
 
 "Petates," $c. Page 22. 
 
 A " petate " is a small mat about the size of a 
 blanket, woven out of palm-strips, or bulrushes, ac- 
 cording to the district ; it is the universal bed of the 
 Mexican peasant. Tunas and pitahayas are fruits of
 
 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 267 
 
 different species of cactus. Sandias are water-melons. 
 Dulces, preserves. Agua-miel and limonada, refreshing 
 drinks peculiar to Mexico. Piloncillos, loaves of 
 coarse brown sugar, met with in all parts of Mexico, 
 and very much like the maple-sugar of the States. 
 Tortillas, the often -described daily bread of the 
 Mexican people. Chile Colorado, red pepper. Ollas, 
 earthen pots of all sizes almost the only sort used in 
 the Mexican kitchen. Atole, a thin gruel resembling 
 flour and water, but in reality made out of the finer 
 dust of the maize, boiled and sweetened. Pinole, 
 parched maize mixed with water and sweetened. 
 Clacos, copper cents, or halfpence, the copper coin of 
 Mexico. Punche, a species of native grown tobacco. 
 Aguardiente, whisky distilled from maize, or some- 
 times from the aloe literally, agua ardiente, hot or 
 fiery water. It is the common whisky of the coun- 
 try, and a vile stuff in most cases. 
 
 " Huge screen." Page 23. 
 
 These great parasols of mat are characteristic ob- 
 jects in every Mexican piazza, or market-place. They 
 protect the huckster and his or her wares from the 
 heat of the sun. 
 
 " Vaqueros and ciboleros." Page 23. 
 
 The vaquero is a cattle-herd, from " vaca" a cow. 
 He is a horseman, however, and usually a bold and 
 fine rider. Cattle-herding is a very different affair in
 
 268 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 Mexico to the same occupation on an English farm. 
 There the herd sometimes numbers ten thousand head. 
 The Spanish breed of cattle is, moreover, of a wilder 
 sort, and there is some danger in dealing with them. 
 Hence the vaquero is never a-foot. His office is per- 
 formed in the saddle, and not unfrequently both he 
 and his horse are put to flight by an angry and un- 
 tractable bull. The cibolero is the buffalo-hunter of 
 the frontier settlements so called from " cibolo" the 
 Mexican appellation for the bison. 
 
 " Carretas." Page 27. 
 
 Rude carts drawn by oxen. The wheels are solid 
 blocks of wood, usually cut from the cotton- wood tree, 
 and rarely rounded to a perfect circle. A strong axle 
 and pole, with the rudest kind of boxing placed over 
 them, complete the carreta. It is about the most 
 primitive of all wheeled vehicles, and its ungreased 
 axle gives out a series of notes that would drive a 
 nervous man into fits. 
 
 " Corral" Page 27. 
 
 A space enclosed with a fence or wall is termed 
 a "corral." It is a cattle-pen. 
 
 " Lazoes." Page 28. 
 
 Ropes of horsehair, or raw-hide, with a ring at one 
 end or loophole, by which a running noose can easily 
 be made. A first-rate lazo is usually fifteen or twenty
 
 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 269 
 
 yards in length. Its use is too well known to require 
 description. The orthography of the word is varied. 
 Lazo, lasso, are both used. Lariat, laryette, from the 
 Spanish la riata, are synonymous. 
 
 " Mustang" Page 34. 
 
 The wild horses of the prairies are called " mus- 
 tciios " by the Mexicans ; by the Americans, " mus- 
 tangs." They are nearly all of the small Andalusian 
 breed in fact, the descendants of the Spanish horse, 
 imported at the time of the conquest, and the race now 
 in use throughout Spanish America. The large Ame- 
 rican horse has but lately crossed the meridian of the 
 Mississippi, and is only occasionally met with in a 
 wild state a runaway, or the descendant of one, from 
 some travelling party or settlement. 
 
 " Scrape" Page 34. 
 
 The universal garment of Mexico. The scrape is 
 simply a sort of blanket, woven in pattern, with gay 
 colours. It is carried in the hand over the arm in 
 fine weather sometimes knotted scarf-like over one 
 shoulder, and sometimes strapped on the pommel of the 
 saddle. When the weather becomes cold, or in time of 
 rdra, the head is passed through a slit in the centre of 
 the serape, and its four corners hang down to the knees. 
 All classes carry a serape, except the broad -cloth 
 gentry of the towns, and these, too, when travelling. 
 The manga is a richer and more expensive garment.
 
 270 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 It resembles a cloak, but differs also from that. It is 
 often of scarlet, or sky-blue, or purple colour, laced 
 and broidered along the edges and around the throat- 
 piece. It has a graceful and peculiar toga-like hang 
 about it, and is a decidedly tasteful affair. A manga 
 sometimes costs 201. ! 
 
 " Carrambo! " Page 35. 
 
 A mild exclamation. "Carajo!" is less delicate. 
 The former is often pronounced by ladies. The latter 
 is the shibboleth of the lowest vulgar. Mira! (behold!) 
 Bravo ! Viva ! expressions of applause. 
 
 " Onzas." Page 45. 
 
 Doubloons. The "onza" (ounce), or "doblone," 
 is in value about 3/. 15s., or 17 dollars. It is the 
 current gold coin of Mexico. 
 
 " Rico." Page 45. 
 
 " Rico," literally rich man, is the phrase in Mexico 
 corresponding to our millionnaire. 
 
 "Americano." Page 48. 
 
 It is somewhat curious that the name "Americano " 
 is given to the people of the United States by all 
 Spanish Americans. The inhabitants of Mexico call 
 themselves Mexican ; those of Peru, Peruvians ; of 
 Chili, Chilenos: but the name Americano is used only
 
 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 271 
 
 in reference to the Anglo- American race. One might 
 read " manifest destiny " in this exclusive application 
 of the tide. 
 
 " Tagnos." Page 48. 
 
 The Tagnos were at one time a large tribe of 
 Indians inhabiting the northern and eastern parts of 
 New Mexico. They, like the Pueblos, became Christ- 
 ianised after the conquest. They are now merged 
 among the half-civilised populations of that country, 
 or exist only as a remnant. 
 
 " God Quetzalcoatl."P&ge 48. 
 
 The Pueblos, Apaches, Comanchcs, Navajoes, and 
 other New Mexican tribes, believe themselves de- 
 scendants of Moctezuma (not Montezuma). In some of 
 these tribes an " estufa," or large room, is still to be 
 met with where a fire is constantly kept burning to 
 the god Quetzalcoatl. This strange ceremony, and 
 some others, practised among these northern tribes, as 
 also their legendary belief, certainly connect them with 
 the Azteques of the valley of Mexico. 
 
 *" Zequia" Page 51. 
 
 Written also " acequia," an artificial canal used in 
 Mexico for irrigation. Zanca, a drain or trench 
 filled with water.
 
 272 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 " Muchachito."Page 58. 
 
 Muckacho, a little boy ; muchachito, the diminutive 
 of muchacho. 
 
 "Dios de mi alma /" Page 64. 
 An exclamation of the Mexican women. It is 
 translatable thus : " God of my soul ! " Santissima 
 Virgen! For Dios! Ay de mi! are all interjections 
 with which the Spano-Mexican dialogue is thickly 
 interlarded. 
 
 " Monte table" Page 72. 
 
 Monte is the Mexican national game. It is played 
 with ordinary (Spanish) cards, and upon a table or 
 cloth marked for the purpose. During certain festivals 
 nearly every one plays a little at monte, and a stranger 
 visiting Mexico at such times would believe that the 
 whole of the people were gamblers. So travellers 
 have alleged. Perhaps there is less gambling in 
 Mexico than in England. In the latter it is upon 
 horses, not cards, that the bets are laid. " Chuza" is 
 another Mexican game, played principally among the 
 ladies. 
 
 " Representative of the Church." Page 73. 
 They who are unacquainted with the priest-life of 
 Spanish- American countries will believe these state-
 
 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 273 
 
 ments libellous or exaggerated. Such incredulous 
 readers are referred to the regular books of travel 
 upon Mexico. 
 
 " Adios." Page 76. 
 
 " Adios," literally "to God," is the usual word of 
 parting, and also when two persons meet it is used. It 
 is the synonyme of " Adieu " when used in its former 
 sense ; but it also corresponds to " How do you do ?" 
 
 "Vaya!" Page 78. 
 
 Literally " Go !" but used also, and frequently, as 
 an interjection without any particular meaning at- 
 tached. 
 
 " Calzoneros." Page 81. 
 
 The overalls or trousers are " calzoneros." They 
 are usually of velveteen, or soft leather, with bottoms 
 of a stiff leather stamped ornamentally. They are 
 open along the outer seam nearly to the waist, and are 
 worn open in fine weather. When it is cold they can be 
 closed by rows of bright buttons, usually of the castle- 
 top pattern, and often of the precious metals. 
 
 It is proper to use the word " calzoneros," as there 
 is no English word for the same style of garment. 
 Calzoneros, strictly speaking, are not " inexpres- 
 sibles." 
 
 " Calzoncillos" are the white cotton (sometimes 
 fine linen) drawers that in Oriental width hang under 
 
 VOL. III. T
 
 274 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 the calzoneros, and may be seen through the open 
 
 seam. 
 
 " Great bit" Page 82. 
 
 The ordinary Mexican bit is that known as a 
 " Mameluke." It is a perfect jaw-breaker, and brings 
 a horse to his haunches with the slightest effort of the 
 rider. It requires tender handling. The bridle-reins 
 used by the Mexicans are usually of plaited hair, often 
 ornamented with tassels and tags of silver, or even 
 gold ! 
 
 Iron stirrups are almost unknown to the Mexican 
 horsemen. Large wooden blocks, with holes cut for 
 the feet, serve in place of steel. They are clumsy to 
 the English eye, the more so with a triangle-shaped 
 flap of strong leather attached to them, and reaching 
 below the foot. But all this has its use, when we 
 consider the perils which foot and ankle have to 
 undergo among the fish-hook claws of the cactus and 
 the wild aloe. 
 
 " A Don." Page 90. 
 
 As far as words go, and gesticulations, there is 
 not upon the earth a politer people than the Mexicans. 
 Two peasants on meeting, mutually salute, by taking 
 off their hats, and styling each other as Don this and 
 Don that. Sometimes a long conversation is carried 
 on with the hats still held in hand, and the number of 
 little compliments at parting extends to the length of 
 a dialogue itself.
 
 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 275 
 
 " Sangre azul" Page 90. 
 Blue blood. Fine blood or family. 
 
 " Wine from El Paso." Page 91. 
 El Paso has long been a vine-growing district. The 
 grape reaches high perfection at this point on the Del 
 Norte, and the wine, though made in the rudest 
 manner, is excellent. But that El Paso is inacces- 
 sible to commerce, the juice of its grape would soon 
 become better known. The projected Pacific railway, 
 and the American migration setting towards this 
 province, will extend the cultivation of the vine of 
 El Paso. 
 
 " Fandangiieros" Page 94. 
 
 Those who take part in the balls of the lower 
 classes styled " fandangos." 
 
 " Derechos" Page 96. 
 Dues duties. 
 
 " Rancheras." Page 101. 
 
 Wives of rancheros, or, in general, women who 
 live in a rancho, or country cottage. 
 
 " Gracias, Cavallero!" Page 102. 
 " Thanks, Sir !" The word " gracias" is ever 
 upon the tongue of this polite people. Pronounced by 
 a pretty poblana, it has a sound inimitably sweet.
 
 276 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 Page 103. 
 
 Half sword, half knife. A weapon to be met 
 with in every Mexican house. It has a blade about 
 two feet long, with a horn handle. It is useful for 
 cutting brushwood, and in war-time is turned into a 
 sword. 
 
 " Quirts." Page 104. 
 
 A whip without handle. The thick end is wrapped 
 around the hand, and those accustomed to the use of 
 it can make the long lash play with severity. 
 " Cuarto" is its Spanish name quirt the American 
 translation. 
 
 " Coyote." Page 105. 
 
 The barking-wolf (Lupus latrans). He is found 
 throughout all Mexico, and upon the prairies is the 
 prairie-wolf. This species is not known east of the 
 meridian of the Mississippi. Travellers, and some 
 naturalists, give him the name of cajotc, or cojote. 
 He is less than the American wolf, and his voice 
 differs from the latter. The cry of the coyote is a 
 bark thrice repeated, and ending in a howl of the 
 most woeful import. The fox is less cunning than the 
 coyote. 
 
 " Co/re." Page 108. 
 Box alms-box. Peseta, quarter dollar. Heal,
 
 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 277 
 
 twelve and a half cents. Cuartello, half-real. These 
 are the small current silver coins of Mexico. 
 
 " Fanda ngo." Page 110. 
 
 The fandango, in its strictest sense, means a ball 
 of the lower classes, in which rough dancing is intro- 
 duced. Formerly the fandango was the name of a 
 particular dance. The word is applied also to any 
 ball ; and in a still more general way, any remarkable 
 occurrence, such as a fight, or even a battle, is jocu- 
 larly termed a " fandango." 
 
 " Ca*a de Cabildo." Page 111. 
 
 The house in which the municipal authorities 
 meet to transact business is so called. Cabildo is the 
 corporation. 
 
 " The Piazza." Page 111. 
 
 All Mexican towns have a public square centrally 
 situated, and known as the Piazza. In villages 
 the market is always in the Piazza, but in some of the 
 larger cities a separate market-place is erected. Of 
 course in the larger towns there are several open 
 squares or piazzas, but they have distinctive names, 
 as the " Piazza de Santiago," " Piazza de Guadalupe," 
 &c. The main piazza is that one around which stand 
 the cathedral or principal church, the government 
 buildings, and the best shops. It is sometimes styled 
 " Piazza Real," and in republican times " Piazza
 
 278 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 Nacional." The towns of Mexico are all built on the 
 rectangular plan. 
 
 Salon de baile." Page 111. 
 Dancing saloon. 
 
 " Aldeana." Page 111. 
 Village girl, or woman of the humbler classes. 
 
 " Canada." Page 11 2. 
 
 Cattle-farm. Some of these in Northern Mexico 
 number their stock by thousands of head. 
 
 " Leperos" Page' 113. 
 
 A " lepero " in Mexico is not a leper in the specific 
 sense of the word. Any ragged fellow is styled a 
 lepero. It is the synonyme of rabble. 
 
 "Banqueta" Page 116. 
 
 In most Mexican houses, public or private, a 
 banqueta of brick -work is built along one or more 
 sides of the rooms. With petates placed upon this it 
 serves to seat the inmates, and at night it is used 
 extensively as a bedstead. The banqueta is about 
 the height of an ordinary bench, whose place it 
 supplies. 
 
 r Page 118. 
 The tuya of Spanish America is the cedar (Juni-
 
 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 279 
 
 perns Virginiana). Tuya is also Spanish for " yours.'* 
 Hence the sprig being thus used as an emblem. 
 
 "Jagueta." Page 118. 
 
 Literally jacket ; but the jaqueta of Mexico more 
 resembles the old spenscr or jerkin than a modern 
 broadcloth jacket. 
 
 " Rejas." Page 1 19. 
 
 There are no glazed windows in Mexico, if we 
 except the houses of a few " ricos." Bars of iron set 
 longitudinally are the defence not against cold, but 
 thieves. This iron work is called " reja." Trans- 
 parent plates of selenite of which there exists a 
 great deal among the New Mexican mountains are 
 often used by the natives as a substitute for glass. 
 
 "Mezquite." Page 121. 
 
 Mezquite is a name given to two species of the 
 acacia family, which are characteristic trees or bushes 
 of Texas, New Mexico, and, in short, of all the 
 southern division of the prairie land. One of the 
 species rises to a respectable height, and might be 
 termed a tree ; the other grows as a bush of the 
 thicket. They are, of course, leguminous plants, and 
 produce a bean that is greedily eaten by horses, mules, 
 and cattle. Man sometimes has recourse to it in 
 extreme cases of hunger. The name is not of modern 
 application. It was obtained from the Indians in the
 
 280 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 time of Columbus, and, if I am not mistaken, it was in 
 use among the Indians of the islands as well. 
 
 There is a mezquite grass the thorny variety 
 already noticed. 
 
 " Canons. 1 " Page 121. 
 
 Huge clefts through a ridge of hills or a moun- 
 tain, which appear as if channelled or artificially cut 
 out, are called canons (caiiones) by the Spano- 
 Mexicans. 
 
 " Rain seems to fall by accident" Page 122. 
 There are portions of the Great American Desert 
 where rain does not fall sometimes for years. 
 
 " On European coasts." Page 123. 
 A beautiful formation of this kind, known as the 
 " Murlough Banks," exists upon the Irish coast, 
 between Dundrum Bay and the most northerly spur 
 of the finest range of mountains in this kingdom the 
 Mourne. 
 
 " Canadian" Page 124. 
 
 Canadian is a misnomer. This river was called 
 " Canada " by the Spanish explorers, which signifies 
 the river of the glens, or canons, from the number of 
 canons cut out for its channel. From the similarity of 
 the word to Canada, the Americans have changed its
 
 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 281 
 
 original name to Canadian a pity, as the Spanish 
 name is more beautiful and significant. 
 
 "Pecos." Page 124. 
 
 The Pecos is incorrectly placed upon all maps that 
 date up to the present year. The name is obtained 
 from the tribe of Pecos Indians now nearly extinct 
 who once dwelt in great numbers upon its head- 
 waters to the eastward of Santa Fe. These Indians 
 claimed descent from Moctezuma ; and it is positively 
 known that they kept up their sun-worship and sacred 
 fire to the period of their extinction a few years ago. 
 A remnant still exists, but these have incorporated 
 themselves with a kindred tribe living to the west of 
 the Del Norte. 
 
 "Louisiana Red" Page 125. 
 The Red River of Louisiana was long believed to 
 have its source in the Rocky Mountains. This idea 
 is now exploded. No head-water of this stream 
 approaches within several hundred miles of the great 
 chain. On the eastern edge of the Staked Plain the 
 head-streams of the Red River have their source. So 
 also those of the Brazos and Colorado of Texas. 
 
 " Jornada" Page 126. 
 
 Pronounce Hornada. Jornada is a day's journey, 
 but there is a distinction made between the journey of 
 a mule-train "Jornada de atajo," and a horse's journey
 
 282 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 "Jornada de cavallo ;" the former being about fifteen 
 miles, while the latter is nearly double that distance. 
 
 " Comancheros" Page 127. 
 Mexicans engaged in trading with the Comanche 
 Indians are so styled. 
 
 " Escopettes." Page 129. 
 
 A short gun called "escopeta" is very plentiful 
 throughout Mexico. It is usually a razeed musket, 
 with swivels and sling, so as to render it convenient 
 for mounted men. 
 
 " With Mexican brands!" Page 130. 
 
 For the last twenty years a continual system of 
 pillage has been carried on by several prairie tribes 
 upon the Mexican settlements. Not only have the 
 red-skinned robbers carried off horses, but captives, 
 until several thousand women and children are now in 
 their hands, all of Spanish or semi-Spanish lineage. 
 Nearly all the horses and cattle possessed by the 
 Comanche tribe have been stolen, or rather " rieved," 
 from the citizens of the Mexican Republic. But what 
 may seem singular to those who are unacquainted 
 with the Mexican character, the citizens of one pro- 
 vince encourage these forays upon another by pur- 
 chasing their spoil from the Indian freebooters. The 
 people of New Mexico frequently bargain with the 
 Apaches for horses and cattle, which the latter have
 
 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 283 
 
 taken from the Mexicans of Sonora ; those of Sonora 
 buy the ^tolen goods of Chihuahua ; and the Chihua- 
 hueiios have a receiving house for plunder from 
 Sonora, or the Lower Rio Grande ! In Mexico all 
 cattle are " branded," or stamped with the private 
 mark of the owner, burnt in the skin with a hot iron. 
 This mark remains for life, and as an animal frequently 
 changes masters several brands may be seen, very 
 damaging to the look of a fine horse. 
 
 " Atajo of pack-mules" Page 133. 
 " Atajo " is the name given to a string or train of 
 pack-mules, usually the property of one individual, 
 and hired by the journey or job. 
 
 " Sandalled feet." Page 133. 
 The civilised Indians that is, the " Indies man- 
 sos," who form the bulk of Mexican population still 
 wear the sandal or go barefoot. The sandal, called 
 "guarache," is merely a piece of sole leather, cut 
 somewhat to the shape of the foot-print, and tied 
 around the ankle by thongs of raw -hide. It is worn 
 only by the pure Indians, and principally by those 
 living in the country or the villages. 
 
 " Arriero" Page 133. 
 
 "Muleteer," a class of men renowned for honesty 
 and other virtues, that are somewhat rare in their 
 country. As there are few roads in Mexico that can
 
 284 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 be travelled by wheeled vehicles, the pack-mule be- 
 comes an important means of transport, and, of course, 
 the class of men who follow mule-driving exists in 
 considerable numbers. 
 
 " Spanish beans." Page 135. 
 The black variety of the French or kidney-bean, 
 called " frijoles," is the favourite of the Mexican 
 kitchen. These beans are cooked with a little lard, 
 which gives them a relish, and are eaten along with 
 the " tortilla," or corn-cake, so often described. Fri- 
 joles, tortillas, and Chile peppers, form the staple food 
 of nine -tenths of the population of Mexico. There 
 are several varieties of the Chile ( Capsicum annuum) 
 cultivated in Mexico, and used in the cuisine of that 
 nation. 
 
 " Spanish knives" Page 135. 
 The common kitchen knife of Spanish manufac- 
 ture differs essentially from that used in England or 
 America. It has a long thin blade, wide at the base, 
 but tapering to a sharp point, and quite as available 
 for a stiletto as for carving a joint. Altogether it is 
 an ugly-looking weapon, and ugly use is often made 
 of it among the passionate leperos. It is found among 
 the Indians of the western prairies, who of course 
 obtained it from their Spanish neighbours; and al- 
 though I have never met with such a knife either in 
 the United States or England, I believe it is manu-
 
 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 285 
 
 factured in the latter country in Birmingham or 
 Sheffield. 
 
 ." Page 135. 
 Literally " table." A word applied to certain hills, 
 with flat, table-like tops, existing throughout North 
 Mexico. This formation is characteristic of the desert 
 region of America, and particularly of the vast unin- 
 habited tracts west of the Rio Del Norte. South 
 Africa also exhibits a similar geological character, 
 of which "Table Mountain" is a good illustrative 
 specimen. 
 
 " Buffalo had appeared" Page 136. 
 These animals are not periodical in their migra- 
 tions, though there is a pretty regular setting in 
 towards the southern prairies when the grass fails 
 them to the north. There are many circumstances, 
 however, to affect their wanderings, as the drought, 
 the drive of the Indian hunters, and wars among the 
 tribes. 
 
 " Brazos and Colorado" Page 136. 
 
 The two principal rivers of Texas. Colorado is a 
 
 very general name for Spanish American rivers. The 
 
 ' word signifies " red," and the name is applied to such 
 
 streams as are of a red colour. In Mexican territory 
 
 there are quite a number of rivers bearing this title ; 
 
 the great Colorado of the western desert that of
 
 286 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 Texas, the " Ked " of Louisiana, and a large river, 
 a tributary of the Canadian, is also styled Colorado. 
 The Colorado of Texas is a misnomer a mistake of 
 the Anglo-American settlers* It is not one of the 
 red- water streams, while the Brazos is. The truth is, 
 that the names of these two rivers have been ex- 
 changed by mistake. The Brazos of the present time 
 is the Colorado, and vice versa. _The name Brazos, 
 or, more fully, " Brazos de Dios " (arm of God), was 
 given by the early Spanish missionaries. Its origin 
 is an interesting legend. It is this. When the mis- 
 sion upon the San Saba fell from an attack of hostile 
 Indians, only one priest escaped the massacre. He 
 fled towards the Brazos, and was pursued by the 
 savages. Having arrived at the river he forded it 
 easily, and succeeded in reaching San Antonio de 
 Bexar in safety. But the pursuing Indians were all 
 drowned in the stream, or were found lying dead upon 
 the bank, as if suddenly struck down by the " arm of 
 God." Hence the name afterwards given to the river. 
 This paraphrase of Pharaoh's unsuccessful fording of 
 the Red Sea no doubt had its effect upon the simple 
 neophytes of the San Antonian missions. 
 
 "Kiaivas, Lipans, and Tonkewas." Page 136. 
 
 " Kiawas," in Mexican orthography " Caigiias," 
 are a small, but warlike tribe, inhabiting the prairie 
 of the eastward of the Del Norte. They are allies of 
 the Comanches. The Lipans are more numerous,
 
 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 287 
 
 though greatly reduced of late. They dwell upon the 
 Lower Rio Grande, and have their stronghold in the 
 singular mountain-girdled valley of the Bolson Ma- 
 pimi. They regularly plunder the Mexican settle- 
 ments of New Leon and Coahuila. They are also 
 allies of the Comanches. So are the Tonkewas, ano- 
 ther small remnant of Texan Indians. The Wacoes 
 are a warlike band of Indians inhabiting northern 
 Texas near the Trinity and Red Rivers. They range 
 among the " Cross Timbers." The Pane's or Pawnees 
 are well-known Indians, whose head-quarters are still 
 farther to the north, upon the Platte river; but 
 who make frequent horse-stealing expeditions to the 
 southern prairies. They and the Comanches are 
 sworn foes. The Osages are found upon the Osage 
 river, but are also nomades, who make distant expe- 
 ditions for hunting or plunder. The Cherokees are 
 now a semi-civilised tribe, 30,000 in number, whose 
 country is part of the " Indian territory," on the 
 Arkansas. But several small bands that long since 
 seceded from the " nation " follow a hunter life, and 
 roam through the prairies of Texas. The Kickapoos 
 are a remnant, also transported to the Indian territory, 
 but who still incline to the wild hunter life. 
 S . 
 
 "Bow and lance." Page 138. 
 
 The buffalo is best hunted on horseback; conse- 
 quently, the arrow is readier than the leaden bullet, 
 by reason of the difficulty of reloading the rifle. Of
 
 288 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 course, the aim is not considered where the object is 
 at no greater distance than a few feet. Indeed, a 
 common horse or holster pistol is a better weapon 
 than a rifle in buffalo-hunting. Some hunters prefer 
 a long spear to either bow or gun. 
 
 " Caravan" Page 138. 
 
 This Oriental name is used on the western prairies. 
 Any travelling party with wheeled vehicles crossing 
 the great plains is styled a " caravan." 
 
 "Pecan overcup." Page 140. 
 The pecan, pronounced " pecawn," is a small tree 
 of the hickory family (Carya olivceformis) bearing 
 an olive -shaped nut. It grows in the south-western 
 States, and throughout Texas it is in some places a 
 characteristic tree. The nut is well flavoured and 
 forms an article of traffic in the Mississippi valley. 
 The "overcup" is a species of oak belonging to the 
 same region as the pecan. Its name is derived from 
 the cup-like burr that grows over the acorn. The 
 " hackberry," sometimes called hagberry or hogberry, 
 with a variety of other names, is the " Celtis occi- 
 dentalis" of botanists. 
 
 " Buffalo grass" Page 141. 
 A grass which on some prairies forms the favourite 
 pasturage of the buffalo. It is a species of Sesleria 
 (S. dactyloides).
 
 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 289 
 
 "Roads" "wallows" Page 141. 
 
 Buffalo-roads are a feature of the prairies. They 
 sometimes present the appearance of immense high- 
 ways trodden by countless herds of cattle. Often 
 they are sunk below the level of the surrounding 
 plain, the rain-water having carried away the 
 loosened earth. Buffalo "wallows" are shallow, cir- 
 cular holes, caused by the animals when " wallowing." 
 A curious habit which these quadrupeds indulge in. 
 They lie down upon the plain, and using their 
 shoulder as a pivot, spin themselves around for 
 several minutes at a time. The circular excavation is 
 thus formed, and during seasons of rain these little 
 basins form reservoirs for water, out of which the 
 buffaloes themselves drink. Thus these animals may 
 be said " to dig their own wells," though the motive 
 of their doing so is to get rid of the " ticks" and flies 
 that in hot weather greatly annoy them. 
 
 ." Page 142. 
 Creek or rivulet. 
 
 " Tasajo" Page 143. 
 
 Meat preserved without salt, by being smoked or 
 sun-dried, is called " tasajo" (pronounced tasaho). 
 Most of the meat used by the country people of 
 Mexico is " tasajo." 
 
 VOL. ra. u
 
 290 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 "Buffalo-eaters." Page 145. 
 
 One branch of the Comanche nation is called the 
 " Buffalo-eaters," because they dwell in a district 
 much frequented by buffaloes, and subsist entirely 
 upon the flesh of these animals. 
 
 " Women and boys" Page 147. 
 
 It is needless to observe that the women do all the 
 drudgery work. The men having hunted and slain 
 the buffaloes, take no further part in the business. 
 The skinning, cutting up, and carrying the meat to 
 camp, is all done by the " fair sex." Such drudgery 
 would degrade their noble lords. 
 
 >." Page 149. 
 
 Most of the prairie Indians particularly those of 
 the south and west understand a few words of 
 Spanish. This points to the earlier occupation of 
 these regions by the Spanish race. These Indians 
 will now become acquainted with a very different 
 language the Anglo-Saxon. 
 
 "Mulada." Page 151. 
 
 Mulada, a drove of mules. Caballada or caval- 
 lada, a drove of horses ; hence our " Cavalcade." 
 Manada, a band of mares.
 
 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 291 
 
 "Estampeda" Page 158. 
 
 The sudden alarm produced among horses or 
 cattle, leading to a general scattering of the drove, is 
 called "estampeda" by the Mexicans. This word is 
 rendered " stampede " in Anglo-American. 
 
 "Bulta." Page 159. 
 Bale or package of goods. 
 
 " Horse-Indians." Page 165. 
 Only some tribes of prairie Indians are in pos- 
 session of horses, and use them for all purposes. 
 There are other tribes that hunt and go to war on 
 foot; but the Comanches, Apaches, and southern tribes, 
 have long accustomed themselves to the horse, and 
 scarcely ever walk upon any business. If they move 
 but a few hundred yards, it is done upon horseback. 
 In equitation they even excel the Arabs of the Desert. 
 
 " The tonsure of his hair." Page 174. 
 
 The shaving the scalp is a practice confined to the 
 Uines, Osages, and a few other tribes. The Co- 
 manches, Apaches, and other prairie Indians, wear 
 their hair in all its luxuriance, and even add to it by 
 " splicing." Among those who shave the hair the 
 central part of the crown is left unshaven, and a long 
 lock growing from this reserved portion is the " scalp- 
 lock."
 
 292 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 "His long spear" Page 184. 
 The spear or lance is in full use among the prairie 
 Indians, both as a weapon of war and for the chase. 
 It has, no doubt, been adopted along with the horse 
 from their Spanish conquerors. 
 
 " Was of iron. 1 " Page 194. 
 
 At the early period of our story iron -headed arrows 
 were still a rarity among the pi-airie Indians. Even to 
 this day the flint-heads are common among some tribes 
 who dwell remote from the whites. 
 
 "Mulera" Page 202. 
 
 The " mulera," or bell-mule, is a steady old mule 
 that goes in advance of the atajo, and acts as the 
 guide of the others, that will all follow whenever the 
 bell is heard. A mare is oftener used for the purpose 
 than a mule. 
 
 " Bolsa." Page 203. 
 Purse. 
 
 " It was gold" Page 203. 
 
 Gold dust is found among the Comanches and 
 some other Texan tribes. This points to the existence 
 either of gold-mines or placers within Texan terri- 
 tory.
 
 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 293 
 
 " Pucheros, guisados" Page 204. 
 
 The " puchoro " is a dish of many ingredients, 
 though it is not the famous " olla podrida," as asserted 
 by travellers. " Puchero " answers to our boiled meat 
 and cabbage, and these are its essential elements, 
 though a bit of fowl, a boiled pear, " garbanzos " (a 
 species of pea), pumpkins, and carrot, parsnip or 
 turnip, may all be found in the mixture. It is a com- 
 mon dish on the tables of the wealthier and middle- 
 class Mexicans. " Guisado " is a stew or hash, and 
 may be of many kinds, according to the meat or fowl 
 composing it. 
 
 " Canario" Page 205. 
 
 The wines here mentioned are the kinds most 
 drunk in Mexico. Canario, canary ; Xeres, sherry ; 
 Bordcos, Bordeaux (claret) ; Catalan, or Catalan 
 brandy, is a yellow or golden-coloured whisky not 
 unpalatable when of good quality. " Cordials " are 
 muHi relished by the Mexicans* ; and maraschino, 
 curacoa, noyeaux, may be found in all their liquor- 
 shops. Upon the whole, however, the Mexicans are a 
 sober nation. 
 
 " La gratia Andalusiana" Page 206. 
 
 The superior gracefulness of the people of Anda- 
 lusia is admitted by all Spaniards and Spanish
 
 294 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 Americans, and the above phrase is a proverbial 
 expression. 
 
 " Guadalaxarenas." Page 206. 
 No females in the world have smaller feet than 
 those of Mexico the artificial feet of the Chinese 
 ladies of course, excepted. Even the peasant girl of 
 Mexico stands upon the prettiest little pedestals, and 
 knows it well. The consequence is, that long dresses 
 can never become a fashion in that country. The 
 ladies of Guadalaxara have got the name of being even 
 smaller-footed than the rest of their country-women. 
 
 " Giiero." Page 210. 
 
 A fair person with light or red hair. Such is rare 
 in all parts of Mexico ; and both giiero and giiera, if at 
 all handsome, are great favourites with the respective 
 opposite sexes. 
 
 "Boracho." Page 213. 
 
 Intoxicated, drunk. " Embriaguado " is another 
 term used to express the same condition a somewhat 
 rare one among Mexicans of the better class. 
 
 " Querido camarado" Page 217. 
 My dear comrade. 
 
 " Fence of columnar cacti" Page 225. 
 Many of the " ranches," or cottages of the poorer
 
 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 295 
 
 Mexicans, are enclosed by this singular kind of fence. 
 It makes a pleasant picture. 
 
 "Adobe." Page 226. 
 
 The sun-dried brick, or adobe, is larger than our 
 burnt bricks. It is in use for building all over the 
 tierra templada of Mexico. In the tierra caliente, 
 where it is hot, a lighter structure of canes, or poles, 
 and palm-thatch, is preferred. 
 
 " The only house" Page 231. 
 In the poorest huts of the Mexican peasantry you 
 will not fail to find some prints of saints stuck against 
 the wall, and regarded with reverence. Guadalupe, 
 Remedies, Dolores, and the " Nina de Atocha," are 
 prime favourites. 
 
 "Pelados." Page 234. 
 
 A name literally signifying " naked fellows." 
 " Ragamuffins" may bo taken as its synonyme. 
 
 " Cargo." Page 235. 
 A mule-load is a " carga." 
 
 " Coma/." Page 237. 
 
 Scottice, griddle. The Scotch griddle is of cir- 
 cular form. The " comal " is only a thick plate of 
 metal of any form. Often a flat stone, heated over the 
 fire, serves for a comal.
 
 296 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 "Brazero" Page 246. 
 
 A little vessel or brazier for holding coals to light 
 the cigar, is met with in nearly every hut in Mexico. 
 In the houses of the ricos this vessel is of silver, not 
 unfrequently of gold. 
 
 "Margaritas." Page 252. 
 
 Margarita, literally pearl, has an offensive mean- 
 ing among the Mexicans, and is used when speaking 
 of women of low character. 
 
 " Saguan."Psigc 254. 
 
 The part of the great gateway of a Mexican house 
 where the porter sits that is, the alley by which you 
 enter the patio, or inside court is termed the 
 sagitan, or zaguan. 
 
 "Alcahuete." Page 272. 
 
 The Spanish name of that horrid character known 
 as a " go-between." 
 
 ''War-paint and costume." Page 282. 
 
 War-costume among the Southern Indians is a 
 costume approaching complete nudity. The breech- 
 cloth is about the " only garment " worn upon a war- 
 expedition.
 
 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 297 
 
 " En paz." Page 284. 
 
 A treaty of peace is every now and then made 
 between the " Indies bravos " and the Mexican pro- 
 vincial governments. During such treaties the Indians 
 are said to be en paz. They generally remain en paz 
 only so long as it suits their convenience. 
 
 " Thousands of their countrywomen" Page 286. 
 No exaggeration in this a stern and painful fact. 
 
 " Mezcaleros." Page 290. 
 
 Like the Comanches, the Apache tribe is divided 
 into several sub-tribes or bands, as "Coyoteros," eaters 
 of the prairie-wolf ; " Mezcaleros," eaters of the mezcal, 
 or wild aloe, &c. 
 
 "Azotea" Page 293. 
 
 The flat roof of a Mexican house is the azotea. It 
 is a placet resort for the inmates. In large dwellings 
 the azotea, in cool weather, is the pleasantest part of 
 the house. 
 
 " Fine stockings." Page 299. 
 
 A luxury indulged in only by the very richest 
 dames of Mexico. Upon the peasant girls, and even 
 those of a higher grade, stockings are never seen, 
 except on some rare occasion.
 
 298 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 " War-trail" Page 304. 
 
 Such is the name given to the paths made by the 
 prairie Indians on their war expeditions. Many of 
 these war-trails cross the Eio Grande at different 
 points leading southward into the settled parts of 
 Mexico. Some of them have the appearance of great 
 highways much traversed by horses and cattle ; and 
 the bones of these animals may be seen strewed 
 along the route the bones of such as have perished 
 by the way, or have been killed to feed the hungry 
 robbers who drive them. 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 " The Yutas." Page 11. 
 
 Sometimes written Utahs or Eutaws. A strong 
 tribe living around the head -waters of the Del Norte 
 and to the north of the New Mexican settlements, 
 which they often harry at will. 
 
 " Beards on their faces" Page 13. 
 Among the Indians beards are rare, though some- 
 times a considerable quantity of hair is seen upon the 
 face. For the most part the beard is eradicated, as 
 well as the hair upon the eyebrows such symptoms
 
 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 299 
 
 of manhood not being fashionable among the American 
 aborigines. 
 
 " Zopilotes" Page 24. 
 
 Two species of vulture bear this name in Mexico 
 the "turkey buzzard" (Cathartes aura,) and "car- 
 rion crow " ( C. atratus). They are the common vul- 
 tures of the North American continent, and so like 
 each other that a practised eye only can tell the dif- 
 ference, when they are at a short distance. 
 
 " Buenas dias" Page 36. 
 
 Good day. " Buenas dias ! " is the salutation of 
 the morning and fore part of the day. " Buenas 
 tardes," good evening, is the parole of the afternoon. 
 Good morning, " buena manana," is not in use. " Bue- 
 nas noches," good night, is an expression not of salu- 
 tation, but of parting. 
 
 / " Paisana" Page 37. 
 
 Peasant, or rather a woman of the country : from 
 " pais," the country. 
 
 " Tapada" Page 40. 
 
 ^A blind. A woman who wears the reboso so as to 
 conceal her face is termed " tapada." 
 
 " Mestizo." Page 56. 
 Half-Indian, half-white.
 
 300 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 "Garrotta" Page 58. 
 
 The " garrotta " is the mode of punishment in use 
 in Mexico. It is certainly a more delicate way of 
 sending a sinner out of the world than the " rope." 
 
 " Chapparal" Page 65. 
 
 The extensive thickets that cover large tracts of 
 country throughout Mexico are called " chapparals." 
 They are usually composed of thorny trees and plants, 
 as the acacias, the cacti, and aloes. In some places 
 these thickets are quite impenetrable until the machete 
 has cleared a way through them. 
 
 " Calabozo." Page 69. 
 
 The name for a Mexican prison. The municipal 
 prison of New Orleans still retains its old Spanish 
 name of " Calaboose " (Calabozo). 
 
 " Armas de agua" Page 90. 
 Literally " arms of water," meaning water-guards, 
 or defences against the rain. They consist of a pair of 
 skins attached to the front part of the saddle, and 
 drawn over the thighs when it rains an excellent pro- 
 tection. 
 
 "Horn of the saddle? Page 92. 
 In the western part of the United States a horn is 
 sometimes set in the projection of the pommel for a
 
 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 301 
 
 convenience to hook the bridle on. Hence that part 
 of the saddle is often called the " horn," whether there 
 be a horn or no. 
 
 " Novedades." Page 109. 
 Equivalent to our " news." 
 
 " Dependientes." Page 150. 
 
 Poor relations who live in the houses of the "ricos," 
 us clerks, secretaries, &c., and the assistants of rich 
 merchants, are styled " dcpendientes " (dependants). 
 " Criado " is the current word for male servant ; " cri- 
 ada," female servant. 
 
 . " Pobrecita /"Page 153. 
 
 Poor thing ! An expression of pity or sympathy 
 that often falls sweetly from the lips of the gentle- 
 hearted women of Mexico. 
 
 " Asesino" Page 154. 
 
 Assassin. Ladron, robber. Ingrato, ungrateful. 
 Demonic, devil. Giiero heretico, white-haired heretic. 
 
 ) " Zacate" Page 158. 
 Trodden grass or dry leaves of the maize-plant. 
 
 " Oracion" Page 162. 
 Morning service at the church ; morning prayer.
 
 302 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 "Alameda" Page 172. 
 
 Public garden for walking in. A handsome place 
 of the kind is met with in most large towns of Mexico. 
 The public drive is termed " Paseo," and differs alto- 
 gether from the Alameda. 
 
 " Camino abajo." Page 192. 
 Lower road, road leading down the valley. 
 
 "Bandolon" Page 209. 
 
 The Mexican guitar. It differs in shape from the 
 ordinary guitar. The body part is of an oval form, 
 not fiddle-shaped. It produces a sound very like the 
 guitar, though there is a slight peculiarity in the tones. 
 It is a common instrument in Mexico, found in the 
 hands not only of ladies, but in those of the poorest 
 peasant. 
 
 " The a/." Page 212. 
 
 The sala of a Mexican mansion is the common 
 reception-room drawing-room it might be styled, 
 though it is not the best in the house. The "cuarto" 
 is a better finished apartment, and used only on grand 
 occasions. 
 
 " Serenas." Page 231. 
 
 The clumsy, old-fashioned night-watchmen of 
 Mexico, who sleep on door-steps and occasionally call
 
 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 303 
 
 out the hour, are termed " Serenos." They are habited 
 in huge wide cloaks, and each carries a lanthorn and 
 halberd. 
 
 "Paroquia." Page 232. 
 
 Parish-church. 
 
 " Zambo." Page 303. 
 
 Half-Indian, half-Negro. There are few zambos 
 in the interior of Mexico, and not a great number of 
 the African race in any part of it. The native Peon 
 slave precluded the necessity for introducing the negro; 
 hence pure negroes, or even mixed breeds of them, 
 exist in Mexico in small proportion to the rest of the 
 population. Most of them are found along the sea- 
 board of the Gulf in the hot-lands of the tierra cali- 
 ente a climate which they are better fitted for than 
 either Indian or white. The Zambos have the repu- 
 tation of extreme brutality. 
 
 VOL. III. 
 
 " Linda ! lindissima !" Page 6. 
 The word " linda" is a favourite expression in 
 the Spanish language. It conveys the idea of some- 
 thing very fair, soft, gentle, beautiful. In fact, no 
 single English word can translate it. The French 
 " jolie " is a fair representative of the Spanish 
 " linda."
 
 304 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 " Pues." Page 7. 
 
 Literally " then," but pues and puesque are in- 
 terjective phrases, and frequently occur without any 
 particular meaning, thickly sprinkled in a dialogue 
 between two Spaniards. 
 
 " Arborescent yucca" Page 16. 
 
 The " tree yucca" of Northern Mexico often 
 attains a height of forty or fifty feet. In some parts 
 the huts of the poorer inhabitants are built entirely 
 out of this tree. Its trunks form the uprights, its 
 smaller limbs the joists and rafters, while the leaves 
 make a very good thatch. 
 
 " Husk cigar rito" Page 27. 
 
 The cigar of Mexican manufacture is called 
 " Puro." It is the " Pickwick" of London. A cigar 
 of the sort made at Havannah is known among 
 Mexicans as a " Habana." Most Mexican smokers 
 prefer the small cigarette (cigarrito) rolled in paper, 
 or husk of the maize-plant. 
 
 " Double-headed calabash." Page 29. 
 The gourd, or calabash, is the usual canteen of 
 the Mexican traveller. Sometimes these grow with a 
 double head in shape somewhat resembling a sand- 
 glass and as a strap can be more easily attached to 
 them, those of this fornfare preferred.
 
 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 305 
 
 "Carrot/" Page 30. 
 Another form of the Mexican oath " Carajo." 
 
 " Chinga!" Page 32. 
 
 A wild oath, used only by the very lepero. 
 Chingara, a synonymous expression. 
 
 " Malraya /" Page 60. 
 
 Still another wicked form of expression used by 
 one who is displeased or dissatisfied. 
 
 r Page 77. 
 A sheep-farm is a " hato." The owner of sheep 
 a " hatero." The shepherd or keeper of them is also 
 a " hatero." 
 
 " Bottom." Page 90. 
 
 In American phraseology, the "bottom" of a 
 river does not Dignify its bed or channel, but the 
 valley or plain through which that channel runs. A 
 river bottom is often many leagues in breadth. 
 
 " Matter Page 91. 
 
 A name applied to the clumps or copses of timber 
 that stud some of the prairies. 
 
 "Pitahaya." Page 94. 
 
 The cactus, called by the Mexicans " pitahaya," 
 VOL. ra. x
 
 306 THE WHITE CHIEF. 
 
 is one of the most pleasing forms of this singular 
 family of plants. It is that known under the names 
 of " Colummar Cactus," " Chandelier Cactus," &c. 
 The fruit of the pitahaya is about the size of an 
 ordinary apple, and its pulp of a beautiful crimson 
 colour. With the addition of cream and sugar it 
 tastes very similar to strawberries. Pitahaya fruit is 
 collected and brought to the market by the fruiterers 
 of Mexico. 
 
 " Chingarito."?fige 99. 
 
 The vilest species of " aguardiente," or Mexican 
 whisky, is dignified by the name of " chingarito." 
 
 " Tillandsia."Pnge 125. 
 
 The Tillandsia usneoides, or Spanish moss, some- 
 times called " old man's beard." A parasite of 
 certain trees throughout most of the tropical and sub- 
 tropical forests of America. 
 
 " Caballeriza." Page 190. 
 The stable of a Mexican gentleman, with the 
 coach-house and other offices, is usually under the 
 same roof with the dwelling-house, often occupying 
 the ground-floor. 
 
 " Huyeron." Page 220. 
 laterally " they have run away," i. e. eloped.
 
 EXPLANATORY NOTES. 307 
 
 " Hung over the gateway" Page 224. 
 This is a common custom among the frontier towns 
 of North Mexico. At Chihuahua, and at other places, 
 the traveller may see a number of odd-looking objects, 
 like horses' tails, waving over the gate by which he 
 enters the town. These are trophies the scalps of 
 hostile Indians. 
 
 " On the war-trail" Page 229. 
 Indians on a war expedition are said to be on the 
 " war-trail." 
 
 " Centinela alerte" Page 235. 
 " Sentry awake on the alert," the usual cry of 
 the Mexican sentries, uttered in a shrill voice. 
 " Quien viva ?" is the challenge equivalent to our 
 " Who goes there ?" 
 
 If " Tapojos." Page 245. 
 Mule - blinds, used for refractory mules, and 
 usually made of strong leather. Every arriero carries 
 with him a tapojo. Sometimes the word is written 
 " topado." 
 
 THE END.
 
 LONDON : 
 
 Printed by G. BARCLAY, 28 Castle St. Leicester Sq,
 
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