the Governor, has been pleased to issue the following de cree: 66 6 'That, as Don Angel Trias has withdrawn his prosecution, so far as relates to his personal interests, the Government, using the equity with which it ought to look upon faults committed without a deliberate intention to infringe the laws, which appears presumable in the present case, owing to the memorialist's ignorance of them, the grace which he solicits is granted to him; and, in consequence, he is at liberty to retire when he chooses: to which end, and that he may not be interrupted by the authorities, a copy of this decree will be transmitted to him.' "In virtue of the above, I inclose the said decree to you, for the purposes intended. "God and Liberty. Chihuahua, Nov. 9, 1839. "AMADO DE LA VEGA, Sec. "To DON JOSIAH GREGG." Thus terminated this 'momentous' affair. The moral of it may be summed up in a few words. A citizen of the United States who, under the faith of treaties, is engaged in his business, may be seized and harassed by the arbitrary authorities of Chihuahua with perfect impunity, because experience has proved that the American Government winks at almost every individual outrage, as utterly unworthy of its serious consideration. At the same time, the Indians may enter, as they frequently do, the suburbs of the city,-rob, plunder, and destroy life, without a single soldier being raised, or an effort made to bring the savage malefactors within the pale of justice. But a few days before the occasion of my difficulty at Torreon, the Apaches had killed a ranchero or two in the immediate neighborhood of the same village; and after 134 UNDER WAY AGAIN. wards, at the very time such a bustle was being made in Chihuahua to raise troops for my 'special benefit,' the Indians entered the corn-fields in the suburbs of the city, and killed several labradores who were at work in them. In neither of these cases, however, were there any troops at command to pursue and chastise the depredators-though a whole army was in readiness to persecute our party. The truth is, they felt much less reluctance to pursue a band of civil traders, who, they were well aware, could not assume a hostile attitude, than to be caught in the wake of a band of savages, who would as little respect their lives as their laws and their property. Early on the morning of the 10th, I once more, and for the last time, and with anything but regret, took my leave of Chihuahua, with my companions in trouble. Towards the afternoon we met my old friend the captain, with his valiant followers, whom I found as full of urbanity as ever-so much so, indeed, that he never even asked to see my passport. On the evening of the next day, now in the heart of the savage haunts, we were not a little alarmed by the appearance of a large body of horsemen in the distance. They turned out, however, to be Paseños, or citizens of the Paso del Norte. They were on their way to Chihuahua with a number of pack-nules laden with apples, pears, grapes, wine, and aguardiente-proceeds of their productive or chards and vineyards. It is from El Paso that Chihuahua is chiefly supplied with fruits and ARRIVAL AT SANTA FÉ. 135 liquors, which are transported on mules or in carretas. The fruits, as well fresh as in a dried state, are thus carried to the distant markets. The grapes, carefully dried in the shade, make excellent pasas or raisins, of which large quantities are annually prepared for market by the people of that delightful town of vineyards and orchards, who, to take them altogether, are more sober and industrious than those of any other part of Mexico I have visited; and are happily less infested by the extremes of wealth and poverty. On the 13th, I overtook my wagons a few miles south of El Paso, whence our journey was continued, without any additional casualty, and on the 6th of December we reached Santa Fé, in fine health and spirits. CHAPTER VIII. Preparations for returning Home-Breaking out cf the Smallpox-The Start-Our Caravan-Manuel the Comanche-A New Route-The Prairie on fire-Danger to be apprehended from these Conflagrations-A Comanche Buffalo-chase-A Skirmish with the Pawnees-An intrepid Mexican-The Wounded-Value of a thick Skull-Retreat of the Enemy and their Failure-A bleak Northwester-Loss of our Sheep-The Llano Estacado and Sources of Red River-The Canadian River-Cruelties upon Buffalo-Feats at 'Still-hunting'—Mr. Wethered's Adventure-Once more on our own Soil -The False Washita-Enter our former Trail-Character of the Country over which we had travelled-Arrival at Van Buren -The two Routes to Santa Fé-Some Advantages of that from Arkansas-Restlessness of Prairie Travellers in civilized life, and Propensity for returning to the Wild Deserts. ABOUT the beginning of February, 1840, and just as I was making preparations to return to the United States, the small-pox broke out among my men,in a manner which at first occasioned at least as much astonishment as alarm. One of them, who had been vaccinated, having travelled in a district where the small-pox prevailed, complained of a little fever, which was followed by slight eruptions, but so unlike true variolous pustules, that I treated the matter very lightly; not even suspecting a varioloid. These slight symptoms HOMEWARD BOUND. 137 having passed off, nothing more was thought of it until eight or ten days after, when every unvaccinated member of our company was attacked by that fell disease, which soon began to manifest very malignant features. There were no fatal cases, however; yet much apprehension was felt, lest the disease should break out again on the route; but, to our great joy, we escaped this second scourge. A party that left Santa Fé for Missouri soon afterward, was much more unfortunate. On the way, several of their men were attacked by the small-pox: some of them died, and, others retaining the infection till they approached the Missouri frontier, they were compelled to undergo a 'quarantine' in the bordering prairie, before they were permitted to enter the settlements. On the 25th of February we set out from Santa Fé; but owing to some delays, we did not leave San Miguel till the 1st of March. As the pasturage was yet insufficient for our animals, we here provided ourselves with over six hundred bushels of corn, to feed them on the way. This time our caravan consisted of twenty-eight wagons, two small cannons, and forty-seven men, including sixteen Mexicans and a Comanche Indian who acted in the capacity of guide.* Two gentlemen of Bal * Manuel el Comanche was a full Indian, born and bred upon the great prairies. Long after having arrived at the state of manhood, he accompanied some Mexican Comancheros to the frontier village of San Miguel, where he fell in love with a Mexican girlmarried her and has lived in that place, a sober, civilized' citizen for the last ten or twelve years-endowed with much more good |