teresting antiquities. The sign of grizzly bears, that was discovered
upon the mud bottom, gave the hunters far more concern than the broken
pottery and its painted hieroglyphics. Two of these animals were
discovered near the camp, and a fierce battle ensued, in which one of
the Mexicans nearly lost his life, escaping only after most of the skin
had been clawed from his head and neck. The bears themselves were
killed, and made part of our suppers.

Our next day's march lay up the Gila, to the mouth of the San Carlos
river, where we again halted for the night. The San Carlos runs in from
the north; and Seguin had resolved to travel up this stream for a
hundred miles or so, and afterwards strike eastward to the country of
the Navajoes.

When this determination was made known, a spirit of discontent showed
itself among the men, and mutinous whisperings were heard on all sides.

Shortly after we halted, however, several of them strayed up the banks
of the stream, and gathered some grains of gold out of its bed.
Indications of the precious metal, the quixa, known among the Mexicans
as the "gold mother," were also found among the rocks. There were
miners in the band, who knew it well, and this served to satisfy them.
There was no more talk of keeping on to the Prieto. Perhaps the San
Carlos might prove equally rich. Rumour had also given it the title of
a "golden river"; at all events, the expedition must cross the head
waters of the Prieto in its journey eastward; and this prospect had the
effect of quieting the mutineers, at least for the time.

There was another influence: the character of Seguin. There was no
single individual in the band who cared to cross him on slight grounds.
They knew him too well for that; and though few of these men set high
value on their lives, when they believe themselves, according to
"mountain law," in the right, yet they knew that to delay the expedition
for the purpose of gathering gold was neither according to their compact
with him nor agreeable to his wishes. Not a few of the band, moreover,
were actuated by motives similar to those felt by Seguin himself, and
these were equally desirous of pushing on to the Navajo towns.

Still another consideration had its influence upon the majority. The
party of Dacoma would be on our track as soon as they had returned from
the Apache trail. We had, therefore, no time to waste in gold-hunting,
and the simplest of the scalp-hunters knew