success to my chieftain,
and immediately departed to the southward into the land of the Nedni
Apaches. Their chief, Whoa, heard me without comment, but he immediately
issued orders for a council, and when all were ready gave a sign that I
might speak. I addressed them as I had addressed the Chokonen tribe, and
they also promised to help us.

It was in the summer of 1859, almost a year from the date of the
massacre of Kaskiyeh, that these three tribes were assembled on the
Mexican border to go upon the warpath. Their faces were painted, the war
bands[13] fastened upon their brows, their long scalp-locks[14] ready
for the hand and knife of the warrior who could overcome them. Their
families had been hidden away in a mountain rendezvous near the Mexican
border. With these families a guard was posted, and a number of places
of rendezvous designated in case the camp should be disturbed.

When all were ready the chieftains gave command to go forward. None of
us were mounted and each warrior wore moccasins and also a cloth wrapped
about his loins. This cloth could be spread over him when he slept, and
when on the march would be ample protection as clothing. In battle, if
the fight was hard, we did not wish much clothing. Each warrior carried
three days' rations, but as we often killed game while on the march, we
seldom were without food.

We traveled in three divisions: the Bedonkohe Apaches led by
Mangus-Colorado, the Chokonen Apaches by Cochise, and the Nedni Apaches
by Whoa; however, there was no regular order inside the separate tribes.
We usually marched about fourteen hours per day, making three stops for
meals and traveling forty to forty-five miles a day.

I acted as guide into Mexico, and we followed the river courses and
mountain ranges because we could better thereby keep our movements
concealed. We entered Sonora and went southward past Quitaco, Nacozari,
and many smaller settlements.

[Illustration: NAICHE, HIS MOTHER, HIS TWO WIVES AND HIS CHILDREN]

When we were almost at Arispe we camped, and eight men rode out from the
city to parley with us. These we captured, killed, and scalped. This was
to draw the troops from the city, and the next day they came. The
skirmishing lasted all day without a general engagement, but just at
night we captured their supply train, so we had plenty of provisions and
some more guns.

That night we posted sentinels and did not move our camp, but rested
quietly all night, for