. The occupation of one of this group of
buildings cut him off from the barrack-room; so, after bayoneting one
Indian, he ran over to an enclosure belonging to Don Escalente, situated
to the north of the store. From the shelter of the fence of this
enclosure he fired into the Indians in the stone building till his ten
rounds of ammunition were exhausted. He then said to Don Escalente, "I
am going over to the barracks for more cartridges," and, before he could
be dissuaded, ran out from the shelter and endeavoured to cross the open
space to the barrack. On the way he received a mortal wound, but
succeeded in joining his comrades.

The Indians, impatient at the delay caused by the obstinate resistance
of the soldiers, now vacated the houses on the further side of the road,
opposite the southern end of the barracks, and set fire to the thatched
roofs, hoping to involve the barracks in a general conflagration. The
houses burned fiercely, and the flames spreading across the road, caught
a small kitchen situated not ten yards from the barracks. The Indians
raised yells of triumph, for they considered it certain that their foes
would now be driven from their shelter and then easily overpowered by
force of numbers. Indeed, it is difficult to understand how the dry
palm-thatch of the barracks did fail to ignite, but it did so fail, and
the kitchen, after blazing up violently for a few minutes, fell in and
burned itself out harmlessly.

By the destruction of these buildings the position of the soldiers was
improved, the Indians now having no cover immediately opposite the south
end of the barrack, and being compelled consequently to concentrate
behind the stacks of logwood. A party, however, of them made a circuit
and appeared on the north-west corner of the barrack, from whence they
commanded the road bounding the north side of the building.

After the firing had continued for an hour and a half, Mr. Price, and
another American gentleman from Tower Hill Rancho, about four miles from
the barracks, having heard what was taking place, mounted and rode
towards the scene of the conflict. Creeping up the river bank
unperceived through the thick woods, they suddenly rode into and fired
upon the Indians who were in rear of the stacks of logwood. The latter,
taken by surprise, and not knowing by what unexpected force they were
attacked, left their cover for a moment and appeared on the side nearest
to the barracks. The soldiers perceiv