ain and no enemy in sight,
they rushed out again, without venturing on farther search. In a few
minutes, however, they returned with forty or fifty more, in the same
uniform, headed by the younger of the two personages whom they had seen
in command the previous evening. As soon as they were well advanced into
the cavern, and heard disturbing the tired mules, Mr. Huertis and his
party marched quietly out and seized their horses, which were picketed
close by, in charge of two or three men, whom they disarmed. At a short
distance, however, drawn up in good order, was another squadron of
horses, which Mr. Huertis determined instantly to charge. Ordering his
whole party to mount the noble stallions they had captured, and reserve
their fire until he gave the word, he, Velasquez, and Hammond, drew the
short sabres they had worn on their march, and led the attack. The
uniformed natives, however, did not wait the encounter, but scattered in
wonderment and consternation; doubtless under the impression that all
their comrades had been slain. But the rapid approach of a much larger
force--which is found, eventually, to have consisted of two detachments
of fifty each, being just twice their number--speedily reassured them,
and falling in line with this powerful reinforcement, the whole hundred
and fifty charged upon our comparative handful of travellers, at a rapid
pace. Huertis promptly ordered his little party to halt, and form in
line, two deep, with presented arms; and doubtless feeling that,
notwithstanding the disparity of numbers, the enemy, armed only with
spears and small side-hatchets, held but a slender chance of victory
over a party of thirty-eight--most of them old campaigners in the
sanguinary expeditions of the terrible Carrera--armed with new
"six-shooting" rifles and long knives, generously commanded them to keep
aim upon the horses only, until further orders. In the meantime, most of
their plumed opponents, instead of using their long spears as in lance
practice, threw them through the air from so great a distance that
nearly all fell short of the mark--an infallible indication both of
timidity and inexperience in action. The unfortunate Mr. Hammond,
however, was pierced through the right breast, and another of the party
was killed by being transfixed through the bowels. At this instant
Huertis gave the word to fire; and, at the next, no small number of the
enemy were rolling upon the sod, amid their plunging horses.