re hunting a coyote. First of all, I ascertained the
direction of the wind, which was very light. It blew from the quarter
the Indian was in toward me. Next, lying on my stomach, I dug the large
flowering plant up, and holding it by its roots in front of myself, I
crawled toward my quarry, as a snake in the grass. Cautiously,
stealthily, avoiding the slightest noise, and always on the lookout for
snakes and thorns, I crept slowly on, making frequent halts to rest
myself. Twice the Indian turned his head and looked in my direction,
but apparently he did not perceive me. In this manner I came within
easy gunshot distance. Now I took my last rest, and with my knife dug a
hole in the ground and replanted my cactus shield firmly. Then I placed
my rifle in position to fire and drew a fine bead on the nape of his
neck.

"Adios, Indian brave, prepare thy soul to meet the great Spirit in the
ever grassy meadows of the happy hunting grounds of eternity, for the
spider of thy fate is weaving the last thread in the web of thy doom!"
My finger was coaxing the trigger, when a feeling of intense shame rose
fiercely in my breast. Was I, then, like unto this Indian, to take an
enemy's life from ambush? Up I jumped with a challenging shout, my gun
leveled, ready for the fight. "Por Dios, amigo, amigo!" cried the
frightened Indian, holding up his hands. "No tengo dinero!" (I have no
money. Don't shoot!) he begged, speaking to me in Spanish. Then I went
to him and learned that he belonged to a wagon train, traveling just
ahead of us. He was a full-blood Navajo, who had been made captive in a
Mexican raid into the Navajo country. The Mexicans used to capture many
Navajo pappooses and bring them up as bond servants or peons. This
Indian told me that he had been following the same band of antelopes as
myself, and on passing a beautiful hill of red ants, he yielded to
temptation and thought he would have his clothes examined and laundered
by the ants. These little insects are really very accommodating and
work without remuneration. At the same time he likewise took a sun bath
on the same liberal terms. This episode made me famous with every
Spanish freighter over the Santa Fe trail, from Kansas into New Mexico.

Just before we reached the Cimarron country, which is very hilly and is
drained by the Red River, and where we were out of all danger from
Indians, I had a narrow escape from death. I was in the lead of our
train and had crossed a mud