of his life if he had anything
to say. 'Mexicans,' said the Navajo, 'I fear not death! If I must die,
let it be by a bullet. I call the great Spirit, who knows the hearts of
his people, to witness that I beg not for my life. I have not a split
tongue nor am I an impostor. I have guided you to the place of gold. I
have kept my promise. You Mexicans came with evil hearts. You fought
your own brothers. You abandoned your sick companions on the trail to
the coyote. You have broken the law of hospitality toward me, your
guest, as no Spaniard has ever done before. Therefore, has your God
punished you. He has changed the good gold of these waters to
shimmering mica and shining dross. Fool gold He gives to fools! As you
serve me now, so shall the Apaches do to you. Never more shall you
taste of the waters of the Rio Grande, so says the Spirit in my heart!'

"The Indian's dignified bearing and his inspired words on the threshold
of eternity moved my conscience and caused a feeling of respect and
pity for him in my breast as well as in others of our party. When Juan
de Dios Carasco, who was known and despised by all for being a
good-for-nothing thieving coward, drew his gun to shoot the Navajo in
the back, I could not control my anger. 'Stop,' I shouted, 'you
miserable hen thief, or you die at my hands, and now. This Indian
should die, but not in such a manner. Senores, you have made me your
capitan. Now I shall enforce my orders at the risk of my life's blood.
Give that Indian a knife and fair play in a combat against the prowess
of the valiant Don Juan de Dios Carasco.'

"Although greatly disconcerted, Juan de Dios had to toe the mark. There
was no alternative for him now, as I was desperate and my orders were
obeyed to the letter, for death was the penalty for disobedience. The
fight between the Mexican and the Indian ended by the Navajo, who was
sorely wounded, throwing his knife into the heart of his enemy. It was
a fair fight, although we accorded Juan de Dios, he being a Christian,
this advantage against the Indian (who was better skilled in the use of
weapons) that we allowed him to wrap his coat about his left arm as a
shield, while the Indian was stripped to his patarague, or breechclout.
We buried the body and allowed the Indian to shift for himself. I
observed him crawling near the water's edge in quest of herbs, which he
masticated and applied to his wounds with an outer coating of mud from
the banks of the stream.