hen still too dark to see very well. Shooting began at once. None
of our men were hurt. Two of the enemy were badly wounded, but managed
in the darkness to scramble off into the rocks, or were carried off by
their companions. Our party captured their saddle horses and camp
outfit, but did not feel themselves strong enough to continue the chase
in such a country. The cattle were found close to the camp, but so
footsore that it was impossible to move them homewards. They then
returned to the ranch, and we at once organized a strong force of some
seventeen men, well mounted and abundantly supplied with ammunition,
etc. Again taking the trail we met the cattle on their way home, and
gave them a push for a mile or so; and thinking them safe enough we
prepared to continue south.

On arriving at the scene of last week's fight we noticed that the big
pine trees under which the rustlers camped had gun-rests notched in the
sides of them, not newly made, but showing that they had been cut a long
while ago, probably in anticipation of just what had happened.

That day in camp, a horseman, the most innocent-looking of individuals,
appeared, took dinner with us, and gave some plausible reason for his
presence in that out-of-the-way place. It is strictly against cowboy
etiquette to question a guest as to his personality, his movements or
his occupation. We, however, felt very suspicious, especially as after
he had gone we stumbled on to a coffee-pot and frying-pan, still warm,
which had evidently been thrown into the bushes in great haste. In fact,
this confirmed our suspicions that our visitor was one of the gang, and
we thereafter stood careful guard round our horses every night. The
cattle we decided to leave alone to take their chances of getting home,
thinking the rustlers would not have the "gall", in face of our near
presence, to again try to get off with them; but they did! These cattle
never reached the ranch. Had they been left alone their wonderful homing
instinct would certainly have got them there just as quick as they
could travel. However, we did not realize the fact of the second raid
till on our return no sign of these cattle could be found. So we
continued south, passing through the roughest country I ever set eyes
on, the vegetation in some places being of the most extraordinary
nature, cacti of all kinds forming so thick a jungle that one could
hardly dismount. Such enormous and freakish-looking growths of this
cl