three days' journey to the south, and afterwards turning in a westerly
direction. This would most likely secure me from meeting them again,
and would bring me, as I guessed, to the eastern ranges of the Rocky
Mountains through which I might pass into the valley of New Mexico. I
had heard my companions speak of a more southern pass through these
mountains, than that which lies near Santa Fe; and I hoped to be able to
reach it, although I believed it to be two hundred miles distant. With
these plans in my mind, I returned to where I had left my little party.

"It was night when I got back to the wagon, and I found Mary and the
children in great distress at my delay; but I had brought them good
news--that the Indians were gone away.

"I first thought of remaining all night where we were; but, not being
yet fully satisfied that the Indians were gone, I changed my intention.
Seeing that we were to have a moon, and that a smooth plain stretched
away towards the south, I concluded that it would be better to make a
night journey of it, and put twenty miles, if possible, between us and
the camp. All agreed with this proposal. In fact, we were all equally
anxious to get away from that fearful spot; and had we stayed by it, not
one of us could have slept a wink. The apprehension that the savages
might return, and the excited state of our feelings--to say nothing of
the terrible howling of the wolves--would have kept us awake; so,
resolving to take our departure, we waited for the rising of the moon.

"We did not waste time, my friends. You all know that water is the
great want in these deserts, both for man and beast. We knew not where
or when we might next find it; so we took the precaution to fill our
vessels at the stream. We filled all we had that would hold water.
Alas! these were not enough, as you shall hear.

"The moon rose at length. She seemed to smile upon the horrid picture
that lay below at the deserted camp; but we stayed no longer to
contemplate it. Leading our oxen out of their _cache_, we struck out
into the open plain, in a direction as nearly south as I could guide
myself. I looked northward for the star in the tail of the Little
Bear--the polar star--which I soon found by the pointers of the Ursa
Major; and keeping this directly on our backs, we proceeded on.
Whenever the inequalities of the ground forced us out of our track, I
would again turn to this little star, and consult its unfailing index