The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1847-03-20
"To undergo

joyment which they had priced so highly des-
troyed forever. This is the lot
NJ "To undergo
Each outrage of the cruel foe,
Their fields laid waste, their cot laid low"
Perhaps these villains forced themselves on
on innocent family, who would have wished
nothing more but to pass their lives in peace
and happiBsss, and succumbed UNIV II ngly to
superior power But enough of this. w
rode forward in the order before spoken Of
Two of the arreroes Just ahead of the advanc-
ed guard with Thompson. One of them had
lost six mules, his own property He was go
skilled in mule feet tracks that he could tell
the tracksof his own mules among ten thou
sand. A fter we had left the Rancho about
two hundred yards, Mr.. Thompson called our
attention to horse track with notch in the
hoof, tending towards the Rancho. We were
now satisfied that they had sent back spy to
watch our movements, and were entirely con-
WINGED, that as the stolen mules must have been
very wearysfrom the march the day before, and
the fight in the night, that they would place
thomselvesin ambush in some one of the many
favorable positions and attack US. There was
"a Stiffness like to death,
And the brave man held his breath,'
AS we passed the deep and narrow passes, thro'
chapperaI, walled up in many places to the
very path. For nearly eight miles we had to
ride single file, expecting at every moment to
see the fire and hear the shout of the foe But
on we rode secure and passed the river Colora-
do pronounced Colorao, eight miles from the
Rancho. Just before we did so the fresh tracks
of woman in the dust tending wards the
Rancho, were plainly to be seen. I could but
think that she was one of the tenants of the
Rancho, who, seeing the smoke and the flames
had started to go back, with the vain hope of
rescung something from the ruins On we
went as fast as our horses could travel, a.
came TO the Rancho Las Tabbeles, on the Cap
padera river, ten miles from the Robbers
R j che. We found it altogether deserted ex-
cept by one man and woman. The Colonel
made, the man (who to all our enquiries had
nothing toreply but qiien sabe,) to mount his
horse md tide with US We crossed the Cap
padss hive. about fifty yards wide, but a
dashing, terrible torrent. was fearfulthat my
poney would be swept away, but with free
use Of the spur got him across, and all got
over saiel# Lovelier lands, deep, loamy, rich
soil, COATED with mating of dead grass, I'M
der which fourished in perpetual verdure, the
green pasturage,) from the Robbers Rancho to
two miles beyond the Cappadera river, the eye
of man never beheld. A mile after we eros
sed the Cappadera, in beautiful shady Sc
questered spot, we came on flock of goats
and sheep, numbering, would suppose, three
hundred. 1t was beautiful sight. Near them
was boy and dog. The Colonel ordered the
boy in, the everlasting Rogers was on him in
the twinking of an eye, with the rifle brought
down, and the terrible word "halto." The
old Mexican fearful that the boy, in his nno-
cence, would tell the truth as TO where the
robbers passed, spurred his horse to join the
muchaco-crying out muchaco, muchaco.-
His object was at once understood, and "halto"
was shouted to him by dozen voices. He
look ed around but persevered, several spurred
towards him, and looking askancf, he still
seemed "to dare damnution,n but fortunately
he esp,ed the imperturbable Tree drawing
bead on him, Gas it is technically called0 and
quicker than@thought his horse was turned and
bamosng back. A mile further and the rob
bers, to bother us, moved their mules about in
every direction, but the faithful arreroes in
'front.', as true as blood hounds, circled around
and soon struck off the trail to the right, thro'
the chapperal, and then for 20 miles We passed
through some of the most desnlate barren,
waterless, murderous looking region that was
ever known. Not drop of water, flint rocks,
the dry beds of spring rivers, gullies, caverns,
or parched sand banks. In the morning 1t twas
very hot--a July day-but fortunately for man
and horse, about 10 O'Clock cloud overcast
the sun, and delightful breeze sprung up
fter we had travelled thus about 25 miles,
away in the distance Thompson pointed us to
a stone Rancho on high hill and said that it
was the other great rendezvous of the robbers,
and that he had seen men and mules descend
ing the hill. OF put for the Rancho at full
speed, over rocks and gpllies, up hill and down
dale, and when we reached the foot of the hill
,ne Mexican was seen speeding away; he was
brought to, five others were seen with some
mules and horses, having Just crossed the San
Iuan. Our srreroes examined the trail and
with confidence, that they were
lot Of our party So skillful had they shown
themselves in their line, that their PrOn,ueiu-
nentO was taken as conclusive, on the princi-
Die Of,
CIaque IN swa Grte eredend,sn est.
We assembled to the Rancho. Here we found
avery thing abundant. Corn, .jerked beef,
oranges, lemons, dried tamsnnds, SC, and
here were abundant evidences that iair Senio-
as and Senioret,As had been recent inmates of
he Ranche-and as a sign of their industry,
here was to be found pair Of wool-eards.-
No one was at the Rancho We then pushed
IN TO China-abOut thr,e miles off--crOssing
he San Juan at q most romantic, beautiful
pot. The current vas very rapid and deep,