The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1885-08-13
CBRRALv0 MOUNTAINS.
A Visit to A. W. Giford's Santo
Nino Silver Mine.


CEER,iVo. Mexico, August I, l>SJ.--
On Thursday evening our coach and four
came to the door Of our Cerralvo domi-
olle. and soon the passengers were seated
for "A trip TO the mountains aud mines.
The party consisted of GIN Don Mar
ciano Nllnreal and CLANS Mckle." be-
sides the cOachman. Torres. and the out
rider and fooiman, that il nicknamed
Federal, better. trucr and smarter IL
year old boy don't exist In this country
or any other. Our direction was north
east passing through some good and
well-improyed farming country and the
best pasture lands, with plenty OF fat
cattle, that have ever seen In this part
of the Republic. About sunset we pulled
up at house at Nogoles. hamlet OF
some 80 houses. and about Is miles from
Cerralvo. This was our stopping place
for the night. As usual. "Gin" had
provided well, including several bottles
Of Lemp's import beer. which, at 37I
cents for pint bottles. il the aristocratio
beverage Of this country. Our blankets
were spread outside Of the jatals and we
dropped of into sound sleep, watched
over by the queen Of night throwing in
to our face her cold chastc rays. At ,
n. m. we were aroused 10 start for the
mine. distant some ~ miles In the noun
tains to the west. The moon was shining
brightly. and three horses were brought
saddled and rugged for the tt ip. Moon
light is not good to choose u horse by,
and Don Murcinno and ..Gin" stole n
,,,r.,t, ~, ,,,, Ia. ,,o,,t,,. o,t,,oi.
~, us ~ W -
IIs'' Inc one leI' Ior me hau asau' SUD
dued look, with spiritual proportions.
probable direct descrndOnt of Don
QuiXote de In Manoha's stecd Rozlnante.
But looks are often deceptive. FOrtu-
natcly for me this was notable instance
OF that TACT. On mounting, | found my
horse fully up to his duty. lie
pricked up his ears, head ana tail
erect, and away We went In advance of
my companions, and kept there through
out tue entire trip. a good sharp trot
was kept up for several miles. and just
| before the break of day, reaching fine
| piece OF road, we broke into a gallop,
with Don Marciana about two lengths
ahead. "Quien yive" (the equivalent
| Of the English " Halt Who comes
| there ~ rang out In the clear air. and
general rustling and commOtiOn con-
! trOnted us. Ii l. needless to say that
We came to II sudden halt, pistols
flashed in the moonlight, while in front
| were other flashes from the bright car
bine barrels In the hands of half dozen
| oad-briinmed-hatted MeNiCans, all Of
| which were pointed into our faces,
while many more were rushing about
| getting their arms ready. Then the
command to advance was given In
clear voice. and we had no remedy but
to ride into the band with leyelcd guns.
We were prisoners But on looking
about we were soon satisfied that our
| captors were not highwaymen, but
smugglers, rs all about us lay In utter
| confusion canvassed packages evidently
containing bolts of American calicOes,
on which there is duty Of about 300
| per cent. We were taken to the GENRE
OF the group. which to MS looked MS II 1t
| contained hundred men, and Don Mar
oianO was Intercepted by pleasant,
| intelligent young man OF about twenty
| three years. lie was the captain. They
| were slightly acquainted. MarcianO told
| MN thAt we were on our way TO visit
the SaRto Nino mine, ana had lett early
| in order TO not ride in the heat OF the
day. The captain and some of his sub
alterns withdrew for consultation, and
soon returned ana told us That II was
all right ana that we should proceed,
| after giving us sup ol hot coilee, liighly
| acceptable, ana shaking hands all round,
| ON we went, only too glad to bid our
friends ~ u hearty 'udtOs.' just ut
daybrcak we took branch road, and
aiter travelling II Tor over mile we
found ourselves lost. We must retrace
| our steps AS we neared the big road
we came lace to face with the same
bahu OF smuggiers on the move. lhey
were very hluch surprised ut seeing us
| again, ana DINER explanations rs TO get
ing LOST followed but were received
WIN eNlueHt ulslrusI on lhelr part
soon we reached our DrAhGh ROAD 10 inc
rlsnt ana started on Dut were lmmeul-
ateIy matted anu were theh invited TO
Iai IN win me Dand. Now their
suspicion was thoroughly aroused, as
our return by an unIrcquehleu PAIN
lookeu rs II we might nave beeh OIL ana
| given Information 10 Tue custom mousse
guaruS' u party OF ~ OF whom were
hho"h 10 oe scouting III search OF lills
very phlu Oh sihugBiers' we entered
hluu protest Dut lhulhg lhehl urn, Iell III
anu lIdHeIeu aiohg' entering u canyon
Whu anu rugged our ROAD having OWN
uIeu uo"h 10 rough Drlule pam NOW
we were III hX' In the hahus OF
oahu OI suhugglers' VINO would not mes
itale an instant 10 hul MS II Ihey thOught
thal we would Detray them INTO the
hahds OF me officers, ana Tor lear That
Such mISht ne Tue case lney uhuouDteu-
lhtenueu 10 lake us alohg uhlll suoh
Woulu De lllPossiDle on our part rs Iar
/ lie