We struck directly across the plain for the eastern entrance of the
valley. We reached the canon about two hours before day. Everything
turned out as we had anticipated. There was an outpost of five Indians
at the end of the pass, but we had stolen upon them unawares, and they
were captured without the necessity of our firing a shot.
The main body came up soon after, and preceded by our party as before,
passed through the canon. Arriving at the border of the woods nearest
the town, we halted, and concealed ourselves among the trees.
The town was glistening in the clear moonlight, and deep silence was
over the valley. There were none stirring at so early an hour, but we
could descry two or three dark objects down by the river. We knew them
to be the sentinels that stood over our captive comrades. The sight was
gratifying, for it told us they still lived. They little dreamed, poor
fellows! how near was the hour of their deliverance. For the same
reasons that had influenced us on a former occasion, the attack was not
to be made until daybreak; and we waited as before, but with a very
different prospect. There were now six hundred warriors in the town--
about our own number; and we knew that a desperate engagement was before
us. We had no fear as to the result; but we feared that the vengeful
savages might take it into their heads to despatch their captives while
we fought. They knew that to recover these was our main object, and, if
themselves defeated, that would give them the satisfaction of a terrible
vengeance.
All this we knew was far from improbable; but to guard against the
possibility of such an event, every precaution was to be taken.
We were satisfied that the captive women were still in the temple. Rube
assured us that it was their universal custom to keep new prisoners
there for several days after their arrival, until they were finally
distributed among the warriors. The queen, too, dwelt in this building.
It was resolved, then, that the disguised party should ride forward,
conducting me, as their prisoner, by the first light; and that they
should surround the temple, and by a clever _coup_ secure the white
captives. A signal then given on the bugle, or the first shot fired,
was to bring the main body forward at a gallop.
This was plainly the best plan, and having fully arranged its details,
we waited the approach of the dawn.
It was not long in coming. The moonlight became mixed with the faint
rays of the aurora, and objects were seen more distinctly. As the milky
quartz caught the hues of morning, we rode out of our cover, and forward
over the plain. I was apparently tied upon my horse, and guarded
between two of the Delawares.
On approaching the town we saw several men upon the roofs. They ran to
and fro, summoning others out, and large groups began to appear along
the terraces. As we came nearer we were greeted with shouts of
congratulation.
Avoiding the streets, we pushed directly for the temple at a brisk trot.
On arriving at its base we suddenly halted, flung ourselves from our
horses, and climbed the ladders. There were many women upon the
parapets of the building. Among these Seguin recognised his daughter,
the queen. She was at once secured and forced into the inside. The
next moment I held my betrothed in my arms, while her mother was by our
side. The other captives were there; and, without waiting to offer any
explanation, we hurried them all within the rooms, and guarded the doors
with our pistols.
The whole manoeuvre had not occupied two minutes but before its
completion a wild cry announced that the ruse was detected. Vengeful
yells rang over the town; and the warriors, leaping down from their
houses, ran towards the temple.
Arrows began to hurtle around us; but above all other sounds pealed the
notes of the bugle, summoning our comrades to the attack.
Quick upon the signal they were seen debouching from the woods and
coming down at a gallop.
When within two hundred yards of the houses, the charging horsemen
divided into two columns, and wheeled round the town, with the intention
of attacking it on both sides.
The Indians hastened to defend the skirts of the village; but in spite
of their arrow-flights, which dismounted several, the horsemen closed
in, and, flinging themselves from their horses, fought hand to hand
among the walls. The shouts of defiance, the sharp ringing of rifles,
and the louder reports of the escopettes, soon announced that the battle
had fairly begun.
A large party, headed by El Sol and Saint Vrain, had ridden up to the
temple. Seeing that we had secured the captives, these too dismounted,
and commenced an attack upon that part of the town; clambering up to the
houses, and driving out the braves who defended them.
The fight now became general. Shouts and sounds of shots rent the air.
Men were seen upon high roofs, face to face in deadly and desperate
conflict. Crowds of women, screaming and terrified, rushed along the
terraces, or ran out upon the plain, making for the woods. Frightened
horses, snorting and neighing, galloped through the streets, and off
over the open prairie, with trailing bridles; while others, inclosed in
corrals, plunged and broke over the walls. It was a wild scene--a
terrific picture!
Through all, I was only a spectator. I was guarding a door of the
temple in which were our own friends. My elevated position gave me a
view of the whole village, and I could trace the progress of the battle
from house to house. I saw that many were falling on both sides, for
the savages fought with the courage of despair. I had no fears for the
result. The whites, too, had wrongs to redress, and by the remembrance
of these were equally nerved for the struggle. In this kind of
encounter they had the advantage in arms. It was only on the plains
that their savage foes were feared, when charging with their long and
death-dealing lances.
As I continued to gaze over the azoteas a terrific scene riveted my
attention, and I forgot all others. Upon a high roof two men were
engaged in combat fierce and deadly. Their brilliant dresses had
attracted me, and I soon recognised the combatants. They were Dacoma
and the Maricopa!
The Navajo fought with a spear, and I saw that the other held his rifle
clubbed and empty.
When my eye first rested upon them, the latter had just parried a
thrust, and was aiming a blow at his antagonist. It fell without
effect; and Dacoma, turning quickly, brought his lance again to the
charge. Before El Sol could ward it off, the thrust was given, and the
weapon appeared to pass through his body!
I involuntarily uttered a cry, as I expected to see the noble Indian
fall. What was my astonishment at seeing him brandish his tomahawk over
his head, and with a crashing blow stretch the Navajo at his feet!
Drawn down by the impaling shaft, he fell over the body, but in a moment
struggled up again, drew the long lance from his flesh, and tottering
forward to the parapet, shouted out--
"Here, Luna! Our mother is avenged!"
I saw the girl spring upon the roof, followed by Garey; and the next
moment the wounded man sank fainting in the arms of the trapper.
Rube, Saint Vrain, and several others now climbed to the roof, and
commenced examining the wound. I watched them with feelings of painful
suspense, for the character of this most singular man had inspired me
with friendship. Presently Saint Vrain joined me, and I was assured
that the wound was not mortal. The Maricopa would live.
The battle was now ended. The warriors who survived had fled to the
forest. Shots were heard only at intervals; an occasional shout, the
shriek of some savage discovered lurking among the walls.
Many white captives had been found in the town, and were brought in
front of the temple, guarded by the Mexicans. The Indian women had
escaped to the woods during the engagement. It was well; for the
hunters and volunteer soldiery, exasperated by wounds and heated by the
conflict, now raged around like furies. Smoke ascended from many of the
houses; flames followed; and the greater part of the town was soon
reduced to a smouldering ruin.
We stayed all that day by the Navajo village, to recruit our animals and
prepare for our homeward journey across the desert. The plundered
cattle were collected. Some were slaughtered for immediate use, and the
rest placed in charge of vaqueros, to be driven on the hoof. Most of
the Indian horses were lassoed and brought in, some to be ridden by the
rescued captives, others as the booty of the conquerors. But it was not
safe to remain long in the valley. There were other tribes of the
Navajoes to the north, who would soon be down upon us. There were their
allies, the great nations of the Apaches to the south, and the Nijoras
to the west; and we knew that all these would unite and follow on our
trail. The object of the expedition was attained, at least as far as
its leader had designed it. A great number of captives were recovered,
whose friends had long since mourned them as lost for ever. It would be
some time before they would renew those savage forays in which they had
annually desolated the pueblos of the frontier.
By sunrise of the next day we had repassed the canon, and were riding
towards the snowy mountain.