They continued on from here close under the coast range until they
struck the Spanish Trail. This they followed to the Mohave River. That
stream, it will be recollected, was an old friend of Kit Carson's.
The reader will recall the many times he had caught beaver out of its
waters. They followed the trail up the course of the river to where
it leaves it. At this point an event occurred which somewhat retarded
their progress, relieving the monotony of the route and somewhat
changing their plans.

Soon after the camp had been formed, they were visited by a Mexican
man and boy; the one named Andreas Fuentes, the other Pablo Hernandez.
They informed Fremont that they belonged to a party of Mexican traders
which had come from New Mexico. They said that six of them, including
in this number two women who acted as cooks, had been left by their
friends in charge of a band of horses. The rest of the party were
absent trafficking. The party of six thus left to watch the horses,
consisted of Santiago Giacome, Andreas Fuentes and wife, and Pablo
Hernandez, together with his father and mother. They were endeavoring
to find better grazing for their animals. For this purpose they had
penetrated the country as far as they dared; and, at about eighty
miles from the camp of Fremont, had resolved to wait for their
friends. Fuentes and the boy Pablo were on guard over the animals when
their camp was attacked by hostile savages. The attacking band was
about thirty in number.

Their principal object was to seize the horses. To effect this the
more easily, they saluted the little band with a flight of arrows as
they advanced. Fuentes and Pablo now heard Giacome warning them to
start the horses and run for it. Both were mounted. They obeyed the
directions of Giacome and with the entire band of horses charged