convince him that, as yet, neither himself nor his companion had been
discovered. No time was to be lost, so Kit, as quickly as possible,
descended and ran to where his friend was, and informed him of their
danger. The animals were soon saddled, and the two men mounting them,
struck out in a direction just the opposite to that in which the
Indians were traveling. Fortune favored them, as, soon after they had
emerged from the timber into the open prairies, night set in, thus
shutting them out from the view of the savages. Profiting by the
darkness and the level country which lay before them, they reached, by
the rising of the next morning's sun, the Mexican town of Red River,
which was sixty-five miles distant from the place they had last
started from. All dangers having been now surmounted, they made a
sufficient stay at Red River to rest themselves and animals.

On resuming their journey, they jogged along over the now rough trail
and, after a ride of thirty miles, came to Taos, where they were once
more safe from the perils that had so recently surrounded them, and
where they were well provided for by kind friends.

Rio Colorado, or Red River settlement, is, next to Taos, the oldest
town in northern New Mexico. It is located on a small stream of the
same name, which flows into the Rio Grande. The town itself contains
some two or three hundred inhabitants, and occupies rather a pretty
site, being built on a high bank, while between it and the river
there is a large strip of bottom land, which is under cultivation.
The scenery about is picturesque, embracing lofty and bold mountains,
beautiful wood-land and open prairies. The external appearance of the
village is that of abject poverty; and, on entering it, one readily
sees that his eyesight has not deceived him, but that his first
impressions are fully realized. It was here that Fremont and his men