the liveliest of the party; his sociability often increases to such a
degree that he soon can spin a yarn in a true Baron Munchausen style.

Eat Carson, as he rode silently along all the following day, had been
meditating over the scenes through which he had so recently passed,
and also the most practicable means to be employed for the future.
When the night had fully set in, without saying one word to the other
members of the party, he called to a young Mexican whom he knew to be
very fleet of foot and whose powers of endurance were wonderful. On
his coming to him he led him one side, when, after he had depicted to
the boy their fearful situation in its true colors, he told him that
he held the power of saving the lives of the whole party.

The New Mexicans of the north are famous as being very fleet of foot,
and the great distance which they can run in a short period of time is
astonishing. As a general rule, they are very partial to horses,
but, when they have no riding animal, they will start on a journey
of hundreds of miles and accomplish it in an incredibly short time. A
journey of forty or fifty miles in a day is an ordinary circumstance
with them, even when the inducement for making it has in its behalf
only a minor consideration. Owing to want of mail routes, it sometimes
becomes necessary to dispatch them on express duty, such as carrying
one, or several letters to some distant point. Their charge is wrapped
up in a handkerchief and tied about their waists to prevent being
lost. Then, on a jog trot, they will start out; and over mountains
and broken country they will not alter the pace for many consecutive
hours, and this for a reward of one or two dollars per diem. It is not
uncommon to meet traveling companions where one is on horseback and
the other on foot; but notwithstanding, they will keep together for
an entire journey, and complete it as quickly as if the horseman