Captured By The Navajos - 1904 Author:Charles A. Curtis Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: Ill WARLIKE PUEBLOS The party of Indians halted for nearly ten minutes, evidently in excited dispute, accompanying their talk with much gesticulation. I ha... more »d time to notice that the details of dress were not like those of the Navajos with whom we had recently had a fight; but as the old hunter Cordova had pronounced them Navajos, I gave the matter little consideration. They did not seem to be aware of the existence of an encampment of soldiers in the valleys, and after a brief delay moved on towards La Puerta. Returning to the parade, I ordered the six mules and four ponies brought to my door, saddled and bridled, and all the men not on guard to assemble under arms with cartridge-boxes filled. Fortunately, the mail-riders had arrived the previous evening from Santa Fe so I ordered them to form a part of the expedition, and placedthe party of thirteen under command of Sergeant Cunningham, mounted upon my horse. The sergeant was directed to take the "re- Served trail" through the hills into the valley of San Antonio and bring his men into the western end of La Puerta before the Indians could pass through it. I impressed it upon him on no account to fire unless the redmen showed fight, to leave his mules and horses concealed in the timber at the entrance of the canon, and so dispose his men as to convey the impression that thirteen was but a part of his force. Just before the horsemen were to start I overheard Private Tom Clary, who was mounted on Frank's recent equine acquisition, Sancho, say to the boy: "Corp'ril Frank, laddie, can ye give me the Naviho words for whoa and get lpf I'm afeared the little baste 'll not understand me English, and may attimpt to lave for his troibe." " You needn't speak to him, Tom. Use your reins, curb, and spurs," replied the boy. ...« less