Page:Memoir of a tour to northern Mexico.djvu/78

[ 26 ] ; yuccas become very scarce; cacti in general diminish in number, but in place of them new shrubs and several trees appear, as the so-called "black ebony" a Mimosea, with very solid wood; the Leucophyllum texanum, a shrub, with violet flowers of delicious odor, &c. As a change, too, in the mineralanimal [sic] kingdom, I have to mention that we saw in the plain, east of Monterey, the American partridge, or quail, (ortyx Virginiana) again, which is never found in the higher regions of northern Mexico; but instead of it, a related bird, the ortyx squamata, (Vigors.)

About six miles from Marin is the spot where General Canales, with his guerilla bands, had captured, some months past, a rich train of the American army, and killed most of the unarmed wagon drivers. The bones of these ill fated men, which were either not buried at all or dragged out by the wolves, were scattered about in all directions. Another more horrid spectacle offered itself to our eyes near Agua Negro, a deserted village, where a man (and, to judge from pieces of clothing, an American) had been burnt to ashes, some bones only being left. In seeing such horrors, known only in old Indian warfare, can any on blame the American troops for having sought revenge, and burning all the villages and ranchos on their route which gave refuge to such bands of worse than highway robbers? The right of retaliation, as well as expediency, command, in my opinion, such measures against such unusual warfare; and when carried out with some circumspection, it will break up these guerilla bands much sooner than too lenient a course.

About half way on our road we passed a deserted rancho, with water; but we marched on to Carrizitos, a place with several burnt ranchos, but with a fine creek, excellent grass, and plenty of wood.

May 29.–In the forenoon we went but seven miles, through chaparrál plain, to Cerralbo, a tolerably good looking town, with many houses of stone, and some silver mines in the neighborhood. We made a noon halt to-day. Some troops of North Carolina and a company of Texan rangers were stationed here. The latter had captured this morning a well-known chief of a guerilla band, who was said to have committed many cruelties against Americans. He was sentenced to be shot, but refused to make any confessions. He boasted of having killed many men, and that he did not expect any better fate for himself. The execution took place on the Plaza. When led there, and placed against the wall of a house, he requested not to be blindfolded, or shot in the back, according to Mexican custom, which was granted. After a short conversation with a priest, he prepared and lit a cigarrito with a steady hand, and had not quite finished smoking it, when some well-aimed balls pierced his heart and head. He died instantly. His name was Nicholas Garcia; and whether guilty or innocent, he died like a brave man. Some rumor was afterwards started that he was the brother of General Canales, but in Cerralbo I understood that he was well known there; that his mother lived there yet, and that he had no other connexion with Canales than having belonged to his bands.

From Cerralbo we marched that afternoon 15 miles, to Puntiagudo, a burnt village on a creek, which is one of the headwaters of the Alamo. Cerralbo is 1,000, Puntiagudo but 700 feet above the sea. Since our descent from Monterey, we have constant east and southeast winds coming from the gulf, and heavy dews wet our blankets every night. Since we have left the higher regions, we perceive often in the sandy parts of the