The village itself may also have seen more prosperous days—in the times of vice-regal rule—but Corral Falso, on the occasion of my making halt in it, was nothing more than a very small collection of huts, constructed out of tree poles—“Jacales”—and constituting that grouping, known in Mexico as a rancheria—a collection of “ranchos.”
The vanquished army, in its retreat, as well as the victors in their pursuit having passed through the place, had temporarily deprived Corral Falso of its inhabitants. They had taken to the wild chapparal which grew close to their village; and there had they hidden themselves.
But since then a whole day had intervened; and hunger had forced them back to their despoiled homes—at the same time inspiring them with courage to stay there, or at all events with a repugnance to return to the starving shelter of the chapparal.
We found the Corral Falsenians at home—of both sexes and of all ages—all alike trembling at our approach, and evidently gratified to find that we did not eat them up!
I have given this prominence to the pretty paraje Corral Falso, not out of any consideration for the place itself but on account of an incident that transpired there, which resulted in my losing two of my men; and—which was of far more importance to me—was very nearly ending in the loss of myself!
We had halted to “bait” our animals—from their own nosebags of course: for there was not as much corn in Corral Falso as would have filled the crop of a chicken.
While thus occupied, it was reported to me—that one of the horses would not eat; but on the contrary, was more likely to die.
He had been stricken by the sun, or had got the staggers from some other unexplained cause; which ended by his tumbling over upon the road, and stretching out his limbs in their last tremulous struggle.
The horse belonged to the lieutenant of my troop; who was now, of course, démonté.
Slight as the contretemps may appear, or might have been under other circumstances, it placed us at the time in somewhat of a dilemma. One of the men would have to be dismounted, in order that the officer might ride; but how was the man to be taken along? I had been ordered to report speedily at head-quarters in Jalapa; and to have marched at such a pace as would allow one on foot to keep up with the troop, was entirely out of the question.