Feb. 14th. Crossed the [Conejos] river and examined the numerous springs which issued from the foot of the hill, opposite our camp. These were so strongly impregnated with mineral qualities, as not only to keep clear of ice previous to their joining the main branch, but to keep open the west fork until its junction with the main river and for a few miles afterward, while all the other branches in the neighborhood were bound in the adamantine chains of winter.
Sunday, Feb. 15th. Reading, etc. Works going on.
Feb. 16th. I took one man and went out hunting; about six miles from the post, shot and wounded a deer.
Immediately afterward I discovered two horsemen rising the summit of a hill, about half a mile to our right. As my orders were to avoid giving alarm or offense to the Spanish government of New Mexico, I endeavored to avoid them at first; but when we attempted to retreat, they pursued us at full charge, flourishing their lances; and when we advanced, they would retire as fast as their horses could carry them. Seeing this, we got in a small ravine, in hopes to decoy them near enough to oblige them to come to a parley; which happened agreeably to our desires, as they came on, hunting us with great caution. We suffered them to get within 40 yards—where we had allured them; but they were about running off again, when I ordered the soldier to lay down his arms and walk toward them, at the same time standing ready with my rifle to kill either who should lift an arm in an hostile manner. I then hollowed to them that we were "Americans," and "friends," which were almost the only two words I knew in the Spanish language; when, with great signs of fear, they came up, and proved to be a Spanish dragoon and a civilized Indian, armed after their manner, of which we see a description in the Essai Militaire.[III-45] We were jealous of our arms on both sides, and acted with great precaution.
They informed me that this was the fourth day since they had left Santa Fe; that Robinson had arrived there, and been received with great kindness by the governor. As I knew them to be spies, I thought proper to inform them merely that I was about to descend the river to Nachitoches. We sat on the ground a long time, till, finding they were determined not to leave us, we rose and bade them adieu. But they demanded where our camp was; and, finding they were not about to leave us, I thought it most proper to take them with me, thinking we were on Red river, and of course in the territory claimed by the United States.[III-46]
We took the road to my fort, and as they were on horseback, they traveled rather faster than myself; they were halted by the sentinel, and immediately retreated much surprised. When I came up, I took them in, and then explained to them, as well as possible, my intention of descending the river to Nachitoches; but at the same time told them that if Governor Allencaster would send out an officer with an interpreter who spoke French or English, I would do myself the pleasure to give his Excellency every reasonable satisfaction as to my intentions in coming on his frontiers. They informed me that on the second day they would be in Santa Fe, but were careful never to suggest an idea of my being on the Rio del Norte. As they concluded, I did not think as I spoke. They were very anxious to ascertain our numbers, etc.; seeing only five men here, they could not believe we came without horses. To this I did not think proper to give them any satisfaction, giving them to understand we were in many parties, etc.
Feb. 17th. In the morning, our two Spanish visitors departed, after I had made them some trifling presents, with which they seemed highly delighted. After their departure, we commenced working at our little stockade, as I thought it probable the governor might dispute my right to descend the Red river, and send out Indians, or some light party, to attack us; I therefore determined to be as much prepared to receive them as possible.
This evening the corporal and three of the [four] men arrived, who had been sent back to the camp of the frozen lads. They informed me that two men would arrive the next day, one of whom was Menaugh, who had been left alone on the 27th of January [and the other of whom was the fourth one of the soldiers who had gone as a relief-party under Corporal Jackson]; but that the other two, Dougherty and Sparks, were unable to come in. They said that they [Dougherty and Sparks] had hailed them [the relief-party] with tears of joy, and were in despair when they again left them, with the chance of never seeing them more. They sent on to me some of the bones taken out of their feet, and conjured me, by all that was sacred, not to leave them to perish far from the civilized world. Ah! little did they know my heart, if they could suspect me of conduct so ungenerous. No! before they should be left, I would for months have carried the end of a litter, in order to secure them the happiness of once more seeing their native homes, and being received in the bosom of a grateful country. Thus those poor lads are to be invalids for life, made infirm at the commencement of manhood and in the prime of their course, doomed to pass the remainder of their days in misery and want. For what is the pension? Not sufficient to buy a man his victuals. What man would even lose the smallest of his joints for such a trifling pittance?
Feb. 18th. The other two boys [Menaugh and the fourth member of the relief-party] arrived. In the evening I ordered the sergeant [Meek] and one man [Miller] to prepare to march to-morrow for the [stockade on the] Arkansaw, where we had left our interpreter [Vasquez, with Patrick Smith], horses, etc., to conduct them on, and on his return to bring the two lads [Dougherty and Sparks] who were still in the mountains.
Feb. 19th. Sergeant William E. Meek marched with one man, whose name was Theodore Miller, and I took three other men to accompany him some distance, in order to point out to him a pass[III-47] in the mountain which I conceived more eligible for horses than the one by which we came. I must here remark the effect of habit, discipline, and example, in two soldiers soliciting a command of more than 180 miles, over two great ridges of mountains covered with snow, inhabited by bands of unknown savages, in the interest of a nation with which we were not on the best understanding. To perform this journey, each had about ten pounds of venison. Only let me ask, What would our soldiers generally think, on being ordered on such a tour, thus equipped? Yet those men volunteered it with others, and were chosen; for which they thought themselves highly honored. We accompanied them about six miles, and pointed out the pass alluded to, in a particular manner. But the corporal afterward reported that the new one which I obliged him to take was impassable, he having been three days in snows nearly middle deep.