of which I realized, as affecting myself personally, the facts that I had neither supped nor breakfasted, and, what was worse, stood little chance of doing either until my arrival at Santa Fe. Now, as one idea generaliy suggests another, this latter reflection brought me very naturally to the question, Where was Santa Fé? Was I in the right road or in the wrong? or-which seemed quite as likely-in no road at all? Should I retrace my steps, or continue on? All very proper queries, but somewhat difficult to answer, for the best of reasons-that I was very much in the dark myself. I had pondered these matters without arriving at any better result than a more intense degree of mystification, when, just as if to solve them all, down came a couple of Mexican wood-cutters, with a little drove of "burros," alias jackasses, some of which were laden with wood to an extent which left only their heads and tails visible, while others trotted loose, with but a saddle upon their backs.

Having my mule already for a start, I mounted and rode down to the pool, where the new-comers, both bipeds and quadrupeds, were then watering. Upon reaching the place, I first gave my mule a drink, and then advanced to exchange the usual good-morning, determined to obtain what information I wished, and, at the same time, impart as little as I conveniently could to my new acquaintances. But a Mexican is a shrewd talker, and in this particular instance they out-Yankee'd me completely; for in ten minutes time I had learned no more than I had guessed at Erst-that they were wood-cutters going to Santa Fé with their cargo; while they had discovered that I was an American-a stranger in a strange country-and badly lost to boot. As these people purposed taking a short cut, or what they called a "camino cerca"-near roadthough I would have defied any but themseves or an Indian to follow it, I concluded to bear them company; the more so as the elder of the two as a curiosity in his way, with a spice of humor in his composition, which exhibited itself in the caustic speeches which this dried up little anatomy jerked out occasionally, generally concluding a remark by the personal application of a pointed stick to the ribs of his donkey, which ever failed to call forth an indignant remonstrance from the injured beast. As we journeyed on in great good fellowship, I tried to beguile the tediousnesss of the way, which was just then leading us through a Bost uninteresting region, by arguing the question of Roman Catholiin, and its influence upon the inhabitants of New Mexico. Upon this pic I found the old fellow excellently disposed to agree with me; for the money, "which, with the assistance of Saint Joseph, he expected to receive for his cargo, would, Valga me Dios, be all expended upon his return in the payment of a certain debt, due for religious services and dalgences which he had obtained from the village priest, who would, Lost probably," (added my informant, with a terrible punch of his burro'a back, who resented the blow instanter, by kicking out with a vigor which nearly dislodged its rider), "spend it at the 'Monte' bank, or lose it at the cockfights after mass on Sunday afternoon."

While traveling thus, I could not but fancy that a schoolboy fresh from the wonders of the "Arabian Nights" would have likened my companon to Ali Baba and his son, and myself, perchance, to the Captain of

the Robbers. Even I, with no great exercise of my ideality, almost ex pected that some rock would appear before which we would stand and cry "Open, Sesame!" But my recollection of "Morgiana" and the 'Forty Thieves" vanished most suddenly as "Little Gray" fairly "give out" at last, came heavily down, almost pitching me over her head in so doing. Upon removing the saddle, I discovered that, at the best, I could only hope she could be driven along barebacked until we reached Santa Fé; and as her carrying weight was a thing impossible, I was fain to charter a jackass (which, for a consideration, Ali Baba-for so I shall call him-made over to me for my sole use and benefit), by renting him for the next fifteen miles. So, without more ado, I shifted "Gray's" saddle to the "burro," an ill-tempered, obstinate little brute, who looked as if I could have transported him with greater ease than he could have carried me. Having, by a great reduction of the girths, got the saddle upon the creature's back, where it appeared, by comparison, large enough for an elephant, I then attempted to bridle it-a proceeding which called forth, so far as jackasses could exhibit it, an unqualified expression of disapprobation and astonishment from the assembled drove, who brayed in concert; whereupon the animal more particularly interested, as though this flourish of trumpets had been intended as a signal, locked his jaws with a tenacity which defied my utmost efforts to unclose them. Ali Baba, who had hitherto been a quiet looker-on now dismounted, and explained to me that jackasses were an exception to all rules, being saddled, but not bridled.

"But how," queried I, "am I to guide him?"

"Nothing easier," was the reply. "You have only to use one of these; here he exhibited a stick of hard wood some two feet in length, and sharply pointed at one end.

As I was still quite in the dark as to the manner of employing it, I took a few lessons in donkey-driving from Ali Baba, who gave me the following rules for my guidance; which I, alas! in my stupidity, reversed in their practical application, thereby getting into difficulties, as the sequel will show.

Firstly. I was to turn the donkey to the right, by placing the stick before his left eye, the right optic being covered when he was required to go in the opposite direction. Secondly. To stop the animal, I was to wave the stick before both eyes; while to urge him forward, it was only necessary to punch him vigorously about the head and shoulders with the pointed end of my rod.

Determined to carry out my instructions to the letter, I got under way with the remaining quadrupeds, and Little Gray in front, while Ali Baba and his son brought up the rear of the party. For the first mile or two I got along remarkably well. But then my evil fortune took the ascerdant; for, having had a slight misunderstanding with my jackass, who had thought fit to take advantage of my inexperience by doing pretty much as he pleased, I used my pointed stick to such good purpose, that the brute made off with a rapidity which fairly astonished me, and disgusted Ali Baba, who, in the innocence of his heart, imagined that I desired to run away with his property. Having hailed me, under the influence of

this supposition, in no very complimentary terms, which softened into a piteous entreaty as they discovered that I was increasing my speed, both father and son joined in the pursuit of what they appeared to consider a sort of American freebooter absconding with felonious intent. I was ir. a passion, of course. The idea was too preposterous-a lieutenant of infantry eloping with a jackass. But my mirth soon overcame my rage. It was a scene which would have excited the risibles of a Stoic. Just picture it to yourself. Fancy a young man some six feet high, dressed in buckskin, with a long hair streaming in the wind, and mounted upon a stiff-necked and rebellious "burro," who rushed insanely on, carrying his rider, nolens volens, into the thickest part of the pine woods fringing an abrupt hillside. Confound those same pines, say I. I have not yet forgotten how sturdily they stretched out their long, unbending arms, as if to compass the annihilation of my devoted brains-a catastrophe which the speed of my "burro" rendered not unlikely. But, with all these drawbacks, laugh I must, and laugh I did; for in my rear thundered Ali Baba and the jackasses, with Little Gray in their wake, whose familiar face was stuck knowingly out, with an expression which seemed to say, "Go it, master; this reminds us of our old times in the Indian country.'

Verily, it was a steeple chase, and over the roughest kind of a country at that. a race in which I should have come off winner or broken my neck, if it had not been rather abruptly terminated by my motive powers getting into a sand-heap, where I came to anchor very ingeniously by planting both feet, which my long legs and "burro's" short ones rendered an easy matter, in the sand. Here I was speedily overtaken by my pursuers, whose ardor, now that the chase was ended, seemed greatly cooled. Mutual explanations having satisfied all parties, except the "burros," that it was entirely a mistake on their part, and ignorance of the art of jackass-driving on mine, we once more pursued our way; though I deemed it most prudent to keep within hailing distance of Ali Baba, whose experience might prove useful in case of another stampede. It was not far from noon when, as we emerged from the pine-clad hills, I beheld for the first time our long-desired haven, "La Ciudad de Santa Fé." Impatient to get forward, I persuaded my companions to urge on their "burros," until, by ne vigorous exercise of their sharp sticks, they had succeeded in punching them into a steady trot, which soon brought us to the outskirts of the town.

Being not over anxious to exhibit myself upon a Mexican jackass in the principal plaza of Santa Fé, I halted at the Quarter-master's stables, where I turned over my jackass, with a due consideration, to "Ali Baba," who made his "à dios" and departed. My next proceeding was to rid nyself of "Little Gray," who was, at my request, duly installed in the Government stables, where both the accommodations and the amount of orage on hand must have astonished her exceedingly. Nor was it without a sigh of regret that I thus parted from the trusty companion of so many weary miles of travel, who had carried me safely from the distant plains of Los Angeles, serving me faithfully amid mountain snows and desert wastes; and-save in one solitary instance, where she left me afoot among the California sand-hills-conducting herself, for a mule,