Card-playing seemed, however, to be their
favorite pastime; all Mexicans are inveterate gamesters, who look
upon the profession of gambling as an honorable and desirable
occupation.
After the first day out I did not see an inebriated man in the whole
party. The Mexicans are really a much maligned and slandered people.
They are often charged with the sin of postponing every imaginable
thing until manana, but, to do them justice, I must say that they
drank every drop of liquor they carried on the first day out; also
ate all the dainties which other people would have saved and relished
for days to come. Surely, not manana, but ahora, or "do it now" was
their soul-stirring battle cry on this occasion.
After several days of travel we encountered herds of buffalo and
mustangs or wild horses, and when our scouts reported numerous Indian
signs, we advanced slowly and carefully, momentarily expecting an
ambuscade and attack. Our column halted frequently while our horsemen
explored suspicious-looking hillocks and ravines.
A dense column of smoke rose suddenly in our front, and I saw several
detachments of Indian warriors on a little hill, who were evidently
reconnoitering, and spying our strength, but did not expose
themselves fully to view.
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