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Show dozen persons on horse-back came out from the town of Payson to tap our course just ahead of us. We wheeled short to the right, cut just in our front by a small stream so deep and mosy that stock were not in the habit of crossing it. I urged my horse and he attempted to clear it at a single bound, but falling to reach the opposite bank with his hind feet, fell back into water and mud over the top of his hips. I lit upon the bank over his head and by palling at the reins assisted him extricating himself which he did after several desperate struggles. My comrades sallied down stream a little and had better success. Our pursuers were by this time within three or four hundred yards of us. I remounted in haste and soon found to my great satisfaction that the stamina of the noble animals had not been much exhausted, and though I lost my spurr in the struggle, that I could easily dispense with its service. At the distance of about two miles we reached the base of a low mountain ranging north and South, but undoubting the propriety of pursuing a western course as our friends behind were not aware of this change of the programma: but just at this time a dispatch was brought by two boys from an old chief telling us to be sure and return to the farm that night. We reached the Summit as the sun was about setting and made a feint. |