seven ranks, forming together a compact body of massive fighting strength, and of almost resistless weight. 'Boldly they rode and well,' with their horses' bridles in their left hands, while with their right they grasped their rifles at the guard and held them squarely in front of themselves, resting lightly upon their horses' necks. "Riding about five paces in front of the center of the line, and twirling his heavy Springfield rifle about his head as if it were a wisp of straw, Roman Nose recklessly led the charge with a bravery that could only be equaled but not excelled; while their medicine-man, an equally brave yet older chief, rode slightly in advance of the left of the charging column. "To say that I was surprised at this splendid exhibition of pluck and discipline, is to put it mildly; and to say, further, that for an instant or two I was fairly lost in admiration of the glorious charge, is simply to state the truth--for it was far and away beyond anything I had heard of, read about, or even imagined regarding Indian warfare." EL SOLITARIO, THE HERMIT PRIEST OF THE OLD SANTA FÉ TRAIL. "No stream from its source Flows seaward, how lonely so 'er its course, But some land is gladden'd. No star ever rose And set without influence somewhere. Who knows What earth needs from earth's lowliest creatures? No life Can be pure in its purpose, and strong in its strife, And all life not be purer and stronger thereby." --OWEN MEREDITH. [Illustration: THE HERMIT PRIEST.] The tourist _en route_ to the Pacific coast cannot fail observing on his right a huge, relatively isolated peak, cutting the incomparably clear mid-continent sky, almost immediately after the train emerges from the picturesque cañon of El Moro, and commences to descend the long gradual slope to the quaint old Mexican village of Las Vegas, New Mexico. Its scarred and verdureless front looms up grandly in the beautifully serrated landscape, of which it is the most conspicuous object. More prominently defined than any other individual elevation of the Taos Range visible from the point of observation, the shadow of its irregular contour reaches far out over the lesser mountains beneath, the moment the sun has crossed the meridian of its crest. At its foot, grassy little valleys stretch eastwardly, which are cultivated by the primitive Mexicans under a system of irrigation as primitive as themselves--simple earth ditches, involving a very limited knowledge of engineering.