In the morning we took our rifles and started among the hills to get some _meat_ for breakfast. We were not out long before Dave’s rifle rung out sharply in the still morning air. Going to him, we found him with a large buck deer; and we had a splendid venison roast for breakfast. The country was very rough, and hung upon the edge of the plain like a great ruffle, and to the west tossing higher and higher. There were a few _buffaloes_ here also. We stayed in this camp several days, living upon the best of meat, and recruiting our horses upon the rich grass of the valley. There were also a few _cattle_ straggling along the river; and they were wilder than the _buffaloes_. We at length moved up the river and came among some dwarf timber; and to sit in the shade of these little trees was more pleasant to us than any other period of our lives. The _wolves_ were very _numerous_ here; and we were compelled to sleep by the fire every night to keep our clothes from being torn by these foul-mouthed creatures, who would howl within the very limits of our camp, and terrify our horses so that we had to tie them to trees with double ropes. It is somewhat amusing to see them capture their game--sometimes taking down a large buffalo bull or even a wild horse. If the game is in a flock or herd, they cautiously surround it, and gradually round them up to close quarters. If they are antelope or deer, as they break through the guard several are usually captured; but if they are buffaloes, they watch for a calf to come to the outside of the bunch, and pop! they have him. Sometimes as many as twenty wolves surround a herd; and to see with what cuteness and tact they execute their work is interesting in the extreme. When they are very hungry they will tackle most any animal. They sport carelessly around until he is off his guard, and then dash upon him; and while some run at the head, the main aim is to cut the ham-string. I have seen large bulls disabled in this way and at the entire mercy of a pack of hungry wolves, who sometimes tear their satisfaction from the living animal and leave him struggling in his agonies. Their teeth are sharp and their jaws are like vices; and they sometimes snap a large piece out of an animal, and then let him run away. New Mexico is noted for its _poisonous reptiles_ and _insects_, such as rattlesnakes, scorpions, centipedes, tarantulas, etc., and finding them creeping upon most every hill-side, we were compelled to be very _careful_ lest we should tramp, sit, or lie upon some destructive stinger.