They were all upon horseback, brandishing their long lances, and winding their _lazos_ around their heads. Fearfully painted, and whooping their wild cries, they resembled the very _demonios_! We could neither retreat nor defend ourselves. Against such odds it would have been idle to have attempted the latter: besides, we were all without weapons. On an occasion like that which had called us forth, one does not think of preparing for such an event. I own it was imprudent of us to go out unarmed--more especially when the country was filled with Indian _novedades_--but who could have dreamt that such was to be the fatal termination to our joyous _dia de campo? Ay de mi_! I may well call it fatal. Very few of our men survived that dreadful day. Two or three of the young fellows managed to retreat into the bushes; and afterwards got off. The others were killed upon the spot-- most of them impaled upon the spears of the Apaches! The women were left untouched: for the Indians rarely kill our women. Them they reserve for a different destiny. Ah! _cavallero_! a destiny worse than death! Not one of them escaped. The poor _ninas_ were all made captives; and each, borne off in the arms of a swarthy savage, was mounted upon his horse. Gabriella, the queen of all,--because by far the most beautiful--was chosen by the chief. I saw her struggling in his grasp, I saw him dragging her over the ground, and raising her to the withers of his steed. I saw him leap up behind her, and prepare to ride off--Gabriella, my beloved--my bride!" Here the speaker paused--as if overcome by the very remembrance of the incidents he was relating; and it was some time before he became sufficiently composed to resume his narrative. CHAPTER NINETY FOUR. A ROUGH DRAG. Recovering himself, at length, the narrator proceeded:--