The next morning we took a walk about the
mining claim, returned, sat down in the shadow of
the cabin with a few friends who had gathered in,
and were talking over the little event of the evening
before, when Hirst and an officer came riding gaily
down the road, followed by several other gentlemen
on horseback, who were coming down to see the
result of a second meeting.
The cabins stood on the opposite side of the stream from the road, and ditches had to be crossed by the horsemen to reach us. The officer and Hirst both splendid horsemen as well as famous pistol- shots leapt the ditches and came darting over ; but the others, whoever they were, as they had an open view from where they stood, felt that they were quite near enough, and reined their horses.
The men I was then with, and with whom I had spent the night, were the most peaceful, noble, and gentlemanly fellows in the camp, and I had no wish to make their cabins the scene of a tragedy. I was equally unwilling to submit to Hirst in any form or manner, and hastily shaking hands with my friends as the men advanced up the hill, I made off up the mountain, perhaps fifty yards in advance of the horsemen, and on foot.
Pistols flourished in the air, the men started for ward almost upon me, and it looked as if I was to be shot down and trampled under foot. The hill side was steep and rocky, and the mettlesome little Mexican horses refused to rush upon me across the
