15th September 1833

Sierra de la Ventana
Rose very early in the morning; passed in the road the 4th Posta, where the men were murdered. The Lieutenant, when found, had 18 Chusa wounds in his body. Arrived in middle of the day at the 5th Posta. Here are 21 men, as it is the central & most exposed part of the line of Postas. The Rancho is built on the edge of a large lake, teeming with wild fowl, amongst which the black necked swan was conspicuous. There was some difficulty about horses so I determined to sleep here. In the evening the soldiers returned from hunting, bringing with them seven deer, 3 ostriches & 40 of their eggs, many partridges & Armadilloes. It is the constant habit of the soldiers wherever they go to fire the plain; we made several fires, which at night were seen burning with great brilliancy, they do this to improve the pasture & perhaps also to puzzle any straggling Indians. Slept in the open air, as the Rancho consisted only of an enclosure of reeds, without any roof.

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