"Why, there are red fellows on horseback, with spears and shields, but without a rag on them," he exclaimed.  "They seem to be fighting with another set of fellows dressed as Spaniards, and, hang it, the latter are turning heels and flying."  The rancheroes seemed very much excited all the time, and rode a little way down the hill, that they might better see what was going on.  They quickly turned round and beckoned to us to join them.  We did so, and soon saw that if we would save the lives of the Mexicans, there was not a moment to be lost.  Although there were thirty of them, there were fully four times as many Indians. It was not difficult to divine what had occurred.  The Mexicans had been taken by surprise, and instead of pulling up and keeping close together, each man had galloped off in the hope of saving his own life, without thinking of his companions.  The Indians had thus got in among them, and had already pierced several through with their long spears.  Each Indian warrior, however, as soon as he had killed or disabled a man, stopped to take his scalp, and this gave time to some of the Mexicans once more to unite and to present a better front to the enemy.  The resistance they were making, however, was very feeble, and as we galloped on we saw that they had once more begun to break.  The Indians had been so intent on the attack that they had not perceived our approach, neither had the Mexicans.