In the late 1830s, when much of the Old West was still Mexican territory, 4 people are travelling through the deserts, north of Texas and a 3-day ride from Santa Fe. They are: the Scalphunter, who says his trade is being a "buffaler" (buffalo hide trader), he is in search of gold; a former ship's Captain, also in search of the gold; a Woman from England, a former chambermaid who, in exchange for ship's passage to America, signed an agreement to serve the Captain for 5 years, she is an indentured servant; and Mr. Rainbow, a former soldier who killed Indians. The Captain sets out to find some of Montezuma's gold, risking danger from both the native Indians and Mexican soldiers. The woman wants to get out of her contract with the Captain and go to New Orleans, she asks Mr. Rainbow to take her there, but he turns her down. Scalphunter wants half of the Captain's gold, and tags along with his men. Mr. Rainbow sets out across the desert through the Viaje de la Muerte, the Journey of Death.
One night, during a terrible wind storm, the Captain and the Woman and Scalphunter and his men are in a small cabin. Scalphunter snaps impatiently at his men to be quiet. The Captain begins his lecture, "We were in the North Sea in mid-December, sailing for Glasgow harbor, when a black mask came over the horizon. For a solid fortnight, Davey Jones swabbed the decks. 10 men washed overboard before I had time to call all hands below. There were 50 of us, aye 50, holed up in a room not half the size of this one. Tossed against the hull, so hard you could hear their bones crack. And for the whole time, from not one mother's son, was there a whimper." Scalphunter quips sarcastically, "Do you know what your trouble is, Captain? You ain't got no boat." Just then, Mr. Rainbow drops in. Is he after the gold or the woman, or both? An intriguing movie with fascinating character studies.
