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pace we have been going at is not attributable to gin.

He was very complimentary to me, because I acted as assistant cook and butcher.

Mr. Ward's party passed us about 1 P. M. The front wheels of his buggy having now smashed, it is hitched in rear of one of the wagons.

We made a pretty good afternoon's drive through a wood of post oaks, where we saw another rattlesnake, which we tried to shoot.

We halted at Spring creek at 6.30 P. M.; water rather brackish, and no grass for the mules.

The Judge gave us some of his experiences as a filibuster. He declares that a well-cooked polecat is as good to eat as a pig, and that stewed rattlesnake is not so bad as might be supposed. The Texans call the Mexicans "greasers," the latter retort by the name "gringo."

We are now living luxuriously upon eggs and goat's flesh; and I think we have made about thirtytwo miles to-day.

22d April (Wednesday).—We got under weigh at 5 A. M., the mules looking rather mean for want of grass. At 8 A. M. we reached the Nueces river, the banks of which are very steep, and are bordered with a beautiful belt of live-oak trees, covered with mustang grapes.

On the other side of the Nueces is "Oakville," a miserable settlement, consisting of about twenty wooden huts. We bought some butter there, and caught up Ward's wagons. The women at Oakville were most anxious to buy snuff. It appears that the Texan females are in the habit of dipping snuff— which means, putting it into their mouths instead of their noses. They rub it against their teeth with a blunted stick.

We reached grass about 10 A. M., and "nooned it," the weather being very trying-very sultry, without sun or wind.

We hitched in at 1.15-Ward's wagons in our front, and a Frenchman's four-horse team in our rear. At 4 P. M. we reached the "Weedy," a creek which, to our sorrow, was perfectly dry. We drove on till 7 P. M., and halted at some good grass. There being a report of water in the neighborhood, Mr. Sargent, the Judge, Ward, and the Frenchman, started to explore; and when, at length, they did discover a wretched little mud-hole, it appears that a desperate conflict for the water ensued, for the Judge returned to us a mass of mud, and presenting a very crestfallen appearance. Shortly after, Mr. Sargent appeared, in such a bad humor that he declined to cook, to eat, to drink, or do any thing but swear vehemently.

Deprived by this contretemps of our goat's flesh, we had recourse to an old ham and very stale bread.

which had converted a good road into a quagmire. We detected a rattlesnake crawling along this morning, but there are not nearly so many of them in this country as there used to be.

We halted at 9 A. M., and, to make a fire for cook ing, we set a rat-ranch alight, which answered very well; but one big rat, annoyed by our proceedings emerged hastily from his den, and very nearly jumped into the frying-pan.

Two Texan Rangers, belonging to Taylor's regiment, rode up to us whilst we were at breakfast. These Rangers all wear the most enormous spurs I

ever saw.

We resumed our journey at 12.30, and reached a creek* called "Agua Dulce" at 2 P. M. M'Carthy and I got out before crossing, to forage at some huts close by. We got two dozen eggs and some lard; but, on returning to the road, we found that Mr. Sargent had pursued his usual plan of leaving us in the lurch.

I luckily was able to get hold of a Mexican boy, and rode across the creek en croupe. M'Carthy dismounted a negro, and so got over.

We halted at 5

P.

M.

After dark M'Carthy crossed the prairie to visit

* All streams or rivers are called creeks, and pronounced

some friends who were encamped half a mile distant. He lost his way in returning, and wandered about for several hours. The Judge, with great presence of mind, kept the fire up, and he found us at last.

The heat from nine to two is pretty severe; but in Texas there is generally a cool sea-breeze, which nakes it bearable.

21st April (Tuesday).—We started at 5 A. M., and reached a hamlet called "Casa Blanca" at 6. We procured a kid, some Indian corn, and two fowls in this neighborhood.

We had now quitted the flat country, and entered an undulating or "rolling" country, full of live oaks of very respectable size, and we had also got out of the mud.

Mr. Sargent and the Judge got drunk again about 8 A. M., which, however, had a beneficial effect upon the speed. We descended the hills at a terrific pace -or, as Mr. Sargent expressed it, "Going like h-Ul a-beating tan bark."

We "nooned it" at a small creek; and after unhitching, Mr. Sargent and the Judge had a row with one another, after which Mr. Sargent killed and cooked the goat, using my knife for these operations. With all his faults he certainly is a capital butcher, cook, and mule-driver. He takes great care of his animals, and is careful to inform us that the increased

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