BANCROFT LIBRARY ' TEXAN RAKCH LIFE. TEXAN RANCH LIFE; WITH Three Months through Mexico in a "Prairie Schooner/ BY MARY J. JAQUES LONDON : HORACE COX, WINDSOE HOUSE, BKEAM'S BUILDINGS, B.C. 1894. LONDON : PRINTED BY HORACE COX, WINDSOR HOUSE, BREAM'S BUILDINGS % B.C. u. c. ACADEMY OF PACIFIC COAST HISTORY CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Voyage to New York PAGE Leaving England 1 CHAPTER II. CHAPTER III. New York 15 CHAPTER IV. * Niagara to San Antonio . . 21 CHAPTER V. The History of the Alamo 28 CHAPTER VI. San Antonio 37 CHAPTER VII. Kerville, and Arrival at Lechuza Ranch 49 CHAPTER. VIII. Domestic Life at Lechuza Ranch . 60 vi Contents. CHAPTER IX. I'AGK Branding, and First Ride to Junction City 71 CHAPTER X. Rounding up Cattle, and Cow Outfits 82 CHAPTER XI. " Roping." Hailstorm. Coyotes, Skunks, and Flowers . 89 CHAPTER XII. Texan Dancing, Riding, and Driving 95 CHAPTER XIII. Sheep Dipping. Breaking in Bronchos. Visit to Texan Squatter 106 CHAPTER XIV. Milking Cows. Birds. Ambulance Cases Two Be- nighted Travellers 117 CHAPTER XV. Duties of young Ranchmen. Resources of Kimble County, Texas 131 CHAPTER XVI. Picnic, Texan Dance. First Visit to " The Field " . , . 143 CHAPTER XVII. Site and Plans for our New House. Buying a Waggon and Team 153 CHAPTER XVIII. By " Sunset" Route from San Antonio to San Francisco . 162 CHAPTER XIX. The Yosemite Valley. Chinese Quarter in San Francisco. 178 Contents. vii CHAPTER XX. PAGE From San Francisco to Salt Lake City 185 CHAPTER XXI. Through the Rockies to Fort Worth and San Antonio . . 197 CHAPTER XXII. Return to Junction City. Flood. Settling in our New- Home. Tarantula. Weevils. Serenaders . . . . . 207 CHAPTER XXIII. Domestic Life at " The Field/ 5 " Furious Riding through the Town Streets." Masonic Funeral. Preparations for Christmas 218 CHAPTER XXIV. Pruning Fruit Trees. Mr. Twohig's Imprisonment and Escape. Cost of Fuel. Stock Yards, &c., at San Antonio. Surveying and Assessment. Pelon Dog. Catamount and other Pets. Texan and Mexican Weddings 231 CHAPTER XXV. The Crystal Column Cave. Caught in a Thunderstorm. Buggy Capsize. Night at Stewart's Camp. Visits from " Drummers." Independence Day. The Lover's Leap. Camp Meetings 244 CHAPTER XXVI. Letting "The Field." Farewell Party. "Fixing" the Waggon. Spanish Lessons. The " Prairie Schooner" starts. Visits en route. Eagle Pass. Bonding Waggon. Mexican Money and Exchange. Preparations for Cross- ing the Border 257 viii Content K. CHAPTER XXVII. PAGE Frontier Custom House. Buying Matches. Peyotes and Pellotes. Cloete Ranch. Crossing the Sabinas. Mon- clova. Monterey. Topo Chico Springs. Saltillo. Disputed Boundary. Courtship in Mexico 269 CHAPTER XXVIII. Ponciano Diaz. Bull Fight. The Vara. Fruit. Hotel Patios. Tipichil. The Fiesta. Leaving Saltillo. En- cantada. Mexican Guest. The Curandera. Hacienda del Salado. Employes on Hacienda 283 CHAPTER XXIX. Matehuala. Catorce. Vanegas. Salt Works. San Luis Potosi. The Mint. La Pila. San Diego. La Carnal. Troncas. Dolores Hidalgo. Hidalgo raises the " Grito." Morelos succeeds Hidalgo. Angustin de Yturbide. " The Three Guarantees." Independence of Mexico . . 295 CHAPTER XXX. San Miguel de Allende. Zerape Makers. Giant Cacti, &c. Celaya. Trasguerras. Indian Procession. Fray Sebastian. Arriving at Queretaro. Opals. Maximilian. Hercules Mill. San Juan del Rio. Wayside Crosses. Accident to Waggon. Tula. The Tajo de Nochistongo 310 CHAPTER XXXI. Arrival at City of Mexico. Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe. The Capilla del Pocito. Hotels. The Viga Canal. Lavanderas. Cathedral. Pinates. Christ Church. Theatres 323 CHAPTER XXXII. Our Party Breaks Up. Mules, Pony, " Prairie Schooner," &c., Sold. Santa Gertrudis Mine. "Patio" Process. Apam. Pulque. Museum at City of Mexico. Aztec Gods. Nahoan Indian Superstitions 333 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE. Our Waggon before its final fittings at the back " Prairie Schooner ". . . > . .,'.-. . Frontispiece Preparing Tortillas . . . . , . . ., . . . . . 41 Branding .. . . . . . 71 Branding :...'........ 72 Cow Outfit Camping . . . * ... . . . . . . . . 82 Mexican Bit .....' 87 Our Waggon and Team ........... 212 "The Field" Our New Abode ......... 214 Gerino (Hairless Dog) . '. . . - 239 Baptist Immersion in South Llano . 255 Cactus .......... 276 Mexicans bearing their Crates ......... 293 Water Carrier San Luis Potosi . . . . . ... . 299 Nuestra Sefiora de Guadalupe . . . 324 Tlachiquero with Burro ........ . . .' 337 Aztec Calendar Stone .,-..... 339 The Aztec Idol Huitzilopochtli . . 340 Aguador (Water Carrier) 344 Pulque Plants in foreground and Chapultepec in distance . 356 Market at Aguas Calientes . . . . 358 " Buffalo Dick" in Camp ....... . 362 Content*. ix CHAPTER XXXIII. PAOK The Aguador. Mexican Servants. Mexican Races. Origin of National Emblem. "Noche Triste" Tree. Chapultepec. Rare Flowers. National Library, &c. The Army. Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl. Cholula. Tlaxcola. Franciscan Friars. Esperanza to Cordoba . 343 CHAPTER XXXIV. Climate. Want of English Importing Houses. The Paseo. Leaving the City. Guadalajara Pottery. Aguas Calientes. Return to Texas. A Mexican Offender. Deer Hunting with " Buffalo Dick." Starting for England. Landing at Hull . 356 TEXAN RANCH LIFE ; WITH THEEE MONTHS THROUGH MEXICO IN A " PKAIEIE SCHOONER" CHAPTER I. LEAVING ENGLAND. " But He that hath the steerage of my course, Direct my sail ! " YES, we have actually embarked ! At half -past nine o'clock on the morning of Friday, March 15th, 1889, the bell on the bridge of the S.S. Empress ceased to ring. The warps are cast off, the customary hoarse cries of " Forward ! " " Ease her off gently there ! " are heard, and the ship leaves the Alexandra Docks, and drops slowly down the Mersey. On board all is confusion. The decks are still unwashed. The Empress having been timed to begin her voyage the previous day, we had passed the night in our berths, lulled to sleep by the noise of the donkey-engine lowering cargo into the hold, while the operations of coaling went on without intermission, and men were busy repainting and repairing our damaged life- boats. The Empress had been in dock only twelve hours and it was even considered doubtful whether she would be Texan Hand Life. able to fulfil her out-going engagements. During her former voyage from New York she had encountered numerous gales and heavy seas, and had been so much knocked about that the necessary repairs made her now overdue. Although a sailor's daughter, I am by no means superstitious, yet I confess that I should have preferred to sail on Thursday or any other day in the week rather than on Friday. And if our " tars " do not, in these enlightened times, absolutely refuse to start on this unlucky day, I know a great many who would assuredly not select it. However, on Friday our start was to be, but before going any farther, perhaps it will be well to explain why the voyage was undertaken. Several times my expectations of continental travel had been disappointed in consequence of home-ties, illness, or the whims and fancies of friends. On one occasion the trunks were actually packed, and our party had met at the rendezvous in London. But parliamentary business detained one of its members, a fear that it would be too late for his gout to derive benefit from the waters of Homburg prevented another ; the expedition was given up, and disappointment and a return home were all that remained for poor me ! But as one approaches the third decade these little contretemps are less keenly felt, and, in fact, I was becoming almost a fatalist. Looking backwards, I must confess that on those occasions when I have persistently fought against Destiny it has not been kind to me, and I have now adopted as my motto : " Whatever is, is best." " Our wills and fates do so contrary run That our devices still are overthrown." In the autumn of 1880, while visiting my cousins in Buckinghamshire, a letter arrived from some old friends in Leaving England. Colorado grandchildren of the late Archbishop S. Their description of busy ranch life in that State being read aloud at the breakfast table, I became fascinated by the attractions of its wild freedom, when to my great surprise my cousin offered to write to ascertain whether I could be received at the ranch as a boarder. Another disappoint- ment ! In consequence of contemplated weddings and other domestic arrangements there was no space to spare, and, although there were no longer any home-ties to bind me, fate seemed to decide that I was not to travel. My faithful Didymusa declared that it was "just what she had expected." Wherever I went Didymusa must surely go. Since I had been left alone we had become quite inseparable. Many years we had spent together tending our dear invalid, for Didymusa, too, had learned to love her, and shared many an anxious vigil by my beloved mother's side till the last sad scene of all. Drawn so closely together in the first bitter days of loneliness, then, indeed, Didymusa became my great solace, and I soon grew to love her as a sister. She was ever a truly faithful and loving companion, and what are social distinctions when put on the balance against kindness of heart and sympathy ? She owed her sobriquet to her disposition to doubt. She would never bask in the sunshine of hope, and always refused to believe that " the daily round, the common task " of home-life could be relieved by a visit to North America. We had lived on quietly in our little island home, with all its tender associations, until I became haunted by visions of a trip to the Rockies, now, alas, beginning to fade. I had heard alarming reports of the expensiveness of American hotels, &c., and to think of living in them for any length of time was out of the Texan Ranch Life. question. But, taking up the Morning Post one day, my eyes fell upon an advertisement for colonial ranch pupils, application to be made to certain well-known agents. I immediately wrote, describing my requirements as a " paying guest," and by return of post received an answer to the effect that, although such an application had never been received before, there was little doubt they could help me to find what I wanted. Eventually I was offered a choice of two families one living at Calgary, N.W. terri- tory of Alberta, personal friends of the agents ; the other residing in Texas, and owning a large ranch there. And at the present moment the head of the latter family and his wife happened to be on a visit to England, whence they expected to start in the course of a few weeks for the Far West. The agents had already cabled to their friends at Cal- gary, and wished me to await the answer. But the return cable being overdue, I, waxing impatient, determined to wait no longer, went to London, arranged terms, and paid a quarter's rent in advance. I had been cautioned not to enter into a yearly agree- ment, and was afterwards extremely grateful for this advice. I was counselled, indeed, not to bind myself for longer than a month, but the agent pressed so hard for a quarterly agreement that at last I yielded, and arranged to travel under the escort of my host and hostess. When I returned home and broke the news to Didy- musa there was a dismayed silence. The same thoughts were present with us both of the preparations for leaving home and all our pets. Apart from this, I felt glad to look forward to change of scene. I had recently sustained another sad loss that of my best and dearest friend, the kind and highly Leaving England. cultivated Mrs. B., who possessed all the generous and large-hearted qualities of her maternal ancestor, the great and good Lord Shaftesbury. I missed her daily in my rambles over beach and common. For ten years it had been my privilege to know her intimately, and our constant interchange of thought, and communion of soul, will ever remain fresh in my memory. At last a caretaker was found, a man whom I had known for some time, who might be trusted to keep the garden in order, who already knew and liked my precious thoroughbred mare, and would do the best he could for the two cats. Strange as it may appear, the parting from these was the worst. The mare would have her corn and run of the meadow as usual, with the additional advantage of no one to ride her. But with the cats the case was different. Cats and cultivated cats do not like to have their little habits disturbed ; they become epicurean in their tastes, exacting as to the preparation of food, and, being naturally shy, timid creatures, entertain a rooted dislike to strangers and new ways. What a number of instructions Didymusa gave concerning their particular cosy corners and changes of diet ! Then, after a short round of farewell visits, we made our final arrangements, took the train to Liverpool and embarked, which brings us back to the Emjjrex*, as she drops slowly down the Mersey. CHAPTEE II. VOYAGE TO NEW YORK. THE owner of the ranch, hereafter described as the " Boss " (his invariable title on the ranch), was a retired naval officer, who had spent several years in Texas. The choice of a ship being left with him, in the first instance, he decided upon one of the White Star line, but subse- quently, to my regret, changed the date of departure, and selected a vessel of the " Atlantic " line. The reputation of this line had already fallen ; shortly after our voyage it ceased to carry passengers. The Empress was an old- fashioned vessel ; her decks especially being too narrow to be fitted with modern improvements, and her engines not powerful enough for her heavy cargo. We did not get well under way till ten o'clock, when we were all mustered on deck to undergo the usual medical inspection ; a very informal proceeding as far as the saloon passengers were concerned. Then came the emigrants, about three hundred and twenty all told ; sickly, puny, squalid creatures, wretched specimens of humanity both physically and mentally. All their worldly goods seemed to be contained in small bundles ; some of the owners look- ing half-starved. One could not help speculating whether circumstances or their own vices were to blame for their present miserable plight. Voyage to "New York. They filed before the Medical Officer of the Board of Health, and eventually all passed their examination satisfactorily. Nowhere is the contrast between poverty and wealth more striking than on board ship ; the luxurious accommodation of the saloon ; the vastly different arrangements for the poor steerage passenger, who stands during his meals with a swinging table above his head ; who is turned out, ill or well, at an early hour each morn- ing for the double purpose of ventilating the bedding and airing himself a perfectly necessary operation! His mattress consists of a bundle of rags or a few wisps of straw, which may have been dragged along with the general bundle ; and men and women are huddled together almost regardless of the common decencies of life. This in my experience is the state of affairs in most vessels, American and English, though doubtless, allowances must be made, and much of the very evident misery endured by the steerage passengers may be due to the change from their customary manners and customs and mode of life on terra fir ma. One could not but be struck by the rough good-nature and the innate politeness (with occasional exceptions) of the men towards the women ; as shown by the offer of shelter or seats, and in nursing the babies, to the relief of their seasick mothers. During the short time we were moored at Queenstown, we were amused by the persistence of the Irish hucksters, who with their sweet-sounding blarney, tried to wheedle us into the purchase of cakes, sticks, pipes, and what not. But their tones became less insinuating when they failed to do business, and, the Boss refusing to buy lemons from one old woman, she raised her voice and shouted so that all might hear : " Sure you'll know the use of lemons by-and- 8 . Texan Ranch Life. bye ! " A threat destined to be remembered in due course. The Boss was taking out a young pupil, Mr. Taylor, who had failed for his Army examination, the only son of his father, who had bidden him farewell from the tender, at the mouth of the Mersey. Mr. Taylor also was going to try life on the ranch, to strive for fortune like other Texan cattle kings ! Our castles in the air often help to carry us through the difficulties of life, and it is an advantage to possess the power to build them, even though they presently tumble in fragments at our feet. In the saloon, there was only one other passenger of our own sex besides the Boss's wife Mrs. Boss, as she came to be named. A pleasant, cheery old American, travelling with his son, Mr. D., the editor of a Chicago newspaper, was a great hand at brewing punch, and doled out the contents of the bowl so that some received an unfair proportion of the ice therein, and others too large a share of its more exhilarating constituents. The rest of the passengers were all young men, bent upon seeking fortune in various States (ne'er-do-wells, no doubt), for the most part by manual labour. As later observation convinced me, these were likely to succeed in earning only as much or less, when the high prices of the necessaries of life is taken into account as many agricultural labourers at home. They enjoyed plenty of fun amongst themselves, one of their number, as is usually the case, serving as a butt for the others. Mr. Newman hailed from a London suburb, and had been brought up in the way he should go by some maiden aunts. He was terribly distressed by the intemperate habits of Mr. Voyage to New York. Falconer, who pretended to adopt them for Mr. New- man's especial benefit. It requires little to amuse one on board ship, and this became a very elaborate joke, lasting throughout the voyage. The captain was let into the secret so that he should not spoil sport, when he dined with us the night before we reached Sandy Hook ; his duties during the stormy weather having hitherto prevented him from giving us much of his 'society even at meals. Shortly after the beginning of dinner on this occasion, Mr. Newman, who sat on my left, called attention to Mr. Falconer, who had been imbibing freely : the beverage soda water, specially coloured by the steward. Poor Mr. Newman recounted the number of brandies and soda water Mr. Falconer had consumed during the afternoon, and his own efforts to induce him to renounce the dreadful habit. At this juncture Mr. Falconer seemed to lose consciousness ; his head sank on his neighbour's shoulder and his breathing became stertorous. " Ah," said Mr. Newman, " I was afraid he would dis- grace himself before you all. I have tried my best to keep him sober. You know he shares my cabin, and I have sat up with him two whole nights." Of course the cap tain and the rest ignored Mr. Falconer's apparent condition, but as we were dispersing he suddenly roused, and rushing wildly on deck, declared his intention to jump overboard. He was closely followed by Mr. Newman, who piteously implored each and all in turn to save this victim of inebriety. A violent scene ensued between the two men on deck ; the one persisting in his attempt to jump overboard, and declaring that he was tormented by many monsters, struggling like a maniac the while ; the other upbraiding the amused spectators for their callousness in allowing a fellow creature to go to his account 10 Texan Ranch Life. without lifting a finger to save him, and clinging to him in his effort to perform the act of valour himself. The merry young Irish doctor here interposed and administered a soothing draft to the pseudo-inebriate, who recovered his senses in a marvellously short space, whereupon the Boss persuaded Mr. Newman to seek out the skipper and tell him all about it. Mr. Newman went away, to return very crestfallen at his failure to awaken the cap- tain's interest, lamenting the necessity to sit up with his patient again that night ; which he did, being well employed in restraining his constant attempts to rush upon deck, and in the delivery of temperance lectures. When Mr. Newman was undeceived just before leaving the ship, I was told that he expressed his opinion of his companions in language more forcible than polite. Perhaps this experience served as a warning and pre- paration for the more serious practical jokes which generally await the young greenhorn from the hands of our American cousins. There was a conceited commercial traveller on board much given to recitations. Upon him also the hoaxers played their pranks ; performing the part of an effervescing gallery so efficiently as frequently to render his voice inaudible. Being of a fire-eating disposition, he produced his revolver to quell these turbulent spirits and compel attention no little trouble and patience being requisite to convince him that a superabundance of animal spirits led the young men to make fun of anything and anybody as a relief to the tedium of the voyage, and above all, that their conduct must not be taken to imply a slur upon his powers of elocution. As well as an elocutionist he was a chess-player, and according to his own account had matched himself against Voyage to New York. 11 several famous players, and come off victorious. Strangely enough he lost all his contests on the Empress. I fancy he sat down prepared for an easy conquest over me, and at the critical moment, when I was on the point of check- mating him, to the accompaniment of smothered laughter from the onlookers, he suddenly placed his hands to his head, complained of intense dizziness, and, oversetting chessboard and chessmen, declared the impossibility of playing on a ship whose deck was at an angle of forty degrees. At quoits, and the various trials of strength it was always the same ; he lost on account of the angle of the deck. In the microcosm of a ship, there is the same mingling of farce and tragedy, of grave and gay, as in the world at large. On the morning of the fifth day a shark was reported to be following the vessel, and death was soon coming to claim one of our fellow -passengers. We had observed a tall emaciated man apparently in an advanced stage of consumption, with the significant phthisic cough and hectic flush. He never appeared at table, seeking the retirement of his cabin, except on one or two occasions, when he came on deck enveloped in wraps and mufflers, for a little fresh air. Mr. J. was travelling under an assumed name, and, as the story ran, had fled from England and his wife and children, overwhelmed by debt and a complication of troubles. Whatever these may have been, " The heart knoweth its own bitterness," and he was released from every burthen at ten o'clock on Sunday morning, the tenth day of the voyage. During the previous night we were no longer disturbed by his distressing paroxysms of coughing, but his pathetic calls for " Rose, Rose ! " as the dawn approached, were terrible to hear. The kind stewardess told me that he 12 Texan Ranch Life. seemed happy at the last when the doctor was present to administer to his wants and that he entrusted her with many messages to the wife he had forsaken. These messages were delivered sooner than the dying man had anticipated. Having discovered her husband's destination, the poor lady had taken a berth on the Etruria, which passed us in fine style and reached New York some days before our arrival. To the captain fell the melancholy duty of breaking the news to the widow, who had the poor satisfaction of hearing an account of her husband's last hours from the stewardess, who had done everything possible to alleviate the sufferings of the friendless stranger. But I am anticipating. Mr. J.'s body was at once removed to the ship's hospital, and was committed to the deep on the following morning. Didymusa and I, with some other passengers, were present at the very impressive service, which was conducted at 8 a.m., the ship slackening speed, and the Union Jack serving as a pall. The water was black with dolphins ; it was curious to watch their gambols as they played round the vessel that morning, as if, indeed, they were rejoicing over the freed spirit ! We could see them, through our binoculars, in the far distance too, shoal upon shoal, tumbling over the huge billows and forming black lines upon their white crests. The Empress carried a good many intermediate passengers, from whom we were separated only by a thin wooden partition ; a rowdy, disagreeable set of people, to judge by their conversation and behaviour. Amongst them were several children and eight babies. Fortunately my own cabin was some distance off, but others of the saloon passengers suffered greatly from Voyage to New York, 13 the nocturnal choruses of the infants. It could be compared only to a number of dogs howling at the moon ; as soon as one was reduced to silence by exhaustion, another being wide awake, quite ready to continue the refrain. Although we did not encounter one really severe storm during our fortnight's voyage, it blew a gale nearly all the time, and with a heavy cargo of crockery and the Empress $ rather weak engines, we could not make much way through the Atlantic rollers. We were informed that she was a " good old sea boat," and her constant creaking con- firmed at least one part of the statement. But she rolled, she pitched, she gave a terrible corkscrew movement ; her screw was half the time out of water, she shivered and groaned and almost came to a standstill. For two or three days we were not allowed on deck, and the port-holes were closed. But we managed to enjoy our " constitutionals " on most days, to play quoits and to watch the game of tug- of-war, &c., which the young men got up for our amuse- ment. In the evenings we had music, and, when the angle of the deck permitted, an occasional " hop " round the saloon. The " fiddles " were more or less in requisition, and there was a good deal of slipping and sliding about and smashing of crockery ; in one bad lurch, the steward coming to grief with the soup tureen and all the contents. But for the unremitting kindness and attention of the stewardess, my toilette would indeed have been made under difficulties, and one morning she had to take in hand Didymusa also, who, after sliding about on the floor for some time in company with my overland trunk and after depositing two glassfuls of water in her bunk, was Texan Ranch Life. subsequently set upon her feet by the stewardess, who entered the cabin at an opportune moment. But everything reaches an end at last, and on Wednesday, March 27, the stewardess came into our cabin with the good news that we were to land the same afternoon. CHAPTEE III. NEW YORK. ALL was excitement on deck, though it soon appeared that we were not yet to set our feet upon terra firma. The water was crowded with small craft, and, a dense fog setting in at about 4 o'clock, there we lay, fog signals going all night. But the fog cleared early the following morning, and at about 11 o'clock we sighted Sandy Hook, and soon passed the statue of Liberty. The docks being full, the Empress was compelled to steam beyond the usual landing-place, in order to reach the tug ; and even then the emigrants had to remain on the ship some time longer. The Customs' officer came on board ; we described ourselves and our purpose in landing in a book kept for the purpose, and made the usual declaration that we possessed no dutiable articles. I believe that no one owned to the possession of contraband, but when the time for the search arrived, our Chicago friend was found to possess a considerable quantity of superb Lyons velvet, dozens of pairs of kid gloves, cases of eau-de-Cologne, cigars, &c. We escaped very well ; in fact our trunks were scarcely opened ; the Customs' officers being always more suspicious of their own countrymen. But one of our passengers, a young man, Mr. H., had undertaken to convey a box from a friend in England to her sister, 16 Texan Hand Life. having not the remotest idea of its contents. It was amusing to see his look of utter dismay and mortification when the officer opened the box, and turned out a rich and beautifully made layette ! I did not hear whether the pretty things were irrevocably seized, or Mr. H. paid the duty, and the babe got its robes. My saddle, recently new from Peat, had had its pristine freshness removed by almost indelible stains of bog while stag-hunting in the New Forest. Didymusa's saddle, an old friend, a fine piece of pigskin from Sligo, certainly did not look like a dutiable article ! The Boss had assured me that it would travel safely, packed in a sack and without a case, and promised to have it placed on the top of the hold. However, it managed to get to the bottom and sustained a broken tree and com- pound fracture of the left pommel one of the old Landseer type. Let the inexperienced voyager avoid the use of leather straps on board ship. He will never see them again, as they offer too strong a temptation even to the honestest sailor. Good cording is better, and care should be taken that it is not cut by the Customs' men ; also that it is replaced after them. The best way is to replace it one's self, and in consequence of not doing this, and trusting to the promises of friends, I reached Canada with strained and broken locks, no cording, though the officials whom I met at Niagara were obliging enough to supply the deficiencies. As we contemplated a visit of a year or more, we had brought some heavy trunks, which we left in charge of Messrs. Buckley's agent, having only those required for immediate use sent to the Metropolitan Hotel. How we enjoyed the freedom of an uninterrupted walk to Broadway after being limited to the Ayy//;/v.v.v',v decks for New York. 17 a fortnight ! After a visit to Messrs. Buckley's offices to change a draft and our English money, and to secure through railway tickets and sleeping berths to St. Louis, we parted company with the Boss and his wife, and, accompanied by Mr. Taylor, took a car to Central Park. It is extensive, but does not possess the natural beauties of Golden Gate, although no expense has been spared to heighten such advantages as it can lay claim to. On alighting from the car, we were proceeding to enter the hotel with Mr. Taylor by the general entrance, when the conductor, whose nerves had evidently sustained a shock, began to shout and gesticulate as he pointed frantically to another door the ladies' entrance. I am afraid I was taken too much by surprise to attempt an apology at this outrage on New York propriety, or even to thank the conductor for his excited energy on our behalf. Except the remarkably large and handsome public buildings the city is not striking, while the intricacies of the elevated railway detract from the width of the streets ; although it must be confessed that it is far pleasanter to travel by this, than by the murky and sulphurous under- ground railway in London. We found many novelties in the menu at dinner that night ; delicious banana and other ices being frequently served between the courses. One dish, named " Sheep's head," turned out to be a fish, so called from a fancied resemblance to the head and front teeth of a sheep. It often weighs 121b. or more, and is common on the Atlantic coast (Archosaryus, or Di plod us probuto cepJialoiis). Dressed clams make a savoury dish, and also a kind of bivalve not unlike a cockle (Spirilla solidissima), but not so good as a native oyster. The waiters were negroes. The next morning we sallied forth in search of a c 18 Texan Ranch Life. luncheon basket, for which we paid two dollars and a half at a store in Grand Street. It was a very ordinary basket, and Didymusa declared that if this was to be taken as a specimen of New York prices, the best thing we could do was to return forthwith to England. She insisted that I had been imposed upon, and nothing could prevent her from appealing to the Boss before we began to fill this ex- pensive commissariat hold-all. Not forgetting to enter the ladies' door on this occasion, we succeeded in finding the Boss, but not in awakening his sympathy. We should soon learn what a price was charged for goods of every description throughout the States, he said. So Didymusa thought, when she subsequently paid four dollars for a pair of kid gloves ! Setting forth again, we tried to obtain biscuits at several grocery stores, but were at last directed to the baker's, where we pointed to a pile of Huntley and Palmer's tins, and, " guessing I wanted crackers," the storekeeper- supplied the want forthwith. On going to purchase some white calico, several kinds of wrong material were exhibited, until we discovered that we ought to have asked for " domestic." Coloured prints, also, are so-called. If you inquire the way to the station in any city in the States, you run the risk of losing your train and your temper amid the " How's " and " Which's " with which you are sure to be greeted. What you require is the depot (pronounced " dee -pot "), and the " dee -pot " you must call it if you wish to get there. At last we laid in our little store of provisions, Mrs. Boss, who had travelled backwards and forwards between New York and St. Louis several times, advising us to make ourselves independent of dining cars and stopping places for meals, on the score both of convenience and New York. 19 economy. And most excellent advice this proved. The black porters would take our small tin can and get it filled with hot coffee when we did not wish to alight, and our Etna lamp was often extremely useful. On the afternoon of Friday, March 29th, Didymusa and I separated from the rest of the party, to meet again at St. Louis, we intending to travel by the Erie and Wabash Railway, via Niagara ; they by way of Cleveland, where they wished to spend a few hours with some friends. At half -past four the conductor waved his flag, gave the signal " All aboard," and, amidst a tremendous ding-dong, our journey began. Not knowing that all American locomotives cany a bell, for the first half -hour it seemed as if all the churches were ringing for service ; the bells following us on our way. The bell of the locomotive is intended as a warning to pedestrians, there being no bridges over the roads, and numerous level crossings in the heart of bustling towns. Sometimes the line runs parallel with the streets, unpro- tected by any barrier whatever. The passengers can walk anywhere and everywhere between the metals, and a stool is placed to help one to mount the tailboard. If you hold a first-class sleeping-car ticket, you may traverse the whole length of the train, the little connecting spaces being protected by iron balustrades. From these platforms you enjoy views of the surrounding scenery and interviews with the hawkers and pedlars who come to offer eatables at the various stopping places. A walk along the length of a train in motion is not calculated to add to one's dignity : the cars do not travel so steadily or so rapidly as the Flying Scotchman, and you require your " sea legs on " to counteract the violent oscillations. Nevertheless, when a journey lasts a week, it c2 20 Texan Ranch Life. is an immense comfort to be able to enjoy even this limited exercise. The trains are sumptuously furnished with beautifully inlaid wood and heavy draperies ; such lines as pass through dusty districts having their cars fitted with double windows and solid wooden partitions between the berths, the electric light being switched on and off at the will of the passenger. Through the towns the pace is very slow, and it is pleasant at night to peep from behind your blind at the well-lighted streets, with their crowds of traffic and pedes- trians. You may easily forget that you are in a train, but for the incessant clanging of the warning bell, which always peals more vigorously in such circumstances. Accidents are rare, but, of course, the trains are few, only one starting each day on these extended journeys. Generally speaking, the line is single, save at the depots, where the trains pass each other, and there is a network of gauges for shunting purposes. Each car is provided with hot-water pipes, a large cistern of iced water, and cups, for any passenger of any class to help himself ad lib. The first night we did not feel quite sufficiently at home to go to bed properly ; the ability to do this with comfort and to perform your toilette expeditiously the next morning comes only by degrees. Being aroused by the black porter just before the train stopped at Niagara, I was surprised, on drawing my blind, to see that snow had fallen heavily during the night. Before eight o'clock we had passed the Customs on the Canadian side (a merely formal opening of hand-bags), partaken of a light breakfast, and started on a long drive to the Grand Rapids and Prospect View. CHAPTEE IV. NIAGARA TO SAN ANTONIO. OUR hired carriage was driven by its owner, one John Ellis, a Devonshire man, quite a character in his way. Having left the old country as a young man thirty years ago, he was thoroughly Americanised. I began to regret my want of acquaintance with the West of England, until, happening to compliment him upon his team, he saw that I was a lover of horses and understood something about them, and we found a congenial and inexhaustable topic of conversation. The latest items of the English Racing Calendar were discussed, and he duly pitied my ignorance concerning " pacers " and " pacing gait " as opposed to trotting. His remarks upon the training of the celebrated American Directum and Mascotte were wasted at the time, but I felt interested to see, on November 23rd, 1893, that the great match had come off, with the result that Mascotte holds the pacing record of the world, having paced a mile in 2 minutes 4 seconds, whereas Directum, the trotting stallion, trotted that distance in 2 minutes 5^ seconds ; the match being for a purse of 5000 dollars. When Didymusa was at last able to squeeze in a word, she hinted that Mr. Ellis might cease the discussion of horseflesh and expatiate on the surrounding beauties of Nature. Although the hint did not appear to move him, he ought to have credit for stopping at the specially 22 Texan Ranch Life. interesting points of view, and making the most of that lovely drive. The snow was fully five feet deep (the heaviest fall of the season), and the park, with the pretty cluster of islands, named in honour of Lord Dufferin the distant land- scape, the steep, wooded bluff and fine belt of pines, were all enveloped in a brilliant mantle of pure white ; the sky intensely blue ; the air still ; the sun shining brightly over all. If we lost the variety of colour, the beauty of the scene was enhanced by the solemn stillness which reigned supreme over everything ; in sharp and striking contrast to the everlasting thud of the turbulent, surging water rolling, tossing, never ceasing to How from that mighty reservoir of Nature. From the Grand Eapid we enjoyed an uninterrupted view of these turbulent waters, leaping from ledge to ledge over the descent of fifty -five feet. The quantity of water passing over the falls is estimated at fifteen thousand cubic feet every minute. The Maid of the Mist, the little steamer which in summer makes the trip almost under the Falls, had not yet begun to run, but failing this we did the next best thing : equipping ourselves with waterproofs and descending by the hydraulic elevator to look at the Falls from below. Perhaps it is from this point of view that one best realises the majestic splendour of the mighty cascade and the over- whelming force of its waters, the rising spray and foam ; causing the heart to quicken and the breath to tighten as one gazes. On leaving the carriage we had previously plodded through the virgin snow along the Rainbow Ramble, where sparkling icicles hung from the banks to a length of fully Niagara to San Antonio. 23 nine feet, and we found huge blocks of ice below. Some- times, we were told, after a more prolonged frost, masses of ice of several tons weight were borne along the gorge and hurled over the great Fall with a thunderous crash. Standing on the slippery rock beneath the Falls, we soon became aware that our boots, at least, were not thoroughly waterproof, and deeming it wise to keep moving, we put aside our macintoshes and set off at a trot to the " shoot," which saves the half-hour's climb of bygone days, to the Rapids, where we were tempted to sit for our photographs, just by the spot where Captain Webb lost his life. The plucky little Maid of the Mist once passed these Hapids for the first and last time. Never again will her captain attempt to shoot them. After being photographed, we walked to Clifton to buy plates for our luncheon basket, and then made an attempt to dry ourselves at the waiting-room stove, fortifying the inner woman the while, and resuming our journey en route to St. Louis at twenty minutes to four in the afternoon. As the train rolled along, I could not help musing on the tragic stories (some of pathetic interest) which we had recently heard of the weary souls who had sought Niagara for the purpose of self-destruction. Year by year adds to the long list of those who, defeated in the battle of life, unhinged in mind, worn out in body, having made ship- wreck of their faith in the great over-ruling Power and Creator of these mighty waters, instead of clinging to the Bock of Ages, have cast themselves adrift. After changing cars at Detroit, at 11 p.m., we passed through Indiana, and reached St. Louis at 6.15 on Sunday. This part of the journey was uneventful and somewhat uninteresting, with an occasional glimpse of scenery to 24 . Texan Ranch Life. relieve the monotony ; but, for the most part, Canada did not appear a very inviting country. The ugly shanties of weatherboard standing bare and unsheltered by tree or shrub, compared unfavourably with our snug homesteads and picturesque cottages surrounded by productive vege- table and bright garden plots in the old country. At St. Louis we had time for a walk and dinner before joining the rest of our party, to catch the departing train at 8,30 p.m. St. Louis can boast of several handsome buildings, many of massive red granite, a fine old Court House, and the electric light. Between St. Louis and* San Antonio, at least within some distance of Austin, the country, for a night and a day, was all swamp. Here the settlers were often seen with their cattle knee -deep in water, looking extremely miserable and deplorable, and reminding one of Martin Chuzzlewit's experiences at Eden. The conductor informed us that this state of affairs endured all the year round ; it was always damp, and considerably worse during the rainy season. Occasionally the train splashed and ploughed through the water, casting up spray on either side. There was a great change in the temperature ; hot water pipes were no longer needed, the vegetation appeared semi-tropical in character, and we admired the Spanish moss hanging in graceful festoons from the trees (though its presence is a sure sign that a district is unhealthy) and also the Judas tree, with its pretty rose-coloured blossom in clusters along the branches. This is a leguminous plant of the genus cercis, sometimes called in America " red-bud." Judas Iscariot is said to have hanged himself from a tree of this kind. On drawing near to Texas the character of the landscape Niagara to San Antonio. 25 changed, and we approached Austin through a splendid country of rolling hills, boundless prairies, with table-lands between. There was a profusion of mesquit : a tree which grows extensively throughout Texas its name is said to be a Mexican-Indian word. The screw-pod mesquit (Prosopis ptibescos) has spiral pods, which are used by the Indians as fodder for their horses and cattle ; but the leaf resembles'that of the acacia, having long sharp thorns, as those can testify who have ridden through the brush cattle hunting ! In its branches I could see little bunches, which at a distance resembled rooks' nests, but on closer acquaintance, proved to be the United States mistletoe (PJwradendron \ favescens), which has broader leaves and more berries than the European misletoe (Vise urn album], and is generally seen growing abundantly on the mesquit. Austin is a fine city, situated on an eminence and appearing to advantge from the track. Crossing a bridge over the Eiver Colorado, and leaving the valley of the same name behind us, we climbed a steep gradient, in order to cross the hills which we had seen in the distance northwards after leaving Round Hock. Through rocky cuts, alternating with brush, we once more came upon the level plain, upon which stands San Antonio, surrounded by vast prairies. With " every turn of the wheels," as the Americans say, the weather grew warmer. We saw novel objects now cowboys, dark- skinned Mexicans, &c. Arriving at San Antonio about 12.30, we took up our quarters at the St. Leonard's Hotel, fairly worn out, and both feeling the effects of our wetting at Niagara ; Didymusa being tormented by toothache, my own original cold greatly increased and supplemented by neuralgia and loss of taste and smell. The chambermaid declared that I should have to become 26 Texan Ranch Life. acclimated (acclimatised pronounced in Texas, accli-mated) to the local catarrh ; but a night's rest did wonders for us, though Didymusa must needs pay a visit to the dentist, who, as she discovered two days later, extracted the wrong tooth. Accompanied by Mr. Taylor, we set forth in a buggy, drawn by two good horses, to visit the Missions, of which there are four, outside the city along the river, at distances of from two to nine miles below it. They are named respectively the Conception, the San Jose, the Espada, and the San Juan, all being more or less in a state of ruin, but showing traces of fine architecture, and acknowledged to be (with the exception of those in Florida) the finest in America. San Jose, which stands on an imposing plain is the finest, the tracery of its windows being especially beautiful. All these buildings owe their existence to the zeal and energy of the Franciscans, and one cannot help regretting that so much of their ornamentation has been carried away by Vandalistic tourists. They have suffered from storms and rains, and have been silent witnesses of many a fierce encounter with the Indians, yet much remains to convey an idea of their former grand proportions and majestic beauty. "San Jose de Aguayo," now usually known as the Second Mission, and standing on the left bank of the river, five miles below the city of Austin, was founded in 1720, and completed in 1771. An eminent authority has pronounced it the finest piece of architecture in America. Senor Huica, one of the most celebrated artists of his day, was entrusted by the King of Spain with its decoration, and spent several years adorning it with frescoes and statues. The Mission of "La Purissima Concepcion de Acuma" Niagara to San Antonio. 27 was founded in 1 7 1 6, its construction beginning in 1 73 1 . It is the best preserved of all these old monastic edifices, and having been cleaned a few years ago by the authority of the Catholic Church, is now used for services. The modern tawdry and tinsel decorations appear out of keeping with its massive walls and masterly design. Near here a handful of Americans achieved a decisive victory over more than four times their number of Mexicans. The third Mission, or " San Juan Capistran," at present little more than a mass of ruins, also was founded in 1716, but upon a less extensive scale. For many years it was occupied by converted Christianised Indians. Of the remaining Mission, " San Francisco de la Espada," there will, in a short time, remain only a pile of stones to mark its site. This, too, was founded in 1716. From our driver we learnt a good deal about the horse and cattle market. In some places the road was extremely soft and after the heavy rainfall it looked as if our steeds would leave us and the buggy stuck fast in one or another of the quagmires. This is by no means an unusual occur- rence even in some of the unpaved towns. Having heard and seen enough to desire to visit the old Mission of the Alamo within the town, we turned our steps thither early the following morning. As the incidents and the heroes of this noted place were then entirely unknown to me, and others may be as little informed (I was once asked by an educated Englishwoman "whether the Texans spoke English "), it may be worth while to give a brief account of those direful times, culled from the works of Janvier, Morrison, and others, by which, subsequently, my own mind was enlightened. CHAPTER V. THE HISTORY OF THE ALAMO. THE Alamo was founded in 1716, and, as an inscription over the entrance testifies, was completed in 1738. It presents to-day but a shadow of its original greatness. The walls which once surrounded it are gone, only those of the Mission itself remaining. The Alamo was the chapel belonging to the first Mission established at San Antonio; in fact, its cathedral, or original parish church. In 1835 the rebellion of Texas, which was American rather than Mexican, began, under the leadership of Houston. A large portion of the population of Texas were emigrants from the United States, and it was this element which took the lead in the revolt against Mexican rule : a revolt precipitated by many arbitrary acts on the part of the American Government, a crisis being reached in 1835, when the Federal Government abrogated the State Consti- tution. The excesses of Santa Anna's army, sent to enforce obedience notably the massacre of the Alamo and the affair of Goliad thoroughly aroused the Anglo-Saxon fighting spirit, and made peace impossible. The Republic of Texas maintained its separate existence until 1844, and obtained recognition from the United States, France, England, and Belgium. During the administration of both Jackson and Van Buren, earnest, but ineffectual, efforts The History of the Alamo. 29 were made by the Texans to secure admission of their Republic as a State of the American Union. But President Tyler made of baser stuff concluded an arrangement of this character (April 12th, 1844). The treaty was ratified by Congress, in March, 1845, when General Almonte, then Mexican Minister at Washington, characterised it as an act of aggression, " the most unjust which can be found in the annals of modern history." Bearing in mind the fact that Texas was an independent power, and was recognised as such by the Mexican Government, and consequently had a perfect right to annex itself to the United States if it so desired, this sweeping condemnation is obviously not borne out by the facts. The war that followed was never formally declared. Each country massed troops upon the frontier, and a general conflict was precipitated (April 24th, 1846) by a Mexican ambuscade on the Texas side of the Rio Grande, which defeated a reconnoitring party of United States Dragoons, commanded by Captain Thornton. In the skirmish sixteen Americans were killed and wounded and the remainder of the force captured. After the affairs of Palo Alto (May 8th) and Resaca de la Palma (May 9th), both in Texas, and in both of which the Mexicans were defeated, General Taylor's forces entered Mexico (May 18th) and occupied Matamoras. In the meantime (May 13th, 1846) the American Congress had appropriated 10,000,000 dollars for the prosecution of the war, and 50,000 volunteers were ordered to be raised. Three facts should be here noted : (1.) The revolt of Texas probably would not have occurred had Mexico been properly governed in conformity with its constitutional law. (2.) A peaceful settlement of the Texans' difficulty unquestionably would have been arrived at had there existed in Mexico a stable 30 Texan Ranch Life. Government to treat with the Government of the United States. In point of fact, Mr. Slidell, the special envoy sent to Mexico by the United States Government, in consequence of an intimation on the part of President Herrera that a special envoy would be received, was refused an audience by General Paredes, who had usurped the Presidential office December 30th, 1845, before the envoy reached his destination. (3.) Had the Mexicans held together as a nation and opposed their united strength to the Americans, instead of weakening their force by internecine struggles ; while the result of the war must have been the same, it would not have been, as it was, almost a walk-over for the invading army. Throughout this wretched business the United States had a colourable excuse for each of its several offensive acts ; but its moral right to attack a nation infinitely weaker than itself, to- conquer that nation and to strip it of more than half of its territory, never was justified and never will be. The events of the war may be summarized in a few words : Taylor advanced from the East ; captured Monterey, September 26th, 1846, and remained victor of Buena Vista or Angostura, February 23rd, 1847, whilst Doniphan advanced through New Mexico (followed by Price, who had some sharp fighting on the way with the Pueblo Indians), and after the battle of Sacramento, February 28th, 1847, occupied Chihuahua. Early in March, 1846, Captain Fremont, acting under orders from the Secretary of War, incited a revolt in California against Mexican rule. Commodore Stoat occupied Monterey (California), July 7th ; Commander Montgomery occupied San Francisco (July 8th) ; and Commodore Stockton, in a proclamation of August 17th, 1846, took formal possession of California. The History of the Alam.o. 31 The conquest was completed by Stockton and Kearney. The main invasion of Mexico was from the South, being directed against the capital. Scott landed at Vera Cruz (March 9th, 1847) ; forced the capitulation of the city after a five days' bombardment (March 27th) ; outflanked and defeated Santa Anna at Cerro Gordo (April 18th) ; occupied Puebla, without opposition (May 25th) ; entered the valley of Mexico (August 9th) ; defeated the Mexicans at Padierna (August 20th) ; and made a brilliant strategic advance across the Pedregal, thus cutting the Mexican centre and facilitating the victory, on the same day, of Churubosco. After a short truce he carried the positions of the Casa Mata and Molino del Rey (September 8th) ; stormed and carried the castle of Chapultepec (September 12th and 13th) ; took possession of the garitas of Belem and San Cosme, on the afternoon of September 13th ; completed the conquest and took possession of the City of Mexico, September 15th, 1847. Peace was declared by the Treaty of Guadalupe, Hidalgo, concluded February 2nd, 1848, by which Mexico ceded to the United States all the territory held or claimed north and north-east of the present boundary, receiving in return from the United States the sum of fifteen millions of dollars. The treaty provided also for the payment by the United States of about three and a quarter millions of dollars to satisfy various claims made by American citizens against Mexico. For a treaty dictated by a conquering army in the captured capital of the defeated nation this instrument stands unparalleled in history. The story of the Alamo, intensely dramatic and irresistibly pathetic, thrilled us as we heard it, standing on the spot where these brave men Bowie, Crockett,. 32 Tex a a P ft HC/I Life. Evans, and Travis, so nobly fought and died. Stung to the quick by the contumacy of the Texan colonists, and their steady adhesion to the Constitution of 1824, the usurper, Santa Anna, organised a force sufficient, as he believed, for the subjugation of Texas, and at the head of his well-appointed army, appeared before San Antonio, February 22nd, 1836 ; and displaying first the red and then the black flag from the turret of the Cathedral of San Fernando, demanded an unconditional surrender. The reply of Colonel Travis was a cannon shot. With 145 effective men, among whom were Colonel James Bowie and David Crockett, he immediately occupied the Alamo. The Mission was first known as San Antonio de Valero, but when it came to be used as a garrison for soldiers the name was changed to Fort Alamo. The declaration of Texan independence had not been passed at this time, and the flag that floated from the Alamo was the tricolour of Mexico, with the figures " 1824 " instead of the eagle on the white stripe. For twelve days the fire on the doomed Alamo was incessant ; and in consequence of casualties and ceaseless exertion, the heroic Travis and his band of devoted patriots were well nigh exhausted. It was determined by the Mexican officers, after a consultation, to take the citadel by assault on the morning of March 6th. Notwithstanding the earnest appeal made by Colonel Travis for reinforcements, only thirty of the determined patriots of Gonzales, under command of Captain Martin, reached the Alamo, and these only in time to be sacrificed to the vengeance of the ruthless Santa Anna. Four thousand men under orders of Colonel Tolsa, re-inforced the Mexican general, March 2nd. The History of the Alamo. 33 Colonel Bonham, a gallant South Carolinian, had been sent by Colonel Travis to endeavour to hurry forward reinforcements. Failing in this mission, but true to the cause he had espoused, he returned, and, bidding his two companions adieu, rode deliberately through the Mexican lines and made his report in person to his friend and com- mander, Colonel Travis. Never was a more gallant spirit sacrificed on the altar of duty ! On that eventful morning, March 6, 1836, at 3 a.m., the Mexicans, with their entire force, marching in three columns, equipped with scaling ladders, crowbars, &c., began the attack, with bands playing the " Hymn of the Dead." The storming of the Alamo was begun ; the walls of the outer enclosure were scaled, the defenders driven from point to point, until at last the interior of the church was reached, but not until 2000 of the enemy had been killed and wounded. Words fail to give any idea of the scene inside the sacred edifice when the grey light of morning made visible the ghastly details. No quarter was asked- for or offered. The earthen floor was " shoe-mouth deep " in blood, the bodies of the defenders being surrounded by heaps of Mexican dead. It was only when the last American had been killed that the impressive silence told that the end had come. Colonel Bowie, sick and unable to rise, was bayoneted in his bed, but not until after he had sent a score of his assailants to their long account. Colonel Crockett fell just in front t>f the entrance to the building, his body almost covered by the fallen Mexicans. The story of the Alamo may be summed up in the single line : " Thermophylse had its messenger of defeat, the Alamo had none." The only persons who escaped this massacre were the wife and child of Lieutenant Dickenson, Mrs. Allsbury, the D 34 . Texan Ranch Life. niece of Governor Veramendi, Madame Candelaria, Colonel Bowie's nurse, who was by his side when he was bayoneted, and a negro boy, the servant of Colonel Travis. Madame Candelaria, at the time of our first visit to the Alamo, was still alive and residing in San Antonio. General Santa Anna ordered the Texan corpses to be piled together and burned, and this was accomplished by placing a layer of wood between each two of the bodies. The most authentic account of the final disposition of the remains of these martyrs to liberty is that given by Colonel Juan N. Sequin, who, in the following July gathered together the charred bones and dust of the slaughtered Americans, placed them in an urn and deposited them beneath the floor in front of the altar of San Fernando Cathedral. The names of those who perished are preserved in the archives at Austin, but no monument other than that of the old church commemorates the event, or marks the ground upon which they fell. The matter is, however, in the hands of men who never yet failed in any under- taking, and the time is near at hand when a column worthy of the occasion will mark the sj>ot where the heroic patriots perished. The declaration of Texan independence was passed four days before the fall of the Alamo ; but the fact being unknown in San Antonio, the battle of San Jacinto was fought and won, and the tyrant Santa Anna made prisoner, forty-six days after the massacre. By the constitution of 1824 the citizens of Texas, who had emigrated from the United States, were protected in all their rights and privileges. When this constitution was abrogated, and the policy of Mexico changed towards the Americans, it was seen that the only safety they could expect would be in the The History of the Alamo. restoration of the constitution they had abolished. Hence it was that they flew to arms and never relinquished them till the decimation of Santa Anna's army at San Jacinto made them independent of Mexican tyranny. The last of the Mexican raids on San Antonio ended in 1842, under General Velasquez and General Woll. The district court was in session at the time of the last, and judge, jury, and officers of the court were made prisoners ; but after a hot contest the Mexicans withdrew. Numerous and fierce are the conflicts that have -taken place in the city and its vicinity, notably two, " the Dawson massacre " and the " Grass fight," both with the Mexicans. The latter took place near the Mission Ooncepcion la Purissima de Acuma and was so named because it occurred between a force of Mexicans, who had been sent out from San Antonio to cut grass for their horses, and a small force under Colonel Bowie. The Mexican loss was fifty men killed and many wounded, the Texans only losing two men. Then there were the Indian raids, the period between 1730 and 1806 being one of almost continuous depreda- tions from the powerful tribes of Apaches and Comanches, and others, who waged relentless war against the settlers. The accounts of early travellers tell us that an Indian town existed on the present site of San Antonio. In proof of this, when any considerable excavations have been made, relics of the Indian, in the shape of arrow-heads, flint knives, and other implements of the aborigines have been found in great numbers. The walls are in some cases over three feet in thickness, and in the building, which at present includes Messrs. Guergum's offices, an iron staple may be seen firmly embedded. To this, in the days when San Antonio was D 2 36 Texan Ranch Life. liable to frequent raids by the Eed Apaches, the horses- were tied, saddled in readiness for immediate pursuit. On the old building the coat of arms of Spain and Austria still remains in a fair state of preservation. It was placed there by the Governor of Texas in 1742. Amongst other reminiscences of the Spanish domination, not yet forgotten, it may be mentioned that whilst some soldiers of the Lone Star Republic were laying a floor of this building, in 1843, they discovered a kettle containing 15,000 dollars in Spanish doubloons. Most historians- agree that the Spaniards made settlements on both sides of the Bio Grande prior, to 1595, and a few years later (about the time that Philadelphia was founded) they laid out a presidio, or military post. This was not so much in anticipation of aggression from the Indians as on account of the fact that La Salle had explored the coast region of Texas on behalf of His Majesty of France. This portion of the country, and much of the New World besides, was- long a bone of contention between the Courts of Versailles, Lisbon, and Madrid. Eventually appeal was made to the Pontiff Alexander at Rome, who confirmed the title of Spain. In 1733 San Antonio was chartered by royal grant, and, as was the custom in those days, King Ferdinand III. graciously conferred upon his creation his own august name ; so that there were a parish and pueblo of San Fernando, embracing the white residents in the new municipality, with the present cathedral for their parish church, the Mission of San Antonio de Valero for the converted Indians, and also a Presidio of San Antonio de Bexar, named, in compliment to the Duke of Bexar, the Viceroy of all New Spain. CHAPTEE VI. SAN ANTONIO. 41 THE scent of the roses " still clings about the recollection of our first impressions of San Antonio : the brilliant sky, the delightful warmth of this equable climate, the rich vegetation, the pleasing novelty of everything, as from the hotel verandah we watched the busy traffic traversing the main plaza. A few Chinese and Negroes were interspersed with the dark-skinned Aztecs, and whilst most of the colonists are Germans, many other foreign languages reached our ears. The buggies were picturesque with their peculiar hoods and awnings, and the horses and mules, many with richly ornamented saddles, these having high cantles and horns in front, and big wooden stirrups. The riders, wearing broad-brimmed hats or sombreros, sit easily and gracefully, never rising in their stirrups. Most of them were mounted on pacers, of pure Spanish and Barb descent, or it may be crossed with the mustang, which ambled along swiftly with flowing manes and long full tail, well carried and showing great nerve power. The sight of these horses, and the recollection of my " Peat " safely packed in the saddle case, having been transferred to the express with the rest of the heavy baggage, helped to drive away the neuralgia. But Didy- musa did not find similar pleasure in anticipation, having 38 Texan Ranch Life. ridden only a few times previous to leaving England, as a, prelude to what lay before her in the new country. The Mexicans are being gradually driven out of the place, and, two years having elapsed between our first and last visits, we were able to appreciate the change and deplore it. The town is being " boomed " ; the inhabitants making a great, and by no means intermittent, effort to push it steadily to the fore. The fact that so many of the largest investors are Eastern capitalists may be accepted as evidence of the confidence which the outside world reposes in the future of Mexico. Scarcely a day passes, in fact, without a record of some large transaction. In place of the old Mexican houses and huts of adobe mud (pronounced a-do-bay), and of the jacal (pronounced ha-kal), a hut built of rough wood and roofed with dried grass and leaves, the suburbs are now thickly sprinkled with the handsome wooden residences of merchant million- aires ; cattle kings who have developed into bankers, or real estate princes. And the plazas, especially the Military and the Alamo, where these people of the sunny South once held high revel with their open-air suppers and all-night gambling festivities, are now transformed into fine squares with well-macadamised roads, concreted sidewalks and pavements, and prettily-planned garden plots in the centre. All around stand blocks of business houses five storeys high, with public buildings designed by local architects, granite and stone, from quarries near the city, entering largely into their construction. At the time of our visit the City Hall was not quite finished. It is the work of Mr. Otto Kramer, who arrived in 1888. There was a considerable stir when the official choice fell upon his plans, and a total stranger secured the appointment of Superintendent of Construction. . San Antonio. 39 Built in the Eenaissance style, its height is 120 feet, its width 80 feet, with three storeys above the basement, the whole being set off by a shapely clock tower 135 feet high. The material of the superstructure is dressed lime- stone from quarries on the Balcones, near Van E-aub, Bexar County, not far from the city. The Post Office (worthy of the city of the future) is modi- fied Moresque in style, and notable for a frieze which repre- sents incidents in the past history of San Antonio. There is a grand opera house, but no theatrical performance took place during our visit. However, we attended a concert given by a " Mexican typical orchestra," and heard some excellent solos by Rebagliati, a violinist of local celebrity. There were quite two dozen mandolines ; the performers making the most of their sweet-toned instruments. Some variations on the pretty air, " La Grolondrina," the Mexican " Home, Sweet Home," showed more power than I had expected from the instrument. Another air, " Te volvi a ver " (I see thee again), by Estrada, so haunted me that I bought the pianoforte arrangement. Mr. H. had joined our party at St. Louis. He was the Boss's brother-in-law, had spent many years in the United States and South America, and not only spoke Spanish fluently, but also the corrupt form of the language (mingled with numerous Indian terms) used by the Mexicans. It certainly cannot be described as pure Castilian, nor, perhaps, exactly as a patois. On our way back to the hotel from the concert, we were asked whether we would like to partake of a Mexican cena (supper) and having the prospect of so excellent an escort as Mr. H., we accepted the invitation with avidity. The lamp flickered in the evening air, illuminating the bare wooden tables and forms with their dusky company, 40 Texan .Ranch Life. whose bright eyes glistened as they smiled and showed their white teeth and gesticulated to the attendant Sefioritas. The scarlet and other hrightly coloured zerapes (blankets) worn by the men, lent gaiety to the scene, while the skillets and casuellas (culinary vessels) in manipulation on the ground, added a weirdness as the flames leaped into the air or cast dark shadows around the whole a scene of bizarre and picturesque disorder. Mr. H., of course, ordered the repast, the dishes being all more or less pungent to the taste. However, we were in for it ; and perhaps it was well that the fluctuating light hid somewhat of the preparation of the comestibles, since later experience proved that, as far as cleanliness is concerned, the native cookery certainly leaves something to be desired ! So we attacked the savouries : Chili con carne (meat, with red pepper), tortillas (cakes), tain ales (sausages), tamal de casuella (corn meal pot pie), chili guisado (a kind of stew of mysterious meats, served with green pepper sauce), &c., &c. Beans to the Mexican are as potatoes to the Irishman, or porridge to the Scot. Boston has a reputation for beans ; but the beans of Mexico, if anything, would make a Bostonian deny his birthplace, They are generally prepared the previous day, and are not wholesome unless thoroughly cooked, sometimes being fried in a quantity of lard with chili thrown in. Having tried the Boston beans on the passage out without satisfactory results, I did not venture on these, and the puchero and barbacao were also declined. Puchero is goat flesh or mutton, stewed with various vegetables, spices, and herbs, and barbacao is meat (sometimes the whole animal with head and bones) roasted in a hole in the ground, a fire being built underneath. , San Antonio... 41 This hole is lined with stones, and covered up till it becomes thoroughly hot, when the meat is put in (the covering being replaced) and left to cook all night. The result is a deliciously crisp, well browned barbecued sheep or ox. This kind of meat is frequently bought in the market by wealthy Mexican families to avoid the tedious process of preparation. With our tortillas con dulce (sweet cakes very PREPARING TORTILLAS. delicious) we enjoyed some excellent chocolate. Atole is a kind of gruel made of Indian corn and Atole de leche (milk) with chocolate added is known as champurrado. When the bark of the cacao is mixed with this, it becomes Atole de cascara, or with chili, chili atole. It is curious to watch the making of the tortilla either in the open square, or in the jacal. The corn is first soaked in water for some hours, with lime thrown in 42 Teotxin Ranch Life. to remove the husks ; then the women go down upon their knees and beat it for hours, with any amount of tossing, patting, and flattening. The dough is next divided into small pieces of about an eighth of an inch in thickness, and then thrown on to the hot griddle (comal). These cakes contain no seasoning whatever, and I prefer them to the ordinary American corn-bread ; the slight flavour of lime serves to bring out the natural sweetness of the corn. The tamales (sausages), also, are made of ground or bruised corn, and rolled up in the husks ; one sees them often sold in the streets " piping hot." The meat is finely minced with pepper, &c., some of the dough wrapped round it ; the whole being folded in a corn husk, and fried in boiling lard. The metate is a very primitive kind of mill, but none other is ever used by the poorer Mexicans. With it they grind or bruise maize, coffee, spices, vegetables, chocolate ; in some places even sun-dried salt is crushed between its stones. It consists of two pieces of rock, and is about half a yard long by a foot in width, and eight inches in thickness. The slightly-concave upper surface is roughened by indentures, and upon this the grain is placed and beaten with another stone (marcd) resembling a rolling-pin. The stones go through a preparation of baking by fire, and are very durable ; their rough points become as hard as steel, and one metate will last for a generation. With many a " Muy bonita cena " (very pretty supper) and " Adios " we left the Mexican quarters, catching a glimpse as we passed of the gambling booths, where games of hazard of every description were by this time in full swing, amidst the tinkling of guitars and little French harps, which sounded melodiously with the rich Southern voices. San Antonio. 43 The Menger and the Mahncke rank highest amongst the hotels of San Antonio, but the Boss selected the St. Leonard's Hotel on the score of economy. We found the situation pleasant and the rooms clean, whilst I received so much courtesy and attention from Mr. Lounsbery, the proprietor, and his staff, that I was induced frequently to repeat my visit, when a warm welcome always awaited me. The meals were served exactly as in the south-western part of the United States ; after the soup, the whole menu (with the exception of the sweets) being served at once in numerous small circular or oval dishes, requiring some skill to arrange them round the centre plate, which is never replaced. For the most part, the table d'hote was served at small separate tables, each accommodating three or four persons, but at one larger table we counted seventy tiny dishes amongst a party of eight, or an average of about nine to each person ; two kinds of fish, the inevitable beefsteak and fried potatoes, beans, a cutlet of pork and veal, liver, a sausage, two or three rechauffes and various kinds of stew, vegetables dressed with more or less grease, popcorn, a variety of salads, tomatoes, porridge, butter, &c. All the courses are mixed by eating a mouthful of each in turn with the rapidity peculiar to the American. The sweets, in their turn, were arranged on small dishes, and sometimes (always on Sundays) followed by a "desert" (not dessert), including ices and iced melons. The arrangement of this menu reminded me of a story I heard on the cars, the gist of which I failed to appreciate at the time. An American from one of the South -Western States, on a visit to England, being invited to dine with an English friend, was greatly astonished to see only a tureen of soup on the table. Judging by its general 44 Texan Ranch Life. appointments he had anticipated an excellent dinner. His roll and plate of soup were disposed of before the other guests had begun theirs, and he intimated a wish for more. Seeing the soup about to be removed and feeling still unsatisfied, he, nothing abashed, asked for a third portion, when, to his astonishment, was served the best dinner his eyes had ever beheld ; and he, as he expressed it, " chuck full of soup." Owing to the heat, all the meals are early : breakfast beginning at 6 a.m., though you may procure it until 8, or 8.30, dinner at noon, supper at 6 p.m. ; but first come was first served, and we found it an advantage to be in our places at the beginning of each meal. Iced tea and coffee were always served and frequently consumed on top of the somewhat greasy soup, but wine or beer never accompanied meals, the men frequenting the saloons between whiles, and the women taking their promiscuous "toddies" and " pick-me-ups " in their own rooms, or at the chemists' shops. If I ventured to order anything of an alcoholic nature at meal times, many scandalised glances were directed towards our table. The St. Leonard's Hotel is much frequented by Texan ranchmen, some of whom are not very refined in their habits. On the staircase, at the time of my visit, a notice was displayed requesting " Gentlemen not to spit on the floors, walls, or ceilings " ; and the request was by no means unnecessary. We were sorry to begin our last day at this " garden City of Texas," the " Sanatorium of the West," and City of Missions. I might add this Earthly Paradise ; but no rose is without its thorn, the drawback in the present case taking the form of tiger mosquitoes. There were mosquito curtains to our beds, but this smaller striped species were on the alert all day as well as all San Antonio. 45 night, and were more cunning and stealthy than their larger cousins, who are at least sufficiently honourable to give warning of their approach by singing. But the tiger mosquito seems to rest neither day nor night, and " flies round " and alights without the slightest sound. We were most cruelly bitten above our shoes, our ankles becoming so inflamed that we applied iced-water bandages when no one was looking. During our walks in the suburbs, I often could not refrain from, indulging in a hop, skip, and a jump, in order to rub one foot against the other. Didymusa bore this infliction more patiently, and oddly enough, during future visits, these tiresome little creatures did not torment us. Probably they were hatched in water left for some purpose close by, the river being at a distance. There had been recent rains, and a large galvanised tank stood near at hand. The Boss was a Job's comforter, and consoled me by a description of the venomous insects and reptiles I should encounter in the near future. He also advised me to dose myself with sulphur, in order to prevent the creatures from biting : a pet theory of his, which I never tested ! He was remarkably clever in forming theories, which seemed to have but little practical result. I found a pleasanter cooling antidote than sulphur in Harnisch and Baer's delicious ices and iced confectionery. America is acknowledged to excel in the concoction of cool beverages, and having tasted those in many cities, East and West, I unhesitatingly give the palm to San Antonio, and especially to Messrs. Harnisch and Baer ; to say nothing of the pleasant gardens behind their establishment, containing numerous shady nooks and bowers, surrounded by palms and other tropical plants growing luxuriantly, the pleasant 46 Texan Ranch Life. ripple of adjacent fountains alone disturbing the perfect stillness. Or at night the moon, extremely bright in that clear, lofty sky, glints between the broad graceful palmetto leaves, with a rival in the occasional gleam of incandescent light from the voltaic arc, fitfully leaping in the breeze and forming miniature rainbows amidst the falling spray. To the left, beyond the balcony rails, the San Antonio River flows calmly on through the entire length of the town, with fifteen bridges, mostly of iron, on its course. Having bought a bridle and quirt (whip) of many coloured horsehair (actually fashioned of the strong fibre of Maguey) at Langholtz's, the saddler's, where Mr. Taylor selected a complete outfit for cow-hunting, we proceeded on the cars, drawn by sturdy little mules, which went all the way at a hand-gallop, to Post Sam Houston. This is a charming suburb, Government Hill being the most fashion- able residential quarter. About 3000 soldiers are usually garrisoned in the military station here. We watched them drill, and the men seemed to go through their evolutions with great precision. After strolling round the beautiful palm garden, we walked back, that we might admire the suburban gardens, already ablaze with roses, verbenas, geraniums, cacti, and many fine flowering trees and shrubs. There were splendid specimens of the yucca, or Spanish dagger, bearing enormous heads of pretty white snowy blossoms. On the side-walks, the pretty china-berry tree is planted for the sake of shade, vines and Virginia creeper (often called ivy) affording the same protection to the verandahs or galleries, which pertain to all houses, great and small. San Antonio. 47 The evening was spent at the San Pedro Springs and Park, where no expense has been spared to enhance the beauties of nature by art. The band discoursed light and pleasing music : the old favourite " La Paloma " and the spirited " Himno Nacional " being greatly applauded. On our return we paid a visit to the Schultz Gardens, a favourite lounge for the German population, where they revel in iced lager and Pilsener beer, brewed in the city. As our train did not start until the afternoon, we spent the next morning in a charming ramble to the Alamo heights, including a row on the West End Lake, everything looking marvellously clear in the bright sunshine of that perfect spring morning. From the summits of Beacon and Prospect Hills a charming and extensive view is enjoyed. Both heights are studded with indigenous timber, and the country beyond possesses all the special sub-tropical charm presented by the ower latitudes of the Union, to say nothing of the exten- sive improvements in the way of parks, artificial lakes, &c., which have been made by these thrifty and wealthy Germans, whose favourite place of residence this suburb appears to be. I often laugh when I recall our first walk in San Antonio. Having reached the side of the square opposite to the hotel, my arm was suddenly seized by Didymusa. " Oh, look there ! " she exclaimed in horrified tones. At an open shop a man was seated, whilst another, whom Didymusa evidently took for a murderer, was holding back his head in the act of drawing a razor across his throat ! A moment later we were disillusioned. At the first glance we had failed to notice the long row of empty 48 ' Texan Ranch Life. chairs, only one seat being occupied, but we laughed heartily on recognising that it was nothing more tenible than a barber at work in a shaving saloon, one of several in the neighbourhood, all quite open to the street, the operation being conducted in full view of the passers-by on the side walks. CHAPTER VII. KERVILLE AND ARRIVAL AT LECHUZA RANCH. BY half past four in the afternoon we were once more " all aboard," moving from the Aransas Pass Depot to the ding-dong clatter of the engine bell, steaming slowly until we left the streets and outskirts of the town behind. At eight o'clock we arrived at Kerville, the terminus of the line, the extension from San Antonio having been open only about a year at the time of our visit. The St. Charles Hotel being full, there was at first considerable doubt whether our whole party could be accommodated, but eventually Didymusa and I shared one room, and the proprietor consented to give us all shelter. This important matter being settled, we ordered a special supper, the train always arriving later than the usual hour of that meal. It was amusing to see the black cook with her round beady eyes, and fuzzy hair, and gleaming white teeth, constantly watching us from the door which communicated between the kitchen and the dining-room. We were informed later that the attraction was our pink and white English complexions, and indeed these often betray the newly-arrived Britisher in their contrast with the sallow thicker skin of brother Jonathan. Situated far higher than San Antonio, Kerville is consequently more bracing, and the St. Charles Hotel is 50 Texan Ranch Life. usually crowded by consumptives and persons with delicate lungs, chiefly from the low-lying coast towns, where ague is prevalent. They regard Kerville as a sanatorium on account of the marvellous healing properties of its air, combined no doubt with perfect rest. The bedroom accommodation was curious, having fixed washstands with a pipe, like those on board ship ; no baths in the hotel or elsewhere, the population consisting only of about 1000 persons. We were unable to get our baggage from the depot in time to start by the early morning train, or we should have pushed forward at once. I felt glad we were to spend only two nights here, and sincerely pitied the poor invalids, and wondered how they arranged matters during a prolonged visit ; being reminded of a woman in a poor district at home who, advised to put her feet in hot water to cure a cold, exclaimed, " Lawks ! mum ; I've heard as its death to put the feet into water ! " At six o'clock the second morning we packed ourselves into the stage drawn by four Texan horses, which were changed only once during the drive of fifty-five miles to the little town of Junction City. These animals were not much to look at, but very clever and sure-footed, being admirably driven by Louis - , a young Frenchman, a nephew of General Boulanger. The world is, indeed, a small place : I had been greatly amused by the career of a young lady who had spent several years in Texas, and had just returned to England. At San Antonio I was introduced to her brother, to find that his cousin was one of my intimate friends in Hants. This fair siren, his sister, had stolen or broken many hearts out here, and at the Cornfoot Depot (between San Antonio and Kerville) one of her latest victims was pointed out to me. He was a diminutive but good-looking young Englishman, Kerville and Arrival at Leckuza Ranch. 51 seated in a stylish buggy, and handling a pair of spirited horses to perfection ; a friend of one of our professional beauties. He appeared to be thriving on his disappointment, and perhaps his great financial success in the new country proved a source of consolation. Though, as I was informed, scarcely able to write his own name, he knows a horse when he sees one, and has been a remarkably successful breeder and salesman, owning a horse -ranch and training- ground of considerable importance. The first part of our drive was through the lovely valley of the Gruadaloupe. Once the road (if it may be dignified by that name) came to a sudden termination, and we drove some distance up the river to a kind of platform consisting of one large natural block of stone, surrounded by delicious little cascades, gurgling and rippling on each side of us, whilst the pretty cardinal birds and blue- jays were to be seen in great numbers on the thickly-wooded banks. Here we paused for a few moments to breathe our horses and give them a drink in the clear rippling water, to the accompaniment of the joyous notes of birds in their nesting season. I dipped my hand into the water, already quite tepid from the heat of the sun. This is probably the reason why horses can drink freely in passing through the creeks, even while they are hot, without suffering in consequence. In all his ordinary work, I believe that a horse suffers far less from being allowed free access to water than from receiving it in stinted supplies at long intervals. In this regard I cannot avoid quoting the words of Mr. B. Cartledge, of the Eoyal College of Veterinary Surgeons, who " urges the great necessity of allowing an unlimited supply of water to horses," and alludes to the " very E 2 52 Texan Ranch Life. mistaken notion," amongst grooms and others who have control of horses, that water ad libitum is injurious. While " grooms and others " drink without stinting themselves, they profess to know when a horse has drunk enough, and often take away his pail before his natural wants are half satisfied. Horses will not drink to excess if watered frequently, and in their case, at least, drinking does no harm. I often wonder that owners, who profess to be fond of their horses, never bestow a thought on their comfort and well-being in the stable after the pleasure of the ride or drive is over, and that they do not insist on water being ready for the animals' use both night and day. In my own stables I have constantly found the trough or pail empty the first thing in the morning, showing how much a constant supply of water is needed. My favourite thoroughbred mare has never been sick or sorry during ten years. Of course, there may be exceptions in the case of training stables ; or, at the end of a long day's hunting, properly prepared gruel may be safer and better after the fast and fatigue. Certainly hard water, just drawn from a well, almost as cold as ice, would be inadvisable, soft water, .which has been exposed to the sun, being better. But it is a difficult matter to convince ignorant grooms, and many others who have charge of horses think they know better than Sir Frederick Fitzwygram, who, also, is an advocate of frequent watering in moderate quantities. In an able book, which should be in the possession of every owner and lover of horses, Sir Frederick Fitzwygram, in reference to the digestive methods of the horse, declares that he requires liquid before taking solid food. This is a long digression before we pull out of the creek Kervilh and Arrival at Lechuza Ranch. 53 and up the steep bank on the opposite side rocky, and for some yards almost resembling a pair of steps. We had been jostled and jolted, and being unaccustomed to this kind of conveyance, the occasional lurches in bad places brought us into contact with the iron framework which supported the awning, the result being frequent blows and bruises. But it was as well to gain some experience before crossing the Divide which separates the Guadaloupe and Llano countries. Here it was all bumping and jumping, the horses slipping and sliding, the wheels often threatening to part company from the body of the coach. This looked somewhat dilapidated, and we were informed that a break- down was by no means an unusual occurrence. Following, as it did, several hours of sitting in a cramped posture (although we did change places occasionally), it became quite an ordeal, and as I still suffered from neuralgia, which seems especially to resent this mode of travelling, it was a sad day for one's poor head and vertebrae. We were all glad to stretch our legs at the small camp, where we changed horses, and, under some trees close by, discussed the luncheon which had been brought from the St. Charles Hotel. It was half-past six when we reached the little town, and halted at the principal store, where Mr. H., the German proprietor, came forth to welcome the Boss and his wife on their return from the old country. We were introduced both to him and his English cashier, Mr. J. R., and after a pleasant chat and a rest, Mr. H., who was at that time running the stage at this end, arranged to send us on by it to the Lechuza Ranch, about twelve miles up the river ; and we were not sorry to arrive at our destination at about 8.30. The 54 Texan Ranch Life. continuous drive over such country for more than twelve hours is not to be courted by the strongest. The following morning we were awakened to actual ranch life by the Boss's reveille. This consisted of the Indian " oi-ee," a sound difficult to describe, but familiar to those who attended Buffalo Bill's entertainment at South Kensington. As soon as we were dressed there was a regular bustle ; some being told off to attend to the cattle in confinement, some to milk the cows, others to prepare breakfast. There was the fire to light, the porridge to make, the coffee to grind, the bacon to slice, the eggs to cook, the night lines in the river to look after. These lines are laid for catfish, a species of siluroid perhaps ; resembling a cod in the flakiness of its meat, but considerably coarser. The catfish often weighs as much as eighty pounds, the average being from fifteen to thirty pounds. Its size seemed to be its chief recommendation ; I always found it extremely indigestible, and as the menus at the ranch sometimes, after a lucky catch, consisted of catfish for breakfast, catfish for dinner, and catfish for supper on several consecutive days, it became a veritable bete noir. I inwardly chuckled with delight on the happy occasions when Mr. M., a Devonshire boy, who presided over the fishing lines, returned with a long face to report that the bait was gone devoured probably by mocassins, a poisonous species of water-snake (Ancistrodon piscivorous), with a dark brown body striped with black, and brownish yellow belly. These snakes are said to bite only in the water, and as I neither swam nor bathed in the river, I rejoiced to hear that they had been having a good time of it. The Lechuza was a " mixed " ranch, running cattle, Kerville and Arrival at Lechuza Ranch. 55 horses, sheep, and goats, with 20,000 acres of land, fairly well- watered in most parts by the River Llano, and com- prising a valuable cedar brake (plantation) . The value of the land varies from 75 cents to two or three dollars an acre, depending upon the richness of the land, its proximity to the river, and upon the existence or absence of fences, several of the better portions of grazing land being protected by barbed wire enclosures, forming pastures of some thousand acres. Other portions, with good sub-soil, were under cultivation, being planted with cattle-sugar-cane, oats, maize, and millet. The garden was situated near the river for the sake of water, the one thing needed in this fine climate (independent of rain) to produce every kind of the choicest vegetables ; tomatoes and melons grown almost wild, the former being exceedingly luscious and juicy. It was astonishing to find so few vegetables on most of the surrounding ranches, owing, as I imagined, to the deficiency of water and absence of proper irrigation, as well as, perhaps, to lack of time to attend to their cultivation, every kind of hand labour being scarce and dear. Except that of the Mexicans, who are chiefly employed to herd the sheep, and only fairly well paid, one seldom sees negroes working in this locality, and only occasionally a Chinaman or a Mexican as cook or " general help." All white " hands " demand high wages, and a " Texian," as he calls himself, must not be expected to do much out of the saddle. When his feet leave his wooden stirrups, it is generally to thread the mazy dance on the light fantastic toe, or cut capers on his high-heeled shoes whichever you please. Our ranch house itself quite " took the cake " in the county, both in point of size and good construction ; the extent and number of its rooms having, at the time of its building, given rise to the rumour that the Boss intended 56 Texan Ranch Life. to utilise it as a private sanatorium. When it was compared with many of the surrounding shanties, this could not be wondered at. The Texan ranch, or house, is generally a rude log structure, frequently with only one compartment, to serve as kitchen, bedroom, and parlour. The rough logs of which it is built are simply nailed together, leaving numerous chinks and crevices. The floor is raised a foot or more from the ground, and rests upon four blocks of stone or timber, with a vacant space beneath, steps to reach the door, and generally a gallery on one side. But sometimes ranches are built without this under- neath space, when the ground serves as the only floor. These mansions are anything but warm during a " norther," a snap of cold which sets in suddenly, and may continue either a few hours, two or three days, or, at the outside, a week. On these occasions the inmates stuff up the holes in their ranches with bags and old garments, and sit crouching over the wood fire on the hearth. The fire dogs of the Lechuza hearth ; its handsome stone mantelpiece, and a bordering of the same material to form a kind of fender, were generally admired by the Texans, but the first to inspect the house after its com- pletion informed his friends that it was " mighty bad furnished ; he didn't see even a bed " a startling deficiency to the native mind, every one of their rooms containing a bedstead, sometimes two or three, according to the size of the family. The toilettes of these people are not very elaborate ; the washing utensils consisting of a basin and towel placed in the gallery outside the ranch, where there is always a pail or bucket of drinking water and an enamelled iron or tin cup with a long handle like that of a saucepan. Kerville and Arrival at Lechuza Ranch. 57 On the arrival of a visitor, he is greeted with " Take seat ! " " Have off your hat ! " " Cool yourself down ! " On taking his departure the guest is bidden " Good-bye ! " and " Come again ! " To omit the latter injunction is to betray a shocking defect in manners. In order to " cool yourself down," you take a seat on the gallery and remain inactive for a considerable time. You are invariably offered water, and expected to drink a vast quantity. I believe it is contrary to the etiquette of the country to refuse it. The men generally help them- selves ; any water which remains in the vessel being tossed far away and describing a circle of spray in mid-air. To accomplish this effort neatly requires a dexterous turn of the wrist and twist of the elbow, which can be acquired only by long and frequent practice. To this "cooling down" process the prolonged inactivity after exertion, and the great quantity of cold water consumed may probably be ascribed the constant " chills " and " fever " (a kind of ague) from which so many Texans suffer. Another cause may be their custom of not wearing flannel. Very few Englishmen suffer in this way, though they are troubled with " prickly heat " or " Texan boil," due, probably, to change of diet, excess of salt meat, and deficiency of green food. This scarcity of vegetables, however, is now almost a thing of the past, as the country is becoming settled, and the fine water utilised by irrigation. When the land is near one or other of the rivers (which never dry up in the most droughty summer) it is often irrigated by a simple system of troughs. Everyone has a passion for chewing gum. The ostensible reason for the habit is its tendency to increase the natural flow of saliva, and thus to remedy indigestion. 58 Texan Ranch Life. The gum is aromatic and not unpleasant to chew, though the practised chewer does not care for it in its original state ; not, in fact, until he has rolled it in his mouth into a large insipid ball, resembling a lump' of putty. I have constantly found one of these balls of partially-chewed gum between the joints of a rocker (chair), left there in this delectable form in readiness for future enjoyment. Happening to pay a visit on one occasion, I received a great compliment ; nothing less than the offer of a piece of gum direct from the manipulator's mouth, after she had taken all the trouble to make it " just nice " for me. I was assured that it had come all the way from Virginia, and was " real good." It was no easy task to escape the ordeal of placing it in my own mouth on the spot, and finding the most ingenious excuses unavailing to avert the immediate reception of this fine (and perfected) Virginian gum, I thought that discretion was the better part of valour, and beat a hasty retreat. The girls are great cigarette smokers, and many of them use the " dipping stick," although they refuse to own it. The matrons, however, make no secret of this nasty and offensive habit. For the fun of the thing, I once asked a lady what she was doing, though I confess I was perfectly well aware of her weakness. She replied without hesitation : " Cleaning my teeth, ma'am." It certainly looked like it, as the tobacco juice oozed from her lips, to be squirted the next moment with perfect precision into the opening of the stove ; a feat requiring infinite practice ! " Dipping is a kind of snuff -taking ; the powder, which is a preparation of tobacco, being rubbed on the teeth and entirely over the gums Kerville and Arrival at Lechuza Ranch. 59 with a piece of stick whittled at one end until it serves as a brush. The stick is almost always a root of the mesquit. In order to make myself sociable I soon managed to take my part in the cigarette smoking, and indeed, on subsequent occasions, when camping out, or during a long day's hunting, or on encountering bad smells in Mexican towns, I found the practice very useful. CHAPTEE VIII. DOMESTIC LIFE AT LECHUZA RANCH. NOBODY could be more active and energetic than Mrs. Boss. With the help of her husband, of some of the hands and pupils, she managed to accomplish all the cooking and household arrangements ; a very praiseworthy feat, and extremely conducive to economy, since a young German girl, knowing nothing, could not be secured as a " help " under thirty dollars a month, or about 72 a year ! Lest this book should, perchance, fall into the hands of any aspiring young servant in England, let me hasten to add that this large sum does not in the end realise as much as may at first sight appear. Wearing apparel and other necessaries are so dear that a dollar does not go further there than a shilling in England ; to say nothing of the rough life and the food, which would be little in accordance with notions derived from an English servant's hall. But in towns, of course, the food is better, and the life in every way more independent. In this hot climate, butter-making is no sinecure. Taken altogether, the dairy with its churning, the bread- making and the coffee-roasting, and so forth, a considerable amount of labour was entailed to provide for the wants of our large party of from ten to twelve persons. As is usually the case, there was only one table. At the very large ranches, to which a store is attached, there Domestic Life at Lec/niza Ranch. 61 may be a separate house for the hands, but at the Lechuza Ranch we were all English or Texans. Although Americans " vaunt the equality of all men," the Texans would have declined to take their meals with the Mexicans, who camped out with their herds. Their rations of flour, beans, grocery, &c., were served out weekly, and cooked by themselves in camp. The actual house-cleaning is much lessened by the absence of carpets and staircases, a broom sufficing instead of a scrubbing brush, though water is occasionally used with the broom, and run off through a hole made in the floor for that purpose. When there is much traffic, it may be imagined that the boards do not retain a very good colour. The Lechuza was planned in the form of a square, with one large reception (or drawing) room in the centre, about forty feet by forty, having entrance doors opposite each other opening on to the north and south galleries. There were four bedrooms leading from the reception rooms, east and west, while the dining-room, kitchen, and other offices formed a wing on the west side, thus obtaining a desirable north-west aspect for the kitchen. The fine wide verandahs or galleries, as they are named in Texas, ran round the entire building to the beginning of the west wing (where the square became elongated), and extended in a narrow slip from the dining-room to the kitchen. The pillars which supported these galleries were covered with vines and other creepers, and some of the most luxuriant Morning- Grlories (Ipomcea purpured] I ever saw red, dark and pale pink, purple, white, and variegated. " The lustre of the long convolvuluses That coiled around the stately stems." The house and galleries were roofed with shingles, overlapping and nailed together like slates. The shingles 62 Texan Ranch Life. are made of a kind of oak (Quercus imbricarid], and the roof looked extremely picturesque ; the interior being also very pretty, fashioned out of pine, with its fine grain visible through the varnish. The Boss had chosen an admirable site for his dwelling. It stood upon a knoll rising abruptly from the lovely wooded banks of the river, which was within sight, and yet at a safe distance in case of one of the rapid floods which occasionally occur. The house gained full advantage from the acceptable breezes that invariably arise in the night, baffling the attempts of the tiresome mosquitoes, which, from their extreme lightness of body, are unable to fly against the slightest wind. I do not remember ever being bitten at the Lechuza, although we were always tormented whilst staying at places situated on the flat near the water. All the ranches are built of a single storey, with the exception of one of very recent date, the Belvidere, which possesses a second storey. For at least three quarters of the year its galleries are used more often than its sitting-rooms, and sometimes for sleeping purposes also. In the rear of our ranch were several buildings for housing corn, dried sugar-cane and millet, with stabling and a poultry house, of a kind of open construction, in order to allow the maximum of ventilation. There were the usual clipping-sheds, a smoke-house for curing bacon, corrals (yards) for penning cattle, and, in Texas, generally named " lots." Several of these " lots " communicated, and extended as far as the dipping vat, which was used for sheep washing. On the first evening of our arrival, Mr. Taylor went into the "lot " with some of the hands to see the milking. Domestic Life at Lecltuza Ranch. 63 Strolling about in the dusk, lie fell headlong into the vat, which is a kind of long, narrow canal, whence he found some difficulty in extricating himself. As he was unhurt, it was impossible not to laugh at his bedraggled, bestained, woebegone appearance. It was the ruin of his pretty English grey suit, which hung outside the ranch in a shrunken form for many days to remind us of his involuntary bath. One " hand " was told off to cut and collect wood to supply the cooking-stove ; the oven being in use the greater part of the day, the demand for fuel was considerable. Coffee can be bought only in its green condition (very cheap, costing from twenty-five to thirty cents the pound), and its roasting requires a great deal of time and attention. If it is roasted too quickly its flavour becomes disagreeable and burnt ; if the oven is not opened frequently to turn the berries they " catch " ; and if the vapour, which always arises as they become hot, does not escape, the delicate aroma of the coffee is entirely spoiled. Bread was made three times a week, the sponge being set overnight with home-made yeast cakes, composed of meal, sugar, hops, and other ingredients, and dried in the sun. This kind of bread is known in Texas as " light bread," but we dubbed it heavy " light bread " when it did not turn out quite so well as usual. No kind of cold bread is very acceptable to the Texan appetite, his table never being properly supplied without hot corn bread or hot biscuit. The latter is neither more nor less than an inferior and heavier French roll. It requires no setting, is made off-hand, raised with baking-powder, and contains about a tablespoonful of lard, or some kind of grease, to each 64 Texan Ranch Life. pound of flour, with sweet milk, or soda added to sour milk. Our ordinary meals were three a day ; breakfast at 6 a.m., dinner at noon, supper varying from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., according to the season ; in fact, it was served at sundown, when it became too dark for further work out of doors. There was not much variety in the preparation of these meals, which consisted chiefly of bacon and eggs, with beans about once a week, prepared in the orthodox manner : boiled down with bacon, until perfectly brown and the liquor quite thick. About once a week, too, a goat was killed, and dressed in various forms : roasted, boiled, stewed. Ours not being a beef ranch, this meat was seen only on rare occasions, when a neighbour killed an ox and sent round portions for sale, or a joint was bought from the meat market of the little town. The washing was sent to Junction City, together with soap ; the articles, great and small, being returned rough- dried and unfolded (the charge twenty-five cents a dozen), and afterwards starched or ironed, as the case might be. Being English we indulged ourselves with table cloths, which are rarely seen, or never, in the truly typical Texan house, where the tables, supported by trestles, would be covered with American cloth, or more often its rough boards would be left bare. Didymusa and I were supplied with sheets, and the Boss indulged in a similar luxury, but the " boys " were compelled to be contented with blankets, so that the quantity of linen was reduced to the minimum. This was also the case with our own clothing ; and the heat increasing, we shed some garments every day until underclothing Domestic Life at Leclmza Ranch. 65 became a mere trifle. Moreover, the " boys " had to shift for themselves, some washing their own clothes in wooden tubs provided for this purpose, but also utilised by us as baths ; others sending their things into the town when opportunities offered. I may mention in passing that all unmarried men are " boys," regardless of age ; but let even a youth of eighteen marry, and he is immediately designated " old man " So-and-so. For the first fortnight after our arrival at the Lechuza, I did not become quite accustomed to these limitations. I suffered from incessant catarrh, aggravated by the severe draughts, which our hostess declared necessary for the general health. The lamps on the supper table would flicker in an agitated manner for some time and then go out altogether, leaving us under the " Mosaic dispensation," and martyrs to excessive ventilation. Ultimately one window would be closed and the candles relighted. Find- ing that my complaints met with little sympathy or courtesy, after a few repetitions of this kind of thing I used to walk off, plate and cup in hand, and take my meals with greater comfort in the kitchen. Catarrh in America is really a chronic inflammation of the mucous membrane, and although, with its subsequent lassitude, very distressing, I believe it saved me from many other complaints which are common on arriving in this hot country. From headache and prickly -heat I was quite free, but Didymusa endured a martyrdom later on. The first time my handkerchiefs were washed (seventy or eighty having been used in three or four days), Mrs. Boss advised us to look at them after the lapse of twenty minutes. We had spread them on some wood, the average temperature being 98, and surely enough they were as dry as buckram, some having blown away on the fresh F 66 Texan Ranch Life. breeze, giving us a good run before they were recovered. A large shallow tub filled with cold water in the morning was quite hot enough to use for laundry purposes by noon. The ranch possessed an excellent wringing and drying machine, which economised time and labour considerably. On Sunday we assembled in tjie drawing-room, where the Boss read prayers from the Episcopalian service, the nearest church being fifty-five miles away at Kerville. Sunday was a great day for salting the cattle, a most essential process, since without it they die or take them- selves off to ranches where salting is a weekly practice. The beautiful herd of a thousand mohair or Angora goats, with exquisite long silky hair, came up for this operation, many of them with sweet little kids frolicking by their sides. Some poor mothers had lost their young ones during the night, devoured by wolves or coyotes, and their udders were in a terrible condition from want of milking, the skin in many cases being broken and bleeding. In a country like this, with such large herds, it is, of course, impossible to bestow that individual attention which we think neces- sary to the proper keeping of stock in England. But Nature soon healed these ruptures, when once the sufferers had been roped and the milk drawn off. Goats had been returning an enormous profit as long as mohair materials were the vogue, but with a change of fashion trade became flat, and upon our first sight of the herd it was being kept in the hope of another change in fluctuating fashion, and for purposes of food. Mutton is never seen, the merino sheep being handled entirely for the sake of its wool. The fleeces are not nearly so bulky as those of our South Downs or Lincolns, but the wool is valuable on account of its fine, soft texture, the price of Domestic Life at Leclniza Ranch. 67 these stock sheep ranging from one and a half to two dollars. During the whole time I was in Texas I came across only one ranch (Fort Territ, one of the largest in the country, having ninety miles of fence) where they ever killed a sheep for food. Of course, cattle always holds its own, but, from the general financial depression and other causes, of recent years the cattle man has not thriven so well as formerly. One or two bad winters may help to account for the prevailing depression, but so enormous is the recuperative power of these vast districts that cattle owners still look forward hopefully, sparing no effort to improve the native stock by the importation of beasts. The average price of an ordinary cow varies from ten to twenty - five dollars ; that of yearlings from six to eight dollars per head. Steers fetch more than heifers, a four-year-old steer in good condition commanding twenty dollars ; young calves from two to four dollars. With regard to breeding horses, the same may be said ; several years elapse before there is any return for money expended on the ordinary Texan ponies, which seldom fetch more than twenty-five dollars, and may be often bought for from ten to twenty dollars. In exceptional cases, on the bigger ranches, where there has been a large outlay with the view of improving the straight mustang or Spanish horse, suitable for draught or saddle work, there is a good sale and ultimate profit in the stock yards of San Antonio and other large markets. But, taking it all round, for the young capitalist of limited means there is nothing like sheep, which with proper handling yield a large, steady, and immediate profit on the wool each spring and fall, apart from the yearly increase in numbers. F 2 68 Texan Ranch Life. The spring clipping season had now begun, the clipping being usually performed by Mexicans, who cross the borders of the Eio Grande twice a year, mounted on their " bronchos," in bands of from twenty to thirty, generally under a captain or boss. Although they bring their own cook, they are supplied with food and cooking utensils at the ranches which they visit in succession every year. The work is done in sheds about 250 or 300 feet in length, fitted with benches four feet high by three feet in width. Two thousand sheep and lambs were brought up, although the lambs are not clipped until they are a year old. It was a busy scene, the long sheds full of clippers, each working vigorously at a poor animal which lay on the bench in front of him. Like all artisans the clippers vary in skill and speed, some getting through as many as thirty sheep a day, whilst others could only manage ten. Some merely held the animals down on the bench, and the victims in this case were quieter and better clipped than others which were tied ; these struggling more violently, and receiving more wounds in consequence. With the greatest strength and facility, I noticed a corresponding degree of gentleness on the part of many clippers ; the slowest were generally the clumsiest, and inflicted the most severe cuts, these being instantly anointed with a black ointment to conceal the wound and keep off flies. The incessant clattering in unknown tongues, the constant " baa-ing " of the victims, made a perfect Babel. We were gradually picking up a little of the language, and were able to understand enough to learn that the chief topic of conversation was the forthcoming evening gamble, which, to the accompaniment of music and singing, would be kept up till the small hours. Domestic Life at Lechuza Ranch. 69 A few sheep are lost in consequence of bad cuts in clipping. Some are easier to shear than others, and it was amusing to see the shearers trying to select the animals with the fewest wrinkles. Hard by, pens were arranged for the shorn and unshorn as they were turned out of the sheds. With each clipped fleece a check was given from the desk, to be counted and exchanged for money in the evening. Then the sport began, though occasionally, I believe, the checks changed hands before being cashed, in settlement of bets made during the day. What a nation of gamblers ! Their horses were weedy little half-starved creatures, and many of the men looked as if they, too, needed a good " feed " before beginning work. With a few exceptions, their garments were utterly dilapidated. The next incident of the shearing was the arrival of the freighters to convey the wool to San Antonio. The fleeces were packed in large sacks. It was pretty to see the Mexicans drive through the gateway in the small fencing which surrounded the house, bringing their teams of sixteen or twenty horses to the farther gallery where the wool had been stowed. The driver rides the near wheeler, and does much with voice and cracking of his whip towards turning the sharp corners. Sometimes the horses seemed quite mixed up, with their feet over the traces, which, with the single trees, were almost on the ground in turning the corners. The cleverness shown by the animals in righting themselves as they pulled into line, each falling into his proper place, was surprising. A freighter's horse has plenty of work and not a superabundance of corn, so that he is not inclined to jump out of his traces for the mere fun of the thing. Like his master, he takes life very practically. 70 Texan Ranch Life. The freighters live on the road, camping at noon and night, when they hobble and stake their horses. On an average they make thirty miles a day. It is monotonous work crawling along with a heavy load ; especially during the rainy seasons, when the tracks are soft mud, like the bottom of a pond, and the waggons frequently stick in it, the poor freighter having all his work to do to keep dry his goods and the wood with which to heat his coffee. It is astonishing, after heavy downpours of rain, which falls in perfect sheets of water, to see how quickly the clouds roll away ; the scorching sun drying the wet slush in a few hours. A day passes and you can hardly believe that rain has fallen. CHAPTER IX. BRANDING, AND FIRST RIDE TO JUNCTION CITY. THE " rounding up " was now in full swing. This operation, like the shearing, takes place each spring and fall, and consists in hunting and collecting together all the scattered cattle on the range (that is to say, on any ground or pasturage not under fence) for the purpose of counting the number of heads belonging to the various owners. Then the increase, foals and calves, are branded with their respective marks ; those which are not wanted are turned loose, others intended for sale being driven to the nearest stock yard at town or depot and freighted to Chicago or some other distant market. " Mavericks " are calves which have been allowed to run unclaimed without branding for a year, and are considered the property of whoever can rope them and affix his brand. I have been told that Maverick was a cattleman who neglected to collect his calves and yearlings and to have them branded, and so lost them. And again, it is said that Maverick was a man who formed his original " bunch " of cattle by hunting up animals belonging to other persons a kind of prairie highwayman. The latter is, I am inclined to believe, the most probable story. The branding is performed with a hot iron which burns out the roots of the hair, and, effectually destroying 72 Texan Ranch Life. them, prevents future growth. The animal is roped and thrown down with its fore legs tied together, as shown in the photograph. The brands are all recorded in a register which is kept at the Court House, the registration fee being 25 cents for each cow or horse. When a horse is sold, if its value permits the outlay, a bill of sale is given and rebranding becomes unnecessary ; but the record fee varies from 75 cents to a dollar and a quarter. The brands are of every imaginable device : crescents, circles, crosses, shields, trefoils, ellipsoids, angles, or combinations of these figures, often interwoven with letters or numbers, and an endless variety of forms contrived with admirable ingenuity. When the country is more settled up in large fenced pastures, and the range system becomes extinct, I hope that this cruel custom of branding will be no longer necessary. Horses are usually branded on the left side, cows on the right, and when they have frequently changed hands, I have seen them completely covered with various devices, a bar being always placed across the brands of former owners. The branding takes place as far as possible at the coolest time of year, and it is the cowboy's duty to dress the wounds and keep flies away until they are cicatrized. When not engaged in " rounding up," about which I shall have something to say farther on, the cowboy takes his turn at " line riding " to repair defects in fences. For this purpose he carries the necessary tools, and also blankets for the night, the fences varying in extent from twenty to seventy or ninety miles, so that he cannot always return to sleep. A certain distance is supposed to be allotted to each cowboy in order that they meet one another on the line. Branding, and First Ride to Junction City. 73 * Fencing is an expensive item in buying a ranch, mortgages often being raised, and paying 12 per cent. To stretch the wire, of which the tension varies with the temperature of the day, requires considerable experience. But on ranches not under fence the cowboy has more trouble, as, while allowing the cattle to graze in all directions, it is his duty to keep them as far as possible within certain limits. Of course some must stray, even with the closest vigilance ; hence the need of branding and also of the " rounding up " each spring and fall. If the cowboys neglect to tend the cattle after branding, they fall into a terrible condition or occasionally die. Then the turkey-buzzard (Cathartes aura) arrives, does his work upon the carcase, and soon leaves only a skeleton on the prairie to tell the tale. I have seen flocks of these birds watching an animal till the breath leaves its body, when they will cover it so completely that the carcase looks quite black. The turkey-buzzard is regarded as a useful scavenger, and to kill one entails a fine of twenty-five dollars. In high flight they appear graceful, anything but that when devouring their prey, with their naked warty necks like vultures ! Apropos of scavengers, the Tumble bug (one of the species Scarabeus) is a wonderful provision of nature in default of sanitation. Thousands of these creatures may be seen working in the most assiduous manner, the female laying her eggs in a globular mass of manure, and using her hind legs in regular treadmill fashion to roll it to some chosen spot, where she buries it in a hole in the ground which she has excavated for the purpose. These beetles swarm wherever there is any attraction, but they are very inoffensive and do not bite. One cannot 74 Texan Ranch Life. give the same good character to the ticks, fleas, and chintz- bugs. To a person with an abnormally sensitive skin, ticks are indeed a pest ; a sad drawback to picnics and camping-out expeditions in summer. Whether they were in the grass or fell from the live oak trees, I never quite discovered, but my sufferings from them were very real. They are parasites ; a kind of magnified mites, attach- ing themselves to the skin, and sucking the blood until they swell to such an extent that they resemble miniature birds' eggs, though naturally they are flat, having innumerable legs but no wings. They will adhere in this way for a fortnight, until they drop off, when they are supposed to die. Once having fixed the mandible or proboscis in the unfortunate victim's skin, their tenacity is so great that no amount of mere force will remove them. If you dislocate the neck, thus breaking off the body, you only increase the discomfort, as the decapitated head apparently still continues to suck, and causes as much inflammation and irritation as before ; as they possess no lungs, the only method of killing or removing them is to cover them with oil or grease, which prevents respiration. I have been told that the common kind of this horrible insect is the lodes albipictiis, but Dr. Curtice, of the United States, has investigated the life history of the various species of ticks, and recently written a very clever paper on the subject. He speaks of that usually called the " lone star " as Amblyomma unipuncta, and, though this is not so numerous as the common variety, its habits are quite similar. The investigations of the United States Department of Agriculture, concerning the relation of ticks to Texas cattle fever, have produced such astonishing results that any Branding, and First Ride to Junction City. 75 information regarding these creatures at once commands attention. The question that occurs to one's mind on reading the reports is : Are there other species of ticks capable of transmitting the disease ? This question has not yet been answered, though the first steps have been taken to decide the matter. On July 3rd, 1893, Dr. Curtice made experiments on ten adult females of the Amblyomma itnipimcta (commonly called the "lone star tick"), which were collected from cattle. These had an average weight of forty -four drachms. They were confined in the laboratory under ordinary conditions, and began depositing eggs July 7th. This continued about ten days, they by that time having deposited forty-eight per cent, of their original weight as eggs. They were alive July 25th that is, six days after having ceased to lay eggs though apparently dry and lifeless. The Iarva3 appeared August 8th, which, on com- parison, will be found very similar as to length of time required for the common variety. The result of these experiments on the larvae of cattle - parasites will be published as soon as they are concluded ; but, up to the present, nothing further on the subject has reached me. My first acquaintance with a tick was one night a few weeks after our arrival, when I became afraid I was going to be troubled with Texan boil. At breakfast the following morning, when Didymusa described the supposed abscess, with its loose " head," or scab, she was greeted with roars of laughter, and, grease being applied, the disgusting, bloated creature tumbled off, although its mark remained for nearly a year. I thought that this tick had been picked up from the 76 Texan Ranch Life. sheep. The Mexicans not staying to shear the bucks (about ten or twelve in number), as these had wandered off and had not been brought up in time, and this part of the clipping falling upon the home hands, Didymusa and I accompanied Mrs. Boss to the sheds. There was a good deal of fun in capturing these consequential, butting gentlemen, and between us we managed almost to shear one of them, holding him down and wielding the shears in turns. The task occupied about an hour, and left my hand and fingers very stiff. After this trial, I felt more than ever surprised at the rapid manipulation of the Mexicans. " Chintz " bugs were very prevalent, perhaps on account of the pine-built houses and wooden bedsteads. During the Boss's two. years' absence, the ranch had been left in charge of a young English visitor and his father, with the Devonshire boy, who, as well as being the fisher- man, was a capital cook and general all-round hand. They had for the most part slept on the gallery, and the " chintzes " (neither more nor less than the common bug of London lodging-houses) had it all their own way. These pests were waiting for us, but the first night we were too tired, after our long drive from Kerville, to notice anything. Like all Americans, however, they did nothing by halves, and the second night we were quite able to appreciate the vigour of their attack. The following day the bedstead was taken to pieces, but the slats could not have been put together again properly ; and that night, after falling through several times, I followed the example of my host and hostess, who always moved their mattress to one side of the gallery, the boys occupying another side. We could not very well divide our mattress, and Didymusa would not be induced to sleep anywhere but within four walls ; so that I betook myself to my own particular Branding, and First Ride to Junction City. 77 portion of the gallery and there lay down on the floor. I never mind where I sleep ; the harder the bed the better the night. In fact, the simplicity of one's habits stands one in good stead in this kind of life, and even the ability to eat a few slices of mild onions proved desirable when one could not easily obtain other vegetable diet a plebeian taste in the opinion of many persons, but these onions, less pungent than the small spring onions which decorate our salad bowls at home, act as a useful stimulant to the appetite. Their odour conjured up the familiar picture of an English ploughman sitting beneath a quickset hedge with a crust, a piece of cheese, and a raw onion in one hand, a pinch of salt in the hollow of it, a knife in the other, enjoying his hard-earned " bait," whilst his horses stand discussing theirs close by, the regular crunch of their grinders his sweetest music. But this old-fashioned type of English ploughman with his respectful salutation is fast dying out, alas ! During my first week at the Lechuza I had nothing to ride, and the Boss was too busy, after his long absence, to find me a mount ; so that I was pleased when, after looking through his stock of horses, he assigned " Maize " for my use, a sprightly little bright bay with flowing mane and tail. He stood about fourteen hands, and I soon became very fond of him ; but he had one drawback, not being quite able to carry my full- sized and rather long saddle. The girths always slipped under the arm of the shoulder and rubbed him. A crupper might have kept it in position ; but not being intended for pony use, the saddle had no T-iron to attach one to. However, Maize and I became great friends, and he carried me pleasantly for some weeks. Having been out 78 Texan Ranch Life 1 . on him a few times, and feeling , anxious for news from home, as the Boss and all the boys were too busy to go, on the following Saturday, April 20, I suggested riding to Junction City to fetch the mail, &c. During the past few days the thermometer had been from 80 to 95 in the shade and over 130 in the sun, while the intense stillness of the atmosphere seemed to forbode a storm. The Boss regarded the suggestion rather dubiously, and insisted that I should carry a " slicker " in case of a sudden downpour. A " slicker " is the kind of waterproof used by the cowboys ; and I was provided with one of Mr. Taylor's ; a frightful, gaudy, new mackintosh, bright yellow and red, in all its pristine freshness. This was attached to the saddle together with various bags (for the mails and other articles), suspended by strips of leather to the studs, some of which were used in the ordinary way for the breastplate and others for the small sandwich case. Altogether a truly ludicrous spectacle to my unaccustomed eyes ! Bound Maize's neck a rope was fastened, the end being coiled and secured to the saddle. This appearing a quite unnecessary encumbrance, I took it off and threw it behind me in spite of combined shouts and entreaties from the cowboys and the Boss. But after further experience, a few weeks hence, I was careful never to stir far without this appendage ; extremely useful in so rough a country. About seven miles down the river I fell in with Mr. H., senior, father of the young Englishman who had been left in charge . of the Lechuza during the Boss's absence. Mr. H. was now staying at Ranch Viejo, which he had bought for his son. He emerged from behind a large chaparral thicket Brandt/if/, and First Ride to Junction City. 79 where the road from Bear Creek united with that which I was following to Junction City, and feeling somewhat diffident to enter the strange town alone, I was pleased with his company. We seemed to resemble the golden goose as we went on our way, being joined by quite a little crowd of cowboys one after another. I afterwards learned that Saturday is a favourite day for marketing and inquiring after mails. There was a blacksmith at Junction City, and as Maize required shoeing, I left him at the forge, and walked on to Mr. H.'s store to do my own shopping and execute one or two commissions for the others. I was so warmly received at the store by its agreeable German owner, and by Mr. J. H., his English cashier, that it seemed more like paying a pleasant visit to old friends than shopping. They sent for my mails, and, one of the letters requiring an answer, kindly offered pens, ink, and paper, and the use of their snug office " back of " the store always a pleasant spot in my memory, on account of the hospitality shown on this and subsequent visits by Mr. J. E., whose offers of biscuits, ginger ale, &c., were extremely welcome after the long dusty rides from the ranch. Just after Maize's return from the forge the wind suddenly " lifted " with a curious hissing, rushing sound, and some black clouds, which had been gathering for some time on the horizon, drove up with it. After a vivid flash of lightning and a tremendous crash of thunder the clouds burst over us. There happened to be a waggon-yard or feed-yard connected with the store ; a square plot of ground enclosed by a very high fence, with sheds arranged on two of its sides for horses, these being secured by a bar-chain fixed 80 Texan Ranch Life. across the ends, or sometimes simply tied to the fence. If they are lucky enough to get a feed of corn, they eat it from an old box on the ground, the stage horses generally occupying the sheds. This place was frequented by freighters, cattle owners, and cowboys, who convert it into a cheap hotel and livery- yard combined. A couple of horses at a livery stable in Texas would cost about two dollars (or between eight and nine shillings) a day ; whereas at the feed-yard they can be provided for at from 10 to 25 cents. Dried sugar-cane, millet, and corn are purchased from the owner of the yard, and if the nights are cold, the freighters take refuge in their waggons, which are always provided with blankets and camping utensils. Otherwise they sleep in the sheds or any warm corner that happens to be available. Occasionally some lively cowboys will disturb the slumbers of their quieter neighbours ; when a free fight is the result. As I was not ready to start, Maize was taken to the yard, and now I wanted the rejected rope, to tie him to one of its feeding troughs. But my new friends supplied the deficiency, and the rain still falling, and the bells of the two little hotels ringing for dinner at noon, Mr. J. R. invited me to accompany him to one of them. A funny meal ! with fourteen Texan ranchmen, cow- boys, and others waiting outside for admission ; two little boys waving mesquit branches over our heads to ward off the flies ; the table, as Mrs. Naudain, the proprietress, expressed it, spread with " all the seasonable dainties which Junction City could afford." The grease on the handles of the knives and forks made one shudder, to say nothing of the fumes of the black over- Branding, and First Ride to Junction City, 81 roasted coffee, loved by the Texan as fondly as his molasses, which imparted an unpleasant stickiness to everything. The Texan never suffers from gout. I remember seeing one mix oysters and molasses together, with hot corn bread sopped in it. The oysters were given to him as a great treat, sent already opened in a can with ice from San Antonio. The oyster beds are at Galveston, Rockfort, and Corpus Christi. We had a plentiful supply of " biscuits," with poached eggs, bacon, fried steak, some uninviting boiled bones with a little meat attached, gristly, freshly- killed, and tough ; custard also, and pudding, peaches, and dried apples cooked up in pastry ; on the whole, a feeble imitation of the more elaborate menus of St. Leonard's, with its multitude of small plates. Although Irish potatoes are sometimes served and specified as such, as a general rule, when you hear of potatoes in Texas you must expect the sweet potato, which tastes not unlike a parsnip, and is extensively grown in this country. Not a pommfi-de-terre by any means, its tubers growing upon a climbing plant akin to Morning Glory (Ipomaea bafatus), supposed to be a native of Brazil, and the original potato of the southern part of the United States. The storm passed off about four o'clock, when the sun began to shine brightly. On leaving the store it seemed like entering a stove-house, the ground hot and steaming and such mud ! I felt as if I were carrying tons on my feet, and with my well-filled mail and shopping bags, poor Maize had a pretty good load. I left the town with Mr. H., who also had been detained by the storm, but on account of the mud, the ride home was not accomplished very quickly, although the absence of dust was delightful. CHAPTER X. ROUNDING UP CATTLE, AND COW OUTFITS. ON reaching the ranch, about seven o'clock, everyone- looked out eagerly for letters. One boy was sent to deliver the mail which I brought for two little ranches higher up the river. There was great excitement at the Lechuza, a large herd of cattle, over a thousand head, having just been driven into the pens for the night on their way to some distant place. The company's " outfit " were camping out about a mile off at the first creek. I had observed their waggon (similar to that shown in the photograph) on my ride home, but supposed it belonged to squatters on the move. These rounding-up "outfits" vary very much in size and formation. Large jowners or companies send from ten to twenty-five of their own hands, supplied with a properly- fitted camping waggon and provisions, a boss, a cook, and a horse herder, there being from six to twelve horses for each cowboy. The cowboy finds his own blankets and saddles, and receives from twenty-five to thirty dollars a month. I ain a Texan cowboy, Light-hearted, gay, and free, To roam the wide, wide prairie Is always joy to me. Rounding up Cattle, and Cow Outfits. 83 My trusty little pony Is my companion true ; O'er plain, through woods and river He's sure to "pull me through." I am a jolly cowboy, From Texas now I hail ; Give me my " quirt " and pony, I'm ready for the trail. I love the rolling prairie We're free from care and strife Behind a herd of " long-horns " I'll journey all my life. The early dawn is breaking, Up, up ! we must away, We vault into our saddles, And " round up " then all day ; We " rope " and " brand" and " ear mark " I tell you we are " smart " ; We get the herd all ready, For Kansas then we start. When low'ring clouds do gather, And lurid lightnings flash, The crushing thunders rattle, And heavy rain-drops splash, What keeps the herd from running, And " stampede " far and wide ? The cowboy's long, low whistle, And singing by their side. And when in Kansas City, The " Boss " he pays us up, We loaf around a few days, Then have a parting cup ; We bid farewell to city, From noisy marts we come Eight back to dear old Texas, The cowboy's native home. [These lines have been set to mtisic by Mrs. Robert Thomson.^ If the country to be " rounded " is very extensive, or if the cattle have to be taken up trail any distance before G 2 84 Texan Ranch Life. being sold, the expedition may last three or even six months. Branding takes place every day when necessary, the cattle which are not required being turned loose again. A certain number of cowboys drive the selected herd, riding at stated intervals on each side. Sometimes there is a break out, followed by a stampede and much hard " running " to cut off the escaped animals and drive them back into a compact mass before continuing the journey. Other cowboys are told off in turn to drive the unridden horses or hunt for more cattle. Hobbling the horses at night and taking them up in the morning, with other duties for securing the herd, also are undertaken in regular turns. The camping ground is always chosen by the cook, the boss giving him some idea of the desired locality. The cook generally drives the waggon also. Smaller ranches combine in getting up such outfits, settlers joining independently to hunt up their own little bunch (pronounced boonch), clubbing together to pay the cook and commissariat expenses. They generally manage to choose a spot near a good sized ranch with available corrals to pen the cattle. Eoping is very skilful, and in the hands of an expert the rope is a dangerous weapon. In Mexico it is called the lasso, the lariat, or la reata, and it is difficult to say whether the Texan cowboy or the Mexican vaquero uses it the more expertly. In the art of riding, too, the one and the other are perfect. The cowboy would no more speak of his rope as a lasso than describe the evolution of his pony as bucking ; this is always "pitching." The country is always called Te*xas, never Texass. The rope measures forty feet in length, and varies in price from 45 cents to a dollar, Eoundinff up Cattle, and Cow Outfits. 85 according to its quality and the finish of its noose, either with leather or an iron ring, or more often with nothing but a simple knot at the end for the length to pass through. This running noose is swung horizontally over the head, with the elbow at the height of the crown. By this circular motion sufficient force is acquired to project the whole length of the line, the remainder of the coil being held in the left hand until the noose falls upon the object to be roped. A well-trained pony will stop dead on feeling the strain, and the rope is wound round the horn of the saddle. There is a tremendous strain from a full-grown steer ; but these small ponies are strong in the shoulder, and show wonderful intelligence, throwing themselves back on their haunches to resist the pull the moment the rope tightens. If the rider fouls (misses), the pony gallops on and trots up again, until the animal is captured and ready to be branded. The rope ought to fall, and when thrown by a skilful hand, generally does fall, upon the horns or feet, and I have been told that some of these ponies will even pass on if it catches the neck ; but this example of their intelligence I have never witnessed. Mexican and Texan saddles are both extremely heavy and cumbersome, high in the cantle, with a long horn or peak in front to which the rope is secured sometimes being adorned with goat-skin pockets. I tried to lift one of these saddles from the ground quite in vain. Those of the Mexican ranchers are really costly, often being trimmed with gold or silver to match the rider's own highly ornamental suit of clothes. He has three rows of buttons down his legs, and his handsomely braided jacket is stitched with gold and silver thread, the whole being surmounted 86 Texan Ranch Life. by the expensive sombrero, costing from thirty to three hundred dollars. The cowboys also wear a similar broad- brimmed hat, but made of plain straw with a leather band round its high crown, and occasionally with another band of gold and silver twisted over that. A leather strap passes under the chin to prevent the hat from falling off when the pony pitches, or in riding through thick brush. Ordinary saddles are made of hard wood, covered with leather or parchment tightly stretched ; from the peak to the cantle an open space runs down the middle, which I concluded was for ventilation in this hot climate. They are not in any way stuffed or padded, but a thick blanket, folded square, is placed beneath to protect the horse's back from the frame. They do not often gall, except after some hours' " cutting out," when very sudden swerves and stoppages at full speed become necessary to turn the cattle, causing an unavoidable wring of the saddle and consequently sore shoulders. The Texan spurs are heavy and large, but not so enor- mous as those used by the Mexicans* which weigh several pounds ; and whilst the rowels are two or three inches in diameter, they are not nearly so sharp or cruel as the smaller English kind. The bits are very severe, but the cowboy never rides on his reins, these generally hanging slack on the horse's neck, except in rounding and cutting out, when the poor pony is most unmercifully jerked. In Texas the bridles are managed in a manner quite different from our own, the object being, I imagine, to leave the right hand free to throw the rope. Instead of bearing on the right or left rein, according to the desired direction, the hand, with both reins, is drawn outwards and across. When you wish to go to the right, for instance, the hand is drawn out on that side, the left rein pressing Rounding up Cattle, and Cow Outfits. 87 against the horse's neck. In driving, you take the right side instead of the left ; and it is contrary to etiquette to overtake and keep just in front of another carriage. Unless your team he sufficiently superior to show it a clean pair of heels, you must stay hehind. MEXICAN BIT. A snaffle is never used, the curb being about an inch high in the crossbar or port, but short in the cheekbits or branches. The bit shown in the accompanying photo- graph is Mexican, and of chased silver. It is now in my possession, having been bestowed upon me as a mark of high esteem ; but it is nothing less than an instrument of Texan Ranch Life. torture, a type of many (perhaps not quite so cruel) in general use in Mexico ; for the Mexican, like the Oriental, prides himself upon riding with a finger, although the uneasy curvettings and fretting and frothing of his steed, with his trick of throwing his nose in the air, betrays the cost at which this apparent ease is attained. Both Texans and Mexicans ride with extremely long stirrup leathers. CHAPTEE XI. " EOPING "HAILSTORM COYOTES, SKUNKS, AND FLOWERS. THE rope, on the frontier, is frequently employed as an instrument of vengeance. Not so often as the six-shooter or the bowie knife, though many a score has been wiped out on the prairie by the fall of the fatal noose upon the sur- prised enemy ; when his neck is broken, hurled from his saddle, the lifeless body is dragged along the ground for some distance, exactly as if the man were one of the deer which are occasionally treated in the same fashion. An instance occurred at the Spring rounding-up at some pens not far from the Lechuza. It was said to be a pure accident greatly to be wondered at on the part of so expert a roper ! But a deadly feud was known to exist between the two men, although the affair was hushed up, and the assassin would have fared worse if he had stolen a horse. I waxed indignant on one occasion, when some mixed cattle (that is to say, cattle owned by various persons) were being roped, and a cow's leg being broken, the poor animal on account of the calf by her side, was turned loose to shift as best she might, instead of receiving the more merciful coup de (/race. Didymusa's wrath burst forth in spite of the Boss's warning that it was often as much as one's life is worth to give free expression to opinion in such a country. But a woman escapes scot free, when a man would have had bullets through his head again and again. Certainly, 90 Texan Ranch Life. the young fellow who owned the cow, must have been any- thing but gratified by Didym lisa's frankness. She reminded him that one day his own turn might come and, singularly enough, before the end of the year, he suffered a painful death from a kind of typhoid fever. He died in his bed, however a rare occurrence for a Texan, who generally " dies in his boots." There is a story told of William , one of seven brothers. The other six had all been shot. William took to his bed, turned his face to the wall, lay for some days, and died apparently a natural death. His mystified relatives examined the body thoroughly, but could find no wound of any kind ; nothing to account for his strange end. At the large Exhibition about a year later at San Antonio, we enjoyed the roping contest and tournaments, and the cowboys' favourite game of " lifting the ring " quite as . much as the military display at the Agricultural Hall at home. The rain, which had detained me at Junction City on Saturday, was very local, and after passing the last creek before reaching the ranch, all traces of a storm were lost. The Sunday following was very sultry, without any corresponding rise in the thermometer, the heat being the more oppressive in the absence of the delightful day breeze which nearly always prevails at this altitude. The Sunday's rest was appreciated, and those hands who did not go out for the day indulged in longer siestas than usual. About two o'clock in the afternoon, the hottest part of the day, when the wind is inclined to drop, there is mostly a little relaxation, at least, during the summer. We had just prepared supper when we heard an unusual noise, something like a very rough sea beating on the shore, from the direction of Bear Creek. On going " Roping " Hailstorm Coyotes, Skunks, and Flowers. 91 outside we saw a dense cloud rising above the mountain, and the Boss ran swiftly towards the house calling upon the boys to help him to close the shutters. Every ranch of any pretensions is provided with shutters to protect the glass during hailstorms. But before they could be closed, the hailstones began to rattle down, breaking some of the windows and injuring the shingle roof. We could not hear ourselves speak, or perfectly understand one another even when shouting at the top of our voices, so deafening was the noise upon the roof. For half an hour the storm lasted, and we wished to weigh some of the stones. At first the Boss refused to allow anyone to leave the house, but a little dog having been left tied up outside, he pressed a hard hat down tightly on his head and presently ventured out for a few seconds to bring the poor brute under cover. He was bruised even in that short time, but managed to secure some trophies, the hailstones being as large as a fair sized hen's egg, and weighing just under two ounces. The storm was followed by a beautiful evening ; half a mile distant nothing had been seen of it. While we were enjoying the Sabbath quiet of the evening on the gallery after supper, we heard a great disturbance amongst the g-oats a little way off. The Boss and one or two of the boys proceeding to the scene of action, found some coyotes (pronounced kiotee) worrying the herd, a kid having already been killed. The coyote is a wild dog or prairie-wolf (Canis latrans) and the cause of much trouble amongst the sheep and goats. Into the breast of the uninitiated camper, also, it strikes terror, as it invariably approaches near to see what it can find. The querulous, snapping bark of a single coyote, 92 Texan Ranch Life. ending in a shrill prolonged howl, conjures fears of a hundred, in the stillness of the night. They are cowardly, sneaking animals, and never attack man ; rarely tackling even a kid or a lamb single-handed, but working together in small numbers, not as a rule in large packs like wolves. Two or three coyotes will attack and kill a good-sized calf. They are extremely crafty, and the Boss failed on this particular occasion to get one within range of his gun. Soon after his return, our olfactory nerves being very painfully offended, he explained that a skunk had been killed at a ranch distant half a mile as the crow flies, on the further side of the river. The Boss's explanation was confirmed on the arrival soon afterwards of one of the boys who had been taking part in the chase. Even at this distance the odour was excessively pungent and unpleasant, and it seemed that the highly electrified air carried sound as far as scent, for we could hear the hunters' voices and almost distinguish their words. Skunks (Mephitis mephiticd] have white bodies and tails, with black backs. The Texans name them polecats, but they are larger than the European carnivora of the weasel family. We were not greatly annoyed by wolves at the Lechuza, but the Paint Rock and Bear Creek districts were dread- fully troubled with them, their cattle sustaining consider- able damage during the winter. On one occasion when we were returning home from a dance, at Bear Creek, we were pursued by wolves. Many suggestions have been made for some organised effort to exterminate these creatures, but nothing had come of them at the time of my departure, though they were hunted by any enterprising individuals who kept a few hounds. "Roping" Hailstorm Coyotes, Skunks, and Flowers. 93 I was invited to a wolf hunt at South Llano. We staked our horses and proceeded, principally on foot, amongst the canons and hollows which form their lurking places, and Mr. P. managed to work some mischief amongst the quarry. Since my. arrival at the Lechuza, I had ridden all over the country, besides going out several times after cattle and horses with the boys ; but Didymusa could not join in these mountain climbs, not being a very good horsewoman. Roche, her little pony, had thrown her once, and made her nervous ; in fact none of the horses are to be trusted by riders not possessing a firm seat. Rain lilies, lovely white flowers, are so named because they spring up in one night after rain. Texan " violets " are scentless purple flowers, more like the iris ; and linums, quite scentless also, of a bright crimson hue. Many a time I wished I was a botanist ! As I desired Didymusa to see them, we arranged to set forth early one morning, in order to avoid the heat of the day. The Boss did his best to frighten her by declaring that anyone we met would be sure to take a shot at us, persons travelling on foot being always regarded with suspicion. However, we decided to take the risk, and started at 5 a.m., although the threat was not without its grain of truth, a pedestrian being never seen outside a town. It was a delightfully fresh morning, and, having climbed the mountain, of which the Lechuza commanded a view from the North, we sauntered along the table land between it and the next range, and enjoyed a fine view of the surrounding country. Didymusa was in raptures with the flowers, but as she stooped to pluck some, suddenly I saw a large snake rear its head and strike almost over her shady sun-bonnet. Its ominous rattle told only too distinctly 94 Texan Ranch Life. what it was, and we regarded one another in terror at the narrowness of our escape; but as it withdrew, still hissing and rattling, followed by the dogs, we began to breathe more freely. Didymusa suggested that we should return to the ranch, and we began to pick our way amongst the rough stones and thick vegetation with the most extreme caution. We had not advanced many yards, however, before we saw another snake curled up asleep on a large rock. I was preparing to collect some stones to take vengeance upon this one for the fright inspired by his mate, but Didymusa clung to me tenaciously, and, her one idea being to reach home in safety, the snake escaped, and we got well laughed at for our pains. But it was our first encounter, though not our last, and subsequently Didymusa went so far as to skin the dead snakes very successfully, and we brought home many a fine skin and rattle as trophies ; though, for my own part, I shrank from touching the creatures. They make a rattle every year, so that you can tell their age by the number possessed, the button at the end counting as one. I believe this variety is the diamond rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus] , inoffensive, inasmuch as it always tries to escape and never attacks unless disturbed or hurt. It cannot strike at a greater distance than three feet. One of the cowboys gave me a piece of a root, which they generally carry in their pockets ; when scraped and eaten it is an antidote to snake poisoning, but otherwise a poison in itself. CHAPTEE XII. TEXAN DANCING, RIDING, AND DRIVING. A FEW days after the adventure with the snakes, we received an invitation from Mr. J. R., the cashier of the stores at Junction City, to a lecture on the Holy Land, to be given by Brother Coleman, a Freemason, at the Union Church. The invitation arrived whilst I was out riding in the morning, and included ourselves, Mr. Taylor, the Boss, and his wife, and I found Didymusa in a great state of alarm on my return. " A queer place, this Junction City," the Boss had told her ; "I expect we shall all have to sleep in one room." As the " Buckboard " accommodated only two persons, we were to set forth in the springless waggon. Each took a vacant seat beside the Boss in turn, the remaining three occupying two chairs and a reversed box ; but as the road was rough, and tree stumps were frequent, we bobbed about and were jostled and jolted in so extraordinary a fashion, that we finished our journey on the floor of the waggon. These waggons contain a seat or two, fixed on an iron frame and movable, to allow the sides to be heightened when the five bows, or wooden arches which support the canvas tilt, are attached. When the sides are heightened, the seat is fixed on top of the extra frame and becomes 96 Texan Ranch Life. quite lofty, whilst the waggon is better suited to the conveyance of freight. The lecture, which might have been more interesting, was varied by the singing of hymns, suggesting the rise and fall of a wailing wind. The company, to several members of which we were introduced, proved rather amusing ; the ladies dressed in very bright colours -in light washing dresses for the most part, the scene being graced by the presence of a bride of fifteen. When Mr. J. B., all politeness, showed Didymusa and me to our room at the hotel before supper, the rest of the party entered and stayed a few minutes, the Boss exclaiming, " I told you what to expect ; " and his wife confirming Didymusa's fears, with " This is very nice ; just sufficient accommodation ! " Poor Didymusa was greatly concerned all the evening, and not entirely without excuse. As I have already mentioned, a Texan generally has three or four beds in his principal sitting room. It would not be properly fur- nished without them, and this particular apartment was used partly as a general reception and ladies' room, partly by the " drummers " (commercial travellers) for the display of their goods, as also by the Judges during the Court week. Subsequently Mr. Taylor declared that he had been similarly hoaxed, no room having been taken for him at the hotel, as he was to occupy Mr. J. R.'s own sanctum adjoining the store. This invitation presently brought another to a dance in the town, and as Didymusa could not ride, the Boss kindly offered his buckboard and a team ; one, a white horse, named Spider, which scared (shied) badly, and had a tendency to bolt ; the other, Jim, a bad baulker (jibber), n somewhat ill assorted pair. Directly I gathered the Texan Dancing, Riding, and Driving. 97 reins Jim threw himself upon the ground and declined to budge, Spider resenting his conduct by plunging violently, snapping one of his traces, and rearing over Jim's back. Didymusa sprang down with the agility of a lamplighter, and the Boss jumped into the vehicle. The harness was patched up, and, with his shouting and whipping, whilst several of the hands pushed the horse, and others turned the wheels, we at last made a start, driving round and round in a circle, and slackening the pace sufficiently to permit the Boss to alight, and Didymusa to be helped back to her seat amidst many remonstrances. However, we had made a start somehow, if with an unsatisfactory pair of horses, and drove down the hill and through the first enclosure at something like a runaway pace. But I was determined to let them go, rather than risk another standstill, and the Boss had cautioned me not to stop at the first creek. So we rattled along, by degrees they settled into a steadier pace, and Jim did not favour us with any more of the baulking pranks at which he was an adept. We were to sleep at the new hotel, where we also made our toilettes and supped. The landlady wished to know " whether we were going on the floor " ; and, making a guess at her meaning, I said, " Yes, if I am acquainted with the dances," having been previously informed that the squares were very intricate. " Then you don't belong to the church ! " she exclaimed. " Yes, we both belonged to the Church of England," I assured her ; but she remained sceptical, as no one who belonged to the " church " was in the habit of dancing. By " church," I think she understood one of the several bodies of dissenters, many of their members being forbidden to dance. H 98 Texan Ranch Life. " You've a fine suit of hair, and mighty long, too," she said, and went on to inquire whether I was " full- blooded English," and where I was " raised." " Wale, I'll declare ! " she cried, when I had satisfied her desire for information. The dance was quite a smart affair, supper being provided at 10 o'clock, and dancing kept up vigorously until 2 a.m. Of course, the men considerably outnumbered the ladies, and many were compelled to wait for partners till the night was far advanced. A number is given to each man, who dances when it is called out by the musicians. At a public dance each number costs from fifty cents to a dollar, the money going to pay the fiddlers. During the pauses in the intricacies of the mazy square, there are exchanges of candies, chewing-gum, and billets doux, which may be compared to the flowery mottoes in an ordinary bonbon, with an advertisement thrown in. The style of chewing-gum correspondence may be judged by the following lines : " ADORABLE ONE ! Where is the light of my eyes this dreary night? Darning papa's socks? Ah, me! the weary, weary injustice of cruel fate ! Tell me, dearest, tell me that as soon as your tiresome task is finished you will hasten to me. Remember the old meeting place. * * * I shall be there, with my heart beating in a wild double-shuffle. * * * I will bring whatever change I can raise to buy more of HeiseVs delicious love-letter juice. " Yours till we meet, " EVER THINE." There is a kind of master of the ceremonies in the person of the prompter, who sometimes dances, or sits beside the fiddlers to direct operations. " Now, then, gentlemen, get your partners on the floor " ; naming the dance. " Quord-reele," a " shorteesche," a " glide polka," or a " set." He also directs the figures of the " sets," ordering a c/iassez, dos-a-dos, reverse, t/alopade, or ladies* Texan Dancing, Riding, and Driving. 99 chain, at his own sweet will, throwing a good deal of life into the affair with his " Balance all swing your partners, now the ladies to the left, back again, swing your hands round, right hands across and how do you do, left hands back and how are you. Swing or cheat or swing somewhere and don't forget the broncho-rider, join hands round and promenade home," and so forth, making an endless variety of figures. The Texans cannot be described as graceful dancers, although they have some power of expressing the poetry of motion ; their figures are supple, and they swing and sway a great deal, with much facial by-play. Cowboys are not exactly light-footed, but they are very springy, and make fun with their high action, while they pirouette on their high-heeled shoes. They are extremely particular about their shoes, which are always of the best make and fitting to perfection, whilst most of them possess the distinguishing mark of small, shapely feet. A cowboy's garments may be sometimes rather dilapidated, but he would go without a coat or deny himself luxuries rather than wear a boot that had not a fine upper to its sole, or that did not fit like a glove. The boot is to the cowboy what the sombrero is to the Mexican ; its extra- ordinary high heels being partly to prevent the foot from slipping through the large wooden stirrup. Their boots are certainly not made to walk in. Spurs are now dispensed with at dances, except in the case of " rangers " or under-sheriffs in uniform. These men display their six-shooters, and are occasionally required to keep the peace. Sometimes the exuberant cowboy becomes uproarious, when he begins to shoot at the lamps and windows a signal for the company to make a general stampede. H 2 100 Texan Ranch Life. After one of these gatherings at a small and rather rough ranch, a perfect specimen of its kind, where spring water is as cold as ice, and straight coffee (that is to say, without milk or sugar) with cakes, and slices of goat's meat and biscuit, only, were handed round, I met my friend Mr. W., the lively and polished Bostonian, who smilingly remarked that " if some of my friends in old England were called upon to dance a quadrille after the manner of these backwood people, it would be a revelation to them ! " The next morning I had some trouble to start the team, but thanks to the help of several friends and possibly to the baulker's conviction that he was about to return home, we improved upon our setting forth from the ranch, Mr. H., knowing that Didymusa could not ride very- far, and thinking that she must be considerably handi- capped in consequence, insisted on lending me his light, two -wheeled, trotting buggy without a head, together with his bay-horse Button, standing fifteen hands. The pilotage of the buggy was undertaken by Didymusa in fear and trembling. She was told to follow close on the heels of the buckboard, but when we came within four miles of the Lechuza, we overtook one of the trainers and another English friend who was staying there, Mr. A. Whether the sight of his companions inspired Spider I know not, but at this juncture he " scared " in the most remarkable manner and bolted. The ridden horses joining in the sport, poor Didymusa was left to her own devices. Her story was that as my buckboard disappeared in the distance Button refused to move, jerking his head, backing, and switching his long tail until at last he managed to get the reins under it. Whilst Didymusa was leaning forward over the dashboard to release them, with her heart in her Texan Dancing, Riding, and Driving. 101 mouth, he took advantage of the opportunity to turn his head towards his home, and she found considerable difficulty in getting it round again. She was thinking it would be necessary to alight and lead the horse, when somehow she succeeded in starting him in the desired direction, though as this implied driving down the steep pitch to the last creek, her satisfaction was only partial. However, M. happened to be there fishing, and was only too glad of a lift. In the meantime I was careering along at full speed, and as we flew down a steep pitch which ended in a sharp curve, the wheels swirled, and I began to think my chariot would really come to grief, for it had seen service and the wheels looked as if they might easily part company from the axle. However, the opposite rise told upon the horses, which were nearly pumped out ; and so was I, for having no purchase for my feet, and no companion to wedge me in my place, I had been bounding about like an india-rubber ball during the violent oscillations of the buckboard. It was no easy matter to steer clear of the worst stumps and other obstacles, collision with any of which at this breakneck pace meant instant destruction. Mr. M., now acting as Didymusa's knight-errant, was a good whip, and overtaking me before I reached home, we enjoyed a fine race to the ranch. A Texan road or track, it must be remembered, is not level, like an English highway, although no stumps higher than four inches are supposed to be left in the middle of the track, and all able-bodied men are called out once or twice a year to take their share in repairing and clearing the roads. This duty can be avoided by payment of from one to one and a half dollars or by sending a substitute. Nevertheless there are always a good many stumps 102 Texan Ranch Life. left in the middle of the track which makes it extremely awkward to drive a single horse or spike team (two wheelers and one leader). But the single horse buggy is seldom used for these long rough country journeys, and with the double or four-in-hand team one can generally manage to avoid the stumps between the horses. Indeed the ihorses will take care of themselves on rough ground, and for this reason their drivers are much too wise to use tight bearing reins. Nor could the distances be accom- plished, to say nothing of the pace, in such an unnatural position. Few of the horses bore, and they carry their heads remarkably well. In New York, San Francisco, and other large towns I was sorry to notice that very tight bearing reins were in general use. Not to prevent the horses from " falling down," as an obstinate old coachman in England once suggested ! Oh, no, the American is honest enough to admit that he does not use the bearing rein for that purpose. " Appearance, ma'am," he says, " is why I use it." All honour to Her Majesty, our beloved and respected Queen, for setting so excellent an example in forbidding the use of bearing reins on her own horses ! Frequently, in joining a posse of cowboys on my rides, or helping them to drive when I came across a herd " Up trail," I listened curiously to their numerous tales of adventure on " rounding up," "roping," or running helter- skelter down steep mountain sides. Their ponies' legs were sometimes broken, or perhaps a back ; they might be strained or cut, but I never heard a fear expressed of their " falling down," or a hint of the necessity to hold them, up. It is perilous riding at times, and occasionally fatal accidents have occurred, riders turning head over heels during these rapid descents. But there is no jumping, a Texan Dancing, Riding, and Driving. 103 cow-pony generally swerving at a cactus bush, although I have seen a few of the more eager take them in their stride. I once witnessed a somersault of the kind just referred to. The " bunch " of horses which was being hunted had reached the level, and when once this happens you have to make time, or you soon lose sight of them in a wooded country. We were about half-way down the steep side of a range, and begun to put on speed, when T. E.'s horse suddenly heeled over. A moment of awful suspense ensued. T. E. lay on his back, apparently sobbing his life out, but, the shock once over, he soon recovered, shook himself, remounted, and both rider and horse escaped without apparent injury, those ahead knowing nothing of the accident. A little while before, a similar slip had occurred down a canon between Junction City and Kerville, when the rider broke his neck and the pony his back. In hunting in some sections where the rocky nature of the ground makes the horses very liable to slip, the shoes are "caulked" a sharp-pointed piece of iron projected downwards from the shoe ; very similar to our roughing nails. But in many instances, where the riding is principally confined to the prairie, shoes are dispensed with altogether. The cow-pony, of mustang origin, in some cases crossed with the Spanish breed or other imported stock (in the case of Canadian horses, generally French), is a weedy-looking little animal, but plucky, and possessing great endurance, frequently doing a hard day's work on nothing but his native grass, and keeping himself in fair condition in a territory where grazing is good and the mesquit grass (Bouteloua oliyostachya), a rich native grass, is abundant. I have been surprised to see how gamely these ponies 104 Texan Ranch Life. between thirteen and fourteen hands will carry- twelve, fourteen, or even over sixteen stone, to say nothing of the heavy saddle. They have no knee action a great advan- tage when riding in military fashion but their lope or canter is very easy, and they gallop evenly with a long stride, on account of their length of leg to the hough, and move with their hind legs well bent and under them. Their staying power is not great, and I found later on with my larger horses that I won any race longer than half-a- mile. For the quarter or half-a-mile they are extremely swift. "Pacing," "fox-trotting," or " single -foot " gaits are not desirable in the true type of cow-pony, and are unsuited for travelling over rough ground ; nor does the cowboy require high knee action. He often rides twelve or fourteen hours a day, week after week, " shucking " along and never rising in his saddle, the exertion of which the livelong day, with the thermometer at ninety-eight degrees in the shade, is not to be dreamed of. The pony, knowing his duty, jogs along with the reins hanging on his neck, whilst the cowboy twists his little cigarette between his deft fingers, or chews his tobacco, or the gum which his " best girl " has given to him at the last dance. Very often the particular cow or pony or bunch of either is not found for weeks, perhaps never, when there is no " running." I used to think that in some cases this existed only in the imagination. Although in running it is desirable to keep pretty near, if you " crowd " or run the animals too close, they are liable to break up and scatter, which is fatal to a good capture. Range after range is climbed to survey the surrounding country, without the use of glasses, and at first I was astonished to hear Charlie C., the Lechuza Texan Dancing, Riding, and Driving. 105 trainer, say, " No ; that ain't ourboonch," whilst the only visible cattle were a mile distant on the opposite mountain or intervening table-land. But with experience I found that he judged by the general appearance of the bunch, it being manifestly impossible to distinguish the brand. The movements of heads and tails would show him whether they were cows or horses, and he was familiar with all the bunches on the range, whoever their owners. He possessed a pretty little bunch of his own, although he owned no land. I soon grew familiar with his bunch, on account of its predomina- ting dun colour. It comprised a few skewbald ponies, too, these and the piebald being named paint, and chestnuts sorrel. Some of the bunches contained curious mixtures : flea bitten brown and flea bitten grey being prevalent in one, with some sorrels. This was a bunch of superior cow ponies, crossed with foreign bloods, and standing from fifteen to sixteen hands. Mares are never used in Texas for the saddle, and very seldom in harness, unless for slow draught, or agricultural work. CHAPTEE XIII. SHEEP DIPPING, BREAKING IN BRONCHOS, VISIT TO TEXAN SQUATTER. THE evening after my return from the dance, the sheep were brought up and driven into the corrals in readiness for dipping on the morrow. Very young lambs were not put through the vat, and those old enough to undergo the process were divided from the sheep, as they did not require so strong a solution. The Boss this year was buying a new preparation for the dipping, which seemed poisonous and unusually strong. The object is to destroy the scab, which is contagious and so general that all the sheep suffer from it more or less. Through some misunderstanding of the orders, the herders brought up their flocks a day too soon. Some people from a small neighbouring ranch had been using the dipping vat, and it was not yet prepared for the recep- tion of our own sheep. There was a consultation to decide whether the flocks needed water before the operation. Sheep are not very thirsty animals, the dew and the succulent roots (when these form their food) supplying all the moisture they required. Finally the Boss settled that they should have their bath before going down to the river to drink. But the night was very hot, the fretfulness caused by their separation from the lambs doubtless accelerated their thirst, and the result was disastrous. c Sheep Dipping. 107 A certain number of sheep are caught and thrown into the vat at the end by the pens, whilst the Mexican herders and other hands stand by with forked poles to dip the frightened animals as they swim past. Then the sluice gate is opened at the further end to release them, a sloping board being fixed for the water to run back into the vat. There was a fearful crowding at the place of exit, and the sheep seemed very glad to be free again. We had seen many of them drinking as they swam the length of the long vat, and during the night 150 died in consequence of swallowing the new dipping preparation. The following day fifty more succumbed. The carcasses were carted away some distance, but the wind happening to change, the stench became awful the next day. It was then decided to try cremation, and after supper the Boss, who was terribly cut up at his loss, went with some of the boys to see how the bodies could best be burned. As we watched the flames rising in the darkness we all felt exceedingly depressed and somewhat unwell. On the Boss's return a bowl of punch was brewed, and, Didymusa and I having returned to our room to write home letters, Mrs. Boss brought some of it there. After this there was not much annoyance to the house- hold, but for weeks subsequently, on passing North Creek, I fancied there was an unpleasant odour, and the ashes smouldered for a long time. Of course, the Turkey- buzzards collected, thirty or forty of these useful scavengers doing their best to help us ; but there was really so ample a feast, and decomposition takes place so quickly, that on this occasion the result of their efforts was incomplete. A team of young colts were waiting to be put for the first time into harness ; and being glad to find something to divert his mind, the Boss set to work on them. He did 108 Texan Ranch Life. not know the meaning of fear, and it was impossible not to admire his courage. He was always ready to ride or drive any of the young bronchos, and indeed, like most naval men, to go anywhere and do anything. He had not been a successful man ; a perfect gentle- man, honest and straightforward, he was easily imposed upon, and had been completely duped by the worthless person he took into partnership on his first advent in Texas. The marvellous gift which some seem to possess, the ability to turn all they touch into gold, was not his. More sinned against than sinning, he may have lacked that power of dogged perseverance, which, allied with a thick- skinned unsusceptibility, appears to help people along in the world better than more brilliant endowments. He would soon flag and grow tired of manual labour ; and was always prepared with a convenient excuse ; how could he keep on, when he had already sprained his back once when roping a steer ? Well, the bunches of colts in the corral were roped and thrown by the trainer, thus to expend some of their strength in pitching. This was their first handling, then, the waggon having been brought up, they were at last harnessed. Despite the united efforts of the hands, they broke away from the pole time after time, damaging the harness, which had to be " hitched up " again and again. Presently there appeared a chance of success ; the Boss was in his seat with the " lines " in his hands, Mr. A. H. and Charlie H. climbed up stealthily by his side, each holding a rope tied to the fore- leg of one of the bronchos, so as to throw them to the ground if they really got beyond control. Then came the word of command, " Loose their heads." What a rush, what a clattering, as they plunged on their mad career, with loud snortings and wild screams, such as Breaking in Bronchos. 109 I never heard from any other horse but a broncho. The Texans call it " bawling." The Boss succeeded in steering clear of the posts and rails round the first corral, but they actually charged a large heap of firewood, and in their pitchings managed to leave it behind, the waggon wheels of course being much entangled. It was indeed a " prairie-schooner," opposing great waves, we all following in its wake, either to lend assistance or to pick up the pieces, as the case might be. The waggon was soon free of the firewood, but its rattle and jarring whilst surmounting these obstacles increased the terror of the young and previously unhandled team ; in fact, it was enough to frighten the oldest " screw." Off they dashed at a greater pace than ever, leaving the track and making for the mesquit, until lost to sight. The course of the waggon as viewed from the rear, with its swaying tail, was indescribable ; we could trace it for some distance by the broken mesquit, and see that it had had a narrow escape from a spill against a larger tree, from whose trunk a piece had been torn clean away. However, after some hours, the chariot returned in triumph, all unhurt except Mr. A. H., who had received a slight kick ; for, on nearing an almost impenetrable thicket of chaparral, the Boss could not turn the horses' heads, and was compelled to have recourse to the ropes to throw them down. In getting away again, one of the team kicked Mr A. H. on the ankle. Poor little beasts ! they returned greatly subdued, covered with foam, and completely worn out. The breaking to saddle is a process of still greater severity, so sudden and rough that it may almost be described as brutal, and the better and the more courageous the pony, the worse its treatment. Considering the high 110 Texan Ranch Life. price of all manual labour, and the comparatively small value of animals, it would not pay to spend much time over their training, which is usually accomplished in one day. The ponies having been " rounded up " and driven into the corral, and those not required " cut out," they are " roped " (lassoed), and thrown again and again, until the trainer and his assistants can work their hands along the rope to get sufficiently near to bridle and bit the young colt, the bit being invariably a very severe one. All this time the pitching and bawling are something terrible to hear. In the same manner, when the colt is on the ground again, an attempt is made to put a saddle on his back. This will be thrown off a dozen times or more ; but having eventually succeeded in fastening the girths, the stirrups always being tied down, the trainer vaults into the saddle. During the saddling the pony is generally blindfolded ; but, the bandages now removed, the assistants throw the end of the rope to the trainer and lose no time in jumping aside, this being the moment for renewed and violent pitching. Even if the pony were of so tractable a disposition as to start without this usual gymnastic display, he would be spurred till he began it. Occasionally the trainer is thrown, when roping, throwing, and blindfolding begin all over again. But these men are wonderful riders ; they could sit a flea, or an animal with the extraordinary jumping powers of that insect. Their agility and suppleness are marvellous, but they all relinquish the training business at twenty-five ; often before attaining this age. The breaking-in of the bronchos in this sudden manner by mere brute force was, like the branding, no pleasure to witness, and only a desire for information Breaking in Bronchos. Ill induced me to visit the corrals while it was going on, and this but seldom. Didymusa and I always endeavoured to induce these people to be kinder to their animals, and in some instances I hope we succeeded. But I must confess that, taking into account the large number of ponies to be broken in and the short allowance of time to do the work in, it is difficult to discover a remedy, for the sudden terror awakened in the poor bronchos, though in a few cases this might easily have been mitigated. I remember one broncho a black of great courage and determination, which would have turned out a better horse with more gradual and gentle treatment. In pitching, it is, perhaps, needless to say the horse lifts his four feet simultaneously from the ground, his head and tail almost meeting, his back arched like a bow ; in fact he nearly doubles himself in halves. The only way to keep your seat is by perfect balance, suppleness of the loins, and the use of the stirrups, for which reason they are always tied. This black broncho possessed extraordinary pitching powers ; threw his trainer several times, and was unusually difficult to bridle and saddle. He was so severely jerked with the cruel bit, besides being thrashed with the end of the rope, that blood poured freely from his mouth, and he was tied up all night, saddled and bridled, to a corral post. This was done to tire him out, and though the blood still continued to flow, the poor beast refused water. The following morning he was again blindfolded, when he began to pitch once more, but his strength failing, the trainer was able to keep his seat, and the horse was ridden almost to death. He became a confirmed pitcher, and little wonder, after the treatment he had received. But almost all these horses are prone to pitch under the influence of fright or excitement, or during a snap of cold, 112 Texan Ranch Life. if the saddle be put on their backs without first having the chill taken off ; even the coldness of the bit has the same effect. When the trainer, especially if he is a Mexican, starts off victoriously the first time on a broncho, he waves his large sombrero and shouts frantically ; his wild cries mingling strangely with the bawling of his terrified steed. These wild horses naturally dread the near approach of a human being ; since if they retain any recollection of the incident, their last encounter was for the painful purpose of branding. Having been once ridden in this fashion, they are sent to market and described as " broken in ! " Unless the burden of grief is very heavy, one's troubles in this climate, with its busy, active life, and invigorating air, and constant sunshine, soon pass off. It is impossible to nurse depression for any length of time, and so the Boss's disappointments in connection with the sheep dipping were quickly forgotten. During my wanderings on Maize I never missed an opportunity of becoming acquainted with the small squatters, who were remarkably friendly and hospitable always ready to place all they possessed at one's disposal. Thinking a little change desirable for Didymusa, I persuaded her to saddle Roche and accompany me to call upon my new acquaintance Mrs. B., who intended shortly to migrate with her husband farther west, " this country being no good to them now quite used up." Which meant that, as so much of the land was being brought under fence, and they had no money to buy, their cattle were pretty well starved out. Captain B., who had held a commission during the Civil War, was a tall, thin, gaunt man, with a typical American head. He used to talk a good deal of his posi- Visit to Texan Squatter. 113 tion " 'fare the ware," when he owned slaves, and was not obliged to wait upon himself, his son " Buster " (I never heard him called by any other name) listening the while with evident admiration. Their abode was of the log hut description, its crevices stopped up with odd garments, and so forth. Two large bedsteads, and one small one in a corner for their little girl Mattie, occupied the best part of the reception room. Near the hearth stood the large spinning wheel, with which Mrs. B. industriously spun the yarn, and made by hand the " domestic " (calico) for her household. The great wheel flew rapidly round and round, while she manipulated the threads, which soon got mixed up when I tried my prentice hand. Mattie, a little girl of ten, with luxuriant red hair, and large freckles on her face and hands, trotted about, with naked legs and feet covered with dust and dirt. Boots were quite a punishment ; but, on special occasions, when these were thought necessary, she always wore bright red hose. She could milk the cows and help her mother in the house a perfect child of the back- woods. Buster promised to be the counterpart of his father. There was a small, narrow addition to the building, where the meals were cooked and eaten, a rude trestle table standing at the farther end barely leaving space for the broken chairs and stools. A small gallery was attached to the front of the shanty, with steps, by which one entered. Not having forgotten the inevitable ropes, we fastened Maize and Roche to some posts fixed for the purpose in front of the house, and then went through the usual preliminaries of " taking off hats," " cooling down," &c. Didymusa's face was a study at this first introduction to a Texan at home ! i 114 Texan Ranch Life. But she became very deeply interested in the spinning, and the time slipped on, Mattie showing us her pretty pet deer, and creating a diversion by her constant efforts to thwart the hens, who were desirous to lay or sit under the beds. Noon and the dinner hour were fast approaching, and the report of Captain B.'s .gun could be heard in the distance. We had received a pressing invitation to stay, and Mrs. B. would take no refusal, so that we were interested to see her husband enter with a squirrel, which he immediately began to skin. This was a new dish to us, and the inevitable fried eggs and bacon also were pre- paring, with some kind of stew, which did not smell very appetising. During the affair of the sheep I had not felt very well, and any disagreeable odour brought on a relapse. Didymusa and I happened to be left for a few minutes to ourselves, rather dreading the approaching meal, when " Oh ! there must be something wrong, decidedly wrong, with that stew ! " When Mattie opened the door it smelled worse than the dead sheep, and I bolted outside the house, intending to mount and fly, followed by Didymusa, entreating me not to leave her alone. I never knew whether Captain B. overheard our discussion, but there had been another report from his gun, and now he emerged from the rear of his house carrying a dead skunk ; this fully accounted for the stench, which we had unjustly attributed to the stew. " Hold hard, Miss Jaques," he cried, " you're sure not going to leave us yet. Mees B. will have the squirrel fried directly ; she's a right smart cook ! " I must have looked sceptical regarding the squirrel, as I Visit to Texan Squatter. 115 informed him that I had not much appetite just then ; but he assured me he was not " shenan-neganning " me, and that the dish would prove a delicacy. He was " mighty sorry I didn't feel good " (always used instead of well), and finally I consented to remain. After all the meal was not very bad, the squirrel tasting very much like a young rabbit ; there also we first tasted Algerita jelly. Directly after dinner Captain B. perceived signs of a Norther, and as we did not wish to stay all night, it seemed expedient to be making tracks. We had only two or three miles to ride, but the wind " lifted " ominously, driving through the mesquit trees accompanied by a sharp shower of sleet and a sudden fall in the temperature. On reaching the Lechuza we were glad to draw near the cedar-log fire in the drawing-room where the Boss was seated having a " trade " with a Texan. Such persons were, as a rule, not invited further than the gallery, which allowed freer play for their chewing and spitting operations. Very often the trading took place outside, where the Texans invariably alighted, and assumed a squatting posture on the ground. When this man took his departure we all gathered round the bright fire, work being suspended for a time on account of the sudden cold, taking care to avoid that part of the room recently occupied by the trader. Both by man and beast a wet norther is more dreaded than a dry one, and its effects are more serious. A Texan will crouch over his fire, or, if overtaken while camping, he lights a bonfire, sleeping or sitting close beside it until the cold passes off. It is impossible to maintain circulation even by the most i 2 116 Texan Ranch Life. violent exercise, and as there is no trotting or rising in the saddle, an equestrian would be frozen. This particular norther came late in the season, but it was over before dark, to be followed by a lovely evening, when the boys, being less tired than usual in consequence of their rest, indulged in boxing and various games. CHAPTEE XIV. MILKING COWS, BIRDS, AMBULANCE CASES, TWO BENIGHTED TRAVELLERS. ALTHOUGH the Boss had lived in Texas seven or eight years, he was still an Englishman to the backbone. To have taken out letters of naturalisation as an American citizen would have entailed the loss of his pension from the English Navy. As he not only retained this, but had lately paid a visit to his native land, he was greatly respected as one who had not been forced to leave the old country in consequence of any shady transaction. This is not quite so obviously the case with all the Englishmen one meets in Texas, though Brother Jonathan never makes any painful allusions, welcoming every Englishman especially if he happens to have money in his purse. It was evident that the stains on the nicely-kept floor were an eyesore to the Boss, who would have had it as clean as a ship's deck. In the morning one of the boys was told off to wash the drawing-room floor with water and a broom, Didymusa coming to his aid. It was a regular turn out, all the ornaments being moved and dusted, and the goat and panther skins beaten. From my bedroom I could overhear F. H. and Didymusa arguing the point, he being a little too much inclined to scamp his work in order to get outside again, whereas Didymusa was nothing if not thorough. When he began to beat the mats against the 118 Texan Ranch Life. meat-safe she protested forcibly, even though he informed her that the dust would keep the flies away. In the end, I believe she took the broom to him, as I heard a good deal of scampering about, and " You really do hurt, Miss Hartley ! " With her handsome face and fine dark eyes she looked quite a little queen, when she managed the house department, and for the most part the boys proved very amenable to her rule. She soon succeeded in curing some of their slovenly habits, to be accounted for by the fact of their having formerly kept a bachelor ranch. M. was invaluable clever both inside the house and out ; helping to kill the goats, a good milker, a skilful rider and roper, able to handle the " sulky " (plough) and the cultivator in a workmanlike manner, to say nothing of his dexterity in catching and preparing my friend the cat- fish. He could make capital bread, was really an excellent cook, though not so handy with his needle as F. H. a very useful accomplishment for the young ranchman. F. H. used to make famous darns on his socks and patch his clothes, which often got sadly torn riding through the thick bush. He re-covered the deck-chairs with fresh sail cloth, repaired sacks, &c., &c. " Duck and pants " were the usual wear, with the addition of leather leggings for riding through very thick brush. But these are cumbersome appendages, and many good riders dispensed with them, taking their chance of slits and scratches. Mrs. Boss left the clearing away and washing of the supper things to me and Didymusa ; this was always a merry time, and we never lacked willing helpers. In many ranches, with the object of lessening labour, plated knives are used, which merely require washing and do not stain. These are not very suitable for cutting meat, however, as Milking Cows. 119 they have a very blunt edge. At the Lechuza we had English steel knives, but it cannot be said that they were not the cause of much additional labour, whereas Didymusa objected to uncleaned knives. Not many days after our arrival she hunted up the knife-board and some earth which served for bathbrick. The hint was taken, with the result that the knives were cleaned once a day in the evening. The lowing of the Texan cows is not very musical, and they had a habit of returning to their calves in the corral at awkward times and in detachments. Sometimes when we needed the milk badly before supper we saddled up and rounded them in ; at other times they came in bellowing after we had retired for the night, when the Boss would call some of the boys to attend to them. But for the most part they turned up before eight o'clock, and we used to go to the corral for the milking, at which Didymusa was becoming quite expert. The Texan cow does not stand patiently to be milked like the more gentle shorthorn or Jersey. If her calf is not allowed to suck first, she utterly refuses to have her milk drawn, or may take it into her head to upset both milker and pail. When the calf has sucked for a few minutes, you get it away as gently as circumstances permit with a rope round its neck, and the milker attempts to take the vacant place. The cows vary in disposition ; some are fairly quiet, but young ones cause a lot of trouble, and the calf gives you a lively time, frisking and jumping in its efforts to return to its " rnar," as American girls call their mothers. These calves are very strong, and 1 have been pulled to the ground on battling with one three weeks or a month old, very nearly receiving a kick in the face into the bargain. They are never brought up by hand, or 120 Texan Ranch Life. the cows would soon be lost sight of. Not being heavy milkers and having no artificial food or succulent grass, they never yield more than half a gallon each night and morning. Then the calves were allowed to finish, thus getting the richest part of the milk, the " drippings," in which the greater portion of the cream remains, and also relieving the bad milker from the odium of not having " milked out " and " dried off " the cow. It is very usual, on coming across a newly-calved cow, to drive her up for milking, even if she bears another brand, and neighbours never object, as you are supposed to give the calf sugar-cane or something to eat when it is able, by way of recompense. Indian corn was now standing between six and seven feet high ; the cultivator, with one horse, being used between the drills instead of hand-hoeing. Birds were very numerous in the trees by the river and about the buildings ; flocks of black birds with golden breasts, which were occasionally shot, and made excellent pies. Night and day the air seemed full of song and joyous twitterings. The eaves of the gallery were lined with martens' nests, or more correctly, this bird is the American barn-swallow (Hinmdo k&rreorum) ; the twit- terings could be heard all over the house, the doors and windows being always open to admit air and sunshine. And from the distance the red cardinal birds could be heard, their note being rather loud and shrill at times ; not equal to that of the mocking bird (Mimus poly (/lottos), who, when his red brother went to roost, would take up his position in a belt of trees to our right, as we sat in the south part of the house during the evenings, and warble throughout the night. I prefer the nightingale, although the mocking bird is a sweet singer. Nor did he have the Birds. 121 night all to himself ; the air always thrilled and vibrated with insect life, and at supper, or whenever a light was visible, legions of small creatures would come in and swarm over the table, falling half burnt into the milk jug and cups, and sticking in the butter, molasses, and jams. Mosquito blinds to the windows would have been an immense comfort, and I often wondered that when building so good a house the Boss neglected to add them. Fireflies darted about, lighting up the thick growth on the river banks at a discreet distance, but moths, mantis (a long-legged insect, of slender form and grotesque appear- ance), devil's darning-needles, and others, intruded upon our privacy. I grew rather fond of the katydid, which seldom entered the house, and was very cheerful with his long, shrill chirrup. Although it belongs to the locust family, I never heard of its committing any ravages ; a green insect {Cyrtophyllus concavuts), and arboreal. There were numbers of "blue" jays (Cyanocitta cristala) ; and the green jay (Xanthoura luxuord) is a very handsome bird, large and crested, having also a pretty note. The dear little humming-birds, too, were very fond of the belt of trees where the mocking-bird lived. When the boys found one of their tiny nests they would break off the bough on which it was built, and bring it to us as a souvenir. I have one that is ridiculously small, appearing incapable of holding even the minutest egg. Other birds were the Texan swallow (Et&bernagra rufciryata) and the chaparral cock, which was always in evidence wherever you travelled, with his head stuck out and his legs moving at a great pace. I believe he is a member of the cuckoo family. Whilst deer-hunting, some of these birds fell to our guns, their brown and white wings making trimmings 122 Texan Ranch Life. for our hats. They are so plentiful that I felt little com- punction, though I confess to a pang of regret when the humming-birds were robbed of their nests. One thing that struck me was the absence of large and rare butterflies ; very remarkable, with such swarms of birds and insects around us ! One morning a mare was brought up, her colt having broken one of its hind legs. Mrs. Boss, who had attended some ambulance lectures in London, was often very suc- cessful in bandaging wounds. In the case of a Mexican herder we had almost feared lock-jaw, but the disaster was averted by her skilful treatment. Poor fellow ! he was very grateful when she had dressed his thumb, and retired with many smiles and bows : " Muchas gracias, adios, senorita." Both Didymusa and I, also, wore Ambulance medals, but we were nothing loth to remain in the background when there was anyone else to render the necessary aid. On this occasion Mrs. Boss did not seem disposed to leave her kneading to turn " vet.," and, as she truly said, her efforts would probably prove useless, since we possessed no means to make a sling to keep the animal quiet. But the Boss having got some splints ready, Didymusa and I went to the corral and finally it was decided that I should be the bone-setter. The poor little colt was lying on the ground, held down by four of the boys, whilst the trainer supported the injured leg. It was a simple fracture, and, as he held it, no one would have supposed it was broken ; but directly the colt was allowed to struggle, the increased mobility became apparent, and, in moving the cannon or shank bone, the seat of the fracture, we could all hear c re/) if ax. The colt, being six weeks old, was big enough to prove Ambulance Cases* 123 a troublesome patient, but the limb was held very steadily, the splints could not have been better, and Didymusa kept them in position, while I padded and bandaged it to the fetlock. The bandage was so firm that we hoped it might not slip off for some -time ; but before many days the leg was dangling free, though I believe the bone united after a fashion, or else the lower end withered, as it was still able to limp after its mother. After the domestic work was finished, we seldom went to bed without a game of whist or chess or " reversi." By placing the table inside the drawing room window and the lamp outside on the gallery, we succeeded in obtaining sufficient light, and yet in baffling the moths, though occasionally they tumbled down the chimney of the lamp and extinguished it. One evening, having sat up later than usual to finish a rubber, we had just turned in and began to doze, when there was a tremendous commotion amongst the dogs ; and we distinctly heard a voice attempting to silence them, together with sounds of a horse's hoofs. This was followed by a consultation amongst the boys, and presently by the Boss's going to learn the cause of the disturbance. Mr. H., senior, having been to Junction City, and thinking he would return in the cool of the evening by moonlight, had lost his way, it appeared. He threw the reins on Tommy's neck, trusting that the horse would take him safely home ; with the result that he found himself at Lechuza, where Tommy had been "raised," Mr. H. having bought the animal from the Boss. There was not much ceremony; an unexpected guest could generally be supplied with a blanket, and find a place on the floor to lie down. The night being warm, Mr H. elected to sleep on the gallery, which was occupied by the 124 Texan Ranch Life. boys. He carried his own and other persons' mails, a piece of beef from the town for Sunday's dinner (he was a great hand at beef steak puddings), and some delicious little spring onions grown on irrigated ground near the city. Very kindly, he gave me a bunch of these, at the same time reminding me that I had not yet paid my promised visit with Didymusa, to him and F. I explained as the reason, that Didymusa did not think our slight one-horse conveyance particularly safe ; and indeed, as its narrow seat possessed neither back nor sides, there was really nothing to hinder us from falling out in case of a collision with a tree stump. The road, too, was a bad one, and I had never travelled over it before. Mr. H. suggested that I should ride over alone, and that if I cared to stay the night Mrs. M. would put me up, or I could sleep in the corn crib. Accordingly I started on this expedition, Didymusa asking rather wistfully when she might expect to see me again. She was always anxious about me, wherever I went, either alone or with others, and I felt a little guilty after- wards because I told her carelessly, that I should return some time during the evening, unless I slept in the corn crib. I declined to take the shorter and rougher track through the cedar brake, as I had not yet explored it ; the alternative route followed the road to Junction City for about eight miles, when it was necessary to cross the river and ride through some mesquit, in order to reach the parallel track to Bear Creek. All this I accomplished without trouble, but ex- perienced considerable difficulty in finding Mr. H.'s ranch. As I went to several wrong ones first, I did not reach my destination very early in the day. One ranch that I Two Benighted Travellers. 125 " struck " in my wanderings was interesting, being nearly, if not quite, the oldest in this part of Texas ; built with a quadrangle, in order that it might be better fortified against attacks of the Comanches. The country was wilder than the Lechuza district, the track leading for several miles over a table land, which skirted an extensive canon formed by Bear Creek, a tributary of the North Llano, on my left, whilst to the right, beyond, lay a fine stretch of grazing land, bounded by a range with numerous grand bluffs. I spent a pleasant afternoon rambling along the course of this pretty winding creek with my friends ; sometimes immediately under the bold bluffs which I had seen in the distance. Although I was sorely tempted to stay the night with Mrs. M., and to go on to Roca Springs the next morning, the recollection of Didymusa's anxiety led me to- decline, but I consented to remain for an early supper and ride home in the cool of the evening, by the light of the full moon. There is no twilight in this country, and the darkness sets in even more suddenly than usual when a high range of mountains shuts off the setting sun. I found this particularly the case on reaching the spot where it became necessary to strike off through the mesquit again, in order to cross the river and gain the other road. The sun was just disappearing, and the moon had not yet risen over the mountains to supply its place. The trail I followed in the morning was narrow and indistinct even by daylight, being, in fact, merely a sheep-walk winding in and out the mesquit. By the dim light of evening I could not distinguish it at all, nor the landmark, consisting of a . dead stump and a big stone, which I had observed in the morning on emerging from the brush. 120 Texan Ranch Life. However, an opening presenting itself, and, Maize being inclined to take it, I hoped it was the right one, and rode on without taking much heed, and feeling sure that the horse would follow the shortest cut home. Suddenly it occurred to me that he was taking anything but a short cut ; we ought to have been through the mesquit and over the river long ago. This was perplexing, and to retrace my steps would be more so. It had now become quite dark, fireflies darted through the bushes, the air rang with the noisy chirrup of the katydids ; while the moon was behind me and had not yet risen sufficiently to be of any service. I came to the conclusion that it was best to trust to Maize, although he was now taking me through some thick chaparral. Little did I imagine that he had come into the Boss's possession by way of a " trade," and was calmly making for the ranch of his original owner on the other side of the cedar brake, where he had been raised ; serving me, in fact, exactly as Mr. H.'s horse had treated his rider. It was the roughest ride I ever had ; sometimes Maize nearly slipped on his haunches as we went down a draw a kind of pass by which you can descend a canon ; or, as we rose again, scrambling with his nose between his knees and his body on the ground. I began to wonder how long this kind of thing was going to last, when we came across a bunch of horses, probably his own original bunch, since it was his evident intention to " run " them. There appeared to be no alternative, I had entirely lost my bear- ings, and could only hope that Maize would round the horses up to the ranch. This became even more exciting than climbing up and down canons in the nasty light, and, the moon being still behind me, I had quite enough to do, at the smart pace Two Benighted Travellers. 127 Maize was travelling, to dodge the trees and bushes. A good cow-pony always looks out for himself during a "run," taking the shortest angles, and making the sharpest swerves round trees, and you have. to dodge right and left, to lean upon his neck, and lift your feet in order to avoid the higher bushes. In spite of the utmost alertness, I managed to get my elbow pierced by one large mesquit thorn, which broke off in the flesh, and, while I protected my face with the hunting crop, there was a constant sound -of slits as others rent my skirt. But I did not care much about my old habit, as I had another at the ranch, pro- vided that my boots (which Crichel, of Chichester, had taken so much pains to fit) were preserved in a wearable condition. I was in an agony on account of these, as I had no second pair, and my heart sank when I heard the thorns and bushes dragging against the uppers as we tore through the thickets. At last we drew near a more open space and Maize began to slacken his pace, but to my dismay the bunch were disappearing without bringing us nearer the Lechuza or any other habitation. As Maize gradually dropped into a walk, I found time to think seriously of my position. I felt exceedingly hot after the brisk run so did Maize, who soon stopped entirely, and with his muzzle in the air, blew sharply through his nostrils, emitting a sound between a deep sigh of relief and a snort of triumph at having gained the upper hand and gained his own way. Then he calmly began to browse ! Beyond a doubt I had lost my way, and, as Maize apparently did not intend to take me home again, I should probably be compelled to stay out all night. My present posture leaning over the saddle to facilitate his feeding was conducive to back -ache, and, 128 Texan Ranch Life. seeing a large, tempting-looking rock, I dismounted and sat down upon it. How I appreciated the inevitable Texan rope, now uncoiled, with one end in my hand, giving^ Maize its length to feed. The night was warm, the temperature never rising after sundown in this healthy region ; indeed a blanket is often acceptable, as a sharp breeze generally rises about two a.m. The benighted cowboy stakes his pony, makes a pillow of his saddle, and rolls himself in his blanket or slicker. Should the night be chilly, he makes a fire and sings him- self to sleep with his favourite song. " Then bury me not on the lone prairie. With the turkey buzzard and coyote In a narrow grave, six foot by three," &c. But I did not feel sufficiently at home to stretch myself at full length on the " lone prairie." .No music, as far as- I know, has ever been written to these words, but I had heard them sung once or twice, and as I tried now to recall the air, I must have dozed. I was startled by a tremendous crash and crackling in an old dead tree a few yards behind me, and some wild animal bounded like a cat to the ground and pounced upon some prey in the bush. The animal must have been a panther ; its victim uttered a piercing shriek, and I became wide awake on the instant. Without losing a minute, I clutched my rope, drew Maize to the stone, and felt better when I was once more in the saddle. For a few seconds I had been possessed by fear ; every story I had heard of Indians, panthers, wild boars, coyotes, wolves, and rattlesnakes, flashed upon my mind. Feeling angry with myself for leaving the saddle, and still more with Maize as the indirect cause of my fright, I determined that instead of browsing to his heart's content, he should carry me steadily on throughout the night. Two Benighted Travellers. 129 The moon was now at its zenith, shedding a flood of silvery light all around me. Remembering the direction in which I had come, and not wishing to explore the difficult paths of the canon again, I turned the pony's head in the contrary direction, and, perceiving a large belt of trees, rode nearer and discovered that these were cedar. I now felt no doubt that I had arrived at the farther side of the Lechuza brake ; and, in any case, decided to risk it and ride through. Once more, with the trees and the dark shadows, the riding became difficult, but after taking a circuituous route to avoid the denser places, I perceived a long streak of light, and to my intense delight, realised that I was out of the wood. Profiting by my hunting experiences, I climbed a peak not far distant from the cedar brake, and surveyed the surrounding country. My best hopes were confirmed there lay the Lechuza below, looking beautifully serene with the moonlight shining on its shingle roof. The air feeling rather chilly and damp, I loped along with renewed spirits, away from any track, straight across country. I knew it must be considerably past midnight, and wanted, if possible, to get in and steal a march on my friends. The dogs, who had become very fond of me, helped my plans ; instead of rushing out and barking furiously as they did when Mr. H. arrived the previous night, they must have recognised the horse ; for they came bounding towards me, whining and fawning, and jumping to lick my hands. I quickly off-saddled, and having turned Maize into his lot, carried my saddle and bridle to my bedroom, where I always kept them for safety. Didymusa was lying awake speculating as to the comfort of the corn crib in which she believed I was sleeping. My appearance at the breakfast table created great astonishment the following morning, 130 . Texan Ranch Life. but when the Boss and the rest heard of my adventure, instead of laughing at me, they agreed that I had shown a great deal of pluck and grit. So far my escapade ended very agreeably ; it is pleasant to win the good opinion of others and to be on easy terms with yourself. CHAPTEE XV. DUTIES OF YOUNG RANCHMEN RESOURCES OF KIMBLE COUNTY, TEXAS. THE following night I was slumbering peacefully on the gallery, when I was awakened by a great commotion amongst the swallows. It must have been between two and three o'clock, and the light of the moon, now on the wane, flooded the gallery floor. The birds would not begin their busy day so early, in the natural order of things, and their screaming and sudden flight to and from the nests under the eaves, was quite different from their usual manner of heralding the morn with sweet, liquid, gurgling notes and twitters of love and happiness as they fed their young. My attention was attracted by something bright, sliding down one of the pillars, to the accompaniment of sounds of slipping and scraping, and the next moment I saw a large snake, four or five feet in length, glide rapidly along the outer ledge of the gallery in a line parallel with that in which I was lying. There were not two yards between us ; the moonlight gleamed on its writhing body, and brightened the sheen of its silvery scales ; then, to my intense relief, it disappeared over the opposite end of the gallery. Although this was a far more " creepy " experience than that I had acquired on the " lone prairie " the previous night, pride prevented me from taking up my blankets (it K 2 132 Texan Ranch Life. could not be called a bed, since the only mattress was a travelling rug) and joining Didymusa within the room. It was a perfectly harmless snake, although scarcely less loathsome to me on that account, being one of the fangless variety known amongst the Texans as the mouse or chicken snake, and often encouraged at the ranches to destroy the mice, which are very troublesome. In the present case it was seeking martens' eggs, but the hatching^ season being over, I hope it was disappointed. Mrs. Boss's antipathy was as intense as my own, and she told me that though at one time there were a good many about the house, she had hoped and believed they were all killed. I have never seen a specimen of this snake at the Zoological Gardens. Our party at the ranch had recently received an addition. Two new pupils, Mr. Field and Mr. Steelson, had arrived, one having failed to pass his examination for the army, the other to qualify as a doctor. They were not in the least fitted for a colonist's life, nor did they frame well as incipient ranchmen. The premium for a pupil was five hundred dollars (100) for the year, out of which the English agent received fifty dollars commission. In the present cases the money was quite thrown away. The careers of all these young men formed interesting studies. However well lined their pockets had been on leaving home, they generally arrived without a cent, often finding it necessary to draw on the Boss to pay the stage fare from Kerville. They were usually supplied with an elaborate outfit, utterly unsuited to the life on which they were entering, their dressing-gowns and such luxuries being only in the way. Unless they were destined to become the prey of the mice and weevils (which, unless one is extremely vigilant, destroy everything), these superfluous. Duties of Young Ranchmen. 133 raiments passed into the hands of the Texans ; traded away for ponies, cows, or some kind of animals, the English boy, you may be sure, not getting the best of the bargain. Mr. Field very soon parted with some of his gorgeous apparel in exchange for " hogs." A few hogmen in this country seemed to monopolise the business in swine, keeping hounds to hunt up these half -domesticated wild boars, who made terrible ravages in the Lechuza garden occasionally, this not being provided with hog fences. So Mr. Field made a " trade," and, bartering some of his best suits, became the proud possessor of hogs. But from that day until he quitted the country two years later, he never succeeded in recognising his own property. Hogs which run on the range are generally ear-marked, and I may say that the disputed ownership of these animals is the cause of more " six-shooting " than any other kind of pilfering. The people thereabouts, as an old Scotch surveyor explained to me, " don't understand the difference between meum and towem." About this time a noted hog-stealer had been hunted down, and Mr. C., the under- sheriff, was compelled in self-defence to use his revolver with fatal effect. Cavillings arising out of the similarity of brands often end by a bullet being put through the head of one of the claimants. Mr. Field's hogs became a household word at the ranch, and if ever we happened to catch sight of any swine during our rides, the other boys began to " chaff " him. " Look, Field, there go your hogs ! " Off he would ride in the expectation of getting near enough to gain some idea what his recently acquired property was like, but with squeaks and grunts the animals 134 Texan Ranch Life. were soon out of sight, leaving him disconsolate and none the wiser for his chase. Later on in San Francisco I was informed that an Englishman might always be known by his heavy boots and ponderous footsteps ; and new hands are nearly always laughed out of wearing their good English boots, with their " ugly square toes, thick soles, and low heels." Then they try to squeeze their feet into the dandified, lightly made, high heeled boots, such as the genuine cowboy are so proud of. The Training College in England which prepares young men for a Colonial life is a very necessary and useful institution. For, as a rule, they come out entirely un- prepared for the life in store for them, and the sudden change to hard manual labour and plain fare often proves a severe trial to the stoutest heart, even when there is a sincere desire to overcome difficulties and fight a way strenuously to success. To those who have left home merely to escape reproaches for wasted time and opportunity, the life must be really insufferable ; being brought into contact, as they are, with matter of fact, determined bread winners, and finding " loafing round " a game which scarcely meets with success. Money is always wasted upon such as these ; gambled away in some town before their arrival at the ranch, or otherwise drawn into the pockets of sharper-witted Brother Jonathan. Probably it will change hands even during the voyage across the Atlantic, and in this case some attempt to gain a livelihood on landing will become absolutely necessary. Of course, I am now referring to the more pronounced type of ne'er-do-well, but it is to be feared that many such abound in every town in the Union. Duties of Young Ranchmen. 135 But a steady man, who is master of any particular profession or trade, is seldom or never at a loss ; while, in default of this, a brave, stout heart, a good pair of honest working hands, with a modicum of common sense, will generally ensure a good beginning, and command a satis- factory result. Even with this desirable outfit, it is well for a young man first to gain experience of the country and its resources, and the ways of its people ; to find out whether he is likely to suit them and they him ; whether he has any bent and capacity for stock-raising. When he has learnt his own mind, and gained sufficient experience to judge of an opening, then is the time to help him with money to good advantage. The duties required of a ranchman are numerous and varied. No knowledge comes amiss. He should be a Jack-of-all trades. That he must be a first-class rider goes without saying ; a good horseman will soon adapt himself to the different saddle, seat, &c. He needs to be a cattle- man and agriculturalist combined ; and, although he will not be called upon to follow the plough, the " sulky " being invariably used, a knowledge of all machines and implements of husbandry, and of gardening tools, will be found useful, and, unless he possesses a natural aptitude for handling them, as occasionally seems to be the case, save him from many awkward mistakes. The ideal ranchman must be butcher, baker, carpenter, wheelwright, blacksmith, plain cook, milker a formidable list truly ; but it is a fact that each of these trades will have to be practised to some extent sooner or later. It is desirable, also, that he should know how to render first aid to the injured ; that he should, indeed, have attended the first five-course ambulance lectures in England. 136 Texan Ranch Life. Accidents often happen when one is many miles from surgical help, just as a horse may require shoeing at a long distance from a forge. Large ranches have their own forges, and make the necessary shoes. To travel thirty miles to the nearest blacksmith's on every occasion would be out of the question. A man who can do the plainest cooking commands from twenty to thirty dollars a month, with board and lodging. A young ranchman starting with limited capital will not be likely to keep such a one, and should accord- ingly know how to make and bake bread, in case he runs short, as also the hot biscuit ; to prepare his porridge, fry his eggs and bacon, and perhaps to turn out a good plain pudding. When a man is quite single-handed, as often happens to begin with, the pressure on his time prevents the fulfilment of some amongst his multifarious duties. He invariably neglects, at first, either the domestic arrange- ments or the outside calls upon him. But, by-and-bye, he is able to adapt himself to circumstances and effect a com- promise distributing his labour as far as it will go, doing a little of this and a little of that, and so attaining a happy medium. The interiors of some bachelor ranches would startle many affectionate relatives in well-appointed English homes. But often enough an untidy, not over clean shanty, with its unwashed crockery and general disorder, is indica- tive of a thriving cattle-man and agriculturist, too intent upon success, and too active in securing it, to bestow attention upon the minor details of housekeeping and personal comfort. If two or three young men club together, forming a partnership or a well-agreed little colony, there is division of labour and less weary up-hill work. Of course, it is a Duties of Young Ranchmen. 137 mistake to think of farming-out in Texas as in the old country, but a knowledge of husbandry is extremely helpful, though the differences of soil and climate need to be allowed for. The land having been selected, a portion will have to be stubbed (cleared of mesquit and other trees with their roots), and holes dug for the cedar posts to support the wire fence, which will border the ground set apart for Indian corn, cattle-sugar-cane (sorghum), maize, oats, &c. Then there will be the sowing, harrowing, and " hoeing " or cultivation ; and later on reaping and stocking. " Cutting machines " are difficult to hire and reaping must, for the most part, be done by hand. The cows have to be milked, the oxen, goats, or pigs as the case may be, to be killed, and the latter to be cured for bacon or hams ; a "smoke-house" being attached to most ranches for this purpose. In addition to all this, the young ranchman will require to hunt up the cattle, break in horses (if he can), to superintend the sheep herding, if he does not actually take part in it, and to camp out during the lambing season. And even if he should be fortunate enough to employ hands for all these operations, he will be better able to direct them and judge of their capabilities, if he is com- petent to perform the duties for himself. In such a country, with such a climate, with steadiness and per- severance, the young ranchman has before him a magni- ficent prospect ; and to lend force to my own opinion I quote the following : " No doubt with the extension of the line from Kerville to Spofford Junction the land will become very valuable, and those who invested early will then congratulate them- selves. A great deal is already under fence, and becoming 138 Texan Ranch Life. so rapidly settled up that all the smaller squatters are fast disappearing from the scene, and are one by one driven on further West to a country, as they term it, less " used up." Of course, the fencing system is starvation to the impe- cunious squatter ; occasionally he actually gets enclosed and has to take up his camp and start whether he will or not." The following description of Kimble country is taken from the last report of the Commissioner of Agriculture. It contains some interesting statistics, showing the progress and development of the country : "Kimble County was formed in 1858 from Bexar County. It was named in honour of Greorge Kimble, who fell at the Alamo. It is situated in the South- Western portion of the State and has Menard County for its northern, Mason and Gillespie for its eastern, Edwards and Kerr for its southern, and unorganised county of Sutton for its western boundaries. Llano River runs through the centre of the county, which, with its tributaries, Bear, Copperas, Johnson, James, Saline, and Paint Creeks, furnish an ample supply of water for all purposes. There is sufficient timber for domestic purposes. The county is distinctly a stock-raising county, though the soil, which is a rich loam on the streams and in the valleys, is highly productive, and farming is carried on successfully on a small scale. The general surface is broken, in some places mountainous. The county was organised in 1876 and contains an area of 1302 square miles. The Methodist, Baptist, and other Christian Churches are represented by church organisation. Junction City is the county seat, population 700. Improved lands sell from two to six dollars per acre, unimproved for from one to four dollars. The average taxable value of land in the county is one dollar twenty -three cents per acre. Resources of Kimble County, Texas. 139 " It has a total school population of 570, with twelve school houses, and gives employment to eighteen teachers ; average wages paid teachers forty to fifty dollars per month. Kimble County lies between thirtieth and thirty-first degrees of latitude and just east of the 100th meridian. The rainfall is an average of thirty-six and a-half inches per annum ; the altitude about 2310 feet above sea level. The census of 1890 gives a population of 2243 souls, independent, intelligent, quiet, Christian people, contented at home and satisfied that they occupy one of the most favoured sections of this great State. " As a stock country it is unexcelled, and its valley lands are of the richest description and especially adapted for cultivation. The surface of the country is greatly diversified. The high mountain divides back from the rough breaks, and canons bordering the water courses are generally flat table lands ; while the valley lands lying along the water courses are smooth, level, well-drained, rich, agricultural lands. All the elements seem to conspire to give us an incomparable climate, unsurpassed on any part of the globe. " Gentle Gulf breezes temper the sunny days of summer and make a blanket a comfort at night. Sunstroke .is a thing unknown ; nor do we have any close, hot, sultry days. The winter months are as pleasant as the summer ; a moderate, steady cold, just right to enable the farmers to save and cure their meat. Snow seldom falls, and is a rarity. We seem to be out of the range of cyclones, hurricanes, and blizzards, as we never have any. Out door avocations can be followed throughout the year. With regard to health, it seems superfluous to say anything under this head, except for the benefit of strangers. There being no swamps nor stagnant waters, with the whole 140 Texan Ranch Life. surface of the country well drained, with an elevation of 2100 feet above the sea level, we are high ahove the malarial districts, an altitude that yellow fever and cholera cannot climb. We might justly claim that we are exempt from most of the ills that affect the rest of mankind. Our dry and bracing atmosphere, in connection with our mild and pleasant climate, presents a natural sanitorium to all sufferers from weak lungs, bronchial troubles, or consump- tion in its first stages, their maladies passing off so quietly and surely without physic, that, before they are aware of the fact, they are surprised to find themselves sound and well. " This high, dry atmosphere creates an appetite to eat and sleep, which are Nature's great renovators of the broken down human system. By breathing this bracing atmosphere, drinking these pure sparkling waters, away from all malarial tendencies, a person will greatly add to his Aatural life. " Bountifully supplied with a great abundance of pure, running water, there being about twenty-five large flowing creeks, Kimble is probably the best watered county in Western Texas. The streams are all bordered with heavy growths of pecan, oaks, elm, blackberry, live oak and mesquit. In the Eastern part of the county, large bodies of post oak and black jack. On the mountains, scattered in different parts of the country are large bodies of fine cedar, suitable for pickets, posts, rails and telegraph poles. The Llano valley seems to be the natural home of the pecan, the tree growing to enormous proportions, some of them measuring six to seven feet in diameter at the butt, and attaining a height of eighty to ninety feet, and often throwing out limbs fifty to sixty feet long. The majestic trees border every stream in the county, and are a source of considerable revenue. Resources of Kimble County, Texas. 141 " Taking one year with another, the yearly sales of this nut amount to about 50,000 pounds, the price received ranging from five to nine cents per pound. " This is an exceedingly profitable crop from the fact that it requires no labour but to gather and market it. " Many distinct and different characters of soil are found, embracing black land, red and black sandy, alluvial, mulatto, and chocolate ; all very productive of crops best suited to its character. Corn and cotton crops on the black bottom lands ; wheat, oats, and all small grains do better on the mulatto or chocolate, as they grow too rank, get top-heavy, and fall before ripe, on the rich black bottom lands ; vegetables, root, and all vine crops, do their best on sandy soils, although they produce remarkably well on all the different soils of the country. " Stock-raising has been the chief avocation of our people, and no section is superior to this. " Horses, mules, cattle, sheep, goats, and hogs, all do equally well. Feeding range stock is never resorted to. Hogs run loose and fatten on the mast, of which there is a great abundance and variety. Kimble County offers, to those seeking homes, great inducements. Good rich land, wood and water all combined on the same tract, can be bought for from two to five dollars per acre, and they will soon command a much higher price. " For the capitalist the field is broad and open, offering unequalled and safe investments in needed enterprises that always return a profitable dividend. Cotton, corn, wheat, oats, rye, barley, potatoes, pumpkins, melons, millet, and sorghum are all grown with satisfactory results, averaging with the favourable sections of the State. All kinds of garden produce do well and yield abundantly. It is however, in the raising of small grain that this county excels, wheat especially doing remarkably well. Tobacco- 142 Texan Ranch Life. has been grown experimentally with success, but no attempt has been made to cultivate it as a field crop. Stock-farming, as it is usually called, is the ideal of the farmers profession. It is also the most profitable, since it affords a happy com- bination of what has hitherto been considered two distinct avocations in Texas, to the mutual advantage of both It is conceded by all acquainted with the country that the hill lands are without a peer for pasturages. Horses are hardier and better developed if raised in such a pasture, they have better wind, better feet, greater strength of limb and endurance. It is a well-known fact that sheep do not thrive well on low flat lands, and anyone who has watched the habits of cattle will bear testimony to the fact that they exhibit the same predilection in this matter as do the sheep. It will be readily seen that when one. can combine the advantages of such pasture lands with the fading facilities of a farm, it presents an opportunity for the production of stock in the highest stages of development and perfection. " Kimble County has two towns, Junction City and London. Junction City is the county seat, and is situated on the confluence of North and South Llanos. It is beautifully located and is almost the exact geographic centre of the country. It does a large trade with the stock- men and farmers of an enormous territory. London is situated in the north-east part of the county, nineteen miles distant from Junction City. It is most favourably located in the post oak belt, surrounded by a very rich agricultural country. It has a mill and gin, which put up over two hundred bales of cotton in 1891. It has a popu- lation of three hundred people. In addition to these there is the nucleus of a town at Noxville, with post office and store. Noxville is surrounded by numerous irrigated farms and gardens, and has a bright future." CHAPTER XVI. PICNIC, TEXAN DANCE, FIRST VISIT TO THE " FIELD." DURING the last days of May, Mrs. Boss planned a long day's outing to gather Algerita berries ; we were to picnic for dinner and return in the evening, the Boss " running the sheebang " (keeping house), so that the whole party might go. There were quantities of Algerita bushes, with extremely prickly leaves, and little red berries about the size of a currant. They seemed to be a species of barberry of an acid flavour, and making a very nice preserve. We mustered twelve or fourteen saddle horses, whilst the waggon, with a two horse team, driven by the boys in turn, carried Mrs Boss, Didymusa, the provisions, and a large empty barrel, which danced about from one end of the vehicle to the other, to receive the berries. We were to go steadily, out of consideration for the new pupil. He said that he had not ridden much at any time, and it was almost his first experience in a Texan saddle ; a fact easy to believe when one saw the daylight between it and himself. The boys soon began to indulge in " running " and other pranks, with the consequence that Spider, an excel- lent cow pony, and therefore a bad swerver, who carried poor Mr. Field, soon left his rider helpless on the ground, There he lay for some minutes insensible, having, no doubt, 144 Texan Ranch Life. been badly stunned, as his head lay near a large rock. After a plentiful application of cold water he returned to consciousness, however, though he complained of a bruise over his temple. This was a sad beginning of our day's jaunt ; the boys put him in the waggon, but he became unconscious several times during the day, and anxiety on his account damped our ardour. The bushes being excessively sharp, it was impossible to gather the Algerita berries quickly in any quantity, so we tied pieces of sail-cloth and slickers round the bushes, which were then belaboured with heavy sticks until the fruit tumbled off, bringing with it numerous bits of leaves and wood. The sail-cloth was next spread out on the ground, and with large fans we winnowed the chaff from the grain. The berries are full of seeds, and rough in flavour like the barberry, but they make an excellent jelly somewhat similar to red currant. We came across some prickly pears of the cactaceous genus (Opuntia tuna), the first ripe ones I had seen. Mr. A. H. having prepared some of them with his penknife, I put two in my habit pocket. Our party scattered in all directions in groups of two or three, and on returning to camp, I put my hand in my pocket, intending to offer the fruit to Didymusa, but the sateen lining was full of the sharpest little thorns imagin- able, and I took care never to repeat the process ; these thorns being so fine that it is impossible to extract them from the skin, whilst yet extremely irritating. The Texans caution one not to eat many prickly pears, having an idea that they are conducive to what they call " cholera morbus." Before dinner most of the boys indulged in a bath in the creek, where one of them found, as he thought, a great prize a turtle, which was subse- Picnic. 145 quently conveyed to the ranch with the pleasant prospect of soup and cutlets. It proved a most unamiable animal, snapping at everything within reach, right and left, and, worse than this, to the general disappointment, the Boss declared it to he inedible an alligator turtle or snapper, (Machochelys lacertind). It was not a large specimen, weighing in fact under 201b., but there was something very uninviting about the appearance of its scaly head. We saw plenty of rabbits (called by the Texans cotton- tails), but these are never eaten, as they have the reputation of being full of worms. The dogs put up a " Jack rabbit," and created a little excitement by chasing it for a consider- able distance. But the rabbit was one too many for them ; a great deal too swift to be caught by one of these Texan mongrels a good kind of dog in his way, faithful, affectionate, an excellent guard ; originally bred from collies, but crossed in some instances, I am told, with the lobo (wolf), or even the coyote, which makes him savage. I never saw one swift enough to catch a " Jack rabbit," which is a species of the large American hare, with very big ears and long legs (the Texan Lepus callotis). They have black marks on the tail and eartips, and, their flesh not being sufficiently esteemed to be hunted as game, run perfectly wild in immense numbers. Well-bred English dogs cannot stand the heat, and some which were imported soon fell victims to the rattle- snake. F. H. was an authority on snakes ; it was he who taught Didymusa to draw the fangs before skinning the odious creatures, the fangs being poisonous after death. He would let the harmless snakes wind themselves about his body at their own sweet will. On one occasion, having caught and stunned a rattlesnake, supposing it to be dead, L 146 Texan Ranch Life. he slung it across his saddle. He had not ridden far before it revived and fastened its fangs in the upper of one of his boots, but though they penetrated the leather, fortunately, they did not touch his foot. Most cowboys carry a small piece of the rattlesnake root in their pocket, and one of them presented me with some, which still lies amongst my other little souvenirs of the country. It is a species of the Prenanthes, and scraped and swallowed after a bite is considered an antidote, otherwise it is a virulent poison. I was fortunate enough not to require to test its efficacy. A rattlesnake brought about my first experience of a " pitch." I was returning from Junction City after dark, taking a short cut through some undergrowth, when Maize placed his foot on a snake. I heard its rattle immediately, and the horse got a sudden " scare." The^ bite I believe is not fatal to horses, although an indelible scar is sometimes left by the fangs. The day after the picnic we were all busy getting the berries boiled down ; the result being ten gallons of preserve. Mr. Field did not entirely recover from the effects of his fall for two or three days, and then the boys organised a " coon hunt " for his edification. Between nine and ten o'clock in the evening when M. generally started to the river to look at his night lines, they all sallied forth. The sport began by placing Mr. Field close to a hole in the steep bank, holding a sack with its mouth open while they ostensibly went in search of the raccoon (the Procyon Jotor, somewhat resembling a large rat) which was to be driven up to the burrow, when he was to intercept the animal, and catch it in his sack. The boys appeared to Texan Dance. 147 be hunting industriously for their quarry, beating and shouting as they proceeded, but gradually going farther and farther from the river side and making a detour by way of the small pasture to the ranch, when they turned in, leaving Mr. Field patiently watching by the hole for the appearance of the raccoon. About three o'clock we heard them hilariously finishing the " hunt," driving the long-looked-for and still imaginary raccoon before them and showering upbraidings upon the defenceless head of the victim of the hoax, who, they declared, had fallen asleep, and thus allowed the quarry to gain its hole, instead of being cut off, and captured in the sack. One night Mr. Steel was taken out to shoot deer, to a cedar brake named Up -Indian, some miles from the ranch and quite away from all tracks. Having carefully staked his horse, he was sent up a tree ; and there the boys found him the next morning, Winchester rifle in hand, stoutly declaring that no deer had passed near ; he was quite sure that he had not fallen asleep, his position (as his companions had taken care) being scarcely comfortable enough to induce slumber, or at least he had only dropped off for a few minutes now and then but of course it was those few minutes, the boys told him, which had proved fatal and lost him the deer. About this time Charlie H. very kindly gave a dance in our honour. His ranch was within a few miles of the Lechuza, and, except the Boss, we all went in the best waggon ; the old waggon was used for breaking in colts, because it got accustomed to being smashed up. It was a glorious night ; a fortunate circumstance, the company being numerous, a good deal larger, in fact, than the shanty, which could not accommodate half the guests. L 2 148 Texan Ranch Life. The various waggons and buggies, with their teams and several hacks, were tied outside, where we also sat on all kinds of improvised seats, chatting agreeably until we were called to dance. One room had been entirely cleared of furniture, but its dimensions were small, and some of the boys remained patiently outside until the small hours before their numbers came round, and some went away disconsolate, having waited in vain. The other room was a kind of creche, crowded with the displaced furniture, which included a bedstead, this and every available space being covered with sprawling babies, some slumbering peacefully in the prettiest infantile abandon, some crowing, laughing, rolling over and over, and playing with each other, others fretful and tearful at the sight of so many unfamiliar faces. Charlie H. had married a girl of thirteen, who, although only nineteen at this time, looked more like an English- woman of forty. They had three children ; one sweet little fair-haired girl of three soon recognised me, and held out her plump little hands to be taken, possibly with visions of candy. To these country dances, families from surrounding ranches will travel long distances, if the host and hostess are popular. The young mothers love a dance, and, having no nursemaids, are compelled either to bring their babies or stay at home themselves, a room being nearly always provided for the little ones' reception. If such a room is not set apart, they are left in the waggons. On one occasion the Boss heard frantic cries, and going to see whence they came, found that a baby had fallen half through a hole in the broken floor of a waggon, where it hung suspended head downwards. For a long time I declined to believe the story, until subsequent obser- Texan Dance. 149 vation convinced me that such an occurrence was quite probable. We had a stand-up supper arranged on a little table in the narrow cooking-room , it consisted of black coffee without sugar, hot biscuits, and all kinds of cakes. On the centre of the table stood an erection which was intended to represent a cake, but composed of clay or stone, frosted with white of egg, and looking like a bride-cake. Being deceived by its realistic appearance, Didymusa asked for a piece to the amusement of the company, who quite under- stood that it was only intended as an ornament. We saw several similar table decorations at one time and another later on. Though we had come provided with wraps, these, not being needed, were left with our hats in the babies' room. When the time came to depart we went to recover our properties, but the lamp had gone out, and the rays of early dawn being as yet too feeble to enable us to distin- guish one object from another, we groped about amongst babies' heads and hands and toes, till at last Didymusa lighted upon what she thought was my blue llama shawl. " Oh, you have got my baby ! " a young mother exclaimed, and the slight mistake being rectified our hostess brought a lamp, and with the usual compliments and adieux and " come agains," we set forth, having thoroughly enjoyed the party. If there had been the remotest chance of the daily routine of ranch-life becoming wearisome, the monotony would have been entirely relieved during these few weeks by my efforts to make the most of my remaining time, and to become acquainted with the country and people. Didymusa had been informed at the dance that I was 150 Texan Ranch Life. " a lively box " and " peart " (pronounced peert), also that I had " caught on mighty quick." I had certainly tried to do my best, and now began to feel considerable regret at the prospect of leaving this sunny land and all my friends. For, a few weeks earlier, I had arranged to depart from the Lechuza about the middle of June, my intention being to set forth to the ranch at Calgary, in the North-West territory, taking San Francisco en route. It may be remembered that on applying to the agent in England in the first place, I was offered a choice between two ranches : one being the Lechuza, the other situated at Calgary, to which I now thought of removing. However, the hand of Fate again interposed. The day after the dance, Didymusa and I drove the light buggy into Junction City, in order to try to procure some lighter and simpler loose-fitting gowns, as we found those we had brought from England, with their heavy drapery according to the prevailing fashion, too heavy and quite unsuited to our present mode of life. Full blouses, which can be easily washed, are the best for bodices, with perfectly plain skirts. At the store Mr. J. R. asked us to carry back a basket of delicious mulberries (Russian, and on the average an inch long, and large in proportion) as a present to Mrs. Boss. In answer to my inquiries, he said they grew at " The Field," just beyond the town, and, as it was only a few minutes walk, he offered to take me to see the trees. The farm had been thoroughly stubbed, and ten acres planted with fruit trees peaches, plums, a few apples and pears, besides a hundred or more of these Russian mul- berries, which had been put in about three years ago. The greater portion of the orchard and garden ground was irrigated by means of ditches, the water being First Visit to "The Field." 151 conveyed from a dam constructed a few miles higher up the South Llano Eiver. The estate formed one block, including six lots as shown in the plans of the town, and the streets were cut in straight lines from the squares intersected. Two sides of this property faced the street ; one the main, the other a continuation of the road up to South Llano, the remaining two sides adjoining some other town property. There was a dear little one-roomed cottage, with a tiny gallery and trellis work porch running round it, covered with creepers and surrounded by ornamental shrubs. The place was for sale ; I was " stuck " on it, and determined to become its owner. No sooner said than done. Instead of returning immediately to the ranch, I went to the snug little office and wrote home several business letters in order to have the necessary sum at my disposal that the title deeds might be signed and transferred on my return from Cali- fornia. I intended to " run " " The Field " myself for a year or so, to build a shanty, and thus become landowner householder in America at one and the same time. Mr. J. R. undertook to write to Mr. Schmelter, the owner of the property, brother-in-law of my kind German friend, the merchant prince and principal store -keeper of Junction City. Mr. Schmelter had been very prosperous as a cattleman, &c., in Kimble Co. and its neighbourhood, and, desiring a wider scope, opened extensive stores at San and Antonio, where he was equally successful. This delay made us rather late in leaving the town, and the shadows of night began to fall upon us before the first creek was reached. As we walked up the last hill, what with the late hours of the previous night's dance, and the excitement of the day, I felt rather drowsy, but there was 152 Texan Ranch Life. little chance of composing one's self to slumber with Didy- musa as a companion ! She quite failed to appreciate the charms of this lonely drive, with only the fireflies to brighten the dark chaparral thickets. Numerous stars studded the lofty sky, the milky way appearing very clearly defined, whilst the cry of the katydid was incessant. But it was all wasted on Didymusa, and, as she hinted, on me also. Between her efforts to watch lest my eyelids should droop, and her sharp look out for tree- stumps ahead (I confess we made one or two rather close shaves), her anticipation of objects at which Button might conceivably shy, and the frequent application of her elbow to keep me on the qui vive, she certainly found ample employment. It seemed so ludicrous that my drowsiness was soon overcome, and I could not resist the temptation to " play possum," that is, to sham. It had been later than we imagined on leaving the city, or else we failed to make time on the road, which was really too dark for fast driving, and by the time we reached the Lechuza all the good folks were sound asleep. But we unharnessed and attended to Button ourselves, finally entering the bedroom as the drawing room clock struck midnight. Mr. J. E. had thoughtfully put some crackers in our small conveyance, with a bottle of gingerade upon a lump of ice, all of which we thoroughly appreciated before we retired to rest. CHAPTER XVII. SITE AND PLANS FOR OUR NEW HOUSE BUYING A WAGGON AND TEAM. THERE was so much to do and arrange in consequence of this new turn of events that it appeared doubtful whether we should be in a position to fulfil our engage- ments for starting to San Francisco. I abandoned the idea of going to Calgary, and arranged to have telegrams forwarded from San Antonio. " The Field " was already needing attention, delicious ripe peaches lying on the ground, and some acres of oats being ready for cutting. I had been advised to secure the services of a young German whom Mr. Schmelter had employed to plant the trees, and who also understood irrigation and pruning as practised in this country. In the morning, therefore, I saddled up and went in search of this young man, Anthony M (afterwards called Tony), and having come to terms, arranged that he should occupy the cottage with his mother. Although I undertook to make a small addition to accommodate their cooking-stove, &c., he was to enter upon possession in a few days. Then there was our own house, with its site, to be considered, the Boss, who had been the architect of his own, very kindly drawing out numerous plans. Having eventually decided upon one of these, I took counsel with the builder arid the mason, for it was to be a superior kind of shanty, with a stone foundation, a 154 Texan Ranch Life. chimney in the centre, with a good hearth for the drawing- room, and two fire-places arranged diagonally all in one block for the bedrooms. I looked forward to the winter and the possibility of a severe norther with considerable apprehension, and intended that the dining-room, &c., should be well heated by stoves. The large block of masonry which formed the chimneys was well executed by Mr. Archer, an Englishman, a relative of the late famous jockey, the stones being drawn from the bed of the river. I also directed that the floor should be boarded over the stone foundation, and that there should be no open space under the galleries, such generally becoming a receptacle for fowls, dogs, and all kinds of rubbish. The Boss planned my " lot " also, with a stable a kind of open stall building, a coach-house, harness room, and a rat-proof granary (lined with tin), and over the whole a capital loft for sugar cane and millet. Having received estimates for the building, I selected that of Mr. Lightfoot, who forthwith ordered the lumber, expecting that all would be ready for occupation about two months hence. Although houses are run up so quickly, in this climate there is no fear of damp from new bricks and mortar. But the solid stonework of this house consumed more than the usual time. Most of the lumber comes from the neigh- bourhood of Trinity Biver, and from the extensive pine forests of Eastern Texas, but these woods are supposed to furnish timber of inferior quality. It was estimated in 1880 that of long leaf pine alone the Eastern Texan forests had twenty billion feet standing, and that there were other pinewoods besides, making the timbered area of Texas twice as large as that of Alabama Site and Plan for our New House. 155 and the Mississippi combined. Hard wood also abounds in many parts of the state ; the latest accounts of its " timbered acreage stood thus : 46,302,000 acres ; and the timber standing, of all kinds, 67,508,500,000 feet." All the cedar required for my " lot," posts, stables, &c., was drawn from the Lechuza brake. In the evening the Boss gave me quite a lecture on irrigation, but" although he also lent me several valuable books ; I fear I did not sufficiently master the subject to profit by his adviqe. I made another journey to Junction City, where I hired a cutting machine at a dollar the acre ; and with this, and a loan of horses supplied by Mr. H., we begun to reap the oats. Instead of partaking of the hotel delicacies on this occasion, we bought some provisions and crackers and enjoyed an al-fresco repast with some of " The Field " peaches, in the pretty porch of our new home. The cutting machine proved to be an antiquated arrangement, and did its work in a very untidy fashion. The Boss advised me to purchase mules for the farm work ; but good mules fetch a higher price than horses in Texas, and apart from the question of cost, I wished to combine business with pleasure. The small acreage under cultivation w r ould not employ a team more than six months out of the year, and for the rest I intended to drive it myself ; so that mules were out of the question, as, though I had never driven any, I had heard a good deal that was scarcely in their favour. Their hardiness and endurance are undoubted, being surpassed, indeed, only by their stubbornness. On arduous journeys they will exist longer than horses, and forage better for themselves ; but when really overdone, a mule will not move another inch, he will lie down rather and be killed. As an old Texan told me, a mule can " rustle " this word meaning, in the Lone 156 Texan Ranch Life. Star State, to stir about energetically ; but I believe that in Nebraska and other places it implies stealing, and a hapless person got into pretty hot water by the innocent but erroneous use of the word during his travels. Later in the day, the team which I had hired for the cutting machine was offered for sale, but it had been worked almost to death on the stage, and showed more bone than flesh, with not a few galls when the harness was removed. Many of the stage horses were covered with galls at times, and I often thought what a field there was here and elsewhere for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Neither Didymusa nor I ever lost an oppor- tunity of trying to arouse sympathy for the dumb creatures we loved so well, but our efforts were generally in vain, though I nattered myself bye-and-bye, that the fine condition of my team, the marked improvement in their general appearance, to say nothing of their gentleness and increased intelligence, was not entirely without influence. Whilst declining to become the owner of the cutting- machine, I made an offer for Button, for whom I had taken a liking an excellent saddle horse, as well as all one could desire in harness. His price was seventy dollars, but in England he would certainly have been worth forty pounds or more. Mr. H. possessed a young horse of the same height (fifteen and a quarter hands) and rather a brighter bay. He had been in harness and saddle only a few times, was full of courage, fast, a pacer, and of a very kind disposition, provided you were gentle with him ; " but," Mr. H. added, " sakes alive, just upset him and he can pitch ! " We went to the feed yard to inspect the said " Dandy," who, when loose, was not amenable to anybody Buying a Way yon and Team. 157 but his owner, who had intended him for his own use in saddle. But, as usual, the almighty dollar proved a temptation, even to a merchant prince. The figure was 120 dollars a big sum for a horse at Junction City. At first Dandy could not be seen, so we made a tour of the yard, and presently his head appeared from the corner where the big " stage," which was used only on special occasions, stood. Such a bonny crest and eyes ! Mr. H. called him, but quite unavailingly, for Dandy put back his ears, and, with a merry twinkle in his eyes, bounded off in an opposite direction, and seizing a pony by the tail, bossed him round and round the yard. Dandy was exactly what I wanted, and I suppose Didymusa perceived the admira- tion and pleasure in my face. " Oh, Mr. H.," she cried, " don't persuade Miss Jaques to buy that horse. I shall never sit behind him. Look at him, he is like the very devil himself." I often asked Didymusa where she gained her ex- perience of his Satanic majesty. Mr. H. assured her that Dandy was " a very nice horse when you are used to him," and I felt convinced that he would prove interesting. He showed great nerve power by the way he carried his tail, though this was not quite so full as with most of these horses, having, probably, been slightly docked and pulled to give him a stylish appearance. Dandy's poverty of tail, as compared with other horses in Texas, became a standing joke against me, and the boys used to offer additional switches from their own ponies' appendages to tie on of course, demanding fabulous prices for the concession ! However, Dandy's tail improved in course of time, if it never rivalled the sweeping proportions of some. After a considerable amount of " trading," Dandy wa-o 158 Texan Ranch Life. transferred to me, together with Button, for 160 dollars the pair. Mr. H. was agent for the Studebaker waggons, one of which I bought for sixty-eight dollars, also a set of double harness for eighteen dollars and a half, a sack for ten cents, and two bushels of corn for a little less than three dollars. This being put inside the waggon, Didymusa and I climbed to our perches, and presently, in all the glory of new red and green paint, with everything spick and span, and the harness glittering, drove back to the Lechuza. And we did spin along ! Dandy was a trifle too fast and eager for Button, and when descending the abrupt pitches, left all the holding back from the pole to his yoke fellow, but on the whole they were a good pair, Button, with his year of seniority serving to steady the more volatile Dandy. These waggons being fitted with "grasshopper" brakes, which constantly get out of order, it is desirable to have a more serviceable one made and adjusted by the blacksmith this costs five dollars. The poles of all waggons, back- boards, and buggies, are not fixed like those of our waggon- ettes, &c. When not in use, they rest on the ground, and at other times swing free between the horses, the weight depending from their collars. This is supposed to be an advantage when travelling over very uneven or broken ground, such as we frequently met with. Sometimes one horse will be on a level two feet higher than the other, when the roads are full of ruts or small watercourses, or, on entering a creek, and a pole fixed in the ordinary English manner would be utterly impracticable. The following morning I tried Dandy in the saddle, the Boss and Mr. Taylor holding well on to his head whilst Buying a Way yon and Team. 159 Didymusa lifted me into the saddle as usual with the greatest precision and nicety. We had a good deal of wild careering, but I kept his head up and there was no pitching. As he gradually ceased to gallop, I gained my first experience of pacing. It reminded me of a horse going dead lame, but in time I grew to like it, and in such a hot climate it is the pace par excellence for a lady, or indeed for any hack-work. It may well increase the price of a horse, as it always does. As my new steed sobered down and gave me an opportunity to think, he reminded me of Sir Walter Scott's description of the " Ambling Palfrey." Dandy's pace was inherited ; he was supposed to be nearly pure Spanish or Barb breed, although I suspect that his pitching accomplishments betrayed a strain of mustang blood. He had several " gaits," and for a long time I could not distinguish one from another. I liked the " fox-trot " least ; trotting with his fore, and indulging in a rapid shuffling walk with his hind legs. As Dandy in harness had a high rolling trot up to 14 or 15 miles an hour, his knee action was too high to be quite pleasant in a " fox-trot." Mr. Stillman, in "The Horse in Motion," -accurately describes this " gait " under the name of " single foot." " An irregular pace, rather rare, distinguished by the posterior extremities moving in the order of a fast walk, and the anterior extremities in that of a slow trot ;" again, Mr. W. S. Clarke describes " single foot as an irregular gait which many very fleet horses when overdriven adopt, a disagreeable gait which seems to be a cross between a pace and a trot, in which the two legs of one side are raised almost, but not quite simultaneously." When the legs are perfectly simultaneous this becomes 160 Texan Ranch Life. " pacing," and of Dandy's three " gaits " it was the one I preferred. I have seen Mrs. V. in the Row riding a handsome skewbald, a remarkably fast and good pacer. This was before I went to America, and on asking for information, heard it described as " racking." By this name I believe it is known in Syria where the friend of whom I inquired had met with , it. It is eminently essential in a hot country since you have merely to sit still and enjoy the breeze as your horse ambles along ; for cold winter days a brisk trot is preferable. Artificial pacing, as I have been informed, is taught by logging, and also by removing some of the shoes, and riding the horse lame. Doubtless it is a form of lameness in the first instance. I set forth before 6 o'clock the next morning to see about stacking my oats, making good time on Dandy. Mr. H., who was already at " The Field," thought that they were quite fit to cart ; he was deceived, however, for later on, finding they were heating, Tony was compelled to open them again. There being no threshing machine at hand, we used them just as they were ; the straw and chaff with the grain was thought better for the horses, but for corn, maize is usually given. Mr. H. had heard from his brother-in-law, Mr. Schmelter, who had arranged to meet me on my return from California, when he would be prepared with the transfer deeds, and I on my part with the purchase money. The price named was about twenty-five dollars an acre, with no valuation, and I was to take immediate possession, and the standing crops. We entered into a long consultation before finally deciding upon the site for the house : its aspect and position towards the street, and in case the property should ever be Buying a Wage/ on and Team. 161 divided. The lot with the stable, granary, &c., was to be built near the cottage. Tony introduced his mother, who had left the banks of the Rhine while still a girl in her teens, when her parents made a long voyage of three months, as colonists, leaving their Fatherland and "Groszmiitter." By which name she, also, became familiarly known, for we grew much attached to her. Nearly fifty years ago she had seen troublous times on her parents' settlement, with the " Injuns " as she named them. She was a first-rate milker, clever with the cattle and poultry, besides being quite an herbalist : concocting innumerable nauseous draughts, remedies for all ailments under the sun, and with which she was only too delighted to dose us on the slightest excuse. As in the case of the " prepared " chewing gum, we were driven to many small subterfuges to avoid these unpleasant panaceas. M CHAPTEE XVIII. BY " SUNSET " EOUTE FROM SAN ANTONIO TO SAN FRANCISCO. ALL was at last in train for departing from the ranch, except the re-packing of our trunks, most of which were to "be warehoused at the store in Junction City. Our kind friends in England had advised us what to take and what to leave behind, one lady, who had great experience of travelling in Europe, urging me strongly to take a few boxes of night-lights. But she had not considered the heat of the climate, and when we subsequently dived into a box containing reserved linen and other articles, we found the whole contents in a peculiar condition, the effect upon one's olfactory nerves being decidedly disagreeable. It recalled one memorable afternoon I spent, a child of five, with a large family of other little ones, when a wax doll was roasted before the dining-room fire. I don't know which made me laugh more, the recollection of the long- past scene with the entrance of the head nurse, or Didymusa's face when she handed me the empty boxes which had contained the night-lights, now all melted. Before our departure, we were to take part in a dance which was given at the Lechuza, and which proved to be much like the other dances we had seen, except that the company was more numerous, every ranch, little or big, within a considerable distance, sending representatives. A few had come so far that they were compelled to stay all From San Antonio to San Francisco. 163 night, one gentleman, dressed de rigueur, looking very conspicuous in his swallow-tail coat even more so at breakfast the next morning, with a portion of the previous night's coffee spilled over his elaborately frilled, cambric shirt-front. The cakes were stupendous ! " Cookies " of every description, chocolate and coffee, cakes, lemon snaps, apple turnovers, open tartlets, with Algerita and wild-grape jelly. The coffee was made outside in two large cauldrons, holding about five gallons each. There the supper, also, was laid on a large trestle -table forty feet in length. It was fortunate that the night was fine, the moon shining brilliantly, we having looked forward with some dismay on account of yesterday's rain, which had fallen in " buckets- full," as it can fall only in a semi-tropical climate. But by this evening all the mud was baked hard again. Although a babies' room had been provided, no babies arrived, owing to the fact that some wag had placed a notice on the door of the small school-house by the creek, to the effect that " babies were not wanted at the forth- coming dance." In default, however, the room was extensively patronised for " dipping sticks," powdering and hairdressing, the young ladies laying on the powder in perfect " chunks," and retiring several times to arrange their hair in different styles. In the Far West, convention dispenses with chaperons, and it is quite the correct thing for a gentleman to bring a lady with him in his buggy. If he is not the happy possessor of such a vehicle, and his means permit, he hires for the occasion ; otherwise he escorts the lady on horse- back. A United States lawyer once expressed his astonish- ment very openly at our English customs regarding chaperons. M 2 164 Texan Ranch Life. " Why," lie asked, " do you send inferior, or what you call common men, such as coachmen or footmen, to take- charge of ladies in preference to gentlemen ? " He seemed to think our system a reflection upon the gentlemen in particular and our nation in general. I confess I found not a little difficulty in answering^ him. Doubtless the moral tone of the United States is in this regard extremely lofty, and woe betide the man who- departs from this code of honour ! He is quickly confronted with a six-shooter or tried according to the methods of Judge Lynch, the slightest disparagement of wife or sister, by word of mouth or otherwise, being speedily and effectually avenged. A marked instance came under our notice at a neigh- bouring ranch. The owners being absent, some of the- hands were entertaining a few cowboy friends, and cards and " red-eye " whiskey were the order of the day. An Englishman happened to make some light and inconsiderate remarks concerning the sisters of one of the boys, whereat the Texan immediately turned upon him, and battered his head with the butt end of a Winchester. He became unconscious, and the others went to seek assistance ; but, during their absence, the Texan returned and inflicted a terrible gash with his knife across the prostrate English- man's throat. On their return, his companions found him lying in a pool of blood, and for several weeks he hung between life and death. Although he eventually recovered, he will carry the marks of that night's adventure to his grave. The perpetrator of the deed, who, although " raised " in Texas, was, as his mother termed it, " full-blooded Irish," escaped over the Mexican border, but before I left Texas he reappeared on the scene. By that time the From San Antonio to San Francisco. 165 excitement had cooled down, the witnesses would have been difficult to collect, and no steps were taken to prosecute or arrest him. The theft of a horse would have been con- sidered far more serious ! The people are quiet and gentle in the ordinary way, but if the old frontier spirit be roused, their bold, lawless character crops out, and so it will for many years to come, in spite of all the effects of modern civilization. My friend the lawyer, without exactly advocating lynching or, in our own case, a return to the duel, seemed to insinuate that the " good old days " possessed certain advantages over the present ; with their alternative appeals to the Law and Divorce Courts, and the lamentable and inevitable perjury. On the 16th June our " tricks " were packed and placed in the waggon, and all the little party at the ranch assembled to witness our departure. C. EL, who was out horse hunting, had charged one of the others to " tell " us good- bye the Texans never " say " goodbye. Dandy and Button had wandered off to some remote corner of the big pasture, and our start was delayed while they were hunted up, but, making good time when once we got away, Junction City was reached just as the supper bells began to ring at least the City Hotel could boast only of one bell, but Mrs. Naudin was in the habit of announcing that " the best luxuries the city afforded " were ready for consumption, by vigorously beating a tray with a large iron spoon. We intended to pass the night here, to be in readiness for the six o'clock stage the following morning, and, Didymusa having alighted at the store to expedite matters, I thought I might as well drive down to the feed yard to show a group of admiring friends how beautifully I could turn in. 160 Texan Ranch Life. But just at the critical moment, the wheels seemed to become locked, there was a grating sound as of a skid on a steep hill, and Dandy began to plunge. With a warning cry " hold hard, or you'll be over," Mr. Van Buren ran to the horses' heads and turned them in the opposite direction. Until that time I failed to realize that my new American carriage required a turning circle of about a quarter of a mile for perfect safety the bed of the waggon being perfectly straight, with no space for the wheels to turn under it. The construction of the buggies, the front wheel being the same size as those behind, made them very awkward in turning and dangerous with a shying horse. Now that we had become seasoned to the rough mode of travelling, the return over the Divide to Kerville seemed far less of an ordeal than the outward drive had been. We passed one night at the St. Charles's Hotel, another at the St. Leonard's Hotel at San Antonio, where the return to civilization and to Harneck and Baer's excellent ices, was fully appreciated, then, having secured tickets for San Francisco with " stop overs " at a few places on the way, we set forth at 12.40 the following day by the " Sunset route." Before nightfall we began to leave the prairie and that characteristic feature of Texan scenery, the mesquit tree, behind us, crossing the Rio Grande or Rio Bravo del Norte, and, passing through the fine scenery of the Apache Mountains and Sierra Blanca, arriving the next day at El Paso del Norte, now known as Ciudad de Juarez, in honour of the Mexican statesman of that name. Five lines of railway meeting here, the little town has attained considerable importance, and is thoroughly Mexican- American in character. It is well situated in a fertile valley fifty miles longj and stands about 3500 feet above the sea-level, its climate resembling that of the table lands From San Antonio to San Francisco. 167 of Mexico. Passing over the long footbridge, which spans more sand than river, we enjoyed a peep at the old adobe houses and fine cathedral. Although this edifice still bears traces of exquisite workmanship in its nave, chancel, and ceilings, it has been robbed of the greater portion of its interior decorations ; its grandeur has faded. The town itself was founded in 1680, and there is an interesting old church of about the same date. Our walk was marred by clouds of dust, which seemed to penetrate everything ; but the mountains to the north- east of the town shelter the city from the keen winter winds that sweep from the plains of Kansas. Wheat and corn crops were abundant ; the irrigating trenches, with stately cotton-wood trees on each side, still serving the purpose for which they were dug by the Jesuit missionaries 300 years ago. Delicious grapes grow plentifully, and are shipped to all parts of the country. We grumbled at the dust in the streets of Ciudad de Juarez, little imagining what we were to encounter the next day when we crossed the great Colorado desert before reaching Yuma. The sand fell like heavy rain all around us, and we could scarcely see across the cars from the tail- board. The temperature was 120 in the shade (Didymusa, indeed, declared that the conductor once read 130), and we could not bear to touch the woodwork of the cars, whilst the air was so scorching that it was impossible to have the windows open. Our luncheon basket not being lined, its contents were completely spoiled, except in the case of hermetically sealed tins ; but this fact caused slight inconvenience, since we felt little inclination to eat, though it was hardly possible to have too much to drink. What a number of journeys we made along the cars to fetch iced water ! Didymusa, in fact, drinking so freely 168 Texan Ranch Life. that she brought on internal cramp, to be followed later on by " prickly -heat." I sat, as it were, in a Turkish bath, but, the cars being fortunately not full, managed to keep at a distance from Didymusa, who was hot as a furnace. For companion I had an English lady, the wife of an American, who lived and throve near El Paso, and the pair of us presented a queer spectacle, our thin dust cloaks having a dark wet line all down the back ! Near the track was a salt, alkali lake ; a marvellous mirage creating the illusion of a boundless, distant ocean. It was a treat to stretch one's legs during the half hour's halt at Yuma, and, with the absence of motion to breathe air freer from the dust, which had been dense enough to hide the mountains of San Bernardino in the distance, and resembled a blizzard of hot, stinging, suffocating particles. Whilst we walked back and forth near the station, the cars were swept out and sprinkled with water. We bought two melons from some Apache Indians, whose hair, short and ragged over the forehead, grew to a considerable length behind. For the melons we paid a dime (ten cents) each ; they were very delicious and proved extremely refreshing when we resumed our journey. On leaving Yuma we passed extensive salt-works, mud- volcanoes and boiling springs. This group of mud- volcanoes in the desert is a remarkable curiosity of San Diego county. They are sometimes known as f urn a roles or salses, being vents by which the steam and gas make their escape from what appears to be a pond of thick hot mud. A vent having been formed, the mud gradually rises till it becomes a cone about eight feet in height and the From San. Antonio to San Francisco. 169 same in diameter at the base, though the shapes and sizes vary considerably. After a time, the supply of gas being exhausted, activity ceases, the mud sinks down to its former level, and becomes covered with a hard level crust resembling solid earth. These mud volcanoes extend over a surface of several square miles, continually changing as fresh vents are formed and new cones arise. It is dangerous to venture too close, as the crust is liable to yield, precipitating one into the mud beneath, which has a temperature higher than that of boiling water. Some of the cones are curiously fringed with little crystals of sulphur, &c., deposited by the out- rushing vapours. The " Death Valley," or the " American Avernus," as it is sometimes named, owes its title to the circumstance that an entire party of Calif ornian emigrants, having strayed from the overland trail in search of a short cut to the gold diggings, died there from thirst in 1850. As a matter of fact, the title of the valley is well deserved, if only because of its inhospitable sterility. It is situated on the most eastern part of California, near the Nevada line, and is probably the hottest place on earth. In the central Sahara Desert, a mean temperature of 94 has been attained in July ; and South California and Arabia are as hot. But each of these places is cool in comparison with the Death Valley, where the lowest temperature in the shade during July is 99, the highest 1 2 ; the mean being above 108. The total rainfall during the hot months is less than an inch and a half, but strong winds prevail, those blowing from the south having a velocity of from thirty to forty-five miles an hour. As we left the desert on our right, and drew near to the coast with its tempering breeze, the air became gradually cooler. 170 Texan Ranch Life. The beautiful city of San Angelo was planned by the Spaniards in 1781, and well might they name it El Pueblo de la Eeina de los Angelos (the town of the Queen of the Angels). It is only fourteen miles east from the Pacific Ocean. The Los Angelos river rises at the mouth of a gorge in low hills, and flows past a wide plain near the western end of the San Gabriel or Sierra Madre, a spur of the Coast Range. The average height of this mountain is about 7000 feet, rising towards the San Antonio peak to over 10,000 feet. The snow had disappeared from the summits before our arrival, but in the early spring the mountains are snow- capped, although luxuriant orange orchards flourish within ten miles of their base. Whilst the climate is well-nigh perfect, it is not exempt from frost. The mountains to the east, within thirty miles of San Angelo, are thickly clad with snow in winter, and this fact helps to lower the temperature sometimes even to 24, causing serious damage to the orange and lemon nurseries, but not to the older trees or fruit, which is mature before the frost sets in. On the other hand, there are hot north winds and summer sand-storms occasionally. At Santa Barbara, on June 17, 1859, the temperature rose to 133, trees being blasted, fruit blistered, and calves destroyed, rabbits and birds killed from exposure to the hot wind; but during the last thirty -two years nothing approaching the intense heat of that summer has been experienced in any part of the State. The inhabitants assert that the dryness of the atmosphere protects the orange and other fruit trees from destructive insects. Time would not permit us to visit the San Gabriel Mission, which is considered the best in California. It was founded in 1771, and sometimes known as the Mission of the From San Antonio to San Francisco. 171 Temblores (earthquakes). This building did not suffer to the extent of those at San Juan Capistrano and Santa Inez, in 1812, or that of Santa Clara, where the church was thrown down in 1815, and rendered unfit for further use. But, although we were unable to visit the Mission, we drove through this country of vineyards and ever-blooming gardens and orchards, flowers and fruit, obtaining a splendid view from the old fort, whose environs are said to resemble those of Damascus, with the surrounding orange groves, vineyards, lime, lemon and fig trees, olives and pomegranates, and here and there a palm to impart an oriental character to the scene. For many weeks from this date we had an abundant supply of every kind of fruit ; rich, ripe, and remarkably cheap withal. From San Angelo to San Francisco the country was beautiful all the way, but for the last hundred miles very different from that we had been traversing mountains, yet well wooded, with wild, deep canons, and sometimes bare rock devoid of vegetation, or, again, dark forests. As the evening shadows fell we could distinguish the dim outlines of higher mountain ranges in the distance. There was also an unmistakeable fall in the tempera- ture, and as our clothing had been regulated to suit the intense heat, and it was impossible to get at our luggage to obtain warmer wraps, &c., we arrived at San Francisco at 9.30 p.m., on July 3, two poor shivering mortals ; even the effort of resisting the importunate hotel " runners," who had boarded the train during the last twenty miles, failed to restore circulation. These "runners" are a perfect torment, but we managed to resist them all. Having a letter of intro- duction to an American gentleman from some friends in 172 Texan Ranch Life. England, we were advised by him to engage some rooms in Montgomery Street, thus being free to obtain our meals when and where we pleased ; an excellent plan, as we contemplated several excursions. CHAPTER XIX. THE YOSEMITE VALLEY CHINESE QUARTER IN SAN FRANCISCO. THE next morning we were glad of a good bath, the pores of our skin still feeling as if they were choked with sand. Our clothes were carried away by Mr. Wing Hing to be restored to their proper colour at his laundry in Stevenson Street. The size of the bundle failed to satisfy his expectations however ; he pointed, gesticulated, turned out our luncheon basket, dived under the pillows and bed clothes, finally shaking his own apparel, with a funny jerk of the head. " No mor, no mor thimmi-daw ! " The washing was " promptly delivered, with fluting and polishing neatly done " according to the card ; on our return from the Yosemite Valley, Mr. Hing Wing re- appeared, and on that occasion must have carried away with him many ounces of red sand. Our friends arranged a pleasant party for Independence Day, when the City and all its inhabitants presented a remarkably festive appearance ; the streets were thronged with processions, and in the evening fine displays of fire- works might be seen at the Golden Gate Park and other favourite suburban resorts. A beautiful bouquet of red, white (stephanotis), and blue flowers being offered to me, I accepted it, thus incurring Didymusa's disapproval. To carry the American colours was a kind of disloyalty ; and although I pointed out the 174 Texan Ranch Life. difficulty and discourtesy of a refusal, reminding her that if one comes to Rome, one should act as a Roman, she still deprecated my conduct. Not a day was to be lost in visiting the Yosemite Valley, as the volume of water at the Falls begins to decrease after the end of June. On the 5th of July we were introduced to two ladies who wished to share a private carriage, in preference to travelling by the ordinary stage, and at half past four the same afternoon, went on board the S.S. " Empire City." It was a lovely night for our short voyage on the Pacific, and after a comfortable sleep, we found ourselves the next morning in the Slough (pronounced " sloo "), a side channel or inlet from the sea, at Stockton, whence we railed to Milton. There we found the carriage and the two American ladies, who were governesses, or " school marms " in the vernacular. Miss Boorse and Miss Wainwright proved to be excellent companions, and relieved me of all bargaining over incidental expenses. Miss Wainwright was particularly expert in this regard, talking to the mule -guide a few days later on for about half an hour in her high-pitched voice, and finally agreeing upon a certain sum to include visits to all the Falls. We went by the Calaveras Grove and returned by the Mariposa. The journey occupied ten days, and most of the hotels were comfortable. When we saw anything interesting it was delightful to be able to stop, and between us we collected a good many specimens ; too many, indeed, for the capacity of the carriage and the temper of our elderly driver, who described our treasures as rubbish, and, at last, revolting, turned out nearly all the huge cones, declaring that one apiece was ample. I fancy he will never forget that trip and the way we all teased him in turns, in order to provoke his crabbed The Yosemite Valley. 175 retorts. The horses were a fine pair of bays, but one being a slug we used to hum these two lines to cheer him on the way : " The splendid bays that bear us along, Are lazy Maize and smart Long John." Whereupon Mr. Brassfield, our Jehu, would add : " Ah, John will be so smart, he'll kill himself before this trip is over, if Maize won't pull better ! " A broad hint that we must not diverge too far from the main route. We always started at six o'clock in the morning to avoid the heat of the day. The country was wild with deep, umbrageous canons here and there, but the quantity of red dust proved a serious drawback to one's enjoy- ment. Mr. Brassfield pointed out the oak-pine and the nut- pine, which are rare in comparison with the sugar-pine (Pinus lambertiand) ; and there were quantities of the smaller manzanita, or red wood, chaparral, and other evergreens, besides some banks of azalea in full blossom. Our halting places were Calaveras, Clark's, Eaymond's, Priest's, Hamilton's, Copperopolis, Chinese Camp, and Crocker's ; the drive from Raymond's, after visiting the Mariposa Grove, continuously beautiful through the timbered foot-hills to the valley. The grove of the Calaveras contains about a hundred large trees and many smaller, one being 325 feet in height, one 319 feet, one 315 feet, and about a score of 250 feet each. The largest has a circumference of 61 feet. Both the Calaveras and Mariposa Groves consist of Sequoia fjigantea trees, named in honour of Sequoyah, the Cherokee Indian who invented an alphabet for his people. Calaveras has nothing to do with skulls, as its name might perhaps lead one to infer, being so called after 176 Texan Ranch Life. " Calaverite," a mineral a telluride of gold which was the first found in Calaveras County. The Mariposa Grove includes more than 400 trees, none quite so high or so large in circumference as the biggest in the Calaveras. Some of the great red- wood trees (semper virens) so closely resemble these in size, bark, and foliage, as at Santa Cruz, California, that for a long time it was supposed they belonged to the same species. At Copperopolis we rambled through an abandoned gold mine, carrying away specimens, distinguishing the various nuggets, as we chose to term them, by our own Christian names. In Tuolumne County we paid a visit to Mr. Goodwin, a Lincolnshire man, who had been out there many years> and owned a large vineyard and extensive orchards, all well irrigated. We saw some gigantic fig-trees, and great quantities of peaches and other fruits, which were being packed for the market. Mr. Goodwin also took us over his cellars, where there was a good stock of excellent red and white wine. He seemed to enjoy a chat about the old country whilst we rested in his nice house, discussing his port and sherry, this entirely according with Mr. Brass - field's notion of varying the journey. The ascent to Priest's being extremely stiff, and our horses tired, we elected to walk the last two and a half miles up an incline of 1400 feet. The " school marms " gave out before they had climbed a mile, and some " drummers," who were going the same way, puffed and groaned, and eventually retreated to their carriage. On our arrival the landlord and visitors at Priest's greeted us with three cheers on account of our successful accomplishment. Descending by a zig-zag road ten miles long, we obtained our first view of the Yosemite Valley from Inspiration Point, where we The Yosemite Valley. 177 arrived about noon, and put up at Barnard's Hotel. Colonel Hutchings called upon us during the afternoon and conducted us to the Yosemite Falls on foot. I did not mind the ascent, but when it came to descending those steep places I felt decidedly unsafe, and the following day preferred to come down on the back of a mule. The Yosemite is a wonderful fall, situated nearly in the middle of the valley, originating in the creek of the same name, and leaping in three cataracts down 2550 feet. The upper fall of over 1000 feet rushes through a gorge ; the second is a series of cascades, measuring 626 feet, after which comes the third fall of 400 feet, below which is a talus 200 feet high. Then for about half a mile the stream divides into three branches, edged with tall trees, which present a fine vista called Cascade Avenue, from the numerous little cascades in its course. In the canon between the Upper and Lower Falls the wind blew in fierce gusts, which caught our breaths, whilst the spray fell in showers. This fall does not form part of the river Merced, which enters the valley from the south-east, and just before reaching it is broken by the Nevada and Vernal Falls. The Nevada is the largest, but the Vernal ranks next in volume of water, if not in height, owing its name to its peculiar green colour. Leaning over a natural battle- ment of rock, we could see this cataract to great advantage. Between the Nevada and the Vernal Falls the Merced makes a descent of 275 feet, forming many beautiful rapids and cascades. After supper we strolled through the valley by the light of a perfect full moon, which greatly increased the grandeur of the scene, throwing the sharp outline of the majestic, towering Capitan (Indian name, " Great Spirit") into bold relief. Its height exceeded the width of the valley, a perpendicular wall more than N 178 Texan Ranch Life. 4000 feet. The sides of the valley, chiefly formed of granite, run almost parallel ; they are occasionally vertical, and always steep varying from 1000 to 4700 feet in height and looking as if they had been torn asunder by some mighty convulsion. At the base on each side is a talus, or sloping pile of boulders and fragments fallen from above. The colour of the walls is yellowish on the north side of the valley, and bluish gray on the south. Barnard's Hotel was charmingly situated, and, the pellucid Merced rippling close by, one felt so reluctant to turn in that only the prospect of an arduous to-morrow finally drove us to bed. I may mention that the Merced is a fine trout stream, providing some delicious fish for supper. The first item in our next days programme was a visit to Mirror Lake at sunrise. In order to save some extra hours in the saddle, we coaxed Mr. Brassfield to drive us there in the carriage, although the horses were supposed to enjoy a rest during our stay in the valley. At 5 a.m. we set forth, accompanied by Col. Hutchings and Miss Hall, who narrated many an Indian legend, and read the mountain pictures while we were waiting for the sun, which is not reflected in the lake until an hour after it has actually risen. Col. Hutchings has spent many secluded years in the valley, seeing a great deal of the Indians in former days. He possesses a valuable collection of curios, which he subsequently showed us at his house. Amongst the natural pictures presented by the mountains were the " Spanish Cavalier," the " Sleeping Beauty," the " Hen and Chickens," a fine profile of poor Tesinek, the Indian princess, who on being driven from the Valley, washed her clothes in the Merced and hung them on the rock in token of her intended return. An imaginative eye could dis- The Yosemite Valley. 179 tinguish lines in the granite with very white cross pieces representing these draperies close to the face of a fine Egyptian type, almost in profile. We were only allowed to gaze at the reflection of the sun in the lake for a few seconds ; even after this brief dazzling glimpse, everything we looked at appeared rainbow-lmed for the next half hour. To gaze for any length of time would be to incur total blindness. Having returned to the hotel at nine o'clock and break- fasted, we set forth on mules, with a guide, and began to climb to Glacier Point, which commands an extensive view (snow being visible in many places), including Nevada Fall, " The Cap of Liberty," " The Half Dome," and the " Royal Arches " of Capitan. We visited all the Falls except the " Bridal Veil," which is, I believe, impracticable for riding ; but we obtained an excellent view of it both on entering and leaving the valley from the opposite side. The Bridal Veil Fall makes a descent of 1000 feet, and beautiful rainbows can sometimes be seen in the afternoon on its " leaping mists and flying shreds." It was tinged with a faint apple-green lustre, beautifully transparent, and occasionally edged with a curling misty vapour as it caught the full force of the wind. "Cloud's Best," 10,150 feet above the sea level, was the highest point we reached. As we had loitered on the way, the time of our stay in the valley was necessarily curtailed, and, though I pitied Didymusa and the " school marms," who suffered terribly from the twelve hours' climb in the saddle, Mr. Brassfield said we must be off if we wished to complete the circuit in time. Although the visit ended all too soon, it will ever remain green in our memories a most delightful reminiscence. N2 180 Texan Ranch Life. We returned to San Francisco on the morning of July 14, to find the city again en fete in celebration of the Fall of the Bastille. There was a march past of the French inhabitants, whose shops were very tastefully decorated. In the evening Mr. Y. escorted us to the Chinese quarters, which we saw to great advantage under his able guidance whilst we felt safer than we should have done with a police officer, in threading our way through the intricacies of China Town and its opium dens. China Town contains about 25,000 inhabitants, 13,000 being factory operatives, 5000 house servants, 3000 laundry men, 1000 merchants, storekeepers, traders or pedlers ; together with about 2000 women and a few hundred children. Chinese notions are very exclusive regarding women, and the opposite sex is excluded from their apartments, which are quite sufficiently overcrowded. Their time is occupied in needlework, and the manufacture of fancy articles, varied by visits from ladies connected with the Chinese Missions. Walking through the quarter, you seldom meet a woman, or at the most one or two together holding children by the hand and looking rather guilty as if they had no business there. The peculiar dress renders it difficult to distinguish one sex from the other. The principal ornaments of the women are worn in the hair, which in front is oiled and plastered close to the head, sometimes being rolled and puffed at the back and sides, and decorated with gilt ornaments and high combs. The coiffure indicates their condition, whether married or single, and is changed at different ages. Bracelets and anklets of bone or ivory are worn as well as earrings and finger rings. The shaving of the men is an elaborate process, the skin being scraped from the shoulders upwards, excepting only that portion of the scalp from which the Chinese Quarters in San Francisco. 181 queue depends. The queue is washed, combed, oiled and braided, the eyelashes being trimmed and sometimes tinted. The Chinaman is extremely particular concerning his ablutions and his personal appearance generally. There is a constant sluggish kind of activity in China Town by day, but to see the place in all its glory, you must visit it at night, when one is transported to quite another world. We bought some quaint back scratchers, coins, and other souvenirs, Mr. V. chatting freely to many of the pedlers whom he knew. Having made our way through a labyrinth of dirty passages we arrived at an opium den ; neither more nor less than a reeking cellar, with shelves or bunks arranged round three of its four walls. Upon these, lay those frequenters of the place who were already overcome, often one on the top of another, whilst some who had not yet succumbed to the fumes were occupied either in cobbling shoes, making cigars, working sewing machines, or sitting at small tables smoking. One man began and finished two pipes in our presence, and still retained sufficient sense to fill and manipulate a third. The foetid atmosphere of the den, with its peculiar, faint, acid odour would soon have taken effect upon us, and, the night being unusually free from fog, we took the opportunity of enjoying the fresh air and a splendid view of this " City of a Hundred Hills " from California Street. John Chinaman is too practical a person to build himself costly places of worship in a land where his footing seems precarious, and many of the more wealthy possess idols, which they worship in their own private apart-, ments. Some small temples are supported by trade com- 182 Texan Ranch Life. panies or guilds ; the laundrymen, for instance, boast of one of their own, with a kind of benevolent society attached to it. The Joss House which we visited in Waverley-place is the chief. It contains three alcoves, each with its god, forming a kind of Chinese Trinity. In the middle of the trio is Yum Ten Tin, or the God of the Sombre Heavens ; controller of the waters of the earth and above the earth, extinguisher of fire, and conqueror of droughts. On his right sits the God of War, Kowan Tai, whose image may frequently be seen also in stores and dwellings. He is the favourite deity in San Francisco, settling disputes and quelling riots. Nam Hoi Hung Shing Tai, the God of the Southern Seas, is the third person of this Trinity. His is the control of fire, and if a China- man or his worldly goods be rescued from the flames, this deity receives thank-offerings of meat, vegetables, wine, tea, &c. In other alcoves we saw Wah Tair, the God of Medicine, who holds in his hand a large pill, and, being invoked, cures all kinds of disease ; and Tsoi Pah Shing Kwun, the God of Wealth, who carries a bar of bullion. This god has many very earnest votaries ! Coolies and capitalists alike make their genuflections before his shrine. There are other images of wood and plaster good gods to be worshipped, evil deities to be propitiated ; and they are never allowed to go hungry or thirsty. When their slumbers appear to have been unduly protracted, a huge bell (cast in China) and an immense drum are employed to rouse them. In front of the altars stand incense jars, in which sticks of sandal wood are kept constantly burning on sand or ashes. In another joss house there are some copper screens Chinese Quarters in San Francisco. 183 representing scenes from early Chinese history, donations from a wealthy Chinaman. The Chinese betray a remarkable lack of reverence, or even of formality in their worship ; they smoke and talk in the temples, approach their favourite deity without uncovering, perform their chin-chinning operations (bowing low three times) as rapidly as possible, deposit their offerings and go about their business. The female worshippers are more devout, often com- pletely prostrating themselves before their deities. These prayers are usually for some material boon ; success in business or in gambling, protection during a journey, general immunity from calamity, or recovery from sickness. They entertain a keen dread of purgatory, and the days of most devotion are those on which they pray the souls of their friends out of torment. The priests live by the sale of paper money, incense tapers and other paraphernalia, and it is usual for white visitors to buy some trifle as a curiosity. Sunday, perhaps, is the best day to visit China Town, the factory men and domestic servants all rally- ing thither for the day, although there is no cessation from toil. At some large restaurants wealthy Chinamen will pay from $10 to $100 for a dinner to half-a-dozen guests : the larger price securing the entire upper floor for the use of the party. Such a dinner may last from 2 p.m. until mid- night, the guests stepping outside to enjoy an airing or transact business between the courses. The principal delicacies are birds' nest soup, sharks' fins, Taranaki fungus (which grows on a tree in New Zealand), Chinese terrapin, Chinese goose, Chinese quail, fishes' 184 Texan Rand Life. brains, tender shoots of bamboo, various vegetables and arrack (a spirit distilled from rice) wines, oysters, poultry and sucking-pig. The tables are decorated on one side with screens and draperies ; the balconies or smoking rooms are illuminated by coloured lanterns, while the charm of the entertainment is enhanced by the discordant strains of a Chinese band. CHAPTEE XX. FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO SALT LAKE CITY. IN spite of all that has heen done to lessen the natural steepness of the streets, San Francisco still remains exceed- ingly irregular. Twenty million cubic yards of earth have been transferred from the town ; nevertheless, it continues well to deserve its title, " The City of a Hundred Hills." But cable cars run everywhere, the highest point being 938 feet. The city has developed from two villages, one bearing its present name, the other that of Yerba Buena. The village of San Francisco covered about 150 acres near the Mission church at the corner of Dolores Street, the Mission having been founded by some Franciscan Friars on October 8, 1776, and overthrown in 1835 by the decree of secularization. In that year, W. A. Eichardson, an Englishman, who had lived for some time at Sancelito, erected a tent to trade in hides and tallow. So began the village of Yerba Buena, which, in 1845, covered forty acres of land on the shore of Yerba Buena Cove. The two villages were separated by three miles of sand hills, covered with dense chaparral, the only communication being by a horse trail. The inhabitants of San Francisco were Spanish- American, and lived by the sale of hides and tallow ; those of Yerba Buena were British-American, and mostly traders. 186 Texan Ranch Life. A great change occurred in July, 1846, when the American flag was hoisted, and San Francisco bay became the head-quarters of the United States navy in the Pacific. The following July the village of Yerba Buena as- sumed the name of San Francisco, and in July, 1848, six months after the discovery of gold, its residents numbered 500. Every house beyond a radius of two miles from the business centre has been built during the last forty-five years, and those who were familiar with the site in 1848 no longer recognise it. Hundreds of hills and ridges have been levelled ; ravines and vast tracts of muddy flats and swamps filled up. The climate is remarkably bracing and equable ; never very hot, never very cold. In July and August the ther- mometer generally registers between 60 and 70. When there is a lull in the cool trade wind from the coast, and a strong northerly breeze sets in, a few hot days occur, but there is neither rain, hail, snow, thunder, nor lightning, though it often blows hard ; and dust and sand-fleas are plentiful. The wind being less strong in the early morning, this is the best time to visit the Sutra heights, and we arrived at Cliff House about half past eight to see the famous sea- lions. The rocks were covered with them, some asleep, others suddenly diving into the water, or climbing on to the islets, occasionally emitting a grand, deep roar, which suggested a rising tempest. These animals are protected by law, and the fishermen complain that they reduce the quantity of salmon. In Spanish they are called lobo marino (sea wolf) the name of the place being La Punta de los Lobos Marines (the point of the sea wolves). Having walked through the lovely grounds of Sutra From San Francisco to Salt Lake City. 187 Heights, enjoying its extensive views, we drove back by way of Golden Gate Park, which covers over a thousand acres, and possesses many fine avenues of smooth well-made drives, extending for miles. Grand mountain and ocean views are obtained from several points. Much has been done to improve the naturally sandy soil, and eucalyptus trees, with Monterey cypress, pines, and over 250,000 shrubs have been planted. On the east side of the Park a small area is tastefully laid out with flower beds and grass plats, whilst the conservatory, 250 feet in length, possesses an orchid house, fernery, and a rare botanical collection. The noticeable absence of liveries in the American parks imparts a certain monotony to the equipages, although there were hundreds of well turned out buggies. Whenever our engagements permitted we went to see the Fire Brigade drill at noon : the horses always stood in readiness, the harness being suspended above them, ready to drop into its place immediately an alarm is given. The men descended by poles from above, and it is said that their very bedclothes are switched off by electricity. We always took sugar and apples for the horses, who after a few visits were inclined to move from their places on our arrival, so that the officials thought they were being demoralized ; albeit they expressed regret when we paid our farewell visit. One of our friends, Mr D. being a member of the Stock Exchange, persuaded us to pay it a visit. The building, erected at a cost of $900,000 is over 80 feet high, with a cupola rising 85 feet above the roof. The front is composed of granite, light and dark, with pillars of the same stone polished. The walls of the board-room are wainscoted with Black Belgian marble, above which is a 188 Texan Ranch Life. border of carved primavera wood. The doors leading to the vestibule are beautifully carved in walnut and cost During the boom in mining stock when excitement ran high the fee for membership was $30,000. A railing encloses the oval space, outside which are seats on the floor j spectators paying to occupy them. These are for the most part persons desiring to buy or sell stock. The brokers, shouting and gesticulating, resembled a violent mob rather than an assemblage of business men. It was difficult to distinguish a word, amidst the Babel, and we wondered how the " Caller " managed, in such an uproar, to note each transaction so accurately, that, though thousands of shares changed hands, when the list of sales was afterwards read off by the clerk, his decision was seldom disputed. I was disappointed in the " Diamond Palace," which is neither more nor less than a large jeweller's shop. The mint is worth a visit as also the Safe-deposit, where one can leave either money, jewels, or paper secu- rities. The vaults are guarded day and night and contain more than 4000 burglar and fire-proof safes. We attended the Episcopalian services at Trinity Church and the Church of the Advent, preferring the latter, where there was a mixed choir, the anthem being sung in a very florid style, whilst the congregation remained seated. The last time we had been inside a church was in London* at St. Ann's, Wardour Street, on March 10, and the Church of the Advent could not be compared with this ; but I confess I do not like the American Episcopalian service. We heard some excellent singing at St. Mary's, the Roman Catholic Cathedral in California Street, and also a very impressive Requiem Mass at St. Patrick's, which contains a fine chime of bells and the largest organ in From San Francisco to Salt Lake City. 189 California. The most historically interesting church is the Old Mission, founded in 1786, with adobe walls three feet thick. Finding that glass, china, and many other articles, were considerably cheaper here than in San Antonio, and having our house at Junction City to furnish, we indulged in a day's shopping in Mission Street. My riding hat begin- ning to look the worse for wear, I had it re -blocked at the steam factory, when the maker's name and address on its cork lining aroused the curiosity of the manager, who asked a good many questions. The Angora skins at Marx's, the furrier's, were quite a sight to see, and we bought two for the floor of our new drawing-room. Whilst making our purchase we were treated with a pleasant freedom of manner, and probably respected none the less, although the orthodox " Madame," and customary shop palaver, which ceases when the door swings behind you, were omitted. Mr. Cowan's niece, a remarkably pleasant girl, grace- fully performed the part of hostess when her uncle sent her with us to a dinner given by him at a restaurant close by. The people were sorry not to supply me with the usual " cuspadores," as they called it, but more properly, the escupidera (spittoon), but I had no intention of encouraging this kind of thing in my new house ! The extensive fruit market is, perhaps, one of the most interesting sights in 'Frisco : where every kind of fruit, the ripest and largest that can be imagined, seemed to be displayed, except cherries, which I never saw. You can only obtain the fruit wholesale, but for ten cents we bought a box quite as large as we could conveniently carry, full of figs, peaches, plums and strawberries, besides some bunches of bananas, a quantity of grapes, and some of those delicious, small 190 Texan Ranch Life. Mexican lemons, which are about the size of a Tangarine orange and not very acid. At the time of our visit, the Palace Hotel was the largest in the world, but I believe it is now eclipsed by that at Denver. We often lunched and dined at the Occidental or the Palace Hotel ; the latter being seven storeys high, with a frontage of 275 feet, and depth of 350 feet- con- taining about 800 rooms, and accommodating over 1000 guests. It cost about $7,000,000, and more than 30,000,000 bricks were used in its construction. Nearly all the houses are built of wood, and those in the suburbs are covered with charming creepers, fuchsias, and ivy geraniums, growing as high as the second storey. Although roses, geraniums, verbenas, and heliotropes flourish abundantly as the result of constant attention, the sandy soil, absence of rain and expense of irrigation cause the city to be almost treeless. It is said that the Triscans do not encourage the planting of trees in the streets and suburbs, as, their summers being cool, they like as much sunshine as they can obtain. Such trees as one sees are the Eucalyptus, Australian acacia, the Monterey cypress and pine, with various kinds of dwarf palm ; but when they grow large enough to be shady they are generally felled. The horse-chestnut, linden, maple, Lombardy and silver poplar, also may occasionally be seen. Tickets for several theatres (not very handsome buildings or highly decorated) were presented to us, and at Baldwin's, where Daly's Company was performing, I first had the pleasure of seeing Miss Ada Behan. At the variety entertainment at the Orpheum we saw some Samoan or South Sea warriors. They were naked to the waist, and showed great activity in their war dances, indulging in grotesque, fierce, and repulsive gestures, From San Francisco to Salt Lake City. 191 squatting on the ground and shrugging their heavy muscular shoulders almost to dislocation to an accompaniment of horrible grimaces and guttural sounds ; then suddenly springing to their feet, and wielding their rude clubs and spears. We began to feel more comfortable when they made their exeunt. Our time was now becoming limited, and after several weeks' sojourn in 'Frisco there still remained a great deal to see. But we gave up the idea of visiting the wonders of Monterey and Santa Cruz, though we thoroughly enjoyed two picnics which were organised in our behalf. One across the Oakland Ferry to Strawberry Canon, and to Berkeley, with its many varieties of foreign trees and shrubs, over 200 acres of grounds and an extensive botanical garden ; the other to Mount Diablo, spending one night at Martinez. The sky looked clear, and the air felt dry, but the atmosphere was not favourable to the view from the summit, a kind of haziness from the red dust, as is often the case, obscuring everything. After rain in spring is the best time ; but though we were disappointed of our climb, the country for many miles around was fertile, and at Pine canon we found shade, water, and pleasant scenery. Mount Diablo is nearly 4000 feet high, rising like a cone about thirty miles from 'Frisco. Among the most remarkable sights from the mountain is its evening shadow as it falls across the San Joaquin plain, gradually climbing from its base to the summit, ascending 8000 feet, and reaching to a distance of 100 miles. We also made a pleasant expedition to Mount Tamalpais (the country of the Tamal Indians). Our route lay by Boss Canon, the hill sides being covered with rich green laurel, with a few traces of its lemon-coloured bloom. In early spring the air is laden with its perfume. The lilac flowers of the 192 Texan Ranch Life. ceanothus, with pretty pink and white blossoms of the manzanita intermingling with its greyish green leaves, were luxuriant ; and we saw the evergreen oak, the Christmas berry bush, light green madrona, and other evergreens, but few deciduous trees and shrubs. Yet there was the wild gooseberry in full bloom, with the buck-eye, and the hazel dropping its catkins. On leaving the canon we ascended the eastern slope by a zig-zag course, covered with chaparral, hazel, California nutmeg, and scrub oak. Sorry as we felt to leave 'Frisco, we wished to return to Texas during the early part of August, and deter- mined to travel to San Antonio via Denver and the Rio Grand Route, with short halts at Salt Lake City, &c. Finally leaving San Francisco at 3.30 p.m., the train began to climb the Sierra Nevada ; up and up during the greater part of the night, drawn by two panting toiling engines ; our heads being sometimes considerably lower than our feet, which was hardly conducive to comfort. Towards morning we began to feel the increased heat and presently passed between forty and fifty miles of snow sheds. The building of these sheds cost about $10,000 a mile ; they are of immense strength in order to resist the shock of, and guard the trains against, avalanches of snow from the mountain slopes. During an average winter 55 feet of snow will fall ; and the sheds also prevent it from forming immense drifts. Before rounding the headland of Cape Horn, our train ran along a narrow track cut in the edge of a vertical cliff 1000 feet high, with a curve so sharp that we lost sight of the engines. The unsurpassed sharpness of this curve gave rise to the story of an engine-driver, who, scared one night by the proximity of two red lights on the track, jumped from his locomotive to escape the effects of a collision, though the lights were on the tail of his own From San Francisco to Salt Lake City. 193 train. After leaving Remo and passing the desert, we changed cars at Ogden at 7.15 a.m. Our companions were lively and sociable, interchanging the contents of their baskets and presently combining for a rubber of whist ; amongst them being two intelligent Japanese, (to whom we gave lessons in English), a German Jewess and her pretty daughter, an embryo public singer, at present on her way to New York to consult an oculist. There was also a violin player from the Tivoli, going to visit his father in Kansas, who kept us all amused, but suffered badly when we made the ascent of the Sierra. When not bemoaning his afflicted state, he sang snatches of "If ever I cease to love." But on reaching Salt Lake City, we bade all our companions farewell. The country had been brown and barren, with sage bush for its only vegetation until we reached the Utah and Jordan Valleys, where we came upon a wealth of colouring bright green on the mountain sides, pure white on the peaks, blue in the dim distance. Fine sleek, black cattle were grazing in the pastures, and patches of yellow corn alternated with vegetable gardens. The whole a perfect vision of beauty, repose, and agricultural wealth ! The Valley comprises more than a thousand acres. Having put up at Cullen's Hotel, extremely comfortable but pro- portionately expensive, we took a carriage and drove to Fort Douglas, where a regiment is perched like a bird on the East Bench above the city. The quarters are built of red sandstone from the neighbouring Red Butte Canon quarry. From this elevated ^position we obtained a magnificent view of the valley ; the mountains lay behind us, and in front the buildings of the city peeped out amidst the foliage, while the River Jordan in the farther distance was now visible, now lost to view, till it joined the glistening o 194 Texan Ranch Life. lake in the north-west. The islands on the horizon rise 3000 feet out of the blue waters. To the left, in the middle distance, we saw the trees of Liberty Park, about a hundred acres in extent, and south- wards . lay farms, meadows, and orchards, varied by clusters of shade trees planted by the hand of man amongst them the tall, slender Lombardy poplars standing out con- spicuously, with a background of black smoke issuing in columns from the silver ore smelting works. Facing us, the Oquirrh Range, dropping suddenly a mile or more to the level of the lake, the western portion of the valley being still unoccupied on account of the dearth of water. On our way back we paid a visit to Mrs. Dye's pretty house and garden, where we saw some enormous straw- berries preserved in spirit, as specimens of the capabilities of the climate. Mrs. Dye was reticent regarding her religion, but from various hints it appeared evident that she was not enraptured with polygamy, although insisting that women, as a class, were happier at Utah than anywhere else in the world. Poverty is far more frequent than discontent. We paid a visit to the Tabernacle, the acoustic pro- perties of which are marvellous, owing to the peculiar con- struction and festooning of its roof. Supported by forty-six columns, this springs in one un- broken arch, being the largest of its kind in the world except that at the Grand Union Depot, New York, which was built by Commodore Vanderbilt. The Mormon Tabernacle is capable of seating 8000 persons, and the faintest whisper, a pin dropped on the floor, or even a sigh, can be distinctly heard from one end of the building to the other. The building is 250 feet long by 150 feet wide, the arched roof 65 feet high, and From San Francisco to Salt Lake City. 195 the fine organ was manufactured chiefly of home-grown materials. Not far from the Tabernacle the Temple is situated. Although more than a quarter of a century has elapsed since its foundation was laid, much remains to be done and we heard six years spoken of as the time still needed for its completion. It is 184 feet in length, by 110 feet, about 96 feet in height, whilst its spires will reach 192 feet; already the building had cost $150,000. Great care is taken to ensure perfection throughout, everything is thoroughly overhauled and superintended, the slightest flaw or imper- fection being at once detected and made good. We received two little cubes of white granite, speckled with black as a souvenir. This material of which the Temple is built is quarried from the Wasatch Range, more than twenty miles distant. Our attention was called to a strange -looking house, occupied by a mad Swede, and decorated externally with coloured pictures, flags and various ornaments. He had the misfortune to lose his fiancee, who was shipwrecked and drowned on her way to join him. They had been engaged for twelve years and the blow un- settled his reason. His house was situated in the "Gentile " quarter. Our driver took us to the spot where Brigham Young used to wrestle in prayer, and also to his grave, though it is stated, on good authority, that his body was embalmed and laid elsewhere. Of course, we indulged in the orthodox " dip " in the Great Salt Lake, but the water was luke- warm, and, instead of proving invigorating, as far as we were concerned, caused such lassitude that we felt glad it was afternoon. The water is remarkably buoyant ; more so than that o 2 196 Texan Ranch Life. at Droitwitch. You can swim with little effort, and float without any ; indeed, the difficulty is to regain your feet. Thousands of persons bathe in the lake every summer, and on its shores are dancing pavilions (having bands during the season), refreshment booths, and covered piers. We picked up some small blocks of salt beside an adjacent spring, the water of which was icily cold. The salt- making industry appears to be on the increase. When the lake is full in spring, or after a stiff north-west wind, a temporary dam is thrown across the neck, thus confining the overflow in lagoons on the south-eastern shore. Having waited for the water to evaporate, the saltmaker goes into the now dry lagoon and shovels out the residue of salt. If the water has not entirely evaporated, it is got rid of by means of pumps. The brine contains, besides common salt, a variety of sulphates, borates, and bromides, from which are manufactured Epsom and Glauber salts, soda-ash, bicarbonate of soda, caustic soda, &c. CHAPTEE XXI. THROUGH THE ROCKIES TO FORT WORTH AND SAN ANTONIO. AT Denver we had time only to take a hurried walk through the city, and could remark little beyond its fine .solidly-constructed buildings. After leaving Denver the line follows the Front Eange of the Rockies for 120 miles* through marvellously beautiful scenery, diversified by rock, elevated table lands and water. Leaving behind us Marshall Pass, that wonderful pathway over the Conti- nental Divide, we began to ascend. At first the grade was only moderately steep, but presently the hills become mountains, and the climb began in earnest. The train was divided, the engines toiled and panted, crawling round sharp and frequent curves, till about an hour later we attained the summit of Mount Ouray, bare and lonely and high above its fellows. Away in the distance rose the continuous heights of the Sangre de Cristo Eange, their crests white with everlasting snows, their bases hidden by dark forests ; and beyond, the great San Luis Park sloped into invisibility. As we took a more westerly direction, the character of the scenery changed ; the heights becoming less formidable, their surroundings softer, more subdued, and even more beautiful. There was Tomichi Creek running through sylvan shades, and in the far beyond, the broad plateau on which stands Grunnison City. 198 Texan Ranch Life. A glance backwards as the cars rolled on gave one even a better idea of the great ascent, and we stood on the plat- form of the car, gazing at the vast, unobstructed view until our sens,es grew bewildered. The Denver and JJio Grande Western line had not at that time been long in use. At Gunnison, together with several other passengers, we changed into open cars, in order to obtain the best view of the Black Canon ; a grand, deep, dark gorge, verdant in places, alternated with masses of red sandstone, cedars and pinons growing luxuriantly in the crevices. The green river coursed along, on its way to Cimarron Creek ; water fell from dizzy heights, rebounding in masses from the lower terraces, tossed about by the wind, and finally reaching the river in clouds of white spray, or trickling from the cliffs in small streamlets. At the junction of Gunnison and Cimarron, the gorge is spanned by a bridge, and from this the beauties of the canon may be seen to the best advantage. Indians ignited their council fires here long ago one could picture the flickering flames illuminating their dusky faces, traversing secret, guarded paths to their grave and sober meetings. Other points of interest were the Animas Canon ; the " Rio de las Animas Perdidas," or " River of Lost Souls," the finest gorge of the Rockies ; and the Currecanti Needle, the highest pinnacle visible on the route ; abrupt, isolated, somewhat suggestive of a hewn obelisk. On emerging from the Black Canon, we climbed the Cedar Divide, passing the Uncompahgre Valley and its river, with the picturesque peaks of San Juan in the distance, the richly coloured Book cliffs to the north, and southwards the snowy groups of the Sierra la Sal and San Rafael, glistening in the distance ; between these the broken walls which mark the Grand Canons of the Colorado. Through the Rockies. 199 Flowers were prettily sprinkled in some places ; little forests of sunflowers and columbine ; in others, as in the Black Canon, the rocks were entirely bare ; perpendicular granite cliffs, sparkling like silver, but smooth, and uncovered by tree, flower, or shrub. Those solitudes seem to be unvisited even by birds ; the huge crags might guard the entrance to Hades ; and turned one's thoughts to certain scenes in Dante's " Divine Comedy." The moon being on the wane, the night shut out much that was worth seeing. .Reaching Pueblo at 5 a.m. we dis- embarked for a stroll, but met only a few tipsy persons. The Salvation Army has a garrison here. There are silver and other mines in the district, and the place, which seems to be growing, is extensively laid out and well planted. Early in the morning the air was cool and pleasant enough, but towards noon the heat became intense and the atmo- sphere oppressive, and we were glad when the time came to start again at 1.55 p.m. After spending the whole night in chairs we arrived at Childress at half past eight the following morning. Yes, we were again in Texas ! The odour of burnt coffee directly we entered the hotel for breakfast, the familiar gallery, with its inevitable drinking pail and washing basin, were quite enough to remove any doubt that we had returned to the Lone Star State ! On again after a short rest, reaching Sunset at 12.30, and Fort Worth at 6 p.m. A good story is told by the railroad men about Mr. Jay Gould, " who was once tricked by the level-headed superintendent of a small line, and lost a pile of money by the operation." Of course everybody wanted to hear about the man who had successfully pitted his wits against those of the great railroad magnate ; so the speaker went ahead 200 .Texan Ranch Life. " About ten years ago, the Central branch of the Union Pacific, now part of the Missouri Pacific system, ran out from Atchison, Kansas, for about 300 miles west. The road was doing a fairly good business, two good crops having been raised in succession along its territory, but still it was a dead expense to the stock holders. Negotia- tions were entered into with Mr. Jay Gould, and he went out to see the property. The superintendent got wind of his coming and " fixed " things accordingly. The ' passenger ' with Grould on board started out of Atchison, but at the first way-station was side-tracked to let an apparently heavily loaded freight go by. It was the same thing at nearly every stopping place, train after train of long box-cars, all sealed, flashed by the waiting 'passenger' until the return trip was commenced, when nearly as many empties swept by. Grould was greatly pleased at the apparent prosperity of the road, and at once entered into negotiations for it, which was successfully consummated, and not until then did he find out how he had been ' played.' "That rascal of a superintendent had issued his orders, and those supposed heavily loaded trains were composed of .sealed empties, with here and there a full car which would be ostentatiously side-tracked for effect. Coming back, the operation was repeated from Atchison. It cost the road a good deal of money to work the scheme, but the sale was made, and they were a great deal richer by the operation." Having finished this story, the narrator boarded a street car for the Union depot. Although I had left what I thought would be a sufficiently wide margin for incidental expenses, these were so heavy, especially at Salt Lake City, that a vague suspicion, which had been oppressing me for some time, now became fully confirmed. We were to leave Fort Through the Rockies. 201 Worth at 10 p.m., and the conditions of our round trip excursion ticket required us to finish the tour by 8.40, two nights later, at San Antonio. So that we could not stay to telegraph to the banker there, and receive his answer, unless we forfeited our tickets, and paid an additional sum for the remaining portion of the journey between Fort Worth and our destination. We counted out the contents of our united purses, and found to our dismay that they were insufficient, even with the closest economy, to pay for our meals during the remaining two days. I tried to obtain an extension of the " ticket," entirely in vain. What was to be done ! We co anted out the contents of our purses a second time, without increasing the amount ; should we fast by the way, or forfeit our tickets ? In this emergency Didymusa came valiantly to the rescue. What was to be done ? Did she not possess a watch and chain ! There was no help for it ; off we trudged in search of a pawnbroker, and having found one, obtained a loan of $40 on my sapphire-and-brilliant ring and Didymusa's watch. Although the sum was more than we required, I could not succeed in calling up any sense of satisfaction, one could not feel very proud of the experience, whilst yet it was impossible not to be a little amused at this easy method of relief a method which would never have occurred to my unassisted imagination. Once more aboard ; our luncheon basket amply provided with material for an excellent supper ; a roast chicken, and .some cakes and fruit which had tempted us at a restaurant, where the only sustenance we felt inclined for, whilst our financial condition remained precarious, was a cup of coffee. But our troubles were not yet over. When the con- 202 Texan Ranch Life. ductor came round to check the tickets we discovered that we had boarded a Central Line train, instead of one belonging to the Southern Pacific, by which we had booked. If we could only get back to Fort Worth in time, we might catch the 6 a.m. train. Our predicament was generally discussed Americans always show plenty of ready sympathy and one passenger suggested that by alighting at Burleston, a stage of about twenty miles, we could sleep at an hotel which he strongly recommended, and return very early in the morning to Fort Worth. So it was decided. Seeing some lights a little later we supposed we were approaching a town, until the conductor undeceived us. We were passing a cotton field, in which hundreds of lanterns were burning to destroy the moth of the " bole-worm " (Heliothis armigrera), this grub being a terrible pest and very destructive. It was close upon midnight when we reached the primitive depot of Burleston, and our friend on the cars instructed the porter to take us to the Railway Hotel, where he was " sure we should be comfortable as he had stayed there himself." We had only a few minute's walk, crossing the line, through several gates, and on down a grass walk with a ditch on each side, the porter swinging his lamp so confu singly that we were afraid lest we should tumble into the water. Although the house was in total darkness and the people were asleep, all the doors stood open. Leaving us in the obscurity of the gallery, our guide entered without ceremony. " Missus, here's some passengers wants a bed for the night," he shouted; and presently a dirty looking woman appeared, and invited us to sit down where we were while she prepared our bed, which, in fact, had to be vacated by her daughter, and a "sick " child, who had been sharing it with herself. Through the Rockies. '203 Tired of waiting at last, we crossed the entrance room and entered another, where she was making preparations for our reception. The two rooms were separated only by a canvas partition about six feet in height, with an opening minus a door. The furniture of the inner room consisted, of a bedstead a few pegs on the frame of the partition, from which hung a girl's white frock and other dirty, tawdry apparel, and a broken chair. In a corner by the window, some reversed boxes supported a mattress, on which lay a boy, whose head, shirt sleeves, feet, and a portion of his cotton pants, were exposed by the white sheet which formed the insufficient covering. " There's a corpse," whispered Didymusa, aghast. I was about to institute inquiries when the hostess forestalled me. " It's only my little deaf and dumb boy," she said, "he won't hurt you." " But supposing your little deaf and dumb boy wakes up and sees strangers in the room," I suggested. " Oh, he'll guess you're his sisters, and he's a very quiet sleeper all the time." Although this was not reassuring there seemed no help for it, and the woman retired. Our bed stood close to the outer wall, leaving a space between. Not having had time to eat our supper on the cars, we decided to repair the omission before seeking repose in this comfortless apart- ment. So, settling down on the edge of the odoriferous feather bed, we attempted to spread the feast on a broken chair, which already supported the candlestick. But every- thing did its utmost to slip through the hole in the middle of the seat, and at last Didymusa cut some slices of bread and butter and in despair we tore off the wings of the chicken and hungrily devoured them, dispensing with plates, knives, and forks. 204 Texan Ranch Life. In the midst of our repast, up started the deaf and dumb boy, gesticulating wildly and emitting disagreeable groans. We tried to appear unconcerned, and presently to our relief, he fell back on the bed and put his legs out of the open window. Having drunk some wine and replaced the remnants of the feast in our basket, we lay down just as we were, but although tired after spending the previous night in chairs on the car, we agreed not to close our eyes. Indeed there was little fear that we should fall asleep ; the stuffy room, the humid heat, suggestive of a freshly syringed forcing- house, only not by any means so sweet, quite forbade slumber ! We intended to burn the candle while it lasted, but swarms of mosquitoes, mantis, and moths invaded the room, and we were compelled to extinguish it. Then the " chintz bugs " awoke, with other denizens of that dreadful feather bed, and kept us busy until two o'clock, when another train passed, and somebody approached the house with a lantern, presently to appear in the doorless aperture. " Are you there, Tilda ? " he inquired. " No strangers," we answered, and off he stumped up a kind of ladder to the upper storey. All being quiet again, the rats and mice came out, tempted perhaps by the odour of our cold chicken, for some- thing was certainly molesting the basket. Didymusa was disinclined to set her feet on the floor on account of the rats and mice, but she crawled to the end of the bed, and perceived a great dog engaged in an attempt to carry off what remained of the chicken, which for that matter he was welcome to, if only he would spare the plates, glasses, &c. In order that these should not be broken, Didymusa hauled the basket over the foot of the bed, and there let it rest. As soon as we had settled our- Throuyh the Rockies. 205 selves once more, we were startled by a loud thud, as ot something heavy falling upon the floor. The deaf and dumb boy had, in fact, tumbled off his mattress, and was now groping about the floor to find it again. This lasted for some time, till presently he crawled under our bed, where eventually he went to sleep again. On the whole we felt extremely thankful to see daylight at four o'clock, soon afterwards being called by mine host, who inquired whether we wanted breakfast. But as the meal in course of prepara- tion did not smell very appetising, we decided to wait until we reached Fort Worth. Mine host then performed his ablutions just outside out* window, and when he had finished with the towel threw it into the room. " There's plenty of water down here if you want a wash," he cried, but in all the circumstances we postponed this operation also, until we arrived at our destination, making haste to take our departure from this hotel which had been so strongly recommended to us. The poor little deaf and dumb boy and his dog escorted us to the station, looking harmless enough by daylight, though they had not added to the comfort of the night. The boy smiled at us in quite a friendly manner, and we bestowed the remnant of chicken on the /dog. In due course- we arrived at Fort Worth, and entering the right train this time, changed cars at Hempstead at 4.30, resuming the journey at two o'clock. More than half the population of Hempstead seemed to be negroes. A " nigger " dance had recently taken place, and the ladies dresses were curious to behold, although not to be compared with their coiffures ; which uncomfortable and elaborate arrangements being once well " fixed " would be retained for a fortnight. Their owners 206 Texan Ranch Life. sometimes spend the first few nights in chairs for fear of disarranging them. The country about Hempstead seemed to be marvel- lously productive, but the moist, hot climate was very different from the fine dry air of the higher altitude in our part of Texas. They told us at the restaurant that quinine was always served with meals, and drunk as a matter of course by the inhabitants. After another change of cars at Austin, where there was time only to get the baggage rechecked, we arrived at last at our favourite San Antonio. From the depot to the St. Leonard's Hotel we travelled by the new electric cars. The swiftly galloping mules have now disappeared, the whole system of street railways, more than forty miles in length, being driven by electric motors. We did sleep soundly that night ! So soundly and so late that we nearly missed breakfast the following morn- ing. CHAPTER XXH. EETURN TO JUNCTION CITY FLOOD SETTLING IN OUR NEW HOME TARANTULA WEEVILS- SERENADERS. WE devoted a day at San Antonio to the selection of furni- ture for our new house, not buying anything very elaborate ; chairs, tables, bedsteads ; two or three hanging glasses, but no dressing tables or wardrobes, as we had planned a small room containing shelves and a cupboard. We purchased one of the " Early breakfast " cooking stoves, a refrige- rator, a " Paragon " freezing machine for making ices, and to complete the list, a New England piano. Louis, the former driver, had found more lucrative employment in San Antonio since we were last on the stage. There had been a serious flood during our absence, which hindered the freighting of my lumber, and the last exploit of Louis was to ride the fifty-five miles with the in-mail, swimming his horse across the swollen creeks. The last of these was so deep and dangerous that the mail bags were taken across in a boat, Louis being compelled to pass the night at a ranch on the other side. I was acquainted with the new driver, H. M., of Junction City, who, knowing that I liked to handle the " lines," expressed his intention of taking things easily for once, and insisted on turning the reins over to me. I felt quite proud to drive the stage, but as the heavy brake required to be constantly on and off over the broken ground, it proved more than I could comfortably manage 208 Texan Ranch Life. with the full team, so that Didymusa clambered to the off side, and acted as a very efficient brakesman. One of the passengers, who carried a baby in her arms, made some demur at -this change of drivers, but seeing that we went along pretty steadily, became gradually reassured, especially when the deposed driver, being fond of little children, relieved her of her burden from time to time. Some Mexican freighters, who passed us on the road, seeing the driver inside the stage, and the lines and brake in the hands of two senoritas, reported on their arrival that he had either broken his arm or become seriously ill. Owing to the detention of our lumber, and the soaking it had received in the flood, the building of the new house had been retarded, and we took up our quarters at the City Hotel. Tony had drawn the cedar poles for the lot and granary buildings, and, these being so far finished, was helping to nail on the shingles ; but three weeks passed before the house was ready to receive us. There was a pump in the lot, with an ample supply of water ; but this was " real mean," a term applied in Texas to anything disagreeable or not quite as it should be. Even the horses refused this water, unless they were starved into drinking it, and it subsequently proved utterly useless for culinary purposes. Potatoes boiled in it came out black. Tony had been compelled to cart water every day from the river. Many domiciles being provided with wooden rain-water tanks or underground cisterns supplied by troughs from the roofs, &c., I decided to have one of these, and Mr. Archer undertook to build a stone and cemented cistern under- ground, capable of holding some thousands of gallons, supplied by large troughs which carried off the water all round the house. This cistern certainly proved a " joy for A Flood. 209 ever." We soon acquired a taste for soft water ; it was deliciously cold, even on the hottest summer's day, and, as there were no sooty chimneys, it ran from the roof as clear as crystal. We always used to lower butter, melons, &c. to cool in the underground cistern. Being told that the water of the despised well possessed valuable alkaline properties, I sent a specimen to Dr. Kennedy, of San Antonio. But as his fee for making a quantitative analysis was $100, and I entertained consider- able doubts as to the actual medicinal virtues of the water, although it tasted certainly not unlike Vichy or Contrexe- ville, I preferred to let the money go towards the cistern. We had not long to wait for its filling, as a few weeks later there was another extraordinary flood. If it had arisen from both the North and South Llanos, the lower end of the town must have been carried completely away. In this case, as in the last, it fortunately only came from the South Llano above Paint Rock, whence, after very heavy rains the water pours down as if a reservoir had suddenly burst in the sky ; filling the dry ravines, and carrying everything before it. I felt thankful to find that my land was sufficiently high and dry and far from both rivers to escape inundation, but in the lower parts of the town, a perfect panic set in. All kinds of vehicles were made ready to transport the unhappy owners of the threatened houses, with all their worldly goods, to the higher ground amongst the moun- tains, whilst men anxiously watched the rising waters. Some had been already washed away with their shanties one poor old man being saved by climbing a tree, on which he remained for twenty-eight hours, when Tony swam out to it, and with help, succeeded in rescuing him in a state of extreme exhaustion. Tony himself was the principal p 210 Texan Ranch Life. sufferer in consequence of this exploit ; being liable to chills and fevers from that day forth ; never in fact entirely free from them. The country below us presented a curious panorama ;. one huge lake, with all kinds of debris floating on its surface ; tree tops and house-roofs just visible above it. A nearer view showed the rushing turbulent waters, bearing along large trees, tables, bedding, dead cattle, and an empty cradle ! The flood did not rise to the principal plaza, although our friends at the Stores were expecting it ; having piled their goods upon the highest shelves, and taken every precaution in case of the worst. Such a flood had not occurred within the memory of man, and another so serious might not be experienced in a century. It made a deep impression upon the dwellers of the lower part of the town near the creek on the Kerville road, and those who could afford to do so, immediately entered into negotiations for plots at the western end of the town, and set to work to remove their houses. Before many weeks, open spaces on the opposite side of the road in front of us, were occupied by the Recorder and several of the most important inhabitants. It was curious to watch the removal of the houses, the great expense being " gitting of it thar." It would be raised by means of levers, and shifted on ta a kind of raft upon wheels, drawn by forty yoke of oxen, mules, and horses combined, the moving houses looking curiously comical. Nothing inside them was disturbed, and on arriving at their new sites they were simply placed on wooden or stone blocks previously erected to receive them. Simultaneously with the completion of our dwelling- place arrived the crockery, &c.,from San Francisco, and the Settling in our New Home. 211 furniture from San Antonio ; fortunately everything was safely bestowed before this second inundation. So marvellous are the recuperative powers of Texas that, beyond the loss of some fine timber, and the alteration in the course of the river and creeks, all traces of disaster soon disappeared, log huts occupying the sites recently vacated by the wealthier citizens. The most serious result of the flood, as far as I was concerned, was the cutting off of irrigation, the dam having been carried away. This had been built in the form of a horseshoe, which the Boss said was a mistake, since the water had more power to carry the dam away as it rushed in. The reconstruction of the dam was a considerable expense to the town, and a good deal of difference of opinion existed as to its most desirable form. Camp meetings were now in full swing, and the builder, Mr. Lightfoot, expostulated on account of my abstention. He was one of the preachers at Union Church, and evidently regarded me as a shocking reprobate. The Boss of Lechuza Ranch was hastening the building of an Episcopalian church, to the expense of which he had largely contributed, and Mr. Lightfoot could not understand why I did not attend his services until this church should be completed. When I offered reasons he demanded whether we should not all meet in heaven. I replied that such was my hope, but silently prayed that the angels might wave their wings over us, and cry: " Circulez, circulez, messieurs!" if ever Messrs. Lightfoot and Company and I found ourselves together in Paradise ! He did not believe, he said, that either niggers or Mexicans had souls ; an excellent illustration of the estimation in which the latter are held in Texas ! p 2 212 Texan Ranch Life. I could not help retorting that his own chance of heaven might be problematical ; whereupon he informed the city that the Episcopalians entertained some " mighty queer notions especially Miss Jaques !" A few mornings after we were settled in our new abode, Didymusa calling me rather frantically. I hurried to the spot to find her in pursuit of a snake with brilliant red and yellow markings the king snake, venomous, but possessing the merit of being a mortal enemy of the rattlesnake. Seizing some splintered wood, which remained from the lumber used in building the house, we succeeded in beating in the snake's head till it was killed. When Didymusa skinned it, she found it had recently swallowed a rattle- snake. Glued upon a board and varnished, the skin made an excellent specimen. We never saw another king snake at " The Field," but later on the same day, walking with Tony to the maize patch, where harvesting had begun, we came across the dreaded tarantula (the Texan My gale Hentzii). We had frequently seen the NepMJa plmmpes (silk spider) and had heard that this hairy monster, the tarantula, was often found in Texas, though we had never met with one till now. They seemed abundant under the fruit trees and amongst the weeds, and, not having a particular affection for any kind of spider, I betrayed some concern, till Tony assured me they were not likely to make their way into the house. But he considered the bite of the tarantula almost as bad as that of a rattlesnake, although a thin shoe or even a glove affords protection against it. Tony was very intelligent ; anxious for any kind of information, and I told him of the origin of the name at Tarentum in Italy, and that formerly, the bite was believed to cause a malady comparable to hydrophobia. I explained that the Italians used to place implicit faith in music as a Tarantula. 213 sovereign remedy, and how that the learned Boglivi wrote a treatise wherein he gravely designated the particular airs to be played for each symptom as it was exhibited by the victim of a bite. I often played Heller's Tarantelle from memory, and Tony, who was fond of music, would repeat it on his French harp. In Texas they prefer whisky to music as an anti- dote, though the spirit sometimes causes a worse smart than the tarantula ! As there were a number of large wasps (Pompilus formosus, or tarantula killer), we hoped these would keep the tarantulas under. A smaller kind of wasp, a species of Pepceus, formerly known as " mud-daubers," soon began to form their nests in the corners of the rooms and on the woodwork of the gallery. The cells were constructed of mud and grouped in large masses ; the female first paralysing spiders with her sting, and afterwards giving them as food to the larvae. A mud-dauber will not attack a taran- tula. Tony had kept my team in " fine fix " during our absence, but whilst admiring Dandy, regarded him as an indifferent worker. Dandy had "cut up" on one occasion when Tony was going to ride him, and given a display of his pitching powers, so that Tony looked very doubtful the first time he was called upon to saddle the horse for my own use, until, seeing how well he carried me, he came to the conclusion that Dandy ought not to be employed for heavy draught purposes. Eventually, I bought other horses to take his place and kept Dandy entirely for my own use. I became the owner of " Monte," a flea-bitten brown, who took the wheeler's place with Button. Monte was young, and had never been in harness, but after being 214 Texan Ranch Life. hitched up in the waggon by Tony and his brother, he gave very little trouble. We derived some amusement in trying the various animals offered to complete our team, these being loaned before the completion of an actual purchase. The Texans are sensible enough never to use their saddle horses for collar-work, unless this is very light, know- ing that it often causes stiffness, whereas flexibility of the shoulders is absolutely essential in a cow-pony. Mr. J., an experienced ranchman, warned me against using Dandy for draught purposes if I intended to ride him myself. The animal was far too good for slow work, and it was amusing to see Tony on one occasion (before the horse was taken from field work) trying to harrow in a patch of rye which he had planted for winter fodder ; Dandy pacing along at about seven miles an hour ; poor Tony's long legs moving almost at a run, in his efforts to keep up. Besides the rye and wheat we grew a patch of millet, some of which was cut and dried and stored in the granary, proving extremely useful as fodder during the winter. There are several kinds of weevils in Texas : the plum weevil, the nut and grain weevils, &c., all great pests, infesting everything and destroying a good deal of Indian corn. An excellent means to circumvent them is to gather early, pulling the shucks with the corn, using plenty of water and at least one and a-half bushels of salt to every hundred pounds of grain, pressing the whole tightly into the crib to form a compact mass. The water generates sufficient heat to kill the imprisoned weevils, whilst others are unable to penetrate the bulk of corn unless rats lead the way. All corn cribs should be rat-proof. Moreover, the salt is by no means wasted, as cattle and horses eat the Serenaders. 215 shucks, which should be pulled to pieces, and are more nutritious than fodder. A lot of work had to be done in " The Field " before the busy pruning time. Mr. Taylor, having left the Lechuza, became one of our hands to assist Tony. When once fairly settled, of course, we gave the customary house- warming, causing offence by extending our invitations to a Mexican family of good birth. But this breach of Texan etiquette was apparently condoned before many weeks, or we should not have been favoured with a serenade, which is always a sign of great popularity. We generally retired about ten o'clock, and it was mid- night before the buggy arrived with the night warblers and their banjoes and lanterns. It is the custom to invite the serenaders to enter and offer them refreshment, but on first awakening we could not imagine what was happening, and before we had time to decide how to act or make our- selves presentable, the music ceased and the musicians departed. All the ditties were of a sentimental character, some being very pretty and remarkably well rendered. The following are favourite songs on such occasions : ONE TOUCH OF THE HAND. Thine eyes, like the stars that are gleaming, Have entered the depths of my soul, And my heart has grown wild with its beating, And my feelings I cannot control. Still, still do I love, do I fear thee, Would keep thee, yet beg thee to go, One touch of the hand makes me tremble And recalls all the sorrows of yore. Why once again have I met thee ? Why is this sorrow now mine ? In vain do I strive to forget thee But my soul is enslaved into thine. 216 Texan Ranch Life, Still, still do I love, do I fear thee, Would keep thee, yet beg thee to go, One touch of the hand makes me tremble And recalls all the sorrows of yore. THE SPANISH CAVALIER. A Spanish cavalier stood in his retreat And on his guitar played a tune, dear, The music so sweet, they'd ofttimes repeat The blessing of my country and you, dear. Say, darling, say when I'm far away, Sometimes you may think of me, dear, Bright sunny days will soon fade away, Remember what I say and be true, dear. I am off to the war, to the war I must go, To fight for my country and you, dear, But if I should fall in vain I would call The blessing of my country and you, dear. And when the war is o'er to you I'll return Back to my country and you, dear, But if I be slain, you may seek me in vain, Upon the battle field you will find me. Say, darling, say, when I'm far away, Sometimes you may think of me, dear, Bright sunny days will soon fade away, Remember what I say and be true, dear. Her eyes as bright as bright can be Like sun rays on a summer sea. Her hair is like a sunset crown O'er fields of wheat just turning brown, And in her lips the mantling blood Is like a pomegranate bud. Her heart is true as true can be Like some staunch oak beside the sea. Serenaders. 217 And her small hands are pearl and pink Like peach blooms by a river's brink. Her voice is like a gentle breeze Borne through the languid laurel trees. But oh ! her soul, that few may know, Is strong as fire, and pure as snow. CHAPTEK XXIII. DOMESTIC LIFE AT "THE FIELD " " FURIOUS RIDING THROUGH THE TOWN STREETS" MASONIC FUNERAL PREPARATIONS FOR CHRISTMAS. As the lumber of which the house was built had been saturated during its freightage, to say nothing of the effect of the subsequent heavy rains, we decided to leave the interior varnishing and exterior decoration until all became thoroughly dry. But everything in this regard was ready for the finishing touches a few weeks later, when Mr. Lightfoot arrived with " a colour sheet," from which the- " trimmings " (outside painting, &c.) were to be selected. Then our cosy home began to look very pretty, and the various domestic arrangements afforded ample occupation. Instead of dressing-tables, we placed our own trunks upon reversed crates, decorating them with chintz. Mrs. Boss was kind enough to stitch the light counterpanes, sheets, tablecloths, art muslin window curtains, &c., with her sewing machine, whilst we fixed shelves, supported by small brackets, in the corners of the rooms beneath the hanging glasses. Although we made one batch of yeast-cakes, we found the "Twin Brother " or " National," which we bought at San Antonio, better and lighter. As the late peaches were still ripening, we preserved a quantity, and not yet having received our " early breakfast stove," boiled them in the Domestic Life at "The Field. 3 ' 219 open, in a copper cauldron lent for the occasion by Tony's mother the " Groszmiitter," as we named her. It was a somewhat difficult process ; the preserve would boil too quickly, and the strong breeze fanned 'the flames so fiercely that we were compelled to remain at a respectful distance from the cauldron and to stir its contents with a long pole. The Groszmiitter waxed excited when the flames rose from the fiercely-burning cedar logs, but, although my German is not very good, I succeeded in calming her to some extent, and, notwithstanding that the increasing power of the sun towards afternoon made the general heat almost unbearable, she snatched the pole from me and Didymusa, and with cries of " Cocket, Cocket ! " valiantly took her turn at the stirring. Tony's mother was unable to read, but listened with great enjoyment when I read aloud from the devotional books she lent to me. I could read quite fluently and hope that she translated them for her own benefit ; at all events she complimented me upon my " pretty accent," and declared I was a " booful reader." During the evenings, we always had music or a rubber of whist ; friends constantly looked in from the city, or if they failed, we could make up our own set. Tony taught us a German game " Sixty-six," at which he was an adept ; also euchre, poker, nap, monte, and others ; we recipro- cating by teaching him whist, at which he " caught on " at once and soon became an excellent player. The Groszmutter, also, we initiated, but on joining our party, she grew so excited that it was advisable to make Tony her partner, he being more successful in subduing his mother. On one occasion when she held a fine hand of trumps and he persistently ignored her 220 Texan Ranch Life. signals, so that she could not obtain the lead, she could restrain herself no longer, but throwing up her arms, exclaimed : " Toany, Toany, spielen sie trumpen, Toany ! " Being a staunch Catholic, she looked upon the pro- ceedings at the camp-meetings with profound dislike. We could hear the incessant singing and praying, and the high-pitched voices of the preachers quite distinctly at the house. Entering the field at her side one evening we saw the Grroszmiitter flitting about amongst the shrubs in a white, or at least, a very light dress, and told her she looked like a ghost. Not quite understanding, she shook her head with a determined : " Nein, nein, kein Heiligen Geist dahin " : referring to the camp-meeting. A kind of tournament was to be held at Christmas, and, there being a hint of some ladies' races, Mr. Taylor and I used to try our horses on a nice little track " back of " the town ; whereupon I received the following letter from Mr.J.E. : DEAR Miss JAQTTES I have heard from two pr three people this morning that you are liable to be arrested for furious riding by galloping and racing through the town streets. The Sheriff's attention has been called to it, and I thought I would inform you, so that it would not come as a surprise when you did it again. Yours truly, J E . It is against the laws to ride furiously through the town streets or a public highway ; in the country lanes it does not matter so much. So our trial track was a public highway ! Well, we had entirely failed to distinguish any difference between " highways " and " country lanes ! " Mr. Taylor pooh-poohed the warning and felt sure no one would appear as a witness against me ; but I never repeated our trial races behind the town. Furious Riding through the Town Streets. 221 On the first day of the Court sitting shortly afterwards, Mr. Taylor and I rode to a ranch about ten miles below the city to bring up a cow with a week-old calf. Now nothing is more tiresome to drive than a single cow and calf. In the first place the calf gives a lot of running, until it becomes thoroughly exhausted, then it generally " sulls " (sulks), and the fun gives place to a dreary exercise of patience, as you crawl to your destination, riding one on each side of the cow, which creates occasional diversions by turning backwards and frequently taking a wire fence by the way. We were in the act of passing the city, intending to turn down a side street, when off started the cow, tail in air, at the top of her pace, across the square. It was my business to cut her off and that quickly, as, once give her time to turn, she would soon be back at the river ! After a moment's consideration, off I dashed across the plaza in pursuit, turning the opposite corner and the cow very neatly. Of course, I was again " riding furiously on a public highway," and right before the eyes of outraged justice ; for I observed persons peering through the very Court House windows. But Jtfdge Martin was immediately " stuck " on my horsemanship, and charged Mr. J. R. (who happened to form one of the jury), with numerous complimentary messages, which were faithfully delivered in due course. The Judge was to be brought to my house and introduced, or I was to go to the Court the next morning and hear him. Alas ! before the next morning judge and jury were under the tables, half seas over ; the usual state of affairs during the opening week. I never met the judge or heard . any more about my threatened arrest ! In travelling through the United States I saw no 222 Texan Ranch Life. mendicants, and met with few so-called " charities." The country is remarkably free from pauperism. Mexico, on the other hand, swarms with beggars ; one meets them at every turn and corner. However poor a Texan may be, he scorns anything in the form of " charity ; " resents all help which is not born of friendly feeling, and offered as from an equal. There is nothing servile about the Texan, and one can but admire their independence of speech and conduct; nor, on the other hand did I perceive the slightest lack of generosity. As one instance of kindly sympathy and consideration, take the case of a stranger who arrived at Junction City in an advanced stage of consumption. For the first few weeks the fine, dry air worked wonders, but it was only a fitful rally ; to restore the invalid's strength was quite beyond the power even of that fine climate. He was utterly alone, but yet lacked nothing ; every want being satisfied, every luxury provided. Being a Freemason, the brothers of the Lodge (instituted at Junction City only the previous year) took it in turns to sit up with the lonely man till he died. He had not attended the Union Church, and unaware whether he was a member of any particular denomination, they buried him with Masonic rites ; the whole City and the school turning out in gay attire to honour his memory. We were occupied in clearing away the dinner things as the crowd went on its way to the quiet little graveyard at South Llano, and ran to the gallery to see what was happening. Didymusa and I thought we might as well join the throng, but Mr. Taylor preferred staying at home to wipe up the plates and dishes. After our departure he stood on the gallery watching the crowd for a few minutes r and subsequently told us that it reminded him of a Derby Masonic Funeral. 22$ day. The people were riding, driving, walking, running, shouting and pushing, and some, seeing him, shouted " Come on, Taylor. Be quick, hitch up and we'll wait for you." And the behaviour at the graveyard, to our English eyes, appeared even more unseemly, albeit the scene wa& extremely picturesque ; the women in their large sun- bonnets, and simple costumes, others in every variety of colour, all prettily grouped about the grave. It is the curious custom in Texas to let a piece of glas& into the coffin, lid in order to afford a last look at the deceased ; who is, of course, buried the same day on which he breathes his last. The grave was enormously broad, and whilst we stood looking on somewhat bewildered by the surrounding scene, a huge shell was lowered into it, previously having been turned topsy-turvy, with a rattle and bang as it righted itself again. Into this shell the coffin is subsequently lowered. " Oh, I hope I shall never be buried in Texas," said Didymusa in a subdued whisper. But at that moment a sudden hush fell upon all the throng, and the cortege approached the little gateway. The beautiful and impressive hymns and funeral address were somewhat marred by the nasal tones of those who- officiated. The coffin was passed under the crossed rods, all the Masons following in procession, each individual afterwards walking round the grave repeating a text from Ecclesiastes xii. v. 7. " The body returns to the earth as it was; and the Spirit returns to God who gave it." As we stood about the grave talking, while the crowd dispersed, I mentioned that my father had been a Mason,, 224 Texan Ranch Life. whereupon some of the brothers joined hands and said, " Hitherto it has been our pleasure, now it is our duty, to protect you." There was some discussion as to the desirability of instituting a branch of the " Eastern Star," at Junction City, for women. The wives, widows, and daughters of Masons, only, are eligible for this order, which,, without making women Masons, communicates, under a solemn pledge of honour, the secrets of the Eastern Star degrees. Thus they make themselves known to Masons an advantage all the world over in time of need. Already I had been introduced to some ladies of this order at San Antonio, and regretted that I could not join it, but this was impossible without access to private papers in England, to prove that my father was a Mason, although I believe the Secretary wrote to Madras, where he was initiated and took the order of Royal Arch. December and a temperature of 90 ! It was difficult to realise that the cakes, plum puddings, and mincemeat were actually intended for Christmas ! Our willing helpers were many, but, the materials being difficult to manipulate during the heat of the day, we generally left the stoning of plums, suet chopping, &c., until evening. Our great cake (Sib. weight) had an icing of pecan, instead of almond : chocolate surmounted by white, with designs in small sugar-plums undertaken by Mr. Taylor. Didymusa railed at us as untidy and easily-tired workers, but if the boys once began she made them stick to it, turning a deaf ear to all hints concerning music or whist by way of a change. The groceries were mostly freighted up from Kerville, sugar crystalised in large barrels costing ten cents a pound. It was difficult to keep the large red ants out of it, and the only effectual banner Deer Hunt. 225 was water, which they never care to cross. Their bite is a "thing to remember ! Amidst our preparations for Christmas, Tony came in one day in a state of high excitement with news that his brother had seen some deer and numbers of wild turkeys. A hunting expedition was hastily organised, and as the deer had been seen in the neighbourhood of San Saba, whence we had received an invitation to a ranch, we persuaded our friends to meet us on the road. The prospect of camping out under the full moon appeared delightful ; so we locked up the house, packed the necessary provisions and utensils to cook them, with guns and ammunition, in the waggon, which, for the first time, carried its bows and full white sheet to protect us in the case of a Norther. Didymusa, who, being liable to rheumatism, was allowed a mattress, went in the waggon with Tony, whilst Mr. Taylor and I rode. Tony, being the huntsman, crept off quietly alone the first evening, and lay concealed for a time near some water, but returned without seeing the deer. However, he intended to try again the next morning ; and before day- break we heard him release the horses, which were staked lose at hand. As the birds began to twitter with the earliest dawn, we distinctly distinguished the report of a Winchester. Knowing that Tony would not return just yet, we postponed lighting the fire and preparing breakfast and set forth in an opposite direction bent on quail shooting. On and on we walked, wishing for a good dog to retrieve "the quail, which are nearly the same colour as the ground and often run some little distance before dropping. Suddenly it occurred to us that we ought to be return- ing to camp ; also that we had completely lost our hearings ! We were now in a locality strange both to Mr. Q -2'2() Texan Ranch Life. Taylor and myself ; Menard County, wild and desolate ; each mountain looking much the same as any other to our unfamiliar eyes. Although our cartridges, both for the Winchester and the shot gun were running short, we thought we would have a little practice in the hope of attracting Tony's attention. Mr. Taylor threw up his large sombrero for Didymusa and me to shoot at, and the one kind of cartridges exhausted, we placed a white stone in a dead tree and fired at that. After this long-range practice, there was a pause. Didymusa offered her little charm (a compass) to Mr. Taylor, and when he declared that such a toy was useless, lay down at full length under the tree, which was not a juniper. " Oh, I do wish I had had my breakfast before we started ! " she cried, when, as she ceased her lament, Mr. Taylor, who had climbed to the topmost branch, announced that he saw an approaching object. Tony, for Tony it proved to be, coolly told us that we had been walking straight away from the camp ; and although some excuse might have been made, as the morning was dull and the sun invisible, he evidently regarded us with not a little contempt. Having been bred in Texas, he knew every stunted bush, blade of grass, stick, and stone on the prairie for two or three hundred miles around. We retaliated by chaffing him about the deer which he had missed ; but he had made a good bag of wild turkeys, and one of these was over the camp fire instead of the promised venison steak a capital breakfast and thoroughly well earned, as Didy- musa thought. Before the meal was over, we began to feel an approaching Norther, and, hastily packing up our things, got under way, not having gone far before sleet fell, accompanied by intense cold. We should have been Los Moras Ranch. 227 frozen in our saddles, so Dandy was tied behind the waggon with Mr. Taylor's pony, and creeping under the hospitable tilt, we were glad of the protection of rugs and blankets, brought for such emergency. There were several miles to drive before we reached the Los Moras ranch, where we ultimately arrived, half frozen, to receive a hearty welcome arid enjoy hot toddies by the blazing cedar logs. Our kind host and hostess were French, as also their partner, who played the mandolin. As night fell the Norther ceased, and the morning was as genial as usual. This ranch was beautifully situated, well watered, and near some fine timber. There are said to be oysters with pink pearls in the San Saba river, by which we had a picnic ; but the large kind of bivalve with a pretty shell, found on this occasion, contained a pearl of a yellowish- white tint. We returned home by a different route, and, though we saw little game, were blessed with two ideal nights for camping, played whist by moonlight, eked out by that of the camp fire, and were joined for a little while by a posse of cowboys, one of whom possessed a fine tenor voice. He threw a great deal of pathos into the simple ditty, in a minor key, which seems to be the cowboys' favourite. I am sorry I could not succeed in obtaining a copy of the music. " Oh bury nie not on the lone prairie," Those words canie low and mournfully From the pallid lips of the youth who lay On his dying couch at the close of day. He wailed in pain till o'er his brow Death's shades were fast gathering now. He thought of his home and his dear girl nigh ; And the cowboys gathered around to see him die. 228 Texan Ranch Life. " Oh bury me not on the lone prairie, With the turkey, buzzard, and coyote, In a narrow grave six foot by three, Oh bury me not on the lone prairie. " In fancy I listen to the well-known words Of the free wild winds and the song of the birds ; I think of home and the cottage in the bower, And the scenes I loved in my childhood's hour. " It matters not, so I've often been told, Where the body is laid when the heart is cold ; Yet grant, oh grant this boon to me, And bury me not on the lone prairie. " I had hoped to lie in the old churchyard, Down by my native home on the green hill side ; By the side of my father, oh let my grave be, And bury me not on the lone prairie. " Oh, then, bury me not on the lone prairie, In a narrow grave, six foot by three, Where the buffalo paws o'er a prairie grave, And the wild coyotes will howl over me. " Let my death slumber be where a mother's prayer And a sister's tear will be mingled there, Where friends will gather to help bury me ; Oh bury me not on the lone prairie." * " There is another whose tears will be shed for him Who lies on the prairie bed in the hour of pain. She is the joy of my heart while I speak of her now ; She has curled these locks, she has kissed this brow. " These locks she has curled, shall the rattlesnake kiss ? This brow she has kissed, shall the cold grave press ? For the sake of the lov'd ones that will weep for me, Oh bury me not on the lone prairie. " She has been in my dreams " but his voice fail'd there ; And they gave no heed to his prayer. In a narrow grave, six foot by three, They buried him there on the lone prairie. Christmas Festivities. 229 Where^the dew-like wings of the butterfly rest, And the wild flowers bloom o'er the prairie's crest ; Where the wild coyotes and the winds sport free, On a wet saddle blanket lay a cow-boy -ee. Shortly afterwards we were sorry to hear that the singer had been struck by lightning and killed whilst riding with the herd. Our round of Christmas festivities lasted more than a fortnight. " Santa Glaus " appeared at about three o'clock in' the morning in the form of Tony, staggering under the weight of two large linen-baskets. As he was surreptitiously conveying them to the dining-room, Didymusa arrived on the scene in night attire, candle in hand, to ascertain the time, but Tony crept out without a word. Honour forbade us to examine the linen-basket at once, but on rising early to prepare for our large dinner party at noon, one basket was found to contain firew r orks, the other a beautifully painted breakfast service, a case of Atkinson's perfumes, champagne, bonbons, with nicely arranged baskets of candies, besides sundry scarves, shawls, and " fascinators." The Groszmutter and Tony joined us at dinner, curious to taste the Christmas pudding, which they had seen in embryo. " Gut ! " was their verdict ; and besides the pudding we had a fine turkey and roast sucking-pig neither of them wild. Needless to say, we remembered our friends in the old country. At Junction City time is nearly seven hours later than in London, so that we pictured those at home still sleeping soundly in their beds, presently to turn out on a cold, raw, frosty morning, while we in Texas were revelling in glorious sunshine. At two o'clock began the races, of an amusingly non- 230 Texan Ranch Life. descript character horses, ponies of all ages and sizes, carrying any weight, and ridden with or without saddle, as the case might be. " Lifting the rings " afforded an opportunity to display some neat horsemanship, but our champion had drunk not wisely, but too well, and, actually seeing double, remained under the impression that he had all the rings on his pole, when there was but one. Expos- tulation regarding his condition provoked the retort that he was not " quite gone ; only seven-eighths ! " Another dexterous feat is to pick up a hat, a handker- chief, or even a dollar, from the ground at full gallop. The ladies race fell through as there were too few entries. Before tea and the subsequent display of fireworks, we all set to work clearing away and washing up the dinner things ; surely there was never before so merry a party of butlers, cooks, parlour maids, and footmen ! The fame of our Roman candles, rockets, and fire- balloons spread in due course as far as San Antonio. But after the display, when our friends went to prepare for the dance at the court house, leaving us to obtain a little rest before doing the same, we discovered that the roof of the gallery was on fire. We tried to extinguish the flames with wet towels, and fortunately our shouts for help were heard by Tony and also by a neighbour on his way to the dance ; who handed up pails of water to Tony on the roof, so that between them they put out the fire without much damage. PRUNING FEUIT TREES MR. TWOHIG'S IMPRISON- MENT AND ESCAPE COST OF FUEL STOCK YARDS, &c., AT SAN ANTONIO SURVEYING AND ASSESSMENT PELON DOG CATAMOUNT AND OTHER PETS TEXAN AND MEXICAN WEDDINGS. THE pruning began with the New Year and lasted for several weeks. It ought to have been wisely done there being assuredly a multitude of counsellors. We had several volunteers to help us, superintended by Mr. Bolt, a young Englishman of great experience in the old country ; Mr. Van Buren (from Eochester, New York), who had seen a good deal of fruit-growing, cautioned him not to prune too hard, shade being desirable in so hot a country, and also advised the application of linseed-oil wherever the pruning-knife had been used, to prevent canker. Didymusa and I, accordingly, followed the pruners with brushes and oil-cans. Whilst using his left hand to an awkward branch, Mr. Taylor's knife slipped, inflicting a terrible gash across his right knuckle. Once more our Ambulance knowledge proved useful, although for the first few days we had a very anxious time, and Mr. Taylor could not use his right hand for several weeks. He was extremely apt with his left, how- ever, and happily our fear of a stiff joint was not realised. Mr. Grrantham, the clergyman of the Episcopalian '23'2 Tc.ran Ranch Life. Church, came our way every three months, having the use of Union Church until his own should be finished. The Holy Communion was celebrated in our drawing-room at "The Field." Having enjoyed our first experience of camping, and there being nothing in particular to detain us at home, we determined to spend Easter at San Antonio, driving all the way in the waggon, and resting the team two nights at Kerville. The cotton season extends from August to April, and the roads were alive with wool-freighters, San Antonio being the most important primary wool market in the Union. Its average receipts amount to 9,000,0001b. a year, or about 15,000 bags. Between Boerne and Leon springs we found very picturesque sleeping places one near the Aransas Pass railroad and a bridge. When the evening train passed, the young horse Monte was so terrified that we thought he would break away from the picket, in spite of all attempts to quiet him. He managed to cut his fetlock with a rope, and went lame the next day ; but fortunately we were not far from our destination. Button and Dandy had enjoyed previous experience of trains at Kerville. The ladies of the "Eastern Star" were extremely courteous, and amongst other pleasant expeditions we undertook one to the old aqueduct, about four miles from the city, which now forms a picturesque ruin. The aqueduct was constructed by the Fathers of the Order of St. Francis, in order to supply the missions and the fields and gardens cultivated by the Indians under the directions of the friars, who were astute enough to perceive that these people must be taught to work before they could be converted. The irrigating ditches, which reticu- Mr. Twohig'* Imprisonment and Escape. 233 late the river valley, offer ample evidence of the practical nature of the teaching of these missionaries. The Alamo Monumental Society aims, as I was deeply interested to learn, at restoring the Alamo Church to its original form, and adorning its walls with fitting memorials of those who died beside them. First-rate artists are to be employed, and the incidents of the massacre of the Alamo and other contests during the rising against Mexico are to be commemorated by a shaft of granite or marble. Stirring stories abound of Indian raids and the Mexican feuds and revolutions which attracted to Texas the bold, lawless, and restless spirits of the South -Western border of the Union, together with numerous adventurers from foreign parts. Mr. Twohig, a prominent banker, still survives to relate the following story, for the most part from personal experience as an actor, not merely an eye-witness. Before the uprising of the Texans, Mr Twohig, then a storekeeper at San Antonio (the city being held by the Mexican general Cos against the patriot army of Burleston), was imprisoned and sentenced to be shot, together with Maverick and Cox, for signalling to the besiegers. The gallant Milam (himself cut down in the heat of the conflict) and his comrades, saved the condemned men from the consequence of this " pernicious activity" in the cause of freedom. Those familiar with the story of Texas can easily recall the fact that even after it secured independence, its inhabitants were frequently harrassed by Mexican raiders. Mr. Twohig was one of those abducted and spirited over the border by General Woll in 1842. The ancient enemy was perhaps the more incensed because he had deliberately blown up his store, thus destroying certain hopes of booty. Mr. Twohig, therefore, with Maverick * 234 Texan Ranch Life. and others, was carried to Vera Cruz in chains and immured in the castle of Perote a sufficiently tragic experience, no doubt, but, in the manner of their escape, not devoid of an element of comedy. The prisoners were kept at hard labour, an indignity which Mr. Twohig resented so vigorously that the result was solitary confinement. Now he began to form his plans to obtain freedom, not for himself alone, but for all his fettered companions. While the others were rigorously kept to their appointed tasks, he tunnelled with infinite pains and patience the massive walls of the fortress, only to discover at the last moment that the opening was much too small to allow one of the prisoners, Major Colquhoun, whose captivity had only served to increase his natural girth, to pass through. Once more the tedious task was resumed, the opening at length became sufficiently large and the escape was finally accomplished. Mr. Twohig evaded his pursuers in the guise of a native pedlar, bearing upon his head through the streets of Vera Cruz a tray of iamales and peloncillos, and at length made his way to New Orleans with safety on the same ship as the officers sent out to recapture him. The better to guard against arrest, after his escape from Castle Peroto, he joined a company of Mexican bandits, a gentry whose influence in those adventurous days was considerable. Into the treasury of this fraternity he paid the regular initiation fee of 750 dollars, but on severing the connection about a week later, the money, contrary to custom, was returned. The explanation of this unusual act of generosity Mr. Twohig laughingly leaves to the imagina- tion of his hearers. When the state was admitted to the Union and all the tribulations of the Texans were ended by annexation, he scaled the tower of the old Cathedral of San Fernando, and Cost of Fuel. 235 was the first to fling to the breeze at San Antonio the starry emblem of Liberty and Union. For over fifty years as merchant* banker, and citizen, he has evinced an unswerving loyalty to the principles of progress, whether its manifestations were merely material or that more sublime inspiration which has made the brief history of the Lone Star Eepublic that he helped to make " an epopee of ages." A fire is required only during two or three months in the year at San Antonio (and then but occasionally), yet the cost of fuel for cooking purposes is a matter of great importance, the price of wood being higher than in many back wood towns, although moderate compared to that charged in St. Louis, Chicago, or Milwaukee. Oak is delivered to the customer at five dollars fifty cents to six dollars the cord. Cut and split stove wood, dry and good, was to be seen in enormous quantities in Burleston Street, near the Southern Pacific depot, where we saw it being carried from the splitter by elevators into boxes, which hold from one to two cords each. These boxes are elevated so that the delivery waggon can be driven under and loaded in a few minutes. With this cutting and splitting plant the firm can deliver to consumers from fourteen to seventeen cords of stove wood a day. The wood yards are only busy about four months in the year, during that time about 150 cords of wood per day are being consumed in the city. Coal is consumed to some extent and is brought from the Lignite Company at Lytle Texas, where there is a vein of pure dry lignite five feet thick and seventy deep. Its heating power is considerably less than that of the coal from the Indian Territory, a ton rendering the same service as a cord of the best dry post oak wood. Anthracite coal also comes from the San 236 Texan Hand Life. Antonio and Indian Territory Fuel Company, but is not so extensively used. Mr. Taylor bought a pretty pair of young sorrels at the enormous stock yards, which are well worth a visit. No other market in the South -West can boast of so great a traffic in horses and horned cattle, San Antonio being the central point for all Southern and Western Texas. The average sales include 100,000 head, while some transactions (not requiring the intervention of a middleman) do not figure in the books. In 1890 the shipments by rail for all kinds of live stock were 91,058 head. We found quite a curiosity shop at Mr. Whichel's, the English bootmaker, who made me a smart pair of riding boots, much to my satisfaction, as those I brought with me were really giving out. Mr. Whichel was also a taxider- mist, and besides stuffing and mounting many of our trophies, made up some of the snake skins into belts. He was in the habit of keeping live rattlesnakes in a basket until he wanted them, and used to be very venture- some in handling the reptiles, until one day his head came within reach of their strike, and he was ill for several days. At Harnisch and Baer's, besides a very cordial welcome and the best ice cream shake they could mix for us, we were favoured with their best recipe for ice creams in return for the pleasure afforded by an account of our travels in California though it was a second edition ! The pleasant Zoological Gardens include an interesting museum, but not a large collection of animals ; a cata- mount or lynx had recently been captured with four kittens ; she was very fierce and flew savagely at the bars of the cage on our approach. I bought two of the kittens and as we were leaving early the following morning, arranged to pick them up as we passed. The keeper had not previously Catamount and other Pets. 237 told us that the kittens could not feed themselves, but, progress being slow through the streets of the city, Mr. Taylor ran back to buy a baby's feeding bottle at a chemist's shop. On the way home we lost one of them, not being able to obtain fresh milk and the kittens refusing condensed milk. But when Mr. Taylor offered the survivor a bird, shot for the purpose, and laid on the top of its box, it was immediately seized and dragged through the opening, and on this kind of food the kitten seemed to thrive. The sorrels, which were said to be broken to saddle and harness, were led behind the waggon, behaving at times in a rather startling manner. When Mr. Taylor hitched them up on our return, they upset the waggon and broke the pole. They proved extremely fractious, and not at all a good bargain, inasmuch as Mr. Taylor eventually sold them at a loss. About this time the surveyors were busy in all direc- tions, partly in connection with the proposed extension of the railway from Kerville, and partly on behalf of various settlers ; the lands subject to pre-emption must be surveyed and recorded at the general land office, the settler agreeing to occupy and improve them for three consecutive years. The whole cost of surveying and land office fees is about $11. The lands available for settlement in Texas are: First, those open to pre-emption ; second, railroad and State capital grants now in the market ; third, the State school-lands ; fourth, those of private owners. Within the first three of these classes some 64,000,000 acres are comprised. By the terms of her admission to the Union, Texas reserved all her public lands, of which she has dis- posed of some 32,000,000 acres in aid of railroads, and of 3,000,000 acres to the syndicate that built the new 238 Texan Ranch Life. Capitol at Austin. The State, says Land-Commissioner Hall, has about 25,000,000 acres of common school-lands for sale, of which, perhaps, 500,000 acres are valuable for the standing timber ; 4,000,000 acres being subject to pre- emption. The assessment on personal property afforded us much amusement on account of the fabulous value given to some articles the insignificant value to others ; the balance at the bank, rings, watches, pianos (exempt for professional players or teachers) cows, horses, pigs, poultry. Mr. L. asked the average number of eggs we had, and reckoning the total for the year, made quite a splendid return ; the fact that hens do not lay every day in the year never appearing to occur to him ! He also worked out my future crop of millet in a marvellous way. The State and county taxes on real estate of $3000 would run thus : State ad valorem ... ... ... $4'50 School ad valorem ... ... ... 3' 7 5 County ad valorem ... ... 7 '50 County (special) 12'00 District School frOO Total tax $33'75 Property is supposed to be assessed at half its actual value. We were beginning to acquire quite a menagerie ! Besides the domestic cat brought in by Mr. Taylor one even- ing, slung across his pony in a sack (which for a few days would live nowhere but up the chimney), there was a wolf, the catamount, a pair of squirrels, a pair of raccoons, two long-haired kids, horned frogs, all at large, besides several of the mongrel dogs, and last, but not least, Didymusa's " pelon " (hairless in Spanish.) This dog was given to her by our kind friends at Roca Springs, as a charm against Pelon Do(j. 239 rheumatism. She certainly suffered less after he became her constant companion, although I attribute her immunity to the climate. He was perfectly devoid of hair, blue-black in colour, Gerino by name ; and at first actually repulsive as far as I was concerned. But his beautiful symmetry and great muscular activity gradually won my admiration. These dogs are described by Humboldt, and were found by Columbus in the Antilles, by Cortes in Mexico, and by Pizarro in Peru, under the name of " Perros chinos." It GEEINO. suffers from the cold of the Cordilleras. It is identical with the Japanese edible dog, and the Mexican "tamale," also, is said to be largely composed of its flesh a fallacy, as we never saw a pelon in the City of Mexico, and seldom when passing through the Interior. There is another kind, called by Dr. Duncan "Canis ingae," having pointed ears and nose, and in the old Peruvian graves the skeleton of this dog is sometimes found resting 240 Texan Ranch Life. at the feet of the human mummy, presenting an emblem of fidelity, frequently employed by the media? val sculptors." This breed is distinguished by great ferocity, and will bite strangers upon the slightest provocation, and even without any provocation at all with their masters, too, they are often surly. Our pets were all very tame and tractable ; Danger, the wolf, often following me when riding with the dogs, or to the meat market, where he was not scrupulous in helping himself. At the sight of a stranger, he always disappeared, making burrows to hide himself in the day-time, and at night coming out to gambol about the house and gallery, inflicting white scratches upon Gerino's back, and frequently stealing honey or butter from the table. A favourite pastime of Danger's was to play with one's feet, and, as I often went about the house stockingless, wearing light sandals, I hardly enjoyed the game however, he never hurt me. The " Mounte " cat grew very handsome. She always slept with Didymusa, and gave forth a rich, sonorous purr. Many persons thought we ran some risk, but she was extremely affectionate, albeit rather fierce and assertive where raw meat was concerned. Occasionally, I brought up a bag full (costing about ten cents) on Dandy, " Mounte " meeting me with savage cries of " whack, whack " not by any means a " me-ow." Dandy " knew that sound," having been terrified the first time " Mounte " tried to climb up his legs ; so I was in the habit of throwing down the sack and riding off, to venture near again after she had satisfied her craving. On one occasion when it was too hot to kill a " beef," birds also being scarce, " Mounte " had fasted several days. We had provided a roasted chicken for dinner, and happened to turn our backs after it was placed on the table. Texan and Mexican Weddings. 241 " By Jove, our dinner's gone ! " exclaimed Mr. Taylor, and there was " Moimte " walking off with the whole chicken in her mouth ! The squirrels, " Twiddle " and " Twaddle," were very tame, and would carry the pecans from the table and hide them in all kinds of corners ; sometimes filling the large pockets of Mr. Taylor's ulster. About this time we were invited to two weddings, one bride being a Texan girl with an Englishman for groom, Mr. Ernest W., one of the Lechuza hands, at present filling Tony's place at " The Field " ; Tony having had to give up on account of continual fevers, dating from the rescue of the old man from the tree -top in the flood. Ernest was to take possession of the cottage a few days after the wedding. The ceremony took place at 8 p.m., a civil marriage, before Judge Aley, who merely asked a few questions and straightway declared the couple " united in the holy bonds of matrimony " a short and simple process ! Judge Aley was a man of many occupations : perform- ing marriages, making coffins, acting in a judicial capacity, running foot races, selling corn, and " handling " a flourishing store. It was a beautiful night for the wedding, and, the assembly being large, we all stood round the gallery while the happy pair came forth from the house attended by a bridesmaid. The short ceremony over, they sat down to receive congratulations ; most of the ladies kissing the bride and shaking hands with the bridegroom. After this there were dancing, cards, and supper. Instead of participating in this gaiety, Didymusa lay stiff and bruised in bed, having been rather severely cut about the eye and ear in a buggy accident the previous R 242 Texan Ranch Life. Sunday. Mr. J. E. was taking her for a drive, when the gallant greys (from the livery stable) ran away ; rather a joke, in the face of her assertion that this pair was " so much nicer and more reliable than my half -broken young team." The buggy was overturned and smashed ; Mr. J. E. sprained his foot, he and Didymusa being compelled to wade through a creek and to despatch a messenger to the town for another carriage. Mr. Taylor and I had driven to the wedding, with Dandy in the buggy, through thickly-wooded, rough, rocky country. Over the worst ground we were preceded by two horsemen, holding hand- kerchiefs as a guide, Judge Aley bringing up the rear in his buckboard. On reaching home, after the ceremony, we found Didymusa in a state of great agitation. The piano had begun to play of its own accord ; manifestly an ill omen ! However, having laughed at her alarm, we did our best to soothe her. What with our absence at San Antonio and my extra occupation during Didymusa's illness, the piano had not been opened for more than a month. Well, one evening shortly afterwards, Mr. J. E. limped up to the house as gracefully as his sprained foot would permit, bringing some sweetbreads, which he insisted on frying himself. He was inclined to " boss " all domestic operations when he had the chance, and somewhat to Mr. Taylor's delight the pan caught fire, and its contents were deposited on the floor, a sad degradation for Mr. J. E. ! Didymusa, being hor* dc <-<>uil