■'^' -■J ' ''< ': 'il'^ :-: ■':•'■■:'-' -r k ;c 'i^ f^i ' ' < c^^c; V^^JcJ •:'■; ii;i; ^fho little thought they would, ere long, be utterly dis abled, at the mercy of tempestuour winds, 96 BRAZOS ST. JAGO. ' cast on the bleak shores of a barren island, or stranded on the treacherous sand-bar. Frequently were we compelled to turn aside from our path to avoid some mammoth black- ened mast that lay imbedded in the sand, im- peding our way. The horses dragged for seve- ral miles, slowly and wearily, through the heavy sands, till we came to the creek " Boca Chica" (little mouth), which separates Brazos Island from the main land. Here the horses were taken from the ambulance, which was then towed across the creek by the flat-boat, that served for a ferry; it then returned for the horses, and finally for the passengers, making three tedious trips, while I sat on a dressing-case, in the sand, patiently watching the operation. The flat-boat could not come quite up to the dry land, so there were about twenty yards of shallow water to be passed before we could get to it. To my amazement I soon found myself being borne through the air like a baby in the arms of a great stalwart Texan (he being knee- deep in the water), until safely lodged in the boat, on a large Mexican poncho that their gal- \ BRAZOS ST. JAGO. 97 lantry had provided. Tlie creek was ever a quarter of a mile wide, and was a good deal swollen at this season by recent rains. When we arrived at the other side we were obliged to wait there a while to rest the horses. We went into a kind of rancho, or hut, to sit down. It was the home of the boatman and his wife, who resided here, and the only house for miles around", it appeared very lonely, even to a transient guest, being on the banks of the creek, with nothing but sand and water in sight. The interior was quite spacious, and was divided into apartments by rough canvass or sailcloth curtains. All the surroundings, however, to an eye unaccustomed to " roughing it," bore an aspect of misery and abject suffering. When on our way home we again stopped here, this wayside hut, with a roof over it, appeared (comparatively speaking) really a comfortable abode, we had seen so many worse ones. In a conversation with the woman who lived here, she told her history (which was but slightly more eventful than that of Canning's Knife- Grinder) I 98 BRAZOS ST. JAGO. The "halcyon days" of her youth had been passed principally on the canal. Since that she had lived in all parts of the Western States, and finally had reached this barren spot, on the confines of civilization. She bore the traces of some former beauty; her eyes were very sad, and so was her smile. I asked her if she was not lonely ? she said that peace was enough to satisfy her, and she had that where she was. Her chief occupation was raising chickens for the Brownsville market. She showed me a brood of fifty, with one old hen, all crowded in a bandbox, and kept on a shelf, to keep them from running in the creek, she said. By the aid of plenty of meal and a scanty supply of light and air, she assured me she raised the fattest chickens in market ! but I should not have cared to eat any of these extra plethoric or dropsical poultry ! By the time the investigation of this natural phenomenon was finished, our horses were rest- ed and at the door awaiting us. We bid our hostess farewell, and proceeded on our way. From this point we struck a north-westerly BRAZOS ST. JAGO. 99 direction towards Brownsville, crossing a beau- tiful chapparal, which, owing to an accidental irrigation from the overflow of the river above, formed a spot of verdure but seldom seen in this region of country. It was thick with flow- ering shrubs and wild flowers. Each scraggy, ebony tree lodged in its branches myriads of brilliant tropical birds, whose sweet-toned melodies filled the soft air that floated around us, with music. Another hour's drive took us to the borders of the Rio Grande or Rio Bravo del I^orte, a still, monotonous stream, that flowed sluggishly along, its muddy waters giv- ing, however, a refreshing sensation to the tra- veller on its almost invariably parched and arid banks. The first impressions of this river reminded me of the descriptions I had read and imagined of Egypt and the Nile. It only wanted a few swarthy, turbaned men, and a sphynx or two, to complete the illusion. As we left the banks of the river (which, in its winding course, struck far away from our more direct road to Brownsville), we came on 100 BRAZOS ST. JAGO. to the ground which was the scene of the battle of Palo Alto, situated on a tract which nature seemed designedly to have thrown up for the purposes of a drill ground. This formation is not, however, as conspicuous in this region of country aS it might be in another place ; for the whole surface of the land is laid out in low, sandy ridges, the vegetation stinted, and the soil scanty. The cactus and other plants indige- nous and peculiar to a sandy soil, grow in luxu- riant beauty. Occasionally relics of the battle are picked up, but there remain few traces to tell of " war's alarms." The oriole boldly lights on the low flowering bushes, knowing no fear in these rarely interrupted solitudes, where the sounds of the wilderness alone break the still- ness of the air. The contrast of this peaceful scene with the previously conceived idea of this famous battle-field was very striking. It had been associated with the sound of booming guns, gallant charges, and groans of wounded and dying men. Many that I had known, treading with mar- tial step the romantic plain of West Point, had BKAZOS ST. JAGO. 101 here found a soldier's grave, among the unfor- gotten dead. The high beating pulse and ear- nest aspirations of early manhood stilled for ever, in an instant, by the shot of some cowardly Mexican, who probably shuddered with fear as he pulled his trigger — for they are a nation of poltroons, and more afraid of their own fire- arms than any one would readily believe. How many have thus " Poured their life-blood freely out^ro lono puiblico" with the simple satisfaction of dying in the dis- charge of duty ; while, too, many a neglected mound, on distant spots like this, is all that remains of those — " The young and strong, who cherished Noble longings for the strife, By the road-side fell and perished." It seems almost a disgrace to think of the many forgotten graves of brave and noble men that lie scattered everywhere. The glory conferred by them on their country seems to demand some better return. The blood-stained hills 102 BRAZOS ST. JAGO. and valleys of our land are the ruby jewels in the crown of her greatness. And if we fail to mark those spots where heroes fall with tablets that tell of their gallant deeds, it is not only wronging them, but wronging generations yet unborn, by allowing them to forget how pre- cious the purchase-money that bought their freedom. Our horses paused here to allow us to take luncheon, which, when it came to be unpacked, consisted of a cold beefsteak and bread, wrapped in a newspaper ; anything but a tempting re- past, and, although famishing with hunger, I politely but firmly declined participating in it. About three miles before we came to Fort Brown we passed a deep ravine, the scene of thjB battle of Resaca de la Palma (the field of palms), which could not have taken its name from any of these trees, as there was not even one specimen to be seen. It was here that Ge- neral Taylor achieved his second victory over the Mexicans, under General Arista, in the late war. The sensations here were a repetition of the above, so it is needless to recapitulate. BRAZOS ST. JAGO. 103 When we are hungry we grow less enthusiastic, and even patriotism cools down to a mere mat- ter of fact sentiment. "We saw several ranches in the distance, but ] \; none near enough to form a very definite idea of them or their belongings. CHAPTEK XI. FOKT BEOWN. Soon we drove in sight of Fort Brown, ana up the principal street of Brownsville to the gates of the garrison. The aspect of this curious, Jialf-breed town, was very novel. It is what thej call in Texas " quite a settlement." A mixed population of Americans and Mexicans formed a contrast at once striking and amusing. On the one hand the red brick stores, and white frame shops and buildings of every de- scription, bore the marks of inevitable progress, or go-aheadativeness, otherwise called " mani- fest destiny ;" while the rudely constructed huts, or hackals, composed of rustic straw work, or mud bricks called adobes, in which there is generally but one apartment, where frequently are found five generations living together, ek- ing out an indolent existence on a mild diet of FORT BROWN 105 ground corn, eggs, and milk, exhibited unmis- takable evidence of a vanishing people, who in a few years will know no nationality. These Mexicans lead a truly primitive life, reminding us of "shepherd days" in young world's history. In one of the huts, built on four posts, with thatched straw walls, I witnessed on one occasion, with mingled horror and amusement, quite a new phase in harber-ism ! It could not be called hair-dressing, yet might be regarded as a peculiar species of shampooing. An old crone seated on a wooden bench, was cleansing the locks of a small child, while a young girl performed the same kindly offices for the old woman — the whole party talking and laughing merrily. Further description, or even a shade more minuteness in detail, would be irnpossible. Suf. ficient to say, the performance had more vitality connected with it than is usually displayed by Mexicans. Yermin are the scourge of this country, and cleanliness certainly not one of its virtues. This 5* 106 FORT BROWN. portion of the world may be set do^\*ll as the birthplace of the flea ; those found in other parts are merely occasional wanderers from this, their native land ! Here they roam at large, the torment, par excellence, of the human race, in consequence of which carpets are eschewed, as they are apt to furnish a resort for scores of fleas, as well as other vermin of the country. Cane furniture, matting, and the indispensable mosquito bar, are the only articles in general use ; anything more elegant seldom reaches here, and is not required. We found at Brownsville quite a respectable, well educated class of Americans, who gave an entertainment while we were there, in honor of certain strangers in town. The Mayor called to invite the officers of the garrison of Fort Brow^n, and their families, to the soiree to be given at " the Gem," the principal cafe of the place. Of course we accepted the invitation, went at nine o'clock, and found the afiair had commenced already. A fine band of stringed instruments, and a certain air of deference and respect in the man- ners of the men, were something I had not ex- FORT BROWN. 107 pected to find. The waltzing was very grace- ful. Several Spanisli ladies from the old Mexi- *can city of Matamoras were present, who seemed to swim in the graceful, languid motion of the deux temps, as if they had never heard of the hopping of the polka and redowa, which rather frantic style of dancing certainly seems better adapted to the Jardin Mabille, or some grisettes' ball, than to the dame comme il faut. Wall-flbwers are an unknown shrub in this part of the country ; the men have too much gallantry to allow them to flourish, even if acci- dentally transplanted here from colder climes. I had once doubted the existence of those mythical beings called "nature's noblemen," but my stay in Texas relieved my mind from all uncertainty on the subject, for I found no lack of polish and courtesy, although the coun- try is so newly settled. The site now occupied by the government grounds of Fort Brown belonged formerly to the estate of a Spanish nobleman, and had been in his family for years. Consequently some fine trees are growing in the neighborhood, as it was once an 108 FORT BROWN. exquisite garden, filled with plants and irrigated from the Kio Grande, by means of stone aque- ducts, now falling into decay. Traces of a beau- tiful artificial lake, with an island in its centre, still remain, and also a ruined summer-house, wath luxuriant vines creeping wherever they can find a support to cling to, as the pillars that they once clambered over have probably long ere this lighted a fire, to cook some ranchero's meal, or floated down the sullen waters of the Eio Grande. In 1848 Brownsville contained but two houses, or rather shanties ; two years • after, it had four thousand inhabitants, was laid out into streets, with a number of brick build- ; inga, and a fine market-house, with a large pub- C lie hall above it. It is duly incorporated, and now has a mayor and other municipal officers, and a weekly newspaper. Its population has not very materially increas- ed since 1850, owing to the unsettled state of the frontier, from the Indians and filibuster warfare. \ A considerable trade is carried on with the inte- \ nor of Mexico, and in time of disturbance ^ smuggling is practised to a great extent. FOET BROWN. 109 Tlie rush of fortune-hunters to California gave so wide a vent to the enterprising, that it prevented the increase of the population of Brownsville that would otherwise have taken place. Thirty miles east of the town is a lake, from which large quantities of salt are annually ob- tained. In 1852 when we were there, there was no church, and but one preacher. This individual was a wandering Presbyterian, who after having collected an ample subscription from the people, for the purpose of building a church, invested it in a parsonage, built on a lot of his own ground ! and after safely lodging in it his wife and a dozen or more of his pious offspring, began mak^ ing preparations for another collection, to build the church. This time, however, the people of Brownsville, seeing that he acted so entirely on the principle of " charity beginning at home," w^ere more wary, and the church remains un- built to this day. I have since heard that the Episcopal church has sent a minister there. We were detained several weeks in Browns- 110 FORT BROWN. ville on account of the non-arrival of " tlie Cor- vette " (the government steamer), and dr ing that time received every kindness and hospitality. The further you remove from civilization, the more warm-hearted the persons you meet seem, and hospitality, like contentment, gives charms, even to "a dinner of herbs." This is easily accounted for. In a large community, there are so many calls on our sympathy and good will, that, naturally, they cannot be responded to as heartily as in a place out of the world, where such demands are more rare. We made a good many excursions about the country. One day we crossed the river, and spent a day at Matamoras. This place is asso- ciated with the siege of Fort Brown, during the Mexican war. Its old stone dwellings, and ca- thedral, whose cracked chimes float daily on the evening and morning air, with its heavy masonry and antiquated air, seem to bear us back to past centuries when the Spaniards brought from gor- geous Spain some of the attributes of regal gran- deur, and planted them in the wilderness of a for- eiorn land. Members of some of the noblest fami- CI FORT BROWN. Ill lies of Spain founded houses here, whose des- cendants greatly pride themselves on their long line of ancestors, and the antiquity of their family reminiscences.* The present race of Spanish- Americans have lost almost all the fire of their native land, and form a nation which by itself will probably never attain a very proud eminence in the world's history. (Annexation to our union is all that can ele- vate them, although the advantage would be greatly on their side, as it would not add either to the glory or material advantage of Uncle Sam. Petty revolutions furnish them with an appa- rently unwearying excitement, and the conse- quence is, an utter Lack of all progress, and a general aspect of desolation and decayed splen- dor. The men are generally a diminutive race, and to a refined mind there is something almost repulsive in their dark, swarthy, unintellectual beauty. The upper class of women, though not strictly speaking beautiful, have a certain inde- scribable charm; a dreamy, soft, subdued, al- most languid manner, covering an enthusiasm almost startling when roused. This anomalous 112 FORT BROWN. combination produces an effect at once pleasing and the contrary. We feel how necessary a high cultivation of the mind is to a union so fascinating and so defective. For beyond ac- companying herself on the mandolin, as she sings the national ditties of Spain, and embroidering the exquisite needle-work of Mexico, she is ut- terly devoid of either moral or literary culture. "While at Matamoras, we saw the funeral pro- cession of the resident Spanish Consul, to which the American officers had received a formal and courteous invitation ; many of them were present. He was of the Roman faith, and his funeral services were attended with all the pomp and forms of that church. The carriage that we were in drew up to the side of the road, as the procession passed in solemn silence, the only sounds the low chanting of the priests and the tramp of the feet of the funeral train. The priests came first, in full regalia, bearing the host, followed by boys in white and crimson attire, holding lighted torches, and burning incense ; then came the coffin, borne on the shoulders of six men, and covered with a heavy FORT BROWN. 113 black velvet pall, with deep gold fringe. On the top lay the chapeau, sword, and sash of its occupant, with other insignia of his office (which latter among these people are neither few nor rare). The mourners followed in close vicinity to the coffin, and then the citizens, each bearing a long waxen taper, to be lighted at the grave during the service. The fat shaven padres seemed to .be enjoying vastly the inipression they were producing on their ignorant but ad- miring audience, and (begging the pardon of the holy Roman Catholic Church) a more dissolute, carnal, gambling, jolly set of wine-bibbers do not exist in any portion of the world than the Mexican priests of the present day. In every village of importance they are found, ruling the ignorant peasantry with the strong sway of superstition and dread. These men are at times well educated, and very agreeable, amusing companions, in spite of their wicked- ness. They differ widely from the original race of priests, who were among the foremost in bringing religion and civilization into the coun- try. 114 FORT BROWN. In fact, the earliest records we have of the history of Mexico and Texas are derived from those remarkable men, half priest, half soldier, who after aiding in the subjugation of the Aztecs, spread themselves almost single-handed over a vast extent of country, uninhabited save by numerous tribes of savages, whose very ex- istence was unknown to each other. Led on by visions as brilliant as those of Cortez, fired equally by religious zeal and ambition, these modern crusaders braving danger with more than military ardor, and meeting death with the martyr's enthusiasm, with their numbers dimi- nished and still decreasing, pressed on until they penetrated into the heart of the continent, where for centuries the wild idolator had ofibred sacri- fice on the altar of an unknown God. Descend- ing the water courses to the Gulf of Mexico, they sought with the cross in one hand, and the sword in the other, to colonize the nomadic tribes that roamed at large over the wide prai- ries of Texas. The history of their proceedings is full of interest, although the records are few and limited in detail. Time and again their FORT BROWN. 115 efforts were frustrated, and the daring adven- turers paid to their enterprise the forfeit of their lives. Occasionally a straggling survivor found his way back to Mexico, after passing through every description of danger, travelling solitary and on foot over hundreds of miles of prairie. Their mournful tidings, however, served but to in- crease the ardor for conquest. Success seemed at length to crown these continued efforts, and a number of flourishing missions were eventually established in the valley of the upper Rio Grande, and formed the nucleus of what are now considerable towns. These missions were generally under the supervision of the priests, one of whom attended to the religious ceremo- nies, while the other collected the Indians, and instructed them in agriculture, the use of imple- ments, &c. In these tasks they were assisted by parties of already civilized Indians, who had accompa- nied them from Mexico. At first the converts were supported by the mission, which in return received their labor. As soon as they were 116 FORT BROWN. deemed competent to provide for themselves, a portion of ground was allotted to them, and in this way a village sprang up around each mis- sion. For several years these little commu- nities remained undisturbed, each year adding to their number, and increasing their resources. Yet, while reposing in fancied security, an un- seen storm was gathering around them. The wily savages of the plains, true to the instinct of their untamable and rapacious natures, only waited for a fitting opportunity to sweep down upon the settlements and annihilate them. "Not content with plundering them of everything they could carry aw^ay, they ruthlessly mur- dered all who could be found, and the missions were for a time abandoned. We cannot fail to regret that so lit le of the heroic and religious zeal of these first priests remains to inspire their followers. Just outside of the town of Brownsville are the grounds of the garrison of Fort Brown, the spot from whence General Taylor bombarded Matamoras. Its well kept fences, and regularly placed barracks and buildings, with the vine- FORT BROWN. 117 covered cottages that form tlie officers' quar- ters, add in no small degree to the beauty and importance of Brownsville ; while the daily guard-mountings, parades, and drills, and the accompanying military music, add greatly to the feelings of safety and importance of its citi- zens. "While at Fort Brown I saw a soldier from tlie ranks drummed out of the service for theft. It was a very novel and amusing sight. He had his head shaved, and his military coat, hat, and accoutrements taken from him — his blue pantaloons, with the red stripe of the artillery, he alone retained to show his former calling. At evening parade he was called in front of the ranks, and publicly dismissed, the officer of the day reading his crime and its penalty, aloud, in full. He was then obliged to walk three times around the parade-ground, with the corporal and sergeant of the guard following him closely with bayonets pointed downward, the fifer and two drummers following, playing "right mer- rily" the tune of " Poor Old Soldier, I hope the devil won't catch you," a gay, mocking air, 118 FORT BROWN. reserved especially for occasions of tliis kind. He put on a regular Jack Sheppard or Dick Tiirpin swagger, and in passing the command- ing officer's quarters, shouted out to a group there assembled lor a subscription for a wig. A prick from the two bayonets soon put him in mind of his flagrant breach of respect, but it did not seem to cure him, as on his last tour he called to the orderly of the day, who stood with military bearing and a wooden face, " Good- bye, Tom ! God bless you, my son !" The or- derly's face became still more wooden and un- responsive at this remark, as in duty bound, and a severe prick from the guard produced another strong reminder of duty. At the gate of the garrison he was ejected, and went off probably to buy himself a wig! — while the guard marched rapidly back to the guard-house, followed by the fifer and the drummers playing the tune of " The Dashing White Sergeant," a sound inspiriting enough to give the soldier fresh strength on the weariest march, or call the most lagging recruit to his post. CHAPTEK Xn. THE RIO BRAVO DEL NORTE. "The Corvette" finally arrived, and after stopping a few days at Brownsville, prepared to start again on its return trip, up the Bio Grande. We were the only passengers on board. The accommodations were very fine, as there were only two state rooms, and they four times the usual size, and quite sumptuously furnished. We spent four days in our sail up the river, which runs in a singularly serpentine course ; at times, the windings form almost a complete circle. Sand-bars were very numerous, and (to use a technical local phrase) we " stucW^ a num- ber of times on the way, going through the pro- cess of several hours' tugging and pushing each time before we were able to continue our voyage, which, had it not been for its novelty, might have proved tedious. 120 THE EIO BRAVO DEL NOKTE. About lialf way up tlie river, we came to a settlement, on the American side, called Edin- burgh. A thieving Scotchman had built a house here, and patriotically called it after his native place, which he had probably left in a hurry ! A few Mexicans have clustered around him, and it is now a stopping-place for the occasional flat-boats that go up and down the river, with lumber, provisions, &c. The only notice we took of its existence as a city was by flinging a package of papers ashore from the mail bag as we passed it. j !N"ot far above this, we were suddenly alarmed J \ by the dreadful cry of " the Camanches ! the Ca- manches!" and a momentary pang of terror was felt by the stoutest heart on board. Their rifles were aimed at our "great canoe with pinions," and several harmless shots pene- trated dijfferent objects on deck. We returned the fire, and most fortunately heard no more from them. Tliey were probably bound on other errands of destruction and death. The story of the dreadful crimes which they THE KIO BEAVO DEL NORTE. 121 practise on the inhabitants of this region will form a fearful page in history. There could not be a blacker record of infamy and rapaciousness. The Camanche Indian possesses no vestige of the noble traits attributed to the red men of the north west. At the best, he enjoys the mere intelligence, or rather instincts, of the brute; these instincts are all that guide him. He is bloody, brutal, licentious, and an innate thief. Civilization will probably never reach him, as his feelings towards the white men are those of implacable hatred. Their blood he demands, and takes every occasion to obtain it. With the terrible sound of his name, the Mexican mother strikes terror to the soul of her wayward child. In fact, he may be looked upon as " the black man in the coal-hole " of more civilized lands. Actual extermination seems to suggest itself as the only remedy against this scourge. Nothing less will render many portions of the State of Texas a safe abode for white settlers. The Camanche's food is principally raw meat of the animals killed in the hunt, which diet probably renders more formidable his ferocious 6 122 THE EIO BRAVO DEL NORTE. nature. The tribe resides further north than the Rio Grande, but roving parties are continu- ally coming down for depredation and murder. They are wonderful horsemen, more in their natural element on a horse's back than any- where else. An Indian child is put on horse- back before it can walk, with a cord around the horse's neck, and taught to guide it with its feeble strength, more adroitly than can be readily imagined. The women ride astride, and are quite as fearless riders as the men. Their favor- ite sport is to lasso wild horses, which they do with great expertness. A band of moi^nted Camanches in full chase after a drove of wdld horses, with their manes flying in the wind, is said to be an intensely exciting sight. The Indian lassos his horse, jumps on the wild, res- tive creature's back, and remains there till he is in a measure broken in. They say, among the Indians, that in break- ing a horse's spirit they break his heart, and he does not live long ; consequently, they always endeavor to catch colts, as " breaking in " has always been found to be more successful during THE EIO BRAVO DEL NORTE. 123 tlie tender period of youth than in maturer years, in human beings as well as wild horses ! Horse-stealing from the Mexicans is an im- portant branch of their business. He who steals the greatest number of horses is regarded as the greatest man in the tribe. After all, life is made up of conventionalities, and what is honorable with one nation is dishonor with another. If for horses we read dollars^ I fear we should have a peculiar fact in regard to more enlightened communities ! Government has, at different times, organized parties, and sent them up to the principal camping grounds of the tribe. But the great sachem and chief men have disclaimed all con- nexion with these marauding parties, placing them in the light of filibusters, beyond their control. An astute idea of theirs, for if we can- not control organized depredations on our neighbors, how can we blame the Indians for wishing to extend their "area of freedom?" My ideas of these savages were acquired from the Texans and Mexicans, of course not from actual contact ; yet I cannot refrain from some 124 THE BIO BRAVO DEL NORTE. feelings of sympathy for a people, who are driven from their rightful possessions, and can 3ee, in their ignorance, many excuses for their tiger-like ferocity and bitter hatred of those who they feel have wronged them so sorely. The night before we arrived at the point of our final destination, the steamer pushed towards the shore, and we tied up for the night at a Mexican ranche, as at this point in the river sailing by night was considered dangerous. We ran ashore late in the afternoon, and landed to inspect the immediate vicinity of the coun- try. Taking a road that led from the river's bank in a winding direction through the chap- paral — a beaten footpath led us on — each side overrun with briers, among them myriads of beautiful wild flowers, " uncultured blossoms of the wilderness," glowing in delicate and varied hues, as they sprung from the sterile and sandy soil, unlooked for traces of a beauty whose spirit seems to linger everywhere — we soon emerged from the tangled brush-wood of the chapparal, and came to a cleared spot of some acres in extent. The picture of rural pursuits THE RIO BRAVO DEL NORTE. 125 that here presented itself, was a study for an artist. Half-a-dozen mud-huts neatly thatched with straw and open sheds attached for culinary pur- poses, where the kettle hung suspended over a wood fire, in real gipsy fashion, while an old weather-beaten crone bent over, stirring the pot-au-feu of frijoles that were to make the evening meal. The men who had returned from the chase or from the fields lay about on the ground, or leaned lazily over the fence, talking to the women who were milking a flock of goats, and some cows that the children had just driven in from their scanty pasturage in the chapparal. One Mexican girl, as she milked her goats, talked and smiled most coquettishly, the while showing her beautiful eyes and teeth to great advantage to a " greaser," who evidently appre- ciated her charms ! His slouched sombrero and enormous black moustache, with traces in his dress of the picturesque garb of Spain, produced an exceedingly artistic effect. The peasant woDi.en wear a white chemisette 126 THE EIO BRAVO DEL NORTE. decolletee, with short sleeves, and a dark brigh^ colored petticoat ; they are rather slovenly, and consequently far from attractive, although at a little distance they look well. A large garden and a good-sized patch of Indian corn, interspersed with melon vines, to- gether with cattle and an enormous flock of barn-yard fowls, completed the scene. It took me back in my mind to past centuries that Schiller sings of — " The age when the Earth was at play In the childhood and bloom of creation, When no grief and no guile the calm shepherd-race knew ; And their hfe was the absence of care," when Chloe and her shepherd swain were the chosen theme of the poet's pen. The children roamed " sans culottes" as usual in this climate, and were very pretty, although it was painfully evident that the institution of Saturday night ablutions, common in all well organized nurseries, was unheard of among these poor little Mexican babies ! The Mexican peasant of the Rio Grande is a THE RIO BRAVO DEL NORTE. 127 character peculiar to that region of country, possessing within himself all the elements of a social existence. He is his own shoemaker and tailor ; the leather of his garments and of his sandals is made from the skins of the animals he has himself killed. He makes his own carts, hewing the wheels out of the solid wood. He makes the plough he uses, which is a sharp-pointed log, with a pole at one end by which it is guided, and one at the other by which it is drawn. To it a pair of oxen are strapped by the horns ; sometimes a mule and a cow are yoked together to drag it ! His harrow is made of the branch of a tree. The corn is put into the ground and then left to Providence to either ripen or dry up, of which there is an even chance. After planting he starts out on the prairie to lasso wild horses and cattle, and if he escapes the Camanche, he generally brings home a supply of stock for the ensuing year. He builds his house of straw, reeds, stone and adobes, without either nails or hammer; lingers out his inoffensive peaceful life almost invariably 128 THE EIO BRAVO DEL NORTE. to a good old age ; and goes to his grave without knowing or caring anything about the world, except that portion of it which is bounded by the horizon of his own ranche. CHAPTEE Xin. BINGGOLD BAKEACKS. "We reached Camp Kinggold on the fourth day, at noon. The arrival of the steamer seemed to be an event that created a great excitement. All the soldiers off duty, and several officers, awaited our landing on the dock. This being the only mode of communication that these exiles have with their kind, the arrival of a mail and newspapers from the world beyond is na- turally an important occurrence. The military post of Ringgold Barracks rose before us on a high sandy bluff, its^ rows of long, low, whitewashed modern buildings, placed at regular intervals around a level drill ground, in the centre of which rose the flag-staff', with its colors hanging droopingly, unstirred by the sultry air. These buildings were the govern- ment sto7*e-houses, soldiers' barracks, and ofii- 6* 130 KINGGOLD BARRACKS. cers' quarters ; they all reminded me of the house of the foolish man, "who built his founda- tion upon the sand," all being in a similar plight. There were no signs of vegetation around ; not even a blade of grass was to be seen. Tlie sentinels monotonously walking guard gave unmistakable token of a military post. The deep feeling of relief that our long jour- ney was at length at an end, made me greet with delight the first moment that I landed upon the parched and uninviting sand which composed the bluff upon which the barracks were built. Probably on the principle that " any hut unto a homeless man is welcome," it was with intense pleasure that I took possession of the house as- signed to me. Peace and quiet, after the tur- moil and excitement of sea-sickness and travel- ling, seemed what I might at least find here, and I now look back to the year passed in this isolated spot as one full of pleasant recollec- tions. Each day was filled with new impressions of a new country and new people. Surrounded by those whose intelligence and polish would RINGGOLD BARRACKS. 131 have been appreciated in the most elegant salons in the world, I can never forget all the kindness and good-will shown to me in Texas both by onr officers and the Texans. I never saw a wo- man while there, except a Mexican peasant or a camp woman. The abigail I had taken with me leceived an offer of marriage while in Browiisville, which (being over thirty-five) she accepted with alacrity, preferring a permanent situation at the head of the establishment of a sentimental blacksmith, to one less certain. In consequence, I was left to the tender mercies of an African valet de chambre, who took the place oi femvfu de chambre, to which he had been drilled by some navy officers, whom he accom- panied ou a cruise in the Mediterranean. He proved himself what in pathetic language might be called the comfort of this period of my life ! This faithful negro slione both literally and figu- ratively in many capacities ; he was at once chambermaid, waiter, and housekeeper ; and like that faithful Scotchman, Caleb Balderstone, prided himself on keeping up the style of the family ! No matter how forlorn the fare, the 132 RINGGOLD BARRACKS. silver, glass, and cliina glistened in immaculate purity, and Joseph Williams always, I may say, presided at our board with an untiring grace and elegance of demeanor ! A soldier officiated as cook, and with the occasional assistance of a drummer-boy as scullion, divided the labors of the household, with which I never dreamed of interfering. It was May when we reached there, and we were plunged into a tropical summer, which would have been unendurable had it not been for the delightfully cool nights, when a sea- breeze, full of the fresh aroma of the ocean, would spring up. During the heat of the day, aggravating visions of Newport would at times come across me, but in spite of all inconveni- ences novelty is so charming that I found a great deal to enjoy in this new land ; the cli- mate was very salubrious, and cholera almost unheard of. During the summer months I re- mained a great deal at home. It was not till the fall that we commenced riding about the country in search of adventure and novelty. These months passed by rapidly. I amused KING GOLD BAKRACKS. myself making a kind of Robinson Crusoe col- lection of pets. By September it consisted of a fawn, two goats, a flock of doves, a brood of chickens, a parrot, four dogs of different kinds, several mocking birds, and some orioles, to say nothing of a tiger cub, of whom I had a mortal fear, who was kept chained, and poked at, and fed on raw meat by our faithful negro, who took these judicious means of taming him ! This small specimen of " a happy family" was kept in a large inclosure in the rear of the house, surrounded by a high fence of interlaced brush- wood, peculiar to Mexican ranchos. In a mounted regiment, blood horses of course abound, but they all had too much spirit to go in harness, although superb under the bit. We could not extend our rides very far from the gar- rison, on account of the frequent close neighbor- hood of the Camanches. The only safe ride was a racecourse just outside of the govern- ment grounds. We made many unsuccessful efforts to get a horse that would go in a wagon, and one day heard of a pair that were to be sold, which had boen ridden down from ]N"orthern Texas 134: EINGGOLD BARRACKS. across the prairies, and were used up,»by being overworked on the road. Their owner, a rough Texan, now offered them for sale. One died before we got there, and the other ! A mere ver- bal description can never do him justice ! Bibs were the chief impression he produced, but his owner said oats and rest would restore him, and he would fatten up, and become a splendid crit- ter ! With this vague hope he was purchased for " about five dollars," his owner " reckoned." 1 did not wonder at the snorting and pawing of the ground (expressive of impatience and dis- gust) performed by the horse I was sitting, as he came in contact with this miserable specimen of his race, while it took all my strength to hold him in. The way-worn creature was sent to the garri- son that afternoon, but evidently felt the exer- tion to be too much for his feeble frame. Oats and bran were administered with but small success. For weeks he lingered on, occasionally taking little walks or standing mournfully un- der the shed which was his stable, looking so sad, so patien% and so motionless, that rows of RINGGOLD BAKRxiCKS. 135 blackbirds would perch on his sharp backbone, unmolested by the feeble switches of his scanty tail ! Unlike other horses, he did not " feel his oats ;" his prime had passed ; there was no more " fattening up" for him in this world. That he would never be a " splendid critter" again was evident ! He finally died from swallowing a wine-glass! A peculiar death, one of unfre- quent occurrence, and worth at least a word of explanation. A basket of straw, which had been used in packing glass, stood near his shed. He took a mouthful of it, jpour jpasser le temps^ one sultry morning. A wine-glass remained among it, en- cased most elaborately in hay (as is the wont of professional packers to encase them). This he recklessly bit at, it got into his throat, and proved the instrument that accomplished his death. Peace be to his veteran bones, for thej' were many! Another of my dumb friends to whom I can- not fail to pay the tribute of a few words of remembrance, was — a chicken ! — whose benevo- lence of disposition and kindness of heart ele 136 RINGGOLD BAREACKS. vated liim in my eyes far above the level of the humble race to which he belonged. His perso nal appearance was yellow, delicate, and very bobtailed! his mien was subdued and even melancholy, so much so that he involuntarily reminded me of a young divinity student whoni I had known ! An old hen of his acquaintance had a brood of children, one of whom she maltreated, or, to use the technical phrase, " hen-pecked," so that the poor thing, too small to pick for itself, would have been left to die, had not this tender-hearted and philanthropic chicken come to its rescue. He took it literally " under his wing," where it slept at night. He picked food for it, providing it with grasshoppers, spiders, and other delica- cies. One was never to be seen without the other; they presented quite a touching sight, even if they were only chickens. Their final fate was a sad one ! At times our larder was in a deplorable condition, quite bare, without a resource left by which it might be replenished ; while on other occasions, when a Mexican would ride into camp with a dozen wild tur- KINGGOLD BARRACKS. 137 keys swung across his saddle, it was quite the opposite. Sometimes an Indian hunter would ride up to the door with a whole deer, even the skin and antlers, and scores of prairie hens, and game of every kind, hanging in the rear. At such times there was nothing to complain of, but at others, if a piece of kid or rabbit, or a few turnips (sold for a real^ or a shilling apiece), could be obtained, it was looked upon as almost too good fortune to be real. At one period, which I shall never forget, the quartermaster's stores were reduced to mouldy flour and rancid pork, two luxuries that are not generally very highly appreciated, even by the unfastidious. A long drought had lowered the river by extensive evaporations, so as to render it unna- vigable; and the same cause had parched the country around, making it even more than usually sterile and unproductive. The steamboat with the monthly supplies of provisions could not get up the river. Starva- tion seemed staring us in the face. Even frijoles (the Mexican bean, an unfailing stand-by) 138 EINGGOLD BAREACK8. became scarce, and butter, milk, bread, and other such small but necessary items, were utterly unknown to us for weeks. At this period din- ner became a dreadful ordeal, it seemed like swallowing a succession of pills ; but he would hkve been a cowardly soldier who complained, when all suffered alike, and the subject of food was one that was dropped by mutual consent ! — discussion would only have aggravated the evil. It was during this time, when sickness and " les vapeurs noirs" confined me to the Louse, that my poor little friend, the chicken and the forlorn little one that he had befriended, were transformed into an ignoble fricassee. They were not roasted, out of respect to my feelings, as by their difference of size (which was marked) I might have recognised them! "No instinct warned me that I was partaking of my friends. They must have tasted tenderly, if the mind has the influence over the body they say it has. I was afterwards told the particulars of their fate : As our resources diminished for supplying the table, the eyes of our colored dependant fixerl themselves on this loving pair, who, how- EINGGOLD BARRACKS. 139 ever, fought manfully and sagaciously for their lives, — three successive days retiring under the house just before the very hour of execution arrived, with an intelligent expression of " no, you don't," on their pointedly expressive faces^ Finally, they were cut off while in the arms oi^ Morpheus (if Morpheus admits poultry into those precincts!), and formed the above men- tioned dish. - I felt very badly on the following day, when I found that they had been eaten, but was com- forted by the thought of how many in a state of famine had been obliged to eat their intimate friends, and even their best fitting boot ! It is always best to philosophize. In fact, some of our fates would be unendurable were it not for this wonderful and unfailing panacea. At last the joyful news arrived that "The Corvette " was a few miles down the river with supplies, but ^'stuck"^^ in a sand-bar, and the time of its precise arrival consequently very uncertain. Two " gallant sons of Mars " immedi- ately volunteered, and started on horseback to go down the river, and bring me some supplies* 140 EINGGOLD BARRACKS. They returned towards evening, heavilv laden, receiving my gratitude as " ample compensation" for a day's toil. A fine illustration of the word jpoliteness! and quite worthy of record. Under the most favorable circumstances, the food was flavored with red ants, which were so thick that it was impossible to eat without de- vouring them by scores. They tasted something like caraway seed, and were not as disagreeable as a novice might suppose ! The water we drank came from the Rio Grande, and was invariably lukewarm. After straining it, it was kept in a stone jug encased in wet flan- nel, and suspended by a cord in the air, for the purpose of cooling it as much as possible. The butter was almost unpalatable from its soft liquid appearance, and was kept in stone jars under ground with bricks laid over them. The milk was that of cows and goats, promiscuously milked in the same pail. The vermin, the famine, hot winds, and dry soil, which caused clouds of dust to fill the sultry air of July and August and lodge on everything, made me begin to think that General Twiggs' KINGGOLD BAKRACKS. 141 advice, that it would be better to remain id New Orleans and keep a thread and needle store than go to Texas, had been quite judicious! However, these evils began to disappear in a measure as the season of fall and winter approached, and our rides became longer and more varied. CHAPTEE XIV, About a mile above Ringgold Barracks, on the banks of the Rio Grande, lies the town of " Rio Grande City," until quite recently known as " Davis's Ranche," so called from its founder and present chief magistrate, the Honorable H. Clay Davis, upon the history of whose life it would not be uninteresting, perhaps, to dwell for a moment. He left his home in Kentucky when quite a boy. His father had been dead some years, and becoming tired of the restraint imposed upon him by an injudicious mother, he decided to seek for himself his fortune or his fate. Commeiicing his new career by a rash en- counter on a Mississippi river steamboat, in which he wounded (mortally, as was supposed) a fellow-passenger, he was compelled to take a 143 hurried departure for Arkansas. Alone, with- out a friend and without a dollar, a fugitive from justice, perhaps a murderer, a houseless wanderer in a wild, unsettled region ! Fine prospects for a young lad of fifteen, and rather a peculiar "start in the world" for a hero I ^Nevertheless he entered upon the task of sup- porting existence with no misgivings as to the future, yet without any fixedness of purpose or ambition, a fault which has lost to the world many a noble spirit, who would otherwise have left behind him an honored name. A man seldom reaches the " mountain tops of fame " who has not placed his foot upon the ladder in early life. The eager aspirations of youth ex- cite to the effort, while the cool judgment of manhood directs the purpose. As the hot sun of summer calls the fruit into existence, so the less heated rays of autumn mellow it into ripe- ness and perfection of beauty. It would be a long story to follow his earlier career. Its many vicissitudes taught him self- reliance, and its many escapes from danger gave him a recklessness which, in after years, 144 was exhibited to a remarkable degree in the Texas war of independence. He had joined the first expedition into this State, where he found himself among men of tastes and dispositions similar to his own. He was actively engaged in all those battles which gave the world so strong an impression of An- glo-Saxon endurance. Fighting simply for the love of it, he cared less for the result than for the pleasurable excitement it produced. After the annexation of Texas to the United States his "occupation" was "gone," and he became an aimless wanderer once more, until at last he found himself, after many weary days' travel, on the banks of the Eio Grande. It was at the twilight hour that he arrived there, and throwing himself on the ground at the foot of an ebony tree, he soon fell asleep, and dreamed of his home and early years, of his mother's admonitions, and his desertion of her — of the struggles he had gone through since, and the temptations he had encountered and yielded to. The sun was high in the hea- vens before his sleep was disturbed, but he 145 awoke a clianged man. Out of these dreams had come a determination to retrieve the past. How well he has kept his determination is shown by the flourishing settlement that now marks what was then a barren spot. The ebony tree has been inclosed and sur- rounded by a seat of white plaster. It stands conspicuously at the entrance of the town, and is remarkable in this barren land for its height and beauty. It is carefully watered and che- rished with feelings of sentiment for the dreams inspired under its protecting branches. It forms the favorite evening resort for the principal men of the place, who meet here to discuss their own affairs, those of their neighbors, and the nation at large, quite in the style of Gold- smith's " Hawthorn bush, with seats beneath the shade." Clay Davis was a true specimen of the Texan, tall and athletic, yet his delicately cut features, carefully trimmed moustache, and air distingue, bespoke rather the niodern carpet knight than the hero and pioneer of the wilderness. Associa- 146 tion with the Mexicans had given him a peculiar style of manner, a mixture of Western frank- ness and the stateliness of the Spaniard; a low-toned voice, and a deference mixed with assurance. There were many rumors afloat of his gallant bravery, and one that reminded me of David and Goliahj in which he had slain a famous Camanche chieftain in single comhat, ridding the frontier of one of its direst scourges. "We do not have to go beyond our native land for material for the wildest romance. To a mind like Cooper's, Texas opens a nun- kie !'' Jack used to come and scratch with his yellow foot at the door to get his breakfast every morning, and ask for it with his bright brown eyes and most insinuating tail. On one occasion he almost tore a looking glass down, and had to be put out of the room. Tlie next LOS INDIOS. 219 morning it was removed, and we found a suffi- cient excuse for excitement in an enormous tarantula, superintending a brood of young tarantulas who had recently come into existence. These are spiders of the size of a small crab, with a venomous sting, from which immediate death ensues. As the Sergeant, who destroyed this nest, remarked, " cannon-balls and fire-arms ain't anything alongside of one of them fellers!" In the day-time, when the sun shone, and the delicious atmosphere tempted me to spend the whole day on the piazza, seated in a hammock, reading or dreaming of what I had read, " Wandering through the quiet land of thought, Where all was peaceftd — " then I felt very brave ; but with the shades of evening an absolute terror would fall on my heart. I would then go into the house, and barricade the windows — an unnecessary precau- tion probably, but one that it was impossible to resist. Then sitting in the dark, listening to the howling wolves, thinking at times, when 220 LOS INDIOS, one sounded louder than the rest, that it was the dreaded war-cry of the Camanches — ^I blush to record that, in spite of all my preconceived valor, I prepared myself to rush to a pantry, where I had determined to lock myself in. The agony of terror endured during this period was such as to destroy all claims of ever being looked upon as anything approaching a heroine. JS'early two weeks passed thus when the scout- ing party returned. The Indians had fled in alarm before them, and for the time our pros- pects of undisturbed peacefulness were ei^ couraging. CHAPTEE XX. CAMP LIFE. Garrison life, in the phase that I saw it, was very pleasant. Each hour was marked by some peculiar military signal. At daybreak " reveille " sounded musically on the drowsy ear; then came the " sick call," especially agreeable to " Old Soldiers P^ Then the dulcet airs of " peas upon a trencher," or "roast beef," summoned the soldier with fife and drum, to his frugal repast of "junk" and hard bread. Guard- mounting, morning and evening drill, parade, and finally tattoo, systematically divided the day, without rendering it monotonous. Each officer took his turn in superintending the details of garrison duties. " The officer of the day " visited each sentinel, at daybreak, at sunset, and again at midnight, besides a noon- day tour of mo^*e minute inspection. 222 CAMP LIFE. The strict discipline and subordination in which the men in the ranks are kept by their officers is tnily wonderful to a civilian, used to dealing with that independent race of subalterns who are legally entitled to " give warning," if displeased by any trifling restriction ! The courts-martial, which meet every month, are very severe in the punishment of disrespect, drunkenness, or any other of the amiable weak- nesses to which the rank and file are prone. One delinquent was sentenced to wear a " bar- rel jacket " every day for a week. It consisted of an old flour barrel with a hole cut for his head to pass through, and a pair of holes for his arms. This was a reward for a chronic tendency to "spree," which somewhat interfered with the strict performance of his military duties. The men were drilling constantly under the supervision of the Sergeants ; the officers drilled them only once a day. Cavalry drill was my especial delight. The officer and his jet black blood horse seemed one object, so perfectly did the motions of the horse and rider move in uni- son, either heading a frantic charge, or with his CAMP LIFE. 223 platoon prancing gracefully forward, and then with an unexpected manoeuvre turning swiftly on the imaginary foe. The soldiers of our garrison belonged to that horse marine class "mounted infantry," so that drilling them into dragoons was by no means an easy or pleasant task. Without a knowledge of even the first principles of riding, they sat ' on their horses like a parcel of clothes-pins, and it was not an unusual thing to see a dozen dis- mounted at once, and lie sprawling on the ground ; they were instantly up, however, and in their saddles to try it once more. In spite of their mishaps, they seemed to enjoy it very much, and after a few months' perseverance became quite a presentable cavalry company. " Swearing like a trooper" is a very graphic expression, for if the most sanctified divine, knowing the beauties of a well performed cavalry manoeuvre, were called upon to perform the task of drilling raw men to the duty, he would have committed this ungentlemanly sin almost spontaneously. This course of mounting the foot regiments 224: CAMP LIFE. was adopted to increase our resources in sending out scouting parties after the Indians, who at certain seasons were very troublesome and dangerous. These scouting parties, when equipped to start on their perilous but exciting adventures, presented a very spirited picture. The officer was generally dressed in a dragoon fatigue jacket, with gold shoulder straps and buttons, a broad brimmed slouched sombrero, and a pair of boots with sheaths of leather to the waist, to protect him from the underbrush through which he was forced to ride a great part of the way. A belt full of pistols, a sword buckled to the side, and a six-shooting rifle, composed his supply of firearms. A pow- der-flask hanging from the belt, and a canteen of water, with saddle-bags of limited size and capacity, held all the stores that he could take with him for a week. The shirts worn on these occasions would pro- duce a nervous shock on the sensitive nerves of a certain class of petits maitres, whose ideas are confined to the fine linen and delicate cambric of a chemisiere a la mode. They are composed CAMP LIFE. 225 of a dark blue check material, warranted to last a week^ and are in great demand where laun- dresses are scarce. They are termed " Old Hickories," cost exactly fifteen cents, and are generally used by hunting and scouting parties in this part of the world. The men were equipped something like their officers, and a few loaded mules with a limited store of provisions accompanied the party. The deer and other game which they might shoot on the way were cooked on a stick before the camp- fire when they halted for the night to prepare their primitive meals and take a few hours' necessary rest. Sometimes they rode by moon- light, and chose the heat of the day for rest and sleep. The first thought of the men on halting is for their officer, whose simple arrange- ments for repose are soon made ; his saddle furnishes a pillow, his overcoat and blanket a bed. Too frequently a fatal termination gives a painful and never-forgotten interest to this peculiar kind of military duty, as was the case with a scouting party that went out from Laredo 10^ 226 CAMP LIFE. (the next military station on the Hio Grande above Ringgold Barracks). It consisted of two officers, about fifty men, and the Indian guide, the former both boys in years. They started out with the usual equip- ments, and on the second day after following an Indian trail, came to a point where it suddenly disappeared, and no traces of it could be disco- vered. The guide, with all his practised keenness, was at a loss which direction to take, and it was finally decided that they should separate and go in different directions. They drew lots for the guide, who remained with Lieutenant Y., while Lieutenant H. took an opposite direction. They bade each other a gay and friendly farewell, with expectations of meeting again in another week at the garrison at Laredo, each boasting of the scalps and trophies they would show on their return. Harry Love, the guide, who remained with the former party, was a character whom it is worth a slight digression to describe. He was originally from Vermont, and by his frankness CAMP LIFE. 227 and fearlessness in a measure redeemed his native State in my somewhat prejudiced eyes. His physique was that of a real " Green Moun- tain Boy," six feet three, and stalwart and robust in proportion, as bold and intrepid as a lion, with a voice of thunder, and a mild blue eye, which softened the otherwise fierce aspect of his rough, sun-burnt face, which was half con- cealed by a flowing beard and heavy moustache. When a mere boy, he became disgusted with the restraints of home, especially the petty ty- ranny of a step-mother, and by a midnight flight sundered for ever these galling domestic ties. At a seaboard town, he sought and obtained a situation as cabin-boy on a vessel bound for the West Indies. When fairly out at sea, he discovered that he formed part of a bucanier crew, whose exploits on the Spanish Main he would only allude to vaguely in after years. Over all attempts to trace his career through the vicissitudes incident upon this piratical life he studiously threw the veil of taciturnity. At the opening of the war with Mexico, he found himself occupying the uninteresting yet I 228 CAMP LIFE. lucrative position of a stevedore at Mobile in Alabama. The news of the critical position of General Taylor, at Fort Brown, which alarmed for a mo- ment the whole country, created along the southern seaboard the wildest excitement. Vo- lunteers were not wanting, and prominent among them was Harry Love. The morning after the receipt of the news, he with a hundred others set sail for the Kio Grande, to the rescue of their brave countrymen. But the old hero had fought his way through Mexican bayonets before they arrived, and Harry returned to Mo- bile, to fulfil a long cherished wish of his heart. As has been before remarked, "alas for human constancy !" he found that the fair object of his love had proved false during his absence, and bestowed herself on a less patriotic admirer ! Harry, in a fit of misanthropic disgust, return- ed to the army, and throughout the war perform- ed the most reckless feats of bravery. He never became entirely cured of his disappointment, which seemed to have taken a hold on his heart that neither time nor the instigations of common CAMP LIFE. sense could entirely eradicate. Many a bright moonlight night, on a scout, he would lie on the grass, and discuss the charms of this delusive syren. It might have seemed weakness had he not been such a brave, manly fellow, with a mind full of native talent, deeply imbued with a noble sense of honor, learned from no other code but the instincts of his own uneducated and gene- rous nature. Harry became quite an adept in Indian scout- ing while in Texas, and frequently accompaniad parties of government troops. On these expedv tions he seemed to know the trail almost intui- tively. A crashed blade of grass, or some other slight signal, led him on their track for miles, until some unmistakable token of their recent presence proved that his conjectures had not been without good foundations. On the occa- sion of the scout to which I now allude, the trail had been lost for several days, and it seemed almost impossible to find any trace of it. The men had shown symptoms of insubordination for some weeks before starting from camp, and 230 CAMP LIFE. a few hours after the officers had divided forces^ it was discovered that they were commencing to exhibit signs of intoxication. Their canteens were examined, and found to contain whiskey instead of water, which had been surreptitiously introduced after inspection previous to starting. Summary measures had to be immediately taken. There was no time to pause in the midst of a lonely prairie, with the Camanche foe lurk- ing near, and only a band of half intoxicated men to oppose them. They did not dare to dis- obey the order to empty their canteens, although no promptness was shown, and it was done with muttered curses and murmurs of disapproval. One man, more bold and intoxicated than the rest, refused, and showed such flagrant symptoms of disrespect and disobedience, that very prompt measures were called for. So he was seized by order of the officer by his sullen and unwilling companions and tied with a rope to his horse, who dragged him so for nearly a mile. This sobered the rest almost instantly, and they rode forward, knowing they had no alternative but strict observance of their duties. The rope CAMP LIFE 231 finally broke, and the man was soon lost to the view of his companions. He eventually reco- vered from the efi*ect of his whiskey and bruises, and found his way back on foot, telling some of his messmates, with great gusto, what a sight it was to see his lieutenant, when he got his pluck up ! This event, instead of producing dislike on the soldiers' part, seemed to add to their respect. The uneducated mind unconsciously and innately yields to mental sway, where deci- sion and firmness combine to force their will, and " private Jackson " after this was always a model specimen of military discipline. 'No other course but sacrificing the chances of life in one of them could have been pursued under the cir- cumstances. There was no alternative for the preservation of the rest ; prompt and decided measures were absolutely requisite. The morning after these occurrences, the party came in sight of the encampment of the Indians, at a distance of several miles. With a wild shout, the men put spurs to their horses, and dashed over the prairie, with the speed of the wind. As they neared the camp their excite- 232 CAMP LIFE. merit increased, for the Indians, so suddenly sur- prised, abandoning their wigwams, horses, and everything, scattered in all directions, seek- ing safety in the densely tangled chapparal. The soldiers followed them into the thicket, tearing their flesh and their garments at every step ; horses and riders were pierced and bleeding from the thorns, which the Indians saved them- selves from by crawling on the ground like snakes. It was impossible to trace or follow them, as the horses, maddened with pain, refused to further breast the thorns. Some trophies were secured from the camp, consisting of robes, head-dresses, ponchos, &c., and the pursuit con- tinued by skirting the chapparal. On the following day the guide struck the trail of the retreating Indians, and, as it was very fresh, the party had strong hopes of soon overtak- ing them on the open prairie, where they could make up for the disappointment of the day before. About noon some figures in the far dis- tance revived the excitement of the men, when, on nearing the expected foe, they discovered that CAMP LIFE. 233 it was Lieutenant H.'s party. But what a sight met their view ! The ground was strewn with dying men, and Lieutenant H., pierced with five arrows, was lying under the shelter of a low bush, in the last agonies of death. The story was soon told. The Indians who had left their encampment pursued by the U. S. soldiers, had met with a mounted party of their tribe whom they had joined, and thinking only of the party in pursuit had neglected the usual precautions, and came suddenly upon the party of Lieutenant II. The fight was brief but desperate. In the midst of it. Lieutenant H. pointed his revol- ver at one of them, who immediately com- menced to cry and shed tears copiously, thus betraying her to be a squaw, which from her dress and weather-beaten old face he would never have imagined. His innate sense of gallantry revolted at fighting even with a woman warrior, and he lowered his pistol. She seized on this advantage, suddenly veered her horse (which she rode astride) to his rear, and treacherously pierced him through with a poisoned spear. They said that he fell without a struggle. His 234 CAMP LIFE. infuriated 8 3ldiers, led on by the Sergeant, whc immediately took command, paid them in bloodshed for the loss they had sustained by killing eight of their party, the old heathen matron among them crying and screaming to the last over her mortal wounds! This is but one of the tragic deeds which History does not record and Fame does not trumpet, that are annually occurring on our frontier. CHAPTER XXI. TEXA3 — PAST, PRESENT, AKD FUTUBB. "Even now we hear with inward strife A motion toiling in the gloom — The Spirit of the years to come Teaming to mix himself with Life. "A slow developed strength awaits Completion in a painful school ; Phantoms of other forms of rule, New Majesties of mighty States." Probably no one portion of our union presents so many interesting features, or so wide a field for physical researches, as that embraced within the limits of Texas, containing as it does in wide- spread developments the three great leaves upon which nature has recorded the history of the material world. 'No less extensive is the field 236 TEXAS — PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE. wliich lier liistory offers to the contemplation of tlie political economist. The early missions of the Spaniards, to which allusion has already been made, and which were the first attempts to settle the State, were effec- tually suppressed by the failure of the crops and the incursions of the savages. In the year 1714, the Spanish government becoming alarmed on hearing of the arrival in Mexico of an adventu- rous Canadian, who had crossed through Texas for the purpose of opening commercial relations with that country, and fearing that this portion of their possessions would fall into the hands of the French, decided that the only course to pre- vent it would be to renew their missions. They therefore established a chain of posts from Florida to 'New Mexico, which soon acquired a permanent footing. The ruins of some of these still exist, the crumbling towers, arched roofs and dilapidated walls, indicating a not unpretend- ing style of architecture. Some of these ruins are used for government stables, others are un- occupied save by the owl and the bat. The establishment of these missions seemed TEXAS PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTTJEE. 237 securely to fix civilization in Texas. The Spanish government was extended and ac- knowledged throughout the settlements, soldiers were stationed at the missions, and the work of converting and civilizing the Indians proceeded unchecked for a long period of time. Towards the close of the eighteenth century, the Anglo-Saxon pioneers began to find their way to these little colonies. They were soon followed by others, and in 1812 their num- bers having been largely augmented by the remnant of the notorious expedition organized by Aaron Burr, a short-lived and unsuccessful revolution was formed against the arbitrary government of Spain. Shortly after this, Mexi- co revolted against the authority of Spain, and after a short struggle established her in- dependence. From that time to the present, the history of that country has been one con- tinued series of revolutions and counter-revo- lutions; every page of her annals disfigured with the blood of men who had at one time or other possessed the full confidence of the people. 238 TEXAS PAST, PKE8ENT, AND FUTURE. It was not in the nature of things that Texas , in which the Anglo-Saxon blood now predomi nated, should submit to the arbitrary laws and exactions of this fickle and miserable race. The dissolution of their connexion was the natural consequence of tyranny on the one side and manly resistance on the other. The struggle for independence was a severe one, and it was not until the best blood of the pioneers was shed that she proved her capacity for resistance. The names of "Davie Crock- ett" and " Bowie," whose chivalrous deeds and desperate daring have even now the semblance of fabled story, are engraved on the stones of the Alamo, which will always be regarded by the Texan as a new Thermopylae. On the 3d of March, 1837, the independence of Texas as a nation was acknowledged by the United States, and two years after by France and England. But the maintenance of a separate existence among nations required greater exertions than the infant colonists possessed. Besides, they had not fought for power, but for freedom ; this TEXAS PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE. 239 once attained, their thoughts reverted to the prosperous land from whence their adventurous steps had brought them. It was their birth- place, the homes of their brothers, and contained the graves of their fathers. An irresistible impulse led them to seek admission into the Union. This was accomplished in the year 1844. Hazardous as was the experiment to us, the sequel has proved that this political exotic, transplanted from the enervating and sickly soil of Mexico, has, under the genial influence of our institutions, grown into a vigorous and hardy plant. Texas is a State of enormous area, being six hundred miles from east to west, and four hun- dred from north to south, containing nearly two hundred and fifty thousand square miles, as large as the l^Gw England and Middle States com- bined. It contains a population of three hun- dred thousand inhabitants exclusive of Indians. The greater portion of the settlers are from the older States ; of the foreigners a large proportion are Germans. 240 TEXAS PAST, PKESENT, AND FUTURE. The main object of emigration of course ia agriculture. The most remarkable physical fea- ture of the State is the extraordinary number and extent of the rivers, having a total length exceed- ing ten thousand miles, which with their thousand tributaries penetrate to almost every part, causing the soil under the hand of the husbandman to yield abundant harvests. The wild luxuriant growth of the forest trees, along these river banks, have by their overhanging branches, and by falling into the bed of the stream, forming natural rafts, prevented extensive navigation. The valleys of these rivers will in a short time yield the great bulk of the cotton and sugar of this country. Considering her comparative infancy, Texas stands among the slave-holding states unrivalled in cultivation and production, in energy and en- terprise, in intelligence and morality. Any at- tempt to estimate her future must fall short of reality. It is impossible to comprehend the full force of a silent, progressive, and wide-spread emigration. The tread of armies may be real- ized — they move in masses, and appeal to the TEXAS PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTrKE. 241 senses ; but millions passing individually, are unperceived, until by a united action they make themselves known and felt. Thus it is v^ith Texas. It ia only in the light of history that the effects of its annexation can be fully comprehended, coupled as it is with the history of the Mexican war, and the discovery of gold in California. It is only in the light of history that we shall be able to read the now silent workings of a new and pe- culiar phase of civilization. Yet there is no doubt that were the rest of the Union to pass from existence, there would yet be left, within the limits of Texas, the elements of a magnifi- cent empire. ' Land of the future, which a faith sublime Fills with rich increase, Hail ! though conquered time Not yet for thee has harvested the Past, Thy seed through far horizons now is cast, And grander spaces open for thy hand : Thy skies are blue, and green thy fruitful land. Ages shall pass before thy youth shall see Fulfilled the promise of thine infancy." De Trdbriand. 11 CHAPTEE XXU. THE LAST TAr OF THE DRUM. Our residence on the frontier was now about to terminate. Orders had arrived from the Head Quarters of the Division, at San Antonio de Bexar, for the troops at Kinggold Barracks to proceed to the north-western portion of the State, &Ye hundred miles into the Indian country. They were to thread their way through a hitherto unexplored region of country, and if they escaped from exposure and the savage foe, to make an encampment on some carefully selected spot, where a stream of water, and per- haps a clump of trees, would supply the neces- sary requirements for a new military post. Ru- mors of beautiful forest glades, salmon streams, comitless herds of buffalo and deer, and a fine, salubrious climate, were dwelt upon in such pleasant anticipations, that the perils and dis- THE LAST TAP OF THE DRUM. 243 comforts of the march were lost sight of. Less food, and fewer of the bare necessities of life than we had at Ringgold Barracks, we knew would be inevitable; but "where glory leads the way" a soldier seldom hesitates, although in the more sober paths of duty he may not always be found "madly rushing on!" The prospects were, that we should live in tents for two years, before which time quarters could not be built. The soldiers were to hew the trees and build log cabins, nails and carpenters' tools being all the aid that Uncle Sam furnished to- wards this object. I anticipated the trip, as an additional phase in a sort of gipsy existence, with great pleasure, as by this time I had almost succeeded in for- getting the luxuries and necessities of civilized life. A piece of hard bread and a glass of luke- warm water (strained through a rag) could not be called a banquet, yet was not an unusual meal to me. I became quite out of the habit of having any regular dinner at one period, and made up my mind to regard it as a mere unnecessary cere- mony ! Our arrangements for the march, how- 24A THE LAST TAP OF THE DRUM. ever, were abruptly broken in npon, as far as we were concerned, by the arrival of an unexpected leave of absence from the commander-in-chief, and in a few days the more civilized metropolis became the goal of our journey, instead of the wilds of New Mexico. I left Ringgold Barracks with as much pain as pleasure, feeling that had my lot been cast there, it had not been an utterly cheerless one. The climate was delicious, the life neither tame nor monotonous. I left behind me warm hearts, and brought with me sweet memories, and new and enlarged views of life as it really is, robbed of conventionalities. The people by whom I had been surrounded, though bold, reckless, and perhaps rough in their exterior, had exhibited a standard of honor and true refinement more elevated than that generally acknowledged by the world, and divested of all false gloss. Our sail down the Rio Grande was the repe- tition of the voyage up. We passed through Brownsville hurriedly during the night, and drove by moonlight to Brazos Island, resting again at the wayside hut. The night was beautiful, the THE LAST TAP OF THE DEUM. 245 full moon casting an effulgence of light that seemed almost like daj, producing that exqui- site effect on nature, half of beauty, and half of mystery, so unlike the glare of sunlight. I was almost too weary and sick to enjoy it, for although my Texas campaign might have been invigorating to the mind, it certainly had not been so physically. At morning's dawn we went on board the steamer, and in a few hours set sail for 'New Orleans. I was deplorably sick during the voyage; in consequence of which, after arriving in 'New Orleans, we remained there nearly a fortnight to recruit. We were to return to New York by the inland route, and secured rooms on one of the Mississippi river steam boats as far as Louisville. It was a magnificent vessel, far too beautiful for the vulgar herd that thronged it. My state-room was quite a la petite maitresse, with a toilet table trimmed with lace, and pink and gold china — ^I believe the state-room par excellence of the boat. I spent most of the week that we were on board "The Magnolia," on deck, enjoying the sublim- 246 THE LAST TAr OF THE DRUM. ity of this mighty and glorious river, musirg promiscuously on — "The beautiful, the grand, The glorious of my native land." Yisions of Father Marquette and Ferdinand de Soto often crossed my mind, as we passed over the dark waters that centuries ago were first traversed by them, and my eyes were fed on the same gorgeous scenery that at every turn in the river met their view. Sublimity, vastness, and grandeur are the chief impressions produced by this peerless and mighty flow of waters. At times when nearing one shore, the oppo- site banks would seem miles away in the dis- tance. Occasional bluffs and broad spread valleys, with towns, villages, and settlements in incredible numbers distributed along, gave food for many reflections on political economy, and philosophy generally. The rush of commerce on these western waters seems almost a miracle, so short a time ago the skiff of the aborigines or the breath of Heaven alone disturbed their repose, while now THE LAST TAP OF THE DKUM. 247 tliej are hourly plied by steamers freighted with humanity, urged on by an unthought of power to emigrate to the unexplored and beautiful regions to which they are hurrying — some in quest of wealth, some of excitement, others of a new home. Enterprise — avarice — adventure — so are our human passions ordained to fulfil the destiny of the universe I It is rather common-place to ex- patiate and wonder at the strength, energy, and vigor of that young giant " Sam," with his many foibles, and his many noble traits — the impetuosity of his Creole blood contending with the caution he has inherited from his Pil- grim Fathers, the stolidity of his burgomaster an- cestors, and the poetical sublimity of his Indian progenitors; the chivalry derived from some scion of a noble house mixed with the demo- cracy of the plodding sons of toil, and dashes of religious enthusiasm with occasional touches of patriotism. What wonder that he should be such an ano- malous character, with such an anomalous com- bination of antecedents ! 248 THE LAST TAP OF THE DRUM. To be sure his slioes are hobnailed I and he may be seen at noon-day in a dress-coat with brass buttons I while bathing he does not regard as the end and aim of man's fleeting existence ! But he is a hard-working man, and as yet has had but little time for trifling outward adornments. His ambition is insatiable, and like a young Hercules he is manfully fighting in the vanguard of the progress of humanity. Calling upon Europe to disgorge her slaving peasantry, and to ship them over where they may be illu- mined by the divine light of Knowledge in his happy land I at the same time nobly standing by the principle that " Cufiy " was especially provided by heaven as an exception to prove the rule, that all men were born free and equal, and to hoe his rice and cotton fields I The dense forests that for miles at a time line the banks of the Mississippi are one of its pecu- liar features, and seem to date back to the time when " God created all green things." 'No words can describe their luxuriance and wealth of form and foliage ; the rough woodman, in his clearings, has frequently left a single tree THE LAST TAP OF THE DRUM. 249 standing by itself in its bed of rich emerald sward stretching out its beautiful arms, in so voluminous a green shelter, that it seemed to ask that a homestead might be reared under its pro- tecting shade. I used to sit for hours, fascinated with all this novelty and beauty — when "the sunset lay before us like a dream," — when the sun first rose in the dewy freshness of early day, and when nature was bathed in the silver light of the moon's rays. Bancroft Ubmry? Our party of fellow travellers in the nrst cabin were very amusing. An actor who resem- bled the description of that most fascinating burglar, Paul Clifford prior to his reformation, with a romantic air and a turned down collar. A bride of forty summers (or rather winters), with her second husband, gave me most intense pleasure. She used to relate anecdotes of " her dear old first," whom she represented as " a nice old gentleman," a little touchy to be sure ; but that was natural at his age. She loved to dwell on the happiness she had enjoyed when daily combing his scanty grey locks from the rear, she tied them on the top of his- shiny and vene- 11* 250 THE LAST TAP OF THE DRUM. rable head with a black ribbon ; and she would feelingly dilate on the agony of mind she endur- ed when performing this task of love for the last time on his inanimate clay. A month afterwards she married her "dear Joshua," a tall, slim, cadaverous-looking person, with whom she said she was enjoying her " honeymoon number two." This vulgar insti- tution of honeymoons was intended for this class of people, I am sure ! Joshua (she said) was not as touchy as " dear old number one" on most subjects; but he adored her, and was jealous — unhappy female ! She was fat and fair as well as forty, and wore an inexhaustible amount of jet finery (tokens of her recent loss of dear old number one). Paul Clifford had a professional eye for scenic effect, and led on by encouraging glances from this bereaved bride, he gazed at her thea- trically for hours to the great agony of Joshua^ who made his jealousy very evident, and vented it in private on the partner of his bosom. If Joshua had a weakness, it was for a reckless THE LAST TAP OF THE DRUM. 251 display in dress ! Frogs were his ideal of rich- ness and elegance, and Count d'Orsay never felt more satisfied with the success of his toilet, than did this simple-minded man, when he issued from his state-room with a coat literally embossed with frogs and braiding. He said he had been married in it, and that it was called " an Italian boulevard," after a place in France ! The widow used to wear emeralds in her hair to dinner, and between them they kept up such a degree of elegance and good taste, that it al- most supplied these deficiencies in the remaining brown linen passengers. Some months after this I met Joshua in Broadway, and, yielding to an irresistible impulse, stopped to ask him after his wife. With a look in which he strove to embody as much lachrymose distress of mind as possible, he said "I am sorry, ma'am, to say that Mi*s. Joshua is dead!" "All that's bright must fade," etc. etc ! There was a Baptist clergyman on board, who was at the same time a ranting abolitionist. He went on shore at one of the landings, and finding a cluster of small, lightly-clad negroes loo' ing on 252 THE LAST TAP OF THE DRUM. at the unloading of some goods, lie addn^sed them in pathetic language — '' Oh, misei ible children ! don't you feel the manacles of slavery on your limbs?" One small, bright-looking darky, looking at another, said, "No, I don't, does you. Zip ?" To which Zip replied in the nega- tive with a shout of negro laughter, accompanied by a series of gymnastic evolutions, from his proficiency in which he had acquired his sobri- quet of Zip Coon. The philanthropist was quite nonplussed, but afterwards remarked it was fearful to see human souls so blind to their own wretchedness as to be able to dance and sing in a state of such deplorable bondage ! Some Californians returning to their northern homes, and other less conspicuous passengers, completed our party. On the deck below there a different class of people, and the scene there was at all times animated. A large party of flat-boat men, w^ho had been to New Orleans with their lumber, were returning wdth us up the river, earning their passage by assisting in taking in fire-w^ood and freight at the different landings. Some were Mississippi River men, and THE LAST 'JAP OF THE DRUM. 253 others from the Ohio and Wabash, a great deal of party spirit was occasionally exhibited among them. One evening at quite a late hour we stopped to take wood at a rough wharf near one of the clear- ings. The doors of the furnaces were opened, which threw a deep red glow on the shore ; pine faggots were lighted on the bank, and the deck hands and deck passengers were formed into gangs to carry the wood on board. The Wabash River men commenced singing an exulting air with each verse ending "the gallant Wabash boys." This was emphatically groaned at by the others. At the end of it, one of the oppo- sition set up the well-known air of "sailing down the river of the Ohio ;" at this the Mis- sissippi River men renewed their dismal groans, and finally followed a terrific row, which it is im- possible for me to describe. The whole scene was one peculiar to this river. The fiery glow cast from the furnaces on the shore lighted up these wild looking figures, as they worked at their task, and shouted their excited strains. The dense gloomy forests that backed 254: THE LAST TAP OF THE DRUM. the clearing suggested to tlie mind the vast un- broken depths of solitude that lay enshrined within their precincts. Where "The growths of jasmine turned Their humid arms, festooning tree to tree, And at the root, through lush green grasses, burned The red anemone." The evening star shone out in its pale dim beauty, while over all the shades of night were falling. At Natchez " under the hill" we took on board a most suspicious-looking set, soon dis- covered to be a gang of blacklegs of the deepest dye, who finding they were regarded with suspi- cion left the boat at the next landing above. At all times of day and night we would be startled by a hard bump, and the general cry of "a snag" would resound. These fallen trees are shifted by each tide, and it is impossible to steer clear of them. Their great roots lie embed- ded in the bed of the river, and their trunks pointing directly down the stream have too often caused the most disastrous wrecks and loss of life. Between these and the reckless racing THE LAST TAP OF THE DKUM. 255 of the high pressure steamboats, a sail on the Mis- sissippi becomes a rather perilous adventure. The flat-boat men, on their way down the river, used to amuse me very much. They were a jolly set of reckless fellows, who seemed to think that after their boat is built, launched, and loaded, they have nothing to do but to en- joy to the utmost extent the trip to "New Orleans. A fiddle and a banjo generally ac- company them, and these combined with their vocal choruses principally of negro minstrelsy, floated over the waters in delightful harmony. They cook their food on deck, and form quite a picturesque group as they sit around the boiling pot from which each helps himself. When they arrive at their destination the flat- boat is knocked to pieces, the planks which compose it sold with the cargo, and the crew work their way homeward, on some of the steamers. After a week's sail we reached the junction of the Ohio and Mississippi, and in two days more the "Magnolia" deposited us at Louisville, Kentucky. From there we continued up the 256 THE LAST TAP OF THE DRUM. Ohio to Cincinnati, and returned, via Lake Erie, Buffalo, and Albany, to N'ew York. Here ended my brief campaign, and with it ended a chapter in a life's history only interest- ing perhaps to a few friends, whose thoughts accompanied me to the frontier. A soldier re- quires a buoyant disposition and a philosophical turn of mind more than most men, and if this can be arrived at, there is much that is attrac- tive in his careless, semi-civilized existence. In retrospect all the discomforts of that wan- dering life are forgotten, and so truly does " al- chymist memory turn the past to gold" that I find "The past is very tender at my heart," and I can now only recal bright and glowing recollections of the days of following the drum. " Sounds that once so charmed my ear I no longer now can hear ; They are all an empty hum. For the drum I Oh, the drum!" THE END. CATALOGUE PUBLICATIONS OF RUDD & CARLETON. 310 Broadway, New York. NEW BOOKS And New Editions Just Published by RUDD & CARLETON, 310 Broadway, New York. N.B. — RUDD AND CARLETON, UPON RECEIPT OP THE PRICE, WILL SEND ANY OP THE FOLLOWING WORKS BY MAIL, postage prepaid, TO ANY PART OP THE UNITED STATES. THIS MODE MAY BE ADOPTED WHEN THE NEIGHBORING BOOKSELLERS ARE NOT SUP- PLIED WITH- THE DESIRED WORK. DOCTOR ANTONIO. A Love Tale of Italy. By G. Ruffini, author of "Lo- renzo Benoni," ** Dear Experience," &c. Elegantly bound in Muslin, Illustrated, izmo., price $1 00. BEATRICE CENCL A Historical Novel. By F. D. Guerrazzi. Translated from the original Italian by Luigi Monti. Muslin, two volumes in one, with Steel Portrait, price $1 25. A WOMAN'S THOUGHTS ABOUT WOMEN. The latest and best work by the author of "John Halifax, Gentleman," "Agatha's Husband," "The Ogilvies," "Olive," &c. Bound in muslin, price $1 00. ROUMANIA. Comprising Adventures of Travel in Eastern Europe and Western Asia. By James O. Noyes, M.D. Profusely illustrated. Large 121110. Muslin, price |i 50. L18T OF ROOKS PLTILISIIED TRUE LOVE NEVER DID RUN SMOOTH. An Eastern Tale, in Verse. By Thomas Bailey Ald- RICH, author of"Babie Bell, and other Poems." Ele- gantly printed, and bound in muslin, price 50 cents. DEAR EXPERIENCE. A Tale. By G. Ruffini, author of "Doctor Antonio," **Lorenzo Benoni," &c. With illustrations by Leech, of the London Punch. Muslin, price $1 00. FOLLOWING THE DRUM; Or, Glimpses of Frontier Life. Being brilliant Sketches of Recruiting Incidents on the Rio Grande, &c. By Mrs. Egbert L. Viele. Muslin, price $1 00. COSMOGONY; Or, the Mysteries of Creation. A remarkable book, being an Analysis of the First Chapter of Genesis. By Thomas A. Davies. Octavo, muslin, price $2 00. NOTHING TO WEAR. A Satirical Poem. By William Allen Butler. Pro- fusely and elegantly embellished with fine Illustrations by Augustus lloppin. Muslin, price 50 cents. THE SPUYTENDEVIL CHRONICLE. A brilliant Novel of Fashionable Life in New York. A Saratoga Season Flirtations, &c. A companion to the **Potiphar Papers." Muslin, price 75 cents. BROWN'S CARPENTER'S ASSISTANT. The best practical work on Architecture, with Plans for every description of Building. Illustrated with over 200 Plates. Strongly bound in leather, price ^5 00. BY RUDD AND CARLETON". THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH. An Authentic History of that great work ; with Biogra- phies, Maps, steel and wood engravings. Portraits, &c. Dedicated to Cyrus W. Field. Muslin, price $i oo. ISABELLA ORSINI. A new and brilliant novel. By F. D. Guerrazzi, author of " Beatrice Cenci ;" translated by Monti, of Har- vard College. With steel portrait. Muslin, price $ I 25. K. N. PEPPER PAPERS. Containing Verses an i Miscellaneous Writings of one of the first humorous contributors to ^'-Knickerbocker Magazine^ With Illustrations. Muslin, price $1 00. THE AMERICAN CHESS BOOK. Prepared by Paul Morphy, Louis Paulsen, and the chief Members of the late New York Chess Congress for 1857. Mushn, i2mo. Fully illustrated. {In press), THE CAPTIVE NIGHTINGALE, And other Tales. Translated from the German of Kru- MACHER. A charming book for the Young. Fully illustrated. Muslin, gilt back, &c., price 50 cents. STORIES FOR CHILDHOOD. By Aunt Hatty (Mrs. Coleman). Beautifully bound in cloth gilt, and profusely illustrated. Put up in boxes containing 1 2 as? ;rted volumes. Price per box, $4 00. GOOD CHILDREN'S LIBRARY. By Uncle Thomas. A dozen charming stories, beautifully illustrated; bound in cloth, gilt backs. Put up in boxes containing 1 2 assorted volumes. Price per box, I4 00, LIST OP BOOKS PUBLISHED HUSBAND vs. WIFE. A Domestic Satirical Novel. By Henry Clapp, Jr. Illustrated by A. Iloppin, in colors, on cream paper, ir Illuminated Missal style. Muslin, price 60 cents. ASPEN WOLD. An Original Novel, of interest and merit. By an Ame- rican writer. Illustrated with original designs on wood by Howard. Muslin, price $1 25. LECTURES OF LOLA MONTEZ, Including her ** Autobiography," " Wits and Women of Paris," " Comic Aspect of Love," " Beautiful Women," *' Gallantry," &c. Muslin, steel portrait, price $1 00. LIFE OF HUGH MILLER, Author of "Schools and Schoolmasters," "Old Red Sandstone," &c. From the Glasgow edition. Pre- pared by Thomas N. Brown. Muslin, price $1 00. KNAVES AND FOOLS; Or, Friends of Bohemia. A Satirical Novel of Literary and Artistic Life in London. By E. M. Whitty, of the London Times. Illustrated. Muslin, price ^i 25. THE COTTAGE COOK BOOK; Or, Housekeeping made Easy and Economical in all its Departments. A most practical and useful work. By Emily Thorn well. Muslin, price 75 cents. THE CHRISTMAS TREE. A valuable Book of Amusement and Instruction for tht Young, containing Stories upon every subject. Illus trated by Kknny Micadows. Muslin, price 75 cents. BY RUDD ANT) CARLETON. EROS AND ANTEROS ; Or, the Bachelor's Ward. One of the very best of Mo- dern Novels. A story of strong interest, and written with true poetic feeling. Muslin, price $i oo. DOESTICKS' LETTERS. Being a compilation of the Original Letters of C^ K. P. DoESTiCKS, P. B. With many comic tinted illustra- tions, by John McLenan. Muslin, price $i oo. PLU-RI-BUS-TAH. A song that's by-no-author. Not a parody on ** Hia- watha." By DoESTiCKs. With 1 50 humorous illus- trations by McLenan. Muslin, price $1 00. THE ELEPHANT CLUB. An irresistibly droll volume. By Doesticks, assisted by Knight Russ Ockside, M.D. One of his best works. Profusely illustrated by McLenan. Muslin, price $1 00. NOTHING TO SAY. A Satire in Verse, which has " Nothing to Do " with "Nothing to Wear." By Doesticks, P. B. With Illustrations by McLenan. Muslin, price 50 cents. THE OLD LOVE AND THE NEW. A very charming Novel, containing the very elements of success. Written by Mrs. Juliet H. L. Campbell. Handsomely bound in muslin, i2mo., price %\ 00. LIFE OF SPENCER H. CONE. Being Memoirs of the late Pastor of the First Baptist Church in the city of New York. Prepared by his Sons. Steel Portrait. Muslin, price $1 21J. 5VS J) /Hr -1-!^^;;lf;V■i^rv;^;;;;:^;:,;>:;::;■v^;;;^v>^ ■ i -o y'; ■■ \^,