Disaster in Rio Grande Valley JJ 



his boast of, "I live as my men live," he said he 

 "should die in that sun." I was obliged to go 

 back to Rio Grande City about our money, so I told 

 the men that we had better wait and see what 

 further money we could recover and how our 

 health was likely to be. All acquiesced, and with 

 Clement and Simson I left for Roma on my way 

 to Rio Grande, where I recovered four thousand 

 dollars more of our money; I still hoped to regain 

 the balance, about seven thousand dollars, but it 

 was never found. 



To tell of the dull monotony of this place would 

 be most tedious, nearly as hard to think of as to 

 endure. I found the officers of the camp my most 

 sympathetic companions. Captain McCown, Dr. 

 Campbell, Lieuts. Caldwell, Hazzard and Hayne, 

 and Captain Deas. 



Four days of fruitless examinations passed, and 

 one night I had made my blankets into a bed, and 

 was trying to find a soft position for my weak and 

 bony legs, when Clement came to tell me I was 

 wanted in Judge Stakes's room; with Lieut. 

 Browning I went over. At a circular table 

 covered with books and papers, lighted by a single 

 candle, sat Clay Davis, his fine half-Roman, half- 

 Grecian head resting on his small, well shaped 

 hand, his position that which gave us the full 

 beauty first of his profile, then of full face; his 

 long black hair with a soft wave in it gave wildness 



