A Peccary Hunt on the Nueces 169 



the grass cropped close by the gaunt, starved 

 cattle. As we drove along buzzards and great 

 hawks occasionally soared overhead. Now 

 and then we passed lines of wild-looking, 

 long-horned steers, and once we came on the 

 grazing horses of a cow-outfit, just preparing 

 to start northward over the trail to the fatten 

 ing pastures. Occasionally we encountered 

 one or two cowpunchers ; either Texans, hab 

 ited exactly like their brethren in the North, 

 with broad-brimmed gray hats, blue shirts, 

 silk neckerchiefs, and leather leggings; or 

 else- Mexicans, more gaudily dressed, and 

 wearing peculiarly stiff, very broad-brimmed 

 hats, with conical tops. 



Toward the end of our ride we got where 

 the ground was more fertile, and there had 

 recently been a sprinkling of rain. Here we 

 came across wonderful flower prairies. In 

 one spot I kept catching glimpses through the 

 mesquite trees of lilac stretches which I had 

 first thought must be ponds of water. On 

 coming nearer they proved to be acres on 

 acres thickly covered with beautiful lilac- 

 colored flowers. Further on we came to 

 where broad bands of red flowers covered the 

 ground for many furlongs; then their places 

 were taken by yellow blossoms, elsewhere by 



VOL. III. 8 



