8 Hunting the Grisly 



sive right to the range it was the first to find ; 

 and on several occasions this feeling came near 

 involving my brother and his companions in 

 serious trouble. 



While slowly driving the heavy wagons to 

 the hunting grounds they suffered the usual 

 hardships of plains travel. The weather, as 

 in most Texas winters, alternated between the 

 extremes of heat and cold. There had been 

 little rain; in consequence water was scarce. 

 Twice they were forced to cross wild, barren 

 wastes, where the pools had dried up, and 

 they suffered terribly from thirst. On the 

 first occasion the horses were in good condi- 

 tion, and they traveled steadily, with only oc- 

 casional short halts, for over thirty-six hours, 

 by which time they were across the waterless 

 country. The journal reads: "January 27th. 

 Big hunt no water, and we left Quinn's 

 blockhouse this morning 3 A.M. on the go 

 all night hot. January 28. No water hot 

 at seven we struck water, and by eight Stink- 

 ing Creek grand 'hurrah.' " On the second 

 occasion, the horses were weak and traveled 

 slowly, so the party went forty-eight hours 

 without drinking. "February igth. Pulled 

 on twenty-one miles trail bad freezing 

 night, no water, and wolves after our fresh 



