A SNEAK. 365 



estimation of character, was most amusingly displayed. 

 A fellow followed me up from the deck where I had 

 made my purchase, and who had been present when I 

 made it, and mingled himself with the crowd in the 

 cabin, looking at the horns. Presently the sneak came 

 forward, and, I suppose, judging me by himself, he, 

 though he had seen me purchase the horns not a 

 moment before, asked me " to give some account of the 

 great sport I must have had in killing so fine an animal." 

 Looking him full in the face, with all the contempt I could 

 muster, I replied, " You know very well all about all 

 the sport those horns gave me, for you were present when 

 I bought them." The fellow slunk away disappointed. 



At half-past nine a.m. we reached St Louis ; and, not 

 liking the attention I had received on my first visit at 

 the Planter's House, I went to Barnum's Hotel, and on 

 arriving there was charged by the flyman two dollars for 

 simply conveying me from the quay hard by. I gave 

 him one, and told him I was too wide awake to be 

 imposed on. The captain on board the steamer had 

 been, as usual, all I could wish ; and, having secured a 

 double berth exclusively to myself, I had been comfortably 

 off. The black barber on board cut my hair, and offici 

 ated on my head with a beautifully cooling wash, and a 

 particular way they have of gently kneading the skin, 

 that was perfection. Douglas's Promethean Balm, from 

 Old Bond-street, which I had with me, and which I 

 infinitely preferred to any meretricious pomatum in the 

 possession of the sable artificer, immensely charmed the 

 knight of the comb and scissors, and he said, " Sar, yes 

 sar, with this the baldest customer I have would soon 

 get up a head as hairy as a buffalo!" " I fear not," 

 I replied, " for I always use it, and niy hair is getting 



