THE TWO W.'S. 323 



Major von B., was an ex-officer of the once celebrated Texan 

 Rangers, a gallant old gentleman of sixty, whom love of 

 adventure, the charms of semi-civilised life in short, the 

 " mustang fever," had kept on the frontier. Poor old fellow ! 

 Soon after the time I am writing about, jungle fever carried 

 him off. The old campaigner died delirious, cheering on his 

 Rangers. 



Our friends the rancheros were delighted and surprised 

 to see us and to hear our news. They expressed themselves 

 strongly about the prospective treaty, and were very wishful 

 for our success in the matter ; since they had been much 

 troubled by the Indians, who had been, and were, the chief 

 obstacle to their success, and from whom their lives were 

 never quite safe. They gave us a stunning breakfast, and 

 we eat off crockery, seated upon chairs ! They were, indeed, 

 bloated aristocrats. We lounged about all day ; shot at 

 a mark ; smoked ; took an occasional " snifter," a semi-occa- 

 sional "go down;" and we dined sumptuously. We had, 

 indeed, Arizona strawberries for dinner, fried in bacon 

 grease. Then we took a "settler" and inspected the im- 

 provements and the stock. "A refresher" and an "eye- 

 opener " made us feel equal to despatching supper ; and, 

 with the assistance of the two W.'s, or wants of the frontier, 

 " weed and whisky," we sat up until late, " swapping lies.'* 

 Oh ! happy day. And we slept soundly and long. Oh ! 

 happy night. Were we not in a good block-house, with a 

 garrison of desperado frontiersmen ; trusty rifles stacked in 

 every corner ; and watchful hounds lying outside ? We liked 

 the attendance this time. 



Before leaving in the morning, it was arranged that ere 



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