President Sam. Houston. . 413 



place to enter a booth to take a drink of grog with him, 

 we did so ; but I was rather surprised that he offered his 

 name, instead of the cash to the bar-keeper. 



" We first caught sight of President Houston as he 

 talked from one of the grog-shops, where he had been to 

 prevent the sale of ardent spirits. He was on his way to 

 his house, and wore a large gray coarse hat ; and the 

 bulk of his figure reminded me of the appearance of Gen- 

 eral Hopkins of Virginia, for like him he is upwards of 

 six feet high, and strong in proportion. But I observed 

 a scowl in the expression of his eyes, that was forbidding 

 and disagreeable. We reached his abode before him, but 

 he soon came, and we were presented to his excellency. 

 He was dressed in a fancy velvet coat, and trowsers 

 trimmed with broad gold lace ; around his neck was tied 

 a cravat somewhat in the style of seventy-six. He re- 

 ceived us kindly, was desirous of retaining us for awhile, 

 and offered us every facility within his power. He at 

 once removed us from the ante-room to his private cham- 

 ber, which by the way was not much cleaner than the 

 former. We were severally introduced by him to the 

 different members of his cabinet and staff, and at once 

 asked to drink grog with him, which we did, wishing suc- 

 cess to his new republic. Our talk was short ; but the 

 impression which was made on my mind at the time by 

 himself, his officers, and his place of abode, can never be 

 forgotten. 



" We returned to our boat through a melee of Indians 

 and blackguards of all sorts. In giving a last glance back 

 we once more noticed a number of horses rambling about 

 the grounds, or tied beneath the few trees that have been 

 spared by the axe. We also saw a liberty pole, erected 

 on the anniversary of the battle of San Jacinto, on the 

 twenty-first of last April, and were informed that a brave 

 tar, who rigged the Texan flag on that occasion, had been 



