192 A TEXAN BALL. 



we had being too small for our load. Hearing of some that 

 were to be sold near us we attended the sale, and I should 

 have bought them, if the neighbour of the man selling them, 

 finding that I was a mason, had not warned us merely 

 saying "Don't;" so we didn't. He turned out to be a good 

 sort of fellow, and invited us to a grand dance, to be given at 

 his house in honour of his son's wedding, so we went. It 

 was an extraordinary affair in every way, the dancing being 

 quite unlike anything in civilization, and every man had at 

 least one revolver buckled round his waist under his coat or 

 in a pistol-pocket behind. We left early, but we heard that 

 later in the evening there were several little troubles among 

 the guests, whiskey being very plentiful, and partaken of by 

 both the gentlemen and their fair partners. 



As good mules were very scarce, it was arranged that I 

 should go to Galveston and buy some, as we had seen a great 

 many good ones in the streets while there. Accordingly I 

 took the railway to Houston, and after I had tried to find 

 some there and failed, I went on to Galveston and put up 

 once more at the Palmetto House. As I found it very difficult 

 to get any here also, I at last, in desperation, stopped every 

 dray in which I saw a good mule, and so secured a fine team 

 of four. These I put into the train and took them to camp, 

 and very soon after my return we made a start for San 

 Antonio, travelling slowly so as to keep our animals in good 

 condition for their long journey. 



I have said nothing of the fishing in Texas, there being none 

 worth mentioning; the principal fish is the "cat-fish/' a 

 miserable bony monster, only eatable when made into " fish 

 chowder," a sort of stew compounded of fish, with all the bones 



