210 MOSQUITOES. 



The mosquitoes were a great nuisance while we were con- 

 structing these bridges, as they were in millions, making life a 

 burden, and driving our horses and mules nearly mad. We often 

 said we would never return to Texas ; and yet we had no sooner 

 left it than we wanted to go back, as there was so much to 

 make up for the few drawbacks. After this the country became 

 more open and the streams fewer, water being sometimes hard 

 to find ; but quite by chance we hit on a wood road which took 

 us into Fort Belknap. 



