348 WILD SCENES AND WILD HUNTERS. 



square from which they started that is, if, 'contrary to all 

 probabilities, they ever should reach it again. If possessed 

 of a vivid imagination, after grasping all that this view pre- 

 sents, you may form some faint conception of what these 

 remarkably moderate young gentlemen were contented to 

 consider sport !" 



For myself, being, as has been perceived by this time, just in 

 the mood for so reasonable and matter-of-fact an undertaking, 

 I was delighted at having arrived in time to join the party, 

 and nothing the less delighted at the extravagant gusto with 

 which the fellows seemed to relish the idea of this highly 

 seasoned joke. 



Captain Hays had thrown out a hint, as the climactric 

 attraction to any one who might need further incentive or 

 dream of hesitating, that if we had not seen too many 

 Indians by the time we reached the foot of the San Saba 

 ridge, we would recreate there a day or so in killing bears, 

 which animals were reported to be wonderfully abundant, 

 and collecting wild honey, to be drunk with the oil ! 



This last mellifluous argument proved too much for a rotund 

 and doughty little Doctor like myself, lately from the States 

 who had been slightly affected by some natural qualms 

 of prudence; but now, "in fine phrensie rolling," his inner 

 visuals were all preoccupied and inspired by the scenes round 

 the camp-fire himself, with sleeves rolled up the sharp knife 

 in his dumpy red hand the fat streaks falling off beneath 

 his strokes upon the napkin of leaves the steam, " like rich 

 distilled perfumes," that rose as they hissed upon the spit 

 before the cheery fire. Then the brown honey in stately 

 liquid flow from the tin cups, strewed over the tenderly crisped 

 flesh ! Oh ! it was too delicious ! What cared he for Coman- 

 ches after that rapt vision ! Yes, go he would, though they 

 swarmed by thousands to turn him from his bliss ! 



The best of the joke, though, was, that after this we could 

 not get the Doctor anyhow to realize that there would be 



