METAPHYSICS OF BEAR HUNTING. 351 



different from that healthy exhilaration we have spqken of. 

 Our "water-gourds" we had discovered would hold "nouya" 

 and "absynthe" just as well, and the time was decidedly at 

 a discount for the evening, which was spent in as gay and 

 reckless a carouse as ever chased the " lagging night-shades," 

 with songs and laughter through the "sma' hours." 



Of course, in such a state of things, there was no watch 

 set — and we all felt very foolish, on waking the next morning, 

 to find some of our best horses gone — among them my own 

 gallant American. Some of the thieving Mexicans of Bexar, 

 having in view the well-known custom of the Rangers, to com- 

 mence all long and perilous expeditions with a spree, had 

 slunk and crawled upon our trail, since we left town, and 

 having ascertained our camping ground, kept themselves 

 invisible until we were far gone in the profound sleep which 

 followed our excesses ; then ere t near the camp, and cutting 

 the lariats of those horses on the outside, rode them off ! 



Great as our vexation was, a general burst of laughter rung 

 out on all sides when it was discovered that an attempt had 

 been made to carry off the Doctor's pony, too ; but from the 

 indications, it was plain that the vicious little rascal had been 

 too much for the thief — for it had compelled that luckless 

 personage to leave his " sombrero" under its heels, and the 

 print of his prostrate form was plain enough on the damp 

 grass. 



Pony rose a hundred per cent, in the estimation of all 

 parties, forthwith, and his quaint owner with him. There 

 was nothing for it but to wait patiently until those who had 

 horses should return, and replace the stolen ones by pur- 

 chases from the nearest " Cavayard." As they had nearly 

 a thousand to select from, we were consoled by the hope 

 that we should get at least passable horses. 



The return of our messengers late in the evening was 

 awaited by myself, as well as the other unfortunates, with 

 great anxiety, for all that could be hoped of either pleasure 



