

CHAPTER XX. 



THE BROWN BEAK. 



jN 18-17 I was despatched by the proprietors of 

 an influential New York journal, to whose 

 staff I belonged, to the camp of General Tay- 

 lor, in the character of Correspondent. Gen- 

 eral Taylor was then at the head of the United States 

 army, engaged in the invasion of Mexico. I occupied the 

 leisure which my position afforded me in traversing the 

 country around the camp with one of the new friends 

 I was fortunate enough to make. On a certain morning, 

 however, I undertook, unaccompanied, a journey as far as 

 San Antonio de Bexar, one of the posts on the extreme 

 frontier. On my arrival, I found the companies of rifle- 

 men established there in a very bad humour. The reason 

 was very simple : upwards of a month had elapsed since 

 they had enjoyed an opportunity of firing a shot against 

 the enemy. 



