A BISON HUNT IN TEXAS. 55 



dotted with small clumps of live oak trees, or mag- 

 nolias, amongst which the Old World visitor each 

 moment expected to see the mansion of some fine old 

 English gentleman peering through the park-like 

 scenery. 



The second morning after my arrival at Fort P , 



a buffalo-hunt took place in which I took part. My 

 own horse being fatigued with many days' travel, the 

 worthy Commandant placed at my disposal one of his 

 trained buffalo horses ; and, on as fine a spring morn- 

 ing as could well be imagined — although, by the way, 

 all spring mornings are beautiful in Texas — we sallied 

 forth. Colonel Gr carried one of Sharp's breech- 

 loading rifles — a most rare weapon in those days. A 

 brace of subalterns were armed with Colonel Colt's 

 celebrated revolvers, or ' six shooters,' as they were 

 more commonly called, these weapons being always 

 used by the army. A hunter, named Harris, who was 

 attached to the military station in the capacity of 

 professional hunter and provider of game, bore a 

 weapon without which he seldom travelled, namely, a 

 long rifle, with which he was an unerring shot. For 

 my own part, I adhered to a very old friend — a short 

 double-shot gun, loaded with ball in each barrel. I 

 had several loose bullets in my pocket, for the con- 

 venience of loading afterwards while runniug at a 

 gallop, as the bullets, when well wetted in the mouth, 

 could easily be dropped down the barrel of the gun, 



