104 WILD SPORTS IN THE FAR WEST. 



I could not complain. The sky became quite dark, the 

 rain fell heavier, and I was soon wet through. I left 

 the panther skin where I had slept, so that I had no 

 heavy burden to carry. I found my stomach begin- 

 ning to loathe the quantity of animal food that was put 

 into it, and to long for bread, but I was obliged to 

 divert my thoughts from the subject, and the last 

 remains of the venison were discreetly devoured. 

 Meantime I had killed a turkey, so that at all events I 

 had something in store. 



My plan hitherto had been to push on to the nearest 

 eastern settlement; but the road w^as too long and 

 tedious, so I turned southwards, in order afterwards 

 to proceed eastward towards Louisiana and the Red 

 river. The constant rain made it impossible to light 

 a fire this evening, and I passed a miserable night, for 

 though I tried to make a shelter of pieces of bark, I 

 could not manage it ; however, the night came at last 

 to an end, and cold, cross, and hungry as a lion, I went 

 along ■with only a plucked turkey in my bag. 



About noon my day's journey was brought to an 

 unexpected end by a river that had overflowed its 

 banks. The rain had ceased, so that, Avith better for- 

 tune than yesterday, I succeeded in making a fire, and 

 my turkey, divided into four quarters, was soon in front 

 of it. Now, comfortably stretched before my fire, I 

 considered whether I should cross the river ; I had no 

 sort of business on the other side, and it seemed absurd 

 to swim across for nothing — so I settled on quitting 

 Texas, and returning to the United States. If I had 

 a friend Avith me I could have gone on to the shores 

 of the Pacific, but I had no mind to do it alone. 



