Galveston Harbor. 407 



some minutes rijund the camp to contemplate the beauties 

 of that Nature, from which I have certainly derived my 

 greatest pleasure. I thought of the occurrences of the 

 day ; and glancing my eye around, remarked the singular 

 effects produced by the phosphorescent qualities of the 

 large decayed trunks, which lay in all directions around 

 me. How easy, I thought, would it be for the confused 

 and agitated mind of a person bewildered in a swamp 

 like this to imagine in each of these luminous masses 

 some wondrous and fearful being, the very sight of which 

 might make the hair- stand erect on his head ! The 

 thought of being myself placed in such a predicament 

 burst upon my mind ; and I hastened to join my com- 

 panions, beside whom I laid me down and slept, assured 

 that no enemy would approach us without first rousing 

 the dogs, which were growling in fierce dispute over the 

 remains of tha- cougar. At daybreak we left our camp, 

 the squatter bearing on his shoulders the skin of the late 

 destroyer of his stock, and retraced our steps until we 

 found our horses, which had not strayed far from the 

 place where we left them. These we soon saddled ; and 

 jogging along in a direct course, guided by the sun, con- 

 gratulating each other on the destruction of so formidable 

 a neighbour as the panther had been, we soon arrived at 

 my host's cabin. The five neighbours partook of such 

 refreshments as the house could afford, and, dispersing, 

 returned to their homes, leaving me to follow my favorite 

 pursuits. 



'■'■ Ap?'il 2Af. Arrived in Galveston Bay this afternoon, 

 having had a fine run from Atchafalaya Bay, We were 

 soon boarded by officers from the Texan vessels in the 

 harbor, who informed us that two days before the U. S. 

 sloop of war Natchez fell in with the Mexican squadron 

 off the harbor of Velasco, captured the brig Urea, and 

 ran two other v^essels ashore ; another report says they 



