WHISKEY TRADRE. rs | 
a distance of one hundred and fifty miles, through the 
Reserve, to purchase aes on the opposite, or Texas shore 
of the river. — 
‘ They were engaged in crossing it over in five gallon kegs. 
These they afterwards slung on their pack-horses in a netting 
made of raw hide. About fifty gallons were already piled 
upon the bank in kegs, and more arriving every hour or two. 
: The women were quite the most industrious of the party, 
although assisting in procuring the cause of most of the 
brutal treatment they receive from their husbands, 
’ Though not low enough to be fordable, the water was still 
low enough to cause much trouble in getting the large flat up 
to the bank, so, being impatient to cross, I stepped into a 
skiff, which held Indians and empty kegs, and was soon over. 
On the way, I incidentally asked the ferryman, what he 
charged for this service, when to my surprise he replied, 
“Why, them as buys whiskey we don’t charge nothin’; them 
as dos’nt, it’s a bit.” Proving a concert of action between 
himself and the rum-seller, who can afford to pay well for 
every votary brought to his shrine, as he sells the fiery stuff 
at two dollars per gallon, it costing him fifteen cents. 
. There is no Lemma at present, of preventing this traffic, 
the general government having no jurisdiction upon the 
Texas shore. All that can be done, is for the Light Horse 
to be vigilant and firm in the execution of the law. 
n of the 
: _ ‘The first person I met on landing, was the capts 
troop, a young Chickasaw, son of a chief, 
