MESQUITE TREES. 105 
that he is approaching a house, and involuntarily listens for 
the watch-dog’s bark, or some other sign of human habitation 
So much so is this the case that the sutler at Fort Belknap, 
relates a laughable incident (connected with this subject) of 
one of his teamsters, who one evening, on the route from Fort 
Smith, with a load of stores, got behind the train, and on 
coming into camp without his team, was asked where he had 
left it, “ Out in that old peach orchard,” was his reply. 
They bear a long slender bean, from which a cooling 
beverage is made by the Mexicans, and being saccharine and 
nutritious, is used for food by the Indians on the plains, and 
makes excellent forage for horses and mules. ; 
It affords a gum, which exudes from any bruise or incision, 
and no doubt will answer all the purposes of the gum arabic, 
in fact it belongs to the same family as the acacia. 
The mesquite is almost the only tree to be found over a 
vast region in the South West, and from its many useful 
qualities, among which, not the least is its durability for 
building purposes—will be invaluable to the future settlers. 
The distressed condition of our oxen, determined the 
Captain to precede the train, go in to Fort Belknap—forty 
miles off—complete his arrangements and meet us fifteen 
miles out, from which point we commenced our unexplored 
journey into the wilds of Texas. 
We were all soon busy in writing the few last words home 
which it would be our privilege to send for a long time. 
Hearts and homes, sweet onde of pleasure, how clings. 
. : 
