130 NOTES TAKEN. 
of men to guard them at night, but it does seem to me that 
the anxiety felt when horned cattle are employed, is para- 
mount to the objection ; besides, a trip could be made in less 
time and with far greater comfort and less loss, 
This being the birth-day of one of the young eatin: 
ration of grog was issued to the men, 
The addition to our collection during the day was a large 
snake, perfectly black, with red lines in diamond on the 
back. The Indians called it a chicken snake; the head 
showed it to be a species of black snake. It had a full-grown 
rabbit in its maw when opened. 
A slight sprinkle of rain—the first for six ei tllciaa 
by a brilliant sunset, closed the day. 
July 21st.—The Captain, Major, Doctor, and Lieut, P——e, 
with a party of four, including two Indians—an essential in 
all expeditions in this country—left us at an early hour, on 
their exploring tour, leaving Lieut. C——n and myself alone 
in camp. 
We were sorry to lose the Major, even for a short season ; 
since he joined our mess, we had received much valuable 
information and entertainment from his vivid and thrilling 
descriptions of frontier life in Texas, since its first settlement, 
with which he was identified, 
A plain, practical man, of sound judgment, great energy 
and common sense, he spoke “to the manor born,” no 
hearsay, but all of which he saw, and part of which he was, 
An intercourse of fourteen years with the wild Indian 
