FAR WESTEEN FOETS. 29 



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said the bashful suppliant, " what my feelings must he at the 

 thoughts of leaving it hehind." " Mj dear sir," replied the 

 quarter-master, touched to the heart, " of course you can take 

 it ; anything in reason, my dear sir, anything in reason." 



Where wood can be obtained, the fort generally consists of 

 rows of log huts or frame houses, well-built and often made very 

 comfortable, enclosing a central parade ground, with a large 

 building or storehouse ; a hospital corresponding to the size 

 of the post ; a suttler's store, where usually many things can 



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be bought whicli are rare luxuries on the plains^ but at yery 

 high prices ; a blacksmith's forgCj and other buildings. If the 



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post is so small that an attack on the little community itself 

 is not improbable, a low wall of mud-bricks (adobe), stones, 

 or both combined, is built around it, and one or two six- 

 pounders may not unfrequently lurk behind this breast-work. 

 Otherwise no attempt whatever is made at outer fortifica- 

 tions. If good building -stone can be had close at hand, then 

 the fort becomes a far more durable structure, and consider- 

 able pride is often taken by the officer commanding in the 

 designs and construction of the buildings; but if wood is 

 scarce, and there is no good stone near at hand, then the 



Mexican style of building 



made of 



mud and straw dried in the sun ; and of these all the buildings 

 are constructed. One unaccustomed to this style of archi- 

 tecture would be surprised to see what comfortable houses, 

 and even large buildings, can be made in this way ; but as 

 in Kew Mexico we shall become very familiar with it, there 

 is no need at present to mention it fui'ther. 



Although the cost of maintaining these posts is enormous, 

 their usefulness is undoubted ; but how much better would 

 it be if the evil which necessitates them could be removed ? 

 The construction of railroads throughout the country is with- 



