THE TEXAN HrNTRESS. 291 



of the plains. The camel must carry our civilization over 

 these deserts, as it has brought that of the ancient east upon 

 its uncouth back towards the triumphing TVest. 



I stopped my horse entirely, and dropping the reins upon 

 his back, urged him slightly with my spurs — very slightly. 

 "When he found himself free, he shook his head to realize it, 

 and then, stopping, turned his gaze around and around him 

 several times — ^but yet he seemed to be bewildered, and only 

 moved hesitatingly, first in this direction and then in that. 

 If he had taken his course at once, I should have felt some 

 hope — ^but my heart sank in me as I saw from his manner 

 that he felt what was expected of him, but had become con- 

 fused. Had he taken any particular direction and pursued 

 it steadily, with accelerated speed, I should have been entirely 

 secure, because then I would have been impressed that he 

 knew he was right, and could ultimately bear us through. 

 His hesitation, however, convinced me that I was as utterly 

 lost as ever rudderless ship, without a compass, was upon a 

 shoreless sea — but yet I felt, too, that I had better trust to 

 him than to myself. My imagination had confused me, while 

 physical exhaustion had rendered his instinct too insecure. 



He was evidently as afraid of being trusted as I to trust. 

 However, after a pause of a few moments, he moved on, 

 turning back nearly in the direction we had come. At first 

 I was pleased with this selection, as it seemed to indicate the 

 possible truth of my own surmise, that I had started nearly 

 right, but had passed the plantation. This poor consolation, 

 however, did not outlive the approach of night, which came 

 in heavy shadows, portending a storm, such as thunders and 

 rages along these southern plains occasionally. My miserable 

 horse was now nearly exhausted, and staggered as he dragged 

 his limbs heavily through the high grass. "We were still in 

 the prairie with nothing around us but the great ocean of 

 grass, which was beginning to toss and sway with the advance 

 winds of the coming tornado. 



