METAPHYSICS OF BEAR HUNTING. 851 
different from that healthy exhilaration we have spoken of. 
Our “water-gourds” we had discovered would hold “nouya” 
and “‘absynthe” just as well, and the time was decidedly at 
a discount for the evening, which was spent in as gay and 
reckless a carouse as ever chased the “lagging night-shades,” 
with songs and laughter through the “‘sma’ hours.” 
Of course, in such a state of things, there was no watch 
set—and we all felt very foolish, on waking the next morning, 
to find some of our best horses gone—among them my own 
gallant American. Some of the thieving Mexicans of Bexar, 
having in view the well-known custom of the Rangers, to com- 
mence all long and perilous expeditions with a spree, had 
slunk and crawled upon our trail, since we left town, and 
having ascertained our camping ground, kept themselves 
invisible until we were far gone in the profound sleep which 
followed our excesses; then cre t near the camp, and cutting 
the lariats of those horses on the outside, rode them off! 
Great as our vexation was, a general burst of laughter runs 
out on all sides when it was discovered that an attempt had 
been made to carry off the Doctor’s pony, too; but from the 
indications, it was plain that the vicious little rascal had been 
too much for the thief—for it had compelled that luckless 
personage to leave his ‘“‘sombrero” under its heels, and the 
print of his prostrate form was plain enough on the damp 
grass. 
Pony'rose a hundred per cent. in the estimation of all 
parties, forthwith, and his quaint owner with him. There 
was nothing for it but to wait patiently until those who had 
horses should return, and replace the stolen ones by pur- 
chases from the nearest ‘“Cavayard.” As they had nearly 
a thousand to select from, we were consoled by the hope 
that we should get at least passable horses. 
The return of our messengers late in the evening was 
awaited by myself, as well as the other unfortunates, with 
great anxiety, for all that could be hoped of either pleasure 
