CAPTAIN DAN HENRIE 431 
Dan, who was my comrade in many a curious adventure, 
was the same Henrie of my previous narrative of the “Shot 
in the Eye.” It is one of the drollest of his many personal 
affairs that I propose to relate now. I shall endeavor to 
give it as nearly as I can remember, in his own way, as 
he related it to me; though I must confess, it will be very 
difficult, if not impossible, to preserve the raciness of his 
rattle-pate and peculiar manner. It was before he joined 
the Meir expedition, and while yet with the Rangers, under 
the command of McCullough. 
Dan, whose excellence as a guide was well known to the 
captain, was despatched by him, along with three others of 
the troop, on a scouting expedition, towards the head waters 
of the Nueces. This was in the early winter of the year 
before the Meir expedition, and the Mexicans were in many 
ways annoying and threatening the weak settlements along 
that river. This state of things had encouraged the Indians, 
as well, to make very bold descents. McCullough had on 
his first arrival given them both a severe lesson, upon which 
the marauders had taken the hint, and nothing further had 
been heard from either party for several months. Unwilling 
that his men should lie in camp at such a place as Corpus 
Christi, with nothing to do but drink and carouse, the prudent 
captain of Rangers had thought best to despatch all the 
most restless spirits on tours of observation in various 
quarters. Besides, the aspect of affairs in that part of Texas 
generally, had begun to seem rather forlorn, and seemed to 
eall.for unremitting vigilance. 
Dan and his companions had reached the foot of the 
mountains in which the western branch of the Nueces takes 
rise, without meeting any other sort of incident than those 
which are common to prairie travel. Here they formed their 
camp, and as they had yet discovered no signs of Indians, 
it was concluded that they would take each his own course 
the next day, and after traversing as much ground as possible, 
