78 
FREDERICKSBURG 
custom of his race, he manifested much curiosity 
respecting all he saw ; for the carriage was well filled 
with a variety of knick-knacks which were new to him. 
The revolvers and other fire-arms interested him 
exceedingly. My Sharp’s rifle which loaded at the 
breech and primed itself, surpassed all his previous 
conceptions ; and after that, he was prepared for any 
thing in the shooting line. Taking up my spy-glass, 
which he supposed to be some other contrivance of the 
sort, he wished to be shown how it was fired olf. The 
instrument was adjusted, and a distant tree pointed 
out, which he was told to look at with the glass. His 
credulity had been overtasked, and it was hard to 
convince him that it was the same far-off tree. I told 
him that we used that to see the Indians at a distance, 
and could always tell when they were about, or had 
stolen any mules. In mien and conduct the old chief 
was extremely dignified and self-possessed, although 
his Indian gravity was not proof against the jovial 
conduct and expressions of our little company, all of 
whom took an interest in this first specimen of the wild 
denizens of the prairie that we had met with. Many 
a blithe smile wreathed around his lips ; and now and 
then a hearty laugh would ring out from the depths of 
the old man’s heart, with a right good will. Finding 
that he had mules, I requested him to bring them to 
our camp, and also to let us see his people. 
Five miles over a flat country brought us to the South 
Fork or Boiling Concho. The stream is deep, clear, 
and in many places rapid. Crossed it, after some little 
search, over a ledge of rocks, and stopped to water 
our animals. The flat country continued, with a few 
