450 ARRIVAL AT SAN ANTONIO. Book III. 
We ride over hills of tertiary sandstone and conglomerate, 
with oaks scattered here and there. Several deep hol- 
lowed watercourses impede our journey to-day. We get 
as far as the Arroyo de Calaveras. 
IGtL—It takes us six hours to cross this little river. On 
the prairie are several small lagoons, with innumerable 
water-fowl. We halt near one of them. 
11 th. — In the night, again the north-wind, but not so 
violent. We proceed to the Salado, were we remain, not 
to take our animals through the cold water in the evening. 
\2th. — We cross the river, and encamp on the other side. 
13th. — Reach San Antonio, and proceeded three miles 
beyond. 
I beg the Reader's excuses for these details, which, 
though in themselves of small interest, are the only means 
of giving a lively and general idea of a Texan waggon- 
journey in the winter. 
It took us thirty-three days to travel a distance of at 
most a hundred and sixty miles, so that we did not even 
proceed five miles a day. During this time we suffered 
almost daily hunger, cold, and wet, and often to an intoler- 
able degree. Violent attacks of illness seized several per- 
sons in our caravan ; but in every instance the patient 
recovered, although in the open air, exposed to wind and 
rain, hoar-frost and cold, on a hard bed, and with coarse 
food. Sleeping in wet clothes, which I was often obliged 
to do, gave me severe rheumatism, which however passed 
as quickly as the attacks were violent, leaving no un- 
pleasant consequences. 
These last remarks I have added to encourage those of 
my readers who may desire to make a similar journey of 
pleasure. 
