personal memoirs-1-第5节

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them　to　camp。　　Here　the　juice　was　extracted　by　a　rude　press；　and　put

in　bottles　until　it　fermented　and　became　worse　in　odor　than

sulphureted　hydrogen。　　At　reveille　roll…call　every　morning　this

fermented　liquor　was　dealt　out　to　the　company；　and　as　it　was　my　duty；

in　my　capacity　of　subaltern；　to　attend　these　roll…calls　and　see　that

the　men　took　their　ration　of　pulque；　I　always　began　the　duty　by

drinking　a　cup　of　the　repulsive　stuff　myself。　　Though　hard　to

swallow；　its　well…known　specific　qualities　in　the　prevention　and　cure

of　scurvy　were　familiar　to　all；　so　every　man　in　the　command　gulped

down　his　share　notwithstanding　its　vile　taste　and　odor。



Considering　our　isolation；　the　winter　passed　very　pleasantly　to　us

all。　　The　post　was　a　large　one；　its　officers　congenial；　and　we　had

many　enjoyable　occasions。　　Dances；　races；　and　horseback　riding　filled

in　much　of　the　time；　and　occasional　raids　from　Indians　furnished　more

serious　occupation　in　the　way　of　a　scout　now　and　then。　　The　proximity

of　the　Indians　at　times　rendered　the　surrounding　country　somewhat

dangerous　for　individuals　or　small　parties　at　a　distance　from　the

fort；　but　few　thought　the　savages　would　come　near；　so　many　risks　were

doubtless　run　by　various　officers；　who　carried　the　familiar

six…shooter　as　their　only　weapon　while　out　horseback　riding；　until

suddenly　we　were　awakened　to　the　dangers　we　had　been　incurring。



About　mid…winter　a　party　of　hostile　Lipans　made　a　swoop　around　and

skirting　the　garrison；　killing　a　herdera　discharged　drummer…boyin

sight　of　the　flag…staff。　　Of　course　great　excitement　followed。

Captain　J。　G。　Walker；　of　the　Mounted　Rifles；　immediately　started　with

his　company　in　pursuit　of　the　Indians；　and　I　was　directed　to

accompany　the　command。　　Not　far　away　we　found　the　body　of　the　boy

filled　with　arrows；　and　near　him　the　body　of　a　fine　looking　young

Indian；　whom　the　lad　had　undoubtedly　killed　before　he　was　himself

overpowered。　　We　were　not　a　great　distance　behind　the　Indians　when

the　boy's　body　was　discovered；　and　having　good　trailers　we　gained　on

them　rapidly；　with　the　prospect　of　overhauling　them；　but　as　soon　as

they　found　we　were　getting　near　they　headed　for　the　Rio　Grande；　made

the　crossing　to　the　opposite　bank；　and　were　in　Mexico　before　we　could

overtake　them。　　When　on　the　other　side　of　the　boundary　they　grew　very

brave；　daring　us　to　come　over　to　fight　them；　well　aware　all　the　time

that　the　international　line　prevented　us　from　continuing　the　pursuit。

So　we　had　to　return　to　the　post　without　reward　for　our　exertion

except　the　consciousness　of　having　made　the　best　effort　we　could　to

catch　the　murderers。　　That　night；　in　company　with　Lieutenant　Thomas

G。　Williams；　I　crossed　over　the　river　to　the　Mexican　village　of

Piedras　Negras；　and　on　going　to　a　house　where　a　large　baille；　or

dance；　was　going　on　we　found　among　those　present　two　of　the　Indians

we　had　been　chasing。　　As　soon　as　they　saw　us　they　strung　their　bows

for　a　fight；　and　we　drew　our　sixshooters；　but　the　Mexicans　quickly

closed　in　around　the　Indians　and　forced　them　out　of　the　houseor

rude　jackalwhere　the　〃ball〃　was　being　held；　and　they　escaped。　　We

learned　later　something　about　the　nature　of　the　fight　the　drummer　had

made；　and　that　his　death　had　cost　them　dear；　for；　in　addition　to　the

Indian　killed　and　lying　by　his　side；　he　had　mortally　wounded　another

and　seriously　wounded　a　third；　with　the　three　shots　that　he　had

fired。



At　this　period　I　took　up　the　notion　of　making　a　study　of　ornithology；

incited　to　it　possibly　by　the　great　number　of　bright…colored　birds

that　made　their　winter　homes　along　the　Rio　Grande；　and　I　spent　many　a

leisure　hour　in　catching　specimens　by　means　of　stick　traps；　with

which　I　found　little　difficulty　in　securing　almost　every　variety　of

the　feathered　tribes。　　I　made　my　traps　by　placing　four　sticks　of　a

length　suited　to　the　size　desired　so　as　to　form　a　square；　and

building　up　on　them　in　log…cabin　fashion　until　the　structure　came

almost　to　a　point　by　contraction　of　the　corners。　　Then　the　sticks　。

were　made　secure；　the　trap　placed　at　some　secluded　spot；　and　from　the

centre　to　the　outside　a　trench　was　dug　in　the　ground；　and　thinly

covered　when　a　depth　had　been　obtained　that　would　leave　an　aperture

sufficiently　large　to　admit　the　class　of　birds　desired。　　Along　this

trench　seeds　and　other　food　were　scattered；　which　the　birds　soon

discovered；　and　of　course　began　to　eat；　unsuspectingly　following　the

tempting　bait　through　the　gallery　till　they　emerged　from　its　farther

end　in　the　centre　of　the　trap；　where　they　contentedly　fed　till　the

food　was　all　gone。　　Then　the　fact　of　imprisonment　first　presented

itself；　and　they　vainly　endeavored　to　escape　through　the　interstices

of　the　cage；　never　once　guided　by　their　instinct　to　return　to　liberty

through　the　route　by　which　they　had　entered。



Among　the　different　kinds　of　birds　captured　in　this　way；　mocking…

birds；　blue…birds；　robins；　meadow　larks；　quail；　and　plover　were　the

most　numerous。　　They　seemed　to　have　more　voracious　appetites　than

other　varieties；　or　else　they　were　more　unwary；　and　consequently　more

easily　caught。　　A　change　of　station；　however；　put　an　end　to　my

ornithological　plans；　and　activities　of　other　kinds　prevented　me　from

resuming　them　in　after　life。



There　were　quite　a　number　of　young　officers　at　the　post　during　the

winter；　and　as　our　relations　with　the　Mexican　commandant　at　Piedras

Negras　were　most　amicable；　we　were　often　invited　to　dances　at　his

house。　　He　and　his　hospitable　wife　and　daughter　drummed　up　the　female

portion　of　the　elite　of　Piedras　Negras　and　provided　the　house；　which

was　the　official　as　well　as　the　personal　residence　of　the　commandant；

while　wethe　young　officersfurnished　the　music　and　such

sweetmeats；　candies；　&c。；　for　the　baille　as　the　country　would　afford。



We　generally　danced　in　a　long　hall　on　a　hard　dirt　floor。　　The　girls

sat　on　one　side　of　the　hall；　chaperoned　by　their　mothers　or　some　old

duennas；　and　the　men　on　the　other。　　When　the　music　struck　up　each　man

asked　the　lady　whom　his　eyes　had　already　selected　to　dance　with　him；

and　it　was　not　etiquette　for　her　to　refuseno　engagements　being

allowed　before　the　music　began。　　When　the　dance；　which　was　generally

a　long　waltz；　was　over；　he　seated　his　partner；　and　then　went　to　a

little　counter　at　the　end　of　the　room　and　bought　his　dulcinea　a　plate

of　the　candies　and　sweetmeats　provided。　　Sometimes　she　accepted　them；

but　most　generally　pointed　to　her　duenna　or　chaperon　behind；　who　held

up　her　apron　and　caught　the　refreshments　as　they　were　slid　into　it

from　the　plate。　　The　greatest　decorum　was　maintained　at　these　dances；

primitively　as　they　were　conducted；　and　in　a　region　so　completely　cut

off　from　the　world；　their　influence　was　undoubtedly　beneficial　to　a

considerable　degree　in　softening　the　rough　edges　in　a　half…breed

population。



The　inhabitants　of　this　frontier　of　Mexico　were　strongly　marked　with

Indian　characteristics；　particularly　with　those　of　the　Comanche　type；

and　as　the　wild　Indian　blood　predominated；　few　of　the　physical　traits

of　the　Spaniard　remained　among　them；　and　outlawry　was　common。　　The

Spanish　conquerors　had　left　on　the　northern　border　only　their

graceful　manners　and　their　humility　before　the　cross。　　The　sign　of

Christianity　was　prominently　placed　at　all　important　points　on　roads

or　trails；　and　especially　where　any　one　had　been　killed；　and　as　the

Comanche　Indians；　strong　and　warlike；　had　devastated　northeastern

Mexico　in　past　years；　all　along　the　border；　on　both　sides　of　the　Rio

Grande；　the　murderous　effects　of　their　raids　were　evidenced　by

numberless　crosses。　　For　more　than　a　century　forays　had　been　made　on

the　settlements　and　towns　by　these　bloodthirsty　savages；　and；　the

Mexican　Government　being　too　weak　to　afford　protection；　property　was

destroyed；　the　women　and　children　carried　off　or　ravished；　and　the

men　compelled　to　look　on　in　an　agony　of　helplessness　till　relieved　by

death。　　During　all　this　time；　however；　the　forms　and　ceremonials　of

religion；　and　the　polite　manners　received　from　the　Spaniards；　were

retained；　and　reverence　for　the　emblems　of　Christianity　was　always

uppermost　in　the　mind　of　even　the　most　ignorant。









CHAPTER　III。



ORDERED　TO　FORT　READING；　CAL。A　DANGEROUS　UNDERTAKINGA　RESCUED

SOLDIERDISCOVERING　INDIANSPRIMITIVE　FISHINGA　DESERTED

VILLAGECAMPING　OPPOSITE　FORT　VANCOUVER。



In　November；　1854；　I　received　my　promotion　to　a　second　lieutenancy　in

the　Fourth　Infantry；　which　was　stationed　in　California　and　Oregon。　In

order　to　join　my　company　at　Fort　Reading；　California；　I　had　to　go　to

New　York　as　a　starting　point；　and　on　arrival　there；　was　placed　on

duty；　in　May；　1855；　in　command　of　a　detachment　of　recruits　at

Bedloe's　Island；　intended　for　assignment　to　the　regiments　on　the

Pacific　coast。　　I　think　there　were　on　the　island　（now　occupied　by　the

statue　of　Liberty　Enlightening　the　World）　about　three　hundred

recruits。　　For　a