personal memoirs-1-第4章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



brought　in；　and　then　the　building　of　my　house　began。　　First；　the

poles　were　cut　the　proper　length；　planted　in　a　trench　around　four

sides　of　a　square　of　very　small　proportions；　and　secured　at　the　top

by　string…pieces　stretched　from　one　angle　to　another；　in　which

half…notches　hack　been　made　at　proper　intervals　to　receive　the

uprights。　　The　poles　were　then　made　rigid　by　strips　nailed　on

half…way　to　the　ground；　giving　the　sides　of　the　structure　firmness；

but　the　interstices　were　large　and　frequent；　still；　with　the　aid　of

some　old　condemned　paulins　obtained　from　the　quartermaster；　the　walls

were　covered　and　the　necessity　for　chinking　obviated。　　This　method　of

covering　the　holes　in　the　side　walls　also　possessed　the　advantage　of

permitting　some　little　light　to　penetrate　to　the　interior　of　the

house；　and　avoided　the　necessity　of　constructing　a　window；　for　which；

by　the　way；　no　glass　could　have　been　obtained。　　Next　a　good　large

fire…place　and　chimney　were　built　in　one　corner　by　means　of　stones

and　mud；　and　then　the　roof　was　put　ona　thatched　one　of　prairie

grass。　　The　floor　was　dirt　compactly　tamped。



My　furniture　was　very　primitive：　a　chair　or　two；　with　about　the　same

number　of　camp　stools；　a　cot；　and　a　rickety　old　bureau　that　I

obtained　in　some　way　not　now　remembered。　　My　washstand　consisted　of　a

board　about　three　feet　long；　resting　on　legs　formed　by　driving　sticks

into　the　ground　until　they　held　it　at　about　the　proper　height　from

the　floor。　　This　washstand　was　the　most　expensive　piece　of　furniture

I　owned；　the　board　having　cost　me　three　dollars；　and　even　then　I

obtained　it　as　a　favor；　for　lumber　on　the　Rio　Grande　was　so　scarce　in

those　days　that　to　possess　even　the　smallest　quantity　was　to　indulge

in　great　luxury。　　Indeed；　about　all　that　reached　the　post　was　what

came　in　the　shape　of　bacon　boxes；　and　the　boards　from　these　were

reserved　for　coffins　in　which　to　bury　our　dead。



In　this　rude　habitation　I　spent　a　happy　winter；　and　was　more

comfortably　off　than　many　of　the　officers；　who　had　built　none；　but

lived　in　tents　and　took　the　chances　of　〃Northers。〃　During　this　period

our　food　was　principally　the　soldier's　ration：　flour；　pickled　pork；

nasty　baconcured　in　the　dust　of　ground　charcoaland　fresh　beef；　of

which　we　had　a　plentiful　supply；　supplemented　with　game　of　various

kinds。　　The　sugar；　coffee；　and　smaller　parts　of　the　ration　were　good；

but　we　had　no　vegetables；　and　the　few　jars　of　preserves　and　some　few

vegetables　kept　by　the　sutler　were　too　expensive　to　be　indulged　in。

So　during　all　the　period　I　lived　at　Fort　Duncan　and　its　sub…camps；

nearly　sixteen　months；　fresh　vegetables　were　practically

unobtainable。　　To　prevent　scurvy　we　used　the　juice　of　the　maguey

plant；　called　pulque；　and　to　obtain　a　supply　of　this　anti…scorbutic　I

was　often　detailed　to　march　the　company　out　about　forty　miles；　cut

the　plant；　load　up　two　or　three　wagons　with　the　stalks；　and　carry

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