o it. Here we
halted for the night. A cotton train was encamped close to us, and a
lugubrious half-naked teamster informed us that three of his oxen had
been stolen last night.

In order to make a fire, we were forced to enter the chaparal for wood,
and in doing so we ran many prickles into our legs, which caused us
great annoyance afterwards, as they fester, if not immediately pulled
out.

The water at this well was very salt, and made very indifferent coffee.
M'Carthy called it the "meanest halting-place we shall have."

At 8 P.M. M'Carthy spread a bullock-rug on the sand near the carriage,
on which we should have slept very comfortably, had it not been for the
prickles, the activity of many fleas, and the incursions of wild hogs.
Mr Sargent and the Judge, with much presence of mind, had encamped
seventy yards off, and left to us the duty of driving away these hogs. I
was twice awoke by one of these unclean animals breathing in my face.

We did about twenty-one miles to-day.

[6] The value of Confederate paper has since decreased. At Charleston I
was offered six to one for my gold, and at Richmond eight to one.

* * * * *

_14th April_ (Tuesday).--When we roused up at 4 A.M. we found our
clothes saturated with the heavy dew; also that, notwithstanding our
exertions, the hogs had devoured the greatest part of our pet kid, our
only fresh meat.

After feeding our mules upon the Indian corn we had brought with us, and
drinking a little more salt-water coffee, the Judge "hitched in," and we
got under way at 5.30 A.M. The country just the same as yesterday--a
dead level of sand, mosquite trees, and prickly pears.

At 7.30 A.M. we reached "Leatham's ranch," and watered our mules. As the
water was tolerable, we refilled our water-barrels. I also washed my
face, during which operation Mr Sargent expressed great astonishment,
not unmingled with contempt.

At Leatham's we met a wealthy Texan speculator and contractor called
Major or Judge Hart.

I find that _our_ Judge is also an M.P., and that, in his capacity as a
member of the Texan legislature, he is entitled to be styled the
Honourable ---- ----.

At 9 A.M. we halted in the middle of a prairie, on which there was a
little grass for the mules, and we prepared to eat. In the midst of our
cooking, two deer came up quite close to us, and could easily have been
killed with rifles.

We saw quantities of rat-ranches, which are big so