altercation between the Admiral's
aid-de-camp and Captain Swayback, of the dragoons, who chanced to be
billetted together. The former, through abstraction, had swathed
himself, like to an Egyptian mummy, in all the clothes, and persisted in
occupying the centre of the bed; moreover, hinting a disinclination to
pass the night with any gentleman perfumed with tobacco. Upon this, the
captain became jocosely indignant; and although admitting that, in his
varied hardships and travels, he had been necessitated to bivouac many a
time under worse auspices, yet he still had a mortal antipathy to share
his pillow with a man; so, he betook himself to the floor, where, with
blanket, an inverted chair for pillow, and a brilliant cigar illumining
either corner of his month, he rendered the room dense with smoke until
daylight.

Early on the morrow we took a pleasant ramble about the village, and
were individually hugged by a tame grizzly cub, who was altogether
more ardent in his affectionate embraces than our recent acquaintance
required--thence to breakfast on the accustomed _olla podrida_,
which is a stereotyped mess everywhere with Spaniards and their
descendants--though at times differently prepared--here it was flanked
by _frijoles_. The meal finished, horses were standing, ready
caparisoned, at the door, and whilst my friends amused themselves to
their fancy, I seized a rifle, and in company with a young American,
started on a hunt. We had ridden a league over the valley, when we
perceived a small herd of antelopes; but they descried us, too, a long
way off, and not without much trouble and hard riding, did I succeed in
striking one with a bullet, flying, as I may say; for never before had I
beheld such nimble heels. Another was wounded, also, but, with his
companions, reached the highlands and escaped. The first had his fore
leg nearly severed from his shoulder, but, notwithstanding it traversed
around in his flight like a wheel, he still ran good four leagues before
we approached near enough to kill him. We soon packed the meat on a
horse, which is done by removing the entrails, breaking the back bone,
and doubling the animal, horns and tail; then it is secured to the
saddle. Two may be carried this way; but wo to the hunter, if the sharp,
hard hoofs happen to prick his horse, the probability being that the
rider will describe a summerset. Highly pleased with the exploit, we
sent our prize to the _embarcadera_. The antelope