expedition.

Although the report was everywhere circulated that this was to be a
trading experiment, the expedition, when it quitted Austin, certainly
wore a very different appearance. The men had been supplied with
uniforms; generals, and colonels, and majors were dashing about in every
direction, and they quitted the capital of Texas with drums beating and
colours flying. Deceived by the Texians, a few respectable Europeans
were induced to join this expedition, either for scientific research or
the desire to visit a new and unexplored country, under such protection,
little imagining that they had associated themselves with a large band
of robbers, for no other name can be given to these lawless plunderers.
But if the force made a tolerable appearance on its quitting the
capital, a few hours' march put an end to all discipline and restraint.

Although the country abounded with game, and it was killed from mere
wantonness, such was their improvidence, that they were obliged to
resort to their salt pork and other provisions; and as, in thirty days,
forty large casks of whisky were consumed, it is easy to suppose, which
was indeed the fact, that every night that they halted, the camp was a
scene of drunkenness and riot.

During the last few days of the march through the game country, they
killed more than a hundred buffaloes, yet, three days after they had
quitted the prairies and had entered the dreary northern deserts, they
had no provisions left, and were compelled to eat their worn-out and
miserable horses.

A true account of their horrible sufferings would beggar all
description; they became so weak and so utterly helpless, that
half-a-dozen Mexicans, well mounted, could have destroyed them all.
Yet, miserable as they were, and under the necessity of conciliating the
Indians, they could not forego their piratical and thieving
propensities. They fell upon a small village of the Wakoes, whose
warriors and hunters were absent, and, not satisfied with taking away
all the eatables they could carry, they amused themselves with firing
the Indian stores and shooting the children, and did not leave until the
village was reduced to a heap of burning ashes. This act of cowardice
sealed the fate of the expedition, which was so constantly harassed by
the Wakoe warriors, and had lost already so many scalps, that afterwards
meeting with a small party of Mexicans, they surrendered to them, that
they might escape the well-des