UETURN HOME.



on, carefully marking each, so that we might be able to find
our way back to our traps from tree to tree. The road to
the San Saba Mountains through the tall prairie grass was
one of the unpleasantest I ever followed. There, however,
the ground, though hilly and stony, was still adapted for
human feet, and we soon grew accustomed to walking. Tiger
had not a word to say for himself, he was revolving vengeance
on the Lepans, who had stolen his faithful piebald, and swore
that the Delawares should take many of their scalps in
return.
  After several weeks of unspeakable fatigue and privation,
we at length arrived one evening at Widow White's, who re-
ceived us with great cordiality and delight. We at once sent
her son to the Fort to fetch riding horses for all of us, as we
had had quite enough walking, and stopped the while with
our kind hostess. Late the next evening the long-looked-for
horses arrived from the Leone; we let them rest for the night,
and on the next morning said good-bye to the widow, and
started for home, which we reached at an early hour and
found horses there for Lasar and his companions to carry
them at once to Mustang River. The loss of Lasar's hand-
some horse and of John's mare again caused fresh sorrow in
the family, with whom they had been favourites; but I wil-
lingly put up with the loss of my two horses and mules, and
considered myself remarkably fortunate ill recovering Czar
and the cream colour. The last lesson which we gave the
Mescaleros seemed to have had an intimidating effect on the
Indians generally, as we neither saw nor heard anything of
them for several months.
  Tiger, during this period, rode a splendid black horse of
mine, which I had been always obliged to leave at home, as
it was too timid and impetuous for hunting purposes. Now
that it was ridden daily, it became a first-rate horse, and
Tiger often said that it was better than his piebald. Great was
my surprise when Tiger knocked me up early one morning,
and on going out of my house I saw the piebald quietly



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