To be exact, there were ninety-two of them, who, under Colonel James Bowie the Louisianan, and Captain James Fannin the Georgian, but Texans both, cantered two by two, this morning of October 27, out of the Texan camp at the Espada mission on the San Antonio River, and headed into the north. Ernest and Jim of course rode side by side. Suddenly Jim pointed before.
“There come the Travis scouts back again,” he uttered. “Now it’s our turn to shake our tails. See Leo?”
With wave of hand in greeting they all trotted obliquely across the flank of the Travis column.
“Where you going?” called Leo, sighting his two partners.
“Oh, just on a little scout. Tell you all about it when we get back,” shouted Jim, derisively.
“What’d you find?” added Ernest.
“Mucho pocito [Much very little],” responded somebody, to a general laugh.
“Knew they didn’t do anything,” remarked Jim, satisfied. “They aren’t sassy enough.”
The trip was an all-day trip, up along the crooked, limpid San Antonio River—said to be the most beautiful river and the best water in Texas. The old Mission San Juan Capistrano was first examined, but it was too exposed for good defense. In leisurely manner Colonel Bowie and Captain Fannin led on to the Mission San Jose de Aguayo, nearer to San Antonio and within sight of the Alamo. The march was slow and cautious, for the country on either flank and before had to be examined.
San Jose was better, in situation, than San Juan, but Colonel Bowie decided to make a short cut over to the Mission Concepcion. Here the column arrived in mid-afternoon.