"Such a shark-looking craft as the one you call the Crusader happened to drop its anchor abreast of my landing-place, about dusk one evening, and as I guessed that the fellows on board were not better than they should be, I watched their motions for a while from my back piazza. But nothing happened that night. Next morning, however, I heard the firing of guns down the meadows where my cattle and hogs were in the habit of feeding. So I took my rifle, walked towards the spot, and soon found, sure enough, that the rascals had killed a fine ox and several hogs, which they were dragging to the shore. Indeed, gentlemen, I saw the yawl crammed with the spoils of my plantation. Well, I took as good an aim as I could at the nearest man, and cracked away, but without hitting. At the report of my gun the fellows all took to their heels, and getting on board hoisted sail and went off. I have never heard of them since. Well, gentlemen, about the same hour next morning, a black-looking barge, hardly as large as your Crusader, came to, off the very same spot, and although I watched it and every one on board nearly the whole night, and it was a beautiful moon-shining one, not a soul of them came on shore until morning. Then, however, I saw some bustle on board. Several men got off in a very small affair, which was fastened astern of the large boat. I saw them land, and deliberately walk towards the meadows. No sooner had they reached the wettest part, and that is where my hogs generally root for food, than crack, crack, crack, went off their guns in all directions. You may well suppose how vexed I was at all this, and conceive how soon I mustered my men with clubs, and armed myself with my rifle. On reaching the ground, think, gentlemen, what were my thoughts, when I saw the fellows all advancing towards me and my people, as if they were the honestest men in the world. I was so mad when they came close up, that I had a mind to shoot the one in front, for he looked for all the world as if he cared not a pin for any one. However, I did not shoot, but asked him why he was shooting my hogs? 'Hogs! good man, you are quite mistaken; we are shooting snipes until we come in contact with the rascally pirates who infest the coast, and lay waste your plantations. My name, my good sir, is Captain ——, of the United States Navy; and these are some of my men. Will you come on board, and breakfast with us on your own snipes?'" No wonder that the major, having been subject to the visits of these marauders, should have taken us in the dusk, armed as we were, and withal not having precisely the aspect of sober citizens, for persons not quite as good as we should be. But I must now conclude, and in my next you shall hear something of the result of my expedition into the marshes.
BUST OF AUDUBON BY WILLIAM COUPER IN THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, NEW YORK.
Published by courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History.
After wading through mud for whole days, exposed to scorching heat, and constantly annoyed by myriads of insects in the course of their numerous excursions on shore, they reached Galveston Bay on the 24th of April. The fort of Galveston returned their salute of "26 fires," given by the big gun on the Campbell, and shortly after they received a visit from the Secretary of the Navy of the Republic of Texas, which under Sam Houston had declared its independence but a few weeks before their arrival, and were invited to proceed to the seat of government, at Houston, eighty miles distant, in the interior. They landed on the 26th of April, and after three weeks had been spent in exploring Galveston Island and its adjacent shores for birds and animals of all sorts, they started for Houston on the 8th of May. After making about twelve miles, their vessel grounded on Red Fish Bar, and the party then took to tender and gig, reaching their destination on the 15th; wild turkeys, ibises, and ducks of many kinds were seen in great numbers along their course.
Audubon has left a graphic account[143] of what he then saw at the capital of this short-lived infant Republic, including its picturesque President, the mêlée of dejected Mexican prisoners then gathered there, and its drunken Indians, "halooing and stumbling about in the mud in every direction." Houston's abode was a small log house, "consisting of two rooms, with a passage through, after the Southern fashion."
The moment we stepped over the threshold, on the right hand of the passage, we found ourselves ushered into what in other countries would be called the ante-chamber; the ground floor, however, was muddy and filthy; a large fire was burning; a small table, covered with paper and writing materials, was in the centre; camp-beds, trunks, and different materials were strewn around the room. We were at once presented to several members of the cabinet, some of whom bore the stamp of intellectual ability, simple though bold, in their general appearance....
The President was engaged in the opposite room on national business, and we could not see him for some time. Meanwhile we amused ourselves by walking to the capitol, which was yet without a roof, and the floors, benches and tables of both houses of Congress were as well saturated with water as our clothes had been in the morning. Being invited by one of the great men of the place to enter a booth to take a drink of grog with him, we did so; but I was rather surprised that he offered his name, instead of the cash, to the bar-keeper.
We first caught sight of President Houston as he walked from one of the grog-shops, where he had been to prevent the sale of ardent spirits. He was on his way to his house, and wore a large gray coarse hat, and the bulk of his figure reminded me of the appearance of General Hopkins of Virginia, for like him he is upwards of six feet high, and strong in proportion. But I observed a scowl in the expression of his eyes, that was forbidding and disagreeable. We reached his abode before him, but he soon came, and we were presented to his excellency. He was dressed in a fancy velvet coat, and trowsers trimmed with broad gold-lace; around his neck was tied a cravat somewhat in the style of seventy-six. He received us kindly, was desirous of retaining us for awhile, and offered us every facility within his power. He at once removed us from the anteroom to his private chamber, which by the way was not much cleaner than the former. We were severally introduced by him to the different members of his cabinet and staff, and at once asked to drink grog with him, which we did, wishing success to his new republic. Our talk was short; but the impression which was made on my mind at the time by himself, his officers, and his place of abode, can never be forgotten.