lf-past seven.
I have had a first rate time but I do not see that there has been much
in it to interest any one but myself and where Harper Brothers or the
"gentle reader" comes in, I am afraid I cannot see, and if I cannot see
it I fear he will be in a bad way. It has pleased and interested me to
see how I could get along under difficult circumstances and with so
much discomfort but as I say I was not sent out here to improve my
temper or my health or to make me more content with my good things in
the East. If we could have a fight or something that would excuse and
make a climax for all this marching and reconnoitering and discomfort
the story would have a suitable finale and a raison d'etre. However, I
may get something out of it if only to abuse the Government for their
stupidity in chasing a jack rabbit with a brass band or by praising the
men for doing their duty when they know there is no duty to be done.
This country is more like the ocean than anything else and drives one
crazy with its monotony and desolation. And to think we went to war
with Mexico for it-- To-day is my tenth day with the troops in the camp
and in the field and I will leave them as soon as this scout is over
which will be in three days at the most. Then I will go to Corpus
Christi and from there to the ranches but I will wait until I get
baths, hair cuts and a dinner and cool things to drink-- One thing has
pleased me very much and that is that I, with Tyler and the Mexican
Scout made the second best riding record of the troop since they have
been in the field this winter. The others rode 115 miles in 32 hours,
four of them under the first Sergeant, after revolutionists, and we
made 110 miles in 33 hours. The rest of the detachment made 90 miles
and our having the extra thirty to our credit was an accident. On the
31st Hardie sent out the scout and two troopers, of which Tyler was
one, to get a trail and as I had been resting and loafing for three
days, I went out with them. We left at eight after breakfast and
returned at seven, having made thirty miles. When we got in we found
that a detachment was going out on information sent in while we were
out. Tyler was in it and so we got fresh horses and put out at nine
o'clock by moonlight. That was to keep the people in the ranch from
knowing we were going out. We rode until half-past three in the
morning and then camped at the side of the road until half--past six,
when we rode on unt