in that region which were principally on Mustang Prairie, four miles below La Coste station, but the Indians succeeded in stealing them all eventually notwithstanding the fact that he kept a constant watch over them and often punished them severely for their thefts.
My childhood years were passed happily and I had a good and easy time, although I helped my father all I could on the farm in light work or in making myself useful in many ways, but I never fancied farming very much. When I was not more than eight years old I would occasionally help him saw lumber when he could get no one else to assist him, because, as I have stated,
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it required two persons to perform such work with a whip-saw one above and another in the pit below.
My first visit to San Antonio was made with my father in 1854, and it was on this occasion that I was made happy by the wonderful things I saw in the city which filled my childish mind with astonishment. The business portion of the town was then confined to the two plazas, and most of the improvements were in that vicinity. I suppose the population at that time was not more than 3000 of all classes.
My next trip away from home was when I accompanied my father to Fort Inge on his wagon that was loaded with corn which he sold to the government. It was a part of a certain quantity he had contracted to deliver, at 40c. and 50c. per bushel, as forage for a company of dragoons that was then stationed at said fort, four miles below the present town of Uvalde, and another detachment at Fort Ewell on the Laredo road, both of which have been abandoned many years. All the men in these companies were splendidly mounted on the best horses that Missouri could furnish. Their saddles were the old government pattern, with solid brass stirrups weighing two pounds, and all the mountings were of the same metal. Every soldier was armed with two holster pistols, each with a single barrel, and a Mississippi yager, both of the same caliber, therefore they used the same fixed cartridges loaded with a ball and three buckshot. I was only nine years of age, but I took notice of everything as they were the first soldiers I had ever seen ; there I ate my first hard-tack, and there I saw the first playing cards. While my father was unloading the corn, I busied myself gathering the cards that were scattered around the camp. Until then I had never seen painted pictures of any kind, and I thought the cards were the prettiest things my eyes had ever gazed upon.
About that date my father hired Paul Offinger to help him on the farm and he worked for him three years, in
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which time he saved up enough money to buy fifty acres of land near Quihi, eleven miles west of Castroville. When he moved on his place he had no one to assist him and my father hired me to him to drive his oxen when plowing or hauling for $5.00 per month and my board. I remained with him four months, and though only twelve years of age, my duties were performed to the satisfaction of my employer.
In those days oxen were the only animals that were used on farms on the western frontier for draft purposes, partly because the original outlay and cost of keeping them was less than for horses, and another reason was the risk of losing them on account of Indians who were always stealing horses. The oxen were always necked together, and after a day's work the yoke was removed, a bell was suspended to one of their necks, and they were turned out on the range until wanted, when the tinkling bell indicated their whereabouts.
Generally I found it prosy business wandering through the mesquite bushes in search of my oxen, but one foggy morning I had an exciting experience when I saw a panther in my path feasting on a calf he had killed. He was only a few feet in front of me, but he was so intent on satisfying his hunger that he only looked at me without rising. I, on the contrary, was very much startled, but a spell of fascination crept over me which kept my eyes fixed on him as I slowly backed from his presence a few steps before turning, and then I ran towards home at the top of my speed. I was bare-footed, as was usual with country boys in those days, who only wore shoes on Sundays, and my toes clawed the ground and helped me along. I was making pretty good time when I stepped on a large rattlesnake that was coiled in my path, which filled me with horror, but before he could strike I made a frantic leap in the air and landed beyond his reach. The accident caused my fear of the panther to subside and reduced my gait to a walk. But these adventures
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did not make me abandon my search, which I continued, though with greater caution, until the musical ox-bell in the distance guided me to the animals I was seeking and I drove them home.
On another occasion Mr. Offinger went out hunting one Sabbath morning, and he allowed me to accompany him. He carried an old-fashioned army musket, which was loaded with the only charge of buckshot that he had, and I was unarmed. On the east side of Quihi prairie we suddenly found ourselves in the midst of a herd of about twenty-five javelinas, or Mexican hogs, that were feeding in a thicket of scrubby live-oak. When they saw us all of them bunched together with their heads towards us while their teeth clashed in a threatening and vicious manner until Mr. Offinger fired into the bunch. As the gun fired they rushed towards him and they moved so quickly that he only had time to climb a small tree beyond their reach. I was standing about twenty steps behind him and knowing the danger I followed his example, but as Mr. Offinger was the aggressor he received all of their attention. He wanted me to descend from my sheltered position and gather rocks with which to drive them away, but I was afraid, consequently we remained in our place of refuge until they disappeared an hour later.
The Mexican or musk hog, which is common in many sections of west Texas, has a sack on its back that contains a secretion which has a strong odor. They are aggressive, often attacking persons without provocation, and when wounded they are dangerous. Their long, sharp tusks cut like a knife and it is difficult to avoid them when on foot because of their quick movements and manner of fighting.
During the time I served Mr. Offinger I had many hours of recreation and my tasks were never heavy. My personal expenditures amounted to only twenty-five cents a month, that went for candy which I bought at Mr.
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Bailey's store in Quihi, and frequently my friend and play- mate, Frank Rieden, now living in San Antonio, helped me to eat it. My wages were well earned, and when I received the nineteen dollars that was due me I returned home with the money and placed it in my father's hand with a great deal of pleasure.
Mr. Bowles was another old friend of my father's who lived at Sabinal, in 1856, and I remember the old double-barrel shot-gun he showed my father soon after killing three Indians with it by discharging both barrels at the same instant. The gun was then out of order, and he was taking it to San Antonio to have it repaired.
The particulars of the killing, as Mr. Bowles related them to my father, are about as follows : The Indians had made a raid into the settlements, and after the fact became generally known, every one was on the watch for them. Mr. Bowles loaded his gun very heavily with buck-shot and took a position after dark on an elevation near his house, where he stood guard. He had only waited a short time when he saw three Indians approach on foot, following each other in single file along a foot trail. After bringing his weapon to his shoulder he waited until they were in close range and then fired both loads simultaneously. The recoil of the gun threw him on his back and it flew out of his hands behind him. After recovering from the shock the Indians had disap- peared, and he made an investigation with the result that one Indian was found dead in his tracks and another where he fell a short distance beyond. The search was continued next morning along a bloody trail, and after following it about three hundrd yards, the corpse of the third Indian was found.
This remarkably successful shot has never been recorded, or if it has I am unaware of the fact, but the tragic act is well known to others now living who will vouch for the truth of my story. Perhaps they know more of the circumstances than I can recall, because Mr.
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