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an attack, but, much to our relief, they passed some distance in front of us, after changing their course, and soon disappeared. No shots were fired on either side, partly because they were too far away, but really their movements were so rapid there was no chance for a fight and we were very well satisfied to see them go.

      I had another and worse fright when on my way to Eagle Pass, that also occurred in 1867. I was traveling alone on that trip, and after changing mules at Chichon station, twenty-seven miles east of Eagle Pass, had proceeded about six miles, when I saw a dust rising about two mile away, to the left of the road, beyond a hill that obstructed my view. The time was about two o'clock in the afternoon, and I knew that the cloud of dust was raised by something moving in my direction under cover of the hill. My impression was that they were Indians, and I waited until they appeared on the brow of the naked elevation more than a mile distant. I then saw ten men driving a herd of loose horses and mules, and my fears convinced me that my first impressions were correct.

      I realized the danger of my situation and could see no chance for me to get out of their way. With the determination to defend myself as best I could, I hurried my team to a lone mesquite tree, that stood about one hundred yards from the road, and tied them to it with a heavy rope that I always carried for emergencies. As the mules were skittish when anyone got in front of them, it was necessary to approach them with a great deal of care, and I could ill afford to spare the time it took to secure them. I then prepared to protect myself against the approaching enemy with my Henry rifle and an abundant, supply of cartridges.

      The herd and its drivers were then much nearer and could be seen more distinctly. Much to my gratification

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      I perceived that the herd was driven by Mexicans, and as they crossed the road about five hundred yards behind me they passed without noticing me. Perhaps the animals had been stolen and evidently they were smuggled across the Rio Grande somewhere between Laredo and Eagle Pass.

      Rattlesnakes were found in great numbers in west Texas and they were enemies that had to be guarded against at all times. Wild turkeys always show a great antipathy to them and never fail to make a deadly and persistent attack until the reptile is destroyed. An opportunity to witness such conflicts is seldom offered, therefore, I will notice one instance of the kind that came under my observation.

      I was traveling the road near Uvalde when I saw a large flock of wild turkeys in an open glade near the highway. I stopped when I saw the gobblers had congregated in a circle where they seemed to be fighting, but I soon perceived that they were killing a large rattlesnake. One after the other would spring into the air in rapid succession and come down on the reptile, which they struck a hard blow with one wing that might have been heard quite a distance. Apparently all the gobblers took part in the fracas, and they appeared to be greatly excited, but the hens fed quietly in the vicinity and seemed to be indifferent to what was going on.

      I watched them about ten minutes before they observed my presence and became alarmed. After they disappeared in the brush I approached the place and found the snake coiled up and almost dead. Evidently the gobblers had been engaged in killing him for some time before I appeared on the scene, and if they had not been disturbed the victim would have provided a feast for the whole flock, because it was their custom to eat the snakes killed in that way.

      Deer are equally prejudiced against rattlesnakes and invariably attack them in favorable localities. Nature

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      has made them enemies, and it is said that when an en- counter is unavoidable, with no available means of escape, the snake appreciates the danger; also that it makes no effort to strike, but suffers a collapse under an instinctive fear which prompts it to submit to its fate with its head hid beneath the coils of its body, which are closely drawn together.

      The deer springs from a safe distance into the air with its four feet brought together, and it comes down on the snake with its sharp pointed hoofs which cut like a knife. The movements are rapid and often repeated until the rattler is mangled into a shapeless mass. I have seen places where snakes had been killed by deer, but have never witnessed the performance. The marks of their sharp hoofs showed in the hard beaten ground and the bones of their victims were in evidence.

      Highwaymen in Mexico are called ladrones, or robbers. They usually frequented the frontier, but other parts of the country were often infested by them before they were finally suppressed by the government. Generally they were a select body of men of good appearance, who wore broad-brimmed felt hats elaborately embroidered with silver and gold thread, and dressed in the regular riding costume that was profusely ornamented with silver buttons in front, on the sleeves, and down the trousers. Their horses were the best that the country afforded, and silver mountings were lavishly displayed on their saddles and bridles.

      When a band of ladrones decided to hold up a stage, after ascertaining that it was conveying a large sum of money or on other occasions, they selected an uninhabited region at a point where it was necessary for the vehicle to ascend a steep hill, and concealed themselves on both sides of the road until it approached. The first intimation of their presence was given by one of the gang, who ordered the driver to stop, when the others showed themselves and the spokesman made known his

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      intentions to the passengers. Pointing to his companions, who silently awaited the result of the conference, he ex- plained that it would be folly to offer resistance, as they were ready to enforce his demands. With the greatest politeness he requested them to pass out their money, and when they complied he placed it all together on the road- side. Force was rarely used in such cases, and I never heard of an instance when the pockets of passengers were searched. The money wanted was in sacks and generally amounted to large sums in silver that could not be concealed.

      When Major Porter's brother was robbed by ladrones on the national stage line near Monterey, in 1868, no resistance was offered; the passengers delivered ten thou- sand dollars to one man, who was in a short distance of his companions. After securing his treasure he ordered the driver to proceed on his journey.

      I was never molested by ladrones when staging in that country, and only know of one occasion when I believed they intended to hold me up. It happened near Palo Blanco ranch, twenty-five miles northeast of Salinas. Victoria, where ten or twelve men were lined up on both sides of the road. I was riding on the outside with my driver and escort when I saw them. The speed of the team was checked and I called the attention of my passengers inside the stage to the suspicious circumstance. We all recognized them as regular ladrones by their dress, etc., which corresponded with the general description I have given, and no time was lost in getting our weapons ready to meet them. The team was in a walk when we passed between them, but evidently, seeing that we were prepared to offer resistance, they were content to extend to us their friendly greetings. My passengers were Daniel Wueste of Eagle Pass, Carlos Sada of Monterey, Pedro Morales, customs-house officer at Piedras Negras, and two Mexican army officers.

      I only know of three stage robberies that occurred in

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      Mexico when I was in the business. One took place within five and another in less than ten miles of Monterey, on the road leading from Saltillo; and the other was forty miles from Monterey, on the Matamoras road near Lenares. The money thus obtained, when added together, amounted to a large sum, and it was all secured without a drop of blood being shed.

      CHAPTER VI

      THE fact is well known that smuggling has always been conducted along the borders between the two republics, but in earlier times it was practiced with greater impunity than at present. There were two classes of smugglers then, as there are now, who operated according to their means and influence. Those who could command both met with no difficulty in advancing their measures with the aid of friendly officials who boldly passed large transactions through the doors of the customs-house at a small expense. On the other hand, persons without means or patronage and with only a bold and enterprising spirit to sustain them were compelled to resort to secret methods when conducting the same kind of business on a small scale. Much trading was done in that way with goods and animals that were acquired in legitimate

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