The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1878-09-15

on the train, westward bound.
"At Brashear, we took the steam
err TO Galveston, and thence we went
by rail, to the most north western
terminus. Here Kcyman bought n
stout wagon and team, while Jim
and were furnished each splendid
horse.
Our party remained here, only
long enough to secure the necessary
arms and other supplies, and we then
"pulled out" for the plains.
"One night Jim and were walk
ing some distance from our camp,
when my friend asked: Dan, do
you know where we are going
""ro the plains | suppose."'
Jewell, jim" | replied, "'you
know just about as much about the
matter as | do"
"Dan,'" said my companion, eye
ing me rather curiously, think the
fellows crazy. Do you know that
big cotton bag, that's so light, and
he's so careful about p"
81 had noticed his solicitude, in re-
gard to n common, soiled muslin bag,
and wondered what it could contain,
of any value :" yes | said; what
about itY"
What do you suppose that bags
got in it p"
"I don't know"
""Then III tell you-bags.'"
wWhatp"
"'Bags-the d-d-st lot of little
canvas bags-about hundred, and
every one of 'em has stout string
scwed to its mouth .
"When we reached the plains, |
was inclined to believe my employer
had deceived me. had asked him
if he had ever been on the plains,
and his answer was: Il know moth
ing more of them, than have learn
edfrom maps and books"
"Now he seemed, in certain way
to be fully as well posted as myself.
We were encainped for the night
near the border of the plains, and |
was just spreading my blanket pre-
parofory to lying down, when he
asked me, if had ever gone any dis
lance, in a north westerly course,
from the place where we then were.
II told him had not, mo one ever
goes that way, Mr.. Keyman,' l said,
there is nothing to 90 there for, and
II is considered the longest dry stretch
on the plains
"Mr. Keyman made no answer, ex-
cept to say that, we must get an
early start, on the moro w. Next
morning by sunrise, we were ready
to start. Mr.. Keyman drew from
his pocket small compass, looked
first at it, then at the sn,and droye
off in a north westerly direction.
"'The three of us travelled for
several miles in silence, then rode
up to the wagon, Mr.. Keyman,' ]
said; do you intend to cross the
plains from this point ~
ale regarded Inc with bewildcr-
ed look IA moment, and said; Yes
that is-no-I am not going all the
way
''My first impulse was to turn back,
and was on the point of saying so,
but something suddenly checked the
speech, and merely asked something
about water, for our cask, | knew
held no more than would serve us
| for more than "a hours.
awe will come to water he said,
about midnight" m
~ rode back to where Jim was,
scarcely knowing what to say, or
think. sometimes felt convinced
that our employer was demented,
but, at the same time, there was
someth.n g in the bearing of the man
perhaps his show of self-confidence
and utter fearlessness which inspired
respect. As for Harum since the
bag discovery, nothing could have
convinced him of keyman's sanity
"What astonishcd me most, was
the knowledge that our employer
showed of the route; there was lit
tie to know about 1t, ii is true-noth.
ing more than n level plain, with occas
ional ranges of sand hills; generally
running north and south; and We
passed one or two alkaline lakes, hui
he Invariably told US, hofore We came
to them, just where they would b'
found. had never seen anyone
who had been over the route, but i
was the general impression, among
the guides, that there was no watel
to be found in less than one hundred
an fifty miles In that direction, and
vet, | felt no uneasiness about thu
, matter, for had come TO think tina
Keyman, lunatic, wizard, fraud o.
whatever he might be, knew jus
what he was doing.
Dam he said to me, lis that not
hill with myoa on topr And h
pointed to an object glittering som
distance ahead.
"Thc sun was Just setting, and a
this hour, on the plains 1t is no cas-.
! matter to say just what distant oh
ject is. at looks like it sir;" / re
/ plicd. "That's it," said Keyman, II
confidently as if he had been there
, thousand times, and about dark W
| came to 1t.
i Sure enough, there ii was, n conf
: cal hill, standing alone with its myc
c covered summit glistening in tn
moonlight.
A ale changed his course here, bear
ing nearly due north. could tie
: this by the stars, and near nidnigf
l we came to several rugged hills;
5 never saw the place in daylight, bp
a they seemed merely lot Of rocky {,
Y eyations, rising on every hand, /
forms of fantagtic weirdness.
a "Keyman alighted, and in a me
ment more, called out to us that b
S had found water II was a sprins
2 on the crest of the tallest Of the hill
tricking down the face Of the rocl
0 and then forming little pool at III
0 foot, sank in the sand.