The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-02-10

I crossed to Brownsville at p. M, where
l was Hospitality received by my friend
Ituria. who cOnfeSses to having made a deal
of money lately by cotton speculahons. [
attended evening parade aud saw Gen. Bee,
Coils. Luckett, Buchel. Duff, and the man
who hanged Montgomery. The latter I'M
proves or acquaintance.
ten. Bee took me for drive in his ambu-
Lance, aud introduced me 10 3laj. Leon
Smith, who captured the Harriet Lane. The
latter pressed me most vehemently to wait
until Gen, iIagruder's arrival, and he prom
ised if did SO that | should be sent to San
Antonio ID first rate ambulance.
Mai. Leon Smith is a seafaring man by
profession, and was put by Gen. Magruder
in command of one Of the small steamers
which captured the Harriet Lane at Calves
ton, the crews of the steamers being COM
Icsed of Texan cavalry soldiers.
lie told me that the resistance offered after
boarding was feeble, and he declared that
( had not the remainder of the Yankee vessels
escaped unfairly under flag of truce they
would likewise have been taken.
After the Harriet Lane had been captured
she was fired into by the other ships, and
Maj Smith told me that, his blood being up,
| he sent the ex-Master of the Harriet Lane to
| Commodore Renshaw with message that
unless the firing was stopped he would mas
sacre the captured crew. After hearing this
Commodore Renshaw blew up his ship with
| himself in her, after having given an order to
the remainder sGuUe qUi pem.
April 13.-I breakiasted with Gen. Bee,
| and took leave Of all my Brownsville friends
Mccarthy is to give me four times the
value Of my gold in Confederate notes. The
| value of Confederate paper has since de-
creased At Charleston | was offered six to
one for my gold and at Richmond eight to
one.
We left Brownsville for San Antonio at II
a. H. Our vehicle was n roomy, but rather
overloaded, four wheel carriage, with a canvas
roof, and four mules.
Besides Mccarthy, there was a third pas
senger, in the shape Of a young merchant of
the Hebrew persuasion. Two horses were to
join Us, TO help US through the deep sand
The country, on leaving Brownsville, is
quite fat the road, a natural one, sandy and
very dusty, and there are many small trees,
principally mesquites. After we bad pro-
ceeded seven miles we halted TO water the
mules.
After awhile new character appeared upon
| the scene, in the shape OF ali elderly. rough
| faced. dirty-looking man, who rode up mount
ed on sorry nag. To my surprise he was
| addressed by Mccarthy with the title Of
Judge" and asked what he had done with
our other horse. The Judge replied that il
had already broken down, and had been left
| behind.
Mccarthy informs me that this worthy
really is Magistrate or sort Of Judge III his
own district; but he now appears in the
capacity of assistant mule-driver, and is to
make himself generally useful. / could not
| help feeling immensely amused at this speci-
men Of Texan Judge
! We started again, and soon emerged from
the mesquite bushes into an open prairie eight
miles long, quite desolate, and producing
| nothing but d sort of rush; after which we
entered chaparral, or thick covert of mos
quite-trees and high prickly-pears. These
border the track, and are covered with bits of
cotton torn from the endless trains of cotton
wagons.
We met several of these wagons. Gen
orally there were 10 oxen or six mules to a
wagon carrying 10 bales, but in deep sand,
more animals are necessary. They jour
| ney very slowly towards Brownsville from
| places in the interior Of Texas at least 500
| miles distant Want of water and other
causes make the drivers and animals undergo
| much hardship.
The Judge rides in front of us on his
Rosinante," to encourage the mules. His
| back view reminds one in ludicTous manner
OF the pictures of DIR. Syntax.
AT O'Clock we reached well, with a farm
or ranch close TO it. Here we halted for the
| night. A cotton train was encamped close
TO us and lugubrious half-naked teamster
informed us that three of his oxen had been
stolen last night.
In order to make fire we were forced to
enter the chaparral for wood, and in doing SO
ran many prickles into our legs, which caused
us great annoyance afterward, as they tester,
if not Immediately pulled out.
The water at this well was very salt, and
made very indifferent coffee. Mccarthy
called it the "meanest hating place we shall
have"