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rate, the barking seemed to me to bo about the same distance behind me all the time. I therefore, hurried on as fast as I could, until I had crossed the bottom—here about three miles wide —and came to the open prairie on the farther side, and still hearing the barking of the dog, a plan suggested itself to me whereby I might put him at fault, if in reality he was fol lowing upon my trail. I kept on out into the prairie, in the same direction I had been traveling, and when I had gone three or four hundred yards I returned upon my tracks to the exact point where I had left the timber. I then sprang off to one side as far as I could, and followed the edge of the timber, until I came to the bushy top of a tree that had been blown off from one near by, in which I hid my self, determined that I would remain there until the mystery of the dog should be explained. The barking grew perceptibly louder, and in a short time I saw two dogs come out of the timber at the very point where I||iad emerged, followed by a Mexican./ who held them by a leash or string.—. They kept on the trail I had made in go-j mg out until they came to the place iij the prairie where I had turned back.) Here, as I anticipated they would be, the dogs were evidently bothered, but the\ Mexican, taking it for granted, I suppose,, that I had not changed my course, urged, the dogs on until the trail was lost alto : gether, and they continued going in tin < same direction until they disappeared' from my sight. I took a good deal of credit to myself for having thus beaten them at their own game. I concluded it would be safer to cross this prairie, which seemed to be an exten sive one, after night, so I remained where I was until dark. Just as I started, I saw a light apparently about a quarter of a mile above me, on the edge of the woods, and I concluded I would go to it, and as certain, if possible, by whom and for what purpose it had been made. It was farther off than I anticipated, but at length I got near enough to see that it came from a small house, and that there were other buildings in the vicinity. The night was cloudy and dark, and I silently and cautiously approached the house from which the light proceeded, and peeping through a large crack be tween two of the logs, of which it was constructed, I saw a Mexican, with a can dle near by him, sitting upon a barrel and busily engaged in shelling corn from another into a basket. lie had on his shot pouch and powder liorn, but his mus ket was leaning against the side of the BUIIIC E 5 8 WE E KLY. house, and near it 1 noticed a crack large enough, as I thought, to permit me to introduce my arm, and draw the imn O through. I crept cautiously to this aper ture, and was in the act of seizing the gun when several dogs that, just at that moment, unfortunately discovered me, commenced baying at me furiously. I withdrew ray hand instantly, for the Mexican stopped shelling corn, evidently suspicious that something was wrong, and came to the door, which he partially opened and looked out. It was so dark he could not see three paces from his nose, and concluding, I suppose, that the dogs were barking at a wolf, or some other “varmint,” he took his seat and commenced shelling the corn airain. Ilis back was towards me, and once more I slipped my hand through the opening between the logs, and seized the gun. I drew it slowly and cautiously, with the muzzle foremost, through the opening, but unluckily the breech, w hich was a clumsy affair, got jammed hard and fast, and in my efforts to extricate it, I made a slight noise, that attracted the attention of the Mexican. He uttered an exclamation of astonishment when he saw his gun disappearing through the open ing in the logs, and instantly sprang up and seized it by the breech; whilst I, knowing that all chance of obtaining it was lost, beat a hasty retreat toward the woods, followed by a whole “posse” of yelping curs. The failure to capture this gun was a great disappointment to me, as I was ex ceedingly anxious to secure some sort of weapon to defend myself with against straggling Mexicans and Indians. When I had gone about a mile, owing to the extreme darkness of the night, I lost my course, and concluded it best to encamp till morning. I did not venture to build a fire for fear it might betray my locality to the Mexicans, should they pursue me, but the night was warm and cloudy, and raking up a quantity of dead leaves, I laid down upon them, and slept comfortably till daybreak. Just at the break of day, I was aroused by the clucking and gobbling of wild tur ldes. I had pitched my camp under a “roost,” and all the trees in the vicinity were filled with them. They were so tame I could easily have killed one with a bow and arrow, if I had had anything of the sort, and having failed in my at tempt to get a gun, I determined I would try my skill in the manufacture of such articles, as soon as I could find some suit able tool to work with. In order to give the houses where I had seen the Mexican the night before a wide berth, I travelled some distance down the river, under cover of the timber, but the day was cloudy, and I got completely be wildered, and it was near night again be fore I came into the prairie. A short dis tance below me I saw a house, and as I was very hungry, having consumed the day before, the last of the provisions I brought with me from the settlement on the La Yaea, I concluded to venture up to it, to sec if anything eatable could be I had about the premises. The house was a double-log cabin, raised some two feet from the ground upon blocks. From the appearance of things in and around it, it was evident the Mexicans had been there before me, and they had either taken off or destroyed all the provisions that might have been left on the place by the Ameri cans, when it was abandoned by them. There was a good bed left, however, in one of the rooms, and I determined to take up my quarters there for the night. Upon this, I laid myself down, and in a few moments was fast aleep. * Those can most easily dispense with society who are the best calculated to adorn it; they only are dependent on it who possess no mental resources , for though they bring nothing to the general mart, like beggars, they are 100 poor to stay at home. There is perfect rest for God’s people, both for soul and body, but it is not in this world. Here we are on the ocean, and we should not be surprised if we meet with storms. __ ♦♦♦ The «light of other days ” is now supposed to have been a tallow candle. 155