by J. T. Edson
Apart from the climb out of Santa Cristóbal Bay, the first few hours of the journey were spent traversing terrain which allowed easy travel and presented no problems. It was fairly open, if rolling, range with no steep slopes or other obstacles to be negotiated. There were a few streams, but none was more than twenty feet wide nor deeper than about a foot. In addition, there was plenty of rich and nutritious grazing of which, like the water, the mules availed themselves. They snatched up mouthfuls of liquid or the hock deep grass whilst on the move and without causing delays.
With each passing mile, Ole Devil grew more impressed by the packers’ skill at attending to their duties. They were constantly on the alert, watching their charges and ready to cope with any emergency. On the few occasions when a load needed adjusting for any reason, the animal would be led clear of its companions, the blindfold affixed and the correction carried out without hindrance to the rest.
Ole Devil could soon see why Di had been so confident that they could make any pursuit a long process. What was more, he realized that a pack mule might be at a disadvantage in the earlier stages of a journey if they started together, but—as Di had claimed—by the time thirty miles were covered, it would be pushing any horse. The girl also explained that mules had great endurance, tolerated thirst well, could put up with changes in food and climate, and was not fastidious regarding the former. So, on a march of from seventy-five to a hundred miles—particularly in barren and rugged country—they could have even the best of horses at their mercy. In addition, as he was seeing, when cared for by attendants who understood them and gave them proper handling, they were not troublesome, being easy to look after and keep in condition. A further good quality was their ability, due to a keen sense of smell, to keep together when on the move through the night. Against that, they had a resentment of violence. This, along with a shyness towards strangers and being touchy about the head and ears, could make them free kickers and had done much to give them their reputation for truculence.
Towards noon, as Di, Ole Devil and Tommy were preceding the rest of the party in the ascent of a gentle incline, the first serious obstacle came into view from its top.
‘I’m damned if I can make out where the son-of-a-bitch ends,’ the girl told her companions, standing in her stirrups and gazing from under her right hand at the distant woodland across their proposed line of march. ‘If I could and it wasn’t too far, I’d say we start to go so’s we’d swing around. Trouble being, we might have to yet, comes to that.’
‘Ancient and wise Nipponese saying, which I’ve just made up,’ Tommy remarked, from his place at Di’s right. Ignoring her well-simulated moan of anguish, he went on, ‘When a person is in doubt, he should always look carefully before making up his mind how to act. That way, he will know before it’s too late that he’s not doing the wrong thing.’
‘Well dog my cats from now to then and back!’ the girl ejaculated, slapping a hand on her thigh and turning an expression of wonderment to the Texian. ‘I’d never’ve thought of that.’
‘Which is why humble and unworthy self mentioned it,’ the little Oriental pointed out imperturbably.
‘Well, I’ll tell you something, Tommy,’ Ole Devil drawled, giving the girl no chance to get another word in. ‘You just beat me to suggesting it.’
‘I’ll be eternally damned if one of ’em’s not’s bad’s the other!’ Di almost wailed, turning her face upwards as if in search of strength and guidance from the heavens. Then she snapped her fingers as if a thought had struck her and continued, ‘Hey though, I’ve just now had an idea—!’
‘I knew it would have to happen one day,’ Ole Devil declared. ‘Why don’t we push on ahead and find out if we can take the mules through?’
‘That’s what I was aiming to say,’ Di protested indignantly. ‘How’d you get to figuring it out?’
‘Just fortunate, I reckon,’ Ole Devil replied.
‘I suppose one or the other of you varmints had to get lucky and say something right some time,’ the girl sniffed. ‘Let’s go.’
Without allowing either of her companions an opportunity to reply, or bothering to tell Joe Galton—who had almost caught up with them—what she was doing, Di urged her mount to increase its speed. She knew that the cargador was aware of the need to examine the woodland and would not require an explanation. Tall, well built, in his early twenties, with red hair and a ruggedly good looking face, the buckskin-clad Galton was Ewart Brindley’s adopted son and, like her, fully conversant with every aspect of their family’s business.
Holding their horses to a fast trot, the girl, the Texian and the little Oriental were soon approaching the two Tejas forward scouts, who had halted at the edge of the trees. The woodland stretched as far as they could see in either direction and, if it should prove unsuitable for the mules to pass through, would involve them in a lengthy and time-consuming detour.
‘Mannen’s detail went in,’ Ole Devil remarked, indicating the tracks left by his cousin’s party which they had been following since leaving the Bay. He swung a challenging glare in Pi’s direction. ‘But, before anybody tells me, I know that they only had horses and not mules carrying packs.’
‘Now me, I’ve give up on trying to tell either of you smarty britches anything,’ the girl declared in tones of deepest disgust, studying the trees. ‘Anyways, unless it gets thicker further in, we’ll not have any trouble getting through.’
Joined by the scouts, the trio rode onwards still following the route taken by Mannen Blaze and his detail. At first there were massive live oaks, pecan-hickories, black walnuts and Eastern cottonwoods, interspersed, although not too thickly, with a variety of bushes and Carolina buckthorn shrubs through which wound paths made by wild animals or the semi-domesticated longhorn cattle that would eventually become a major fact in the economy of Texas. xxxiv However, after having advanced for about three quarters of a mile, they came across box elders, silver maples and American hornbeams xxxv which warned them what to expect. So they were not surprised when they emerged from the trees to find themselves looking across about fifty yards of open ground at a river. While it was narrow, compared with the San Bernard, which they would have to cross on their way to Washington-on-the-Brazos, it was considerably wider than any of the streams they had already come over that day.
‘Afore I get told, I know they went over here,’ Di announced, indicating the tracks of the previous party and riding forward to scan the muddy water in a futile attempt to discover what lay beneath the surface. ‘Only that don’t mean the mules can tote packs across. It looks like it might be all right, but I suppose I’ll be the one who has to make sure.’
‘I’ve always been taught it’s polite to let a lady go first,’ Ole Devil replied, but he knew that the girl was far better qualified than himself to make the decision.
Having told the scouts in their own language—which she spoke fluently—to go along the banks and see if there was anywhere more suitable for a crossing, Di rode into the water. For all her levity when addressing Ole Devil, she was in deadly earnest as she pressed onwards. She watched the level of the water as it crept higher and reached the tapaderos xxxvi of her stirrups so she was compelled to raise her feet to avoid it. Much to her relief, it did not get much deeper. What was more, the current was not too fast and there was a bed of firm gravel with no rocks protruding from it.
However, the girl did not restrict herself to making a single crossing. Instead, she waded back and forth on different lines until she had covered an area about fifty yards in width. Satisfied with the results of her examination, she waved for Ole Devil and Tommy to join her. When they had done so, the trio continued until the woodland ended. If anything, the terrain was slightly better—although forward visibility was still restricted—on the western bank.
‘We can get through all right,’ Di declared. ‘Let’s go back and do it.’
Retracing the route they had taken while conducting their examination, the trio did not wait for the scout
s to return and report. On reaching the point at which they had entered the woodland, they found that the leaders of the mule train were about a hundred yards away. Di signaled with a beckoning motion and Galton kept coming.
‘We’ve been through better places, Joe,’ the girl stated. ‘And worse.’
‘Likely,’ replied the cargador, who had a reputation for never using two words when one would suffice.
Moving aside, while Di accompanied Galton, Ole Devil and Tommy watched the mules going by. After about half of them had passed, Prays Loudly, Sometimes came along. Wanting to see what kind of problems might be met under such conditions, the Texian rode alongside the packer.
Much to Ole Devil’s surprise, although Prays Loudly, Sometimes and his companions were clearly exercising extra vigilance, the passage through the trees was being accomplished without any great difficulty. Wending their individual ways along, the mules displayed an awareness of where they could or could not go. They never tried to pass between a gap that was too narrow for themselves and their burdens.
Remembering some of the comments he had heard Di make, the Texian only stayed with the packer for half a mile. Then he went forward to catch up with her and Galton. By the time he reached them, they were on the banks of the river and he knew that he was going to witness another important part of a mule train’s activities.
The first thing to strike Ole Devil’s notice was that the four leading packers had already joined the girl and the cargador. Leading the bell-mare into the water, Galton started to cross. Looking back, he found that the foremost mules were hesitating and, leaning over, he took hold of the leather collar to give the bell a vigorous shake. After a moment, the sound and a reluctance to be parted from the mare produced the desired effect without the need for action on the part of Di and the packers.
As the animals entered the water, the packers accompanied them. More of the Tejas came up, following their companions. However, none of them went straight to the other side. Ole Devil could understand why they halted to form a double line through which their charges were passing. If one of the heavily loaded mules should stumble and go down, the weight of its pack would prevent it from rising. Unless it was helped quickly, it would drown. What was more, its struggles might frighten the others and make them refuse to go on.
No such tragedy occurred and the crossing went by uneventfully. Before going over himself, Ole Devil waited for the remuda and the rear guard to pass. Wisely, as the horses lacked the mules’ incentive to stick together, Sergeant Smith had reinforced their herders on reaching the woodland. The non-com also told him that there was no sign of anybody following them, nor had the flank parties reported anything of interest.
With the woodland behind them, Di called a halt. Once again, Ole Devil became aware of the apparent intelligence of what he had previously regarded as stubborn and somewhat stupid animals. Each mule stood patiently until its packer could fasten on its blindfold, remove its burden and examine its back and hooves. Not until that had been done and its eyes uncovered did it attempt to first enjoy a good roll and then start to graze. In addition to the grass they consumed, each was given a feed of grain from the packs carried by the reserve mules.
‘You know something, Di?’ Ole Devil remarked as he and the girl were strolling around watching the work being carried out. ‘I’ve been wrong about mules. They’re smarter than I realized.’
‘Figuring ’em’s being stupid’s a mistake most folks’s haven’t been around ’em much make,’ Di replied. ‘Mules’re as smart and in some ways even smarter’n bosses. All you have to do is treat ’em right and train ’em properly.’
‘There’s a rider coming, Cap’n Hardin!’ Smith called, before the discussion could be continued. ‘Can’t make out who it is yet, but he’s waving.’
‘It must be to us,’ Di guessed. ‘If he wasn’t somebody’s they figured was all right, the scouts would’ve let us know afore now.’
Putting the matter of the mules from his mind temporarily, Ole Devil gazed in the direction indicated by the non-com. He watched the horseman coming towards them at a gallop. Although he too failed to make an identification at first, he was in agreement with the girl’s assumption. It proved to be correct. In a short while, the rider was close enough to be recognized.
‘It’s young Sammy Cope, Cap’n,’ Smith decided, having joined his superior and Di so as to be ready if any action had to be taken. ‘Mr. Blaze must’ve sent him back to report, unless something’s wrong.’
A few seconds later, they could all tell that the sergeant’s doubts were unfounded. Although showing signs of having ridden a long distance at speed, the lanky young enlisted man displayed nothing but a cheerful satisfaction at having reached his destination.
‘Come and walk his horse until it cools down, one of you men!’ Ole Devil called, as the newcomer brought his lathered mount to a halt and dismounted.
‘Gracias, Cap’n,’ Cope said gratefully, handing the reins to the man who hurried forward. ‘He’s been running plenty. Mr. Blaze telled me to get back here and meet you’s fast’s I could ’n’ that’s what I’ve done.’
‘Is everything all right with him?’ Ole Devil asked.
‘Sure is, Cap’n,’ Cope replied and looked at the girl. ‘Your grandpappy’s doing right well, Di. He was cussing fit to bust and said I should tell you that he’ll take a switch to your hide happen you lose any of them knobheads.’
‘Is the ferry at Hickert’s Landing still in use?’ Ole Devil inquired, guessing why his cousin had sent the man.
‘Yes sir, Cap’n,’ Cope answered.
‘I told you’s ole Mose’ Hickert ’n’ his boys wouldn’t’ve pulled out,’ Di put in, but there was relief in her voice.
The girl’s emotion did not entirely stem from learning that her grandfather was making the far from comfortable trip with no worsening of his condition. She had known that they were faced with crossing the San Bernard River. It would be a different, much more difficult, proposition than the one they had forded in the woodland unless the services of the ferry at Hickert’s Landing were still available. While mules were excellent swimmers, they could not do so when they were carrying such heavy weights. Nor was there anywhere along the San Bernard that was sufficiently shallow at this time of the year for them to be able to wade across. They could ride on the ferry, having been trained to do so. However, if it had gone, her men would have to make rafts and float the consignment over, allowing the unburdened animals to swim without impediment.
‘Mr. Blaze said for me to tell you he’s left half of our fellers at the Landing, Cap’n,’ Cope went on. ‘He figured it’d be best in case them San Phillipe varmints come around with notions of making fuss for you there.’
‘Good for ole Mannen,’ Di ejaculated, darting a mischievous grin at the Satanic-looking Texian. She was delighted to hear they had reinforcements waiting, even if it was only twelve men, but she was unable to resist the temptation to strike back at her occasional tormentor. ‘It’s lucky there’s one right smart hombre in your family, Devil.’
‘Hey!’ Cope almost yelped, having been looking around, before his superior could think up a suitable reply. ‘Where at’s all them Dragoons?’
‘They’re pulled out ’n’ gone home,’ Di replied.
‘They won’t be no loss, wasn’t one of ’em worth a cuss any way at all,’ Cope declared, displaying no more concern than the other members of his Company had over the departure of the Dragoons. ‘You want for me to head back after Mr. Blaze, Cap’n?’
‘No,’ Ole Devil decided. ‘You can stay with us from here on. Go grab something to eat, then pick yourself a fresh horse from the remuda.’
‘It’s about time things started to go smoother for us,’ Di commented, as the enlisted man ambled away. ‘You could head for San Patricio now, if you’re so minded.’
‘I’ve considered it,’ Ole Devil admitted. ‘But I think I can go easier in my mind after I’ve seen you safe across the San Bernard.’
Although the Texian and the girl did not realize it, he had made what was to prove a most fortuitous decision.
Chapter Eight – We’ll Have to Find Out the Hard Way
‘What do you think, Tommy?’ Ole Devil Hardin inquired as, bringing their four horses to a halt while still partially concealed among the trees, he and the little Oriental studied the opposite bank of the small river they had forded about twenty-four hours earlier. ‘Did I see something over there?’
The crossing of the San Bernard River had been accomplished, due to the help given willingly by the Hickert family, without any great difficulty. However, darkness had fallen before the consignment and everybody concerned in its protection were on the eastern shore. So, eager as he was to set off on the reconnaissance mission, Ole Devil had realized that Diamond-Hitch Brindley was making her usual good sense when she had suggested he and Tommy Okasi took a night’s rest before leaving. They were going to need all their wits about them, which would not be the case if they were tired. Nor would they be able to sleep with such a measure of safety once they had parted company from their companions.
While Ole Devil and Tommy were returning to the south, the remainder of the party were to make their way to the Brazos River. Once there, despite it making a large curve to the east above the lower reaches’ most westerly bend, they would stay on the banks instead of following Mannen Blaze and the injured men who had gone straight overland to Thompson’s Ferry. When discussing the proposed route with Di and Joe Galton, Ole Devil had envisaged one difficulty which might arise. The girl had assured him that, with the mules she was employing, it would not present any problem and he had bowed to her superior knowledge in such matters. One further point had been settled. Although the other citizens of Hickert’s Landing had already fled, the family were remaining to continue operating the ferry until there was danger from the approaching Mexican forces.