200                          TEXAS  AND  MEXICO.
but they caught three enormous fish ; and thus we had
both abundance and variety for our repast.
On the fifth morning, at sunrise, we found ourselves
in a magnificent wood of fragrant cedars. The air was
pure and fresh, and the abbé and I, as Avas our usual
habit, entered into meditation while walking along. I
saw a little bird Avhich was unable to fly hop out from
the brambles ; I caught it without any difficulty, and
showed it to the Abbé Dubuis, who examined it and
found an excrescence of hard skin growing upon the
tongue, so that it could not eat. Not having a pin at
hand, the abbé took a thorn and very cleverly removed
the excrescence, made the little bird swalloAv a few drops
of water, and then set it at liberty. Feeling itself imme-
diately relieved, it fluttered about the wood, sending forth
little notes of thanks and contentment. On the sixth
day, which was Saturday, we had to cross a great plain
on which were neither trees nor brambles ; so before en-
tering upon it, we were obliged to gather firewood for
our evening's encampment. Our provision of blocks
being nearly exhausted, our good humour somewhat
worn out, the distance we had to traverse seemed to us a
terrible length. Besides we were in want of water, and
had nothing for supper but a box of Sardines, and some
cheese instead of bread. As I was about to lie down to
sleep upon the grass, the abbé said to me, " Smoke a
pipe, it will take away your thirst, and let us chat
awhile." But not approving of this kind of refreshment,
I went to sleep. At one o'clock the abbé awaked me,
saying, " Let us now set out, so that we may be able to
say mass at an early hour." " Why, what is the matter
with you ? " said I, " you are like the Wandering Jew ;
you never can remain quiet; we have scarcely arrived, and
yet you already wish to set out again."    " No, my dear