I now gave myself up for lost, and with the bridle twisted round my hand,
and holding on as well as I could by the saddle and mane, I let my horse
choose his own road. It would perhaps have been better if I had done this
sooner. The beast's instinct would probably have led him to some
plantation. When he found himself left to his own guidance he threw up his
head, snuffed the air three or four times, and then turning round, set off
in a contrary direction to that he was before going, and at such a brisk
pace that it was as much as I could do to keep upon him. Every jolt caused
me so much pain that I was more than once tempted to let myself fall off
his back.

At last night came, and thanks to the lasso, which kept my horse in awe, I
managed to dismount and secure him. The whole night through I suffered
from racking pains in head, limbs, and body. I felt as if I had been
broken on the wheel; not an inch of my whole person but ached and smarted.
My hands were grown thin and transparent, my cheeks fallen in, my eyes
deep sunk in their sockets. When I touched my face I could feel the change
that had taken place, and as I did so I caught myself once or twice
laughing like a child--I was becoming delirious.

In the morning I could scarcely rise from the ground, so utterly weakened
and exhausted was I by my three days' fasting, anxiety, and fatigue. I
have heard say that a man in good health can live nine days without food.
It may be so in a room, or a prison; but assuredly not in a Texian prairie.
I am quite certain that the fifth day would have seen the last of me.

I should never have been able to mount my mustang, but he had fortunately
lain down, so I got into the saddle, and he rose up with me and started
off of his own accord. As I rode along, the strangest visions seemed to
pass before me. I saw the most beautiful cities that a painter's fancy