I made up my mind to buy more land scrip.  Not that there had been any perceptible improvement in wild lands, but the general outlook justified its purchase.  My agent at Austin reported scrip to be had in ordinary quantities at former prices, and suggested that I supply myself fully, as the new administration was an economical one, and once the great flood of certificates issued by the last Reconstruction regime were absorbed, an advance in land scrip was anticipated.  I accordingly bought three hundred sections more, hardly knowing what to do with it, yet I knew there was an empire of fine grazing country between my present home and the Pecos River.  If ever the Comanches were brought under subjection there would be ranches and room for all; and our babies were principally boys.

Major Hunter came down earlier than usual.  He reported a clear, cold winter on the Medicine and no serious drift of cattle, and expressed the belief that we would come through with a loss not exceeding one per cent.  This was encouraging, as it meant fat cattle next fall, fit for any market in the country.  It was yet too early to make any move towards putting up herds for the trail, and we took train and went down the country as far as Austin.  There was always a difference in cattle prices, running from one to two dollars a head, between the northern and southern parts of the State.  Both of us were anxious to acquaint ourselves with the different grades, and made stops in several intervening counties, looking at cattle on the range and pricing them.  We spent a week at the capital city and met all the trail drovers living there, many of whom expected to put up herds for that year southeast on the Colorado River.  “Shanghai” Pierce had for some time been a prominent figure in the markets of Abilene and Wichita, driving herds of his own from the extreme coast country.  But our market required a better quality than coasters and Mexican cattle, and we turned back up the country.  Before leaving the capital, Major Hunter and I had a long talk with my merchant friend over the land scrip market, and the latter urged its purchase at once, if wanted, as the issue afloat was being gradually absorbed.  Already there had been a noticeable advance in the price, and my partner gave me no peace until I bought, at eighteen dollars a section, two hundred certificates more.  Its purchase was making an inroad on my working capital, but the major frowned on my every protest, and I yielded out of deference to his superior judgment.

Returning, we stopped in Bell County, where we contracted for fifteen thousand two and three year old steers.  They were good prairie-raised cattle, and we secured them at a dollar a head less than the prices prevailing in the first few counties south of Red River.  Major Hunter remained behind, arranging his banking facilities, and I returned home after my outfits.  Before leaving Bell County, I left word that we could use fifty good men for the trail, but they would have