In the meantime the wretched immigrants at Indianola were in a serious condition. The heat of summer, privation and death had decimated their numbers, and still the survivors waited for transportation and provisions for the journey. The rainy season came on and they dug holes in the ground in which to seek shelter-covering them with boards and raising earth walls around them to keep out the pitiless floods. They saw their bedding, clothing, boxes, trunks-everything which was perishable— destroyed little by little before their eyes. At last Von Meusebach succeeded in procuring the transportation for them and hoped to be able to take them into the interior. Even in this he was foiled; war had been declared between the United States and Mexico, and the military authorities in Texas seized all wagons and draught animals not absolutely neces

sary to the planting of the farms. In consequence, Meusebach's hands were tied; he could only send the immigrants the few conveyances he had been allowed to keep, and let the great mass take up their march on foot. Over three thousand persons began that journey, but not one half of the number reached their destination. The history of the expedition is one of disaster, misery, and despair. The well grew sick, the weak grew weaker, dropped and died. Their companions buried them and pressed on. Soon there came a time when the bodies were left uninterred.

The rain fell steadily and in torrents; such a deluge was unprecedented at that season of the year. For miles in every direction the prairies were under water. There was no shelter to be had, and it was impossible to kindle fire to cook food. The mortality increased rapidly; all communication with the colonists or with Galveston was cut off and starvation added its horrors to the scene. Rendered desperate by suffering, several small parties separated themselves from the main body and attempted to force their way into the interior and reach the settlements; but the roads were obliterated, the rivers and streams swollen to torrents, and all fords were impassable. They perished; the highways from the coast to the German settlements were strewn with human bones. Wagons were afterwards found with the dead bodies of the oxen still in the yoke and round about them the remains of entire families.

Some few of the immigrants who had a little money at their disposal, went by sea to Brownsville and up through Eagle Pass to San Antonio, and thus finally reached New Braunfels. After the most horrible experi ences, the remnant of the thousands who commenced the journey reached the Guadalupe where they camped until the river admitted of their crossing to New Braunfels. It cannot be said that their condition was materially bettered; they had shelter and that was all, for in that year the colony sounded the very depths of misery. Flux and dropsy raged. Dr. Koester was the only physician in the place, and he could not check the sickness. So many died that the cemetery was called "Koester's Plantation." The dead lay on every hand; each day a wagon passed from door to door and gathered up the bodies for a common burial, and daily the orphans were collected and carried to one large house where they were all cared for together.

At Fredricksburg it was no better; there they did not even have a physician, except a man who called himself Schubert, and who was afterwards proved to be a fraud. His name was really Strohberg, and he was a simple tobacconist in Cassel, in Germany; but he passed himself off for a physician, and so favorably impressed the commissioner-general, that he

was made doctor and colonial director of Fredricksburg. He compounded but two medicines-one blue, the other white; of these he gave to all his patients and they generally died.

At this time want in this settlement had reached its climax. But the officers of the society retained corn with which to feed their horses, while the need of the people was so great, that they made bread from acorns and what wild roots they could find. Life could not long be sustained on such nutriment, and it was now that the Lipan Indians showed themselves

friends indeed to the Germans, whom they called "Barbachanos," on account of their long beards, the Americans at that time being clean. shaved. The Lipans brought venison and bear meat, exchanging them for firearms and trinkets. The Mormons assisted them as much as they could, but they had their own poor to attend to; and therefore, failing proper care and nourishment, the consequences were terrible to the newly arrived immigrants who had been sent to Fredricksburg from New Braunfels.

This suffering did not end the dissipation. The commissaries of stores

at New Braunfels and Fredricksburg were titled colonial directors, and were the most important personages in the settlements. Every one tried to curry favor with them, and they being for the most part unscrupulous persons, gave preference to those families which rejoiced in the handsomest wives and daughters. Thus beauty had a value, and a wild and dissolute life was led. The colonists grew reckless and became callous to death. While there was something to drink, they drank and danced. In a little tavern near the market house, a continued orgy was held. With every death the wilder the survivers danced, and while dancing many lives ended. The groans of the dying mingled with the strains of the music and the laughter and songs of the dancers, and when these sounds of anguish became too prominent the musicians would strike the sufferers with their clarionets. Strange to say not one of the musicians succumbed to want or disease.

While the Indians fed the people of Fredricksburg, those of New Braunfels were living on thistles and wild salads. What little money was there had been exhausted; the society had long ceased to send them the means of sustenance, and they were threatened with utter extinction. Von Meusebach did his best to stem the current of dissipation and recklessness. After renewed efforts, and through his personal influence, he again established a small credit with New Orleans and Galveston, and sent up provisions to relieve their most pressing necessities. The emigrants finally were made to realize that the society would do nothing further for them, that they were entirely dependent upon themselves and must either perish or work. They began to consider what would be the end of their wild career, and sober thought brought on a reaction. Even in the midst of the wildest excesses there had been some few who stood firm and labored as they should. These had sowed the fields, and corn planted in May and June of that year of 1846, matured miraculously, and ripened in October. The yield was great, and the settlers became much encouraged by the fine crops. They became sober and industrious, setting to work with a will, and displaying that perseverance and energy which have ever characterized German laborers on foreign soil. The young men enlisted in the army and went to Mexico, while heads of families remained at home gathering the crops and attending to other matters on their farms.

A grim humor was displayed by the survivors of that terrible march. from the sea, in sending to the Society of Mayence a new coat of arms, illustrating the situation. When the news of the misfortunes which had overtaken them reached Germany, public opinion was expressed in the bitterest manner, and feeling against the Society of Mayence and

its officers ran high. Pictures were painted and drawn representing the sufferings and death of the unhappy people, and pathetic songs on that theme were written and sung. Both songs and pictures were sold at the different fairs taking place in Germany, and the money received for them was transmitted to the colonists. Meanwhile the settlers were working bravely to help themselves, and as at this time the state needed. many laborers and teams, they found in her service steady employment, good wages and, afterwards, a ready market for all their surplus provisions. The United States established a military post, Fort Mason, near Fredricksburg, and a lively trade sprung up between the soldiers and the Germans, who thus became acquainted for the first time with United States money. It is said that this fort was built upon land bought by the Society, through Von Meusebach, for the colonists. The land so occupied by the United States has never been paid for. The Germans think that the gov ernment will eventually have to remunerate them for it, but the claim has been left so long in abeyance that it is not likely to be recognized at this late day.

The spring of 1847 found the society lands still uncolonized. More than three thousand of the six thousand immigrants sent for that purpose had died, and yet the lands had not even been approached; but Meusebach resolved to lose no more time before making a determined effort to reach the Fisher and Miller grant. He therefore fitted out an expedition of thirty well mounted and equipped men, and started on his journey. They had made but one day's march when they were overtaken by a messenger from Governor Henderson forbidding them to proceed, as the Indian agent, Colonel Neighbors, considered it too dangerous. The Comanches had been incited by the Mexicans to hostilities against the Americans and were preparing for an invasion of all the settlements; therefore this expedition would most likely meet with a bloody reception. In spite of this, Meusebach persevered in his project confident that he could pacify the savages. Attached to the command was one Cherokee and one Shawnee Indian, who strengthened the Baron in his belief that peaceful arrangements could be made with the Comanches, and so they continued their journey. They traveled in easy marches, going always up hill. The country rose until they reached the edge of the mountains; there they halted and took in the glorious sight. Before lay a thickly wooded valley broken by grand masses of primitive rock; above them towered the chalky heights; over all the setting sun threw its golden rays—flashing back from the glowing red granite and calcareous hills. Beyond rose the mountains, looking blue and misty in the distance. This lovely landscape