About midnight
By riding my pony until he dropped from exhaustion and then availing myself of the fresh lead horse , I could travel an immense distance without drawing rein . It was growing dark when I started , and I had not traveled far before the night closed in , and I had to trust to the instinct of my horse to carry me safely over the prairie . My course was shaped by a certain star that would keep me on the right trail if I held it steadily in view . About midnight I halted at a small stream to water the horses , and hastily prepare for myself a small portion of the parched corn , which was done by mixing a handful in a gourd filled with water . This corn is invaluable to those who wish to traverse long distances , without being hampered with unnecessary luggage . With a sack or gourd of this article , containing about an half bushel , one can travel fifteen or twenty days without other sustenance . On we sped , the animals straining every muscle and nerve , their flanks heaving and flecked with foam .