about
ten in the morning
The spring of '78 was an early one , but the drouth continued , and after the hide hunting was over we rode our range almost night and day . Thousands of cattle had drifted down from the Frio River country , which section was suffering from drouth as badly as the Nueces . The new wells were furnishing a limited supply of water , but we rigged pulleys on the best of them , and when the wind failed we had recourse to buckets and a rope worked from the pommel of a saddle . A breeze usually arose about ten in the morning and fell about midnight . During the lull the buckets rose and fell incessantly at eight wells , with no lack of suffering cattle in attendance to consume it as fast as it was hoisted . Many thirsty animals gorged themselves , and died in sight of the well ; weak ones being frequently trampled to death by the stronger , while flint hides were corded at every watering point . The river had quit flowing , and with the first warmth of spring the pools became rancid and stagnant .