Sketches of the campaign in northern Mexico : in eighteen hundred forty-six and seven / by an officer of the First Regiment of Ohio volunteers.

104 A HIORSE AUCTION.
ment, by a people much addicted to hcalting and dodging,
they were enabled to do by means of a ring-curb that is universally used. After the usual preliminary display had taken
place, the natives, by preconcerted arrangement, were gradually surrounded by all the soldiers of the regiment not on
duty. One of the volunteers-a famous wag-then mounted
a barrel, and announced to the crowd that he proposed to sell
at auction, "for the benefit of whom it might concern," the
collection of live-stock before them. He invited particular
attention to it as the most miserable assortment of spavined,
sore-backed and s7houlder-shotten mustangs, mules and Mexicans, ever seen in any market; and humorously added, that
possession would not be guaranteed unless strong halcters
were used upon either the animals or their thievish riders,
esvpecially the lctter. During the delivery of these and other
preparatory remarks, the Mexicans-profoundly ignorant of
their meaning, and wondering much at the position and mlerriment of the Americans-were either watching the speaker,
with looks of astonishment and alarm, or peering anxiously
around for some avenue of escape through the crowd.
The volunteer auctioneer, familiar with all the cant phrases
of the horse-market, then proceeded with admirable spirit
and wit to sell the animals, some by measurement and others
even by the pound, "'Commissary weight." This innocent
fling at the Commissariat was received with great applause.
He pleasantly commented the while upon the various qualities of the stock; now insisting that the ponderous ears of a
certain ugly, brown mule, indubitably proved his " Andrewlusian blood;" and again, swearing that a shabby, little gray