The men worked at times. The pecan crop which grew along the creek
bottoms was beginning to have a value in the coast towns for shipment
to northern markets, and this furnished them revenue for their simple
needs. All kinds of game was in abundance, including waterfowl in
winter, though winter here was only such in name. These simple people
gave a welcome to the New Yorker which appeared sincere. They offered
no apology for their presence on this land, nor was such in order, for
it was the custom of the country. They merely referred to themselves
as "his people," as though belonging to the land.

When they learned that he was the son of the owner of the grant, and
that he wanted to spend a few months hunting and looking about,
they considered themselves honored. The best jacal in the group was
tendered him and his interpreter. The food offered was something new,
but the relish with which his companion partook of it assisted young
Wells in overcoming his scruples, and he ate a supper of dishes he had
never tasted before. The coffee he declared was delicious.

On the advice of his companion they had brought along blankets. The
women of the ranchito brought other bedding, and a comfortable bed
soon awaited the Americanos. The owner of the jacal in the mean time
informed his guest through the interpreter that he had sent to a
near-by ranchito for a man who had at least the local reputation of
being quite a hunter. During the interim, while awaiting the arrival
of the man, he plied his guest with many questions regarding the
outside world, of which his ideas were very simple, vague, and
extremely provincial. His conception of distance was what he could
ride in a given number of days on a good pony. His ideas of wealth
were no improvement over those of his Indian ancestors of a century