[i]

FIVE YEARS IN TEXAS;
OR,
WHAT YOU DID NOT HEAR DURING THE WAR
FROM
JANUARY 1861 TO JANUARY 1866.

A NARRATIVE OF HIS
Travels, Experiences, and Observations,
IN
TEXAS AND MEXICO.

BY
THOMAS NORTH.

CINCINNATI:
Elm Street Printing Co., 176 & 178 Elm Street.
1871.

[ii]

To conceive the idea, and execute the purpose of makinga book, is, to a modest man, not a little monstrous; andyet, modest or immodest, monstrous or not, the authormakes his best bow to the reader, and holds himselfsubject to criticism for not making it better. But many arerunning to and fro in the earth, and knowledge is being increased;for the runners, are they not making books for themillion? And having run somewhat with the runners ourself,we might as well tell our story of travel too. The storyis not of sailing round the world with Captain Cook, or anyother Sea King. Nor is it one of Orient—of Oriental climesor times, or of its discords or chimes, but it is one that pertainsto stirring events, in stirring times, in the most stirringof all stirring climes—America, our own sweet land ofliberty.

The Author, in justice to himself, will state that in preparingthis book for publication, he has been sore pressed fortime to bring it out with that degree of merit, literary andotherwise, that he would have it possess.

The Eulogium on Hon. Martin P. Sweet, which we offeras our prelude, is at once an act of friendship and pleasure,[iv]as well as of justice, to one of such brilliant mental endowmentsand genial qualities of heart, and we believe ourreaders will so regard it. Besides, while some may not fullyappreciate the relevancy of the Eulogy to the residue ofthe book, yet, for himself, the Author sees and feels a speciesof mystical connection between Mr. S. and himself in all histravels and experiences in Texas and Mexico. And somuch the more because of his earnest prophetic endeavor todissuade him from going there.

With this brief preface, we submit this volume to thepublic eye, hoping to please and interest, promising that wewill do better next time, if we ever publish another book.