From The Vault...

"It is the custom in Texas for a man to do as he pleases, until he is killed for it."

Back in 1887 a Yankee doctor came to Texas for some bird hunting. He found the perfect guide in John M. Priour, a true hair-on-hide Texan, full of good natured abuse. Priour led his Yankee friend on a 400 mile trek through bramble, bog, forest, mud and more mud.

When he got home to Boston, the Yankee doctor wrote a book about his misadventures in Texas. A handful of copies sold and no more was heard of it. Today it's rare and valuable. So rare, there are only 76 known copies in libraries worldwide. So valuable, copies change hands at $700 or more.

Few people get to read it, which is a shame, because it might be the most entertaining volume of Texana ever written. It's the book Mark Twain would have written if he had gone hunting in Texas,

So you can understand why we were thrilled when Mr. Jim Moloney loaned us his personal copy so we could bring it back for today's Texans.

Now you can tag along as they fight off skunks and marauding pigs. You will be there as they brave every fashion of Texas weather in a tent made of quilts and calico. You'll watch their dealings with former slaves living in the river bottoms. You'll hear tales of love powders, spooks and even a pterodactyl.

Let's not forget the dog...

And through it all you'll enjoy the company of Absalom, the most useless hunting dog ever to draw breath in Texas. This animal, while greatly loved by Priour, brought them misery at every turn. Oh, and you'll read some well written and detailed accounts of all the hunting they did too.

The book is called A Man From Corpus Christi, but don't let that fool you. Dr. Peirce titled it in honor of his friend and guide, who was heard to say, "wherever a white man has been, a man from Corpus Christi can go."

And go they did. The journey takes you from Nueces County, across the Coastal Bend to Brazoria, up to Columbus and back to Corpus Christi through Victoria and Refugio.

You may want to get a couple copies for your hunting buddies because you are going to talk about this book, but you won't want it loan it out.

Physical Details

• A Man from Corpus Christi by Dr. A. C. Peirce
• Limited Edition Hardcover in handsome slipcase
• Satin Finish Jacket
• 189 pages