Meanwhile, however, he had dwelt with the Indians and had become an Indian chief.

"Big Drunk, they called me," he said to his familiars.

His enemies averred that he brought into the world a whole tribe of half-breeds.
II Houston was a rare performer before a popular audience.

His speech abounded with argumentative appeal and bristled with illustrative anecdote, and, when occasion required, with apt repartee.
Once an Irishman in the crowd bawled out, "ye were goin' to sell Texas to England." Houston paused long enough to center attention upon the quibble and then said: "My friend, I first tried, unsuccessfully, to have the United States take Texas as a gift.

Not until I threatened to turn Texas over to England did I finally succeed.