His Seat In The Saddle Was No Less Remarkable
Than His Person And Equipment.
He pressed one leg close against his
mule's side, and thrust the other out at an angle of 45 degrees.
His
pantaloons were decorated with a military red stripe, of which he was
extremely vain; but being much too short, the whole length of his
boots was usually visible below them. His blanket, loosely rolled up
into a large bundle, dangled at the back of his saddle, where he
carried it tied with a string. Four or five times a day it would
fall to the ground. Every few minutes he would drop his pipe, his
knife, his flint and steel, or a piece of tobacco, and have to
scramble down to pick them up. In doing this he would contrive to
get in everybody's way; and as the most of the party were by no means
remarkable for a fastidious choice of language, a storm of anathemas
would be showered upon him, half in earnest and half in jest, until
Tete Rouge would declare that there was no comfort in life, and that
he never saw such fellows before.
Only a day or two after leaving Bent's Fort Henry Chatillon rode
forward to hunt, and took Ellis along with him. After they had been
some time absent we saw them coming down the hill, driving three
dragoon-horses, which had escaped from their owners on the march, or
perhaps had given out and been abandoned.
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