The Rest Of
The Trip Was Pleasant, And Some Of The Camps Were Delightful, But I Am
Afraid That I No Longer Possess Beautiful White Chickens - My Chinaman
Seems To Be The Owner Of All, Big And Small.
FORT SHAW, MONTANA TERRITORY,
August, 1880.
THE company has been ordered to "proceed without delay" to Fort
Maginnis, a post that is just being established, and to assist another
company in building temporary log quarters. The other company will go
from Fort Missoula, and has to remain at the new post during the
winter, but Faye's company will return here in November. We were all
ready to go to the Yellowstone Park next week with General and Mrs.
Bourke, but this order from Department Headquarters upsets everything.
The company was designated there, and go it must, although Faye has
been at Fort Shaw only six weeks. He has command, of course, as
Colonel Knight is East on recruiting service, and the first lieutenant
is abroad.
General and Mrs. Bourke could not understand at first why I would not
go with them to the park, just the same, but I understood perfectly,
and said at once that I would go to Maginnis with Faye. For, to go in
one direction where there is only a weekly mail, and Faye to go in
another direction where there is no mail at all, and through an Indian
country, was not to be considered one second. I was half afraid that
the commanding officer might forbid my going with Faye, as he could
have done, but he did not, and when he saw that I could not be
persuaded to change my mind, an ambulance was ordered to go with the
command, so I can have a shelter when it storms, for I shall ride
Bettie on the trip.
The distance over is one hundred and fifty miles right across
mountains and valleys, and there will be only a faint trail to guide
us, and I am anticipating great delight in such a long horseback ride
through a wild country. We will have everything for our comfort, too.
Faye will be in command, and that means much, and a young contract
surgeon, who has been recently appointed, will go with us, and our
Chinese cook will go also. I have always wanted to take a trip of this
kind, and know that it will be like one long picnic, only much nicer.
I never cared for real picnics - they always have so much headache
with them. We have very little to do for the march as our camp outfit
is in unusually fine condition. After Charlie's "flixee" so much
mess-chest china, Faye had made to order a complete set for four
people of white agate ware with blue bands. We have two sets of
plates, vegetable dishes, cups and saucers, egg cups, soup plates, and
a number of small pieces. The plates and dishes, also platters, can be
folded together, and consequently require very little room, and it is
a great comfort to know that these things are unbreakable, and that we
will not be left without plates for the table when we get in the
wilds, and the ware being white looks very nice, not in the least like
tin.
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