I Worry When He Goes Alone Up In These
Dense Forests, And When An Officer Goes With Him I Am So Afraid Of An
Accident, That One May Shoot The Other.
It is impossible to take a
wagon, or even ride a horse among the rocks and big boulders.
There
are panthers and wild cats and wolves and all sorts of fearful things
up there. The coyotes often come down to the post at night, and their
terrible, unearthly howls drive the dogs almost crazy - and some of the
people, too.
I worried about Faye the other morning as usual, and thought of all
the dreadful things that could so easily happen. And then I tried to
forget my anxiety by taking a brisk ride on Bettie, but when I
returned I found that Faye had not come, so I worried all the more.
The hours passed and still he was away, and I was becoming really
alarmed. At last there was a shout at a side door, and running out I
found Faye standing up very tall and with a broad smile on his face,
and on the ground at his feet was an immense white-tail deer! He said
that he had walked miles on the mountain but had failed to find one
living thing, and had finally come down and was just starting to cross
the valley on his way home, when he saw the deer, which he fortunately
killed with one shot at very long range. He did not want to leave it
to be devoured by wolves while he came to the corral for a wagon, so
he dragged the heavy thing all the way in. And that was why he was
gone so long, for of course he was obliged to rest every now and then.
I was immensely proud of the splendid deer, but it did not convince me
in the least that it was safe for Faye to go up in that forest alone.
Of course Faye has shot other deer, and mountain sheep also, since we
have been here, but this was the first he had killed when alone.
Of all the large game we have ever had - buffalo, antelope, black-tail
deer, white-tail deer - the mountain sheep is the most delicious. The
meat is very tender and juicy and exceedingly rich in flavor. It is
very "gamey," of course, and is better after having been frozen or
hung for a few days. These wary animals are most difficult to get, for
they are seldom found except on the peaks of high mountains, where the
many big rocks screen them, so when one is brought in, it is always
with great pride and rejoicing. There are antelope in the lowlands
about here, but none have been brought in since we came to the post.
The ruffed grouse and the tule hens are plentiful, and of course
nothing can be more delicious.
And the trout are perfect, too, but the manner in which we get them
this frozen-up weather is not sportsmanlike. There is a fine trout
stream just outside the post which is frozen over now, but when we
wish a few nice trout for dinner or breakfast. Cagey and I go down,
and with a hatchet he will cut a hole in the ice through which I fish,
and usually catch all we want in a few minutes. The fish seem to be
hungry and rise quickly to almost any kind of bait except flies. They
seem to know that this is not the fly season. The trout are not very
large, about eight and ten inches long, but they are delicate in
flavor and very delicious.
Cagey is not a wonderful cook, but he does very well, and I think that
I would much prefer him to a Chinaman, judging from what I have seen
of them here. Mrs. Conrad, wife of Captain Conrad, of the - th
Infantry, had one who was an excellent servant in every way except in
the manner of doing the laundry work. He persisted in putting the
soiled linen in the boiler right from the basket, and no amount of
talk on the part of Mrs. Conrad could induce him to do otherwise.
Monday morning Mrs. Conrad went to the kitchen and told him once more
that he must look the linen over, and rub it with plenty of water and
soap before boiling it. The heathen looked at her with a grin and
said, "Allee light, you no likee my washee, you washee yousel'," and
lifting the boiler from the stove he emptied its entire steaming
contents out upon the floor! He then went to his own room, gathered up
his few clothes and bedding, and started off. He knew full well that
if he did not leave the reservation at once he would be put off after
such a performance.
CAMP BAKER, MONTANA TERRITORY,
February, 1878.
HOME seems very cozy and attractive after the mountains of snow and
ice we crossed and re-crossed on our little trip to Helena. The bitter
cold of those canons will long be remembered. But it was a delightful
change from the monotonous life in this out-of-the-way garrison, even
if we did almost freeze on the road, and it was more than pleasant to
be with old friends again.
The ball at the hall Friday evening was most enjoyable, and it was
simply enchanting to dance once more to the perfect music of the dear
old orchestra. And the young people in Helena are showing their
appreciation of the good music by dancing themselves positively thin
this winter. The band leader brought from New Orleans the Creole music
that was so popular there, and at the ball we danced Les Varietes four
times; the last was at the request of Lieutenant Joyce, with whom I
always danced it in the South. It is thoroughly French, bringing in
the waltz, polka, schottische, mazurka, and redowa.
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