5O ADVENTURES OF DR. ALLEN. 



Next day, August sixth, we laid up on the banks of 

 Powder River to rest our worn-out teams, and to repair 

 things generally. 



After a good night's rest, we were ready for business. 

 Like the busy bee, we improved the shining hours, repairing 

 wagons, shoeing horses, mending harness, cleaning guns, 

 binding up bruises, cleaning the mess-chest, patching clothes 

 and the hundred-and-one things that must be attended to 

 on a march like ours. 



The banks of the Powder River are low and sandy. 

 The sand is not of the ordinary kind, but is black, resembling 

 gunpowder. Beavers were to be seen here in large numbers. 

 At this point the redskins had burned two forts, the taking 

 of which they accomplished by stratagem. They drove a 

 large herd of buffaloes past the forts, and, while the sol- 

 diers were in pursuit of the game, the whole tribe made 

 a rush upon the defenceless forts, set them on fire and killed 

 a large number of the soldiers who rushed back to prevent 

 their designs. Twenty-five miles off lay Crazy Woman's 

 Creek, the next stream in our route, where we arrived early 

 in the evening, tired and sore. We threw ourselves upon 

 the bank and discussed what we should have for supper. 



"Well, boys," said one, "Can't you smell fish in this 

 stream ?" 



"If I was not afraid the fish commissioners would come 

 along and catch us, I would get out my seine and take a 

 tumble through these peaceful waves." 



"Get the seine," shouted a dozen voices. 



The seine was produced \vith much mock fear and 

 trembling; half-a-dozen men plunged in, boots and all. 



"Keep down the lead-line, boys." 



"Raise the lead-line, we have a whale." 



"Hold on, boys, I'm swamped." 



