Memories of a Bear Hunter 



Neither place could be reached, except on horse- 

 back. I knew that with such a wound it would be 

 impossible for me to travel on horseback to either 

 of these army posts. That night after supper we 

 held a council of war. I expressed the opinion that 

 it would be a month before it would be safe for 

 me to travel much. We had plenty of food, the 

 weather was still splendid, and I thought the safest 

 plan was to stand pat and await developments. 

 The boys cheerfully acquiesced, and I knew they 

 would stick by me. Immediately on returning to 

 camp, I began to make use of experiences of the 

 Civil War. Near the camp there was a snowbank 

 left from last winter. The boys brought a bucket 

 of snow and bound this to the wound. Snow was 

 kept on it all night, and with good effect. 



It was obvious that our camp must be made as 

 comfortable as circumstances permitted, since bad 

 weather might come at any time. Corey's first 

 work was to make me a pair of crutches. Then 

 the boys made a splendid spring mattress out of 

 small pine poles and the boughs of evergreens. We 

 were soon perfectly comfortable. My tent, 

 12x14, with four-foot walls, a tarpaulin for a 

 floor and a well tested camp stove, was a com- 

 fortable home, a good eating place and a sitting 

 room for the party. The boys had a small A 



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