216 The Rough Riders 



much more unnerved than he would have been by 

 the arrival of any number of Spaniards. The eagle 

 was let loose and not only walked at will up and 

 down the company streets, but also at times flew 

 wherever he wished. He was a young bird, having 

 been taken out of his nest when a fledgling. Jose- 

 phine hated him and was always trying to make a 

 meal of him, especially when we endeavored to take 

 their photographs together. The eagle, though 

 good-natured, was an entirely competent individual 

 and ready at any moment to beat Josephine off. 

 Cuba was also oppressed at times by Josephine, and 

 was of course no match for her, but was frequently 

 able to overawe by simple decision of character. 



In addition to the animal mascots, we had two 

 or three small boys who had also been adopted by 

 the regiment. One, from Tennessee, was named 

 Dabney Royster. When we embarked at Tampa he 

 smuggled himself on board the transport with a 22- 

 calibre rifle and three boxes of cartridges, and wept 

 bitterly when sent ashore. The squadron which re- 

 mained behind adopted him, got him a little Rough 

 Rider's uniform, and made him practically one of 

 the regiment. 



The men who had remained at Tampa, like our- 

 selves, had suffered much from fever, and the horses 

 were in bad shape. So many of the men were sick 

 that none of the regiments began to drill for some 



