188' GOING MY BOUNDS. 



him the progression of a hundred yards, he generally 

 neglected at all settlements, if possible, to purchase 

 milk, butter, and eggs, I began to look up my hermeti 

 cally sealed cans, and cans of excellent sardines, pre 

 sented to me by mine host of the Planter's House at 

 Kansas city, and to inquire for one of my bottles of 

 sherry. With the parched sensation of fever in my 

 mouth I felt sure that brandy was unwise, and, had I 

 smoked or chewed tobacco, that those things should have 

 been left off as if they had been poison. 



On fixing the encampment on this the Monday night, 

 I took care to have my ambulance out of earshot of the 

 tent and waggon of the men, in order to avoid hearing 

 their objectionable conversation; gave orders for the 

 better protecting of horses and mules ; and when they 

 had their corn, which we had procured at a neighbour 

 ing settlement, I went my rounds to see that all was in 

 better order. Mr Canterall, when not lying on the 

 ground retching, always asked me " to leave it all to 

 him," but never attended to any orders I issued after 

 my back was turned. Monday night was very fine, 

 and I went to bed and soon fell fast asleep. 



