FURTHER INSUBORDINATION. 275 



in the hock, and have recovered the one I had stricken 

 too high in the body with my first shot ; but under the 

 circumstances, we were quite satisfied with our day's 

 sport. As a further proof of the insubordination of the 

 men that I had hired, one night, when Major Martin 

 went the round of the camp, he found the same man that 

 I had already spoken to neglecting his duty at his 

 watch, and when Major Martin reproached him for it 

 the man was again very insolent, but which insolence 

 Major Martin again cut short by threatening immediate 

 expulsion from the camp. I give these two instances of 

 neglect, when most attention was required, to show 

 what little dependence could be placed on such men if 

 really in the presence of an enemy or of the most expert 

 animal thieves that the world aifords. Subsequently I 

 was much pleased with the same offender, Tom, and I 

 believe that in matters he liked, or in mere sporting 

 details, he would have made a very useful follower, and 

 a much better guide, not only across the plains, but to 

 the haunts of game, than the useless and false fellow so 

 improperly placed at the head of my travelling estab 

 lishment. 



I regret to say we could not send for the robe of the 

 mighty prairie king whose dimensions we had taken ; 

 but all sensations of lassitude from fever having now left 

 me, I felt well up to any amount of work that the prai 

 ries might yet hold in store. 



