40 ON THE FBONTIEB. 



We therefore mounted, threw our reins on the horses' 

 backs, lit our pipes, and proceeded slowly and confidingly 

 along. 



Now philosophers are known to have differences of 

 opinion ; must horses be unanimous ? Certainly our steeds 

 soon showed a determination to go different ways ; then, to 

 go all ways : to go any way. What was camp to them ? 

 they were not thirsty, the rain then coming down in a 

 steady pour had cooled them off and refreshed them ; if 

 they were hungry, grass was all around them. Upon 

 mature reflection I believe they were hungry, certainly the 

 object of every turn they took was some extra large 

 bunch of grass. I know we were hungry very. We had 

 plenty of meat, but, it was raw : and our education had 

 been neglected in our early youth in the matter of eating 

 raw meat. To make a fire out in the grassy prairie in the 

 pouring rain was simply an impossibility. Clearly the only 

 luncheon we could take was tightening our waistbelts to 

 the last hole. We did not say grace to that meal. 



Evidently we were in a most anomalous position ; nothing 

 in sight but grass ! grass ! grass ! and yet most decidedly 

 " up a tree." 



It would not do to stop where we were. It would not do 

 to wander about like babes in the prairie. 



To begin with : what did we knoiv of our position ? 

 That we were north of the general course of the Republican 

 river not less than ten miles, perhaps as many as fifteen ; 

 that said river so wound and turned about that even if we 

 had known the points of the compass we should not have 

 known whether to go east, south, or west to strike its 



