ACROSS COUNTRY WITH A CAVALRY COLUMN. 123 



alkali dust stirred up by the beat of the horses' hoofs hangs 

 over the column in thick, stifling clouds, making eyes and nos- 

 trils tingle, and almost shutting out from view the squadrons 

 ahead of us ; now and then we can see the silken folds of 

 their guidons wave languidly, and make out the forms of the 

 rearmost riders. If there were only a breath of air, ever so 

 gentle, to carry the dust -cloud a little to one side, and to 

 relieve us from this parching heat ! Most of us have laid 

 off our coats and are riding in our shirt- sleeves ; some of the 

 men have stripped to their undershirts. Little is said, this 

 choking dust smothering all desire for conversation, until we 

 begin to feel a softer pressure under the horses' feet, and grad- 

 ually the cloud subsides as we ride over and around some roll- 

 ing, grassy mounds, and see before us a green line of willow- 

 brush, indicating the proximity of water. But the column 

 does not halt, and pushes on over the little yard-wide stream, 

 as we find its waters so impregnated with alkali as to be unfit 

 for use. 



Prairie again all around us, but more rolling, and covered 

 with long, waving grass ; in the distance clumps of bright-green 

 cotton-w-oods. We halt for a moment on the brow of a high 

 butte to rest our heated horses and throw ourselves down in 

 the soft grass. Some one has been provident enough to save 

 a canteen full of coffee, and from this w^e have a refreshing 

 draught, and, with cigarettes lighted, enjoy our short rest to the 

 utmost. Ahead of us, on the top of the next butte, we can 

 see the staff reclining on the grass. The major has evidently 

 been " at it " again, for we can hear the hearty laugh of the 

 adjutant as he rises, and the staff- trumpeter sounds the order 

 to mount again, and away we go brushing through the high 

 grass. We are comparatively free from dust now, and although 

 the sun shoots down its fiercest heat as the hour of noon 



