SHEEP-HUNTING 157 



again. Accordingly, during our absence at the 

 barracks, he trumped up a most ridiculous charge, 

 claiming five dollars a day wages from us during 

 the whole time he was out on an expedition from 



Fort , which we had accompanied. He was 



receiving government pay, was detailed for duty 

 with the expedition in his capacity of government 

 scout, and was allowed by the officer in command 

 to go out hunting with us as a matter of courtesy 

 and kindness to us, and because he knew the country 

 better than anyone else. The man was anxious to 

 go, and was very pleased and perfectly satisfied with 

 the liberal present we made him at the termination 

 of the hunt. The charge was too preposterous to 

 be sustained, but there was no use in representing 

 the injustice and absurd nature of it, as the civil 

 authorities and legal functionaries in the town were 

 in the swim, and, if they had not been, were too 

 drunk to listen to reason. At first the captors of 

 our baggage were very offensive, and things looked 



somewhat ugly ; but a remark of P quite 



altered the aspect of affairs. He asked the sheriff, 

 with a plaintive air of humble submission, whether 

 he would not allow us the use of one small article 

 of baggage, namely, a five-gallon keg of whisky. 

 This request seemed somehow to tickle the fancies 



