222 Life of a Fossil Hunter 



Secretary of War; and I saw the grin disappear 

 from the face of my guide as the engineer shook 

 hands with me cordially, and remarking, " That is a 

 good enough letter of introduction for me," placed 

 himself at my service. When I told him that my 

 pony and I were hungry, he instructed the man who 

 had expected to see me refused the courtesies of the 

 camp to get up a good supper for me and to care for 

 my pony. Then, inviting me to make myself at 

 home, he entertained me royally, and after I had 

 made a hearty meal, opened a bale of new woolen 

 blankets, and provided me with a most comfortable 

 bed in his own tent. I hope if Major J. F. Menette 

 sees this story, he will accept at this late day my 

 thanks for his kindly treatment. 



The next night I reached the crossing on Red 

 River, where I found a house and stayed all night. 

 The next day, about nightfall I crossed Cach Creek, 

 and saw at my right, in a bend of the creek, an 

 elevated " bench " on which a tepee was pitched. 

 There were two Indians standing about, one a large, 

 fleshy, good-natured man, the other thin, with large, 

 prominent cheek bones, a typical Comanche. A 

 large flock of children ran out to greet me. I must 

 confess that I felt a little uneasy at being so entirely 

 alone and at the mercy of these Indians, but I made 

 the best of it, and as several turkeys were lying on 

 the ground, I told the good-natured man that I 



