AND OTHER HUNTING ADVENTURES. 219 



ered .with a luxuriant growth of gramma grass, and 

 over which they traveled at a lively gait until after 

 sundown before again reaching timber and water. 

 Then they camped on a small creek where food, 

 fuel, and good water were abundant. The tents 

 were pitched, supper prepared and eaten, and then 

 the party assembled around a large camp fire. 



The lawyer arose, and requesting the attention of 

 the men, said that, as they were going on a long 

 journey into a wild country, which was infested 

 with hostile Indians and lawless white men, where 

 it might be necessary for this party to defend them- 

 selves and their property by force of arms, it was 

 thought best to effect a permanent and binding 

 organization, which would insure unity of action 

 throughout the trip, and especially in the event of 

 any such trouble as he had intimated might arise. 

 He therefore nominated as chief executive officer 

 of the expedition, Captain W. H. Enders, who, he 

 said, had done good and faithful service during the 

 late war; who, since the war, had traveled exten- 

 sively in the West, and who was now engaged in 

 cattle raising in Kansas. Several men seconded the 

 nomination, and Captain Enders was unanimously 

 chosen by acclamation. 



He arose and thanked his friends, modestly and 

 gracefully, for this mark of their esteem and confi- 

 dence, stating that he had no desire to exercise any 

 arbitrary or unnecessary authority over them, but 

 should only order them in so far as safety and 

 success in their undertaking seemed necessary. He 

 asked that all who were willing to stand by him and 

 obey his orders to this extent should so pledge 



