116 CAMP FIRE REMINISCENCES 
the dining-room outside to where the basin stood on 
an empty biscuit box, with the towel suspended 
from a branch beside it, and the soap and comb 
rested on a shingle placed between the logs above. 
As many of the frontier hotels resemble this, I de- 
scribe it in detail. Oh, the luxury of civilisation 
after the wilds! We had an excellent lunch, and 
paying our own bill and one for the men we had sent 
back, again ‘‘hit the trail.’’ We learned that Tex 
had remained in Warren, having been paid off at 
Five Mile, but the other fellows were ahead of us. 
At six Pp. M. we reached Upper Payette Lake and 
here we found our advance guard. They could not 
think of cooking for themselves or sleeping in tents 
when there was a hotel at hand, and when we were 
following and paying their bills, so they were com- 
fortably ensconced in the road house, while we se- 
lected a nice site for our camp and enjoyed a good 
night’s rest. 
On the morning of the 28th we started on our last 
march. Ina few hours we were again at beautiful 
Payette Lake, enjoying the ride by the shore. We 
took lunch at the house we had patronised before 
and by the evening were in camp at Meadows. 
We now decided to catch the only train of the 
day at Council the next afternoon, but in discussing 
the matter with our men, they said that it would 
be absolutely impossible under any circumstances 
for our jaded horses and worn-out guides to reach 
Council in time for the train, consequently we paid 
them off at Meadows and hired a four-horse stage 
to take us, with our effects, over to the train. Of 
