182 CAMP FIRE REMINISCENCES 
and a sufficient number of pack animals. We were 
to pay the guides five dollars a day each, the cook, 
three; one dollar per day for each saddle horse, 
and half a dollar for the pack animals; we were 
also to feed all hands. 
When the time approached, we forwarded to 
Opal sufficient provisions and, with a mutual 
friend, W., who had joined us for the trip, we 
followed. Our train was on time and we arrived at 
Opal by noon. When we alighted our guide was 
there with the wagon and horses. He immediately 
loaded up with our tents and provisions, at which 
operation we helped. Jackson then remarked that 
his pay was to begin from the time he took charge 
of our things and to this we assented. We learned 
from him that the other guide and cook would be 
picked up later, and that owing to the rain the 
night before we should be unable to start before 
the following day, as the road was too heavy. We 
were very much disgusted with this information, 
and also with the worn-out lot of ponies he had — 
provided. We tried persuasion, but the old man 
was unyielding; of course he was paid just as much 
for sitting in the hotel as for working. As we 
appeared to be wholly at his mercy, we were obliged 
to accept the situation. The town of Opal is un- 
interesting, consisting of a saloon, a couple of ho- 
tels, a store, and a post office, so after dinner we 
adjourned to the suburbs and practiced with our 
rifles at old tomato cans, with which the suburbs of 
all western towns abound. . Later in the day we 
hunted up a visiting magistrate and for forty dol- 
