EARLY DAY STORIES. 147 



There was game in the vicinity of Glenrock, so Mr. Baker 

 knew, because the hunters were bringing in deer and ante- 

 lope for sale every few days. Mr. Abbott had been out into 

 the surrounding country considerably and had hunted some 

 himself . He told us that among the rough hills at the head 

 of Sand creek, about twenty miles north of Glenrock, there 

 were blacktail deer, and although he thought they were not 

 very plentiful, we had better try our luck in that direction — 

 that antelope would be found in great numbers in the smooth 

 country before reaching the hills. We thought their advice 

 good, and at once began to act upon it. 



The restaurant furnished us with what bread could be 

 spared and baked up a lot of biscuit, which are better for 

 a camping trip than loaf bread. At one of the stores we 

 bought bacon, sugar, salt, pepper, tea and coffee, and at 

 Charley's suggestion two or three cans of condensed milk. 

 By noon everything was in readiness, and after dinner a 

 dray was engaged to carry our truck across the North Platte 

 river, the pony being tied behind. It was thought best not 

 to load the things on the pony's back until the north bank 

 was reached, lest he might take a notion to lie down in mid- 

 stream. Arriving at the north bank of the stream the dray- 

 man was paid for his services and he returned to Glenrock. 

 The packs were soon arranged on the pony's back, and all 

 covered with a tarpauHn, which Mr. Baker insisted on lend- 

 ing to us. The tarpaulin was to be spread upon the ground 

 at night and the bed to be made upon one half and the other 

 half turned back over the bed and tucked under at the sides, 

 thus keeping out the winds should they happen to blow, 

 which was generally the case. 



The North Platte river in this part of Wyoming is about 

 two hundred steps wide, with generally a rocky bottom, arid 

 from one to two feet deep where we crossed it, the current 

 being rapid, though probably not more so than it is gener- 

 ally throughout its Nebraska course. We were now on the 



