Uo tFie Gireaf 3^^^^ paxi)A, 



r^^ORT Laramie, with its soldiers and Indians, and the 

 "^- animation around it was pleasant to see, and we were 

 glad to be delayed there a few hours, while our lading 

 underwent government inspection. While here I got hold of 

 a New York Tribune. This was such a treat that I went off 

 to myself and had a good time reading. It had been about 

 two months since I had been in communication with the out- 

 side world, so that there were many things mentioned whose 

 beginnings I was ignorant of. The Kansas-Nebraska affair 

 was at its height, and the national excitement was well por- 

 trayed in the Tribune. Then there was the Sepoy rebellion 

 and the laying of the Atlantic Cable, the latter a failure for 

 the time. Editorials and all I eagerly read. We "bull- 

 whackers " were not a very literary set, in fact, I doubt if there 

 were any books in the train but my own. At any rate, I never 

 saw any of my comrades reading. My literary pleasure was 

 of short duration, however, for the remorseless cry of " Yoke 

 up," soon roused me to present duties, and returning my paper 

 to the kind sutler who loaned it, I was on my way towards the 

 realms of sunset. 



Fort Laramie is situated on the shores of the Laramie River, 

 about two miles above its junction with the Platte. The nu- 

 merous and extensive public buildings were neatly built of 



(69) 



