CHAPTER XVIII 

 DOWN TO FUNDAMENTALS 



AT 8.30 A. M., 10 miles from the portage, we came to 

 the Clew-ee, or White Fish River; at 6.30 P. M. made 

 the Sass Tessi, or Bear River, and here camped, hav- 

 ing covered fully 40 miles. 



Now for the first time we were all together, with 

 leisure to question our guide and plan in detail. But 

 all our mirth and hopes were rudely checked by Cor- 

 poral Selig, who had entire charge of the commissary, 

 announcing that there were only two days' rations left. 



In the dead calm that followed this bomb-shell we 

 all did some thinking; then a rapid fire of questions 

 demonstrated the danger of having a guide who does 

 not speak our language. 



It seems that when asked how many days' rations we 

 should take on this Buffalo hunt he got the idea how 

 many days to the Buffalo. He said five, meaning five 

 days each way and as much time as we wished there. 

 We were still two days from our goal. Now what 

 should we do? Scurry back to the fort or go ahead 

 and trust to luck? Every man present voted "go 

 ahead on half rations." 



We had good, healthy appetites; half rations was 

 veritable hardship; but our hollow insides made hearty 

 laughing. Preble disappeared as soon as we camped, 



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