Francis Parkman 247 



of the guides had told him that in this caravan was 

 a physician from St. Louis, by the name of Dobbs, 

 of the very highest standing in his profession. 

 " Without at all believing him, I resolved to con- 

 sult this eminent practitioner. Walking over to 

 the camp, I found him lying sound asleep under 

 one of the wagons. He offered in his own person 

 but indifferent evidence of his skill ; for it was five 

 months since I had seen so cadaverous a face. 

 His hat had fallen off, and his yellow hair was all 

 in disorder ; one of his arms supplied the place of 

 a pillow; his trousers were wrinkled halfway up 

 to his knees, and he was covered with little bits 

 of grass and straw upon which he had rolled in his 

 uneasy slumber. A Mexican stood near, and I 

 made him a sign to touch the doctor. Up sprang 

 the learned Dobbs, and sitting upright rubbed his 

 eyes and looked about him in bewilderment. I 

 regretted the necessity of disturbing him, and said 

 I had come to ask professional advice. 



" ' Your system, sir, is in a disordered state,' 

 said he solemnly, after a short examination. I 

 inquired what might be the particular species of 

 disorder. ' Evidently a morbid action of the liver,' 

 replied the medical man. ' I will give you a pre- 

 scription.' 



" Repairing to the back of one of the covered 



