166 - NOTES TAKEN. 
halted for the night, upon the banks of a fine running stream, 
and unsaddling, prepared for rest and repose, supposing of 
course, that the water was as good as that of Panther Creek, 
but oh, what a disappointment! Quite as bad in salt and 
gypsum as the waters of the Upper Brazos, this had the 
addition of more sulphur, and some rice cooked in it for the 
invalids, tasted precisely as if mixed with gunpowder; and to 
cap the climax the rain again began to pour down in torrents. 
We had to make the best of our situation, however, and to 
obviate the evils that beset us, with the means in our power. 
~ “We had taken no precaution to refill our water-bags at 
Panther Creek, feeling sure, as I before remarked, of finding 
plenty, but about half a pint per man remained in them, 
which tasted strongly of the gum, and having been heated and 
cooled several times, was a nauseous dose. With this we 
made some coffee, and building a fire under shelter of a bank, 
our Indians cooked a turkey, after their fashion. We then 
prepared quarters for the night. 
A tent fly had been brought along, as an awning to noon 
under, and by stretching a lariat between two trees, we 
managed to make a triangular covering, open at both ends 
and just wide enough to hold our party, provided no man 
required more than his length and breadth to lay upon. 
Under this we crept in our wet clothes, and many an 
impatient groan and exclamation, told how uncomfortable our 
quarters were, and how heartily we wished for morning. 
~ Conner and the Indians went to work, and in an im 
