180 THE CONDOR Vol. XXI_ 
highly organized relative, the horse. Strong and enduring, he is a tower of 
strength on the dizzy mountain trail and in the parched desert. He soon comes 
to recognize the kind touch and decent treatment of the master, and to kind- 
ness and consideration he quickly responds. A good riding mule, and there are 
many such, is the easiest riding animal in the world. As mules earried me 
duing my explorations in the far west many thousands of miles I raise my 
voice in praise of this much misunderstood and much underestimated animal. 
May his days in the land be long and prosperous, and in due time may he come 
into his own. 
THE CAMP COOK 
Last but not least in importance in our field personnel was the cook. 
Whatsoever he chanced to be as man, upon his ability as a cook depended to 
no small degree the health and comfort of the party. Much rested upon his 
skill, but perhaps more upon his patience and zeal. To cook a savory meal on 
a modern gas range, with all the conveniences at hand, is not so difficult; but 
to achieve this feat in the open air, on a windy day, often under a rainy sky, 
with bits of brushwood for fuel, and a horde of hungry men demanding some- 
thing to eat, is given only to the elect and to few of them. I hold in grateful 
memory a number of such cooks whose triumphs over the trials and tribula- 
tions that beset their calling entitle them to golden crowns. Some of them 
are still alive, and I trust that these few words of appreciation may meet their 
eyes ; while in grateful remembrance of those who have gone before I add peace 
to their ashes. 
INDIANS IN THE FAR WEST 
In Utah, in 1872, there had been trouble, with some bloodshed, between 
the Mormons and the Paiutes. Later, in Arizona, the Apaches were restless, 
and hence in the early days of the expedition it was thought necessary to at- 
tach to each of our parties a small escort of soldiers. As however, Lieut. 
Wheeler took the precaution to call the Chiefs together, have a talk with 
them, explain the peaceful objects of the Survey, and, perhaps wiser still, to 
make them presents of blankets and other objects of moment in their eyes, 
our escort was never called upon to use their arms in our behalf, though doubt- 
less their presence was not without moral effect on our red brothers. 
The suspected presence of Indians near us, however, interfered somewhat 
with our comfort and sense of safety, more especially as in 1872 the party in 
the mountains to which I was attached observed signal smokes near our line 
day by day and signal fires at night. These seemed to signify that the Indians 
were keeping tab on our movements, and so alarmed our Mormon guide that he 
refused to accompany us farther into the mountains, and left Lieut. Wheeler 
to guide the party himself, which he proved fully competent to do. Onee, only, 
during the term of my service with the Survey did I hear the whistle of a hos- 
tile bullet. This was on the trip just mentioned when one morning I was 
peacefully collecting in a brushy canyon a mile or more from camp, when a 
shot was fired from the brush the other side of the ravine. Interpreting this — 
as a mild request to go no farther in that particular direction, I pursued my ~ 
iater investigations nearer camp. a 
I may add here that all the Indians I ever saw shoot, or that I hunted 4 
with, were poor shots; as, indeed, was but natural, since the Indian’s skill in 
stalking game was so an as nonaliy to insure a dead shot at close range. 
Moreover, ammunition was so scarce’with them, as a rule, that they could not 
