X 
THE BEAR 
395 
than they would be at New York. It was a 
delightful anomaly in a society which otherwise 
was exceedingly brutal, that a good woman pos¬ 
sessed a civilising power which gained the respect 
of her rough surroundings, and, by an unpretentious 
charm, softened both speech and morals. 
It was to be regretted that this benign influence 
could not have been extended to the vermin. 
When the lamp was extinguished, the bed was 
alive. I always marvelled at the phrase, “he took 
up his bed and walked,’' but if the bugs had been 
unanimous, they could have walked off with the 
bed without a miracle. Sleeping was impossible. 
I relighted the paraffin lamp, a retreat was 
evidently sounded, and the enemy retired. Pre¬ 
sently an explosion took place—the lamp had gone 
wrong, and burst, fortunately without setting the 
place on fire. An advance was sounded, and the 
enemy came on, determined upon victory. 
I never slept in one of those prairie stations 
again, but we preferred a camp sheet and good 
blankets on the sage-bush, with the sky for a 
ceiling. 
On arrival at Fort Fetterman, 90 miles from 
Rock Creek station, the coach drew up at a log- 
house of greater pretensions than those upon the 
prairie. I had letters of introduction from General 
McDowell (who was Commander-in-Chief of the 
Pacific Coast) to Colonel Gentry, who commanded 
Fort Fetterman, and Major Powell of the same 
station. 
