400 
l^’'ILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS 
CHAP. 
On the following morning we started for the 
wilds of the Big Horn, and crossing the Powder 
river, we at once commenced the steep ascent, 
for a steady pull of 4000 feet above the dell in 
which the house was situated. We left them, with 
the promise to pay them a few days’ visit on our 
return. 
It was then that we quickly discovered the 
peculiarities of our four attendants, whom I had 
expected to be examples of stern hardihood, that 
would represent the fabled reputation of the back¬ 
woodsman. 
Although they were fine fellows in a certain 
way, they astonished me by their luxurious habits. 
In a country that abounded with game, I should 
have expected to exist upon the produce of the 
rifle, as I had done so frequently during many 
years’ experience of rough life. A barrel of biscuits, 
a few pounds of bacon, and a good supply of 
coffee would have been sufficient for a crowned 
head who was fond of shooting, especially in a 
country where every kind of animal was fat. My 
men did not view this picture of happiness in the 
same light; they required coffee, sugar, an immense 
supply of bacon, an oven for baking bread, flour, 
baking - powder, preserved apples (dried), ditto 
peaches, ditto blackberries, together with the 
necessaries of pepper, salt, etc. 
It was always my custom to drink a pint of 
cafd att lait and to eat some toast and butter at 
about 6 A.M. before starting for our day’s work; 
