gain his feet. A quiver shot through his frame. In a moment more the monster animal rolled over upon his side. He gave one convulsive start-a tremor passed over him. With a deep sigh of relief life and body were severed.

An instant after a half dozen scouts came out of the brush in hasty pursuit. The animal was too old even for our sharpened appetites, so the immense carcass was left for the benefit of the wolves.

Towards dusk, considerably to our enjoyment, we discovered we had encamped near a turkey-roost. The Commanding General, an old turkey-hunter, had already announced this piece of intelligence, and gave orders that no one should leave the immediate limits of the camp without permission. This was to prevent the "birds," as they gathered from the surrounding valleys, from being alarmed and driven off.

At sunset, leaving a strong guard in camp, a party consisting of the General, and eight or ten others, started into the thick wood adjoining camp. At first the orders were to lie in watch. The wood occupied the low grounds of a valley. A large drove of fine birds came tramping down the hill side. In front was a fine cock, which seemed to be the chief bird of this feathered concourse. The chief carefully surveyed everything, looked about him, and then at the trees. Feeling assured that all was right, he gave a quick shrill whistle. In an instant the whole flock raised with a great flutter, ascending to the tops of the larger trees. Firing now commenced. It was a general engageEach hunter set out for himself. The crack of the rifle was heard in every direction. The turkeys seemed to be bewildered, and flew from tree to tree, but always kept in the same vicinity. As it grew dark, the number increased. Soon it became night, but every dark object defined upon the blue back ground of the firmament was taken for a turkey, and was peppered accordingly.

ment.

It was fully nine o'clock before the last of our party got in. Stray shots from the scouts prowling about were kept up all night.

An inventory of "birds" taken before "turning in that night" showed that we had sixty-three. The General killed eleven of the number.

For the next few days we were quite busy stuffing ourselves with turkey, in order to reduce the number, as we could not well carry so much additional weight in the wagons. Wild turkey as a regular diet we found to be a gastronomic question admitting of controversy.

We were now not less than seventy-two miles from Camp Supply, two good day's journey. We had entered an exceedingly rough country, covered with sand hills and sage brush. The animals suffered severely from these impediments in the way of convenient traveling.

At two o'clock on the afternoon of the first of March, the stars and stripes were seen, dimly in the distance, waving over the stockade fort at Camp Supply. Our arrival was entirely unexpected. At first we were taken for Indians. The sentinels discharged their arms to give the alarm. The herders hastily drove in the animals, which we could see dashing from all directions towards the corrals. When the mistake was discov ered, the affair was much enjoyed. Three long months had elapsed since we left the comforts of "Supply," for the wild country on the Washita

CHAPTER XLI.

HOMEWARD BOUND-AN AGREEABLE SURPRISE-CIVILIZATION ONCE MORE.

HE second of March, 1869, was a busy day at Camp Supply. Wagons were loaded to join the column under Custer in the south, and a train was fitted out to move to Fort Dodge for more supplies for the Camp of Supply. The Commanding General had here received a dispatch from the President elect to visit Washington at the earliest moment. This changed the original programme of joining Custer's column, and returning north with him. There was, however, no longer necessity for his detention in the field but his own desire personally to see the troops return to their summer camps.

The next day, at seven o'clock in the morning, the Commanding General, Crosby, McGonnigle, and Asch, of the staff, myself, and two servants, in three ambulances, and with three mounted orderlies as escort, set out for Fort Dodge, over one hundred miles distant. The escort was left behind, not having fresh horses. Our personal baggage was strapped on five packmules, in charge of an experienced packer, named Wilson, who had passed some years in the service of the Hudson Bay Company.

The day was wet and cold. Before noon a drizzling rain set in. At dark, the same night, we halted on Bear creek, after a journey of fifty-two miles. During the day, we were constantly driving immense herds of buffaloes before us, and at night we were surrounded by them. Attracted by the light of our fires, they approached so near that the low bellow of the bulls

could be distinctly heard. A cordon of wolves also posted themselves around our camp, and kept up a dismal howling.

For fuel we had a solitary log, and that was wet. After considerable chopping, we got a few dry chips with which we started a fire. A very frugal meal was our night's portion. At eight o'clock in the evening the rain turned into a heavy storm of sleet. The wind howled fearfully. As our sleeping accommodations were limited, we divided, part sleeping in the ambulances, and part outside under a tent-fly near the fire. I preferred the latter, and wisely, as the atmosphere changed to an intense dry cold during the night, which made the fire quite acceptable.

The next day we continued our journey against fearful weather. The air was filled with a fine snow, driven in our faces before a fierce wind.

At Bluff creek it was necessary to halt. The animals were terribly blown, and, as for ourselves, a few more degrees of cold would have been insufferable, notwithstanding we were hardened by four months of constant exposure. With great difficulty, we managed to build a fire, grateful indeed to all of us. While enjoying a good baking, two mail-couriers came galloping down the valley. They were halted, and after assorting out the headquarters' mail, we separated-the couriers, hardy fellows, striking out once more into the cold and cheerless waste.

It was dark when we reached the Arkansas river. The stream was frozen over, and impassable. Here was a dilemma. Nearly a mile distant, on the opposite side, was Fort Dodge. It was necessary to arouse the garrison before we could cross. We fired volleys from our rifles and shouted. It was a cheerless predicament. The glimmering lights of the rude but comfortable quarters of the fort in sight, and yet compelled to tramp about in darkness, wind, and cold, unable to move an inch farther. A half hour now passed disagreeably enough; but, having succeeded in raking together a quantity of dry grass, we contrived to start a fire, by the light of which we were able to gather sufficient brush to keep up the illumination..

At this juncture the sentinels at the fort appeared to discover ns, and gave the alarm. Borne upon the night air we could hear the long-roll beating the men to arms. A squad of troops was sent across on the ice. From them we received the complimentary and gratifying intelligence that the disturbance we had made was heard from the beginning, and, judging from our unearthly yells, we were taken for savages.

An effort was made to open a passage through the ice, but his having failed the Commanding General, with his quarter master, walked to the fort, while the rest of our party passed the night with the ambulances.

The next morning a fatigue party of soldiers managed to get the ambulances over by means of ropes, and running the wheels on planks. The animals were left on the south side.

By noon, on the fifth of March, with a complete "outfit ” of "shave-tails," we darted out of the fort. Every jump or two a set of heels might be seen exposed in the air. The drivers kept the lively long-eared quadrupeds in the trail. A run of a few miles disposed of their ardor very effectually.

The next day, while approaching the Smoky Hill, a courier was seen coming towards us at a rapid gait. Our outrider challenged him as he came up. "Special courier for the Commanding General," shouted the horseman, at the same time dashing by the outrider at a gallop.

The outrider, wheeling, pursued. The courier halted. When told the General was approaching the courier met the General, saluted, and, with unexpected wit, remarked, “I have the honor to deliver a dispatch to the Lieutenant General" The General, for the first time during my acquaintance, was much affected as he read aloud the telegram announcing his promotion.

Upon the banks of the Smoky Hill we drank from the last cherished drops in our canteens To THE HEALTH OF the LieuTENANT GENERAL AND The close of tHE CAMPAIGN.

But twelve miles still separated us from Fort Hays. With pleasant reflections upon the success of the campaign, with a