From him I learned that they had not seen an Indian for three
days, but had seen any amount of sign, every day, which was
evidence that there were plenty of Indians in the country.
The following morning when I went for my orders I was much
surprised at the Colonel saying: "Oh, damn it! I don't care. Go
any way you please and as far as you please. The other boys say
there is not an Indian in fifty miles of here, and if you find any
you will do better than any man I have sent out, so far."
When I went to order my lunch, and told the negro cook to put up
enough to last me until the next night, he looked at me and said:
"Whar you going, boss?" Jim told him I was going out to get some
cayote scalps. I now mounted Mexico--the horse that Mr. Reed had
given me at the City of Mexico--and started off on my first
scouting trip, taking an easterly direction until I had struck the
old emigrant road.
After I had left camp the other scouts were talking among
themselves, and none of them thought I would ever return. One of
the scouts told Jim that I was the biggest fool that he had ever
seen, to start out scouting in a strange region and not ask
anything about the country, grass, water, Indians, or anything
else.
"Don't be alarmed about that boy," said Jim, "he'll take care of
himself in any man's country."
I had been taught by Uncle Kit that when I attempted to do a thing
to carry it out at all hazards, if it was in my power to do so.
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