We had plenty of shelter in case of storm, having two good-sized
tents in the outfit and only six men, not counting the darkey
cook, who, however, always does count in an expedition like that.
In the party I was the only one who had ever hunted any. Three of
the others had never fired a shot at larger game than a jack-
rabbit. Col. Elliott had once killed a deer, of which I made
mention in a preceding chapter.
The following morning after breakfast I told them to select their
course for the day's hunting, and I would go in an opposite
direction.
"Why do you wish to go in an opposite direction?" Lieut. Harding
asked; "Why not all go together?" I replied that after we got out
in the woods I did not think they could tell a man from a deer,
and I did not want to be shot by a white man out here in this
country.
Capt. Mills proposed that three go at a time, two officers and
myself, by so doing there would be no danger.
This being satisfactory, Lieut. Harding, Capt. Mills and myself
took the first turn. Neither of them had ever hunted any, and both
were as ignorant in that line as I was when I started out from St
Louis in company with Uncle Kit Carson, which, by the way, I had
told them something about the night before, while sitting around
the campfire.
When we were all ready for the hunt and had started to walk away
from the tent, Capt.
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