As we rode along he delivered a scientific lecture, and he convinced me that he knew what he was talking about.  I finally bade him good-bye, and returned to the post.  While the fossil-hunters were out on their expedition, we had several lively little skirmishes with the Indians.  After having been absent some little time Professor Marsh and his party came back with their wagons loaded down with all kinds of bones, and the Professor was in his glory.  He had evidently struck a bone-yard, and “gad!"[E] wasn’t he happy!  But they had failed to find the big bone which the Pawnees had unearthed the year before.

[Footnote E:  A favorite expression of the Professor’s.]

CHAPTER XXIV.

HUNTING EXPEDITION.

Early in the month of September, 1871, information was received at Fort McPherson that General Sheridan and a party of invited friends were coming out to the post to have a grand hunt in the vicinity, and to explore the country from McPherson to Fort Hays, in Kansas.  On the morning of September 22d they arrived in a special car at North Platte, a station on the Union Pacific, distant eighteen miles from Fort McPherson.

The party consisted of General Sheridan, Lawrence R. Jerome, James Gordon Bennett, of the New York Herald; Leonard W. Jerome, Carroll Livingston, Major J.G.  Hecksher, General Fitzhugh, General H.E.  Davies, Captain M. Edward Rogers, Colonel J. Scuyler Crosby, Samuel Johnson, General Anson Stager, of the Western Union Telegraph Company; Charles Wilson, editor of the Chicago Evening Journal; General Rucker, Quartermaster-General, and Dr. Asch—­the two last-named being of General Sheridan’s staff.  They were met at the station by General Emory and Major Brown, with a cavalry company as escort and a sufficient number of vehicles to carry the distinguished visitors and their baggage.

A brisk drive of less than two hours over a hard and smooth road brought them to the fort, where they found the garrison, consisting of five companies of the Fifth Cavalry, under the command of General Carr, out on parade awaiting their arrival.  The band played some martial music, and the cavalry passed very handsomely in review before General Sheridan.  The guests were then most hospitably received, and assigned to comfortable quarters.

Lieutenant Hayes, the quartermaster of the expedition, arranged everything for the comfort of the party.  One hundred cavalry under command of Major Brown were detailed as an escort.  A train of sixteen wagons was provided to carry the baggage, supplies, and forage for the trip; and, besides these, there were three four-horse ambulances in which the guns were carried, and in which members of the party who became weary of the saddle might ride and rest.  At General Sheridan’s request I was to accompany the expedition; he introduced me to all his friends, and gave me a good send-off.