WINES. 
Champagne Frappe, Champagne au Naturel, Claret,
Whiskey, Brandy, Bass’ Ale.

COFFEE.

This I considered a pretty square meal for a party of hunters, and everybody did ample justice to it.

In the evening a court-martial was held, at which I presided as chief justice.  We tried one of the gentlemen for aiding and abetting in the loss of a government horse, and for having something to do with the mysterious disappearance of a Colt’s pistol.  He was charged also with snoring in a manner that was regarded as fiendish, and with committing a variety of other less offenses too numerous to mention.

The accused made a feeble defense as to the pistol, and claimed that instead of losing a government horse, the fact was that the horse had lost him.  His statements were all regarded as “too thin,” and finally failing to prove good character, he confessed all, and threw himself upon the mercy of the court.  The culprit was Lawrence Jerome.

As chief justice I delivered the opinion of the court, which my modesty does not prevent me from saying, was done in an able and dignified manner; as an act of clemency I suspended judgment for the time being, remarking that while the camp fire held out to burn, the vilest sinner might return; and in hope of the accused’s amendment, I would defer pronouncing sentence.  The trial afforded its considerable amusement, and gave me a splendid opportunity to display the legal knowledge which I had acquired while acting as justice of the peace at Fort McPherson.

On the morning of the 28th the command crossed the South Beaver, distant nine miles from Camp Cody, and then striking a fair road we made a rapid march until we reached our camp on Short Nose or Prairie Dog Creek, about 2 P. M., after having made twenty-four miles.  The remainder of the afternoon was spent in hunting buffaloes and turkeys.  Camp Stager was the name given to this place, in honor of General Stager, of the Western Union Telegraph Company.

The next day we made a march of twenty-four miles, and then halted at about 1 P. M. on the North Solomon River.  This day we killed three buffaloes, two antelopes, two raccoons, and three teal ducks.  Near our camp, which we named Camp Leonard Jerome, was a beaver dam some six feet high and twenty yards wide; it was near the junction of two streams, and formed a pond of at least four acres.

On the 30th we traveled twenty-five miles, and during the march nine turkeys, two rabbits, and three or four buffaloes were killed.  We went into camp on the bank of the South Fork of the Solomon River and called the place Camp Sam Johnson.  We were now but forty-five miles from Fort Hays, the point at which General Sheridan and his guests expected to strike the Kansas Pacific Railway, and thence return home.  That evening I volunteered to ride to Fort Hays and meet the party next day, bringing with me all the letters that might be at the post.  Taking the best horse in the command I started out, expecting to make the trip in about four hours.