that season, was cool enough, and this, with
Mike's announcement that the coffee was ready, brought all the party--
guides as well--around the blazing pile of logs. Each found his own
platter, knife, and cup; and, helping himself from the general stock,
set to eating on his own account. Of course there were no fragments, as
a strict regard to economy was one of the laws of our camp.

Notwithstanding the fatigue, always incidental to a first day's march,
we enjoyed this _al fresco_ supper exceedingly. The novelty had much to
do with our enjoyment of it, and also the fine appetites which we had
acquired since our luncheon at noon halt.

When supper was over, smoking followed, for there was not one of the
party who was not an inveterate burner of the "noxious weed." Some
chose cigars, of which we had brought a good stock, but several were
pipe-smokers. The zoologist carried a meerschaum; the guides smoked out
of Indian calumets of the celebrated steatite, or red claystone. Mike
had his dark-looking "dudeen," and Jake his pipe of corn "cob" and
cane-joint shank.

Our English friend Thompson had a store of the finest Havannahs, which
he smoked with the grace peculiar to the English cigar smoker; holding
his cigar impaled upon the point of his knife-blade. Kentucky also
smoked cigars, but his was half buried within his mouth, slanted
obliquely towards the right cheek. Besancon preferred the paper
cigarette, which he made extempore, as he required them, out of a stock
of loose tobacco. This is Creole fashion--now also the _mode de Paris_.

A song from the doctor enlivened the conversation, and certainly so
melodious a human voice had never echoed near the spot. One and all
agreed that the grand opera had missed a capital "first tenor" in not
securing the services of our companion.

The fatigue of our long ride caused us to creep into our tents at an
early hour, and rolling ourselves in our blankets we went to sleep. Of
course everything had been carefully gathered in lest rain might fall in
the night. The trail-ropes of our animals were looked to: we did not
fear their being stolen, but horses on their first few days' journey are
easily "stampeded," and will sometimes stray home again. This would
have been a great misfortune, but most of us were old travellers, and
every caution was observed in securing against such a result. There was
no guard kept, though we knew the time would come when that would be a
ne