tle sister is dead. No, not that. Now that woman
is dead I have my little sister back again. I took on with this army so's
I could reach the Scioto towns. To think that Kirst got way up there! I
'low he had a man's fight to die in. That's the way. Morris, I'm obleeged
to you. I'll always remember her words 'bout sendin' a little sister to
me. Now I've got two of 'em. We won't talk no more 'bout it."

With that he turned and hurried into the woods.

The men continued firing their guns without having obtained permission,
and Colonel Lewis was thoroughly aroused to stop the practise. He directed
that his orders of the fifteenth be read at the head of each company, with
orders for the captains to inspect their men's stock of ammunition and
report those lacking powder. This reduced the waste, but there was no
stopping the riflemen from popping away at bear or deer once they were out
of sight of their officers.

I had hoped Cousin would return and be my companion on the next scout, but
as he failed to show up I set off with Mooney for a second trip up the
Coal. This time we discovered signs of fifteen Indians making toward the
Kanawha below the camp. We returned with the news and found a wave of
drunkenness had swept the camp during our absence.

The sutlers were ordered to bring no more liquor into camp, and to sell
from the supply on hand only on a captain's written order. This served to
sober the offenders speedily. The scouts sent down the Kanawha returned
and reported two fires and five Indians within fifteen miles of the Ohio.
It was plain that the Indians were dogging our steps day and night, and
the men were warned not to straggle.

We were at the Elk Camp from the twenty-fourth to the thirtieth, and on
the latter date the canoemen loaded their craft, and the pack-horse men
and bullock-drivers drew two days' rations and started down-river. It
rained for three days and on October second we were camped near the mouth
of the Coal. It was there that Cousin appeared, a Mingo scalp hanging at
his belt. He informed Colonel Lewis he had been to the mouth of the river,
making the down-trip in a canoe, and that as yet no Indians had crossed
except small bands of scouts.

Breaking camp, we encountered rich bottom-lands, difficult to traverse
because of the rain. Every mile or two there were muddy creeks, and the
pack-horses were nearly worn out. Several desertions were now reported
from the troops, a hostility to discipline