. They took their departure the next day
with orders to return as soon, as possible.

We scouted for several days along the Canadian River, finding no sign
of Indians. The general then returned to camp, and soon our wagon-train
returned with provisions from Fort Lyon. Our animals were in poor
condition, so we remained in different camps along San Francisco Creek
and on the North Fork of the Canadian till "Wild Bill" and his scouts
returned from Fort Supply.

Among the scouts in Penrose's command were fifteen Mexicans. Among them
and the Americans a bitter feud existed. When Carr united Penrose's
command with his own, and I was made chief of scouts, this feud grew
more intense than ever. The Mexicans often threatened to "clean us
out," but they postponed the execution of the threat from time to time.
At last, however, when we were all in the sutler's store, the
long-expected fight took place, with the result that the Mexicans were
severely beaten.

On hearing of the row, General Carr sent for "Wild Bill" and me. From
various reports he had made up his mind that we were the instigators of
the affair. After listening to what we had to say, however, he decided
that the Mexicans were as much to blame as we were. It is possible that
both "Wild Bill" and I had imbibed a few more drinks than we needed
that evening. General Carr said to me:

"Cody, there are plenty of antelopes in the country. You can do some
hunting while we stay here." After that my time was spent in the chase,
and I had fine success. I killed from twenty to twenty-five antelopes
every day, and the camp was supplied with fresh meat.

When the horses and mules belonging to the outfit had been sufficiently
recruited to travel, we returned to Fort Lyon, reaching there in March,
1869. The command recruited and rested for thirty days before
proceeding to the Department of the Platte, whither it had been
ordered.

At my request, General Carr kindly granted me a month's leave of
absence to visit my family in St. Louis. He instructed Captain Hays,
our quartermaster, to let me ride my mule and horse to Sheridan, 140
miles distant. At Sheridan I was to take the train for St. Louis.

I was instructed to leave the animals in the quartermaster's corral at
Fort Wallace until I should come back. Instead of doing this, I put
them both in charge of my old friend Perry, the hotel-keeper at
Sheridan.

After twenty days, pleasantly spent with my family at St. Louis, I