.

"Evidently a morbid action of the liver," replied the medical man; "I
will give you a prescription."

Repairing to the back of one of the covered wagons, he scrambled in; for
a moment I could see nothing of him but his boots. At length he produced
a box which he had extracted from some dark recess within, and opening
it, he presented me with a folded paper of some size. "What is it?" said
I. "Calomel," said the doctor.

Under the circumstances I would have taken almost anything. There was
not enough to do me much harm, and it might possibly do good; so at camp
that night I took the poison instead of supper.

That camp is worthy of notice. The traders warned us not to follow the
main trail along the river, "unless," as one of them observed, "you want
to have your throats cut!" The river at this place makes a bend; and
a smaller trail, known as the Ridge-path, leads directly across the
prairie from point to point, a distance of sixty or seventy miles.

We followed this trail, and after traveling seven or eight miles, we
came to a small stream, where we encamped. Our position was not chosen
with much forethought or military skill. The water was in a deep hollow,
with steep, high banks; on the grassy bottom of this hollow we picketed
our horses, while we ourselves encamped upon the barren prairie just
above. The opportunity was admirable either for driving off our horses
or attacking us. After dark, as Tete Rouge was sitting at supper, we
observed him pointing with a face of speechless horror over the shoulder
of Henry, who was opposite to him. Aloof amid the darkness appeared
a gigantic black apparition; solemnly swaying to and fro, it advanced
steadily upon us. Henry, half vexed and half amused, jumped up, spread
out his arms, and shouted. The invader was an old buffalo bull, who with
characteristic stupidity, was walking directly into camp. It cost some
shouting and swinging of hats before we could bring him first to a halt
and then to a rapid retreat.

That night the moon was full and bright; but as the black clouds chased
rapidly over it, we were at one moment in light and at the next in
darkness. As the evening advanced, a thunderstorm came up; it struck us
with such violence that the tent would have been blown over if we had
not interposed the cart to break the force of the wind. At length it
subsided to a steady rain. I lay awake through nearly the whole night,
listening to its dull patter upon the canvas a