The National tribune., 1896-03-26

iority Of the company for the expedition,
leaving only the sick and those known
to have a chronic aversion to doing
active duty to take care of the camp, as
it would be our base of supplies during
the Summer campaign. All was hustle
and confusion preparing to start. We
must pack, and get through by some
means, ammunition and provision
enough to supply our needs for at least
four weeks, for it was almost certain to
be that length of time before the snow
would be sufficiently melted to admit
of possible transportation into that
country with pack animals.
The morning of the day specified for
starting came, and we filed through the
village or mining camp of Aurora, going
high into the mountains near the old
Bodie diggings We camped on the
margin Of Mono Lake, on the sum-
nit of the Sierras, one whole day,
and sent out scouts to look up the best
route through the craggy mountains,
standing like palisades all around the
lake basin.
The lake evidently was the crater of an
extinct volcano, and the waters in it in
tensely alkaline. Its color is like that
leeched through barrel of ashes in the
old-fashioned way our mothers did itwhen
making homemade soap; and, strange as
it may seem, all the snow-streams lead
ing into the lake were entirely devoid of
the alkaline taste A curious and uneX-
planned fact came under our personal
observation while in camp on the shore
Of the lake. There was a large island
in the center of the lake formed of lava
and ashes, on which millions of sea gulls
nested and laid their eggs, and it is singu
lar when the facts are known that it is
250 miles or more, as the crow flies,
from Mono Lake to a point on the |
ocean somewhere between the Golden |
Gate and Santa Cruz. The eggs gathered |
from this island were great source Of |
revenue TO the Mexican halfbloods who
inhabited this region, they packing them
out on the back Of the burros, filling
the paniers or pockets on each side of
these sure-footed beasts, it being about
the only means of transportation in this
mountainous country at that time
These mixed-blood egg merchants did
thriving business, selling eggs to miners
in all the camps in radius of 100 miles
or more. While in camp on the lake
we feasted on gull eggs. The boys APP
propriated a small boat belonging to an
absent egg merchant, and made trip of
observation and confscation to the
island, bringing to camp enough eggs
to appease the appetite Of the whole out
fit. The eggs of the sea gulls are a
little larger than hens egg, and are
stronger favored, but very palatable
when you have been out of eggs for a
time.
A little incident occurred while in
this camp that furnished a good Sergeant !
with a nickname until the day of his
discharge, and he always laid the blame
to me. 1t occurred in this wise: We |
were lounglng around the fire after |
meal, the majority of the mess smoking
their pipes.
[ had picked up copy of a mag
azine and commenced to read aloud to
the mess an article. The most promi-
nent character in it was named Bige.
He always drawled his words out in the
dialect of a down-east Yankee. pro-
nouncing COW, keow; instead of milking
the cow be always pailed the keow, etc.
The Sergeant haiIing from Yankee
dom, was dubbed "Bige" by common
and during his term of service
was known by that name. Two years
ago the Sergeant resided in western Kan
sas, and he was an honored member of
the Legislature of that State.
We broke camp and left Mono Lake
with many pleasant recollections and
visions Of sea gulls.
ITO be coptinued)