Year: 1863

ments thrown up every mig hit to guard
against the savage foe, who might be
proving about us, despite the vigilance
OF our scouts, yet no battle has been
fought, no Indian seen, and to crown all
party has just returned from DEVILS
Lake, who report not sign OF the enemy
TO be found. Now l submit to YOU if
this is not provoking, and if we have not
good right and reason to grumble at this
state of affairs. 1t puts me in mind Of
that old nursery couplct:


The King of France with forty thousand men
Marched up the hill and then-marched down


again.


Meanwhile, our cracker barrels are be.
ing emptied at an alarming rate. 1t would
require no anatomist to count the ribs
upon the sides of our animals. and the
grass and water are getting no better
very fast.


What the programme for the future
hay be, l of course cannot tell, neither
do care much, SO long as l keep nv
health and strength. They may march TO
the Rocky Mountains for what | care
(aways providing the ratons hold out,)
and thus far | have plodded every step
OF the way without once beseeching our
"baby wagons as we term the ambu-
lances, to carry me. Our scouts are
now out securing the country for miles
around, and they may bring in news that
will set US moving at once in pursuit of
the foe, but if no Indian signs are seen,
the general impression is that we shall
strike across to Pembina, which cannot
be much over 100 miles distant. Some
of our force will probably be left there
during the winter, and who knows but
your humble servant will have the oppo,-
tunity of studying the manners and
customs of what l should Judge, from
their isolated position to be very prmi-
tive people.


But will proceed to chronicle the
events of the last few days march, not
promising it TO be very interesting. We
left our camp on the Sheyenne the l1th
OF July, getting up at Q o'clock in the
morning, and eating breakfast by candle
light in order to get an early start. The
weather that morning, and many another,
has been positively cold. | will not say
freezing, for no ice was formed that I
could see, but if the thermometer did not
sink to 35 degrees, am much mistaken,
and by noon we had been transported 10
the torrid zone. Deliver me from a
country, where you must sleep under
three heavy woolen blankets at night,
shiver like a sick monkey in a wet sheet
in the morning, and wiring the perspira-
ton from your under garments before
sundown. Such weather | have never
seen before, and may il never be my
misfortune to see much Of il again.


The 18th we camped by pretty lake
which seems to be great haunt for wild
geese, and the residence Of innumerable
hosts of frogs. The countless numbers
that oyerran Egypt Of old, must have
been in part transported here, and at
least bushel of their legs nicely skined
and ready for cooking, were brought in
TO camp and served ur siewed, fried, and
:" in the SHE'LL" for the benefit Of our
hungry boys, who have appetites equal
to the Esquimaux. l partook of q
savory stew with great gusto, and pro-
nounced it very good.


Augh !" l seem TO hear some nios
old lady of my acquaintance say, "eat
frogs ; why Ia as quick eat mud turlles."
Mud turtles, did you say, my dear
madam All there you just hit me.
Mud turtles Of the genus snappio are
positively delicious. You mus, know
that there are seven different kinds Of
meat to be found in each one Of .hem,
and how luxurious il is TO laddle out
| fish, flesh and fowl, from the same ,ureeu.
We captured noble fellow on the Shey-
enne, he must have weighed some 20 or
30 pounds, and the way the tin cups Of
soup went round that night would have
gladdened the heart of New York
Alderman, could he have but been there
10 see. As for frogs. they too are a
dclicacy, the meat white, firm and tend /.
er, and the broth equalling in flavor that
made from spring chickens, and so
here's health TO Monsieur Crapeau,
and his national dish Long may they
wave.


As for Buffalo. we have had two meal >
oft. The meat is lignt coloted and coarse
grained. otherwise | can see but little
difference between the wild and domestic
animal On the 18th we camped bv a