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CHAPTER XI.
            IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOUNTAINS.
   It is impossible to make any reader, who is unfamiliar
wvilih active military life, feel what our command, from Gen-
eral to bugler, felt after the departure of the wagon tram.
w hen everybody knew that a period of inaction was to LI-
low our recent exciting experiences. To add to the general
monotony, our Indian allies suddenly made up their minds
tlhat it would be good medicine for them to go home. Tlie
Crows, as usual, set the example and left us about the same
ir ne as the wagon train, leaving their wounded and a few
scquaws with us. The Snakes decamped a few days later,
but with assurances of the strongest kind that they would
rcjoin before the new campaign opened. They also left
their wounded behind. In fact, most of the latter were too
badly injured to be removed. In order to break the same-
ness of the new condition of things, the General moved us
every day or so nearer to the base of the Poig Horn mount-
ains.  We had, therefore, grass, water, wood and brook
trout in ever increasing abundance. The days, from 11 o'clock
until four, became intensely hot, but the nights were deli-
ciously cool. Fishing and hunting were about our only recre-
ations, and even the most daring of hunters did not venture
much beyond the E1mits of our picket posts, as Indian signs
were abundant on all sides of us. Captain Vroom and Lieu-
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