Chapter 7
The cooks were up early. Fires led the others up from their sleeping pads and with the aroma of fat back fring, began their trip towards the smells. By daybreak, the group was ready to move out. Meriwether had asked Kahuna for just bread and sause for breakfast this morning as he exclaimed," My stomach isn't yet ready for anything heavy." With the morning sun filtering through the trees, Meriwether gave the order to move out.
The scouts had move forward some two hours ahead of the main contenginsy. How ever Jack's cooking chores had him stay behind for now. His first duty was to cook for the men. And that he did with their agreement. He used methods and spices unknown to the men's touge. His remarkable talent was the talk about the camp fires. Burch Bark merely shrugged off the praise. At camp fire he told of some travels with a Mr Paul Bunyon. A rather big fellow this Paul from Jack's discription of him, but a friend of Jack's is a friend of all they re'coned.
The sun began melting more of the snow and the trail began to become a mud road for those in the rear. We begin to see the lines space out some what. The sargent major of the company addressed Merryweather," Sir , my compliments! May I offer a word to you?"
" Of couse sargent major! That is why I hired you ."
"Sir, it has been my experince that when the troops move faster in front the one's in the rear have a fretful day before them. They will fall back in shear pain to keep up with us is impossible."
"Dulely noted sargent. Have the men in front pace slower to keep the rear moving allong with the rest of us."
"Aye aye sir!" guipted sargent Buzzard. And off he trotted to the front.
Not much happened along the trail this morning. Tempertures continued to climb. Some of the men had taken off the heavier furs from their shoulders. Now it was seen that the men in front had removed their snowshoes. Those in the rear had started the morning's march without snow shoes thinking rightly that the front would have all the snow removed before they approached that same area. Spring was indeed coming. And all rejoiced in that. Birds would be heard fluttering off in the distance both on the sides and forwards. The pack mules were tracking smartly and even with their heavy loads they stayed in stride with the animal in front of each one.
Ahead of Meriwether was men standing about . AT 200 yards, it was not clear who they were , but the major suspected Chuck and Bear with some one else. He halted the procession and advanced to the small group ahead. Yes it was the scouts and they were chatting with someone of tall frame and dressed in the frontierman clothing. Leather breeches, and a leather with fringe latice around the shoulders draped over the huge sholders of this man. The major thought who this might be. It turned out he was right.
"G'day mate!" came the greeting when Meriwether dismounted from his horse. "And good day to you sir!" Meriwether answered. "Sir Wallace I presume?"
"Aye!" with both hands extended in greeting, the two confered. "I had hoped that you'd find us shortly."
"Tis was a rather adventure just to get here majer."
"And I am glad that you did."
Sir Wallace went on to tell the tale of arriving on the continant from an island in the western seas and crossing the desert with only a gallon of water in his pack. He had met up with some others who wanted an adventure and he told him about the contact he was to meet soon in the mountains north of where they were then. So he and this small band of men journied here to support the company's venture.
"Indians had other ideas for my hair and I out smarted them. I am afiggering that they are still on a path waiting to pounce on me and my boys here. It weren't no matter when we skirted the lot of them and beat them across a bridge that I suppose is still dangling in the river bottoms. Perhaps soon they'll discover we gave them the slip and go back to hunting rabbits or other game, but surely not us!" And a loud roar came from his chest as well as the other men that had been with him.
Sir Wallace's name had been mentioned to Meriwether by Sargent Majer Tom Buzzard. The major needed a man who fought and shot his way around and through, if nessary, war minded Indians. Here was a hunter who was spoken kindly about. A rouged man, no less than the others already in the group. And all seemed to adapt to each other rather kindly. This was good news to Meriwether. He did not need bickering nor pushing between the men. That would come later when others approached the group. But, for now all was pleasant. After giving orders to Sir Wallace, the major stepped back into his sturrups and mounted his horse. The men fell into their order and the march resumed.
The men had taken that time to grab short snacks, and the major insisted that he wasn't hungry yet. So the march continued through their regular mid- day break. Many miles now were seperating them from the foreward camps they left behind a day ago. Soon they would encounter their first river. This was what everyone was waiting for. Marching wasn't all that bad, but riding beat it any day of the week. And everyone wanted to enjoy this trip.
The log for day two was simply put down as "Met Sir Wallace and his men today on the trail. Weather looking better and the men remain in high spirits." Another interesting entry contained songs of the trail. With such catchy titles as," Desert Pete", " Lilly Marlane the farmer's daughter", "Makin whoopy on the old Santa Fe road" and a catchy tune about a woman who came from New Orleans called," Me and my baby makes thirty".
The next week followed the same schedule of marching and resting. The weather became increasingly warmer. Camps along the way were both warm and comfortable. Food was plentiful and sometimes enhanced with wild game that some had killed. The moral still high and everyone was beginning to get the feel of the trip. Sleeping patterns became normal to each. The days were becoming like the previous ones. Only Meriwether had it different. He continued to suffer. On one occation he ordered Burch Bark to light up Jack's new fangled stove and make him a supper as Kahuna was off collecting some hairs from a cougar kill he had spotted while collecting fire wood. Burch Bark made a pot of his famous gritz and dried turkey. A fried piece of his sour dough batter added taste to the menue. Meriwether was pleased and told Burch Bark Jack that he felt better after the meal. The men had to eat what each had a recollection in preparing. Some ate cold that night. Chuck had a noddle and chicken pack from Calamity Jean's pack. John Dep poured himself (secretly) some trading potion with dried onions. He was contend. So too, the others enjoyed what they could muster up from the kitchen packs. Kahuna came back from the kill with some impressive hairs. Everyone had enjoyed that evening.
The day's logs durring that period were about the plant life noted along the trail that day. Some references made also about one of the camp dogs, Prunetane, being so smelly. Seemed that the dog's smell was due to the over feeding of the mutt at night of left over prunes. This caused an "offensive o'dour" through out the next day's march. Also the major reported that he gave his steed to an Indian couple they met on the trail. She looked like she could use a ride as she was soon to give birth to a baby.
Another entry made mention of Bear Ridge's teaching some of the men on higher learning. Of particular, a course on the correct proceedure of scalping. Seems one has to understand the hairlines of each particpant in order to "pull off" this craft. "Interesting" Meriwether noted.
On day fourteen of the march, Meriwether found the river he wished to run. The current wasn't very bad. Poles would be used to get them up it. With no name nor any map made yet of the lands, he named it "Sticks River". The men prepared to go up the river of Sticks without a paddle.
The cooks were up early. Fires led the others up from their sleeping pads and with the aroma of fat back fring, began their trip towards the smells. By daybreak, the group was ready to move out. Meriwether had asked Kahuna for just bread and sause for breakfast this morning as he exclaimed," My stomach isn't yet ready for anything heavy." With the morning sun filtering through the trees, Meriwether gave the order to move out.
The scouts had move forward some two hours ahead of the main contenginsy. How ever Jack's cooking chores had him stay behind for now. His first duty was to cook for the men. And that he did with their agreement. He used methods and spices unknown to the men's touge. His remarkable talent was the talk about the camp fires. Burch Bark merely shrugged off the praise. At camp fire he told of some travels with a Mr Paul Bunyon. A rather big fellow this Paul from Jack's discription of him, but a friend of Jack's is a friend of all they re'coned.
The sun began melting more of the snow and the trail began to become a mud road for those in the rear. We begin to see the lines space out some what. The sargent major of the company addressed Merryweather," Sir , my compliments! May I offer a word to you?"
" Of couse sargent major! That is why I hired you ."
"Sir, it has been my experince that when the troops move faster in front the one's in the rear have a fretful day before them. They will fall back in shear pain to keep up with us is impossible."
"Dulely noted sargent. Have the men in front pace slower to keep the rear moving allong with the rest of us."
"Aye aye sir!" guipted sargent Buzzard. And off he trotted to the front.
Not much happened along the trail this morning. Tempertures continued to climb. Some of the men had taken off the heavier furs from their shoulders. Now it was seen that the men in front had removed their snowshoes. Those in the rear had started the morning's march without snow shoes thinking rightly that the front would have all the snow removed before they approached that same area. Spring was indeed coming. And all rejoiced in that. Birds would be heard fluttering off in the distance both on the sides and forwards. The pack mules were tracking smartly and even with their heavy loads they stayed in stride with the animal in front of each one.
Ahead of Meriwether was men standing about . AT 200 yards, it was not clear who they were , but the major suspected Chuck and Bear with some one else. He halted the procession and advanced to the small group ahead. Yes it was the scouts and they were chatting with someone of tall frame and dressed in the frontierman clothing. Leather breeches, and a leather with fringe latice around the shoulders draped over the huge sholders of this man. The major thought who this might be. It turned out he was right.
"G'day mate!" came the greeting when Meriwether dismounted from his horse. "And good day to you sir!" Meriwether answered. "Sir Wallace I presume?"
"Aye!" with both hands extended in greeting, the two confered. "I had hoped that you'd find us shortly."
"Tis was a rather adventure just to get here majer."
"And I am glad that you did."
Sir Wallace went on to tell the tale of arriving on the continant from an island in the western seas and crossing the desert with only a gallon of water in his pack. He had met up with some others who wanted an adventure and he told him about the contact he was to meet soon in the mountains north of where they were then. So he and this small band of men journied here to support the company's venture.
"Indians had other ideas for my hair and I out smarted them. I am afiggering that they are still on a path waiting to pounce on me and my boys here. It weren't no matter when we skirted the lot of them and beat them across a bridge that I suppose is still dangling in the river bottoms. Perhaps soon they'll discover we gave them the slip and go back to hunting rabbits or other game, but surely not us!" And a loud roar came from his chest as well as the other men that had been with him.
Sir Wallace's name had been mentioned to Meriwether by Sargent Majer Tom Buzzard. The major needed a man who fought and shot his way around and through, if nessary, war minded Indians. Here was a hunter who was spoken kindly about. A rouged man, no less than the others already in the group. And all seemed to adapt to each other rather kindly. This was good news to Meriwether. He did not need bickering nor pushing between the men. That would come later when others approached the group. But, for now all was pleasant. After giving orders to Sir Wallace, the major stepped back into his sturrups and mounted his horse. The men fell into their order and the march resumed.
The men had taken that time to grab short snacks, and the major insisted that he wasn't hungry yet. So the march continued through their regular mid- day break. Many miles now were seperating them from the foreward camps they left behind a day ago. Soon they would encounter their first river. This was what everyone was waiting for. Marching wasn't all that bad, but riding beat it any day of the week. And everyone wanted to enjoy this trip.
The log for day two was simply put down as "Met Sir Wallace and his men today on the trail. Weather looking better and the men remain in high spirits." Another interesting entry contained songs of the trail. With such catchy titles as," Desert Pete", " Lilly Marlane the farmer's daughter", "Makin whoopy on the old Santa Fe road" and a catchy tune about a woman who came from New Orleans called," Me and my baby makes thirty".
The next week followed the same schedule of marching and resting. The weather became increasingly warmer. Camps along the way were both warm and comfortable. Food was plentiful and sometimes enhanced with wild game that some had killed. The moral still high and everyone was beginning to get the feel of the trip. Sleeping patterns became normal to each. The days were becoming like the previous ones. Only Meriwether had it different. He continued to suffer. On one occation he ordered Burch Bark to light up Jack's new fangled stove and make him a supper as Kahuna was off collecting some hairs from a cougar kill he had spotted while collecting fire wood. Burch Bark made a pot of his famous gritz and dried turkey. A fried piece of his sour dough batter added taste to the menue. Meriwether was pleased and told Burch Bark Jack that he felt better after the meal. The men had to eat what each had a recollection in preparing. Some ate cold that night. Chuck had a noddle and chicken pack from Calamity Jean's pack. John Dep poured himself (secretly) some trading potion with dried onions. He was contend. So too, the others enjoyed what they could muster up from the kitchen packs. Kahuna came back from the kill with some impressive hairs. Everyone had enjoyed that evening.
The day's logs durring that period were about the plant life noted along the trail that day. Some references made also about one of the camp dogs, Prunetane, being so smelly. Seemed that the dog's smell was due to the over feeding of the mutt at night of left over prunes. This caused an "offensive o'dour" through out the next day's march. Also the major reported that he gave his steed to an Indian couple they met on the trail. She looked like she could use a ride as she was soon to give birth to a baby.
Another entry made mention of Bear Ridge's teaching some of the men on higher learning. Of particular, a course on the correct proceedure of scalping. Seems one has to understand the hairlines of each particpant in order to "pull off" this craft. "Interesting" Meriwether noted.
On day fourteen of the march, Meriwether found the river he wished to run. The current wasn't very bad. Poles would be used to get them up it. With no name nor any map made yet of the lands, he named it "Sticks River". The men prepared to go up the river of Sticks without a paddle.