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Show FTFTY DATS ON HOESE MEAT. 127 all the men off duty, were dispatched to gather firewood to burn during the night. One might be seen with a decayed trunk on his shoulder, while a half dozen others were using their combined efforts to bring into camp some dried tree. Col. Fremont at times joined the men in this duty-• when it was peculiarly difficult in procuring the necessary material to prevent us from freezing while we were in camp. One night we camped without wood, the country around was a waste of snow; we laid down in our blankets, and slept contentedly till morning, and re-commenced our journey without any breakfast. I have been awakened to go on " guard" in the morning watch, when, looking around me, my companions appeared like so many graves,-covered with from eight to ten inches of snow. Some of our animals would eat the snow, others would not. To keep? them alive we had to melt snow in camp kettles and give it them to drink, which process was attended with much fatigue and trouble. We lived on horse meat fifty days. The passions of the men were so disturbed by their privations, that they were not satisfied with the cook's division of the hide ; but one man turned his back, while another asked him who was to have this piece, and that, and so on, until all was divided, and the same process was gone through with in the sharing of the delectable horse soup. |