WESTERN INCIDENTS. OL

Our host of the Ranch also informed us, that he had no
sleeping accommodations for us, and that we had better
look around for lodgings.

In view of such an emergency, Mr. Williams and my-
self had fortunately provided ourselves with plenty of
buffalo skins, blankets and ponchos. We therefore inti-
mated to the landlord, that one of us would occupy the
lounge in the corner of the dining-room, and the other
would sleep on the floor by the stove. Upon this the
cook, a buxom middle-aged woman, with a sucking child,

called out from the kitchen, in not very gentle tones, ~

that that lounge was her bed. Mr. Chamberlain, an
enterprising merchant in the vicinity, here came to our
relief, and kindly offered us the use of the floor in the back
room of his log-store, which we were very glad to accept.

The following day was spent in making preparations
for ourintended reconnoissance on horseback, of the Black
Hills and Laramie Plains. An easy-going black saddle-
horse was procured of Mr. Chamberlain, for the use of
Mr. Williams. A chestnut cavalry horse, procured by
General Dodge from Fort Collins, was allotted to me.
He had previously selected a fine roan from the same
place for himself. And Mr. Evans adhered to a large
black mule which he had been riding for some days pre-
viously. He very kindly offered this mule to Mr. Wil-
liams, with the quiet remark, however, that he was apt to
buck once in a while, which meant, as he afterward ex-
plained, that he would occasionally stick his head down
between his fore legs, kick up behind, and throw his rider
over his head. Mr. Williams having had some experience
with mules, on our trip to Berthoud Pass, very promptly
declined the offer.

Hon. Green Clay Smith, Governor of Montana, break-
fasted with us as he was passing through with his suite,
by stage, on his way to the scene of his future labors.