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I made the acquaintance of the Shoshone Indians, or rather through Nielsen I met them. Nielsen had a kindly, friendly way with Indians. There were half a dozen families, living in squalid tents. The braves worked in the fields for Denton and the squaws kept to the shade with their numerous children. They appeared to be poor. Certainly they were a ragged unpicturesque group.
I would not have accepted breakfast there. About mid-day, crossing a stubble-field, the girl met a couple of her people-men. Near evening we entered one of their tents. The women set up a cry, 'Kiomi! Kiomi ! like a rising rookery. Their eyes and teeth made such a flashing as when you dabble a hand in a dark waterpool.
Two hours is not a long time in which to strike tents, prepare breakfast, a solid affair of porridge, omelette, coffee, marmalade and biscuits, pack everything, and load the mules. We must work with a will, or the multi-coloured pageant in the eastern sky will have passed before we are on the road again. Early as it is we are not astir much before the village.
Some appeared to be struck with the strange circumstance of trees growing in the streets; some looked aghast at the wooden houses and canvass tents; one thought everything looked exceedingly green; another fancied that a town built upon sand could not possibly endure long.
For weapons of defence they use matchlocks; in firing them, the weapon is held directly in front of the nose. Of domestic animals the yak is one of the most useful, since it not only serves as a beast of burden but furnishes rich milk, butter, and meat. The long hair of the animal is used for making ropes, tents, and cloth.
To pitch double shelter tent, the captain gives the same commands as before, except TAKE HALF INTERVAL is given instead of TAKE INTERVAL. In taking interval each man follows the preceding man at 2 paces. The captain then commands: PITCH DOUBLE TENTS. The first sergeant places himself on the right of the right guide and with him pitches a single shelter tent.
On the less frequented stretches of road, where there was no proper accommodation for the night, his slaves would unpack the luggage and bring out a plain meal of wine, bread, cheese, and fruits. They would then lay a sort of bedding on the ground and cover it with a rug or blanket. The rich folk might bring their tents or have a bunk made up in their coaches.
In the afternoon of our second day I remained at the tents to measure specimens, while Yvette and the lama rode out toward the scene of our morning hunt to locate an antelope which one of our Mongol neighbors had reported dead not far away. At six o'clock they came galloping back with the news that there were two gazelles within three miles of camp.
In about a couple of leagues they found a good anchorage in fifty fathoms, a hawser's length or so from the shore. This was found to be rather inconvenient, but another one was soon found by Lieutenant Pickersgill, and received in consequence the name Pickersgill Harbour. Here the observatory, forge, and tents were set up.
I had read of the tortures of the "middle passage" and the packing of the slave ships, but I do not think it could have exceeded our condition. Now it must be remembered that for the most of the time on our march we were separated from our wagon trains that had our tents, cooking utensils, and other baggage. Many novel arrangements were resorted to for cooking.
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