er the Yellowstone Park, where
just now are many tents and considerable transportation. The party
consists of the general of the Army, the department commander, members
of their staffs, and two justices of the supreme court. From the park
they are to go across country to Fort Missoula, and as there is only a
narrow trail over the mountains they will have to depend entirely upon
pack mules. These were sent up from Fort Custer for Faye to fit out for
the entire trip. I went down to the corral to see them start out, and
it was a sight well worth going to see. It was wonderful, and laughable,
too, to see what one mule could carry upon his back and two sides.

The pack saddles are queer looking things that are strapped carefully
and firmly to the mules, and then the tents, sacks, boxes, even stoves
are roped to the saddle. One poor mule was carrying a cooking stove.
There were forty pack mules and one "bell horse" and ten packers--for of
course it requires an expert packer to put the things on the saddle so
they are perfectly balanced and will not injure the animal's back. The
bell horse leads, and wherever it goes the mules will follow.

At present Faye is busy with preparations for two more parties of
exceedingly distinguished personnel. One of these will arrive in a day
or two, and is called the "Indian Commission," and consists of senator
Dawes and fourteen congressmen. The other party for whom an elaborate
camp outfit is being put in readiness consists of the President of
the United States, the lieutenant general of the Army, the governor of
Montana, and others of lesser magnitude. A troop of cavalry will escort
the President through the park. Now that the park can be reached by
railroad, all of the generals, congressmen, and judges are seized with a
desire to inspect it--in other words, it gives them a fine excuse for an
outing at Uncle Sam's expense.

CAMP ON YELLOWSTONE RIVER, YELLOWSTONE PARK, August, 1884.

OUR camp is in a beautiful pine grove, just above the Upper Falls and
close to the rapids; from out tent we can look out on the foaming river
as it rushes from one big rock to another. Far from the bank on an
immense boulder that is almost surrounded by water is perched my tent
companion, Miss Hayes. She says the view from there is grand, but how
she can have the nerve to go over the wet, slippery rocks is a mystery
to all of us, for by one little misstep she would be swept over the
falls and to eternity.