to inspect the
supplies, and found that the blankets, although to all ordinary
appearance of the kind and quality required, were really of a much
inferior and cheaper material. The result was the enforced failure
of the contractor, and, I believe, the end of the Indian ring.

Marsh's explorations in search of fossil remains of the animals which
once roamed over the western parts of our continent were attended
by adventures of great interest, which he long had the intention of
collecting and publishing in book form. Unfortunately, he never did
it, nor, so far as I am aware, has any connected narrative of his
adventures ever appeared in print. This is more to be regretted,
because they belong to a state of things which is rapidly passing
away, leaving few records of that lifelike sort which make the most
impressive picture.

His guide during his early explorations was a character who
has since become celebrated in America and Europe by the vivid
representations of the "Wild West" with which he has amused and
instructed the dwellers on two continents. Marsh was on his way to
explore the region in the Rocky Mountains where he was to find the
fossils which have since made his work most celebrated. The guide
was burning with curiosity as to the object of the expedition.
One night over the campfire he drew his chief into a conversation on
the subject. The latter told him that there was once a time when the
Rocky Mountains did not exist, and that part of the continent was a
level plain. In the course of long ages mountains rose, and animals
ran over them. Then the mountains split open; the animals died and
left their bones in the clefts. The object of his expedition was
now to search for some of these bones.

The bones were duly discovered, and it was not many years thereafter
before the Wild West Exhibition was seen in the principal Eastern
cities. When it visited New Haven, its conductor naturally renewed
the acquaintance of his former patron and supporter.

"Do you remember, professor," said he, "our talk as we were going on
your expedition to the Rockies,--how you told me about the mountains
rising up and being split open and the bones of animals being lost
in there, and how you were going to get them?"

"Oh, yes," said the other, "I remember it very well."

"Well, professor, do you know, when you told me all that I r'ally
thought you was puttin' up a job on me."

The result was a friendship between the t