schooner, and I replied that I did not know, but would
investigate. Suiting the action to the word I crawled in, struck a
match, and found a case labeled Hostetters' Bitters. Its ingredients
were one drop of Bitters and the remainder, poor liquor. I soon found
a case that had been opened, pulled out a bottle and sampled it. The
old story came to me about the Irish saloonkeeper and his bartender. I
called my chum and asked him if Murphy was good for a drink, he
replied, "Has he got it?" "He has?" "He is then!" and we all were. I
thought it would be impossible for the secret to be kept, but it was
until we were on the last leg to Denver. The entire load consisted of
cases of the Bitters. Fights were of frequent occurrence during the
remainder of the trip, Mr. Perry being powerless to prevent them.

Arriving at Central City where the Bitters were consigned, the
consignee reported to the freighter that the load just received
consisted of one-half Bitters, the remainder Platte river water. Each
man had twenty dollars deducted from his pay, and a large number of
the drivers, in addition, bore earmarks of its effect.

The country from Fort Carney for four hundred miles up the Platte
river valley and back from the high bluffs, that skirted the river on
either side, was one vast rolling plain with no vegetation except a
coarse luxuriant growth of grass in the valley near the river and
beyond the bluffs; in spots that were not bare grew the prickly pear,
and a short crisp grass of lightish color and of two varieties--the
bunch and buffalo grasses--which were very nutritious, as the cattle
thrived and grew fat on them. There was the clear sky and sun by day,
with an occasional sandstorm; the moon (when out) and stars by night,
but no rain--a vast thirsty desert. On the small islands of the river
a few scattered cottonwood trees were to be seen. Their high branches
embraced a huge bunch of something that resembled the nest of an
American Eagle, but on close inspection was found to be the corpse of
a lone Indian a long time dead. This was the mode of burial of some of
the tribes in the early days, using fur robes or blankets for a
casket. There was nothing to relieve the monotony in this desert land,
except desperate Indians, immense herds of animal life, daily
coaches--when not held back or captured by the Indians or mountain
highwaymen--returning freight trains, and the following points where
there were adobe ranches: Dog Town, P