Harper's New Monthly Magazine Volume 21 June to November 1860 . hisout at the first camping-ground. Instead ofringing for coals and ordering a chop, we had tochop our wood and build our fires and fry ourown pork. The streams, which are the Crotonsand Cochituates of the prairies, had to make con-nection with our temporary houses by woodenpails instead of iron pipes, and we to learn howmuch easier it is to reach a bell-rope and turn afaucet than to be hewers of wood and drawers ofwater. Riding in the sun and the labor and excite-ment of starting had given us the appetites ofBrobdignagians. Visio
Harper's New Monthly Magazine Volume 21 June to November 1860 . hisout at the first camping-ground. Instead ofringing for coals and ordering a chop, we had tochop our wood and build our fires and fry ourown pork. The streams, which are the Crotonsand Cochituates of the prairies, had to make con-nection with our temporary houses by woodenpails instead of iron pipes, and we to learn howmuch easier it is to reach a bell-rope and turn afaucet than to be hewers of wood and drawers ofwater. Riding in the sun and the labor and excite-ment of starting had given us the appetites ofBrobdignagians. Visions of savory messes,clouds of fragrant steam, in which Soyer theimmortal seemed enjoying perpetual apotheosis,floated through our minds as we pitched tlietents and drove their stakes, stacked the gunsand spread our blankets for the night, and thenwaited and listened for the call to supper. Pres-ently it came, and in the one word Gruh Vand grub it was. The tea, virgin as when gath-ered in the gardens of the celestials, had impart- HARPERS KEW MONTHLY ed none of its virtue to the ravishing hot water,and the decoction which we poured into our tincups from the new tin tea-pot deserved no bettername than hot slops. We asked for bread andreceived a stone, or at least something so com-l)act, solid, and yet springy, that if it could beproduced in sufficient quantities it might super-sede the pavements of New York, with dangerto horses, profit to the contractor, and .additionto the general filth—the three essentials. Friedsalt pork was the piece de resistance. These were our bad beginnings, however. Wehad not then got into the region of game. Sub-sequently we had bread as light and good ascould be desired, and banqueted on flesh, fish,and fowl of an infinite variety. Even Delmon-ico denies you the ])leasurc which we had—of shooting your own bird, picking, dressing, andsalting it,and impaling the cadaver upon a sharjistick, there to broil over the coals of the camp-fire in
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