taste of buffalo meat that night. Many of Gilliam's party came in later. Some of them reported forty-five head as the estimate of their killing; but they had separated a good deal in the chase, and some had gone a long way from camp before they cooled down to reflect what they were doing. The most of the game that was drawn was of the latest killing. Mr. Parrish's estimate of forty thousand pounds of the best beef was probably much under the destruction, as it is reasonable to suppose many wounded animals got away.
There was much confusion as the result of this chase, and there was a growing dread of the consequences of being under such a man's orders, as Mr. Gilliam had shown himself to be—a headlong leader of unreflecting and wasteful slaughter. Colonel Simmons, whom I had never seen with a gun in his hand, was right in refusing to share longer the responsibility with a man who at rest would stop the train at the convenience of his own child, but did literally nothing to help along, or prepare the men and boys from whom he should have expected obedience how to carry into effect his orders. There was more than an election necessary to fill Colonel Simmons' place. The general took the course such a man might be expected to follow to allay the dissatisfaction which the resignation now made plain to every one. He made a threatening declaration as to the punishment he would inflict on any one who presumed to leave camp without his permission; and his hand was raised to emphasize his declaration that he would "hang upon the nearest tree the man who dared to leave the company." Daniel Clark, riding by at this time, broke in on the general's tirade, crying out, "If any of you men or boys intend going to Oregon, come on; I'm going." General Gilliam stopped, saying, "That's
