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17.

Here Captain W.S. Hancock of the Quartermaster's Department came out from the fort with a pair of horses and a buggy to bring us our mail and take back our letters. He was a very fine looking man in the prime of life and of most pleasant and affable manners. He occupied my tent while he remained. I remember that he wore a suit of soft brown velveteen. His visit renewed our pangs? of leaving the States. During our delay Jackson, Hildt, Walker and myself drove down to Topeka to procure some additional vegetables. There were, according to my recollection but thirteen houses in the place although streets were staked off and named.

Our junior surgeon, Quinan or "Peruvian? Bark" as we called him, shortened into "P.B." for convenience, was a decidedly objectionable person to all officers? being an opium fiend and glaringly neglectful of his wife who seemed a very worth lady. The commanding officer kindly sent her back to Leavenworth from this point and if P.B. had fallen into the river no one would have mourned his loss. It seems necessary to mention this incident as it relieved us from subsequent grief on one occasion afterward concerning this "Medico" who came to be a burden. Our march was without special incident until we reached Council Grove when we saw buffalo for the first time and