"I don't know if he took a drink or not," said "Dutch Wannigan" afterward. "I never saw him take one. But he came in and he paid for the drinks for the crowd. 'One more drink, boys,' he says. Then, as soon as they had their drinks, he says, 'Come on,' and away they went. He just took the lead and they followed him home. By gollies, I never seen anything like it!"
The round-up now worked southward. Roosevelt's diary gives its course from day to day.
- June 24. To Gardiner Creek.
- June 25. To Bullion's Creek.
- June 26. Down Bullion's Creek.
- June 27. To Chimney Butte.
- June 28. Rode in to Medora.
From Medora he wrote his sister Corinne:
I have been off on the round-up for five weeks, taking a holiday of a few days when we had a cold snap, during which time I killed two elk and six antelopes, all the meat being smoke-dried and now hanging round the trees, till the ranch looks like an Indian encampment. Since June 24th, I have never once had breakfast as late as 4 o'clock. I have been in the saddle all the day and work like a beaver and am as happy and rugged as possible.
To "Bamie" he wrote:
If I did not miss all at home so much, and also my beautiful home, I would say that this free, open-air life, without any worry, was perfection.
The round-up ended in Medora, where it had begun.
You would hardly know my sunburned and wind-roughened face [Roosevelt wrote "Bamie">[. But I have really enjoyed it and am as tough as a hickory nut.
He evidently did not think he needed any vacation after the strenuous labors of the preceding weeks, for his diary records no interlude.