Under the direction of the officers, the plebes set to work to lay out the camp site. The small shelter tents were then pitched. They are known as “A tents,” from their shape. A person who is curious for a more exact description of them may care to peruse that of the solemn Parson, who assured his friends that each was “a regular prism or parallelopipedon reclining upon one of its rectilinear facets and having for its base an equilateral triangle, whose vertical angle subtends an arc of forty-five degrees.”
While the Parson was saying this most of the tents had been spread. The next duty was to dig a trench around each one and then to cut boughs upon which to sleep.
By dinner time most of the work was done. The cadets were then on the verge of starvation.
The army “rations” which were issued proved to contain more than hard-tack, after all, much to the joy of our friend Indian’s soul. There was a generous allowance of fresh meat, and three or four camp-fires already blazing by which to cook it. Everybody pitched in with avidity, and soon there was a lively scene indeed.
As usual, the Parson, who had, as we know, “taken all knowledge to be his province,” was right on deck with information upon the art and science of culinary practice. The Parson gave the history of cookery from the time Abel roasted his sheep to the twentieth century. Very soon he wished he had kept quiet, for several mischievous yearlings promptly suggested that since he knew so much about it would he “be so kind” as to do their cooking for them? And so the unfortunate Parson was soon standing with a frying pan in each hand (neither containing his own dinner) and with a facetious youngster urging him to hold a third one in his teeth.
Such is a picture of perhaps the most enjoyable day in all the season of summer camp—the beginning of the bivouac in the mountains. Whether the practice is maintained at West Point to the present day the writer is not certain; but in Mark’s day (and his own) it was a regular and much enjoyed custom.
The site of the camp is between two small lakes, Long Pond and Round Pond. Drinking water is obtained from one; the other the cadets use to bathe in. During the ten days of the stay they live in army style and when not on duty have the freedom of the woods. They learn guard duty, cook their own rations, and sleep on the ground. Incidentally it may be mentioned that the plebes who during the whole summer long had been compelled to march with hands at their sides and palms to the front whenever they appeared in public were now for the first time allowed to walk as ordinary mortals and “slap at the mosquitoes that bite them.” One may imagine that this is a privilege that is profoundly appreciated.
While we have been talking about them the cadets had gotten to work at their midday meal. Indian had started long ago, for he was so hungry that he had scarcely waited for the meat to cook. It was “rarer than a missionary,” as Dewey observed, a remark so disgusting that the fat boy vowed he wouldn’t eat another mouthful, a resolution to which he bravely stuck—having licked the platter clean before he made it.
Dinner was eaten and everything cleaned up. Then the guard detail for the day was assigned to duty, and after that the cadets scattered to amuse themselves as they pleased. Our friends, the Seven, went off straightway to find the swimming place.
For some reason not essential to the story, “B’gee” Dewey lingered behind at the camp. Some half an hour later he rejoined the party and they noticed to their surprise that he was out of breath and excited. His eyes were dancing merrily. Dewey was the delighted bearer of the information concerning the “banquet.”