TRAIL APPEARANCES 191 



cut three and a half miles directly to my 

 hotel. 



If it is vital to know north, it is equally 

 important to read country ; to see by the 

 slopes of the ground the direction of streams 

 and watersheds, and to observe the phenomena 

 of crossing or converging routes. One learns 

 in time to forecast the nature of the country 

 beyond the horizon. 



Most important of all is the difficult reading 

 of tracks and the glints on grass, also the move- 

 ments of birds and animals which in an arid 

 country are signs for finding water. 



For the rest, it is useful to note the tracks on 

 the trail showing who passed and when. 



It is wise, on meeting a man, to observe his 

 horse brands, equipment, and all the many 

 clues which show who and what he is as dis- 

 tinguished from what he says. It is a gross 

 breach of taste to ask him a personal question ; 

 but by knowing all about him one may guage 

 the value of his trail directions. There is 

 indeed a need for cautiousness, for not one 

 man in a hundred gives accurate directions 

 which can be safely followed. In central 

 Colorado there used to be a lady rancher 

 whose copious trail directions had endangered 

 so many travellers that, for a radius of two 



