SOLON ROBINSON, 1844 395 



attached behind; a good tent, made of 30 yards cotton 

 drilling; 2 buffalo skins, 3 blankets, 1 horse-bucket, 1 do. 

 for drinking-water, 1 tea-kettle, (as men will drink cof- 

 fee, and so will I when on the road where I am obliged 

 to make the water bitter to destroy a worse taste,) 1 cof- 

 fee-pot, a pound of ground coffee in a little bag, a frying- 

 pan, a small pot, 6 round tin plates, 3 cups, 3 knives and 

 forks, a little pail for butter, a wooden box for sugar, a 

 few other small fixings in the provision chest, 40 lbs. 

 of bacon, a week's supply of bread, a bag of potatoes, two 

 or three bags of oats, a trunk of necessary clothes, (old 

 ones,) an axe, an auger, a little spare rope and a few 

 leather strings — and I am ready for a start. Rain or 

 shine I would sleep dry and warm in my tent, which is 

 made, when set up, in the shape of the roof of a house, the 

 ridge supported on a pole placed upon two posts about 

 seven feet long, sharpened and stuck into the ground ; the 

 bottom is fastened with pins, one gable end closed and the 

 other open towards the fire — cooking my own supper and 

 eating it from a broad board held up on 4 sticks stuck 

 in the ground, and partaking of all the comforts and con- 

 veniences that an "old camper" always knows how to 

 provide. 



I would take with me a man and boy, and a saddle and 

 bridle, but no saddle horse, because I could purchase one 

 there for $25 or 30 that would bring $40 at home. In 

 driving sheep, a good dog or horse is very necessary; the 

 average distance should not be over ten miles a day, if 

 yarded at night; or thirteen miles if pastured at night. 

 The expense of the baggage waggon and horses and 

 driver is much less than it would be without them, be- 

 sides the great convenience of having a wagon along, 

 which enables one to camp wherever wood, water, and 

 feed can be had at night, without being obliged to "push 

 ahead" to a tavern. 



Two good drivers can drive from 500 to 800, though 

 three are much better, and sometimes actually necessary. 



I find on looking over my memorandum, that I was 



