MANUAL OF PA(^K TRANSPORTATION. 25 



EVOLUTION OF THE DIAMOND HITCH. 



This form of hitch has its origin in the crosstreo hitch. The early 

 trappers of the Hudson Bay Company intnxhiced the crosstree hitch 

 among the Indians of the Northwest, and hater the Americans gave 

 to this hitch the name of the "squaw" hitch; along the Pacific coast, 

 in sections where sheep raising has become an industry, it is known 

 as the "sheepherder's" hitch, and by miners and prospectors as the 

 "prospector's" hitch. 



In the use of the aparejo, in forming the crosstree hitch (sec. 40) 

 in bringing the loop of the running rope under the boot of the 

 aparejo instead of around the "side" pack on each side, evolved 

 the "double" hitch, and in not bringing a loop of the running rope 

 under and forward of the standing rope— that is, forming the loop 

 in rear of the standing rope — led to the formation of the "Oregon" 

 diamond hitch (sec. 38), so named in being first practiced in that 

 "Territory before it became a State. 



The practice of first throwing the lash rope cincha under the ani- 

 mal's belly to the off packer, in forming the regular diamond, in 

 contrast to the crosstree and Oregon hitches, in which the lash rope 

 is first thrown over the load and under the animal's belly by the 

 near packer, may be said to date with the advent of the Americans 

 after the discovery of gold in California, 1848-49. This I have heard 

 disputed by some of the old-time packers of the early fifties, who 

 stated the regular diamond was practiced by the Mexicans of Cali- 

 fornia. However this may be, it may be stated the regular diamond 

 hitch is used in the States bordering on the Rio Grande. In the 

 Santa Rosa mines, State of Coahuila (Mexico), I have seen the dia- 

 mond in use in 1878. In Mexico it has been the custom to use the 

 crosstree and stirrup hitches, with the employment of the donkey, and 

 aparejo made of matting; in the case of the stirrup hitch (sec. 41) a 

 cmcha 2 feet long, having a ring at each end, is employed; in forming 

 the hitch the cincha is held under the animal's belly, using the ring 

 on each end instead of forming the stirrup. 



The double diamond hitch (sec. 33) was used in the days of freight- 

 ing by civilian pack trains from The Dalles to the mining camps in 

 the interior when barrels of flour, vinegar^ pork, etc., had to be trans- 

 ported. This hitch had become a lost art m government service, due 

 to a lack of necessity for its use, and is known to very few packers 

 of the present dav, the double hitch being erroneously called the 

 "double diamond." (Sec. 34.) 



The pole hitch has been erroneously called the "squaw" hitch; the 

 fact that the Indians have never used the aparejo confirms this state- 

 ment. It can not be used with the crosstree or riding saddle, as no 

 portion of the rope in the formation of the hitch encircles the body 

 of the animal. (Sec. 37.) 



