Travelling in the Western Hunting Grounds. 1 7 



white man's friend he loved to call himself was always exerting 

 his influence to keep his more turbulent young bucks from joining 

 any of the warlike demonstrations of other tribes. But the Govern- 

 ment had recently allowed a much less ruly tribe, i.e., the Arrapahoes, 

 under a noted fighting chief, " Black Coal," to share the Soshones' 

 hunting grounds, and trouble between the new comers and their 

 old enemies the Utes, who again were allies of the Soshones, might 

 break out at any moment. The fact that the hunting grounds of 

 the powerful " Crow " tribe adjoined immediately to the north only 

 complicated the situation. 



It is now time to introduce the reader to the incidents of our 

 daily life, and I shall first of all ask him to visit our camp. 



There is a business-like air about it which shows that some 

 of its inmates have lived from early youth in the wilderness, and 

 have long learnt all the tricks of the backwoods to make them- 

 selves as comfortable and cosy as circumstances will permit. In 

 such a camp it suffices to cast a glance at the manner the tent if, 

 indeed, there be one at all in fine weather is stretched ; a look at 

 the way the rifles are secured on stout pegs driven into a handy 

 tree, and at the manner in which the fire is made up so that the 

 wind does not drive the smoke in the direction of the tent, to show 

 that it is not a " tenderfoot's " camp. 



Everything is in its place : the steel beaver traps with their 

 stake chains are neatly hung up on a convenient branch ; the raw- 

 hide pack-panniers, of material as stout as sole leather, wherein 

 are placed one's worldly goods while en route, are stacked up in 

 a heap with a sail-cloth cover over them ; the saddles, all of the 

 heavy Mexican type, each with the bridle belonging to it looped 

 over the horn, and the wooden pack-saddles, their cinche and lash- 

 ropes neatly hung over the cross-trees, are piled up and similarly 

 protected by a canvas cover. For no snug packing can be done if 

 the ropes get wet. In several big "nicks" cut in the camp tree 

 repose bits of soap, and on a peg hangs what is politely called the 

 " dish-cloth," which is, or rather once was, an old flour sack. The 

 two axes and my " antler saw " really an ordinary butcher's 



C 



