Waterfowl. 55 



so muddy that it can only be called liquid by courtesy. 

 On the great plains wood is even scarcer, and at least half 

 the time the only material from which to make a fire will be 

 buffalo chips and sage brush ; the long roots of the latter 

 if dug up make a very hot blaze. Of course when wood 

 is so scarce the fire is a small one, used merely to cook 

 by, and is not kept up after the cooking is over. 



When a place with grass, wood, and water is found, 

 the wagon is driven up to the windward side of where the 

 beds are to be laid, and the horses are unhitched, watered, 

 and turned out to graze freely until bedtime, when a cer- 

 tain number of them are picketed or hobbled. If danger 

 from white or red horse-thieves is feared, a guard is kept 

 over them all night. The ground is cleared of stones and 

 cacti where the beds are to be placed, and the blankets 

 and robes spread. Generally we have no tent, and the 

 wagon-cover is spread over all to keep out rain. Mean- 

 while some one gathers the wood and starts a fire. The 

 coffee-pot is set among the coals, and the frying-pan with 

 bacon and whatever game has been shot is placed on 

 top. Like Eastern backwoodsmen, all plainsmen fry about 

 every thing they can get hold of to cook ; for my own 

 use I always have a broiler carried along in the wagon. 

 One evening in every three or four is employed in baking 

 bread in the Dutch oven ; if there is no time for this, bis- 

 cuits are made in the frying-pan. The food carried along 

 is very simple, consisting of bacon, flour, coffee, sugar, 

 baking-powder, and salt ; for all else we depend on our 

 guns. On a long trip every old hand carries a water-proof 

 canvas bag, containing his few spare clothes and neces- 



