130 LIFE IN THE FAR WEST 



reaction after such excitement was almost worse than 

 the evil itself. During this time, all the work de- 

 volved upon the squaws, who, in tending the horses, 

 and in packing wood and water from a long distance, 

 had their time sufficiently occupied. As there was 

 little or no grass in the vicinity, the animals were sup- 

 ported entirely on the bark of the cotton-wood ; and 

 to procure this, the women were daily engaged in fell- 

 ing huge trees, or climbing them fearlessly, chopping off 

 the upper limbs springing like squirrels from branch 

 to branch, which, in their confined costume, appeared 

 matter of considerable difficulty. 



The most laughter-provoking scenes, however, were, 

 when a number of squaws sallied out to the grove 

 with their long-nosed wolfish-looking dogs harnessed to 

 their travees or trabogans, on which loads of cotton- 

 wood were piled. The dogs, knowing full well the 

 duty required of them, refuse to approach the coaxing 

 squaws, and, at the same time, are fearful of provoking 

 their anger by escaping and running off. They, there- 

 fore, squat on their haunches, with tongues hanging out 

 of their long mouths, the picture of indecision, remov- 

 ing a short distance as the irate squaw approaches. 

 When once harnessed to the travee, however, which is 

 simply a couple of lodge-poles lashed on either side of 

 the dog, with a couple of cross-bars near the ends to 

 support the freight, they follow quietly enough, urged 

 by bevies of children who invariably accompany the 

 women. Once arrived at the scene of their labours, the 

 reluctance of the curs to draw near the piles of cotton- 



