Ranching in the Bad Lands 41 



spirit in the thermometer sinks to 60 65 Fah- 

 renheit, it is necessary to have more wraps and bed- 

 ding, and we use beaver-robes and bear-skins. An 

 oilskin "slicker" or waterproof overcoat and a pair 

 of chaps keep out the rain almost completely. 



Where most of the hunting is done on horseback 

 the hunting-pony is a very important animal. Many 

 people seem to think that any broken-down pony 

 will do to hunt, but this seems to me a very great 

 mistake. My own hunting-horse, Manitou, is the 

 best and most valuable animal on the ranch. He 

 is stoutly built and strong, able to carry a good- 

 sized buck behind his rider for miles at a lope with- 

 out minding it in the least ; he is very enduring and 

 very hardy, not only picking up a living, but even 

 growing fat when left to shift for himself under 

 very hard conditions ; and he is perfectly surefooted, 

 and as fast as any horse on the river. Though 

 both willing and spirited, he is very gentle, with an 

 easy mouth, and will stay grazing in one spot when 

 left, and will permit himself to be caught without 

 difficulty. Add to these virtues the fact that he will 

 let any dead beast or thing be packed on him, and 

 will allow a man to shoot off his back or right by 

 him without moving, and it is evident that he is 

 as nearly perfect as can be the case with hunting- 

 horseflesh. There is a little sorrel mare on the 

 ranch, a perfect little pet, that is almost as good, 

 but too small. We have some other horses we fre- 

 quently use, but all have faults. Some of the quiet 

 ones are slow, lazy, or tire easily; others are gun 



