Waterfowl 63 



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. Meanwhile 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 everything 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, biscuits 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 necessaries; on a short trip a little oil- 

 skin one, for the tooth-brush, soap, towel, etc., 

 will do. 



On -the evening in question our camping-ground 

 was an excellent one ; we had no trouble about any- 

 thing, except that we had to bring water to the 

 horses in pails, for the banks were too steep and 

 rotten to get them down to the river. The beds 

 were made under a great elm, and in a short time 

 the fire was roaring in front of them, while the 

 tender grouse were being roasted on pointed sticks. 



