116 PREPARATION FOR THE DESERT. 



the civilised spot whence I was to "jump" into the 

 desert. 



It was soon resolved that the first thing to be done 

 was to procure an ambulance waggon, to be drawn by 

 two good mules, in which I was to carry my light bag 

 gage and to sleep ; this ambulance to be fitted with a 

 double cover or tilt, and to travel on easy springs. The 

 other waggon was to be of stronger construction, to be 

 drawn by four mules, and to carry the heavy baggage, 

 consisting of tent for my men, provisions for six weeks, 

 and all the necessary appendages for camping out on the 

 Plains ; to these two waggons had also to be appended 

 the necessary harness for four and a pair of mules, to 

 which I subsequently added a single set of harness for 

 one stout mule, which was to draw a smaller waggon for 

 my dogs. Picket-pins and ropes, halters, camp-kettles, 

 water-buckets, axes, hatchets, spades, bacon, flour, sugar, 

 salt, pepper, and a hundred other things, had to be col 

 lected and arranged. 



I also had to procure for my own immediate use two 

 saddles, made on the English principle, and a double rein 

 or curb and snaffle bridle, and, much to the astonishment 

 of the best tradesmen in St Louis, had an opportunity of 

 ridiculing the American saddle, which is at least a hun 

 dred years behind the modern or English improvement, 

 and of laughing at the huge upstanding crutch, which 

 rises perpendicularly from the pommel, of course for 

 the purpose of holding on by in an unseating difficulty. 

 This crutch insures as well the great probability of the 

 death of the rider, in the event of his horse throw 

 ing a somersault and falling on him. No unlikely 

 thing I thought to happen to horse and rider on coming 

 into the holes of a prairie-dog town, partially concealed 



