22 SPORTING ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST. 



would be to make no contracts with them except for their 

 personal services, and to obtain wagons, horses, and mules 

 from other parties, as the former often charge unusually 

 heavy prices for their teams, and furnish the poorest ani- 

 mals in their herds in the bargain. The majority, how- 

 ever, are honest, and will do all in their power for their 

 patrons ; but these are generally off the highways of trav- 

 el, and are themselves ardent followers of the chase. The 

 services of a good guide ought to be obtained for two or 

 three dollars per day, and if an Indian, for one dollar; and 

 a team and driver ought not to cost more than thirty dol- 

 lars per week, or five dollars per day. If it is intended to 

 continue the hunt for any lengthened period of time, the 

 best method would be to purchase whatever wagons and 

 animals may be needed, as they can be sold again when 

 the season is over for nearly as much as they cost in the 

 first instance. Good mustangs can be obtained at from fif- 

 teen to sixty dollars each ; but mules are dear, they being 

 rather scarce beyond the Rocky Mountains. In the ma- 

 jority of cases it would be better to use pack animals for 

 transporting the baggage, as this gives greater mobility, 

 and they can traverse mountainous regions which wagons 

 cannot even enter. For travelling over hills or any rug- 

 ged country, mules make the best riding animals, as they 

 are hardy, patient, and sure-footed ; but a mustang or an 

 American horse is better for the plains, its gait being 

 much more easy and regular than that of the long-eared 

 quadruped. 



The best tent for camping purposes, during the summer 

 at least, is the wall tent, with fly attached, as that is con- 

 venient to pitch, easily folded, can be readily ventilated 

 during sultry weather, and is of a shape that enables beds 

 to be put up with little trouble. It should be made of 

 duck heavy enough to keep out rain and the fierce rays of 

 a noonday sun; and poles for it should always be carried 

 along, as their weight is nothing in comparison to the 

 delay and annoyance of cutting new ones at every en-r 

 campment, even where wood is plentiful ; whereas in many 



