OF A RANCHMAN 



95 



when the chances are that he will have 

 reached water, for of course by that time he 

 will have made a desperate push to get to it. 

 When found, it is more than likely to be bad, 

 IK ing either from a bitter alkaline pool, or 

 from a hole in a creek, so muddy that it can 

 only be called liquid by courtesy. On the 

 great plains wood is even scarcer, and at 

 least half the time the only material from 

 which to make a fire will be buffalo chips' 

 and sage brush ; the long roots of the latter 

 if dug up make a very hot blaze. Of course 

 when wood is so scarce the fire is a small 

 one, used merely to cook by, and is not kept 

 up after the cooking is over. 



When a place with grass, wood, and water 

 is found, the wagon is driven up to the wind- 

 ward side of where the beds are to be laid, 

 and the horses are unhitched, watered, and 

 turned out to graze freely until bedtime, 

 when a certain number of them are picketed 

 or hobbled. If danger from white or red 

 horse-thieves is feared, a guard is kept over 

 them all night. The ground is cleared of 



