CAMP COOKING. 83 



they occupy but little space, and are easily prepared by add- 

 ing sufficient water and sugar and stewing them over a very 

 slow fire. They are quite tart, and for sauce, with any kind 

 of game, are as good as cranberries. 



In fitting out camp equippage where it is necessary to 

 transport by pack-mule or burro, over mountain trails, it 

 would jpe well to dispense with some of the cooking uten- 

 sils, also the mess chest; in fact, all kinds of boxes, as they 

 are heavy and quite inconvenient to pack on mules, unless 

 there is an experienced packer in the party, or one who has 

 had some experience in mountain hunting. For a pack- 

 saddle the Mexican aparejo is the best, but for the totally 

 inexperienced, the Indian or Government pack-saddle is the 

 best. If regular paniers can be had, you will have the best 

 possible arrangement. The Mexican panier is a strong wil- 

 low basket, something like an office waste basket, but larger, 

 with the side that is next to the pack-saddle flat, the re- 

 maining sides an oval, and larger at the top than bottom. 

 Judging from memory, the bottom should be about 10 by 

 24 inches, the top 16 by 24 inches, and 20 inches deep. 

 Two such bapkets strapped together at the flat sides of the 

 larger, or open ends, makes a set for one pack animal. The 

 straps should be strong and buckled, that baskets can be ad- 

 justed the proper distance apart, to rest firmly on the pack- 

 saddle, or aparejo. If regular basket paniers cannot be had, 

 pouches made of leather or heavy canvass can be made, 

 something like a very large pair of old-fashioned saddle- 

 bags. The pouches should be closed with a flap or cover, 

 buckled dow r n; either pouches or paniers are very con- 

 venient for packing on animals, and your traps are more 

 easily managed than without them. To put a pack-saddle 

 or an aparejo on a mule properly, thereby preventing sores 

 on his back, is the great secret in successful packing. 

 Much depends upon fitting on the saddle and having the load 



