ROCKY MOUNTAIN TRAVEL. 65 I 



been wet and are gradually drj'ing by the heat of the sun. Have 

 a long " lariat " for each animal, for in some places in a timbered 

 country it will be necessary, to picket them over night, for if they 

 were turned loose they would stray through the woods in search 

 of better feed, and it would be a severe task to collect them to- 

 gether again. Put a cow bell on the neck of the gentlest mare, 

 and the whole herd will become attached to the animal wearing 

 the bell ; and when travelling let the " Bell mare " take the lead, 

 and the other animals will follow in single file where it would be 

 impossible to drive them. The cooking utensils should be several 

 camp kettles made of copper and lined with tin, (made to fit in 

 each other so they may be more easily packed,) a small Dutch 

 oven, spade, axe, hatchet, coffee mill, knives, forks, spoons, tin plates 

 and cups, a bread pan, frying pan, gridiron, whetstone, and two 

 small iron bars to lay over the fire to set kettles on when cooking. 

 The bedding for each person should consist of four California 

 blankets, a small pillow, a rubber poncho, buffalo robe, and half 

 a wagon cover of canvas to cover the whole bed and piotect it 

 from the rain. If tents are used, the small dog tent is the best, 

 and will be found very useful as a wrapper to roll the bedding in 

 for packing. For hunting large game, use the Gove rifle, of 

 Denver, or the Sharps from Hartford. There should always be 

 one good double-barreled shot gun in a party for the smaller game, 

 and thus provided for, there is always an abundance of fresh meat 

 to be had, which is a great addition and saving to the table. 

 When a party is preparing to camp out it is a good plan to estab- 

 lish a depot camp for a few days near some town, (where there is 

 good water and wood,) while fitting out, and become accustomed 

 to camp life before striking out for the more wild portions 

 of the country. The experience thus gained proves a good guide 

 for future operations. When starting out for a distant point, do 

 not travel too far the first few days, but make short marches until 

 the animals' backs become hardened to the arrapahoe. Do not 

 allow the arrapahoe or pack to become loose, but have them as 

 tight as two men can draw them. A mule may grunt a little about 

 being laced so tightly, but it is much better for them than to have 

 a pack rocking from side to side, backward and forward, thus 

 bruising the mule's back and ending in sores and a worthless 

 animal. In the saddle bags always carry a pound or two of good, 



