54 THE PLAINS. 



applied to a level upland ; ' bottom,' to the level land 

 bordering a stream and enclosed between the sides of the 

 ravine. All land which is not level is ' divide,' though 

 this term is specially and technically applied to the 

 summit or junction of the slopes rising from two con- 

 tiguous ravines. 



The line or ridge separating the waters of two streams 

 not uniting with each other, is called a 'principal divide.' 



In very many parts of the plains the sides of the 

 ravines are so extremely precipitous that crossing them is 

 out of the question, and all travel must either be along 

 the ' bottoms ' or along the ' divides.' The ' bottom,' 

 though comparatively level, is almost always scored by a 

 ditch which, winding from one precipitous side to the 

 other, necessitates innumerable crossings ; and, as its banks 

 are generally steep, immense labour is required to make a 

 waggon road. Sometimes a ' bottom ' is so narrow and 

 broken that it is impossible to follow it. The 'divide,' 

 on the contrary, is nearly always comparatively unbroken 

 level, and offers a good, though sometimes an exceedingly 

 crooked, route. 



For the prime necessities of camp life water, wood, 

 and grass camps must habitually be made on or near 

 the streams, generally in the ' bottom.' Suppose from 

 such a camp it is desired to go from one main stream to 

 another parallel to it. If some distance apart, a tributary 

 of one may be followed up for water until the party is 

 within a day's march of water on some tributary of the 

 other before taking to the ' divide.' If closer together, 

 or if there be no known tributary with water, the ' divide ' 

 should be taken as soon as possible. 



It is not always an easy matter to get out of the 

 ' bottom ' into the ' divide.' Fortunately the traveller 

 is restricted in his selection of place for ascent, only by 

 the general direction in which he wishes to travel. 

 Having once mastered the ascent of the side of the 

 ravine, his principal difficulty is overcome. 



