CAMP. 69 



The loss of animals being one of the most serious of 

 troubles, the camp should be so situated as to give the 

 greatest possible security to the waggons and picket line 

 against the sneaking attempts of thieves during the dark- 

 ness. The ground should be sufficiently level to permit 

 the tents being properly pitched ; the sward should be 

 thick, that rain may not render the camp muddy ; the 

 grass short, to secure against accident by fire. A few trees 

 add greatly to the beauty and comfort of a camp ; too 

 many shut out the sun's rays and keep the ground damp. 

 The camp should be in close vicinity to water, yet in such 

 a position as to be secure from the sudden rise to which 

 all the lesser plains streams are liable It should, as far 

 as possible, be sheltered from the wind-storms which 

 sweep the higher plains, and the sand-storms which occa- 

 sionally render the valleys unbearable. 



The smaller the party the more easy it is to find a 

 position to satisfy all these requirements. If it be a small 

 party with pack mules, or but one waggon and few animals 

 a hundred little nooks can be found, each seeming exactly 

 formed for convenience and comfort. If the party be 

 considerable, with several waggons, more time and care are 

 required to find a suitable camp. 



The position being decided upon, the waggons are 

 driven to the spot selected for them, and halted in line at 

 such distance apart that ropes stretched between the 

 hind wheels will give interval sufficient for picketing all 

 the riding animals. 1 The draft animals are fastened to 

 the tongues of the waggons. 



The very first thing to be done on going into camp is 

 to send out mounted pickets one or more, depending on 

 the nature of the ground to occupy those points in the 

 immediate vicinity which, either from their height or 



1 This is the 'picket line/ and should not be confounded with the 

 ' lariat ' or rope by which each animal is fastened while grazing. 



