Homesteading 



pasture, also a pickaxe, shovel, nails of various 

 sizes, some rope and lumber, besides a supply 

 of flour, pork, groceries, etc. These, with our 



goods which we picked up at Mr. G 's, made 



a very fair load. 



In town we had seen a man with a starved- 

 looking pony, which he told us he must get rid 

 of, as he was leaving that part ; she was what 

 is known as a " shaganappy," or Indian pony, 

 but such sometimes are of the mustang type 

 and have good blood in them. It may be that 

 they have sprung from Spanish stock that has 

 in the course of centuries worked northward. 

 Anyway, though in a wretched state, it seemed 

 possible she was in foal, and we agreed to give 

 the man fifty dollars for her, and brought her 

 with us tied behind the wagon. Her colour 

 was buckskin, and as her late owner said he called 

 her Nancy, she went by that name with us. 



As we should have to live in the tent for some 

 time, it was set up with care in a sheltered 

 spot, a hole being cut in the canvas for the stove- 

 pipe to pass through. 



A few armfuls of hay from a haystack not 

 far off and our rugs provided us with bedding ; 

 water we got from the neighbouring slough, and 

 as it was, of course, boiled for tea and in cooking, 

 it was pretty safe. As cattle drink from holes 



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