CAMPING ON THE PLAINS 91 



My equipment now consisted of a haversack, one 

 blanket, one waterproof canvas, a large and a 

 small tin cup, tin pan, canteen, hatchet, pocket- 

 knife, and a field glass. This seemed to be 

 enough. I did not have any kind of a gun. 

 Later I often carried still less equipment. I have 

 found a sleeping bag the most satisfactory bed, 

 but I sometimes went without bedding. 



Many of the cottonwoods along this stream 

 had fire scars on the westerly side of the trunk. 

 The bark on a number was burned off on one side 

 nearly as high as my head. I puzzled for two 

 or three days why this was all on the westerly 

 side. Against the westerly side of other clumps 

 of cottonwoods I saw quantities of windblown 

 trash, leaves, grass, and tumbleweeds. Then, 

 of course, I knew the burning of west-side trash 

 piles would make fire scars on the westerly side 

 of tree trunks. Every few years the plains are 

 swept by prairie fires. These fire-made tree 

 blazes were a new point in woodcraft. 



To watch the ways of antelope I one morning 

 climbed to the top of a hill, waved my hat, 

 then looked through my glass at the antelope 

 on a hill miles off. A number saw me and 

 flashed or opened their white rump patches. 

 This flashing was seen by antelope still farther 

 off on the horizon; for I saw their rumps sud- 

 denly show white flags. By watching and sig- 



