CAMPING ON THE PLAINS 97 



I knew only a few of the plants and animals 

 on the plains. The yucca, a green, bristling, 

 plant-porcupine, was one of these. I carried 

 home with me a few pressed plants which 

 I wanted to know about. After each of the 

 camping trips that I made later I went to a 

 library as soon as I could and also talked with 

 people who might give me information about 

 some of the new plants or birds seen on a recent 

 trip. 



Often I could not find what I wanted to know. 

 Sometimes both books and people gave misin- 

 formation. By and by I learned that there were 

 many points concerning outdoor life that I 

 would have to find out for myself. I had no end 

 of fun and camping in exploring for what I 

 wanted to know. Beavers, bears, and moun- 

 tain sheep gave me many a day in the wild 

 places between camp-fires. The greatest fun 

 connected with camping is tracking, trailing, 

 and at last discovering another chapter of a real 

 unwritten nature story. 



I carried a notebook but I used it sparingly. 

 Sometimes I measured something and wanted 

 the exact figures. Or I put down the unusual, 

 or made a note of things I wanted to find out. 

 Here are a few of the things written while out 

 in the plains : 



"Sage is the only thing antelope ate while I 



