136 EARLY DAY STORIES. 



water to the depth of several feet. After a series of years 

 the shape of the hills in the vicinity of a blow-out some- 

 times becomes so changed that the wind ceases to act upon 

 it. The blow-out then, in a short time becomes grassed 

 over, and being protected from the winds on all sides, makes 

 a fine sheltered place for a camp. 



There should be wood and water near the camp, and 

 also good grass for the horses. It is better, however, to 

 carry the water necessary for the camp for a considerable 

 distance, rather than to make camp in an exposed place. As 

 to fuel — there are always dead bushes, either willows or 

 plum brush that have been killed by the fire, whenever the 

 camp is made in a thicket. In the sand hill country there 

 are always dead and well seasoned red roots that make a 

 very hot fire that lasts well. The red root is a shrub that 

 grows almost everywhere in the sand hill country, except- 

 ing on the low ground. It has roots from one to two inches 

 in diameter that are often uncovered by the wind, thus 

 causing the shrub to die. It usually takes but a few minutes 

 to gather up a big armful of them. Sometimes also cotton 

 wood, ash or hackberry trees could be had for fuel. A big 

 camp fire is not necessary either for pleasure or comfort, 

 but a well sheltered place for the camp is absolutely neces- 

 sary, and a small camp fire with enough fuel to often re- 

 plenish it is sufficient. 



We never used a tent until some time in the nineties — 

 in fact we had no tent and it cost too much to buy one when 

 the financial condition of those times was considered. In- 

 stead of a tent we always used an old rag carpet thrown 

 over some poles, tepee fashion, and it was just as comfort- 

 able and made us just as happy as though we had the best 

 kind of a canvas tent. 



If we camped in the sand hill cour^try it was usually 

 our habit to plant a pole on top of some prominent peak 



