ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 29 



if tlie tackling is good, it is almost impossible for a horse to 

 escape. Care is always taken to stake him in a spot where he 

 may eat grass all night. The animals are placed sufficiently 

 far apart to prevent them interfering with each other. 



Camping out to-night is not so agreeable as it might be, in 

 consequence of the ground being very wet and muddy, and our 

 blankets (our only bedding) thoroughly soaked ; but we expect 

 to encounter greater difficulties than these ere long, and we do 

 not murmur. 



A description of the formation of our camp may, perhaps, 

 not be amiss here. The party is divided into messes of eigh|. 

 men, and each mess is allowed a separate tent. The captain of 

 a mess, (who is generally an " old hand," i. e. an experienced 

 forester, hunter, or trapper,) receives each morning the rations of 

 pork, flour, «Sz;c. for his people, and they choose one of their body 

 as cook for the whole. Our camp now consists of nine messes, 

 of which Captain W.'s forms one, although it only contains four 

 persons besides the cook. 



When we arrive in the evening at a suitable spot for an en- 

 campment. Captain W. rides round a space which he considers 

 large enough to accommodate it, and directs where each mess 

 shall pitch its tent. The men immediately unload their horses, 

 and place their bales of goods in the direction indicated, and in 

 such manner, as in case of need, to form a sort of fortification 

 and defence. When all the messes are arranged in this way, 

 the camp forms a hollow square, in the centre of which the horses 

 are placed and staked firmly to the ground. The guard consists 

 of from six to eight men, and is relieved three times each night, 

 and so arranged that each gang may serve alternate nights. 

 The captain of a guard (who is generally also the captain of a 

 mess) collects his people at the appointed hour, and posts them 

 around outside the camp in such situations that they may com- 



