IW 



62 BEDDING AND TENTS. 



Upon encamping the wagons are formed 

 into a 'hollow square' (each division to a 

 side), constituting at once an enclosure 

 corral) for the animals when needed, and' „ 

 fortification against the Indians. Not to era- 

 barrass tliis cattle-pen, the camp fires are 

 all lighted outside of the wagons. Outside 

 of the wagons, also, the traveUers spread their 

 beds, winch consist, for the most part, of buf- 

 falo-rugs and blankets. Many content them- 

 selves with a smgle Mackinaw ; but a pair 

 constitutes the most regular paUet ; and ha 

 that IS provided with a buffalo-rug into the 

 bargain, is deemed luxuriously supplied. It 

 is most usual to sleep out in the open air, as 

 weU to be at hand in case of attack, as indeed 

 for comfort; for the serene sky of the Prairies 

 affords the most agreeable and wholesome 

 canopy. That deleterious attribute of night 

 au: and dews, so dangerous in other chmates, 

 IS but nttle experienced upon the high plains : 

 on the contrary, the serene evening'air seems 

 to affect the health rather favorably than oth- 

 erwise. Tents are so rare on tliese expedi- 

 tions that, in a caravan of two hundred men, 

 I have not seen a dozen. In time of rain the 

 to-aveller resorts to his wagon, which affords a 

 far more secure shelter than a tent; for if 

 the latter is not beaten down by the storms 

 which so often accompany rain upon the 

 prames, the ground underneath is at least apt 

 to be flooded. During dry weather, how- 

 eveiv even the mvahd prefers the open air. 



rnot to the date of our trip it had been cus- 



