RESORT OF INDIANS. 31 



driven into camp. The horses and mules are picketed within the en- 

 closure, while the oxen are tied up *to the wagons; sentinels are then 

 posted upon each side of the encampment, and kept constantly walking 

 in such directions that they may. have the animals continually in view. 



Many have supposed that cattle in a journey upon the plains would 

 perform better and keep in better condition by allowing them to graze 

 in the morning before starting upon the day's march, which would in- 

 volve the necessity of travelling during the heat of the day. These 

 persons are of opinion that animals will only feed at particular hours of 

 the day, and that the remainder of the day must be allotted them for 

 rest and sleep, amd that, unless these rules are adhered to they will not 

 thrive. This opinion, however, is, I think, erroneous, and I also think 

 that cattle will adapt themselves to any circumstances, so far as regards 

 their working hours and their hours of rest. If they have been accus- 

 tomed to labor at particular hours of the day, and the order of things 

 is at once reversed, the working hours being changed into hours of rest, 

 they may not do as well for a few days, but they soon become accus- 

 tomed to the change, and eat and rest as well as before. 



By starting at an early hour in the morning during the summer 

 months, the day's march is over before it becomes very warm; whereas, 

 (as I have observed,) if the animals are allowed time to graze before 

 starting, the march must continue during the middle of the day, when' 

 the animals (particularly oxen) will suffer much from the heat of the 

 sun, and, so far as my experience goes, will not keep in as good condi- 

 tion as when the other plan is pursued. I have adopted this course from 

 the commencement of our journey, and our oxen have continued to im- 

 prove upon it. Another and very important advantage to be derived 

 from this course is found in the fact that the animals, being tied up 

 during the night, are not liable to be lost or stolen. 



The country over which we are now passing, except directly in the 

 valleys of the streams, is very elevated and undulating, interspersed with 

 round conical hills, thrown up by the winds, with the apices very acute ; 

 the soil, a light gray sand, producing little other vegetation than weeds 

 and dwarf oaks. 



The creek up which we have been travelling runs almost parallel to 

 Red river, and affords us fine camping-places at any point. 



From the very many old Indian camps that we have seen, and the 

 numerous stumps of trees which at different periods have been cut by 

 the Indians along the whole course of the creek, we infer that this is, 

 and has been for many years, a place of frequent resort for the Coman- 

 ches, and I have no doubt they could always be found here at the time 



