THE HORSEMAN'S DRESS i6i 



three very distinct phases. The buckskin 

 period of heroic adventure ; the period of blue 

 shirts and overalls marked by chaotic disorder 

 and the period of yellow khaki and brown 

 clothing with orderly progress. 



The period of blue clothing, however, was 

 one of perfect law and order in the wildest 

 parts of Canada ; of comparative disorder in 

 the North-Western States, and of total chaos 

 in the South-Western deserts. Even in West- 

 ern Canada, suicide was common, and terrific 

 drunks would seize in a moment upon whole 

 communities ; but the Mounted Police, wear- 

 ing scarlet, kept their discipline so that homi- 

 cides were almost invariabl_y hanged, and 

 robbers imprisoned with prompt efficiency. 



In the North-Western States, the suicides, 

 drunks, lynchings, robberies and homicides 

 were considered as privileges of a free citizen- 

 ship. There were vestiges of government. 



In the South-Western States, the only law 

 was that of the revolver, and duelling took the 

 place of government. 



In the three regions the amount of disorder 

 varied precisely with the intensity of the sun- 

 light, and lawlessness ceased with the intro- 

 duction, at the turn of the twentieth century, 

 of yellow, khaki and brown colours in clothing. 



