MANUAL OF PACK TEANSPORTATION. 91 



The near packer, in similar manner, brings the rope between the 

 top and side pack; in both cases the top corners of each "side" pack 

 retain the rope in position during the formation of the hitch. 



The near packer will then hold the cincha with the right hand, and 

 allow the coils held in left hand to drop to ground. 



Now throw or pass the cincha to the "off" packer, under the ani- 

 mal's belly, and form a loop, and pass the standing rope over the 

 load; the running rope over the animal's neck, as in forming the 

 single "diamond," and, after the "off" packer engages the standing 

 rope on the hook, the near packer throws, or passes, all rope on 

 ground to rea;r; this forms the rear half of the "diamond." 



Next, with the assistance of the "off" packer, bring the running 

 rope up to centier of load, and pass the running rope from rear to 

 front, belween the standing rope and cincha, as in forming the single 

 "dianiond." 



Now bring the end of rope between the standing and running ropes 

 from in, out, and draw 3 or 4 feet of the end forward and a ' 'diamond " 

 is formed on the near side. (Fig. 42.) 



The q^ packer, to form a "diamond" on the "off" side, takes the 

 end rope, as resting between the "top and side" pack, doubles a por- 

 tion, forming a loop, and brings this loop between the standing and 

 running ropes from in, out, and allows the loop to fall down; the 

 loop comes under the boot in the tightening of the hitch, separating 

 the rear and front ropes, thus forming a ' diamond" on the "off" 

 side. (Fig. 43. J 



The hitch is now formed, ready to tighten the load. 



In tightening the hitch, proceed in similar manner as in the single 

 "diamond," with the exception that the rear and front rope, in tight- 

 ening, passes along the face of each end of top pack, to retain the top 

 pack in position. This formation gives a "diamond" on each side 

 of the load; hence the name, "double diamond." (Fig. 44 for near 

 side and fig. 45 for off side.) 



HOW TO FORM THE DOUBLE HITCH. 



; Sec. 34. This form of hitch should never be used, except when 

 "packs are so narrow that the " diamond" will slip over them, as in the 

 case of kegs, a siiigle barrel, coils of rope, etc. 



The double hitch is made as described for the single diamond hitch, 

 >vith the two following exceptions: 



' (1) The "near" packer, before passing the running rope to rear 

 of pack, brings the running rope up, from the animal's neck, and lays 

 it on the center of the load, in front of the standing rope. He then 

 takes sufficient slack on the running rope between the packs, and lays 

 or throws it to rear of load, thus causing it to ride over both the run- 

 ning and., the standing ropes; he then takes the rope in front of the 

 standing rope and brings it down from right to left between the 

 standing rope and pack and under the boot of the aparejo in the'cus- 

 tomary manner. 



(2) The "off" packer, instead of placing the end of rope hetween 

 the standing and running ropes, places it under loth, then raises to 

 center of load, and drops about 12 inches of end on "near" side of 

 animal's neck, and hitch is formed ready to tighten. 



The hitch is tightened in the usual manner as in the operation of 

 the "diamond." 



