Year: 1872

easy enough. xOQ 0t1vo your poc8eS.pS0
deep enough to hold, and leave enough Of
It above ground to permit the 6rm fssten.
ing of the rope, but not enough TO permit
the winding up of the rope on the pin by
possible circular promenades on the horses
al care on hts behalf, good night. Unless
he is very raw recruit At picket-duty, be
will move about with perfect freedom over
the whole circle of which the rope 10 the
radius; and you will hear him Dibble
and crunch the squeaking grass at oil
hours OF the night But when you ap-
prchend Indians, you can't afford to hunt
up smooth lawn for each horse. Al the
higher mountains are entered, the grass
grows scanty: and it Is necessary TO make
the best OF such patches "A occur. So the
animals get picketed where bushes interfere
with the tree circulation of the ropes. Or 90
near together that they can (and according
" doJ get up mutual entanglements Every
such performance shortens the radius and
realm OF food. An experienced picketer
genera!ly makes one or two attempts to dis
entangle himself, by travelling around in
tne direction that first occurs to him. II
th's happens to be the right one. he may
WORK out again TO the full area of his dos-
uned supper Otherwise he winds himself
up and then {unlike a clock) stops going.
IL IS the duty of the guard to 90 out, un-
wind him ana start him again. lest stand.
ing in patient disgust all night he be found
in the morning empty 0f grass and of spirit
for the days work. It Is solemnly amusing
to march IN moony midnight hither and
thither, followed by silent steed, through
oil the intricscies Of the knot he has tied
with the aid Of stumps, bushes, his own
legs and his neighbor's rope Fancy your.
self unravcling bad case of shoe. string.
and obliged to pull horse through every
loop, at the end of the string. The - Lam
GERS" is nothing to it. For real may
dance, to puzzle the floor committee, give
me the nine horse picket cotilliOn.


AT daylight the animals are let loose, and
stray about, trailing their long ropes, in
search of untramplcd grass for breakfast
1t is easy to catch them by means of the
ropes. though now and then an experienced
old fellow has learned the exact length of
his lariat. and will not let you get near
enough to clutch the end of it. This


KEEPING GUARD AT NIGHT


Without the companionship of the camp
fire is chilly and displriting affair The
first watch is not very lonely. There is
generally some wakeful comrade who sits
up in his bed to talk; or perhaps the whole
party linger around the fameless embers,
exchanging stories of adventure. But who
''goes on" from midnight till dawn. sur.
rounded only by mummies rolled in blsp-
kets on the ground, is thrown upon his
thoughts for company. The night noises
are mysterious and amazingly various. par
ticularly it the camp is surrounded by
woods. There are deer and elk going
down to the water to drink; there are un
natural birds that whistle and answer, for
all the world like ambuscad;ng savages;
there are cracking twigs; the picket ropes
crawl through the grass with dreadful
sound; the grass itself squcaks in al unearth-
ly way when 1t is pulled by the horses
mouths. The steady crunching Of their
grinders is reassuring, because familiar
sound; but ever and anon it stops sud.
denly-sll the horses seem to stand motion.
less and to listen. Their ears are quicker
than yours they hear something moving
in the forest-doubtless the willy Sioux
You glide from tree to tree. revolver in
hand. until you get near enough to see
that they are oil asleep. Old Bony 10
dreaming unpleasantly besides; it is an un.
canny thing-s horse with the nightmare
You make the rounds; they oil wake and
go to eating again; SO you know they were
not scared--except the bloOled hay, who
mistakes you for ~ Indian, and snorts and
cavorts furiously.


AN EARTHQUAKE. ......