the mountains(山脉)-第3节
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shirt。 The latter is lighter； softer； and more impervious to the wind than
the sweater。 Here again I wish to place myself on record as opposed to a
coat。 It is a useless ornament； assumed but rarely； and then only as
substitute for a handier garment。
Inasmuch as you will be a great deal called on to handle abrading and
sometimes frozen ropes； you will want a pair of heavy buckskin gauntlets。
An extra pair of stout high…laced boots with small Hungarian hob…nails
will come handy。 It is marvelous how quickly leather wears out in the
downhill friction of granite and shale。 I once found the heels of a new
pair of shoes almost ground away by a single giant…strides descent of a
steep shale…covered thirteen… thousand…foot mountain。 Having no others
I patched them with hair…covered rawhide and a bit of horseshoe。 It
sufficed； but was a long and disagreeable job which an extra pair would
have obviated。
Balsam is practically unknown in the high hills； and the rocks are
especially hard。 Therefore you will take； in addition to your gray army…
blanket； a thick quilt or comforter to save your bones。 This； with your
saddle…blankets and pads as foundation； should give you easeif you are
tough。 Otherwise take a second quilt。
A tarpaulin of heavy canvas 17 x 6 feet goes under you； and can be； if
necessary； drawn up to cover your head。 We never used a tent。 Since
you do not have to pack your outfit on your own back； you can； if you
choose； include a small pillow。 Your other personal belongings are those
you would carry into the Forest。 I have elsewhere described what they
should be。
Now as to the equipment for your horses。
The most important point for yourself is your riding… saddle。 The
cowboy or military style and seat are the only practicable ones。 Perhaps
of these two the cowboy saddle is the better； for the simple reason that
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often in roping or leading a refractory horse； the horn is a great help。 For
steep…trail work the double cinch is preferable to the single； as it need not
be pulled so tight to hold the saddle in place。
Your riding…bridle you will make of an ordinary halter by riveting two
snaps to the lower part of the head…piece just above the corners of the
horse's mouth。 These are snapped into the rings of the bit。 At night you
unsnap the bit； remove it and the reins； and leave the halter part on the
horse。 Each animal； riding and packing； has furthermore a short lead…
rope attached always to his halter…ring。
Of pack…saddles the ordinary sawbuck tree is by all odds the best；
provided it fits。 It rarely does。 If you can adjust the wood accurately to
the anatomy of the individual horse； so that the side pieces bear evenly and
smoothly without gouging the withers or chafing the back； you are
possessed of the handiest machine made for the purpose。 Should
individual fitting prove impracticable； get an old LOW California riding…
tree and have a blacksmith bolt an upright spike on the cantle。 You can
hang the loops of the kyacks or alforjasthe sacks slung on either side the
horse from the pommel and this iron spike。 Whatever the saddle
chosen； it should be supplied with breast… straps； breeching； and two good
cinches。
The kyacks or alforjas just mentioned are made either of heavy canvas；
or of rawhide shaped square and dried over boxes。 After drying； the
boxes are removed； leaving the stiff rawhide like small trunks open at the
top。 I prefer the canvas； for the reason that they can be folded and
packed for railroad transportation。 If a stiffer receptacle is wanted for
miscellaneous loose small articles； you can insert a soap…box inside the
canvas。 It cannot be denied that the rawhide will stand rougher usage。
Probably the point now of greatest importance is that of saddle…
padding。 A sore back is the easiest thing in the world to induce；three
hours' chafing will turn the trick；and once it is done you are in trouble
for a month。 No precautions or pains are too great to take in assuring
your pack…animals against this。 On a pinch you will give up cheerfully
part of your bedding to the cause。 However； two good… quality woolen
blankets properly and smoothly folded； a pad made of two ordinary collar…
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pads sewed parallel by means of canvas strips in such a manner as to lie
along both sides of the backbone； a well…fitted saddle； and care in packing
will nearly always suffice。 I have gone months without having to doctor
a single abrasion。
You will furthermore want a pack…cinch and a pack…rope for each
horse。 The former are of canvas or webbing provided with a ring at one
end and a big bolted wooden hook at the other。 The latter should be half…
inch lines of good quality。 Thirty…three feet is enough for packing only；
but we usually bought them forty feet long； so they could be used also as
picket…ropes。 Do not fail to include several extra。 They are always
fraying out； getting broken； being cut to free a fallen horse； or becoming
lost。
Besides the picket…ropes； you will also provide for each horse a pair of
strong hobbles。 Take them to a harness…maker and have him sew inside
each ankle… band a broad strip of soft wash…leather twice the width of the
band。 This will save much chafing。 Some advocate sheepskin with the
wool on； but this I have found tends to soak up water or to freeze hard。
At least two loud cow…bells with neck…straps are handy to assist you in
locating whither the bunch may have strayed during the night。 They
should be hung on the loose horses most inclined to wander。
Accidents are common in the hills。 The repair…kit is normally rather
comprehensive。 Buy a number of extra latigos； or cinch…straps。 Include
many copper rivets of all sizesthey are the best quick…repair known for
almost everything； from putting together a smashed pack…saddle to
cobbling a worn…out boot。 Your horseshoeing outfit should be complete
with paring…knife； rasp； nail…set； clippers； hammer； nails； and shoes。 The
latter will be the malleable soft iron； low…calked 〃Goodenough；〃 which
can be fitted cold。 Purchase a dozen front shoes and a dozen and a half
hind shoes。 The latter wear out faster on the trail。 A box or so of hob…
nails for your own boots； a waxed end and awl； a whetstone； a file； and a
piece of buckskin for strings and patches complete the list。
Thus equipped； with your grub supply； your cooking… utensils； your
personal effects； your rifle and your fishing…tackle； you should be able to
go anywhere that man and horses can go； entirely self…reliant； independent
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of the towns。
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III
ON HORSES
I really believe that you will find more variation of individual and
interesting character in a given number of Western horses than in an equal
number of the average men one meets on the street。 Their whole
education； from the time they run loose on the range until the time when；
branded； corralled； broken； and saddled； they pick their way under
guidance over a bad piece of trail； tends to develop their self…reliance。
They learn to think for themselves。
To begin with two misconceptions； merely by way of clea
