bjects its votaries to discipline in
preparing them for a successful career in its pursuit. The Military
Art, as enlarged to meet all the requirements of border service, the
savage in his wiles or the elements in their caprices, embraces many
other special arts which have hitherto been almost ignored, and results
which experience and calculation should have guaranteed have been
improvidently staked upon favorable chances.

The main object at which I have aimed in the following pages has been
to explain and illustrate, as clearly and succinctly as possible, the
best methods of performing the duties devolving upon the prairie
traveler, so as to meet their contingencies under all circumstances,
and thereby to endeavor to establish a more uniform system of marching
and campaigning in the Indian country.

I have also furnished itineraries of most of the principal routes that
have been traveled across the plains, taken from the best and most
reliable authorities; and I have given some information concerning the
habits of the Indians and wild animals that frequent the prairies, with
the secrets of the hunter's and warrior's strategy, which I have
endeavored to impress more forcibly upon the reader by introducing
illustrative anecdote.

I take great pleasure in acknowledging my indebtedness to several
officers of the Topographical Engineers and of other corps of the army
for the valuable information I have obtained from their official
reports regarding the different routes embraced in the itineraries, and
to these gentlemen I beg leave very respectfully to dedicate my book.

THE PRAIRIE TRAVELER.

CHAPTER I.

The different Routes to California and Oregon. Their respective
Advantages. Organization of Companies. Elections of Captains.
Wagons and Teams. Relative Merits of Mules and Oxen. Stores
and Provisions. How packed. Desiccated and canned Vegetables.
Pemmican. Antiscorbutics. Cold Flour. Substitutes in case of
Necessity. Amount of Supplies. Clothing. Camp Equipage. Arms.

ROUTES TO CALIFORNIA AND OREGON.

Emigrants or others desiring to make the overland journey to the
Pacific should bear in mind that there are several different routes
which may be traveled with wagons, each having its advocates in persons
directly or indirectly interested in attracting the tide of emigration
and travel over them.

Information concerning these routes coming from strangers living or
owning property near them, from age