roll under or
wrinkle. After the saddle is in place, lift it slightly and loosen the
blanket along the back bone so it will not draw down tight under the
weight of the rider. Next hang your rifle-scabbard under your left
leg. It should be slanted along the horse's side at such an angle that
neither will the muzzle interfere with the animal's hind leg, nor the
butt with your bridle-hand. This angle must be determined by
experiment. The loop in front should be attached to the scabbard, so
it can be hung over the horn; that behind to the saddle, so the muzzle
can be thrust through it. When you come to try this method, you will
appreciate its handiness. Besides the rifle, you will carry also your
rope, camera, and a sweater or waistcoat for changes in temperature.
In your saddle bags are pipe and tobacco, perhaps a chunk of bread,
your note-book, and the map--if there is any. Thus your saddle-horse
is outfitted. Do not forget your collapsible rubber cup. About your
waist you will wear your cartridge-belt with six-shooter and
sheath-knife. I use a forty-five caliber belt. By threading a buck
skin thong in and out through some of the cartridge loops, their size
is sufficiently reduced to hold also the 30-40 rifle cartridges. Thus
I carry ammunition for both revolver and rifle in the one belt. The
belt should not be buckled tight about your waist, but should hang well
down on the hip. This is for two reasons. In the first place, it does
not drag so heavily at your anatomy, and falls naturally into position
when you are mounted. In the second place, you can jerk your gun out
more easily from a loose-hanging holster. Let your knife-sheath be so
deep as almost to cover the handle, and the knife of the very best
steel procurable. I like a thin blade. If you are a student of animal
anatomy, you can skin and quarter a deer with nothing heavier than a
pocket-knife.

When you come to saddle the pack-horses, you must exercise even greater
care in getting the saddle-blankets smooth and the saddle in place.
There is some give and take to a rider; but a pack carries "dead," and
gives the poor animal the full handicap of its weight at all times. A
rider dismounts in bad or steep places; a pack stays on until the
morning's journey is ended. See to it, then, that it is on right.

Each horse should have assigned him a definite and, as nearly as
possible, unvarying pack. Thus you will not have to search everywhere
for th