forms a half hitch, below which hangs the cinch. Lead the pack rope
over the top of the pack, around the other kyack, and through to form
another half hitch. Cinch up, and throw either the single diamond or the
square hitch. The combination will clamp the kyacks as firmly as
anything can.

[Illustration: _The Bucking Hitch._]

[Sidenote: The Miner's Hitch]

5. _The Miner's Hitch._--This hitch is very much on the same principle,
but is valuable when you happen to be provided with only a short rope,
or a cinch with two rings, instead of a ring and a hook.

[Illustration: _The Miner's Hitch._]

[Sidenote: The Miner's Hitch]

Take your rope--with the cinch unattached--by the middle and throw it
across the pack. Make a half hitch over either kyack. These half
hitches, instead of running around the sides of the kyacks, as in the
last hitch, should run around the top, bottom, and ends (see diagram).
Thrust bight (_b_) through cinch ring, and end (_a_) through the bight.
Do the same thing on the other side. Make fast end _a_ at _c_, and end
_d_ at _e_, cinching up strongly on the bights that come through the
cinch rings.

[Illustration: Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

_THE LONE PACKER HITCH._]

[Illustration: Fig. 4

Fig. 5

_The Lone Packer Hitch._]

[Sidenote: The Lone Packer Hitch]

6. _The Lone Packer or Basco Hitch._--This is a valuable hitch when the
kyacks are heavy or knobby, because the last pull lifts them away from
the horse's sides. It requires at least forty feet of rope. I use it a
great deal.

[Sidenote: The Lone Packer Hitch]

Cinch up with the jam hitch as usual. Throw the end of the rope across
the horse, under the forward end of the kyack on the far side, beneath
it and up over the rear end of the kyack. The rope in all other hitches
binds against the bottom of the kyacks; but in this it should pass
between the kyack and the horse's side (Fig. 1). Now bring a bight in
loose end (_a_) forward _over_ rope (_c_), and thrust it through _under_
rope (_c_) from front to back (Fig. 2). Be sure to get this right.
Hold bight (_b_) with left hand where it is, and with the other slide
end (_a_) down along rope (_c_) until beneath the kyacks (Fig. 3). Seize
rope at _d_ and pull hard directly back; then pull cinchwise on _a_. The
first pull tightens the pack; the second lifts the kyacks. Carry end
(_a_) across the pack and repeat on the other side. Fasten finally
anywhere on top. Fig. 4 shows one side com