h us,
how we work. You can all help if you want to.

"Are your sling-ropes all ready, Rob?" he inquired next. "Of course,
you see, the sling-ropes simply act like baskets on each side the
pack-saddle. They only support, and don't make fast.

"Now then, up with your side packs into your sling-ropes--so--that's
all right. Then the top pack on over the saddle, fitting well between
the two side packs. Shake them all down so to fit tight together. Now
throw the canvas cover over the top, and see that nothing is where it
will get busted when you cinch up.

"There, now, that's all right as far as it goes. Next we come to the
one part of packing more important than anything else. It is the
hitch which holds everything together. We're going to throw the
diamond hitch now. Without that, folks couldn't have settled this
western country or built railroads over the Rockies, maybe."

"Who first invented the diamond hitch, Uncle Dick?" queried Rob.

"Nobody knows, but it's Spanish, that's sure, and not Canadian. It got
up this far north on both sides of the Rockies, brought by miners and
packers of all colors and nationalities. Originally it came from
Mexico, and it came there from Spain, and perhaps it came to Spain
from northern Africa--who knows?--along with the cow-horse itself."

"But they don't always throw it the same way."

"No, there are several different throws of the diamond hitch, all of
them good. The one I'll show you was showed me by an old _cargador_ in
California. Now watch carefully how it is done, for it is easier to
see it than to tell about it.

"Now, here we have the long rope which makes the hitch. Some packers
throw the loose end out over the back of the horse. We'll just let it
point the other way--leave it tied to the horse's neck if you want.

"At the other end of the rope is our cinch-band, and the cinch-hook at
the other end of the band or girth. It's made out of wood or horn
sometimes. Now, Rob, I am going to pass the belly-band under the
horse. Catch the hook when it comes through. Are you all right now?"

"Yes, I've got it," answered Rob.

"Very well--you're the off-side packer, for it takes two to pack a
horse. Now watch closely, all of you, at what comes next. You see Rob
has the hook in his hand and I have the rest of the rope in my hand.
Now I double the rope and throw it over the top of the pack to Rob,
and he hooks the bight of the doubled rope over the cinch-hook. Got
that all right