ey should be
brought within the chain of sentinels and picketed as compactly as is
consistent with the space needed for grazing, and under no
circumstances, unless the Indians are known to be near and an attack is
to be expected, should they be tied up to a picket line where they can
get no grass. Unless allowed to graze at night they will fall away
rapidly, and soon become unserviceable. It is much better to march
after nightfall, turn some distance off the road, and to encamp without
fires in a depressed locality where the Indians can not track the
party, and the animals may be picketed without danger.

In descending abrupt hills and mountains one wheel of a loaded wagon
should always be locked, as this relieves the wheel animals and makes
every thing more secure. When the declivity is great both rear wheels
should be locked, and if very abrupt, requiring great effort on the
wheel animals to hold the wagon, the wheels should be rough-locked by
lengthening the lock-chains so that the part which goes around the
wheels will come directly upon the ground, and thus create more
friction. Occasionally, however, hills are met with so nearly
perpendicular that it becomes necessary to attach ropes to the rear
axle, and to station men to hold back upon them and steady the vehicle
down the descent. Rough-locking is a very safe method of passing heavy
artillery down abrupt declivities. There are several mountains between
the Missouri River and California where it is necessary to resort to
one of the two last-mentioned methods in order to descend with
security. If there are no lock-chains upon wagons, the front and rear
wheels on the same side may be tied together with ropes so as to lock
them very firmly.

It is an old and well-established custom among men experienced in
frontier life always to cross a stream upon which it is intended to
encamp for the night, and this rule should never be departed from where
a stream is to be forded, as a rise during the night might detain the
traveler for several days in awaiting the fall of the waters.

STORMS.

In Western Texas, during the autumn and winter months, storms arise
very suddenly, and, when accompanied by a north wind, are very severe
upon men and animals; indeed, they are sometimes so terrific as to make
it necessary for travelers to hasten to the nearest sheltered place to
save the lives of their animals. When these storms come from the north,
they are called "_northers;_"