nto a
company and elect a commander. The company should be of sufficient
magnitude to herd and guard animals, and for protection against
Indians.

From 50 to 70 men, properly armed and equipped, will be enough for
these purposes, and any greater number only makes the movements of the
party more cumbersome and tardy.

In the selection of a captain, good judgment, integrity of purpose, and
practical experience are the essential requisites, and these are
indispensable to the harmony and consolidation of the association. His
duty should be to direct the order of march, the time of starting and
halting, to select the camps, detail and give orders to guards, and,
indeed, to control and superintend all the movements of the company.

An obligation should then be drawn up and signed by all the members of
the association, wherein each one should bind himself to abide in all
cases by the orders and decisions of the captain, and to aid him by
every means in his power in the execution of his duties; and they
should also obligate themselves to aid each other, so as to make the
individual interest of each member the common concern of the whole
company. To insure this, a fund should be raised for the purchase of
extra animals to supply the places of those which may give out or die
on the road; and if the wagon or team of a particular member should
fail and have to be abandoned, the company should obligate themselves
to transport his luggage, and the captain should see that he has his
share of transportation equal with any other member. Thus it will be
made the interest of every member of the company to watch over and
protect the property of others as well as his own.

In case of failure on the part of any one to comply with the
obligations imposed by the articles of agreement after they have been
duly executed, the company should of course have the power to punish
the delinquent member, and, if necessary, to exclude him from all the
benefits of the association.

On such a journey as this, there is much to interest and amuse one who
is fond of picturesque scenery, and of wild life in its most primitive
aspect, yet no one should attempt it without anticipating many rough
knocks and much hard labor; every man must expect to do his share of
duty faithfully and without a murmur.

On long and arduous expeditions men are apt to become irritable and
ill-natured, and oftentimes fancy they have more labor imposed upon
them than their com