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Show 18 NATIONAL WAGON ROAD GUIDE. I enforcing regulations, the cases are rare iD: which a com. pany of even twenty men hold together for more than half the entire journey. Nor are large numbers; conducive to the pleasantness of the trip, or camp life ; so that if no danger be apprehended from Indians, twelve or sixteen men are enough for a company. Where .families of women and children are along, a proportionate number of able bodied men should always be in attendance, to insure safety and a speedy progress. It is astonishing to see how "nature will out " upon the plains. Selfishness predominates ; but charar,ter in every phase shows itself, and as to good judgn1ent, in relation to matters of daily routine, every man knows his own to be best ; that he is right, if all the rest differ from, and all they, "'ith one another. One wants to rest ·on Sundays, another don't; one drives too fast, another too slow ; one would start early in the morning, another late ; one will stop at noon, others will not ; and to such an extent are these differences carried, it is no unusual circumstance to see the matter settled by a division of the entire outfit, animals, tent, provisions, and even the wagon, by being cut in the middle, and made into two carts, and each party of two persons goes on its way rejoicing, perhaps; but quite likely, in less than two days, the party of two will disagree, when one of them, with a well directed blow with an ax, will s.mash in a wheel of the cart ; then follows another division, and if not perfectly satisfactory to both parties, settle the minor NATIONAL WAGON ROAD GUIDE. 19 difficulties by a regular " set-to," till one or the other whips, when each packs his own animal and goes on hi~ way, glad to be rid of the other. So that a party, or '' mess," of four men to a wagon is enough, and as few of these to constitute a company as can well travel with snfety through the Indian country. THE KIND OF TEAM. ' In our advice to the emigrant in re~ard to team and outfit, it will be given as though he possessed but limited means. The more wealthy can do as they like; not always so the poor man, for we tried it. The best team for a man bringing with him his fai;nily, his flocks·and beards, and to some extent his household gods, is doubtless that of oxen. 'l.,hey are not quite so speedy, but they are the surest, and in proportion to their cost or value at the East, are worth the most in California. They require less attention on the journey than horses, are not as likely to stampede, or be stolen lJy Indians-with red skins or white-are less liable to accident or disease; will get along on P!?cre,r feed; therefore hold out better to the end of the ~r·.:t~·ney; and in all cases will go more kindly into; and out of,· bad creeks and mud holes ; but of all the tasks attempted or performed by the emigrant on his long and tedious journey, that of walking beside and driving an ox team is ' the worst. Not the first eight hundred miles, but the last thousand, in which the heat and dust are almost in- |