A cavalcade of train owners and mayordomos
was constantly scouting in all directions, but they never ventured
out of sight of the traveling teams. We started daily at sunrise and
traveled till noon or until we made the distance to our next watering
place. Then we camped and turned our live stock out to rest and crop
the prairie grass. After several hours we used to resume our journey
until nightfall or later to our next camping ground. Every man had to
take his turn about at herding cattle and horses during the
nighttime. Only the cooks were exempt from doing herd and guard duty.
We pitched our nightly camps by forming two closed half circles of
our wagons, one on each side of the road so as to form a corral. By
means of connecting the wagons with chains, this made a strong
barricade, quite efficient to repulse the attacks of hostile Indians,
if defended by determined men. Every freight train when in camp was a
little fort in itself and an interesting sight at nighttime, when the
blazing fires were surrounded by men who were cooking and passing the
time in various ways. Some were cleaning and loading their guns,
others mended their clothes. Here and there you would find some
genius playing dreamy, monotonous Spanish airs on the guitar, in the
midst of a merry group of dancing and singing young Mexicans, many of
whom were not older than I.
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