Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 22.djvu/152



142 S. H. TAYLOR

If a man will bring- with him proper fishing tackle, he can get good catfish from the Missouri, Elkhorn, and Loupe, and the Platte as far up as fifty miles below Ft. Laramie. In the Missouri they catch multitudes going up from 50 to 90 Ibs. each. Though poorly supplied with tackle we caught a few fine catfish in the Loupe and Platte, and some dace in the small streams.

The patent wagon lock is thrown away by everybody who has it, and the simple chain substituted. A lock is indispen- sible, and the common chain is, I believe, universally pre- ferred.

That which I believe is pronounced the best form of stove, is that of the common plate stove, but level at top and bottom, with two holes over the furnace, draught under and over the oven, and flue in the end. 3 or 4 feet perpendicular draught is necessary. We see none such among the hundreds that are thrown away. A stove should be double where most exposed to heat say half the front end and bottom. At least one camp kettle should be taken besides a dripping pan, coffee kettle, two tin kettles, and frying pan.

The best form of tent is just that of the common house roof not more than 6 to 6 1 / X> feet high, and 10 feet wide, well secured with pins at the edges. With such a form we have found brace ropes and all such securities useless or nearly so. The three poles used with such a tent, may be made very light, and the whole be lighter, more convenient, and safer and better than any other form.

Great care should be used to have ox yokes and bows right every way right chains light but good, of right length, with good hooks, and a half dozen or so of good heavy false links will be found worth their weight in silver.

Wagon tire should be so bolted to the felly that it may be readily taken off. This is very important. When our tire becomes loose, we take it off, find an old stove by the way and cut it into strips, and put them on the rim of the wheel and set the tire over them. All the irons should be in the