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his own invention。 If he were sent ahead to set the pace； he lagged and
loitered and constantly looked back； worried lest he get too far in advance
and so lose the bunch。 If put at the rear； he fretted against the bit； trying
to push on at a senseless speed。 In spite of his extreme anxiety to stay
with the train； he would once in a blue moon get a strange idea of
wandering off solitary through the mountains； passing good feed； good
water； good shelter。 We would find him； after a greater or less period of
difficult tracking； perched in a silly fashion on some elevation。 Heaven
knows what his idea was： it certainly was neither search for feed； escape；
return whence he came； nor desire for exercise。 When we came up with
him； he would gaze mildly at us from a foolish vacant eye and follow us
peaceably back to camp。 Like most weak and silly people； he had
occasional stubborn fits when you could beat him to a pulp without
persuading him。 He was one of the type already mentioned that knows
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but two or three kinds of feed。 As time went on he became thinner and
thinner。 The other horses prospered； but Tunemah failed。 He actually
did not know enough to take care of himself； and could not learn。 Finally；
when about two months out； we traded him at a cow…camp for a little
buckskin called Monache。
So much for the saddle…horses。 The pack…animals were four。
A study of Dinkey's character and an experience of her characteristics
always left me with mingled feelings。 At times I was inclined to think
her perfection： at other times thirty cents would have been esteemed by me
as a liberal offer for her。 To enumerate her good points： she was an
excellent weight… carrier； took good care of her pack that it never scraped
nor bumped； knew all about trails； the possibilities of short cuts； the best
way of easing herself downhill； kept fat and healthy in districts where
grew next to no feed at all； was past…mistress in the picking of routes
through a trailless country。 Her endurance was marvelous； her
intelligence equally so。 In fact too great intelligence perhaps accounted
for most of her defects。 She thought too much for herself； she made up
opinions about people； she speculated on just how far each member of the
party； man or beast； would stand imposition； and tried conclusions with
each to test the accuracy of her speculations； she obstinately insisted on
her own way in going up and down hill；a way well enough for Dinkey；
perhaps； but hazardous to the other less skillful animals who naturally
would follow her lead。 If she did condescend to do things according to
your ideas； it was with a mental reservation。 You caught her sardonic eye
fixed on you contemptuously。 You felt at once that she knew another
method； a much better method； with which yours compared most
unfavorably。 〃I'd like to kick you in the stomach；〃 Wes used to say； 〃you
know too much for a horse！〃
If one of the horses bucked under the pack； Dinkey deliberately tried
to stampede the othersand generally succeeded。 She invariably led
them off whenever she could escape her picket…rope。 In case of trouble
of any sort； instead of standing still sensibly； she pretended to be subject to
wild…eyed panics。 It was all pretense； for when you DID yield to
temptation and light into her with the toe of your boot； she subsided into
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common sense。 The spirit of malevolent mischief was hers。
Her performances when she was being packed were ridiculously
histrionic。 As soon as the saddle was cinched； she spread her legs apart；
bracing them firmly as though about to receive the weight of an iron safe。
Then as each article of the pack was thrown across her back； she flinched
and uttered the most heart…rending groans。 We used sometimes to amuse
ourselves by adding merely an empty sack； or other article quite without
weight。 The groans and tremblings of the braced legs were quite as
pitiful as though we had piled on a sack of flour。 Dinkey； I had forgotten
to state； was a white horse； and belonged to Wes。
Jenny also was white and belonged to Wes。 Her chief characteristic
was her devotion to Dinkey。 She worshiped Dinkey； and seconded her
enthusiastically。 Without near the originality of Dinkey； she was yet a
very good and sure pack…horse。 The deceiving part about Jenny was her
eye。 It was baleful with the spirit of evil；snaky and black； and with
green sideways gleams in it。 Catching the flash of it； you would forever
after avoid getting in range of her heels or teeth。 But it was all a delusion。
Jenny's disposition was mild and harmless。
The third member of the pack…outfit we bought at an auction sale in
rather a peculiar manner。 About sixty head of Arizona horses of the C。 A。
Bar outfit were being sold。 Toward the close of the afternoon they
brought out a well…built stocky buckskin of first…rate appearance except
that his left flank was ornamented with five different brands。 The
auctioneer called attention to him。
〃Here is a first…rate all…round horse；〃 said he。 〃He is sound； will ride；
work； or pack； perfectly broken； mild； and gentle。 He would make a
first…rate family horse； for he has a kind disposition。〃
The official rider put a saddle on him to give him a demonstrating turn
around the track。 Then that mild； gentle； perfectly broken family horse
of kind disposition gave about as pretty an exhibition of barbed…wire
bucking as you would want to see。 Even the auctioneer had to join in the
wild shriek of delight that went up from the crowd。 He could not get a
bid； and I bought the animal in later very cheaply。
As I had suspected； the trouble turned out to be merely exuberance or
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