But the man without experience can hardly realize the work it was to get that bearskin off the carcass and then to pack it, wet, slippery, and heavy, so that it would ride evenly on the pony.

I was at the time fairly well versed in packing with a "diamond hitch," the standby of Rocky Mountain packers in my day; but the diamond hitch is a two-man job; and even working with a "squaw hitch," I got into endless trouble with that wet and slippery bearskin.

With infinite labor I would get the skin on the pony and run the ropes over it until to all seeming it was fastened properly.

Then off we would start, and after going about a hundred yards I would notice the hide beginning to bulge through between two ropes.

I would shift one of them, and then the hide would bulge somewhere else.