"It's too steep.

The wagons will run over the mules." "Oh, no," I said.

"The mules will have to keep out of the way." I instructed Wilson, the chief wagon-master, to bring up his mess-wagon.

He drove the wagon to the brink of the bluff.

Following my directions, he brought out extra chains with which we locked both wheels on each side, and then rough-locked them.
This done, we started the wagons down the hill.