The White-Topped Wain
"That day's chief study was of wagons, those ships of the great American Sahara which, gathering in fleets at certain seasons, conduct the traffic between the eastern and the western shores of a…
Prairie Medicine
"Captain Marcy outfits his prairie traveler with a 'little blue mass, quinine, opium, and some cathartic medicine put up in doses for adults.' I limited myself to the opium, which is invaluable when…
Workshop Wagon
"A full-fledged t r a i n for crossing t h e p l a i n s was made up of twenty-five t o twenty-six wagons, or as sometimes stated…
Freighter Wagons
"The wagons used were of special design and construction, and built for 'the plains transportation business.' The tires were wide and heavy; the boxes, high and tight, were made of the beat…
Bullboats
"Crude rafts and hollowed-out cottonwoods were not suitable for commercial loads. The fur traders first attempted a modification of the circular Indian bullboat. This was an ingenious contrivance, resembling an…
Bullboats
"The very early fur traders' parties and the exploring expeditions had their own method of crossing which was entirely useless to wagon caravans. They made bullboats. The rules were like…
Mochilas Were a Later Innovation
"The mochilla [sic] system developed out of necessity—an adaptation made to problems encountered in the daily operation of the Pony Express. There is no indication that these special pouches were ordered and…
The Mochila
"To reduce weight, protect the mail, and speed up relays, Mr. Russell had special Pony Express saddles and mochilas made. The saddle was only a light wooden frame, with horn,…