1. The cowboy must never shoot first, hit a smaller man, or take unfair advantage.
2. He must never go back on his word, or a trust confided in him.
3. He must always tell the truth.
4. He must be gentle with children, the elderly, and animals.
5. He must not advocate or possess racially or religiously intolerant ideas.
6. He must help people in distress.
7. He must be a good worker.
8. He must keep himself clean in thought, speech action, and personal habits.
9. He must respect women, parents, and his nation's laws.
10. the cowboy is a patriot.

The pony rider carried the mail in a pouch called a Mochila. A food kit consisting of flour, cornmeal and bacon. His medicine kit held turpentine, borax and cream of tartar. Pretty slim survival gear compared to all the things we carry on a trip today. A letter cost $2.50 per ounce (and we complain about our postage prices!). If the weather held, the horses survived and the Indian's didn't catch him, the letter might hve mad ethe two thousand miles from Missouri to California in ten days. Lincoln's Inaugural Address made it to the West Coast in this manner. The Pony Express existed for about seventeen months.

More Bits 'N' Pieces about real horses in the next newsletter.

For more information visit:

• Bibliography