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Sleeping along the Trail

In a report by Superintendent I. C. Woods was: "When camping, after a drive of
about ten miles, we unharness in the middle of the road, and from one end to the
other, from San Antonio to San Diego, the road can almost be measured by the ashes
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of our camp fires."
Phocian R. Way gives a number of accounts about sleeping along the trail. On
January 11, 1858, he wrote: "Camped last night about 10 miles this side of San Pedro
[River]. Hobbled our mules, stationed our guard, and retired to rest on the ground
as usual." This description very closely describes the scene of sleeping along the trail
drawn by William H. Hilton.
After arriving in Tucson Phocion gives this colorful account:

"There is no tavern or other accommodation here for travelers, and I [was] obliged to roll
myself in my blanket and sleep either in the street or corral, as the station house had no
windows or floor and was too close and warm. The corral is where they keep the horses
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and mules, but I slept very comfortably as the ground was made soft by manure."

Charles F. Huning reported that on reaching Lassiter's in California: "We had to
sleep in a low hut with a fire in the middle, regular Indian fashion, having to lay
down to sleep to keep out of the smoke; . . ." After reaching their next station: "We
arrived at our stopping place, (rode on horseback that day,) slept in a house on a hard
dirt floor." In the Ninety Mile Desert; "We stopped at Indian Wells all night, and
found enough water for ourselves and animals; also, some wood to make a fire—the
night was pretty cold." Arriving in Tucson: "Beds are a thing scarcely known in this
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country, and we had to sleep on the floor the whole time."

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