Each soldier carried a bucket and shovel as defense against fire and a little book of _Rules, Regulations and Instructions_, called the "bible," to prepare him for any contingency. Among his routine instructions these orders appear: "... kill mountain lions, coyotes and timber wolves ... permit no cats and dogs ... keep pack trains off the road when vehicles are passing ... allow no one to approach within one hundred yards of bears...."
Each patrolman was required to record his daily activities in a journal and turn it over to his commanding officer. A perusal of these journal records is, on the whole, rather dull. The reading is not equal to the performance because spelling and diction were not among the soldiers' qualifications for duty. Still, there are occasions when, although "the letter killeth, the spirit giveth life." Incidents dealing with clues leading to the arrest of poachers and road agents, seizure of vandals, searches for lost persons, rescues of people treed by grizzlies and moose, or breakdowns, tip-overs, and runaways fairly shine with the excitement of the time.[328]
The soldiers had the finest western horses:
Our horses are good all-around animals, good jumpers, runners and drillers. Each horse understands the trumpet calls.... If the army mules are with the herd, the horses feel safe, for as soon as a bear or deer appears, they make a dash for them, and when the game sees those mules, with ears laid back, coming on a dead run, it always makes tracks for the woods.[329]
The soldier's uniform consisted of a dark blue blouse and light blue trousers, unstrapped and cut spoonshape over the boot, cartridge belt, revolver, peaked cap, and worsted gloves with black buttons. These boys, like soldiers generally, were partial to their uniforms and dress parade assignments. Fire fighting and trail clearing were onerous indeed, and while "a little road making on service is not a bad thing, continuous navying is enough to knock the heart out of any army."[330]
The army's public relations seemed to have been very satisfactory. The soldiers were uniformly friendly and helpful toward the tourists. John Muir considered it a "pleasing contrast to the ever changing management of blundering, plundering politicians.... The soldiers do their duty so quietly that the traveler is scarce aware of their presence."[331] Tourists called the soldiers "Swatties"; an English term in popular use at that time.
