The six wagons were always parked in an oblong square, one at each end and
two on each side; but in order to make the central space large enough for
camping purposes, they were placed several feet apart; the gaps being
closed with lariats, tied from wheel to wheel, to pen in the animals and
keep out charges of Apache cavalry. On either flank of this enclosure, and
twenty yards or so distant from it, paced a sentry. Every two hours, as we
have said, they were relieved, and in the alternate hours the posts were
visited by the sergeant or corporal of the guard, who took turns in
attending to this service. The squad that came off duty in the morning was
allowed during the day to take naps in the wagons, and was not put upon
the harder camp labor, such as gathering firewood, going for water, etc.

The two ladies and the Indian women slept at night in the wagons, not only
because the canvas tops protected them from wind and dew, but also because
the wooden sides would shield them from arrows. The men who were not on
guard lay under the vehicles so as to form a cordon around the mules.
Thurstane and Coronado, the two chiefs of this armed migration, had their
alternate nights of command, each when off duty sleeping in a special
wagon known as "headquarters," but holding himself ready to rise at once
in case of an alarm.

The cooking fires were built away from the park, and outside the beats of
the sentries. The object was twofold: first, to keep sparks from lighting
on the wagon covers; second, to hide the sentries from prowling archers.
At night you can see everything between yourself and a fire, but nothing
beyond it. As long as the wood continued to blaze, the most adroit Indian
skulker could not approach the camp without exposing himself, while the
guards and the garrison were veiled from his sight by a wall of darkness
behind a dazzle of light.