All These
Were Cooked In Hunters' Style; Served Up With A Profusion Known
Only On A Plentiful Hunting Ground, And Discussed With An
Appetite That Would Astonish The Puny Gourmands Of The Cities.
But above all, and to give a bacchanalian grace to this truly
masculine repast, the captain produced his mellifluous keg of
home-brewed nectar, which had been so potent over the senses of
the veteran of Hudson's Bay.
Potations, pottle deep, again went
round; never did beverage excite greater glee, or meet with more
rapturous commendation. The parties were fast advancing to that
happy state which would have insured ample cause for the next
day's repentance; and the bees were already beginning to buzz
about their ears, when a messenger came spurring to the camp with
intelligence that Wyeth's people had got entangled in one of
those deep and frightful ravines, piled with immense fragments of
volcanic rock, which gash the whole country about the head-waters
of the Blackfoot River. The revel was instantly at an end; the
keg of sweet and potent home-brewed was deserted; and the guests
departed with all speed to aid in extricating their companions
from the volcanic ravine.
43.
A rapid march A cloud of dust Wild horsemen "High Jinks"
Horseracing and rifle-shooting The game of hand The fishing
season Mode of fishing Table lands Salmon fishers The
captain's visit to an Indian lodge The Indian girl The pocket
mirror Supper Troubles of an evil conscience.
"UP and away!" is the first thought at daylight of the Indian
trader, when a rival is at hand and distance is to be gained.
Early in the morning, Captain Bonneville ordered the half dried
meat to be packed upon the horses, and leaving Wyeth and his
party to hunt the scattered buffalo, pushed off rapidly to the
east, to regain the plain of the Portneuf. His march was rugged
and dangerous; through volcanic hills, broken into cliffs and
precipices; and seamed with tremendous chasms, where the rocks
rose like walls.
On the second day, however, he encamped once more in the plain,
and as it was still early some of the men strolled out to the
neighboring hills. In casting their eyes round the country, they
perceived a great cloud of dust rising in the south, and
evidently approaching. Hastening back to the camp, they gave the
alarm. Preparations were instantly made to receive an enemy;
while some of the men, throwing themselves upon the "running
horses" kept for hunting, galloped off to reconnoitre. In a
little while, they made signals from a distance that all was
friendly. By this time the cloud of dust had swept on as if
hurried along by a blast, and a band of wild horsemen came
dashing at full leap into the camp, yelling and whooping like so
many maniacs. Their dresses, their accoutrements, their mode of
riding, and their uncouth clamor, made them seem a party of
savages arrayed for war; but they proved to be principally
half-breeds, and white men grown savage in the wilderness, who
were employed as trappers and hunters in the service of the
Hudson's Bay Company.
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