54 AMERICAN GAME BIRD SHOOTING 



for my destination, and reached it early in the afternoon, 

 but I found that the person I sought was encamped 

 about three miles distant, he being absent on a hunting 

 expedition. I rode to his quarters and was cordially 

 greeted by himself and his companions, and compli- 

 mented on my good fortune in securing so many birds. 



These were handed to the cook with instructions to 

 roast them in the highest style of art known in the wil- 

 derness, and he promised not only to obey but to show 

 what could be done with them in a culinary sense. This 

 led to a conversation about preparing food in camp, until 

 it finally developed into a suggestion that we ought to 

 indulge in a game dinner that evening. The suggestion 

 being favorably received, each of us seized a gun or a 

 fishing-rod, and sallied forth to replenish our larder. I 

 went after quail, and was so successful that I returned to 

 camp in about an hour with seven brace. 



I gave these to the cook, and he commenced preparing 

 them for dmner immediately. Having plucked three, he 

 placed them in the abdominal cavities of three turkeys, 

 and chuckled as he did so. He then placed six forked- 

 sticks, in twos, quite close to the fire; spitted the tur- 

 keys with straight, thin sticks; and laid tlie ends of each 

 stick in the upright crotches. The birds were turned 

 slowly and basted with butter, flour, salt, and water, 

 which dripped into pans placed beneath. 



" That's the way to cook a turkey in camp," exclaimed 

 the chief of the kitchen; " and I'll bet you'll say its the 

 sweetest turkey you ever ate, after you've tried it." 



I said I hoped he was right, and that I could vouch for 

 the richness of the odor, it being superior to any I could 

 recall. The remainder of the party returned in a short 

 time with a goodly supply of provender, one having a 

 young buck on his shoulders and another carrying a 

 string of trout in his hand. These were also soon under- 

 going the process of cooking, and when they were ready 



