TEN DAYS IN MONTANA. 137 



each camp and fresh butter and milk greet the hungry traveler 

 as he sits down at the hospitable board. Then, added to all 

 these, they spread before you game of a dozen different varie- 

 ties and all cooked to a turn. Buffalo hump, buffalo tender 

 loin, elk steak, roast loin of venison (mule deer and Virginia 

 deer), antelope chops, roast duck and broiled prairie-chicken 

 are a few of the delicacies with which our palates have been 

 tickled since we came west. Good cooks are employed in 

 these camps, the best that can be had in the Eastern cities 

 for money, and in many instances the cuisine equals that of 

 the Palmer House or Grand Pacific. What is said here of 

 the railroad people is generally true of the military. Major 

 Comba and his command are living in comfortable log 

 houses, floored and ceiled with dressed pine lumber. The 

 rooms are well furnished. Ingrain and Brussels carpets, wal- 

 nut bedsteads, bureaus, dressing cases, cast iron cook and 

 heating stoves are among the items of furniture one sees in 

 these quarters. 



The Little Missouri is one of the best game countries on 

 the line of the road ; that is, the largest variety of game is 

 found there. The bad lands furnish excellent cover for large 

 game. There are timbered coolies all along the river and 

 some timber along the banks of the river itself. There is 

 good grazing and plenty of fresh water all through this region, 

 and these conditions cause the game to congregate here. 

 These bad lands are a favorite winter resort for the buffalo. 

 In the deep cuts and canyons they are protected, in a great 

 measure, from the severity of the weather and by pawing the 

 snow away can always find plenty of good tender grass. At 

 other seasons, however, they prefer the open plains. The 

 Rocky Mountain sheep, elk, mule deer, Virginia deer, red 

 fox, beaver, otter, mink, wolf and coyote are all found here 

 in large numbers. Four mule deer, two elk, and two Rocky 



