128 HUNTING ADVENTURES. 



They are all (or nearly so) killed with arrows and tht lance, 

 while at full speed; and the reader may eajily imagine, that these 

 scenes afiord the most spirited and picturesque views of the sporting 

 kind that can possibly be seen. 



At present I will give a little sketch of a bit of fun I joined in 

 festerd?y, with Mr. M'Kenzie and a number of his men, without 

 the company or aid of Indians. 



I mentioned the other day, that M'Kenzie's table from day to 

 Jay groans under the weight of buffalo tongues and beaver's tails, 

 and other luxuries of this western land. He has within his Fort 

 a spacious ice-house, in which he preserves his meat fresh for any 

 length of time required : and sometimes, when his larder rus low, 

 He starts out, rallying some five or six of his best hunters (not to 

 hunt, but to "go for meat"). He leads the party, mounted on his 

 favorite buffalo horse fi. e. the horse amongst his whole group 

 tfhich is best trained to run the buffalo,) trailing a light and short 

 gun in his hand, such an one as he can most easily reload whilrt 

 his horse is at full speed. 



Such was the condition of the ice-house yesterday morning, 

 which caused these self-catering gentlemen to cast their eyes with 

 a wishful look over the prairies ; and such was the plight in which 

 our host took the lead, and I, and then Mons. Chardon, and Ba'tiste 

 Defonde and Tullock (who is a trader amongst the Crown, and is 

 here at this time, with a large party of that tribe,) and there Were 

 several others whose names I do not know. 



As we were mounted and ready to start, M'Kenzie called up 

 .iome four or five of his men, and told them to follow immediately 

 on our trail, with as many one-horse carts, which they were to 

 harness up, to bring home the meat ; "ferry them across the ri.ei 

 in a scow," said he, "and following our trail through the bottom, 

 you will find us on the plain yonder, between the Yellow Stone 

 and Missouri rivers, with meat enough t:> load you home. My 

 watch on yonder bluff has just told us by his signals, that there are 

 cattle a plenty on that spot, and we are going there as fast as 

 possible." We all crossed the river, and galloped away a couple 

 of miles or so, when we mounted the bluff; and to be sure as was 



