F O R E S T C O O K E E Y . 86 



seem to understand tlie matter at all. He was greatly 

 alarmed, to be sure, but we beard bim wbistling every 

 few minutes, and beating tbe ground witb bis feet, as 

 if bounding up and down, some forty or fift}^ rods 

 away in tbe forest, for a long time. He was sbut out 

 from our view, as we were from bis, by tbe dense 

 foliage between us. At last we beard bim bound 

 away in earnest, and all was still again. Our deer 

 was a small two year old, and exceedingly fat and 

 tender. We supped on bis sirloin, roasted before tbe 

 fire tbat nigbt, and tbat witb a relisb seldom equalled. 

 Tbe science of roasting a sirloin of venison in tbe 

 woods, is not to be despised. One must understand it 

 to succeed well. Two crotcbed sticks are set up be- 

 fore, and at a proper distance from tbe fire, and from 

 eacb otber ; across tbese in tbe fork, and at tbe beigbt 

 of about six feet, is laid anotber. Tbe venison is sus- 

 pended from tbis cross-bar by a string, close enougb 

 to tbe fire to roast, and is kept constaiitly turning, so 

 tbat all sides get an equal portion of tbe beat. We 

 used a pint basin for a dripping-pan, from wbicb, ever 

 and anon, we basted it witb tbe ricb gravy tbat 

 dripped from it wbile roasting. Bircb bark, just 

 peeled from tbe trees, served for platters and plates 



