318 THRILLING ADVENTURES. 



A 



sides, to see how the thing was done to study the modes 

 and expressions of these splendid scenes, which I am indus- 

 triously putting upon canvass. 



They are all (or nearly so) killed with arrows and the 

 lance, while at full speed ; and the reader may easily imagine, 

 that these scenes afford 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 with Mr. M'Kenzie and a number of his men, without the 

 company or aid of Indians. Mr. M'Kenzie's table from day 

 to day 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 

 for any length of time required ; and, sometimes, when his 

 larder runs 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 (i. e. 

 the horse amongst his whole group which 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 whilst 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 tfie plight 

 in which our host took the lead, and I, and then Mons. Char- 

 don, and Ba'tiste Defonde and Tullock (who is a trader 

 amongst the Crows, 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 some four or five of his men, and told them to follow im- 

 mediately on our trail, with as many one-horse carts, which 

 they were to harness up, to bring home the meat ; " ferry 

 them across the river in a scow," said he, "and follow our 

 trail through the bottom, you will find us on the plain yonder, 



