ON THE PRAIRIE 173 



the wounded calf. Meanwhile the others ran 

 directly across Merrifield's path, and he 

 shot two. This gave us much more meat 

 than we wished; nor would we have shot 

 as many, but neither of us could reckon 

 upon the other's getting as much game, and 

 flesh was a necessity. Leaving Merrifield 

 to skin and cut up the dead animals, I 

 walked back to camp where I found the 

 teamster, who had brought in the hams 

 and tongues of two deer he had shot, and 

 sent him back with a pack-pony for the 

 hides and meat of the elk. Elk tongues are 

 most delicious eating, being juicy, tender, 

 and well flavored; they are excellent to 

 take out as a lunch on a long hunting trip. 

 We now had more than enough meat in 

 camp, and did not shoot at another cow or 

 calf elk while on the mountains, though we 

 saw quite a number; the last day of my 

 stay I was within fifty yards of two that 

 were walking quietly through a very dense, 

 swampy wood. But it took me some time 

 longer before I got any fine heads. 



