LIFE IN THE FAR WEST. 89 



creation not unfrequently deem it their bounden duty to 

 inflict upon their squaws for some dereliction of domestic 

 duty. 



To return, however, to La Bonte. That worthy thought 

 himself a lucky man to have lost but one of his wives, and 

 she the worst of the two. " Here's the beauty," he phi- 

 losophised, " of having two ' wiping-sticks ' to your rifle ; 

 if one breaks whilst ramming down a ball, there's still 

 hickory left to supply its place." Although, with animals 

 and peltry, he had lost several hundred dollars' worth of 

 " possibles," he never groaned or grumbled. " There's 

 redskin will pay for this," he once muttered, and was 

 done. 



Packing all that was left on the mule, and mounting 

 Chil-co-the on his buffalo horse, he shouldered his rifle 

 and struck the Indian trail for Platte. On Horse Creek 

 they came upon a party of French * trappers and hunters, 

 who were encamped with their lodges and Indian squaws, 

 and formed quite a village. Several old companions were 

 amongst them ; and, to celebrate the arrival of a " cama- 

 rade," a splendid dog-feast was prepared in honour of the 

 event. To effect this, the squaws sallied out of their 

 lodges to seize npon sundry of the younger and plumper 

 of the pack, to fill the kettles for the approaching feast. 

 With a presentiment of the fate in store for them, the curs 

 slunk away with tails between their legs, and declined 

 the pressing invitations of the anxious squaws. These 

 shouldered their tomahawks and gave chase ; but the 

 cunning pups outstripped them, and would have fairly 

 beaten the kettles, if some of the mountaineers had not 

 stepped out with their rifles, and quickly laid half-a-dozen 

 ready to the knife. A cayeute, attracted by the scent of 

 blood, drew near, unwitting of the canine feast in progress, 

 and was likewise soon made dog of, and thrust into the 

 boiling kettle w T ith the rest. 



The feast that night was long protracted ; and so savoury 

 was the stew, and so agreeable to the palates of the hungry 



* Creoles of St Louis, and French Canadians. 



