LIFE IN THE FAR WEST. 125 



started off to approach the unwary bird in the most ap- 

 proved fashion of northern deer-stalkers. The buzzard sat 

 quietly, and now and then stretched its neck to gaze upon 

 the advancing sportsman, who on such occasions threw 

 himself flat on the ground, and remained motionless, in 

 dread of alarming the bird. It was worth while to look at 

 the countenance of old Killbuck, as he watched the antics 

 of the " bourgeois " hunter. He thought at first that the 

 dandy rifleman had really discovered game in the bottom, 

 and was nothing loath that there was a chance of his seeing 

 meat ; but when he understood the object of such man- 

 oeuvres, and saw the quarry the hunter was so carefully ap- 

 proaching, his mouth grinned from ear to ear, and, turning 

 to La Bonte, he said, " Wagh ! he's some he is ! " 



Nothing doubting, however, the stranger approached the 

 tree on which the bird was sitting, and, getting well under 

 it, raised his rifle and fired. Down tumbled the bird ; and 

 the successful hunter, with a loud shout, rushed frantically 

 towards it, and bore it in triumph to the camp, earning the 

 most sovereign contempt from the two trappers by the 

 achievement. 



The other stranger was a quieter character. He, too, 

 smiled as he witnessed the exultation of his younger com- 

 panion (whose horse, by the way, was scampering about 

 the plain), and spoke kindly to the mountaineers, whose 

 appearance was clear evidence of the sufferings they had 

 endured. The snakes by this time were cooked, and the 

 trappers gave their new acquaintances the never-failing in- 

 vitation to " sit and eat." When the latter, however, under- 

 stood what the viands were, their looks expressed the hor- 

 ror and disgust they felt. 



" Good God ! " exclaimed the elder, " you surely cannot 

 eat such disgusting food ? " 



"This niggur doesn't savy what disgustin' is," gruffly 

 answered Killbuck ; " but them as carries empty paunch 

 three days an' more, is glad to get ' snake meat,' I'm 

 thinkin'." 



" What ! you've no ammunition, then ? " 



" Well, we haven't" 



