LIFE IN THE FAR WEST. 141 



to feed," thrusting at the same time a tolerable slice of liver into 

 his hand, which the patient looked at wistfully and vaguely for a 

 few short moments, and then greedily devoured. It was nightfall 

 by the time that La Bonte, assisted by many intervals of hard 

 eating, packed in the last of the meat, which formed a goodly pile 

 around the fire. 



"Poor bull" it was, in all conscience : the labor of chewing a 

 mouthful of the " tender-loin" was equal to a hard day's hunt ; 

 but to them, poor starved fellows, it appeared the richest of meat. 

 They still preserved a small tin pot, and in this, by stress of eternal 

 boiling. La Bonte contrived to make some strong soup, which soon 

 restored his sick companion to marching order. For himself, as 

 soon as a good meal had filled him, he was strong as ever, and 

 employed himself in drying the remainder of the meat for future 

 use. Even the wolf, bony as he was, was converted into meat, 

 and rationed them several days. Winter, however, had set in 

 with such severity, and Killbuck was still so weak, that La Bonte 

 determined to remain in his present position until spring, as he 

 now found that buffalo frequently visited the valley, as it was 

 more bare of snow than the loAvlands, and afforded them better 

 pasture ; and one morning he had the satisfaction of seeing a band 

 of seventeen bulls within long rifle-shot of the camp, out of which 

 four of the fattest were soon laid low by his rifle. 



They still had hard times before them, for toward spring the 

 buffalo again disappeared ; the greater part of their meat had been 

 spoiled, owing to there not being sufficient sun to diy it thorough- 

 ly ; and when they resumed their journey they had nothing to 

 carry with them, and had a desert before them without game of 

 any kind. We pass over what they suffered. Hunger and thirst 

 were their portion, and Indians assaulted them at times, and 

 many miraculous and hair-breadth escapes they had from these 

 enemies. 



