LIFE IN THE FAR WEST. 147 



cooked, and the trappers gave their new acquaintances the never- 

 faihng invitation to "sit and eat," When the latter, however, 

 understood what the viands were, their looks expressed the horror 

 and disgust they felt. 



" Good God I " exclaimed the elder, " you surely can not 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 I you've no ammunition, then ?" 

 " Well, we haven't." 



" Wait till the wagons come up, and throw away that abom- 

 inable stuff, and you shall have something better, I promise," said 

 the elder of the strangers. 



" Yes," continued the younger, " some hot preserved soup, hotch- 

 potch, and a glass of porter, will do you good." 



The trappers looked at the speaker, who was talking Greek 

 (to them). They thought the bourgeois were making fun, and 

 did not half like it, so answered simply, " Wagh I h — 's full of 

 hosh-posh and porter." 



Two large wagons presently came up, escorted by some eight 

 or ten stout Missourians. Sublette was among the number, well 

 known as a mountain trader, and under whose guidance the 

 present party, which formed a pleasure expedition at the expense 

 of a Scotch sportsman, was leisurely making its way across the 

 mountains to the Columbia. As several mountaineers were in 

 company, Killbuck and La Bonte recognized more than one friend, 

 and the former and Sublette were old compaiieros. As soon as 

 the animals were unliitched, and camp formed on the banks of the 

 creek, a black cook set about preparing a meal. Our two trap- 

 ping friends looked on with astonishment as the sable functionary 

 drew from the wagon the different articles he required to furnish 

 forth a feed. Hams, tongues, tins of preserved meats, bottles of 



