156 LIFE IN THE FAR WEST. 



companions ; they were compelled to kill several of their animals 

 for food, but were fortunate enough to replace them by a stroke of 

 good luck in meeting a party of Indians returning from an excur- 

 sion against one of the Californian settlements with a tolerably 

 large band of horses. Our hunters met this band one fine morn- 

 ing, and dashed into the midst at once ; half a dozen Indians bit 

 the dust, and twenty horses were turned over from red to white 

 masters in as many seconds, which remounted those whose ani- 

 mals had been eaten, and enabled the others to exchange their 

 worn-out steeds for fresh ones. This fortunate event was consid- 

 ered a coup, and the event was celebrated by the slaughter of a 

 fat young horse, which furnished an excellent supper that night — 

 a memorable event in these starveling regions. 



They were now devouring their horses and mules at the rate 

 of one every alternate day ; for, so poor were the animals, that one 

 scarcely furnished an ample meal for the thirteen hungry hunters. 

 They were once more reduced to the animals they rode on ; and, 

 after a fast of twenty-four hours' duration, were debating on the 

 propriety of drawing lots as to whose llosinante should fill the ket- 

 tle, when some Indians suddenly appeared, making signs of peace 

 upon the bluffy and indicating a disposition to enter the camp for 

 the purpose of trading. Being invited to approach, they offered 

 to trade a few dressed elk-skins ; but being asked for meat, they 

 said that their village was a long way off. and they had nothing 

 with them but a small portion of some game they had lately kill- 

 ed. When requested to produce this, they hesitated, but the 

 trappers looking hungry and angry at the same moment, an old 

 Indian drew from under his blanket several flaps of portable dried 

 meat, which he declared was bear's. It was but a small ration 

 among so many ; but, being divided was quickly laid upon the 

 fire to broil. The meat Avas stringy, and of a whitish color, alto- 

 gether unlike any flesh the trappers had before eaten. Killbuck 

 was the first to discover this. He had been quietly masticating 



