HUNGER THE BEST SAUCE. 119 



although I am doubtful of the propriety of picking up 

 strange acquaintances when beyond civilisation, those 

 squeamish ideas never enter the heads of western habitues ; 

 a white man is always a friend until he proves himself to be 

 otherwise, and then it is your own look-out that he does 

 not get the upper hand. Wild life makes you wonderfully 

 wide awake, and although an apparent bonhomie may lay 

 on the surface, a constant guarded caution should never be 

 neglected. My new pals, however, were really good fellows, 

 a little eccentric, for each was in the habit of picking his 

 teeth with his bowie knife ; but they were honest, plucky, 

 and enduring, ready to face whatever emergency occurred, 

 and pretty certain to get out of it if a bold hand and quick 

 eye could be of avail. Breakfast ! what a misnomer for a 

 few mouthfuls of half-charred, half-cooked, pieces of tough 

 venison ! what a contrast with one of our home hunting- 

 feeds that bear the same sobriquet ; still I doubt much 

 whether pares defois gras, game pies, and spiced round of 

 beef, were ever relished with more gusto than was that 

 meal. 



After the viands had disappeared, over the consoling, 

 soothing pipe, our course for the day was discussed, and, 

 as the rain had ceased and clouds lifted, giving every 

 prospect of fine weather, it was decided that we should 

 remain another night where we were, and in the meantime 

 each start in different directions to seek for a supply of 

 game, to prevent our going supperless to rest, and resuming 

 our journey on the morrow with empty stomachs. 



I had a horse ; from his wonderful formation and intense 

 ugliness I dubbed him " Broomstick ; " he was truly a 



