A CURIOUS COMTtADK. 317 



This prospect of obtaining a supply of honey likewise 

 affected the resolution of a little, fat, short, jolly fellow, who 

 had recently arrived, like myself, from the United States; 

 and on the day of our departure we saw him join our troop, 

 attired in the most singular fashion conceivable, and armed 

 with two old pistols, besides a rusty spear, which latter 

 lie maintained to be the best of all weapons in hunting 

 bears. To his saddle-bow hung suspended a large iron 

 vessel, intended for the reception of the honeyed stores he 

 hoped to gather among the mountains. Thus equipped, 

 he appeared the most resolute of all our phalanx. 



We attempted to induce him, but in vain, to substitute 

 a gun for his spear. He refused with dogged obstinacy, 

 and, despite our railleries, continued to assert that he 

 could handle his lance so as to put to shame the most 

 skilful of sharp-shooters. And so saying, he dug his 

 spurs into the flanks of his dock-tailed pony, and started 

 off at a gallop, with everybody following in his rear. 



Riflemen require but little time to prepare for an ex- 

 pedition; troops of their class are rarely caught by surprise. 

 A rifle, a couple of pistols, a hunting-knife, a tin porringer, 

 a gourd, a bison-skin, a lasso, bridle, saddle, and spurs, 

 such is their complete equipment ; they care for nothing 

 else : and as for the next day's provision, never disquiet 

 themselves about it ; it is the business of their rifle, on 

 which devolves the duty of supplying its master both with 

 the food and the clothing he may require while he is in 

 the field. 



Our company presented a most picturesque appearance. 

 "We were all attired in garments of skins, fashioned and 

 embroidered according to each individual's peculiar taste, 



