30 HINTS ON FOREST AND PRAIRIE LIFE. 



old impressions, or a fugitive magazine. Nearly every 

 town and village in the United States has a paper of 

 some kind — the editors exchanging their little sheets 

 ^ with each other for scores of miles round. The litera- 



ture I thus procured from my editorial friends often 

 enabled me to pass a happy hour, when my comrades 

 were complaining of dullness.* 



When the meat was sent to market two horses were 

 employed upon the expedition, the venison being 

 packed in large bags and placed upon the back of one 

 while the other carried the turkeys. The whole ex- 

 pedition was placed under the charge of the hunter 

 whose turn it was to be salesman. 



On arriving at the town he had to go round to the 

 taverns, and to the merchants, and others, who usually 

 purchased our venison ; the game thus being brought 

 to the doors of our customers. As soon as the load was 

 disposed of, he had to procure all things required at 

 our camp to serve till the next visit — powder, shot, 

 coffee, sugar, salt, and a little flour, not forgetting the 

 whisky and tobacco. The necessary purchases having 

 been made, he returned as quickly as possible to 

 the camp where his presence was anxiously expected, 

 especially if we had chanced to be short of any of the 

 little things comprised in the list of our necessaries 

 and luxuries. 



* They had the same access to the papers, magazines, &c., as myself, 

 but they cared less about reading. 



