i;2 SPORTIXG ADVENTURES 



much heavier and more ungainly. It has a large head, which 

 is carried somewhat lower than the upper portion of the body ; 

 the leg's are short and massive ; the tail is of medium length, 

 black and bushy ; the claws are sharp and dense, and its 

 fang's are pointed and powerful. I have known it to enter a 

 cabin and devour three or four pounds of pemmican, and get 

 away from its pursuers, although three or four dogs joined 

 in the chase. 



This pemmican, which is made of meat dried,, pounded, 

 and mixed with melted fat and dried berries, forms the 

 principal food of the wandering 1 Indians, hunters, and 

 voyageurs ; but an inexperienced pale-face would find it a 

 difficult matter to eat it with any relish, unless he was 

 almost starving. It frequently has a rancid taste, that is 

 sickening at first ; but under the best of conditions it is 

 anything but agreeable. I have been forced to eat it for 

 want of something better on a few occasiocs, but whether 

 it was made of the flesh of tlu mountain sheep, wild goat, 

 or buffalo, it seemed to have the same flavour, differing 1 

 only in various degrees of nastiness. The berries which it 

 contains are intended to give it a sharp, sour taste, to 

 counterbalance the nauseousncss of the stale fat and the in- 

 sipidity of the lean meat. The flesh of the buffalo is highly 

 prized by some amateur sportsmen, on the principle, 1 suppose, 

 that it is considered to have a gamy flavour, and to be there- 

 fore a dish fit for the gods ; but I could never take kindly to it 

 unless it was unusually tender, or I was very hungry. The 

 tongue and hump are considered to be the most delicate parts, 

 and many sportsmen will not eat any other. They do not 

 however, in my estimation, deserve the encomiums bestowed 

 upon them. They are the best parts, it is true, but they 

 cannot compare in succulency, flavour, or nutritive qualities 

 with a good beefsteak, though I doubt if any steak ever 

 tasted so well to a hungry hunter as they do after he has been 

 on the prairies a few days or weeks. The cows and calves 

 are much more palatable than the bulls; hence, the man 

 who supplies his house with buffalo meat selects them as a 

 first choice whenever he can. Thev arc also easier to kill 



