▲ f Ejvst of bear meat. I6fi 



•very mountaineer is necessarily a proficient, and rarely will he ventni* 

 upon a long journey without llie appurtenances of his profession. 



The process of shoe-viaking witJi him is reduced to its most simple form. 

 He merely takes two pieces of buffalo (or any other suitable) skin, each 

 being a little longer and wider than his foot, particularly towards the 

 heel ; tliese he folds separately, and lays them togetlier paraUel with the 

 turned edges ; tlieii, roundhig and trimming tiie sides, to render them foot- 

 Bhaped, with an awl and tlie sinew of buflalo or other animal, or small 

 Btrips of tliin deer-skin, (" whang") he sews tlie vamps from end to end, — 

 then after cutting a tongue-like appendage in the upper side, midway from 

 heel to toe, and stitching together the posterior parts, his task is done. 



Having obtained a quantity of sap from a giove of box-elders near 

 camp, we found it a sweet and pleasant liquid, and not inferior to that of 

 maple. Sugar might be manufactured from it, with Uttle trouble. 



The leaves of this tree, as well as tlie general appearance of its wood 

 greatly assimilate those of maple, and, independent of its busJiy tops and 

 stunted, winding growth, it would be hard to tell the difference at a first 

 glance. 



Game was plenty on every side, both buffalo, deer, and elk, with some 

 few bear. 



The second day after our arrival, one of the latter, attracted by the scent 

 of fresh buffalo meat, ventured within gun-shot of camp. Instantly the 

 balls of four rifles were buried in his carcase. Aroused by \h\a feeling 

 salute, he rushed towards us at the top of Ids speed, when our horses, 

 aflJighted at the strange appearance, broke snorting away over the neigh- 

 boring hills, and we ourselves took to trees as fast as possible. 



Li the midst of this general consternation a pistol ball, fired by one of 

 the party, buried itself in the brains of our troublesome visitor and laid him 

 prostrate. 



He was one of a species common to the mountains, called tlie red bear, 

 and must have weighed four or five hundred pounds. The fat upon his 

 back was full tluee inches thick His skin when stretched would have 

 compared in size to that of a buffalo, and the claws of his feet were full three 

 inciies long. 



At tins season of tlie year, when tliese annuals first leave their dens, 

 tney are much the fattest, — a singular circumstance, if we remember the 

 fact of their remaining holed up for the entire winter, without eating ! 



After butchering the greasy victim, and bringing our erratic horses back 

 lo camp, we regaled ourselves with an ample feast of bear's liver, heart, 

 and kidneys, basted witli fat, — a dish lliat epicures might well covet. 

 Then, filling a large camp-kettle with portions of the " fleece " and ribs, 

 we allowed it to boil till the next morning, and thus prepared another deii- 

 tious entertaitiment, such as is rarely met with in any country other tlian 

 ihis. 



Bear meat, to be tender and good, should be boiled at least ten hours. 

 This is probably the most preferable mode of cooking it, tliough a roast ot 

 [lie article is far from bad. 



''^here are four aeyeral varieties of bear found in the Rocky Mountains 



