188 PULLETS IN A nrUL 



»ven accased of stealing them, but strongly protested his innocence of the 

 latter charge. 



" Among our passengers was an old whaleman, who, being very expert 

 \n the use of the harpoon, took it into his head one day to victimize the 

 shark. After several ineffectual attempts, he finally succeeded in forcing 

 tii"? instrument tlirough the monster's vitals, and drew the lifeless carcase 

 alongside. 



"The piratical cruiser was so thundering big, it took eight men with 

 tackles to raise it on board ; — it must have weighed at least sixteen hun- 

 dred pounds ! The body of the greedy creature was then laid upon deck 

 and on opening it all were astonished ! What do you think was founds 

 Gumbo ?'^ 



" Saere sharp ! Certes me tmk dey fine de spoon, de fork an de knife ' 

 Him shark no follow do ship for nottin." 



" Well, boys, what do you all suppose was found ?" 



" Indeed, we could'nt say." 



" Guess," 



" The knives and spoons, of coui-se.' 



" You are wrong, to a man." 



" What, in tlie name of reason, could it have been ? Do tell — we give 

 it up." 



" Hang me, if you aint a bright set of fellows ! — Can't guess a tiling 

 so easy ? Why, if I must tell you — 'twas guts, — only guts — aotliing in 

 1 le world but guis .'" 



" liook here, Jack," said one of the listeners, advancing towards him hai 

 f 1 hand, " you can take this. We'll be quite likely to remember hereafter 

 ' lat fish generally carry their guts inside !" 



The old Frenchman looked rather crest-fallen at the curious manner in 

 ' fhich his extraordinary fish story had b>eeii matched, — but felt little dis- 

 ; osed to yield his laurels witliout an effort to retrieve them, — so, caUing to 

 ; id his recollections of the marvellous, he again commenced. 



Several years ago, while in the employ of the American Fur Company, 

 r ur hero and another man were sent expresses to a distant post It was 

 ■'inter; and they travelled on foot, depending for daily subsistence upon 

 such game as chance brought in their way. Their course lay through an 

 open and clieerless prairie, covered with snow, and the jouiney occupied 

 sjearly a mouth. 



Having been en mute some five or six days, their ammunition began to 

 fail in the item of lead, — and only two bullets were left. Their condition 

 now became extremely desperate, as there was no way of procuring a 

 re-supply, — and anticipated starvation stared them in the face. 



Determined to eat as long as the means of subsistence remained, their 

 last balls were shot away in killing a buffalo bull. After furnishing them- 

 selves from his carcase with a large supply of meat for present and future 

 use, our hero proceeded to cut a few locks of hair from off the creature's 

 bead, for the purpose of stuffing his moccasins. 



" Bor Dieu ! Vat you tink me fine ? You no can tell all day ! Me 

 DO a«k you guess. Bon Dieu ! c'ctre admirable. Me fine forty l^las, ir 



