BIG JIM STILL UNFORTUNATE. 53 



The spectacle was one of the most striking exhibitions of excruciating 

 pain I ever witnessed. Even the rough mountaineers were excited to 

 pity, and gladly alleviated his miseries by hastening his end. A friendly 

 bullet put a period to his sufferings, and placed him far beyond the reach 

 of summer's heat and winter's cold, mad wolves and all the inexpressible 

 horrors of hydrophobia. 



At our noon encampment we commenced the process of •' making 

 meat," preparatory to passing a long distance devoid of game ; and, as the 

 reader may be anxious to know what kind of an operation this is, I will 

 explain. It consists simply in cutting into thin slices the boneless parts 

 of buffalo, or other meat, and drying them in the wind or sun. Meat thus 

 cured may be preserved for years without salt. Ropes of raw hide were 

 stretched around the waggons, upon which the results of our labor were 

 left to the finishing effects of the wind and sun as we proceeded, — thus 

 making an important saving in the item of time. 



It is astonishing how long a time fresh meat may be kept without injury, 

 upon the grand prairies, in dry weather, when it receives the free access 

 of air. Some of that killed on our first arrival among bufTalo was yet 

 hanging to the waggons, as sweet and sound as ever. I have know^n it to 

 be preserved, in this way, for ten or twelve days in the heart of summer. 

 Meat, packed in snow, while in a frozen state, may be retained fresh for 

 months without injury. I have known an instance of its being thus kept 

 from January till June. The air is so pure and dry, it requires but little 

 effort to preserve meat, for any requisite length of time, almost at any 

 season of the year. 



Our hunter, having proceeded in advance of the waggons during the 

 afternoon, was overtaken about sundown at a place selected for night- 

 camp, which he had ornamented with the carcases of three cows, — and 

 there again, was soon witnessed another display of rare feasting, such as 

 mountaineers alone know how to appreciate and enjoy. 



The night proved cold and uncomfortable, and the bright-glowing camp 

 fires presented most captivating inducements to the shivering sentinels, as 

 they paced their dreary rounds, to step within its cheering influence. Big 

 Jim, who was on the third " relieve," thought it too bad he should be com- 

 pelled to suffer so much from cold, while a nice warm fire was permitted 

 to waste its kind heat upon the bleak air of night, without so much as one 

 to enjoy its beneficence. 



No, it would not do. " Why mayn't I just as well stand guard at the 

 fire, as elsewhere ? I can, I'm sure. I'll stand this time, and not lay as I 

 did before, and then there'll be no danger of falling asleep and burning 

 one's self; nor'll they have the chance to twit me about lying guard and 

 burning shins. I'll head 'em this time, and they wont know the difler- 

 ence." 



So saying, he approached the fire, and, giving it a kick, extended his 

 hands towards its blaze, — ever and anon rubbing them together and then 

 again spreading them to receive its pleasing warmth ; then turning his 

 back to partake alike of its comforting influences and obviate the jealousy 

 chat miffht otherwise be engendered between front and rear. 



