52 THE SPORTSMAN'S VADE-MECUM 



of bones and meat right into the foot, especially in the case of 

 bears ; the latter will not dry well unless cleared of everything down 

 to the claws. I generally left the hoofs on markhor and ibex until 

 they were made up on rugs, &c., but they were very much in the 

 way about the rooms, and made an awful clatter when tripped over I 



Having removed the skin, have it spread out to enable all the 

 fat, meat, and small feet-bones to be removed. Then proceed to 

 peg out. 



Commence by having the skin drawn on to the spot it is to be 

 pegged out, so that the hair will get into its proper sit as it passes 

 over the space. Have plenty of thin, sharp pegs ready ; drive one 

 of them in centre of neck, then one in centre of rump at root of 

 tail. Be quite sure the skin is not over- stretched, because, though 

 you may make it bigger, the hair will become much thinner on the 

 larger surface. Next have a peg driven through each foot, so as to- 

 splay the legs out at a suitable angle ; have a good look at them 

 from both ends of the skin, so that you may be sure they are alike. 

 Then peg out the loose skin on each side of each leg, the neck, and 

 feet, and then insert pegs about 4in. apart all round, to stretch 

 quite even. Rub in a good quantity of cold wood-ashes, after 

 painting the feet with arsenical soap ; cover with a waterproof -sheet 

 at night or when rain comes on, and it will dry well in a couple of 

 days. Peg out in the shade, but on dry, airy ground ; on no 

 account in the sun, as the grease will melt into and spoil the skin 

 for ever. Appended is a rough sketch of a bear skin pegged out, 

 with numbers to show the order of insertion of the most important 

 pegs. Too much pains cannot be taken with this portion of the 

 sportsman's work if he has any wish to have a good show of skins 

 on return from his trip. 



GENERAL NOTES. 



Bread cannot be bought in the interior of the hills, and it is 

 wonderful how difficult it is to get any cook to make it for you. 

 As a matter of fact, anyone can make passable buns or small 

 loaves, if he only tries ; the great thing is to use baking or yeast 

 powder, and not carbonate of soda. There is a difference between 

 them ; for the former will make bread light and white, while the 

 latter will make it leathery and yellow. Servants will often say 

 that they have no oven ; but that is soon made. There are two 



