68 Tue Aroostook Woops. 

Dinner over and the sun looking toward the down grade, 
we prepare for leaving behind the breezy park. First, we lay 
aside for each to carry home, a quarter of venison and a hide. 
The balance is cleansed in snow, packed in the same and a 
thick covering of boughs placed upon it to keep off the sun, 
and to mark the spot where cached. The quarters of venison 
are folded in the hides and securely tied with withes of the red 
osier. A strap or band is braided of the same, which is 
attached to the pack for handy carrying. The pack resting 
high upon the back, the short braided band secured at each 
end is passed over the head, resting upon the right shoulder, 
down over the breast and under the left arm, thus relieving 
hands and arms from the care of, it. Leaving the hunting 
axe with its strap and case hanging beside the blackened tea 
pail for our use when returning for the venison, we slip on 
our snow-shoes, shoulder the packs, pick up our rifles and lay 
our course straight for the winding stream, across, and down 
to our well trodden snow-shoe beat. Then into the thick 
green woods, where the frisky winds are but a sigh above us, 
and on to camp, where we arrive with the twilight, just a 
little bit tired and a big bit hungry. But after our hearty 
supper and the refreshing sleep, then our coffee in the morn- 
ing, we prove to be all ready and impatient for the pleasure 
of again starting out on the snow-shoe road, across the dell 
and through the glade, over the hard wood ridge, then through 
the evergreen swamp and over the barren, with our to- 
boggans, to draw to camp our venison. One unacquainted 
with the way of handling venison might say: what can be 
done with so much wild meat? None should be wasted, none 
need be. With us a good part is sent home, and what they 
cannot use, there is many a family thankful for, and who 
