mr 



22 



AUDUBON 



as well as careful ones of the feet. Whilst the butchers 

 were at work, I was highly interested to see one of our 

 Indians cutting out the milk-bag of the cow and eating 

 it, quite fresh and raw, in pieces somewhat larger than 

 a hen's egg. One of the stomachs was partially washed 

 in a bucket of water, and an Indian swallowed a large 

 portion of this. Mr. Chardon brought the remainder on 

 the upper deck and ate it uncleaned. I had a piece well 

 cleaned and tasted it; to my utter astonishment, it was 

 very good, but the idea was repulsive to me; besides 

 which, I am not a meat-eater, as you know, except when 

 other provisions fail. The animal was in good condition; 

 and the whole carcass was cut up and dispersed among 

 the men below, reserving the nicer portions for the cabin. 

 This was accomplished with great rapidity ; the blood was 

 washed away in a trice, and half an hour afterwards no 

 one would have known that a Buffalo had been dressed on 

 deck. We now met with a somewhat disagreeable acci- 

 dent; in starting and backing off the boat, our yawl was 

 run beneath the boat; this strained it, and sprung one of 

 the planks so much that, when we landed on the oppo- 

 site side of the river, we had to haul it on shore, and turn 

 it over for examination; it was afterwards taken to the 

 forecastle to undergo repairs to-morrow, as it is often 

 needed. Whilst cutting wood was going on, we went] 

 ashore. Bell shot at two Buffaloes out of eight, and| 

 killed both ; he would also have shot a Wolf, had he had 

 more bullets. Harris saw, and shot at, an Elk ; but he j 

 knows little about still hunting, and thereby lost a good 

 chance. A negro fire-tender went off with his rifle and 

 shot two of Townsend's Hares. One was cut in two by 

 his ball, and he left it on the ground; the other was shot] 

 near the rump, and I have it now hanging before me; 

 and, let me tell you, that I never before saw so beautiful I 

 an animal of the same family. My drawing will be a 

 good one; it is a fine specimen, an old male. I have been| 



