26 THE COOKS ADVENTURES. 
doleful tale he had to relate. Although he 
had been chasing and shooting all day, he had, 
as he expressed it, “no killet one,” till eventu- 
ally he happened to stumble upon a wounded 
calf, which he boldly attacked ; but as ill luck 
would have it, the youngster took it into his . 
head to give him battle. “Foutre de varment! 
he butt me down,” exclaimed the exasperated 
ee ee | “ Sacré! me plentee scart; but 
e kill him for all.” Chuly and the other 
sok came in soon after, in equally deject- 
_ ed spirits; for, in addition to his ill luck in 
hunting, the latter had been lost. The Indian 
had perhaps killed buffalo with his rifle, but 
he was in no humor to be communicative in 
his language of signs; so nothing was ever 
known of his adventures, One thing seemed 
pretty certain, that they were all cured of the 
‘buffalo fever.’ 
On the night after the first buffalo scamper, 
we encamped upon a woodless ravine, an 
were obliged to resort to ‘buffalo chips’ (dry 
ordure) for fuel. It is amusing to witness the 
bustle which generally takes place in collect- 
ing this offal. In dry weather it is an excel- 
lent substitute for wood, than which it even 
makes a hotter fire; but when moistened by 
rain, the smouldering pile will smoke for hours 
before it condescends to burn, if it does at all. 
The buffalo meat which the hunter roasts or 
broils upon this fire, he accounts more savory 
than the steaks dressed by the most delicate 
cooks in civilized life. 
Uy. Ure ens te 
Bie Bad, % 
~~ ee MG EG 
