BUFFALO-BUTCHERING "MOUNTAIN FASHION." 247 



Polaris was however obtained, about midnight, which gave the 

 latitude. 



Early in the morning, a large herd of buffalo was seen quietly 

 feeding on the side of a high hill, about a mile to the southward. 

 Archambault was soon in the saddle, and, approaching through a 

 ravine, which concealed him from their sight, he reached the top 

 of the hill immediately above them undiscovered. The whole herd 

 was in full view of the camp, then busily engaged in packing the 

 mules for the day's march. Soon the crack of a rifle and the 

 sudden fall of one of the dark objects on the hillside gave notice 

 that the. work of destruction had commenced. Keeping himself 

 concealed behind a large rock, the hunter very leisurely shot 

 down four of these monsters, although one was much more than 

 we could carry with us. When, satisfied with his morning's success, 

 he showed himself from behind his breastwork, the whole band 

 scoured off as fast as they could ''tumble ahead." I rode up to 

 the scene of this wanton butchery, and, for the first time, witnessed 

 the operation of cutting up a buffalo. 



Contrary to the custom among us, the skinning process com- 

 mences by making an incision along the top of the backbone, and 

 separating the hide downward, so as to get the more quickly at 

 what are considered the choice parts of the animal. These are 

 the "bass," a hump projecting from the back of the neck just be- 

 fore the shoulders, and which is generally removed with the skin 

 attached : it is about the size of a man's head, and, when boiled, 

 resembles marrow, being exceedingly tender, rich, and nutritious. 

 Next comes the "hump," and the "hump ribs," projections of the 

 vertebrae just behind the shoulders, some of which are a foot in 

 length. These are generally broken off by a mallet made of the 

 lower joint of one of the forelegs, cut off for the purpose. After 

 these come the "fleece," the portion of flesh covering the ribs: 

 the "depuis," a broad, fat part extending from the shoulders to 

 the tail; the "belly fleece;" some of the ribs, called "side ribs," 

 to distinguish them from the hump ribs; the thigh or marrow- 

 bones, and the tongue. Generally the animal is opened and the 

 tenderloin and tallow secured. All the rest, including the hams 

 and shoulders — indeed, by far the greater portion of the animal — is 

 left on the ground. When buffalo are plenty, the hump, bass, and 

 tongue — very frequently only the latter — are taken, and occa- 

 sionally a marrow-bone for a tit-bit. 



This is called butchering "mountain fashion," and a most bar 



