July 3, 1897.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
3 
to fall st:eal:lil3^ in a cold, determined sort of "way, which 
made one's siMrits drop only to contemplate, We could 
not get the horses through the snow away from the ice, 
but left them standing with drooping heads, covered up in 
a blanket of snow, and shivering in the keen wind that 
swept down the lake. After the sled got up to the edge of 
the lake and we finally got our luggaee all over to the site 
of the lodge, it was nearly dark, and we did not have half 
a dozen lodge poles to our name. The bundles and boxes 
and cases about us were rapidly disappearing under a sheet 
of snow, and the air was growing colder very fast, so that 
we felt chilly as soon as we stopped shoveling snow. We 
had had nothing to eat since morning, and nobody was 
sa;S'ing anything worth listening to, though under the 
skilled direction of Schultz and .Tackson the work of mak- 
ing the camp was going on after a fashion. 
A Stroke of Genius. 
Billy Jackson is a mighty good man to have along, be- 
cause he is always cheerful, no' matter what the circum- 
stances may be. Billy joked and laughed as we dug away 
at the ice at the bottom of our lodge hole, and finally an- 
nounced his design of getting something to eat before we 
went any further. We had already built a big log fire in 
the middle of the hole in the snow, and this was melting 
snow about as fast as we could chop it. Billy took posses- 
sion of a corner of this fire, and soon had a big kettle full 
of grub simmering away. He broke open a box or two 
that he found near at hand, and threw into the big kettle 
everything he could find — beans, tomatoes, pork, and I 
know not what else, breaking in also some pilot biscuits 
and odds and ends of material such as came to view in the 
hurried hunt in the snow. He also got on a pot of coffee, 
and in a short time the supper was ready. We all sat 
around on the edge of the snow pit, each man with a tin 
plate and a cup of coflfee, the snow meantime falling thick 
and fast, and the temperature dropping every moment as 
night came on. Before our open-air supper was over we 
resembled a series of white-muffled mummies, and the 
thick snowflakes filled the plates nearly as fast as even our 
rude appetites emptied them. In a few moments, how- 
ever, the shrewdness of Billy's plan was evident. The 
supper was a stroke of genius. We were no longer silent 
and dispirited, but became light-hearted and hopeful as 
our hunger vanished. We went with redoubled energy at 
the long task of shoveling out the ice and snow, and soon 
had a wide space clean d clean down to the ground. 
Schultz and O-to-ko-mi went out into the woods round 
about, and one by one brought in some lodge poles, which, 
while not the straightest in the world, were yet fit for ser- 
vice. Boak resurrected a shovel from somewhere in the 
cargo, and kept pecking away at the ice, until at last we 
relinquished our first design of making our beds on top of 
the lower sheet of ice, and determined to go clear to the 
ground before we quit digging. Hunter Powell found 
some firewood, and the rest of us hustled great piles of 
boughs from nearby balsams; so that by a couple of hours 
after dark our camp was gradually beginning to look at 
least like a possibilitj'-. All our work was then, of course, 
going on by the light of the fire, which cast odd shadows in 
the snowy air and upon the thick clumps of pine trees 
about us. The scene was so unusual and so unreal, that 
more than once I paused to ask myself if it were actual. 
At length O-to-ko-mi fastened the ends of three of the 
lodge poles together, as they lay across the top of our pit 
in the snow. The top of the lodge was attached to the 
hoisting pole, and the three poles were spread out ti-ipod 
fashion. Then we laid up the other poles against the top 
of the tripod, making a circle with their feet just inside the 
edge of the pit in the snow. Then the skin of the lodge 
was stretched around the lodge poles, and tightened by 
shoving the bottoms of the poles outward from the center. 
At last we were under cover! Then we hurried all the 
bags and bundles in out of the snow, piled up the bough 
beds, and made a rough arrangement of the interior of the 
lodge for the first night. The fire soon began to dry off 
the icy ground over which we had pitched our house, and 
gradually we began to dry out ourselves and to become 
more comfortable. It was nearly midnight before we had 
things in shape to stop work for the day, and we were all 
tired enough to rest. But we were very glad that we had 
pitched the lodge, and not gone into camp under a mere 
shelter, for the wind was coming up stronger and it was a 
very cold night. Billy's device of eating first and working 
afterward was all that saved us from an uncomfortable 
night of it. As it was, we slept fairly well, barring a few 
roots and knots which we found in our beds, and in the 
morning we all awoke hungry and hilarious. 
The Lodge as a Winter House. 
Since our return from this trip we have often been asked 
how we stood the intense cold of such a climate, with no 
better house than a canvas lodge, with no stove and no 
special features for retaining the heat. Some of our 
friends supposed that we kept fire in the lodge all night. 
This was not the case. While we were sitting in the lodge 
we kept up firfe, not a very big fire either, and so long as 
this little blaze was going the lodge was warm. When we 
went to bed the fire went out, and we relied solely on our 
blankets to keep us warm, the thin walls of the lodge of 
course losing all the warmth very quickly after the fire 
went out. It was practically as cold in the lodge as it was 
out of doors then, but the snow and the wind were kept 
off by the canvas. It was necessary for one to get deep 
down into his blankets, and to cover up his head, leaving 
only the most diminutive hole open for his nose to stick 
out. If in the night one felt a cold streak creeping down 
his back, the remedy was to turn over, get his blankets 
closer up to his body, and to pull the flap" of the blankets 
tightly over his head until the warmth of his breath had 
warmed up the interior of his bed. We crawled into bed 
for the first few nights with most of our clothing on, but 
gradually came to undress partially, as we found we slept 
better and were better rested in this way. Our wet stock- 
ings and other articles of wearing apparel we stuck up 
above our heads along the lodge poles and over ropes 
which we tied across from pole to pole. Here everything 
dried out very quickly, so that we always had dry clothing 
to put on in the morning. The more we studied the lodge 
as a camp house the more we liked it, and it is indeed the 
only really good tent for camping purposes, summer or 
winter. 
One thing about the use of the lodge a novice learns very 
quickly, and that is to keep low down on the bottom of the 
concern, and not to stand upright. Ned BuntUne, in one 
of his border books, makes mention of the fact that the 
"Indian chieftain was taking his comfort in his lodge, stand- 
ing with his back to the tii'e, while Dove-eye, the lodge 
queen, was cooking supper as she sat crouched on the 
floor." Now it is entirely unhkely that any Indian chief- 
tain ever did anything of the kind. He knew better than 
to stand up in the smoke and punish himself, and in all 
probability he kept as close to the floor as he could. We 
soon learned to do that at any rate. 
A Squaw Architect. 
The smoke was at times pretty bad in our lodge, espe- 
cially before Madame Monroe, the Cree woman, came up 
one day, and took pity on us to the extent of setting up 
our lodge as it should be. Madame said that the trouble 
was that there was a bank of snow all about us, whereas a 
lodge should always be on a flat surface when possible, so 
the air can get under the edge of the lodge skin. Madame 
stretched the edge of our lodge tightly for us, holding it 
back with logs and pegs stuck down in the snow. Inside 
she constructed a lodge lining out of a piece of drilling 
which was intended for that purpose, but which had not 
been properly cut. This lining was fastened inside the 
lodge at the bottond, tight to the ground all around, by 
means of the loose bags and bundles which were thrown 
back of the beds. The top of the lining came just above 
our heads as we sat down, and the top did not fit to the 
lodge skin tightly, but was attached to the poles loosely, so 
that there was a spacious air chamber between the outer 
skin and the lining. Thus the air came nnder the edge of 
the lodge, passed up over the top of the lining, and so went 
on up through the hole in the tojy of the lodge, taking 
along with it all the smoke from the level of the lining top, 
though above that level it hung deep and dense. The Ma- 
dame also advised us that our opening was left too large at 
the top of the lodge, and our door was too big and too 
loosely covered. She improved the door by stretching a 
piece of pole across its bottom, so that when anyone went 
in or out the flap always fell down straight behind him 
and shut up the hole of the door. We learned then what 
Schultz and Bily openly admitted, that no man can fix up 
a lodge as well as an Indian woman can. Madame Mon- 
roe had had long experience living in just this sort of 
house, and she savvied it a plenty. 
How to Make a Lodere Fire. 
A lodge can be rendered untenantable by the use of 
poor firewood, or by the injudicious use of good firewood. 
Schultz was particular to get the best and driest quaking 
asp he could find, this wood being split up into sections 
about 2 or 3ft. long, and not much thicker than one's arm. 
The fire was. always made in the form of a pyramid, the 
sticks being crossed rail-fence fashion in the middle, their 
bottom ends spreading around fan shape. The top of the 
pyramid was always kept directly under the center of the 
lodge, and by no nieans was anyone allowed to build a hit- 
or-missi scrambly fire with the sticks thrown on after any 
sort of fashion; nor was he permitted to put on a rotten or 
wet stick which would make smoke. After a time we all 
came to understand the etiquette of the lodge in these and 
other particulars, and to have a firmer admiration for this 
admirable dwelling devised by the native peoples of the 
plains. 
O-to-ko-ml's Medicine Bird. 
O-to-ko-mi, our Indian hunter, was wedded to many of 
the ways of the past, as we learned from Schultz and Billy 
.Jackson. Superstitious to a degree, he has been known to 
leave a party in the mountains and go on back home 
alone, because some sign or other did not pleaae him. Of 
course, O-to-ko-mi did not speak any English, and either 
Schultz or Billy interpreted for him. In the lodge, after 
we had our work pretty well finished, on the night of our 
arrival, O-to-ko-mi announced gravely that he was pretty 
sure he would see sheep to-morrow, as he had that after- 
noon seen his medicine bird (the raven). This bird, he 
said, had told him that there were sheep not very far 
away. E. Hough. 
1206 BoYOB BtJiLuiNG, Chicago. 
ON THE EDGE OF THE GRAN CHACO. 
told by WILLIAM KINGSBURY TO WILLIAM H. AVIS. 
Chapter VI. 
After a breakfast of venison, dried ostrich, biscuit and 
mate, we struck out through the monte, which we found 
to be unusually thick and wild. 
While we were crossing the next stretch of prairie, 
Tigre brought to us a muleta, which he had found in the 
grass. The muleta is a small species of armadillo, and is 
considered a great delicacy in the Argentine Eepublic. Its 
back and sides ate covered with a bone-like shell, which 
is hinged here and there, thus allowing the animal to roll 
itself into a shell-protected ball. They weigh in the 
neighborhood of .51bs. We had gone but a short way 
farther when Chena, not to be outdone by Tigre, trotted to 
the side of my horse carrying a muleta in her mouth. As 
she depended on her nose rather than her eyes, it wasn't 
long before she had another one. We put them in a bag 
carried for that very purpose, and congratulated one an- 
other on the prospects of a feast at supper time. After 
working our way through another monte we came to a 
cafiada four or five miles in width. It was covered with 
cattle and horses, and on its edge we could see the build- 
ings of ari estancia. The owner invited us to stop and have 
dinner with him. He said that we would find no more wire 
fences beyond his place and few^ estancias. He advised us" 
to keep a sharp lookout, for we would soon be in a country 
considered unsafe, and where might was the only law ob- 
served by roving Indians and half-breed outlaws. He said 
that these delightful neighbors would enjoy nothing better 
than to cut our throats to gain possession of our outfit, 
should they meet us in force strong enough. We thanked 
him for his information, but told him that we considered 
we were perfectly able to give a good account of ourselves 
in case of attack. Had we been strangers in the Republic, 
we might have given greater heed to our well-intentioned 
host. We had not traveled the pampas, however, eleven 
years for nothing. We were well aware of the coyote cali- 
ber of the people he warned us against, and of their favor- 
ite pastime of slinking down upon some estancia in the 
middle of the night, and driving off large numbers of cat- 
tle and horses while the unsuspecting ranchmen slept. As 
these thieves are invariably armed with weapons of ex- 
tremely ancient date, we also knew their deep respect for 
modern repeaters in the hands of resolute Americans and 
Englishmen. After a three hours' siesta in the shade of 
the buildings we started on. It took us ftilly two hours to 
cross the cafiada. As we were in no hurry, we allowed the 
horses to walk the whole distance; in fact, unless we were 
hunting, we seldom sent the horses into a gallop. On the 
further side of the caiiada, we entered one of the thickest 
and wildest montes we had ever seen. It seemed that all 
the varieties of trees of the Eepublic were growing here. 
So thick and rank grew the trees and the other vegetation, 
that we had great difficulty in forcing a passage through 
them. Gaudily-colored parrots and paroquets flashed 
from limb to limb, while signs of large game abounded on 
every hand. We went into camp on the further side of 
the monte; and for supper roasted the muletas in the shell. 
They were a treat, being in flavor similar to a young 
roasted pig. 
While we were enjoying a siesta in the shade of a clump 
of algarroba trees the next day, we made out a great mov- 
ing mass in the distance. Gradually it approached, and 
we saw that it was a tremendous herd of cattle. When 
the herd reached us we found it to be guarded by many 
mounted, well-armed men. An Englishman named Der- 
went, an old friend of mine, was in charge. Derwent and 
I had hunted a great deal together in times gone by, and 
as we had not seen one another for a long time, it was 
agreed that we would return with them to the edge of the 
last monte through which we had passed, and go into 
camp together. This took us three miles on the back 
track, and as Derwent and I went ahead, we shot three 
gamas and an ostrich before the rest reached the spot 
selected for the camp. 
The herd numbered 7.000, and was for the estancia Rin- 
con de San Antonio. Fifteen minutes after going into 
camp the herders had lassoed, downed and killed a young 
steer, and large pieces of beef were roasting in the flame of- 
a large fire. 
In my life of wandering I have looked upon many wild, 
strange sights, but as long as I live I will always remember 
the scene around the fire that night. There was no moon, 
but the stars shone brilliantly. When supper had beeii 
eaten vast quantities of wood were gathered from the 
monte and heaped on the fire. As the flames soared 
heavenward, carrying a rain of sparks with them, they 
cast about a circle of fluctuating light which caused the 
outside darkness to appear even darker than it really was. 
Gathered in this circle of light, some lying at full length 
upon the ground, some sitting and still others standing, 
but all unconsciously displaying poses of wild, untaught, 
natural grace, were the wildest, most reckless appearing 
lot of men I had ever looked upon. Wide open collars 
displaying brawny, sun-browned breasts; wide-brimmed 
hats set jauntily on the head and belts filled with weapons 
and ammunition, were features which caused the scene to 
stand out vivid in its reckless aspect. To heighten the 
strange wildness of the scene guitars tinkled on every 
hand, and to their soft accompaniment low, droning songs, 
not unpleasant to the ear, but, it seemed to me, mysteri- 
ously mournful as the seolian's wild, weird wail, moaned 
out on the soft night air. Despite their fierce appearance, 
however, these men made the truest of friends, and would 
risk life and limb to aid a friend in trouble. The 
Europeans and I smoked our pipes while the faces of the 
Gouchos and Indians were wreathed in rings of smoke 
from their glowing cigarillas. 
Midnight had departed and the fire had burned to a 
huge bed of glowing coals before we betook ourselves to our 
blankets. Overhead, the stars twinkled brilliantly, while 
a faint breeze from the north played through the branches 
of the trees of the monte and seemed to murmur some of 
the strange songs we had listened to, while now and then 
the restless cry of some large animal sobbed out on the 
night from a distance. From about us on every hand 
came the steady maunch — maunch — maunch of thousands 
of feeding cattle, and mingled with the monotony of this 
sound could be heard the regular breathing of sleeping 
men. Suddenly, from out the bed of glowing coals, came 
human forms and I was surrounded by familiar faces, 
faces I had not looked upon for many years, for they were 
the faces of father, mother, sister and brothers; they 
smiled and gently spoke to me — I was in the land of 
dreams. 
After an early breakfast with Derwent, we made ready 
for our departure. Just as the sun rose the herders started 
the immense body of cattle moving, and our small caval- 
cade set off in the opposite direction. In half an hour's 
time the herd had disappeared from view. 
About the middle of the morning we made inquiry at an 
estancia and learned that the distance to the river was 
about twelve miles, and that we would strike a ranch 
owned by Juan Companion. This was good news indeed, 
for Juan Companion, who was a Frenchman, and I had 
camped and hunted together on many trips. I knew that 
if he had a ranch nearby it must be because there was a 
greater quantity of game in that neighborhood than else- 
where. Juan was a great hunter and would never be con- 
tent to_ live in a poor game country. We made about eight 
miles in the direction of his place that afternoon, and 
camped by the side of a pool of brackish, though drink- 
able water, near the edge of a monte. 
We had retired so late the night before, and had made 
such an early start in the morning, that we were com- 
pletely tired out, and counted on a good night's rest. This, 
however, was not to be, for, hardly asleep, we were awak- 
ened by a racket among the horses. Chena and Tigre 
dashed out of camp in excitement, and we grasped our 
rifles and followed. The horses acted rather uneasy. 
They would paw the ground, snort, and walk back and 
forth until they reached the ends of their tethers. The 
dogs sniffed around for awhile, then Chena, followed by 
Tigre, broke away for the monte. Soon we heard them 
barking excitedly. 
After scrambling among the trees in the dark for awhile, 
and getting torn and scratched by cactus thorns, we finally 
reached the dogs and found them jumping around the foot 
of a large tree in great excitement. After considerable 
trouble, we managed to gathe;r some wood for a blaze, 
which revealed a large puma clinging closely to a branch 
directly over our heads and about 30ft. from the ground. 
"Now H.," said I, "here's your chance. You take the first 
shot, and remember the buck. Redeem yourself if you 
can." This sally caused H.'s eyes to shine, and his features 
became fixed with determination. Aiming carefully, he 
planted a buUet directly between the brute's gleaming 
