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Show 400 T11E CALIFORNIA AND OREGON TRAIL. asking Munroe to go with him, took his rifle and walked quietly away. Shaw, Tete Rouge and I, sat down by the side of the cart to discuss the dinner which Delorier placed before us; we had scarcely finished when we saw Munroe walldng towards us along the river bank. Henry, he said, had killed four fat cows, and had sent him back for horses to bring in the meat. Shaw took a horse for himself and another for I-Ienry, and he and Munroe left the camp together. After a short absence all three of them came back, their horses loaded with the choicest parts of the meat; we kept two of the cows for ourselves and gave the others to Munroe and his companions. Delorier seated himself on tlw grass before the pile of meat, and worked indus. triously for some time to cut it into thin broad sheets for drying. This is no easy matter, but Delorier had all the skill of an Indian squaw. Long before night, cords of raw hide were stretched around the camp, and the meat was hung upon them to dry in the sunshine and pure air of the prairie. Our California companions were less successful at the work; but they accomplished it after their own fashion, and their side of the camp was soon garnished in the same manner as our own. We meant to remain at this place long enough to prepare provisions for our journey to the frontier, which as we supposed might occupy about a month. Had the distance been twice as great and the party ten times as large, the unerring rifle of Henry Chatillon would have supplied meat enough for the whole within two days; we were obliged to remain, however, until it should be dry enough for transportation ; so we erected our tent and made the other arrangements for a permanent camp. The California men, who had no such shelter, contented themselves THE BUFFALO CAMP. 401 with arranging their packs on the grass around their fire. In the meantime we had nothing to do but amuse ourselves. O.ur tent was WI· thi·n a rod of the river ' if the broad sand-beds, Wit.h a scanty s tr.e a m of water coursinOo' here and there a. long their sur1r. ace, des,e rve to be dignified with the name of nver. The vast flat plains on either side were almost on a level with the sand-beds, and they were bounded in the distance by low, mono t onous hl.lls, para1lcl to the course of the Arkansas. All was one expanse of grass; there was no wood in vi~w, xcept some trees and stunted bushes upon two islands whwh e b . ros e from amid the wet sands of the river. Yet far from em.g dull and tame this boundless scene was often a wild and am-mated one ; for twiee a day, at sunrise and at noon, th.e buffalo came issuing from the hills, slowly advancing in their grave processions to drink at the river. All our amusements were to be at their expense. Except an elephant, I have seen no animal that can surpass a buffalo bull in size and strength, and the world may be searched in vain to find any thing of a m~re ugly and ferocious aspect. At first sight of him every feehng of sympathy vam.s hes ; no man w h o h as not experienced it ' can understand with what keen relish one inflicts his death wound, with what profound contentment o f mm· d he beholds him fall. The cows are much smaller and of a gentler appearance, as becomes their sex. Whi.1 e I· n t h.I S cam p we forebore to attac.k them, leaving to Henry Chati·1 1 on, w h o cou ld better .1 . ud oa e then fatness and good quali. ty, the tas k o f In . 11m. oa s uch as \\-'e. wanted for use · but aO'ainst the bulls we waged an unrelentmg war. ' o . ny Thousands of them might be slaughtered without causmg a detriment to the species, for thei. r num b ers gi. e atly exceed thosde of the cows ; it is the hides of the latter alone which are use |