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Show • 40 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OP ions were famishing in the camp. Sin~e _that time I have never . refused to share my last shilhng, my l.ast b . "t my only blanket with a friend, and I think ISCUI , Or · ·1d " t h e reco1 1e c tI· on of that "temptation 1n the Wl em• ess will ever serve as a lesson to more constancy ln the future. h . The day following we started forward ~p t e rive:, and, after progressing some four or five miles, came lll sight of plenty of deer-sign. The general ordered a halt, and directed all hunters out as before. We sallied out in different directions, our general, who was a good hunter, forming one .of the number. At a short distance from the camp I discovered a large buck pa~sing slowly between myself and the camp, at about ~Istol- shot distance. As I happened to be standing against a tree, he had not seen m~. I fired ; the ball passed through his body, and wh1zzed past .th~ camp. Leaving him, I encountered a ~econd deer w1t~1n three quarters of a mile. I shot h1m, and hur~g him on a limb. Encouraged with my success, I clnnbed a tree to get a fairer view of the ground. Looking around from my elevated position, I perceived some large, dark-colored animal grazing on the side of a hill, some mile and a half distant. I was determined to have a shot at him, whatever he might be. I knew meat was in demand, and that fellow, well stored, was worth more than a thousand teal ducks. I therefore approached, with the greatest precaution, to within fair rifle-shot distance, scrutinizing him very closely, and still unable to make out what he was. I could see no horns ; and if he was a bear, I thought him an enormous one. I took sight at him over my faithful rifle, which had never failed me, and then set it down, to contemplate the huge animal still farther. .. JAMES P. BECKWOURTH. 4-1 Finally, I resolved to let fly; taking good aim, I pulled trigger, the rifle cracked, and I then made rapid retreat toward the camp. After running about two hundred yards, and hearing nothing in movement behind me, I ventured to look round, and, to my great joy, I saw the animal had fallen. Continuing my course on to the camp, I encountered the general, who, perceiving blood on my hands, addressed me, "Have you shot any thing, Jim?" I replied, "Yes, sir." "What have you shot?" " Two deer and something else," I answered. "And what is the something else?" he inquired. " I do not know, sir." "What did he look like?" the general interroga-ted. "Had he horns?" ''I saw no horns, sir." "What color was the animal?" ''You can see him, general," I replied, ''by climbing yonder tree." The general ascended the tree according! y, and looking through his spy-glass, which he always carried, he exclaimed, " A buffalo, by heavens ! " and, coming nimbly down the tree, he gave orders for us to take a couple of horses, and go and dress the buffalo, and bring him into camp. I suggested that two horses could not carry the load; six were therefore dispatched, and they all came back well packed with his remains. There was . great rejoicing throughout the camp at such bountiful provision, and all fears of starvation were removed, at least for the present. The two deer were also brought in, besides a fine one killed by the general, and ducks, geese, and such like were freely |
