y itself.

Having determined on remaining, therefore it became necessary to make
some provision against hunger. Though the game seemed plenty enough,
they might not always be so successful in stalking it; and as the yak
cow offered them beef enough to last for some days, it would not do to
let the meat spoil. That must be looked to at once.

Without further ado, therefore, they set about preserving the meat.
Having no salt this might appear to be a difficult matter, and so it
would have been to the northern travellers. But Ossaroo was a man of
the tropics--in whose country salt was both scarce and dear--and
consequently he knew other plans for curing meat besides pickling it.
He knew how to cure it by the process called "jerking." This was a
simple operation, and consisted in cutting the meat into thin slices,
and either hanging it upon the branches of trees, or spreading it out
upon the rock--leaving the sun to do the rest.

It happened, however, that on that day the sun did not shine very
brightly, and it was not hot enough for jerking meat. But Ossaroo was
not to be beaten so easily. He knew an alternative which is adopted in
such cases. He knew that the meat can be jerked by the fire as well as
by the sun, and this plan he at once put into operation. Having
gathered a large quantity of fagots, he kindled them into a fire, and
then hung the beef upon scaffolds all around it--near enough to be
submitted to the heat and smoke, but not so near as that the meat should
be either broiled or burnt. When it should hang thus exposed to the
fire for a day or so, Ossaroo assured his companions it would be cured
and dried so as to keep for months without requiring a pinch of salt.

The skinning of the yak, and then cutting its flesh into strips--the
erection of the scaffold-poles, and stringing up of the meat, occupied
all hands for the space of several hours, so that when the job was
finished it was past midday.

Dinner had then to be cooked and eaten, which occupied nearly another
hour; and although it was not yet quite nightfall, they were all so
sleepy from their long vigil, and so tired with standing upon the ledge,
that they were glad to stretch themselves by the fire and go to rest.

The cold air, as evening approached, caused them to shiver; and now for
the first time they began to think of their blankets, and other matters
which they had left at their last camp. But they only thought of them
with a sigh.