of
the bearers' arms.

In smooth country, and when the sick or wounded person is not too badly
off, the Indian and trapper "travois" or horse litter may be employed.
Two elastic poles about fifteen feet long are united by cross-pieces,
ladder style; and with two ends slung one upon either side of the horse,
and the other two ends dragging, are trailed along behind the horse. The
poles should be springy, so as to lessen the jar from rough places.

If there is another steady horse, the rear ends of the litter can be
slung upon it, instead of resting on the ground. This is another old
scout and Indian method.

CHAPTER XVIII

Note 60, page 216: "Jerked" meat is another genuinely scout institution,
and has been well known to Indians and trappers and hunters in the West
since early times. The air of the Western plains and mountains is very
dry and pure. Venison or bear-meat or beef, when raw may be cut into
strips two fingers wide, a half or three quarters of an inch thick, and
six or seven inches long, and hung up in the sun. In about three days it
is hard and leathery, and may be carried about until eaten. It may be
eaten by chewing at it as it is, or it may be fried. Scouts will find
that, while traveling, a couple of slices of this jerked meat, chewed
and swallowed, keeps up the strength finely.

When a camp is in a hurry, the meat may be strung over a slow fire, to
make it dry faster; and it may be cured faster yet by smoking, as the
Elks cured it. Some persons use salt; and if they have time they
sprinkle the pile of strips, when fresh, with salt, and fold them in the
animal's green hide, to pickle and sweat for twenty-four hours. But salt
is not needed; and of course the Indians and the old-time scout trappers
never had salt. Trappers sometimes used a sprinkle of gunpowder for
salt; and that is an army makeshift, too.

After a buffalo hunt the Indian villages were all festooned with jerked
meat, strung on scaffolds and among the teepees. Traders and emigrants
jerked the meat by stringing it along the outside of their wagons and
drying it while on the move.

Note 61, page 217: This is the Indian and trapper method of dressing
skins, and is easy for any Scout of to-day. The skin is stretched, hair
side down, between pegs, or over a smooth bowlder or log, while it is
fresh or green, and with a knife or bone, not too sharp, is scraped
until the mucus-like thin inner coating is scraped away. This is called
"grai