This being done, we took down the quarters of the elk
and removed the meat from the bones--cutting it off in thin strips, each
of them over a yard in length. These strips we hung over the lines
already prepared, so that they might be exposed to the smoke and heat of
the fire, although not so much as to cause them to be broiled. The
whole process was now ended--excepting that it would be necessary for us
to look occasionally to the fire, as well as to see that the dogs and
wolves did not leap up and snap off the meat, that hung down from the
lines like so many strings of sausages. In about three days the flesh
of the elk would be `jerked,' and capable of being, carried to any
distance without the danger of spoiling.

"During these three days we all remained very much in the neighbourhood
of our camp. We might have procured more game had we gone out to hunt
for it, but we did not do this for three reasons:--First, because we had
enough for our wants; secondly, we did not wish, under the
circumstances, to waste a single charge of ammunition; and, lastly,
because we had seen the tracks of bears and panthers by the stream. We
did not wish to risk meeting with any of these customers in the dark and
tangled woods, which we should have been likely enough to do, had we
gone far out in pursuit of game. We were determined to leave them
unmolested as long as they should preserve a similar line of conduct
towards us; and, in order to prevent any of them from intruding into our
camp while we were asleep, we kept a circle of fires burning around the
wagon throughout the night.

"During these three days, however, we were not without fresh viands, and
those, too, of the most luxurious and delicate kinds. I had succeeded
in killing a wild turkey, which, along with several others, had entered
the glade, and run close up to our camp before they saw us. He was a
large `gobbler'--over twenty pounds in weight--and, I need not tell you,
proved far more delicious eating than his tame cousins of the farm-yard.

"At the end of the third day, the elk-meat was as dry as a chip; and
taking it from the lines we packed it in small bundles, and placed it in
our wagon. We now thought of waiting only until our animals should be
fairly recruited; and as both horse and ox were up to their eyes, from
morning till night, in rich pasturage, and began to fill out about the
flanks, we were congratulating ourselves that we should not have long to
wait