Jim looked up at them, and seeing that there was mischief in their eyes, he said, “Say, gals, can’t I have one of them?”

The lady that had spoken to me said, “I am afraid neither of them would suit you, Mr. Bridger.”

I then asked her what I could do for them.  She answered that they would like to have some more fresh meat, but that they did not want any more such music as had accompanied all that they had had before, but if I could supply the meat without the music it would be a great favor as well as a treat.  I said, “What kind of meat do you prefer, ladies?” She answered that they were not particular, any kind that was good.

Jim said, “Well, how will Coyote do you?  That kind of meat will answer a double purpose.  I-t will satisfy your hunger, and then you can howl the same as they do.”

She answered, “Now Mr. Bridger, you know that Coyotes are not fit to eat.  Are they not a species of a dog?”

Jim replied, “Yes, they are, and dog is the Indians’ favorite meat, and that is the kind of meat you will have to eat when you go to live with them, so you had better learn to eat it now.”

She said she was pretty sure that she didn’t want to neighbor with the Indians, and she didn’t want any dog meat either.

I told her that I would try and get some kind of fresh meat for them between then and night.

“It may be Elk or it may be Buffalo or it may be Antelope.”

She said, “What kind of an animal is an Elk?”

I told her that an Elk was about as large as a cow and equally as good meat, and all the ladies said, “Well, well, wouldn’t we like to have some.”

I told them that I wouldn’t promise for sure, but I thought I could get some fresh meat for supper tomorrow night.

The next morning my scouts and I were off early.  I told them before we started that we must keep two objects in view that day.  One object was to look out for Indians, and the other was to look for camp.

“We are in a game country, and there is plenty of Elk and Buffalo, and the first man that sees a band of either kind must signal to the others, and we will all get together and see if we can get enough to supply the camp for a day or two at least.”

We had gone perhaps five or six miles when I heard a signal from the south.  I got to it as quickly as possible, and as pretty a sight awaited me as I ever saw in the way of game.  Down in a little valley just below the man that had signaled to the rest of us were about fifty Elk cows feeding, and there were also a few calves running and jumping around their mothers.  As soon as all the men got there, I began to plan how we could get to them and kill some of them before they saw us.  They were feeding towards the road, and they were not more than a quarter of a mile from it when I first saw them.  A little ways from us there was a little ravine which was covered with brush, and it led down to the valley where the