“Pemican,”1 sais I, “what in natur is that?” I knew as well as he did what it was, for a man that don’t understand how to make that, don’t know the very abeselfa of wood-craft. But I tell you what, Squire, unless you want to be hated, don’t let on you know all that a feller can tell you. The more you do know, the more folks are afeared to be able to tell you something new. It flatters their vanity, and it’s a harmless piece of politeness, as well as good policy to listen; for who the plague will attend to you if you won’t condescend to hear them? Conversation is a barter, in which one thing is swapped for another, and you must abide by the laws of trade. What you give costs you nothing; and what you get may be worth nothing; so, if you don’t gain much, you don’t lose, at all events. “So,” sais I, “what in natur is pemican?”
1 See Dunn’s “Oregon.”
“Why,” sais he, “it is formed by pounding the choice parts of venison or other meat very small, dried over a slack fire, or by the frost, and put into bags, made of the skin of the slain animal, into which a portion of melted fat is poured. The whole being then strongly pressed, and sewed up in bags, constitutes the best and most portable food known; and one which will keep a great length of time. If a dainty man, like you, wishes to improve its flavour, you may spice it.”
“What a grand thing that would be for soldiers during forced marches, wouldn’t it. Well, Doctor,” sais I, “that’s a wrinkle, ain’t it? But who ever heard of a colonial minister knowing anything of colony habits?”
“If we have a chance to kill a deer,” he said, “I will show you how to make it,” and he looked as pleased to give me that information as if he had invented it himself. “So I use this instead of a gun,” he continued, producing a long, thick-barreled pistol, of capital workmanship, and well mounted. “I prefer this, it answers every purpose: and is easy to carry. There are no wolves here, and bears never attack you, unless molested, so that the gun-barrel is not needed as a club; and if Bruin once gets a taste of this, he is in no hurry to face it again. The great thing is to know how to shoot, and where to hit. Now, it’s no use to fire at the head of a bear, the proper place to aim for is the side, just back of the fore leg. Are you a good shot?”
“Well,” said I, “I can’t brag, for I have seen them that could beat me at that game; but, in a general way, I don’t calculate to throw away my lead. It’s scarce in the woods. Suppose though we have a trial. Do you see that blaze in the hemlock tree, there? try it.”
Well, he up, and as quick as wink fired, and hit it directly in the centre.
“Well,” sais I, “you scare me. To tell you the truth, I didn’t expect to be taken up that way. And so sure as I boast of a thing, I slip out of the little eend of the horn.” Well, I drew a bead fine on it, and fired.
“That mark is too small,” said he (thinking I had missed it), “and hardly plain enough.”
“I shouldn’t wonder if I had gone a one side or the other,” said I, as we walked up to it, “I intended to send your ball further in; but I guess I have only turned it round. See, I have cut a little grain of the bark off the right side of the circle.”