"A Large Part Of The Meat We Gave To The Indians, To Whom It
Was A Real Luxury, As They
Scarcely taste flesh once in a month.
They immediately prepared a large fire of dried wood,
on which was thrown
A number of smooth stones from the river.
As soon as the fire went down and the stones were heated,
they were laid next to each other in a level position,
and covered with a quantity of pine branches, on which were placed
flitches of the meat, and then boughs and flesh alternately
for several courses, leaving a thick layer of pine on the top.
On this heap they then poured a small quantity of water,
and covered the whole with earth to the depth of four inches.
After remaining in this state for about three hours, the meat
was taken off, and was really more tender than that which we
had boiled or roasted, though the strong flavor of the pine
rendered it disagreeable to our palates. This repast gave them
much satisfaction; for, though they sometimes kill the black bear,
they attack very reluctantly the fierce variegated bear;
and never except when they can pursue him on horseback over
the plains, and shoot him with arrows."
Chapter XXII
Camping with the Nez Perces
Soon after they had fixed their camp, the explorers bade farewell
to their good friend Tunnachemootoolt and his young men,
who returned to their homes farther down the river.
Others of the Nez Perce, or Chopunnish, nation visited them,
and the strangers were interested in watching the Indians
preparing for their hunt.
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