Prev | Current Page 190 | Next

Roe, Frances Marie Antoinette Mack

"Army Letters from an Officer's Wife, 1871-1888"

And that was why he was
gone so long, for of course he was obliged to rest every now and then.
I was immensely proud of the splendid deer, but it did not convince me
in the least that it was safe for Faye to go up in that forest alone.
Of course Faye has shot other deer, and mountain sheep also, since we
have been here, but this was the first he had killed when alone.
Of all the large game we have ever had--buffalo, antelope, black-tail
deer, white-tail deer--the mountain sheep is the most delicious. The
meat is very tender and juicy and exceedingly rich in flavor. It is
very "gamey," of course, and is better after having been frozen or
hung for a few days. These wary animals are most difficult to get, for
they are seldom found except on the peaks of high mountains, where the
many big rocks screen them, so when one is brought in, it is always
with great pride and rejoicing. There are antelope in the lowlands
about here, but none have been brought in since we came to the post.
The ruffed grouse and the tule hens are plentiful, and of course
nothing can be more delicious.
And the trout are perfect, too, but the manner in which we get them
this frozen-up weather is not sportsmanlike. There is a fine trout
stream just outside the post which is frozen over now, but when we
wish a few nice trout for dinner or breakfast. Cagey and I go down,
and with a hatchet he will cut a hole in the ice through which I fish,
and usually catch all we want in a few minutes.


Pages:
178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202