Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 3.djvu/426

416 good order. You may eat as much as you please, and it will not oppress you. The flesh of the antelope is fine eating, equal to good venison, but more juicy. I remember while we were on Sweetwater, that we remained at one place a day or two; and that one evening 1 I came in from hunting, very hungry. Captain Gant had killed a very fat buffalo cow, and had made me a present of some choice pieces. It was after dinner, and Mrs. B. had six large slices of this meat cooked for me. I supposed I could eat three of them, as I thought they would be sufficient for any one; but when I had eaten them, I felt a strong inclination to eat the fourth, and so I eat them all. About two hours afterward, supper came on, and we had more of this fine meat. Doctor Long took supper with me, and something was said about Oregon. The Doctor remarked, that he feared Oregon was like the buffalo meat, overrated. Said I, "Doctor, I have always thought as you do in regard to buffalo meat until this day, and now I think it has always been underrated." I continued eating until I was ashamed, and left supper hungry. I then went to Captain Gant's tent; and there he had some buffalo tongue cooked nicely, and insisted I should eat a piece. I sat down and eat of the buffalo tongue until I was ashamed, and then went to bed hungry. Prom this you may infer that I was a gormandizer; but if I can judge impartially, in my own case, I assure you, I was not more so than most persons on the road.

Your friend, P. H. B.

, 1844.

James G. Bennett, Esq.—


 * The proper outfit for emigrants is a matter of very great importance, as upon it depends the ease of the journey. As little as we knew about the matter, we were well enough prepared to get here, all safe, and without much suffering on the road. I would even be most willing to travel the same road twice over again, had I the means to purchase cattle in the States; and Mrs. B. (who performed as much labor on the road as any other woman) would most gladly undertake the trip again. There is a good deal of labor to perform on the road, but the weather is so dry and the air so pure and pleasant, and your appetite so good, that the labor becomes easy. I had more pleasure in eating on this trip than I ever did in the same time before, which would have been greater had it not been for the eternal apprehension of difficulties ahead. Whether we were to leave our wagons, or whether we were to be out of provisions, was all uncertain, and kept us in a state of painful suspense. This state of uncertainty can not exist again, as the way is broken and conclusively shown to be practicable. The sedge, which was a great impediment to us, we broke down completely, and left behind us a good wagon road, smooth and easy. Those