Page:Tracks of McKinlay and party across Australia.djvu/413

 are to have his liver and kidneys for our evening's meal. Well, I have eaten many curious things, but never a bit of old camel. I was once offered some tiger, but I thought that too much of a joke. Rhinoceros I have eaten, and cats, no doubt, in pies; but to have to help to eat a portion of this old ulcerated quadruped goes against the grain. Remarks piquant and racy are made, and we all sit down round the pot, and get our portions, served out in our tin plates, of camel's flesh. All helped, but no one seemed inclined to begin. At last, the governor said, "What's the matter, boys?" and he put a piece of liver in his mouth. We all looked at him, and at it we went; a few still held back, when I made use of the word of command to make the camel lie down, "Ushe, Nano!" That was a settler; for one or two that was enough. I tried to finish mine, but the liver really was so tough that none of us could eat it. I saw McKinlay try several times, but it was no use; he had to pitch it away: the heart and kidneys were better. We shall have to cut the beast up to-morrow, and bury a lot of our traps, medicines, etc., etc. This night, for the first time for many a day, there was meat left in the pot, and the cook coolly tells us that we can "help ourselves"!

17th. (Camp xix.) Rained pretty smart last night; the men cutting up meat for jerking; very bad day for the purpose, for it won't dry. We had