Camping and woodcraft - Scoutmastercg.com

TANNING SKINS 331with a sharp knife cut it up fine ; then put it out inthe hot sunlight, or warm it gently (do not let itget hot) before the fire; now force the oil througha strong cloth bag by squeezing it. To clarify itso that it will never become viscid, put it in a bottlewith a charge of shot, or some shavings of lead,and stand the bottle where the sun's rays willstrike it. A heavy deposit will fall. Repeat, andyou will then have an oil equal to that of watchmakers,but with enough body to stay where it isput, rather than running down into the chamberof the gun so as to leave unprotected spots in thebarrel. A large squirrel will yield over an ounceof tried oil, a fat woodchuck nearly a pint, and abear several gallons—eight gallons of grease havebeen procured from a big grizzly.Beards Oil.—Bear's oil, by the way. Is betterthan lard for shortening biscuit and for irying, and,when mixed with sugar and spread on bread. Isnot a bad substitute for butter and sirup. It isrendered by cooking in a pot hung high over a slowfire, so as not to scorch the fat, which would giveofi an acrid smell and make the oil less bland. Nosalt is added ; the oil will keep sweet without it,unless In very hot weather (when it should bekept in a cool room, or In a spring, or in a potsunk in the earth). The Indians, who were veryfond of bear's grease, used to preserve it so thatit would not turn rancid even when they weretraveling In summer, by adding the inner bark ofthe slippery elm (one drachm to a pound of grease),keeping them heated together for a few minutes,and then straining off. They also used sassafras barkand wild cinnamon for the same purpose. Bear'soil is superior to olive oil for the table, and can beused with impunity by people whose stomachs willnot endure pork fat. I happened to be renderingsome bear's grease at the time of this writing. Theyield was a gallon of oil to ten pounds of fat.Rattlesnake Oil.—Rattlesnake oil Is solemnly