Camping and woodcraft - Scoutmastercg.com

LIVING OFF THE COUNTRY 417animals that have them, before the meat is put inthe pot. Properly dressed, and, if necessary, parboiledin two or three waters, even muskrats, woodchucks,and fish-eating birds can be made palatable.(See Vol. I., pp. 281, 313, 316, 318.)Prairie-dog is as good as squirrel. The flesh ofthe porcupine is good, and that of the skunk isequal to roast pig. Beaver meat is very rich and•cloying, and in old animals is rank; but the boiledliver and tail are famous tid-bits wherever thebeaver is found. A man would have to be hardpressed to tackle any of the other fur-bearers asfood, excepting, of course, bear and 'possum.The flesh of all members of the cat tribe, wildcats,lynxes, and panthers, is excellent. DoctorHart Merriam declares that panther flesh is bettertlian any other kind of meat. The EnglishmanRuxton, who lived in the Far West in the time ofBridger and the Sublettes and Fitzpatrick, says:^'Throwing aside all the qualms and conscientiousscruples of a fastidious stomach, it must be confessedthat dog meat takes a high rank in the wonderfulvariety of cuisine afforded to the gsurmandand the gourmet by the prolific mountains. Now,when the bill of fare offers such tempting viandsas buffalo beef, venison, mountain mutton, turkey,grouse, wildfowl, hares, rabbits, beaver-tails, etc.,etc., the station assigned to dog as No. 2 in thelist can be w^ell appreciated—No. i, in delicacy offlavor, richness of meat, and other good qualities,being the flesh of panthers, w^hich surpasses everyother, and all put together."Lewis and Clark say of dog flesh:"The greaterpart of us have acquired a fondness for it. . . .While we subsisted on that food we were fatter,stronger, and in general enjoyed better health thanat any period since leaving the buffalo country."Again they say: "It is found to be a strong, healthydiet, preferable to lean deer or elk, and muchsuperior to horse flesh in any state." Many othertravelers and residents in the early West commended