Chapter 149

After we finished our sandwiches everything was packed back up and we re-boarded or remounted and took off again. Even after taking a time out for Jack's rodeo performance we had still made good time, and with the relatively good going on the basically level plateau we made excellent progress in the afternoon too. When we stopped, about an hour before sunset, to prepare for the night the Blackberry told me we had covered nearly forty miles.

It only took me a few minutes to explain to the wagon's drivers the concept of circling the wagons and only a little more time to get it done. We didn't try to erect any of the huts for our night's stay here. We made do with simply spreading the coverings for ground cloths and then putting lots of bison skins down to sleep on.

Several dung fires were built nearby for cooking and by the time the sun had been gone for an hour we had a nice outdoor meal and then found our sleeping furs. Some of the men traded off during the night so there were always a few up watching over us while we slept.

We were all up before sunrise the next morning and the women fixed a quick breakfast. I was hungry, but actually more interested in the coffee they had brewing. I made a short tour as everyone was packing up to resume the trip and I asked around to make sure everything was going smoothly. I didn't hear any complaints from anyone and the general morale was good.

Jack couldn't tell me how he felt of course, but I could easily see his tantrum from yesterday had him off his feed today. He was moving around slowly and reminded me of an arthritic with his every motion saying he was sore and stiff.

He probably wouldn't be fit to ride until several days after we got home. I hadn't brought him along with the idea to use him anyway, his presence was for his own training and I thought he had probably learned a lot yesterday.

Soon enough we were on our way again and even though Ameliea sighted a distant pride of lions, not long after we began moving again, most of the remainder of our trip to the hunting site was uneventful.

We pushed on past noon without stopping to eat and arrived at our intended campsite shortly after. At this stop we did put up our shelters and unload our supplies. Within a couple of hours we had our home away from home organized.

Ameliea, Delia, Dieta, Geera, Merita, Maia, and Jara had skipped out on the nest making and gone on an impromptu hunt. We had been passing within sight of assorted game all during both of our traveling days and when we got to our stopping place they left with Prince, King, and Rover in tow.

They were back within two hours and had bagged two young aurochs, which they had gutted, skinned, and loaded onto a travois behind Geera's horse. Fresh meat for the evening meal was welcomed by all the rest of us.

We were through with our meal before sunset. Raalto, Racaato, and my other leaders and I sat around talking after we ate. I had studied the Blackberry again and thanks to communications from the aliens I knew where my target mammoths were located. I set up two scouting forays for tomorrow.

Raalto and Daaggo would head northeast toward the glacier while Racaato and Caato would go northwest. I explained to them I wanted to find a good group which included at least a few youngsters. Of course Raalto and Racaato knew what I planned for the young ones, but we didn't clue Daaggo or Caato in to the details.

The scouts were fed early the next morning and they headed out just after sunrise. Everyone else had a leisurely morning meal and afterward occupied their time by getting the camp into a more organized arrangement. After everything was squared away three separate groups left for more hunting. They all knew the directions the scouts had headed and avoided those.

Luckily for Deimeta and I, Bonehead wasn't being used by anyone this morning. After asking Deimeta if she would like to try riding by herself and getting an affirmative reply we saddled Bonehead.

I gave Deimeta a few instructions first and then set her on the mare's back. I walked and led for a short time to get started and then I turned the reins over to Deimeta. She did fine even though there wasn't enough adjustment to bring the stirrups up enough so that she could put her feet in them. Soon enough Deimeta got comfortable with Bonehead and she spent the morning riding here and there around the camp and enjoying her new skill.

We called a halt to the lessons when lunchtime came. Many of my mates were off hunting, but there were still plenty of them around camp to fix lunch. When it was ready we all sat around in a rough circle and ate. I made a pig of myself of course so afterwards I settled down for a nap.

I took probably two hours of sleep before the stirrings around me brought it to an end. I sat up and saw Dieta, Ameliea, Merita, Maia, and their group had returned. They had done even better this time and two of the horses were pulling travois. Somehow they had managed to wrestle a mature male bison onto one and the other had two smaller bison on it.

I got up and went over to investigate. Dieta and her companions were justifiably proud of their prowess, but when they saw me Ameliea was quick to speak up.

"John, these rifles are wonderful, but something is different about them. When you use your rifle the bison are killed with the first shot every time. Even though we get closer before firing, it almost always takes two or more shots to bring them down," she explained.

"It is my fault and I'm sorry. Your rifles are not as powerful as mine and I made the mistake of thinking you wouldn't want to hunt the larger game. I can see now I was wrong and when we are back home I will change things for you. I envisioned you hunting deer or megaceros and smaller game, but it was a mistake on my part."

"We weren't complaining, but we thought we were doing something wrong," Dieta said.

"You have killed smaller game with your rifle before - is there some reason the smaller rifles we have are better for small game?" Merita asked.

"They are a little lighter to carry and they have less recoil when you fire them. I just assumed you would like them better, but the difference in recoil is not so great and neither is the difference in weight. I will let you keep those rifles and get you others which use the same cartridges mine does."