We were forced to kill our poor worn-out cattle for beef.

They were actually so poor that we had to prop them up to shoot them down.

At last we fell back on the mules, which were killed and served up in good style.

Many a poor, unsuspecting government mule passed in his chips that winter in order to keep the soldiers and bull-whackers from starvation.
It was really a serious state of affairs.

The wood for the post was obtained from the mountains, but having no longer any cattle or mules to transport it, the men were obliged to haul it themselves.