had they so minded, were beating the tambour and singing their miserable
scalp song, until Mr. Culbertson ordered the drum taken away, and gave
them more tobacco and some vermilion to bedaub their faces. They were
permitted to remain about the fort the remainder of the day, and the
night coming they will again be sheltered; but they must depart
to-morrow morning. After breakfast Sprague worked on the view of the
fort. I went on with the portrait of Mr. Culbertson, who is about as bad
a sitter as his wife, whose portrait is very successful,
notwithstanding her extreme restlessness. After dinner Harris, Bell, and
I started on foot, and walked about four miles from the fort; the day
was hot, and horseflies and mosquitoes pretty abundant, but we trudged
on, though we saw nothing; we had gone after Rabbits, the tracks of
which had been seen previously. We walked immediately near the foot of
the clay hills which run from about a mile from and above the fort to
the Lord knows where. We first passed one ravine where we saw some very
curious sandstone formations, coming straight out horizontally from the
clay banks between which we were passing; others lay loose and detached;
they had fallen down, or had been washed out some time or other. All
were compressed in such a manner that the usual form was an oval
somewhat depressed in the centre; but, to give you some idea of these
formations, I will send you a rough sketch. Those in the banks extended
from five to seven feet, and the largest one on the ground measured a
little less than ten feet. Bell thought they would make good
sharpening-stones, but I considered them too soft. They were all smooth,
and the grain was alike in all. We passed two much depressed and very
broken ravines, and at last reached the Rabbit ground. Whilst looking at
the wild scenery around, and the clay hills on the other side of the
Missouri opposite the fort, I thought that if all these were granite,
the formation and general appearance would resemble the country of
Labrador, though the grandeur and sublimity of the latter far surpass
anything that I have seen since I left them forever. I must not forget
to say that on our way we passed through some grasses with bearded
shafts, so sharp that they penetrated our moccasins and entered our feet
and ankles, and in the shade of a stumpy ash-tree we took off our
moccasins and drew the spines out. The Lazuli Finches and Arctic
Bluebirds sang in our view; but though we beat all the clumps of low
bushes where the Rabbits must go in, whether during night or day, we did
not start one. We saw a Wolf which ran close by, reached the brow of the
hill, and kept where he could watch our every motion; this they do on
all possible occasions. We were all very warm, so we rested awhile, and
ate some service-berries, which I found good; the gooseberries were
small and green, and almost choked Harris with their sharp acidity. On
our return, as we were descending the first deep ravine, a Raven flew
off close by; it was so near Bell that he had no time to shoot. I
followed it and although loaded with No. 6 shot, I drew my trigger and
the bird fell dead; only one shot had touched it, but that had passed
through the lungs. After we reached the prairie I shot a Meadow Lark,
but lost it, as we had unfortunately not taken Bragg (Harris's dog). We
saw a patch of wood called in these regions a "Point;" we walked towards
it for the purpose of shooting Deer. I was sent to the lower end, Bell
took one side, and Harris the other, and the hound we had with us was
sent in; no Deer there, however, and we made for the fort, which we
reached hot and thirsty enough after our long walk. As soon as I was
cooled I took a good swim. I think the Indians hereabouts poor swimmers;
they beat the water with their arms, attempting to "nage a la brasse;"
but, alas! it is too bad to mention. I am told, however, that there are
no good specimens to judge from at the fort, so this is not much of an
opinion. It is strange how very scarce snakes of every description are,
as well as insects, except mosquitoes and horseflies. Young McKenzie had
been sent to seek for the lost ferry-boat, but returned without success;
the new one is expected to be put in the water to-morrow evening.
Squires and Provost had the skiff carried overland three miles, and they
crossed the river in it with the intention to remain hunting until
Sunday night.
_July 8, Saturday._ Mr. Culbertson told me this morning that last
spring early, during a snow-storm, he and Mr. Larpenteur were out in an
Indian lodge close by the fort, when they heard the mares which had
young colts making much noise; and that on going out they saw a single
Wolf that had thrown down one of the colts, and was about doing the same
with another. They both made towards the spot with their pistols; and,
fearing that the Wolf might kill both the colts, fired before reaching
the spot, when too far off to take aim. Master Wolf ran off, but both
colts bear evidence of his teeth to this day. When I came down this
morning early, I was delighted to see the dirty and rascally Indians
walking off to their lodge on the other side of the hills, and before
many days they will be at their camp enjoying their merriment (rough and
senseless as it seems to me), yelling out their scalp song, and dancing.
Now this dance, to commemorate the death of an enemy, is a mere bending
and slackening of the body, and patting of the ground with both feet at
once, in very tolerable time with their music. Our squaws yesterday
joined them in this exemplary ceremony; one was blackened, and all the
others painted with vermilion. The art of painting in any color is to
mix the color desired with grease of one sort or another; and when well
done, it will stick on for a day or two, if not longer. Indians are not
equal to the whites in the art of dyeing Porcupine quills; their
ingredients are altogether too simple and natural to equal the knowledge
of chemicals. Mr. Denig dyed a good quantity to-day for Mrs. Culbertson;
he boiled water in a tin kettle with the quills put in when the water
boiled, to remove the oil attached naturally to them; next they were
thoroughly washed, and fresh water boiled, wherein he placed the color
wanted, and boiled the whole for a few minutes, when he looked at them
to judge of the color, and so continued until all were dyed. Red,
yellow, green, and black quills were the result of his labors. A good
deal of vegetable acid is necessary for this purpose, as minerals, so
they say here, will not answer. I drew at Mr. Culbertson's portrait till
he was tired enough; his wife--a pure Indian--is much interested in my
work. Bell and Sprague, after some long talk with Harris about
geological matters, of which valuable science he knows a good deal, went
off to seek a Wolf's hole that Sprague had seen some days before, but of
which, with his usual reticence, he had not spoken. Sprague returned
with a specimen of rattle-snake root, which he has already drawn. Bell
saw a Wolf munching a bone, approached it and shot at it. The Wolf had
been wounded before and ran off slowly, and Bell after it. Mr.
Culbertson and I saw the race; Bell gained on the Wolf until within
thirty steps when he fired again; the Wolf ran some distance further,
and then fell; but Bell was now exhausted by the heat, which was
intense, and left the animal where it lay without attempting to skin it.
Squires and Provost returned this afternoon about three o'clock, but the
first alone had killed a doe. It was the first one he had ever shot, and
he placed seven buckshot in her body. Owen went off one way, and Harris
and Bell another, but brought in nothing. Provost went off to the
Opposition camp, and when he returned told me that a Porcupine was
there, and would be kept until I saw it; so Harris drove me over, at the
usual breakneck pace, and I bought the animal. Mr. Collins is yet
poorly, their hunters have not returned, and they are destitute of
everything, not having even a medicine chest. We told him to send a man
back with us, which he did, and we sent him some medicine, rice, and two
bottles of claret. The weather has been much cooler and pleasanter than
yesterday.
_July 9, Sunday._ I drew at a Wolf's head, and Sprague worked at a view
of the fort for Mr. Culbertson. I also worked on Mr. Culbertson's
portrait about an hour. I then worked at the Porcupine, which is an
animal such as I never saw or Bell either. Its measurements are: from
nose to anterior canthus of the eye, 1-5/8 in., posterior ditto, 2-1/8;
conch of ear, 3-1/2; distances from eyes posteriorly, 2-1/4; fore feet
stretched beyond nose, 3-1/2; length of head around, 4-1/8; nose to root
of tail, 18-1/2; length of tail vertebrae, 6-3/8; to end of hair, 7-3/4;
hind claws when stretched equal to end of tail; greatest breadth of
palm, 1-1/4; of sole, 1-3/8; outward width of tail at base, 3-5/8; depth
of ditto, 3-1/8; length of palm, 1-1/2; ditto of sole, 1-7/8; height at
shoulder, 11; at rump, 10-1/4; longest hair on the back, 8-7/8; breadth
between ears, 2-1/4; from nostril to split of upper lip, 3/4; upper
incisors, 5/8; lower ditto, 3/4; tongue quite smooth; weight 11 lbs. The
habits of this animal are somewhat different from those of the Canadian
Porcupine. The one of this country often goes in crevices or holes, and
young McKenzie caught one in a Wolf's den, along with the old Wolf and
seven young; they climb trees, however.
Provost tells me that Wolves are oftentimes destroyed by wild horses,
which he has seen run at the Wolves head down, and when at a proper
distance take them by the middle of the back with their teeth, and throw
them several feet in the air, after which they stamp upon their bodies
with the fore feet until quite dead. I have a bad blister on the heel of
my right foot, and cannot walk without considerable pain.
_July 10, Monday._ Squires, Owen, McKenzie, and Provost, with a mule, a
cart, and Peter the horse, went off at seven this morning for Antelopes.
Bell did not feel well enough to go with them, and was unable to eat his
usual meal, but I made him some good gruel, and he is better now. This
afternoon Harris went off on horseback after Rabbits, and he will, I
hope, have success. The day has been fine, and cool compared with
others. I took a walk, and made a drawing of the beautiful sugar-loaf
cactus; it does not open its blossoms until after the middle of the day,
and closes immediately on being placed in the shade.
_July 11, Tuesday._ Harris returned about ten o'clock last night, but
saw no Hares; how we are to procure any is more than I can tell. Mr.
Culbertson says that it was dangerous for Harris to go so far as he did
alone up the country, and he must not try it again. The hunters returned
this afternoon, but brought only one buck, which is, however, beautiful,
and the horns in velvet so remarkable that I can hardly wait for
daylight to begin drawing it. I have taken all the measurements of this
perfect animal; it was shot by old Provost. Mr. Culbertson--whose
portrait is nearly finished--his wife, and I took a ride to look at some
grass for hay, and found it beautiful and plentiful. We saw two Wolves,
a common one and a prairie one. Bell is better. Sprague has drawn
another cactus; Provost and I have now skinned the buck, and it hangs in
the ice-house; the head, however, is untouched.
_July 12, Wednesday._ I rose before three, and began at once to draw the
buck's head. Bell assisted me to place it in the position I wanted, and
as he felt somewhat better, while I drew, he finished the skin of the
Porcupine; so that is saved. Sprague continued his painting of the fort.
Just after dinner a Wolf was seen leisurely walking within one hundred
yards of the fort. Bell took the repeating rifle, went on the ramparts,
fired, and missed it. Mr. Culbertson sent word to young Owen McKenzie to
get a horse and give it chase. All was ready in a few minutes, and off
went the young fellow after the beast. I left my drawing long enough to
see the pursuit, and was surprised to see that the Wolf did not start
off on a gallop till his pursuer was within one hundred yards or so of
him, and who then gained rapidly. Suddenly the old sinner turned, and
the horse went past him some little distance. As soon as he could be
turned about McKenzie closed upon him, his gun flashed twice; but now he
was almost _a bon touchant_, the gun went off--the Wolf was dead. I
walked out to meet Owen with the beast; it was very poor, very old, and
good for nothing as a specimen. Harris, who had shot at one last
night in the late twilight, had killed it, but was not aware of it till
I found the villain this morning. It had evidently been dragged at by
its brothers, who, however, had not torn it. Provost went over to the
other fort to find out where the Buffaloes are most abundant, and did
not return till late, so did no hunting. A young dog of this country's
breed ate up all the berries collected by Mrs. Culbertson, and her lord
had it killed for our supper this evening. The poor thing was stuck with
a knife in the throat, after which it was placed over a hot fire outside
of the fort, singed, and the hair scraped off, as I myself have treated
Raccoons and Opossums. Then the animal was boiled, and I intend to taste
one mouthful of it, for I cannot say that just now I should relish an
entire meal from such peculiar fare. There are men, however, who much
prefer the flesh to Buffalo meat, or even venison. An ox was broken to
work this day, and worked far better than I expected. I finished at last
Mr. Culbertson's portrait, and it now hangs in a frame. He and his wife
are much pleased with it, and I am heartily glad they are, for in
conscience I am not; however, it is all I could do, especially with a
man who is never in the same position for one whole minute; so no more
can be expected. The dog was duly cooked and brought into Mr.
Culbertson's room; he served it out to Squires, Mr. Denig, and myself,
and I was astonished when I tasted it. With great care and some
repugnance I put a very small piece in my mouth; but no sooner had the
taste touched my palate than I changed my dislike to liking, and found
this victim of the canine order most excellent, and made a good meal,
finding it fully equal to any meat I ever tasted. Old Provost had told
me he preferred it to any meat, and his subsequent actions proved the
truth of his words. We are having some music this evening, and Harris
alone is absent, being at his favorite evening occupation, namely,
shooting at Wolves from the ramparts.
[Illustration: AUDUBON.
From the pencil sketch by Isaac Sprague, 1842. In the possession
of the Sprague family, Wellesley Hills, Mass.]
_July 13, Thursday._ This has been a cloudy and a sultry day. Sprague
finished his drawing and I mine. After dinner Mr. Culbertson, Squires,
and myself went off nine miles over the prairies to look at the
"meadows," as they are called, where Mr. Culbertson has heretofore cut
his winter crop of hay, but we found it indifferent compared with that
above the fort. We saw Sharp-tailed Grouse, and what we thought a new
species of Lark, which we shot at no less than ten times before it was
killed by Mr. Culbertson, but not found. I caught one of its young, but
it proved to be only the Shore Lark. Before we reached the meadows we
saw a flock of fifteen or twenty Bob-o-link, _Emberiza orizivora_, and
on our return shot one of them (a male) on the wing. It is the first
seen since we left St. Louis. We reached the meadows at last, and tied
our nag to a tree, with the privilege of feeding. Mr. Culbertson and
Squires went in the "meadows," and I walked round the so-called patch. I
shot seven Arkansas Flycatchers on the wing. After an hour's walking, my
companions returned, but had seen nothing except the fresh tracks of a
Grizzly Bear. I shot at one of the White-rumped Hawks, of which I have
several times spoken, but although it dropped its quarry and flew very
wildly afterwards, it went out of my sight. We found the beds of Elks
and their fresh dung, but saw none of these animals. I have forgotten to
say that immediately after breakfast this morning I drove with Squires
to Fort Mortimer, and asked Mr. Collins to let me have his hunter,
Boucherville, to go after Mountain Rams for me, which he promised to do.
In the afternoon he sent a man over to ask for some flour, which Mr.
Culbertson sent him. They are there in the utmost state of destitution,
almost of starvation, awaiting the arrival of the hunters like so many
famished Wolves. Harris and Bell went across the river and shot a Wolf
under the river bank, and afterwards a Duck, but saw nothing else. But
during their absence we have had a fine opportunity of witnessing the
agility and extreme strength of a year-old Buffalo bull belonging to the
fort. Our cook, who is an old Spaniard, threw his lasso over the
Buffalo's horns, and all the men in the fort at the time, hauled and
pulled the beast about, trying to get him close to a post. He kicked,
pulled, leaped sideways, and up and down, snorting and pawing until he
broke loose, and ran, as if quite wild, about the enclosure. He was tied
again and again, without any success, and at last got out of the fort,
but was soon retaken, the rope being thrown round his horns, and he was
brought to the main post of the Buffalo-robe press. There he was brought
to a standstill, at the risk of breaking his neck, and the last remnant
of his winter coat was removed by main strength, which was the object
for which the poor animal had undergone all this trouble. After Harris
returned to the fort he saw six Sharp-tailed Grouse. At this season this
species have no particular spot where you may rely upon finding them,
and at times they fly through the woods, and for a great distance, too,
where they alight on trees; when, unless you accidentally see them, you
pass by without their moving. After we passed Fort Mortimer on our
return we saw coming from the banks of the river no less than eighteen
Wolves, which altogether did not cover a space of more than three or
four yards, they were so crowded. Among them were two Prairie Wolves.
Had we had a good running horse some could have been shot; but old Peter
is long past his running days. The Wolves had evidently been feeding on
some carcass along the banks, and all moved very slowly. Mr. Culbertson
gave me a grand pair of leather breeches and a very handsome knife-case,
all manufactured by the Blackfeet Indians.
_July 14, Friday._ Thermometer 70 deg.-95 deg.. Young McKenzie went off after
Antelopes across the river alone, but saw only one, which he could not
get near. After breakfast Harris, Squires, and I started after birds of
all sorts, with the wagon, and proceeded about six miles on the road we
had travelled yesterday. We met the hunter from Fort Mortimer going for
Bighorns for me, and Mr. Culbertson lent him a horse and a mule. We
caught two young of the Shore Lark, killed seven of Sprague's Lark, but
by bad management lost two, either from the wagon, my hat, or Harris's
pockets. The weather was exceedingly hot. We hunted for Grouse in the
wormwood bushes, and after despairing of finding any, we started up
three from the plain, and they flew not many yards to the river. We got
out of the wagon and pushed for them; one rose, and Harris shot it,
though it flew some yards before he picked it up. He started another,
and just as he was about to fire, his gunlock caught on his coat, and
off went Mr. Grouse, over and through the woods until out of sight, and
we returned slowly home. We saw ten Wolves this morning. After dinner we
had a curious sight. Squires put on my Indian dress. McKenzie put on one
of Mr. Culbertson's, Mrs. Culbertson put on her own _superb_ dress, and
the cook's wife put on the one Mrs. Culbertson had given me. Squires and
Owen were painted in an awful manner by Mrs. Culbertson, the _Ladies_
had their hair loose, and flying in the breeze, and then all mounted on
horses with Indian saddles and trappings. Mrs. Culbertson and her maid
rode astride like men, and all rode a furious race, under whip the whole
way, for more than one mile on the prairie; and how amazed would have
been any European lady, or some of our modern belles who boast their
equestrian skill, at seeing the magnificent riding of this Indian
princess--for that is Mrs. Culbertson's rank--and her servant. Mr.
Culbertson rode with them, the horses running as if wild, with these
extraordinary Indian riders, Mrs. Culbertson's magnificent black hair
floating like a banner behind her. As to the men (for two others had
joined Squires and McKenzie), I cannot compare them to anything in the
whole creation. They ran like wild creatures of unearthly compound.
Hither and thither they dashed, and when the whole party had crossed the
ravine below, they saw a fine Wolf and gave the whip to their horses,
and though the Wolf cut to right and left Owen shot at him with an arrow
and missed, but Mr. Culbertson gave it chase, overtook it, his gun
flashed, and the Wolf lay dead. They then ascended the hills and away
they went, with our princess and her faithful attendant in the van, and
by and by the group returned to the camp, running full speed till they
entered the fort, and all this in the intense heat of this July
afternoon. Mrs. Culbertson, herself a wonderful rider, possessed of both
strength and grace in a marked degree, assured me that Squires was equal
to any man in the country as a rider, and I saw for myself that he
managed his horse as well as any of the party, and I was pleased to see
him in his dress, ornaments, etc., looking, however, I must confess,
after Mrs. Culbertson's painting his face, like a being from the
infernal regions. Mr. Culbertson presented Harris with a superb dress of
the Blackfoot Indians, and also with a Buffalo bull's head, for which
Harris had in turn presented him with a gun-barrel of the short kind,
and well fitted to shoot Buffaloes. Harris shot a very young one of
Townsend's Hare, Mr. Denig gave Bell a Mouse, which, although it
resembles _Mus leucopus_ greatly, is much larger, and has a short,
thick, round tail, somewhat blunted.
_July 15, Saturday._ We were all up pretty early, for we propose going
up the Yellowstone with a wagon, and the skiff on a cart, should we wish
to cross. After breakfast all of us except Sprague, who did not wish to
go, were ready, and along with two extra men, the wagon, and the cart,
we crossed the Missouri at the fort, and at nine were fairly under
way--Harris, Bell, Mr. Culbertson, and myself in the wagon, Squires,
Provost, and Owen on horseback. We travelled rather slowly, until we had
crossed the point, and headed the ponds on the prairie that run at the
foot of the hills opposite. We saw one Grouse, but it could not be
started, though Harris searched for it. We ran the wagon into a rut, but
got out unhurt; however, I decided to walk for a while, and did so for
about two miles, to the turning point of the hills. The wheels of our
vehicle were very shackling, and had to be somewhat repaired, and though
I expected they would fall to pieces, in some manner or other we
proceeded on. We saw several Antelopes, some on the prairie which we now
travelled on, and many more on the tops of the hills, bounding westward.
We stopped to water the horses at a saline spring, where I saw that
Buffaloes, Antelopes, and other animals come to allay their thirst, and
repose on the grassy margin. The water was too hot for us to drink, and
we awaited the arrival of the cart, when we all took a good drink of the
river water we had brought with us. After waiting for nearly an hour to
allow the horses to bait and cool themselves, for it was very warm, we
proceeded on, until we came to another watering-place, a river, in fact,
which during spring overflows its banks, but now has only pools of water
here and there. We soaked our wheels again, and again drank ourselves.
Squires, Provost, and Owen had left sometime before us, but were not out
of our sight, when we started, and as we had been, and were yet,
travelling a good track, we soon caught up with them. We shot a common
Red-winged Starling, and heard the notes of what was supposed to be a
new bird by my companions, but which to my ears was nothing more than
the Short-billed Marsh Wren of Nuttall. We reached our camping-place,
say perhaps twenty miles' distance, by four o'clock, and all things were
unloaded, the horses put to grass, and two or three of the party went in
"the point" above, to shoot something for supper. I was hungry myself,
and taking the Red-wing and the fishing-line, I went to the river close
by, and had the good fortune to catch four fine catfish, when, my bait
giving out, I was obliged to desist, as I found that these catfish will
not take parts of their own kind as food. Provost had taken a bath, and
rowed the skiff (which we had brought this whole distance on the cart,
dragged by a mule) along with two men, across the river to seek for game
on the point opposite our encampment. They returned, however, without
having shot anything, and my four catfish were all the fresh provisions
that we had, and ten of us partook of them with biscuit, coffee, and
claret. Dusk coming on, the tent was pitched, and preparations to rest
made. Some chose one spot and some another, and after a while we were
settled. Mr. Culbertson and I lay together on the outside of the tent,
and all the party were more or less drowsy. About this time we saw a
large black cloud rising in the west; it was heavy and lowering, and
about ten o'clock, when most of us were pretty nearly sound asleep, the
distant thunder was heard, the wind rose to a gale, and the rain began
falling in torrents. All were on foot in a few moments, and considerable
confusion ensued. Our guns, all loaded with balls, were hurriedly placed
under the tent, our beds also, and we all crawled in, in the space of a
very few minutes. The wind blew so hard that Harris was obliged to hold
the flappers of the tent with both hands, and sat in the water a
considerable time to do this. Old Provost alone did not come in, he sat
under the shelving bank of the river, and kept dry. After the gale was
over, he calmly lay down in front of the tent on the saturated ground,
and was soon asleep. During the gale, our fire, which we had built to
keep off the myriads of mosquitoes, blew in every direction, and we had
to watch the embers to keep them from burning the tent. After all was
over, we snugged ourselves the best way we could in our small tent and
under the wagon, and slept soundly till daylight. Mr. Culbertson had
fixed himself pretty well, but on arising at daylight to smoke his pipe,
Squires immediately crept into his comfortable corner, and snored there
till the day was well begun. Mr. Culbertson had my knees for a pillow,
and also my hat, I believe, for in the morning, although the first were
not hurt, the latter was sadly out of shape in all parts. We had nothing
for our breakfast except some vile coffee, and about three quarters of a
sea-biscuit, which was soon settled among us. The men, poor fellows, had
nothing at all. Provost had seen two Deer, but had had no shot, so of
course we were in a quandary, but it is now--