I was called up long before five to receive a Buffalo calf, and the
head of another, which Mr. Illingsworth had the goodness to send me.
Sprague has been busy ever since breakfast drawing one of the heads,
the size of nature. The other entire calf has been skinned, and will
be in strong pickle before I go to bed. Mr. Illingsworth killed two
calves, one bull, and one cow. The calves, though not more than about
two months old, as soon as the mother was wounded, rushed towards the
horse or the man who had struck her. The one bull skinned was so
nearly putrid, though so freshly killed, that its carcass was thrown
overboard. This gentleman, as well as many others, assured us that the
hunting of Buffaloes, for persons unaccustomed to it, was very risky
indeed; and said no one should attempt it unless well initiated, even
though he may be a first-rate rider. When calves are caught alive, by
placing your hands over the eyes and blowing into the nostrils, in the
course of a few minutes they will follow the man who performs this
simple operation. Indeed if a cow perchance leaves her calf behind
during a time of danger, or in the chase, the calf will often await
the approach of man and follow him as soon as the operation mentioned
is over. Mr. Illingsworth paid us a short visit, and told us that Mr.
Cutting was writing to his post near Fort Union to expect us, and to
afford us all possible assistance. We made a start at seven, and after
laboring over the infernal sand-bars until nearly four this afternoon,
we passed them, actually cutting our own channel with the assistance
of the wheel. Whilst we were at this, we were suddenly boarded by the
yawl of the "Trapper," containing Mr. Picotte, Mr. Chardon, and
several others. They had left Fort Pierre this morning, and had come
down in one hour and a half. We were all duly presented to the whole
group, and I gave to each of these gentlemen the letters I had for
them. I found them very kind and affable. They dined after us, being
somewhat late, but ate heartily and drank the same. They brought a
first-rate hunter with them, of whom I expect to have much to say
hereafter. Mr. Picotte promised me the largest pair of Elk horns ever
seen in this country, as well as several other curiosities, all of
which I will write about when I have them. We have reached Antelope
River,[304] a very small creek on the west side. We saw two Wolves
crossing the river, and Harris shot a Lark Finch. We have now no
difficulties before us, and hope to reach Fort Pierre very early
to-morrow morning.
_Fort Pierre,_[305] _May 31, Wednesday._ After many difficulties we
reached this place at four o'clock this afternoon, having spent the
whole previous part of the day, say since half-past three this
morning, in coming against the innumerable bars--only _nine miles_! I
forgot to say last evening, that where we landed for the night our
captain caught a fine specimen of _Neotoma floridana_, a female. We
were forced to come-to about a quarter of a mile above Fort Pierre,
after having passed the steamer "Trapper" of our Company. Bell,
Squires, and myself walked to the Fort as soon as possible, and found
Mr. Picotte and Mr. Chardon there. More kindness from strangers I have
seldom received. I was presented with the largest pair of Elk horns I
ever saw, and also a skin of the animal itself, most beautifully
prepared, which I hope to give to my beloved wife. I was also
presented with two pairs of moccasins, an Indian riding-whip, one
collar of Grizzly Bear's claws, and two long strings of dried white
apples, as well as two Indian dresses. I bought the skin of a fine
young Grizzly Bear, two Wolf skins, and a parcel of fossil remains. I
saw twelve young Buffalo calves, caught a few weeks ago, and yet as
wild, apparently, as ever. Sprague will take outlines of them
to-morrow morning, and I shall draw them. We have put ashore about
one-half of our cargo and left fifty of our _engages_, so that we
shall be able to go much faster, in less water than we have hitherto
drawn. We are all engaged in finishing our correspondence, the whole
of the letters being about to be forwarded to St. Louis by the steamer
"Trapper." I have a letter of seven pages to W. G. Bakewell, James
Hall, J. W. H. Page, and Thomas M. Brewer,[306] of Boston, besides
those to my family. We are about one and a half miles above the Teton
River, or, as it is now called, the Little Missouri,[307] a swift and
tortuous stream that finds its source about 250 miles from its union
with this great river, in what are called the Bad Lands of Teton
River, where it seems, from what we hear, that the country has been at
one period greatly convulsed, and is filled with fossil remains. I
saw the young Elk belonging to our captain, looking exceedingly
shabby, but with the most beautiful eyes I ever beheld in any animal
of the Deer kind. We have shot nothing to-day. I have heard all the
notes of the Meadow Lark found here and they are utterly different
from those of our common species. And now that I am pretty well
fatigued with writing letters and this journal, I will go to rest,
though I have matter enough in my poor head to write a book. We expect
to proceed onwards some time to-morrow.
_June 1, Thursday._ I was up at half-past three, and by four Sprague
and I walked to the Fort, for the purpose of taking sketches of young
Buffalo calves. These young beasts grunt precisely like a hog, and I
would defy any person not seeing the animals to tell one sound from
the other. The calves were not out of the stable, and while waiting I
measured the Elk horns given me by Mr. Picotte. They are as follows:
length, 4 feet 61/2 inches; breadth 27 to 271/2 inches; circumference at
the skull 16 inches, round the knob 12 inches; between the knobs 3
inches. This animal, one of the largest ever seen in this country, was
killed in November last. From seventeen to twenty-one poles are
necessary to put up a lodge, and the poles when the lodge is up are
six or seven feet above the top. The holes at the bottom, all round,
suffice to indicate the number of these wanted to tighten the lodge.
In time Sprague made several outline sketches of calves, and I drew
what I wished. We had breakfast very early, and I ate some good bread
and fresh butter. Mr. Picotte presented me with two pipe-stems this
morning, quite short, but handsome. At eleven we were on our way, and
having crossed the river, came alongside of the "Trapper," of which
Mr. John Durack takes the command to St. Louis. The name of our own
captain is Joseph A. Sire. Mr. Picotte gave me a letter for Fort
Union, as Mr. Culbertson will not be there when we arrive. One of
Captain Sire's daughters and her husband are going up with us. She
soled three pairs of moccasins for me, as skilfully as an Indian. Bell
and Harris shot several rare birds. Mr. Bowie promised to save for me
all the curiosities he could procure; he came on board and saw the
plates of quadrupeds, and I gave him an almanac, which he much
desired.
After we had all returned on board, I was somewhat surprised that
Sprague asked me to let him return with the "Omega" to St. Louis. Of
course I told him that he was at liberty to do so, though it will keep
me grinding about double as much as I expected. Had he said the same
at New York, I could have had any number of young and good artists,
who would have leaped for joy at the very idea of accompanying such an
expedition. Never mind, however.
We have run well this afternoon, for we left Fort Pierre at two
o'clock, and we are now more than twenty-five miles above it. We had a
rascally Indian on board, who hid himself for the purpose of murdering
Mr. Chardon; the latter gave him a thrashing last year for thieving,
and Indians never forget such things--he had sworn vengeance, and that
was enough. Mr. Chardon discovered him below, armed with a knife; he
talked to him pretty freely, and then came up to ask the captain to
put the fellow ashore. This request was granted, and he and his bundle
were dropped overboard, where the water was waist deep; the fellow
scrambled out, and we heard, afterward, made out to return to Fort
Pierre. I had a long talk with Sprague, who thought I was displeased
with him--a thing that never came into my head--and in all probability
he will remain with us. Harris shot a pair of Arkansas Flycatchers,
and Squires procured several plants, new to us all. Harris wrote a few
lines to Mr. Sarpy at St. Louis, and I have had the pleasure to send
the Elk horns, and the great balls from the stomachs of Buffalo given
me by our good captain. I am extremely fatigued, for we have been up
since before daylight. _At 12 o'clock of the night._ I have got up to
scribble this, which it is not strange that after all I saw this day,
at this curious place, I should have forgotten. Mr. Picotte took me to
the storehouse where the skins procured are kept, and showed me eight
or ten packages of White Hare skins, which I feel assured are all of
Townsend's Hare of friend Bachman, as no other species are to be met
with in this neighborhood during the winter months, when these animals
migrate southward, both in search of food and of a milder climate.
_June 2, Friday._ We made an extremely early start about three A. M.
The morning was beautiful and calm. We passed Cheyenne River at
half-past seven, and took wood a few miles above it. Saw two White
Pelicans, shot a few birds. My hunter, Alexis Bombarde, whom I have
engaged, could not go shooting last night on account of the crossing
of this river, the Cheyenne, which is quite a large stream. Mr.
Chardon gave me full control of Alexis, till we reach the Yellowstone.
He is a first-rate hunter, and powerfully built; he wears his hair
long about his head and shoulders, as I was wont to do; but being a
half-breed, his does not curl as mine did. Whilst we are engaged
cutting wood again, many of the men have gone after a Buffalo, shot
from the boat. We have seen more Wolves this day than ever previously.
We saw where carcasses of Buffaloes had been quite devoured by these
animals, and the diversity of their colors and of their size is more
wonderful than all that can be said of them. Alexis Bombarde, whom
hereafter I shall simply call _Alexis_, says that with a small-bored
rifle common size, good shot will kill any Wolf at sixty or eighty
yards' distance, as well as bullets. We passed one Wolf that, crossing
our bows, went under the wheel and yet escaped, though several shots
were fired at it. I had a specimen of _Arvicola pennsylvanicus_[308]
brought to me, and I was glad to find this species so very far from
New York. These animals in confinement eat each other up, the
strongest one remaining, often maimed and covered with blood. This I
have seen, and I was glad to have it corroborated by Bell. We are told
the Buffalo cows are generally best to eat in the month of July; the
young bulls are, however, tough at this season. Our men have just
returned with the whole of the Buffalo except its head; it is a young
bull, and may prove good. When they reached it, it was standing, and
Alexis shot at it twice, to despatch it as soon as possible. It was
skinned and cut up in a very few minutes, and the whole of the flesh
was brought on board. I am now astonished at the poverty of the bluffs
which we pass; no more of the beautiful limestone formations that we
saw below. Instead of those, we now run along banks of poor and
crumbling clay, dry and hard now, but after a rain soft and soapy.
Most of the cedars in the ravines, formerly fine and thrifty, are now,
generally speaking, dead and dried up. Whether this may be the effect
of the transitions of the weather or not, I cannot pretend to assert.
We have seen more Wolves to-day than on any previous occasions. We
have made a good day's work of it also, for I dare say that when we
stop for the night, we shall have travelled sixty miles. The water is
rising somewhat, but not to hurt our progress. We have seen young
Gadwall Ducks, and a pair of Geese that had young ones swimming out of
our sight.
_June 3, Saturday._ Alexis went off last night at eleven o'clock,
walked about fifteen miles, and returned at ten this morning; he
brought three Prairie Dogs, or, as I call them, Prairie Marmots. The
wind blew violently till we had run several miles; at one period we
were near stopping. We have had many difficulties with the sand-bars,
having six or seven times taken the wrong channel, and then having to
drop back and try our luck again. The three Marmots had been killed
with shot quite too large, and not one of them was fit for drawing, or
even skinning. Sprague and I have taken measurements of all their
parts, which I give at once. [_Here follow forty-two measurements, all
external, of the male and female._] I received no further intelligence
about the habits of this species, except that they are quite numerous
in every direction. We passed four rivers to-day; the Little
Chayenne,[309] the Moroe, the Grand, and the Rampart. The Moroe is a
handsome stream and, I am told, has been formerly a good one for
Beaver. It is navigable for barges for a considerable distance. Just
before dinner we stopped to cut drift-wood on a sand-bar, and a Wolf
was seen upon it. Bell, Harris, and some one else went after it. The
wily rascal cut across the bar and, hiding itself under the bank, ran
round the point, and again stopped. But Bell had returned towards the
very spot, and the fellow was seen swimming off, when Bell pulled the
trigger and shot it dead, in or near the head. The captain sent the
yawl after it, and it was brought on board. It was tied round the neck
and dipped in the river to wash it. It smelled very strong, but I was
heartily glad to have it in my power to examine it closely, and to be
enabled to take very many measurements of this the first Wolf we have
actually procured. It was a male, but rather poor; its general color a
grayish yellow; its measurements are as follows [_omitted_]. We saw
one Goose with a gosling, several Coots, Grebes, Blue Herons, Doves,
Magpies, Red-shafted Woodpeckers, etc. On a sand-bar Bell counted ten
Wolves feeding on some carcass. We also saw three young whelps. This
morning we saw a large number of Black-headed Gulls feeding on a dead
Buffalo with some Ravens; the Gulls probably were feeding on the
worms, or other insects about the carcass. We saw four Elks, and a
large gang of Buffaloes. One Wolf was seen crossing the river towards
our boat; being fired at, it wheeled round, but turned towards us
again, again wheeled round, and returned to where it had started. We
ran this evening till our wood was exhausted, and I do not know how we
will manage to-morrow. Good-night. God bless you all.
[Illustration: INDIAN HATCHET-PIPE.
Carried by Audubon during many of his journeys.]
FOOTNOTES:
[240] See Episode "Great Pine Swamp."
[241] The celebrated taxidermist. Born Sparkhill, New York, July 12,
1812, died at the same place, October, 1879.
[242] J. T. Bowen, Lithographer of the Quad. of N.A.
[243] Samuel G. Morton, the eminent craniologist.
[244] Described and figured under this name by Aud. and Bach., Quad.
N. Am. i., 1849, p. 332, pl. 44. This is the commonest Pocket Gopher
of the Mississippi basin, now known as _Geomys bursarius_.--E. C.
[245] Aud. and Bach., Quad. N. Am. ii., 1851, p. 132, pl. 68. The
plate has three figures. This is the Fox Squirrel with white nose and
ears, now commonly called _Sciurus niger_, after Linnaeus, 1758, as
based on Catesby's Black Squirrel. _S. capistratus_ is Bosc's name,
bestowed in 1802.--E. C.
[246] The _Engages_ of the South and Southwest corresponded to the
_Coureurs de Bois_, of whom Irving says, in his "Astoria," p. 36:
"Originally men who had accompanied the Indians in their hunting
expeditions, and made themselves acquainted with remote tracts and
tribes.... Many became so accustomed to the Indian mode of living that
they lost all relish for civilization, and identified themselves with
the savages among whom they dwelt.... They may be said to have sprung
up out of the fur trade."
[247] One of the oldest settlements in Missouri, on the left bank of
the river, still known by the same name, and giving name to St.
Charles County, Mo. It was once called Petite Cote, from the range of
small hills at the foot of which it is situated. When Lewis and Clark
were here, in May, 1804, the town had nearly 100 small wooden houses,
including a chapel, and a population of about 450, chiefly of Canadian
French origin. See "Lewis and Clark," Coues' ed., 1893, p. 5.--E. C.
[248] The species which Audubon described and figured as new under the
name of _Pelecanus americanus_: Ornith. Biogr. iv., 1838, p. 88, pl.
311; Birds of Amer. vii., 1844, p. 20, pl. 422. This is _P.
erythrorhynchus_ of Gmelin, 1788, and _P. trachyrhynchus_ of Latham,
1790.--E. C.
[249] No other species of Marmot than the common Woodchuck, _Arctomys
monax_, is known to occur in this locality.--E. C.
[250] The actual distance of Jefferson City above the mouth of the
river is given on the Missouri River Commission map as 145-8/10 miles.
The name of the place was once Missouriopolis.--E. C.
[251] Turkey-buzzards (_Cathartes aura_) and Bald Eagles (_Haliaeetus
leucocephalus_).--E. C.
[252] What Cormorants these were is somewhat uncertain, as more than
one species answering to the indications given may be found in this
locality. Probably they were _Phalacrocorax dilophus floridanus_,
first described and figured by Audubon as the Florida Cormorant, _P.
floridanus_: Orn. Biog. iii., 1835, p. 387, pl. 251; B. of Amer. vi.,
1843, p. 430, pl. 417. The alternative identification in this case is
_P. mexicanus_ of Brandt.--E. C.
[253] In present Cooper County, Mo., near the mouth of Mine River. It
was named for the celebrated Daniel Boone, who owned an extensive
grant of land in this vicinity. Booneville followed upon the earlier
settlement at Boone's Lick, or Boone's Salt Works, and in 1819
consisted of eight houses. According to the Missouri River Commission
charts, the distance from the mouth of the Missouri River is 197
miles.--E. C.
[254] Say, in Long's Exped. i., 1823, p. 115, described from what is
now Kansas. This is the well-known Western Fox Squirrel, _S.
ludovicianus_ of Custis, in Barton's Med. and Phys. Journ. ii., 1806,
p. 43. It has been repeatedly described and figured under other names,
as follows: _S. subauratus_, Aud. and Bach. ii., 1851, p. 67, pl. 58;
_S. rubicaudatus_, Aud. and Bach. ii., 1851, p. 30, pl. 55; _S.
auduboni_, Bach. P.Z.S. 1838, p. 97 (dusky variety); Aud. and Bach.
iii., 1854, p. 260, pl. 152, fig. 2; _S. occidentalis_, Aud. and
Bach., Journ. Philada. Acad. viii., 1842, p. 317 (dusky variety); _S.
sayii_, Aud. and Bach. ii., 1851, p. 274, pl. 89. The last is
ostensibly based on the species described by Say, whose name
_macroura_ was preoccupied for a Ceylonese species. The Western Fox
Squirrel has also been called _S. rufiventer_ and _S. magnicaudatus_,
both of which names appear in Harlan's Fauna Americana, 1825, p. 176
and p. 178.--E. C.
[255] Audubon underscores "city" as a bit of satire, Glasgow being at
that time a mere village or hamlet.--E. C.
[256] This is the stream then as now known as Grand River, which at
its mouth separates Chariton from Carroll County, Mo. Here is the site
of Brunswick, or New Brunswick, which Audubon presently mentions.--E.
C.
[257] From the French "Mulots," field-mice.
[258] P. J. de Smet, the Jesuit priest, well known for his missionary
labors among various tribes of Indians in the Rocky Mountains, on the
Columbia River, and in other parts of the West. His work entitled
"Oregon Missions and Travels over the Rocky Mountains in 1845-46" was
published in New York by Edward Dunigan in 1847. On p. 39 this book
will be found mention of the journey Father de Smet was taking in
1843, when met by Audubon.--E. C.
[259] Captain Clark of the U.S.A.
[260] The distance of Independence from the mouth of the Missouri is
about 376 miles by the Commission charts. In 1843 this town was still,
as it long had been, the principal point of departure from the river
on the Santa Fe caravan route. Trains starting hence went through
Westport, Mo., and so on into the "Indian Territory."--E. C.
[261] This is the bird which Audubon first discovered in Labrador, in
1833, and named _Fringilla lincolnii_ in honor of his young companion,
Thomas Lincoln. It is described and figured under that name in Orn.
Biogr. ii., 1834, p. 539, pl. 193, and as _Peucaea lincolnii_ in B. of
Am. iii., 1841, p. 116, pl. 177, but is now known as _Melospiza
lincolni_. It ranges throughout the greater part of North America.--E.
C.
[262] Apparently the very first intimation we have of the beautiful
Finch which Audubon dedicated to Mr. Harris as _Fringilla harrisii_,
as will be seen further on in his journal.
The other birds mentioned in the above text were all well-known
species in 1843.--E. C.
[263] Black Snake Hills (in the vicinity of St. Joseph, Mo.). "On the
24th we saw the chain of the Blacksnake Hills, but we met with so many
obstacles in the river that we did not reach them till towards
evening. They are moderate eminences, with many singular forms, with
an alternation of open green and wooded spots." (Maximilian, Prince of
Wied, "Travels in North America," p. 123.)
[264] The measurements in pen and ink are marked over the writing of
the journal. As already stated, this bird is _Fringilla harrisii_:
Aud. B. of Am. vii., 1844, p. 331, pl. 484. It had previously been
discovered by Mr. Thomas Nuttall, who ascended the Missouri with Mr.
J. K. Townsend in 1834, and named by him _F. querula_ in his Man. Orn.
2d ed. i., 1840, p. 555. Its modern technical name is _Zonotrichia
querula_, though it continues to bear the English designation of
Harris's Finch.--E. C.
[265] That is, the Green-backed or White-bellied Swallow, _Hirundo
bicolor_ of Vieillot, _Tachycineta bicolor_ of Cabanis, and
_Iridoprocne bicolor_ of Coues.--E. C.
[266] The surmise proved to be correct; for this is the now well-known
Bell's Vireo, _Vireo bellii_ of Audubon: B. of Am. vii., 1844, p. 333,
pl. 485.--E. C.
[267] No doubt the species named Brewer's Blackbird, _Quiscalus
brewerii_ of Audubon, B. of Am. vii., 1844, p. 345, pl. 492, now known
as _Scolecophagus cyanocephalus_.--E. C.
[268] The Prairie Hare, _Lepus virginianus_ of Richardson, Fauna
Boreali-Americana, i., 1829, p. 229, later described as _L.
campestris_ by Bachman, Journ. Philad. Acad. vii., 1837, p. 349, and
then described and figured as _L. townsendii_ by Aud. and Bach., Quad.
N.A. i., 1849, p. 25, pl. 3. This is the characteristic species of the
Great Plains, where it is commonly called "Jack-rabbit."--E. C.
[269] Not a good species, but the dusky variety of the protean Western
Fox Squirrel, _Sciurus ludovicianus_; for which, see a previous
note.--E. C.
[270] Or Bellevue, in what is now Sarpy County, Neb., on the right
bank of the Missouri, a few miles above the mouth of the Platte.--E.
C.
[271] Vicinity of present Omaha, Neb., and Council Bluffs, Ia., but
somewhat above these places. The present Council Bluffs, in Iowa, is
considerably below the position of the original Council Bluff of Lewis
and Clark, which Audubon presently notices. See "Lewis and Clark," ed.
of 1893, p. 66.--E. C.
[272] The journals of Captain Joseph A. Sire, from 1841 to 1848, are
extant, and at present in the possession of Captain Joseph La Barge,
who has permitted them to be examined by Captain Chittenden. The
latter informs us of an interesting entry at date of May 10, 1843,
regarding the incident of the military inspection of the "Omega" for
contraband liquor, of which Audubon speaks. But the inside history of
how cleverly Captain Sire outwitted the military does not appear from
the following innocent passage: "_Mercredi, 10 May_. Nous venons tres
bien jusqu'aux cotes a Hart, ou, a sept heures, nous sommes sommes par
un officier de dragons de mettre a terre. Je recois une note polie du
Capt. Burgwin m'informant que son devoir l'oblige de faire visiter le
bateau. Aussitot nous nous mettons a l'ouvrage, et pendant ce temps M.
Audubon va faire une visite au Capitaine. Ils reviennent ensemble deux
heures apres. Je force en quelque sorte l'officier a faire une
recherche aussi stricte que possible, mais a la condition qu'il en
fera de meme avec les autres traiteurs." The two precious hours of
Audubon's visit were utilized by the clever captain in so arranging
the cargo that no liquor should be found on board by Captain
Burgwin.--E. C.