MR. O B. " EN ROUTE. 209 



American woods ; we found this bird as far west as 

 the sources of the North Thompson. 



A curious bird, which we met with only between 

 the Pembina and Athabasca, and which we called the 

 " booming swallow," attracted our attention, but we 

 were never able to obtain a specimen of it. It was 

 about the size of a pigeon, with long, narrow wings, 

 like those of the swift. It careered about in the air 

 after the same fashion, apparently catching flies, and, 

 when at a great height, w^ould dart down like an arrow, 

 making a strange booming sound, which can only be 

 compared to the swelling hum of a thrashing machine 

 at the time when a sheaf of corn is put into it. We 

 never saw this bird in any other part of America. 



Mr. O'B. employed his time in increasing the 

 enmity which the men had conceived for him by his 

 dislike for work, and his imperative manner when 

 demanding their services. He did not attempt to 

 assist in packing his own horse, but required the help 

 of the men to roll up his blanket, or stow away his 

 pemmican. Obstinately persisting, in spite of all re- 

 monstrances, in marching last of the single file in 

 which we travelled, he frequently lagged behind ; 

 when he found that the party ahead were out of sight, 

 which was the case every few yards, from the close- 

 ness of the trees, terror took possession of him, and 

 he sat down, without attempting to seek the path, 

 making the woods ring again with his cries for help. 

 The first time this occurred, we stopped the train in 

 some alarm, and Baptiste hurried back to see what 

 could have happened, when, to his disgust, he simply 



o 



