THE MISSOURI RIVER JOURNALS 507 



saw their tracks all along both shores ; where they have 

 landed and are unable to get up the steep cliffs, they 

 follow along the margin till they reach a ravine, and then 

 make their way to the hills, and again to the valleys; 

 they also have roads to return to the river to drink. They 

 appear at this season more on the west side of the Mis- 

 souri. The Elks, on the contrary, are found on the 

 islands and low bottoms, well covered with timber; the 

 common Deer is found indifferently everywhere. All the 

 Antelopes we have seen were on the west side. After we 

 had left our first landing-place a few miles, we observed 

 some seven or eight Indians looking at us, and again re- 

 tiring to the woods, as if to cover themselves; when we 

 came nearly opposite them, however, they all came to the 

 shore, and made signs to induce us to land. The boat 

 did not stop for their pleasure, and after we had fairly 

 passed them they began firing at us, not with blank car- 

 tridges, but with well-directed rifle-balls, several of which 

 struck the " Omega " in different places. I was stand- 

 ing at that moment by one of the chimneys, and saw a 

 ball strike the water a few feet beyond our bows; and 

 Michaux, the hunter, heard its passing within a few inches 

 of his head. A Scotchman, who was asleep below, was 

 awakened and greatly frightened by hearing a ball pass 

 through the partition, cutting the lower part of his panta- 

 loons, and deadening itself against a trunk. Fortunately 

 no one was hurt. Those rascals were attached to a war 

 party, and belong to the Santee tribes which range across 

 the country from the Mississippi to the Missouri. I will 

 make no comment upon their conduct, but I have two of 

 the balls that struck our boat; it seems to be a wonder 

 that not one person was injured, standing on deck as we 

 were to the number of a hundred or more. We have not 

 seen Parrakeets or Squirrels for several days; Partridges 

 have also deserted us, as well as Rabbits; we have seen 

 Barn Swallows, but no more Rough-winged. We have 



