V0l 'i9i5 XI1 ] Wright, Early Records of the Wild Turkey. 355 



St. Louis is frequently supplied by a tribe of the Shawnee nation of 

 Indians, who live about seventy miles west of that place. They 

 usually charge a quarter of a dollar for a turkey or a quarter of 

 venison." In 1811, H. M. Brackenridge when not far from Fort 

 Osage up the Missouri writes, 1 "While Castor was out, he saw a 

 white turkey, but was not so fortunate as to kill it. I am told that 

 they have sometimes been seen of this color: but I suspect it is 

 Rara avis in terris, nigroque simillima cygno." He finds that, " In 

 the settlements, and for a considerable distance up the Missouri, 

 turkies stalk through the woods, in numerous flocks, but are rarely 

 met with where the open country commences." 



In 1812, Major Amos Stoddard holds that 2 "these forests 

 (Upper Louisiana) also according to the best accounts, contain 

 about a hundred and thirty species of birds. The most useful of 

 them are several kind of duck. . . .and turkey." 



In 1816, John D. Hunter (1. c, pp. 170, 383, 425, 432) says, 



"Wild turkey, prairie hens, etc are inhabitants of this country." 



He tells how a band of Indians may often approach a hostile party 

 by gobbling like a turkey cock and their enemies be not aware of 

 their intent or presence. In another instance, he states that when 

 Indians choke, they thrust a turkey feather down the throat to 

 induce vomiting. Finally, he describes at length, the " Soo-ke-He- 

 Ah (or) young turkies' feed." "Turkey pea — There are two 

 highly nutritive articles bearing this name, which grow in the 

 western country in great abundance, but which are entirely differ- 

 ent in character from the one now under consideration. One 

 variety is however called by the graziers on the frontiers Pea vine, 

 which from its great abundance and nutritive properties constitute 

 a highly valuable grazing article. The other has a single stock, 

 grows to the height of eight or ten inches, and bears a small pod. 

 It is found in rich loose soils, appears amongst the first plants in the 

 spring, and produces on the root small tubers of the size of a hazel- 

 nut, on which the turkies feed .... But the substance now under 



notice grows to a foot or foot and a half in height, and adorns the 



I __^_ 



1 Brackenridge, H. M. Views of Louisiana together with a Journal of a Voyage 

 up the Missouri River in 1811. Pittsburgh, 1814, pp. 216, 59. 



2 Stoddard, Major Amos. Sketches Historical and Descriptive of Louisiana. 

 Phila., 1812, p. 231. 



