HUNTING WITH THE INDIANS SKELETONS. 181 



soon found myself running desperately after turkeys, and 

 never stopped, till I had chased them into a tree, when I 

 stood looking up at them without thinking of shooting. 

 Just then my dog gave & loud bark, and I jumped up. 

 One of the Indians had risen to look to the fire, and 

 Bearsgrease thought it rather suspicious. My beautiful 

 dream was gone, and I could no longer recollect whether 

 I barked or not. I fell asleep again, but the dream never 

 returned. 



Early in the morning we began to move, dividing into 

 two parties, for the better chance of finding game. 

 Conwell went with some of the Indians, amongst whom 

 he had found an old acquaintance, to make a circuit 

 round the Pilot-rock, while Erskine and I, with three 

 Cherokees proceeded to the sources of the Frog bayou. 



About ten o'clock we came to a cave, which seemed 

 worth examining. We made torches, there being plenty 

 of strips of pine lying about ; it was settled that I should 

 try my luck, with one of the Indians. Erskine re- 

 mained with the two others by the fire, saying he had 

 searched so many caves within the last four days with- 

 out finding anything, that he was tired of it. The en- 

 trance was ra.ther small, but it became gradually larger, 

 and we went a long way in. There were evidences of 

 its having been tried before, as we found moccasin 

 marks, and pieces of burnt wood. An unexpected 

 sight suddenly arrested our progress the skeletons of a 

 man and of a bear, lying peaceably within three feet of 

 each other. A rifle thickly covered with rust, and a 

 corroded knife, lay by the side of the first, and some 

 glass beads convinced us that it was the skeleton of an 



