﻿330 PICTORIAL MISCELLANY, 



" Where 's Mah-to-he-ha?" said Jollie. 



" Gone under," said Jack, sorrowfully. " He ran with me a little 

 ways, but he was hit and fell. The cowards lifted his hair and left 

 him dead." 



"Well," said Jollie, " our hair is in a dangerous spot just now; 

 let 's be off." We jumped into our canoe, and with all our exertions 

 crowded the boat down the stream. Fortunately, we had another 

 shower a short time after we started, and under cover of the extreme 

 darkness of the night we escaped. We paddled with diligence until 

 near the break of day, when, not deeming it prudent to show our- 

 selves in public, we landed and drew our canoe into a thicket, and 

 having devoured the remaining portion of our dried meat, we spread 

 our blankets and went to sleep. 



How long I slept I hardly know, but when I awoke the sun was 

 high above the horizon, peeping cheerfully through the trees. My 

 companions sat conversing together at a short distance from me, 

 seeming cheerful and free from care. I soon joined them, and 

 after bestowing a few compliments upon me for my early rising, 

 we began to think about a breakfast. We were yet many miles 

 from home, and on the hunting grounds of our enemies. I proposed 

 that we should lie still and close all day, and at night pursue our 

 journey. This, however, did not please Jollie, who said he must 

 have his breakfast. We accordingly climbed the bank, and with 

 our guns proceeded to search for game. 



On our way we came across what, to me, was a most interesting 

 sight. This was the numerous villages of prairie dogs. These ani- 

 mals dig their holes on the level prairie, throwing up the dirt in a 

 conical form, upon which they sit and bark upon the approach of 

 danger. We passed thousands of these little hillocks, upon the tops 

 of which sat the little dogs, hardly as large as wood-chucks, which, 

 at our approach, sent forth the most noisy demonstration of anger at 

 being disturbed, that can well be imagined. As we came within 

 gun-shot, they would dodge down out of sight, and as we passed by 

 their little huts nothing could be seen of them. When we got away 

 about the same distance, the little heads would appear again, snarl- 

 ing and yelping as before. These little communities are exceed- 

 ingly numerous upon the prairies, and when they occur in large 



