Small-pox Among the Indians. 43 1 



mound, and a buffalo's skull was put over each one : this 

 relic has some superstitious value in the estimation of 

 these poor ignorant creatures. 



" Our boat has been thronged with these dirty savages 

 ever since we fastened her to the landing, and it is with 

 difficulty we can keep them from our rooms. All around 

 the village the filth is beyond description, and the sights 

 daily seen will not bear recording ; they have dispelled 

 all the romance of Indian life I ever had, and I am satis- 

 fied that all the poetry about Indians is contained in 

 books ; there certainly is none in their wild life in the 

 woods. The captain of our vessel told me that on his 

 first trip here in a steamer, the Indians called her a great 

 ' Medicine,' supposed that he fed her with whisky, and ask- 

 ed, how much he gave her at a time. To which he repli- 

 ed, ' a whole barrel.' " 



It appears that the Omega did not, as originally in- 

 tended, return from St. Pierre, but kept on to the Yellow- 

 stone River. There Audubon bade the captain adieu, 

 with much regret, and wrote him a complimentary letter, 

 which all the passengers signed. 



" June 14. To-day, Mr. Chouteau, and Mr. Murray, a 

 Scotchman, arrived from the Crow Indian nation. They 

 told me the snow was yet three feet deep, and quite 

 abundant near the mountains. I learned to-day, that the 

 Prince of Canino, with his secretary and bird-stuffer, oc- 

 cupied the rooms I now have, for two months." 



The interval between this and the 2Oth of June was 

 employed in various excursions and exciting hunts after 

 the buffalo. 



June 20. A stormy day prevents out-door excursions, 

 and Audubon employs it in recording in his Journal an 

 account of the ravages of the small-pox among the Indi- 

 ans, which he received from an eye-witness. The Man- 

 dans and Ricarees suffered most, though many Sioux and 

 Blackfoot Indians perished with them. 



