1 44 In the United States v 



forts, from which position he is, however, constantly 

 being driven by the domestic cat, who hates him 

 cordially. They are really handsome animals, and 

 a good skunk robe is a very pretty bit of peltry ; but 

 they must be killed so suddenly as to prevent them 

 from using their powers of annoyance, or their 

 skins will be intolerable. Men have told me that 

 they can be easily tamed, but. Powers Below ! think 

 of having such a pet ! Batting to a fast bowler with 

 a lighted Chinese stink-pot for a cricket ball would 

 be a joke to it. There is something very uncanny 

 about their bite ; and I was told by the regimental 

 surgeon at Fort Heeyes that he had had no less 

 than five cases of a disease which closely simulated 

 hydrophobia from this cause. I wish that I had 

 got more particular information on the point at 

 the time, as it might have thrown some light on 

 that strange disease. 



' As I was meditating on skunkdom and keeping 

 a look-out for willow grouse, I repeatedly struck my 

 foot against the half-hidden skulls of the buffaloes 

 which had furnished sustenance to the Sioux long 

 before the white man disturbed him in his happy 

 hunting ground. How little did I think when, as a 

 small boy, I pondered over my " Lewis and Clarke," 

 and marvelled at the vast herds of bison depicted 

 crossing the river, that I should ever touch what may 

 possibly be the skulls of the very animals which they 

 saw. Half-buried in the rich loamy soil, old and 

 decaying, green and rotten, with the horny parts 



