494 AUDUBON 



Company at this post, a handsome French gentleman, of 

 good manners. He dined with us. After this we landed, 

 and walked to the fort, if the place may so be called, for 

 we found it only a square, strongly picketed, without port- 

 holes. It stands on the immediate bank of the river, 

 opposite a long and narrow island, and is backed by a 

 vast prairie, all of which was inundated during the spring 

 freshet. He told me that game was abundant, such as 

 Elk, Deer, and Bear; but that Ducks, Geese, and Swans 

 were extremely scarce this season. Hares are plenty 

 no Rabbits. We left as soon as possible, for our captain 

 is a pushing man most truly. We passed some remark- 

 able bluffs of blue and light limestone, towards the top of 

 which we saw an abundance of Cliff-Swallows, and counted 

 upwards of two hundred nests. But, alas ! we have finally 

 met with an accident. A plate of one of our boilers was 

 found to be burned out, and we were obliged to stop on 

 the west side of the river, about ten miles below the mouth 

 of the Vermilion River. Here we were told that we might 

 go ashore and hunt to our hearts' content ; and so I have, 

 but shot at nothing. Bell, Michaux, and I, walked to the 

 hills full three miles off, saw an extraordinary quantity of 

 Deer, Wolf, and Elk tracks, as well as some of Wild Cats. 

 Bell started a Deer, and after a while I heard him shoot. 

 Michaux took to the top of the hills, Bell about midway, 

 and I followed near the bottom ; all in vain, however. I 

 started a Woodcock, and caught one of her young, and 

 I am now sorry for this evil deed. A dead Buffalo cow 

 and calf passed us a few moments ago. Squires has seen 

 one other, during our absence. We took at Mr. Cerre's 

 establishment two engages and four Sioux Indians. We 

 are obliged to keep bright eyes upon them, for they are 

 singularly light-fingered. The woods are filled with wild- 



County, South Dakota. On the opposite side of the Missouri is Dixon Co., 

 Nebraska. The stream was once known as Whitestone River, as given in 

 " Lewis and Clark." E. C. 



