THE MISSOURI RIVER JOURNALS 513 



after nine o'clock; we are fastened to the shore, and I 

 will, for the first time since I left St. Louis, sleep in my 

 cabin, and between sheets. 



May 26, Friday. The weather was fine, but we moved 

 extremely slowly, not having made more than ten miles 

 by twelve o'clock. The captain arranged all his papers 

 for Fort Pierre. Three of the best walkers, well ac- 

 quainted with the road, were picked from among our sin- 

 gularly mixed crew of engages, and were put ashore at Big 

 Bend Creek, on the banks of a high cliff on the western 

 side; they ascended through a ravine, and soon were out 

 of sight. We had stopped previously to cut wood, where 

 our men had to lug it fully a quarter of a mile. We 

 ourselves landed of course, but found the prairie so com- 

 pletely trodden by Buffaloes that it was next to impos- 

 sible to walk. Notwithstanding this, however, a few 

 birds were procured. The boat continued on with much 

 difficulty, being often stopped for the want of water. At 

 one place we counted over a hundred dead Buffalo calves; 

 we saw a great number, however, that did reach the top 

 of the bank, and proceeded to feeding at once. We saw 

 one animal, quite alone, wading and swimming alter- 

 nately, till it had nearly crossed the river, when for rea- 

 sons unknown to us, and when only about fifty yards from 

 the land, it suddenly turned about, and swam and waded 

 back to the western side, whence it had originally come ; 

 this fellow moved through the water as represented in 

 this very imperfect sketch, which I have placed here, and 

 with his tail forming nearly half a circle by its erection 

 during the time he swam. It was mired on several occa- 

 sions while passing from one shoal or sand-bar to an- 

 other. It walked, trotted, or galloped, while on the solid 

 beach, and ultimately, by swimming a few hundred yards, 

 returned to the side from whence it had started, though 

 fully half a mile below the exact spot. There now was 

 heard on board some talk about the Great Bend, and the 



VOL. I. 33 



