140 TEN DAYS IN MONTANA. 



on my first buffalo hunt. We pulled out early on Monday 

 morning, the 2oth, and a drive of five -miles took us out of 

 the bad lands and on to a most beautiful tract of rich, fertile 

 prairie. Just on the margin of this prairie the trail passes 

 through a very large prairie-dog town, or rather "republic." 

 It covers some two or three hundred acres. As we came in 

 sight of it we saw a hundred or more of the little spike-tailed 

 republicans skurrying hither and thither, each making for his 

 own house. When they had found these they stopped, sat 

 up on their haunches and commenced barking at us. Those 

 nearest the trail disappeared as we approached them, but 

 those at a little distance away held their ground, and kept up 

 their noise. We got out and took a few shots at them. Mr. 

 Van Vleck killed a very large one, the largest we saw on the 

 trip, and probably the president of the republic. Fortunately, 

 too, the force of the ball knocked him off the bank where he 

 sat, and he died before he could reach his hole, so we recov- 

 ered him. I skinned him, and have sent his skin to Dr. 

 Velie, secretary of the Chicago Academy of Science, to be 

 mounted. 



We saw large numbers of antelopes during the day, but 

 did not stop to shoot at them. We arrived at Camp Mcln- 

 tosh, on Beaver creek, about sundown, and found Major Bell, 

 Captain Borden, Lieutenant Defries, Surgeons Black and 

 Ewing, and Post Trader Leasure as glad to see us as if we had 

 been their paymaster and his escort. 



After the first interchange of congratulations we inquired 

 eagerly as to the whereabouts of the buffalo, and received in 

 reply the welcome news that they were in the vicinity of 

 Cabin Creek, about fifty miles south of this camp; that a 

 scouting party had lately returned from that locality and 

 reported the prairie black with them in every direction. The 

 Major said the scouts had had difficulty in getting any water 



