238 WILD SPORTS IN TUE FAR WEST. 



it; but we had no notion of shooting just then, and 

 kept straight on. As the day advanced, our stomachs 

 began to reproach us for such unfriendly treatment, 

 when, about 200 yards in front, we saw a gang of wild 

 turkeys running along the road. One word of encour- 

 agement to Bearsgrease, and he seemed to fly rather than 

 run after the long-legged turkeys, who soon finding that 

 their legs would not save them, took to their wings, 

 and flew heavily to the nearest trees. 



As fast as I could I had followed up the dog, who 

 had singled out a turkey-cock, and was bounding and 

 barking round the tree in which he had taken refuge, 

 and whence, with outstretched neck, he was turning his 

 head first to one side then to the other, intently watching 

 the motions of Bearsgrease ; I was enabled to approach 

 unperceived and knock him over. Meantime S. had 

 lighted a jolly fire, and we sat rather too long over our 

 meal, considering, or rather not considering, that we 

 had a bad bit of road before us, and that the weather 

 began to look threatening. 



For half a mile the road led through the '' mounds," 

 — small hills, Avhich are very frequent in this part of 

 Arkansas, principally on low ground. There can be 

 no doubt but that they have been formed by the hand 

 of man, as they are in regular rows, from twenty to 

 forty yards apart, six or seven feet high, and about 

 twelve feet in diameter. The one in the middle of a 

 row is always of an oval form, while the others are 

 round. There are sometimes from twelve to twenty 

 rows, with from ten to twenty and twenty -five mounds 

 in a row, all at regular distances. I have spoken with 

 several Americans who had dug into them, in the hope 



