ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAIXS, ETC. 13 



number that arc rare and curious) arc not yet in flower, and 

 therefore of little use to him. The birds are in considerable 

 numbers, among the principal of which is the large pileated 

 woodpecker, (Picus pileatus.) 



Mr. N. and myself are both in high spirits. We travel slowly, 

 and without much fatigue, and when we arrive at a house, stop 

 and rest, take a drink of milk, and chat with those we see. We 

 have been uniformly well treated ; the living is good, and very 

 cheap, and at any house at which we stop the inhabitants are 

 sure to welcome us to their hospitality and good cheer. They 

 live comfortably, and without much labor ; possess a fruitful and 

 easily tilled soil, for which they pay the trifling sum of one dollar 

 and a quarter per acre ; they raise an abundance of good In- 

 dian corn, potatoes, and other vegetables ; have excellent beef 

 and pork, and, in short, every thing necessary for good, whole- 

 some living. 



31s<. — The road to-day was muddy and slippery, rendered so by 

 a heavy rain which fell last night. This morning, we observed 

 large flocks of wild pigeons passing over, and on the bare prairies 

 were thousands of golden plovers ; the ground was often literally 

 covered with them for acres. I killed a considerable number. 

 They were very fat, and we made an excellent meal of them in 

 the evening. The prairie hen, or pinnated grouse, is also 

 very numerous, but in these situations is shy, and difficult to be 

 procured. 



Towards evening we were overtaken by a bluff, jolly looking 

 man, on horseback, who, as is usual, stopped, and entered into 

 conversation with us. I saw immediately that he was superior 

 to those we had been accustomed to meet. He did not ply us 

 with questions so eagerly as most, and when he heard that we 

 were naturalists, and were travelling in that capacity, he seemed 

 to take considerable interest in us. He invited us to stop at his 

 house, which was only a mile beyond, and as night was almost 



