16 NAKKATIVE OF A JOURNEY 



We then gave up the pursuit, and turned our attention to the 

 turkies, wliicli were rather numerous in the thicket. They were 

 shy, as usual, and, when started from their lurking places, 

 ran away like deer, and hid themselves in the underwood. 

 Occasionally, however, they would perch on the high limbs of 

 the trees, and then we had some shots at them. In the course 

 of an hour we killed four, and returned to the house, where, 

 as I expected, Mr. N. was in a fever at my absence, and after 

 a late, and very good breakfast, proceeded on our journey. 



We find in this part of the country less timber in the same 

 space than we have yet seen, and when a small belt appears, 

 it is a great relief, as the monotony of a bare prairie becomes 

 tiresome. 



Towards evening we arrived at Loutre Lick. Here there is 

 a place called a Hotel. A Hotel, forsooth ! a pig-stye would 

 be a more appropriate name. Every thing about it was most 

 exceedingly filthy and disagreeable, but no better lodging was to 

 be had, for it might not be proper to apply for accommodation at 

 a private house in the immediate vicinity of a public one. They 

 gave us a wretched supper, not half so good as we had been 

 accustomed to, and we were fain to spend the evening in a 

 comfortless, unfurnished, nasty bar-room, that smelt intolerably 

 of rum and whiskey, to listen to the profane conversation of 

 three or four uncouth individuals, (among whom were the host 

 and his brother,) and to hear long and disagreeably minute 

 discussions upon horse-racing, gambling, and other vices equally 

 unpleasant to us. 



The host's brother had been to the Rocky Mountains, and soon 

 learning our destination, gave us much unsought for advice re- 

 garding our method of journeying ; painted in strong colors the 

 many dangers and difficulties which we must encounter, and 

 concluded by advising us to give up the expedition. My fast 

 ebbing patience was completely exhausted. I told him that 



