44 NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY 



then aroused, and off we went again, travelling steadily the 

 whole day, making about thirty-five miles, and so got quite 

 clear of the Grand Pawnees. 



The antelopes are very numerous here. There is not half an 

 hour during the day in which they are not seen, and they fre- 

 quently permit the party to approach very near them. This 

 afternoon, two beautiful does came bounding after ns, bleating 

 precisely like sheep. The men imitated the call, and they came 

 up to within fifty yards of us, and stood still; two of the hunters 

 fired, and both the poor creatures fell dead. We can now pro- 

 cure as many of these animals as we wish, but their flesh is not 

 equal to common venison, and is frequently rejected by our 

 people. A number are, however, slaughtered every day, from 

 mere wantonness and love of killing, the greenhorns gloryino- in 

 the sport, like our striplings of the city, in their annual murder- 

 ing of robins and sparrows. 



20th. — This afternoon, we came in sight of a large ga7ig of 

 the long-coveted buffalo. They were grazing on the opposite 

 side of the Platte, quietly as domestic cattle, but as we neared 

 them, the foremost winded us, and started back, and the whole herd 

 followed in the wildest confusion, and were soon out of sio-ht. 

 There must have been many thousands of them. Towards 

 evening, a large band of elk came towards us at full gallop, and 

 passed very near the party. The appearance of these animals 

 produced a singular effect upon our horses, all of which became 

 restive, and about half the loose ones broke away, and scoured 

 over the plain in full chase after the elk. Captain W. and 

 several of his men went immediately in pursuit of them, and 

 returned late at night, bringing the greater number. Two have, 

 however, been lost irrecoverably. Our observed latitude, yes- 

 terday, was 40° 31', and our computed distance from the Mis- 

 souri settlements, about 360 miles. 



