

36 



AUDUBON 



is to go off after Antelopes for me ; and the hunters for 

 the men of the fort and themselves ; and jjerhaps some 

 of the young men may go with one or both parties. I 

 heard many stories about Wolves; particularly I was in- 

 terested in one told by Mr. Kipp, who assured us he had 

 caught upwards of one hundred with baited fish-hooks. 

 Many other tales were told us; but I shall not forget 

 them, so will not write them down here, but wait till 

 hereafter. After shooting at a mark with a bow made of 

 Elk horn, Mr. Kipp presented it to me. We saw several 

 Wolves, but none close to the fort. Both the common 

 Crow and Raven are found here; Bell killed one of the 

 former. 



June 16, Friday. The weather was cool this morning, 

 with the wind due east. I drew the young Gray Wolf, 

 and Sprague made an outline of it. Bell, Provost, Alexis, 

 and Black Harris went over the river to try to procure 

 Antelopes; Bell and Alexis returned to dinner without 

 any game, although they had seen dozens of the animals 

 wanted, and also some Common Deer. The two others, 

 who travelled much farther, returned at dusk with empty 

 stomachs and a young fawn of the Common Deer. Harris 

 and I took a long walk after my drawing was well towards 

 completion, and shot a few birds. The Buffalo, old and 

 young, are fond of rolling on the ground in the manner of 

 horses, and turn quite over; this is done not only to clean 

 themselves, but also to rub off the loose old coat of hair 

 and wool that hangs about their body like so many large, 

 dirty rags. Those about the fort are gentle, but will not 

 allow a person to touch their bodies, not even the young 

 calves of the last spring. Our young Badger is quite fond 

 of lying on his back, and then sleeps. His general ap- 

 pearance and gait remind me of certain species of Arma- 

 dillo. There was a good deal of talking and jarring about 

 the fort; some five or six men came from the Opposition 

 Company, and would have been roughly handled had they 



