THE MISSOURI RIVER JOURNALS 



73 



The coffin was lowered, or rather tumbled, down, and the 

 cover was soon hammered off; to my surprise, the feet 

 were placed on the pillow, instead of the head, which lay 

 at the foot of the coffin — if a long box may so be called. 

 Worms innumerable were all about it; the feet were 

 naked, shrunk, and dried up. The head had still the hair 

 on, but was twisted off in a moment, under jaw and all. 

 The body had been first wrapped up in a Buffalo skin 

 without hair, and then in another robe with the hair on, 

 as usual; after this the dead man had been enveloped in 

 an American flag, and over this a superb scarlet blanket. 

 We left all on the ground but the head. Squires, Mr. 

 Denig and young Owen McKenzie went afterwards to try 

 to replace the coffin and contents in the tree, but in vain ; 

 the whole affair fell to the ground, and there it lies; but 

 I intend to-morrow to have it covered with earth. The 

 history of this man is short, and I had it from Mr. Lar- 

 penteur, who was in the fort at the time of his decease, 

 or self-committed death. He was a good friend to the 

 whites, and knew how to procure many Buffalo robes for 

 them ; he was also a famous orator, and never failed to 

 harangue his people on all occasions. He was, however, 

 consumptive, and finding himself about to die, he sent 

 his squaw for water, took an arrow from his quiver, and 

 thursting it into his heart, expired, and was found dead 

 when his squaw returned to the lodge. He was " buried " 

 in the above-mentioned tree by the orders of Mr. McKen- 

 zie, who then commanded this fort. Mr. Culbertson drove 

 me so fast, and Harris so much faster, over this rough 

 ground, that I feel quite stiff. I must not forget to say 

 that we had another sham Buffalo chase over the prairie 

 in front of the fort, the riders being Squires, young 

 McKenzie, and Mr. Culbertson ; and I was glad and proud 

 to see tiMt Squires, though so inexperienced a hunter, 

 managed to shoot five shots within the mile, McKenzie 

 eleven, and Mr. Culbertson eight. Harris killed an old 



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