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THE MISSOURI RIVER JOURNALS 



95 



Owen and shot him directly behind the shoulder blade. 

 He tottered for a moment, with an increased jet of blood 

 from the mouth and nostrils, fell forward on his horns, 

 then rolled over on his side, and was dead. He was a 

 very old animal, in poor case, and only part of him was 

 worth taking to the fort. Provost, Squires, and Basil 

 were left at the camp preparing for their departure after 

 Otter and Beaver as decided. We left them eight or nine 

 catfish and a quantity of meat, of which they took care to 

 secure the best, namely the boss or hump. On our home- 

 ward way we saw seyeral Antelopes, some quite in the 

 prairie, others far away on the hills, but all of them on 

 the alert. Owen tried unsuccessfully to approach several 

 of them at different times. At one place where two were 

 seen he dismounted, and went round a small hill (for these 

 animals when startled or suddenly alarmed always make 

 to these places), and we hoped would have had a shot ; but 

 alas ! no ! One of the Antelopes ran off to the top of an- 

 other hill, and the other stood looking at him, and us per- 

 haps, till Owen (who had been re-mounted) galloped off 

 towards us. My surprise was great when I saw the other 

 Antelope following him at a good pace (but not by bounds 

 or leaps, as I had been told by a former traveller they 

 sometimes did), until it either smelt him, or found out he 

 was no friend, and turning round galloped speedily off to 

 join the one on the lookout. We saw seven or eight 

 Grouse, and Bell killed one on the ground. We saw a 

 Sand-hill Crane about two years old, looking quite majes- 

 tic in a grassy bottom, but it flew away before we were 

 near enough to get a shot. We passed a fine pond or 

 small lake, but no bird was there. We saw several par- 

 cels of Ducks in sundry places, all of which no doubt had 

 I young near. When we turned the corner of the great 

 1 prairie we found Owen's mare close by us. She had run 

 away while he was after Antelopes. We tied her to a log 

 ho be ready for him when he should reach the spot. He 





