102 



AUDUBON 



i'lJi 



surprised to see a good number of horses saddled, and 

 packed in different ways, and I hastened on to find what 

 might be the matter. When I entered the miserable 

 house in which Mr. Collins sleeps and spends his time 

 when not occupied out of doors, he told me thirteen men 

 and seven squaws were about to start for the lakes, thirty- 

 five miles off, to kill Buffaloes and dry their meat, as the 

 last his hunters brought in was already putrid. I saw 

 the cavalcade depart in an E. N. E. direction, remained a 

 while, and then walked back. Mr. Collins promised me 

 half a dozen balls from young animals. Provost was dis- 

 comfited and crestfallen at the failure of the Beaver hunt ; 

 he brought half a doe and about a dozen fine catfish. 

 Mr. Culbertson and I are going to see the mowers, and 

 to-morrow we start on a grand Buffalo hunt, and hope for 

 Antelopes, Wolves, and Foxes. 



July 20, Thursday. We were up early, and had our 

 breakfast shortly after four o'clock, and before eight had 

 left the landing of the fort, and were fairly under way for 

 the prairies. Our equipment was much the same as be- 

 fore, except that we had two carts this time. Mr. C 

 drove Harris, Bell, and myself, and the others rode on the 

 carts and led the hunting horses, or runners, as they are 

 called here. I observed a Rabbit running across the road, 

 and saw some flowers different from any I had ever seen. 

 After we had crossed a bottom prairie, we ascended be- 

 tween the high and rough ravines until we were on the 

 rolling grounds of the plains. The fort showed well from 

 this point, and we also saw a good number of Antelopes, 

 and some young ones. These small things run even faster 

 than the old ones. As we neared the Fox River some one 

 espied four Buffaloes, and Mr. C, taking the telescope, 

 showed them to me, lying on the ground. Our heads and 

 carts were soon turned towards them, and we travelled 

 within half a mile of them, concealed by a ridge or hill 

 which separated them from us. The wind was favorable, 



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