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132 



AUDUBON 



ill 



would go after Bighorn to-morrow morning. This after- 

 noon we had an arrival of Indians, the same who were here 

 about two weeks ago. They had been to Fort Clark, and 

 report that a battle had taken place between the Crees and 

 Gros Ventres, and that the latter had lost. Antelopes 

 often die from the severity of the winter weather, and are 

 found dead and shockingly poor, even in the immediate 

 vicinity of the forts. These animals are caught in pens 

 in the manner of Buffaloes, and are despatched with clubs, 

 principally by the squaws. In 1840, during the winter, 

 and when the snow was deep on the prairies and in the 

 ravines by having drifted there, Mr. Laidlow, then at Fort 

 Union, caught four Antelopes by following them on horse- 

 back and forcing them into these drifts, which were in 

 places ten or twelve feet deep. They were brought home 

 on a sleigh, and let loose about the rooms. They were so 

 very gentle that they permitted the children to handle 

 them, although being loose they could have kept from 

 them. They were removed to the carpenter's shop, and 

 there one broke its neck by leaping over a turning-lathe. 

 The others were all killed in some such way, for they be- 

 came very wild, and jumped, kicked, etc., till all were dead. 

 Very young Buffaloes have been caught in the same way, 

 by the same gentleman, assisted by Le Brun and four 

 Indians, and thirteen of these he took down the river, 

 when they became somewhat tamed. The Antelopes can- 

 not be tamed except when caught young, and then they 

 can rarely be raised. Mr. Wm. Sublette, of St. Louis, had 

 one however, a female, which grew to maturity, and was 

 so gentle that it would go all over his house, mounting 

 and descending steps, and even going on the roof of the 

 house. It was alive when I first reached St. Louis, but I 

 was not aware of it, and before I left, it was killed by an 

 Elk belonging to the same gentleman. Provost returned, 

 and said that Boucherville would go with him and La Fleur 

 to-morrow morning early, but I doubt it. 



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