164 NOTES TAKEN. 
store our water bags afforded us- Our miserable bivouac, was 
made more cheerful, however; by the delicious steaks of the 
fat doe killed in the afternoon, and now cooked by the Major 
in a style which would have done credit to a finished 
“ euisinier.” 
We supped heartily, and with hopes for to-morrow, rested 
as well as tired men could, with a yelping convert of wolves 
in their vicinity. 
August 4th.—Long before daylight, we were off without 
breakfast, and riding rapidly and examining every spot where 
water might be thought to be, about eight o’clock we found 
in a branch, a small quantity of water, which though so putrid 
as to scent the atmosphere, our famishing animals drank 
greedily. We could not swallow it, though suffering terribly. 
A curious sight presented itself here. Large numbers 
of buffalo fish, had penetrated to this point in high water, and 
their skeletons in thousands, lined the shores, where they had 
perished after the water receded, and afforded a rich repast 
for eagles and buzzards, whose feathers were thickly strows 
around. 
We pushed on, and about ten o'clock, the Captain sur- 
prised a panther, in his tracks—the first one we had met with 
—and giving chase, soon came toa fine stream, which from 
this circumstance, he called Panther Creek. 
Joy at finding water, drove away all thoughts of the 
panther, and shouting out the weleome news, we were soon 
bivouaced under a wide spreading elm, enjoying good water 
