NARRATIVE OF 1853. Р 59 
affairs caused considerable grumbling in camp. We аге fast approaching the buffalo country, 
and then shall be expected to do with much less. About 24 p. m. the main train, under Mr. 
Osgood, crossed the river without unloading any of the wagons or doubling the teams, and 
moved forward to a good camping place, carrying with them a supply of firewood, as none 
would be found again before reaching Lake Jessie. The astronomical, magnetic, and meteoro- 
logical parties, with the detail of three men attending to the coal pit, and Mr. Evans and 
myself, remained at Camp Guthrie, intending to join them before they moved on in the morning, 
and breakfast with them. 
About 3 p. m. Mr. Tinkham came into camp and reported that he had been to the Butte 
Micheau and Lake Jessie. They found buffalo to be very numerous on our route. Paul 
Boulieau and Rummell killed some four or five coming back, without going out of the way. 
About dusk Paul started ahead for the camp of Mr. Osgood, and having crossed the river, 
he commenced singing an Indian song, which Joe said was in the Sioux language. Lemere and 
. Mechall, another voyageur, came running in, and loudly proclaimed that we had but a few 
minutes left; that we were surrounded by the Sioux. Most of the gentlemen assured them 
that it was only Paul singing; but Joe knew better; he could tell Chippewa from Sioux, and 
the song was in the Sioux language. The camp was in commotion, and every arm was inspected 
and loaded, though I endeavored to laugh it off as a good joke. Myself and Evans determined 
to stand guard, and directed the men to go to bed. Evans went on about 11 o'clock, and 
continued up the balance of the night, awaking the camp at 3. Grass was cut from the bottoms 
near by, and the animals were put together as closely as possible, so as to abridge the watch 
duties. The two frightened men never got over their apprehensions. They would neither go 
to bed nor approach the camp fires, feeling certain that they would become marks for the 
Indians, and would not go on guard at all. Evans reported that they were most vigilant and 
watchful sentinels. I sat up till 12 o'clock, engaged with Messrs. Stevens and Doty in the 
examination of the astronomical observations, formule, &c. 
July 10.— Most of our camp arose at 21 o'clock. After partaking of a cup of coffee at 3 
o'clock, our little train, consisting of an ambulance and spring wagons, with a cart loaded with 
charcoal, had crossed the Shyenne by sunrise. The ambulance, or instrument wagon, being 
too heavily loaded, was detained on the west side some half hour, in consequence of the soft . 
state of the ground preventing the animals from securing a good foothold. About 7 o'clock 
we reached the main train, encamped some seven miles off. The train was preparing to move, 
and soon after we came up it started. At 8 o'clock we followed and passed them. - ‘About five 
miles from camp we ascended to the top of a high hill, and for a great distance — every 
square mile seemed to have a herd of buffalo upon it. Their number " — estimated 
by the members of the party—some as high as half a million. I do not think it is = 
tion to set it down at 200,000. I had heard of the myriads of these animals inhabiting these 
plains, but I could not realize the truth of these accounts till e when they ne 
anything I could have imagined from the accounts which I had received. | The reader will form 
a better idea of this scene from the accompanying sketch, taken by Mr. Stanley on the ground, 
than from any description. | 
"The timber bordering on Lake Jessie was distinctly visible ahead, and between us and it 
were countless herds of buffalo, through which we were compelled to pass. The train moved 
