BUFFALO ON THE PLAINS. 35 



commenced, travelling trains were frequently detained for hours 

 by immense herds crossing their track, and in such numbers that 

 it was impossible to drive through them. In many instances it was 

 quite difficult to prevent their own loose cattle from mingling with 

 the buffaloes, of which they did not seem to be at all afraid. The 

 eyes of our French voyageurs fairly glistened as they rode into camp 

 laden with the meat, and their arrival was hailed with a general 

 shout of congratulation. The long-desired spoil was soon divided, 

 and a busy scene ensued of roasting, boiling, and making houdin, 

 which is a sort of sausage, boiled and eaten hot : when skilfully 

 prepared, it forms a most excellent dish. Huge marrow-bones 

 might now be seen roasting most temptingly by fires made of hois de 

 vache, and a new spirit seemed to be infused into the entire party 

 by this return to their favourite diet. Although, in such a com- 

 pany, it would have been rank treason to utter the opinion, yet I 

 could not help thinking at the time, that the fat of this meat, which 

 our men were devouring with so much gusto, had a somewhat rank 

 and disagreeable flavour ; and I must, in truth, confess that I was 

 not a little disappointed by a dish of which I had received such 

 glowing accounts. I found afterward, indeed, that such was the 

 opinion, not only of us green ones, but even of our mountain con- 

 noisseurs themselves, although, at the time, they did all they could 

 to persuade us that it was most excellent ; for the animal killed 

 was a ''bull," whose flesh is eaten only when no other can be ob- 

 tained, whence the males are very seldom killed when the " cows" 

 can be procured. 



The rock, where it cropped out in the bluffs, was composed of 

 white or gray sandstone, similar to that previously passed ; in some 

 places strata of an ochreous marl were met with, and in one spot, 

 twelve miles above the Forks, a stratum of gypsum. The fossils 

 were in too imperfect a state to be identified. The small sunflower 

 was seen in great abundance, and also buffalo-grass. Innumerable 

 buffalo-trails were crossed, leading from the river through the ra- 

 vines between the bluffs, to the country beyond, some of which 

 were well beaten, and pressed nearly a foot deep into the soil. 



Thursday, June 28. — Morning bright and pleasant. Ther. at 

 sunrise, 59° ; Bar. 27.18. The day proved fine, notwithstanding 

 the threatening appearance of rain last night, with a cool and 

 refreshing wind from the north. The Boston train, which had 

 kept ahead of us, was seen crossing the South Fork — an operation 

 which they effected apparently without difficulty ; but I preferred 



