THE MISSOURI RIVER JOURNALS 37 



not cleared off at the beginning of trouble. Arrangements 

 were. made for loading the Mackinaw barges, and it is in- 

 tended that they shall depart for St. Louis, leaving on 

 Sunday morning. We shall all be glad when these boats 

 with their men are gone, as we are now full to the brim. 

 Harris has a new batch of patients, and enjoys the work 

 of physician. 



June 17, Saturday. Warm and fair, with the river ris- 

 ing fast. The young fawn was hung up, and I drew it. 

 By dinner-time Sprague had well prepared the Gray Wolf, 

 and I put him to work at the fawn. Bell went shooting, 

 and brought five or six good birds. The song of the 

 Lazuli Finch so much resembles that of the Indigo Bird 

 that it would be difficult to distinguish them by the note 

 alone. They keep indifferently among the low bushes 

 and high trees. He also brought a few specimens of 

 Spermophilus hoodii of Richardson,^ of which the meas- 

 urements were taken. Wolves often retreat into holes 

 made by the sinking of the earth near ravines, burrow- 

 ing in different directions at the bottoms of these. I 

 sent Provost early this morning to the Opposition fort, 

 to inquire whether Mr. Cutting had written letters 

 about us, and also to see a fine Kit Fox, brought in one 

 of their boats from the Yellowstone. Much has been 

 done in the way of loading the Mackinaw boats. Bell 

 has skinned the young Wolf, and Sprague will perhaps 

 finish preparing the fawn. The hunters who went out 

 yesterday morning have returned, and brought back a 

 quantity of fresh Buffalo meat. Squires brought many 

 fragments of a petrified tree. No Antelopes were shot, 

 and I feel uneasy on this score. Provost returned and 

 told me Mr. Cutting's men with the letters had not ar- 

 rived, but that they were expected hourly. The Kit Fox 



^ This is a synonym of Spermophilus tridecem-Uneatus, the Thirteen-lined, 

 or Federation Sphermophile, the variety that is found about Fort Union 

 being S. t. pallidus. — E. C. 



