88 AUDUBON 



sorts, with the wagon, and proceeded about six miles on 

 the road we had travelled yesterday. We met the hunter 

 from Fort Mortimer going for Bighorns for me, and Mr. 

 Culbertson lent him a horse and a mule. We caught two 

 young of the Shore Lark, killed seven of Sprague's Lark, 

 but by bad management lost two, either from the wagon, 

 my hat, or Harris's pockets. The weather was exceed- 

 ingly hot. We hunted for Grouse in the wormwood 

 bushes, and after despairing of finding any, we started up 

 three from the plain, and they flew not many yards to the 

 river. We got out of the wagon and pushed for them; 

 one rose, and Harris shot it, though it flew some yards 

 before he picked it up. He started another, and just as 

 he was about to fire, his gunlock caught on his coat, and 

 off went Mr. Grouse, over and through the woods until out 

 of sight, and we returned slowly home. We saw ten 

 Wolves this morning. After dinner we had a curious sight. 

 Squires put on my Indian dress. McKenzie put on one of 

 Mr. Culbertson's, Mrs. Culbertson put on her own superb 

 dress, and the cook's wife put on the one Mrs. Culbertson 

 had given me. Squires and Owen were painted in an 

 awful manner by Mrs. Culbertson, the Ladies had their 

 hair loose, and flying in the breeze, and then all mounted 

 on horses with Indian saddles and trappings. Mrs. Cul- 

 bertson and her maid rode astride like men, and all rode 

 a furious race, under whip the whole way, for more than 

 one mile on the prairie ; and how amazed would have been 

 any European lady, or some of our modern belles who 

 boast their equestrian skill, at seeing the magnificent riding 

 of this Indian princess — for that is Mrs. Culbertson's rank 

 — and her servant. Mr. Culbertson rode with them, the 

 horses running as if wild, with these extraordinary Indian 

 riders, Mrs. Culbertson's magnificent black hair floating like 

 a banner behind her. As to the men (for two others had 

 joined Squires and McKenzie), I cannot compare them to 

 anything in the whole creation. They ran like wild crea- 



