THE MISSOURI RIVER JOURNALS 93 



halted the animal; the hunters had no more balls, and 

 now loaded with pebbles, with which the poor beast was 

 finally killed. The wagon had been sent from the camp. 

 Harris, Bell, and Squires mounted on horseback, and trav- 

 elled to the scene of action. They met Mr. Culbertson 

 returning to camp, and he told Bell the Buffalo was a 

 superb one, and had better be skinned. A man was sent 

 to assist in the skinning who had been preparing the Wolf 

 which was now cooking, as we had expected to dine upon 

 its flesh ; but when Mr. Culbertson returned, covered with 

 blood and looking like a wild Indian, it was decided to 

 throw it away ; so I cut out the liver, and old Provost and 

 I went fishing and caught eighteen catfish. I hooked 

 two tortoises, but put them back in the river. I took a 

 good swim, which refreshed me much, and I came to 

 dinner with a fine appetite. This meal consisted wholly 

 of fish, and we were all fairly satisfied. Before long the 

 flesh of the Buffalo reached the camp, as well as the hide. 

 The animal was very fat, and we have meat for some days. 

 It was now decided that Squires, Provost, and Basil (one 

 of the men) should proceed down the river to the Charbon- 

 neau, and there try their luck at Otters and Beavers, and 

 the rest of us, with the cart, would make our way back to 

 the fort. All was arranged, and at half-past three this 

 afternoon we were travelling towards Fort Union. But 

 hours previous to this, and before our scanty dinner, Owen 

 had seen another bull, and Harris and Bell joined us in 

 the hunt. The bull was shot at by McKenzie, who stopped 

 its career, but as friend Harris pursued it with two of the 

 hunters and finished it I was about to return, and thought 

 sport over for the day. However, at this stage of the pro- 

 ceedings Owen discovered another bull making his way 

 slowly over the prairie towards us. I was the only one 

 who had balls, and would gladly have claimed the privilege 

 of running him, but fearing I might make out badly on my 

 slower steed, and so lose meat which we really needed, I 



