114 AUDUBON 



skins of the Antelopes, and Sprague is making an outline 

 which I hope will be finished before the muscles of the 

 head begin to soften. Not a word from the six hunters 

 who promised to go after Bighorns on the Yellowstone. 



July 26, Wednesday. We were all on foot before day- 

 break and had our breakfast by an early hour, and left on 

 our trip for Buffalo cows. The wagon was sent across by 

 hauling it through the east channel, which is now quite 

 low, and across the sand-bars, which now reach seven- 

 eighths of the distance across the river. We crossed in 

 the skiff, and walked to the ferry-boat — I barefooted, as 

 well as Mr. Culbertson; others wore boots or moccasins, 

 but my feet have been tender of late, and this is the best 

 cure. Whilst looking about for sticks to support our 

 mosquito bars, I saw a Rabbit standing before me, within 

 a few steps, but I was loaded with balls, and should have 

 torn the poor thing so badly that it would have been use- 

 less as a specimen, so let it live. We left the ferry be- 

 fore six, and went on as usual. We saw two Antelopes 

 on entering the bottom prairie, but they had the wind of 

 us, and scampered off to the hills. We saw two Grouse, 

 one of which Bell killed, and we found it very good this 

 evening for our supper. Twelve bulls were seen, but we 

 paid no attention to them. We saw a fine large Hawk, 

 apparently the size of a Red-tailed Hawk, but with the 

 whole head white. It had alighted on a clay hill or bank, 

 but, on being approached, flew off to another, was pur- 

 sued and again flew away, so that we could not procure 

 it, but I have no doubt that it is a species not yet de- 

 scribed. We now crossed Blackfoot River, and saw great 

 numbers of Antelopes. Their play and tricks are curious; 

 I watched many of the groups a long time, and will not 

 soon forget them. At last, seeing we should have no 

 meat for supper, and being a party of nine, it was deter- 

 mined that the first animal seen should be run down and 

 killed. We soon saw a bull, and all agreed to give every 



