28 AUDUBON 



pistol, the only thing we have that may prove of service 

 to him, although I hope he may never need it. Sprague 

 drew four figures of the Buffalo's foot; and Bell and I 

 have packed the whole of our skins. We ran to-day all 

 round the compass, touching every point. The following 

 is a copy of the letter to Captain Sire, signed by all of us. 



Fort Union, Mouth of Yellowstone, 

 Upper Missouri, June Uth, 1843. 



Dear Sir, — We cannot part with you previous to your return 

 to St. Louis, without offering to you our best wishes, and our thanks 

 for your great courtesy, assuring you how highly we appreciate, 

 and feel grateful for, your uniform kindness and gentlemanly de- 

 portment to each and all of us. We are most happy to add that 

 our passage to the Yellowstone River has been devoid of any 

 material accident, which we can only attribute to the great regu- 

 larity and constant care with which you have discharged your 

 arduous duties in the difficult navigation of the river. 



We regret that it is not in our power, at this moment, to offer 

 you a suitable token of our esteem, but hope you will confer on us 

 the favor of accepting at our hands a six-barrelled, silver-mounted 

 pistol, which we sincerely hope and trust you may never have 

 occasion to use in defence of your person. We beg you to con- 

 sider us, 



Your well-wishers and friends, etc., 



Fort Union, June 12, Monday. We had a cloudy and 

 showery day, and a high wind besides. We saw many 

 Wild Geese and Ducks with their young. We took in 

 wood at two places, but shot nothing. I saw a Wolf giv- 

 ing chase, or driving away four Ravens from a sand-bar ; 

 but the finest sight of all took place shortly before we 

 came to the mouth of the Yellowstone, and that was no 

 less than twenty-two Mountain Rams and Ewes mixed, 

 and amid them one young one only. We came in sight 

 of the fort at five o'clock, and reached it at seven. We 

 passed the Opposition fort three miles below this; their 

 flags were hoisted, and ours also. We were saluted from 



