THE MISSOURI RIVER JOURNALS 63 



most frightful appearance that can be imagined; and in 

 fact, the picture presented by the Buffalo as a whole is 

 quite beyond my powers of description. The fierce eyes, 

 blood streaming from his sides, mouth, and nostrils, he was 

 the wildest, most unearthly-looking thing it ever fell to my 

 lot to gaze upon. His sufferings were short ; he was soon 

 cut up and placed in the cart, and we retraced our steps 

 homeward. Whilst proceeding towards our camping- 

 ground for the night, two Antelopes were killed, and placed 

 on our carts. Whenever we approached these animals 

 they were very curious to see what we were ; they would 

 run, first to the right, and then to the left, then suddenly 

 run straight towards us until within gun-shot, or nearly 

 so. The horse attracted their attention more than the 

 rider, and if a slight elevation or bush was between us, they 

 were easily killed. As soon as their curiosity was gratified 

 they would turn and run, but it was not difficult to shoot 

 before this occurred. When they turned they would fly 

 over the prairie for about a mile, when they would again 

 stop and look at us. During the day we suffered very 

 much for want of water, and drank anything that had the 

 appearance of it, and most of the water, in fact all of it, 

 was either impregnated with salt, sulphur, or magnesia — 

 most disgusting stuff at any other time, but drinkable now. 

 The worst of all was some rain-water that we were obliged 

 to drink, first placing our handkerchiefs over the cup to 

 strain it, and keep the worms out of our mouths. I drank 

 it, and right glad was I to get even this. We rode about 

 five miles to where we encamped for the night, near a little 

 pond of water. In a few minutes we had a good fire of 

 Buffalo dung to drive away mosquitoes that were in clouds 

 about us. The water had taken away our appetites com- 

 pletely, and we went to bed without eating any supper. 

 Our horses and beds were arranged as on the previous 

 evening. McKenzie and I intended starting for the fort 

 early in the morning. We saw a great many Magpies, Cur- 



