70 AUDUBON 



muddy, but Harris and Bell went off on horseback, and 

 returned a few minutes after noon. They brought some 

 birds and had killed a rascally Wolf. Bell found the nest 

 of the Arkansas Flycatcher. The nest and eggs, as well 

 as the manners, of this bird resemble in many ways those 

 of our King-bird. The nest was in an elm, twenty or 

 twenty-five feet above the ground, and he saw another in 

 a similar situation. Mr. Culbertson and I walked to the 

 Pilot Knob with a spy-glass, to look at the present condi- 

 tion of Fort Mortimer. This afternoon Squires, Provost, 

 and I walked there, and were kindly received as usual. 

 We found all the people encamped two hundred yards 

 from the river, as they had been obliged to move from 

 the tumbling fort during the rain of last night. Whilst 

 we were there a trapper came in with a horse and told us 

 the following : This man and four others left that fort on 

 the 1st of April last on an expedition after Beavers. They 

 were captured by a party of about four hundred Sioux, 

 who took them prisoners and kept him one day and a 

 half, after which he was released, but his companions were 

 kept prisoners. He crossed the river and found a horse 

 belonging to the Indians, stole it, and reached the fort at 

 last. He looked miserable indeed, almost without a rag 

 of clothing, long hair, filthy beyond description, and hav- 

 ing only one very keen, bright eye, which looked as if 

 he was both proud and brave. .He had subsisted for 

 the last eleven days on pomme blanche and the thick 

 leaves of the cactus, which he roasted to get rid of the 

 thorns or spines, and thus had fared most miserably ; for, 

 previous to the capture of himself and his companions, 

 he had upset his bull canoe and lost his rifle, which to 

 a trapper is, next to life, his dependence. When he was 

 asked if he would have some dinner, he said that he 

 had forgotten the word, but would try the taste of meat 

 again. Mr. Collins was very polite to me, and promised 

 me a hunter for the whole of next week, expressly to 



