I08 AUDUBON 



July 22, Saturday. Thermometer 99°-i02°. This day 

 has been the hottest of the season, and we all felt the inr 

 fluence of this densely oppressive atmosphere, not a breath 

 of air stirring. Immediately after breakfast Provost and 

 Lafleur went across the river in search of Antelopes, and 

 we remained looking at the Indians, all Assiniboins, and 

 very dirty. When and where Mr. Catlin saw these In- 

 dians as he has represented them, dressed in magnificent 

 attire, with all sorts of extravagant accoutrements, is more 

 than I can divine, or Mr. Culbertson tell me. The even- 

 ing was so hot and sultry that Mr. C. and I went into 

 the river, which is now very low, and remained in the 

 water over an hour. A dozen catfish were caught in the 

 main channel, and we have had a good supper from part 

 of them. Finding the weather so warm I have had my 

 bed brought out on the gallery below, and so has Squires. 

 The Indians are, as usual, shut out of the fort, all the 

 horses, young Buffaloes, etc., shut in ; and much refreshed 

 by my bath, I say God bless you, and good-night. 



July 23, Sunday. Thermometer 84°. I had a very 

 pleasant night, and no mosquitoes, as the breeze rose a 

 little before I lay down ; and I anticipated a heavy thun- 

 der storm, but we had only a few drops of rain. About 

 one o'clock Harris was called to see one of the Indians, 

 who was bleeding at the nose profusely, and I too went 

 to see the poor devil. He had bled quite enough, and 

 Harris stopped his nostrils with cotton, put cold water on 

 his neck and head — God knows when they had felt it 

 before — and the bleeding stopped. These dirty fellows 

 had made a large fire between the walls of the fort, but 

 outside the inner gates, and it was a wonder that the 

 whole establishment was not destroyed by fire. Before 

 sunrise they were pounding at the gate to be allowed to 

 enter, but, of course, this was not permitted. When the 

 sun had fairly risen, some one came and told me the hill- 

 tops were covered with Indians, probably Blackfeet. I 



