124 AUDUBON 



be after them. When Buffaloes are about to lie down, 

 they draw all their four feet together slowly, and balancing 

 the body for a moment, bend their fore legs, and fall on 

 their knees first, and the hind ones follow. In young 

 animals, some of which we have here, the effect produced 

 on their tender skin is directly seen, as callous round 

 patches without hair are found ; after the animal is about 

 one year old, these are seen no more. I am told that 

 Wolves have not been known to attack men and horses in 

 these parts, but they do attack mules and colts, always 

 making choice of the fattest. We scarcely see one now-a- 

 days about the fort, and yet two miles from here, at Fort 

 Mortimer, Mr. Collins tells me it is impossible to sleep, on 

 account of their howlings at night. When Assiniboin 

 Indians lose a relative by death, they go and cry under 

 the box which contains the body, which is placed in a tree, 

 cut their legs and different parts of the body, and moan 

 miserably for hours at a time. This performance has been 

 gone through with by the brother of the Indian who died 

 here. 



July 31, Monday. Weather rather warmer. Mr. Lar- 

 penteur went after Rabbits, saw none, but found a horse, 

 which was brought home this afternoon. Mr. C, Harris, 

 Bell, and Owen went after Buffaloes over the hills, saw 

 none, so that all this day has been disappointment to us. 

 Owen caught a Spermophilus hoodii. The brother of 

 the dead Indian, who gashed his legs fearfully this morning, 

 went off with his wife and children and six others, who had 

 xome here to beg. One of them had for a letter of recom- 

 mendation one of the advertisements of the steamer 

 " Trapper," which will be kept by his chief for time imme- 

 morial to serve as a pass for begging. He received from 

 us ammunition and tobacco. Sprague collected seeds this 

 morning, and this aftfernoon copied my sketch of the three 

 Mamelles. Towards sunset I intend to go myself after 

 Rabbits, along the margins of the bushes and the shore. 



