538 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1887. 



already been taken. While Mr. Brown and I were getting the wagon 

 across the bad grounds, Messrs. McNaney and Boyd discovered a soli- 

 tary bull buffalo feeding in a ravine within a quarter of a mile of our in- 

 tended camping place, and the former stalked him and killed him at 

 long range. The buffalo had all been attracted to that locality by some 

 springs which lay between two groups of hills, and which was the only 

 water within a radius of about 15 miles. In addition to water, the grass 

 around the Buffalo Buttes was most excellent. 



During all this time we shot antelope and coyotes whenever an op- 

 portunity offered, and preserved the skins and skeletons of the finest 

 until we had obtained a very fine series of both. At this season the 

 pelts of these animals were in the finest possible condition, the hair 

 having attained its maximum length and density, and, being quite new, 

 had lost none of its brightness of color, either by wear or the action of 

 the weather. Along Sand Creek and all around the High Divide an- 

 telope were moderately plentiful (but really scarce in comparison with, 

 their former abundance), so much so that had we been inclined to 

 slaughter we Could have killed a hundred head or more, instead of 

 the twenty that we .shot as specimens and for their flesh. We have it to 

 say that from first to last not an antelope was killed which was not 

 made use of to the fullest extent. 



On the 31st of October, Mr. Boyd and I discovered a buffalo cow and 

 yearling calf in the ravines north of the High Divide, within 3 miles of 

 our camp, and killed them both. The next day Private West arrived 

 with a six mule team from Fort Keogh, in charge of Corporal Clafer 

 and three men. This wagon brought us another 2,000 pounds of oats 

 and various commissary stores. When it started back, on November 3, 

 we sent by it all the skins and skeletons of buffalo, antelope, etc., which 

 we had collected up to that date, which made a heavy load for the six 

 mules. On this same day Mr. McNaney killed two young cow buffa- 

 loes in the bad lands south of the High Divide, which brought our total 

 number up to fourteen. 



On the night of the 3d the weather turned very cold, and on the day 

 following we experienced our first snow-storm. By that time the water 

 in the hole, which up to that time had supplied our camp, became so 

 thick with mud and filth that it was unendurable; and having discov- 

 ered a fine pool of pure water in the bottom of a little canon on the 

 southern slope of the High Divide we moved to it forthwith. It was 

 really the upper spring of the main fork of the Big Porcupine, and a 

 finer situation for a camp does not exist in that whole region. The 

 spot which nature made for us was sheltered on all sides by the high 

 walls of the canon, withiu easy reach of an inexhaustible supply of 

 good water, and also within reach of a fair supply of dry fire- wood, 

 which we found half a mile below. This became our last permanent 

 camp, and its advantages made up for the barrenness and discomfort 

 of our camp on Calf Creek. Immediately south of us, and 2 miles dis- 



