lo6 Expedition to the 



carrying fresh game along with us for more than a single 

 day. It had been our custom at meals to place our boiled or 

 roasted bison meat on the grass, pr the broken boughs of a 

 tree, in the middle of our circle; but this practice we now 

 found it inexpedient to continue, as before we could finish 

 our repast our table often became white with the eggs de- 

 posited by the flies. We were commonly induced to dispense 

 with our roast meats, unless we chose to superintend the 

 cooking ourselves; and afterwards it required the exertions 

 of one hand to keep away the flies while with the other we 

 helped ourselves to what we wished to eat. Our more com- 

 mon practice was to confine ourselves to the single dish of 

 hunters' soup, suffering the meat to remain immersed in the 

 kettle until we were ready to transfer it to our mouths. 



Gnats had been rather frequent, and we began to feel once 

 more the persecutions of the ticks, the most tormenting of 

 the insects of this country. 



The little pool near our tent afforded all the water that 

 could be found within a very considerable distance. The 

 bisons came in from every direction to drink, and we almost 

 regretted that our presence frighted away the suffering ani- 

 mals with their thirst unslaked. 



21st. The day was warm and somewhat rainy. Soon af- 

 ter leaving our camp we saw three black bears and killed one 

 of them. This is the first animal of the kind we had eaten 

 since we left the Missouri, and the flesh, though now not in 

 the best condition, we found deserving the high encomiums 

 commonly lavished upon it. Experienced hunters prefer it 

 to that of the bison, and indeed to almost every thing, except 

 the tail of the beaver. 



Black bears had been frequent in the country passed since 

 the 15th. At this season they feed principally upon grapes, 

 plums, the berries of the cornus alba and c. cirunata zwd the 

 acorns of a small scrubby oak common about the sand hills. 



They also eat the flesh of animals, and it is not uncommon 



