Rocky Mountains. 199 



in a great measure restricted to the luxuriant bottoms, and, 

 like the Zimb of Egypt, they appear to roam but little be- 

 yond their proper boundaries. If we traversed these fertile 

 portions of the low grounds, which yield a profuse growth 

 of grasses, we were sure of being attacked by them, seizing 

 upon the necks of the horses and dying them with blood; but 

 the refuge of the more elevated surface, and arid barren soil, 

 afforded speedy relief, by banishing our assailants. 



Scarcely were our tents pitched, when a thunder-storm, 

 which had been approaching with a strong west wind, burst 

 over us, but was of short continuance. 



2nd. After moving a few miles, we halted, and sent out 

 hunters to kill a bison.* The confiuent rattlesnakes are very 

 abundant, particularly in and about the prairie-dog villages; 

 but neither their appearance, nor the sound of their rattle ex- 

 cites the attention of our horses. The sagacity of Mr. Sey- 

 mour's mule, however, seems superior to that of his quadru- 

 ped companions. He appears to be perfectly aware of the 

 dangerous qualities of these reptiles, and when he perceives 

 ©ne of them near him, he springs so abruptly to one side as 

 to endanger his rider. Fortunately none of us have been 

 bitten by them, during our pedestrian rambles. 



A recent trail of some war party was this morning observ- 

 ed leading across the river. 



The hunters returned unsuccessful, and we proceeded on 

 until sunset, to a distance of twenty miles. Great numbers 

 of bisons were seen this afternoon, and some antelopes. 



* Amonj^st the herds of these animals, we verj' frequently saw flocks of 

 the Cow Bunting- [Emheriza perorn). The manners of t!»is bird, in some 

 respects, are similar to those of the Tanagra erythrot-yncha of Lord Stan- 

 ley, in Salt's travels, flying and alighting- in considerable numbers on 

 the backs of the bisons, which from their submission to the pressure of 

 numbers of them, seem to appreciate the services they render by scratch- 

 ing and devesting them of their vermin. This bird is here, as well as in 

 the settlements, remarkably fearless. They will suffer us to pass very 

 near to them, and one of them to-day alighted repeatedly on the ground 

 near our horses' feet; he would fly along our line, balance himself on his 

 wings, to gratify his curiosity, within striking distance of a whip- 



