Rocky Mountai72s, 201 



intermingle. Our travelled distance to-day was twenty-lhree 

 miles. 



4th. Proceeded about six miles, when we forded a small 

 portion of the river to an island, which supported a growth 

 of low and distant trees. Here the tents were pitched, with 

 the intention of halting a day or two, to recruit our miserable 

 horses, and to supply ourselves with a store of jerked meat. 

 The hunters were accordingly sent to the opposite side of 

 the river, and in a short time they succeeded in killing four 

 fat cows, which gave employment to all the men, in prepar- 

 ing the meat for transportation. 



A brisk southerly wind prevailed, that rendered the at- 

 mosphere less oppressive than usual. 



The wind ceased during the night, and the lowing of the 

 thousands of bisons that surrounded us in every direction, 

 reached us in one continual roar. This harsh and guttural 

 noise, intermediate between the bellowing of the domestic 

 bull, and the grunting of the hog, was varied by the shrill bark 

 and scream of the prairie wolves, and the howling of the white 

 wolves, (Canis Mexicanus Var?j which were also abundant. 

 These wild and dissonant sounds, were associated with the 

 idea of the barren and inhospitable wastes, in the midst of 

 which we were then reposing, and vividly reminded us of 

 our remoteness from the comforts of civilized society. Com- 

 pleted the operation of jerking the meat, of which we had 

 prepared two packs, sufficient in weight to constitute a load 

 for one of our horses, and disposed every thing for an early 

 departure to-morrow. 



6th. An unusual number of noisy wolves hovered 

 around our encampment of last night, attracted probably by 

 the smell of the meat. Resumed our journey on a fine cloud- 

 less morning, with a strong and highly agreeable breeze 

 from the south. We were now traversing the great bend of 

 the river. Travelled twenty-three miles this day, and shot 

 two bulls which were now lean, and their flesh of a disa- 



A'OL. II. 26 



