THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 283 



From that hour to the present I think I have seen a decided change in the general's 

 face ; he has looked pale and feeble, and been continually troubled with a violent 

 cough. I have rode by the side of him from day to day, and he several times told 

 me that he was fearful he was badly hurt. He looks very feeble now, and I very 

 much fear the result of the fever that has set in upon him. 



404. Buffalo bull; grazing on the prairie in his native state. 



(Plate No. 7, page 24, vol. 1, Catlin's Eight Years.) 

 The buffalo bull is one of the most formidable and frightful looking animals in 

 the world when excited to resistance; his long shaggy mane hangs in great pro- 

 fusion over his neck and shoulders, and often extends quite down to the ground. — G. C. 



405. Buffalo cow; grazing on the prairie in her native state. 



(Plate No. 8, page 24, vol. 1, Catlin's Eight Years.) 

 The cow is less in stature, and less ferocious, though not much less wild and 

 frightful in her appearance. — G. C. 



405a. Monsieur Chardon and the bison ; Mr. Catlin in chase. 

 (Plate No. 9, page 25, vol. 1, Catlin's Eight Years.) 



Mr. Catlin describes a buffalo hunt on the Yellowstone, June, 1832, 

 near Fort Union, Dakota, as follows: 



At present I will give a little sketch of a bit of fun I joined in yesterday with Mr. 

 McKenzie and a number of his men without the company or aid of Indians. 



I mentioned the other day that McKenzie's table from day to day groans under the 

 weight of buffalo tongues and beavers' tails, and other luxuries of this western land. 

 He has within his fort a spacious ice-house, in which he preserves his meat fresh for 

 any length of time required; and sometimes, when his larder runs low, he starts out, 

 rallying some five or six of his best hunters (not to hunt, but to "go for meat"). 

 He leads the party, mounted on his favorite buffalo horse (i. e., the horse amongst 

 his whole group which is best trained to run the buffalo), trailing a light and short 

 gun in his hand, such a one as he can most easily reload whilst his horse is at full 

 speed. 



Such was the condition of the ice-house yesterday morning, which caused these self- 

 catering gentlemen to cast their eyes with a wishful look over the prairies ; and such 

 was the plight in which our host took the lead, and I, and then Monsieur Chardon, 

 and Batiste DeTonde, and Tullock (who is a trader amongst the Crows, and is here at 

 this time with a large party of that tribe), and there were several others whose names 

 I do not know. 



As we were mounted and ready to start, McKenzie called up some four or five of his 

 men and told them to follow immediately on our trail, with as many one-horse carts, 

 which they were to harness up, to bring home the meat. ' ' Ferry them across the river 

 in the scow," said he, "and following our trail through the bottom, you will find us 

 on the plain yonder, between the Yellowstone and the Missouri Rivers, with meat 

 enough to load you home. My watch on yonder bluff has ju3t told us by his signals 

 that there are cattle a plenty on that spot, and we are going there as fast as possible." 

 We all crossed the river, and galloped away a couple of miles or so, when we mounted 

 the bluff; and to be sure, as was said, there was in full view of us a fine herd of some 

 four or five hundred buffaloes, perfectly at rest, and in their own estimation (probably) 

 perfectly secure. Some were grazing, and others werelying down and sleeping; we 

 advanced within a mile or so of them in fiUTview, and came to a halt. Monsieur 

 Chardon "tossed the feather" (a custom always observed to try the course of the 

 wind), and we commenced "stripping" as it is termed (i. e., every man strips himself 

 and his horse of every extraneous and unnecessary appendage of dress, &c. that 

 might be an incumbrance in running) ; hats are laid off, and coats and bullet pouches ; 

 sleeves are rolled up, a handkerchief tied tightly around the head and another around 



