444 THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 



her rage and fury, to the spot where we a few moments before had passed our most 

 prudent resolve. 



During the rest of the day we passed on rapidly, gazing upon and admiring the 

 beautiful shores, which were continually changing from the high and ragged cliffs 

 to the graceful and green slopes of the prairie bluffs, and then to the wide-ex- 

 panded meadows, with their long, waving grass, enameled with myriads of wild 

 flowers. 



The scene was one of enchantment the whole way. Our chief conversation was 

 about grizzly bears and hair-breadth escapes, of the histories of which my compan- 

 ions had volumes in store. Our breakfast was a late one, cooked and eaten about 5 

 in the afternoon, at which time our demolished larder was luckily replenished by the 

 unerring rifle of Bogard, which brought down a fine antelope, as it was innocently 

 gazing at us from the bank of the river. We landed our boat and took in the prize, 

 but there being no wood for our fire, we shoved off and soon ran upon the head of an 

 island that was covered with immense quantities of raft and drift-wood, where we 

 easily kindled a huge fire, and ate our delicious meal from a clean, peeled-log, astride 

 of which we comfortably sat, making it answer admirably the double purposo of 

 chairs and a table. 



After our meal was finished, we plied the paddles, and proceeded soveral miles fur- 

 ther on our course; leaving our fire burning, and dragging our canoe upon the shore, 

 in the dark, in a wild and unknown spot, and silently spreading our robes for our 

 slumbers, which it is not generally considered prudent to do by the side of our fires 

 which might lead a war-party upon us, who often are prowling about and seeking an 

 advantage over their enemy. 



WILD FLOWERS AND FRUITS. 



The scenery of this day's travel, as I have before said, was exceedingly beautiful ; 

 and our canoe was often run to the shore, upon which we stepped f o admire the end- 

 less variety of wild flowers, " wasting their sweetness on the desert air," and the 

 abundance of delicious fruits that were about us. Whilst wandering through the 

 high grass, the wild sun-flowers and voluptuous lilies were constantly taunting us by 

 striking our faces ; whilst here and there, in every direction, there were little copses 

 and clusters of plum trees and gooseberries, and wild currants, loaded down with 

 their fruit ; and amongst these, to sweeten the atmosphere and add a charm to the 

 effect, the wild rose-bushes seemed planted in beds and in hedges, and everywhere 

 were decked out in all the glory of their delicate tints, and shedding sweet aroma to 

 every breath of the air that passed over them. 



SERVICE-BERRIES AND BUFFALO BUSHES. 



In addition to these, we had the luxury of service-berries without stint; and the 

 buffalo bushes, which are peculiar to these northern regions, lined the banks of the 

 river and defiles in the bluffs, sometimes for miles together, forming almost impass- 

 able hedges, so loaded with the weight of their fruit that their boughs were every- 

 where gracefully bending down and resting on the ground. 



This last shrub (shepperdia) , which may be said to be the most beautiful ornament 

 that decks out the wild prairies, forms a striking contrast to the rest of the foliage, 

 from the blue appearance of its leaves, by which it can be distinguished for miles in 

 distance. The fruit which it produces in such incredible profusion, hanging in .clus- 

 ters to every limb and to every twig, is about tho size of ordinary currants, and not 

 unlike them in color and even in flavor, being exceedingly acid, and almost unpala- 

 table, until they are bitten by the frost of autumn, when they are sweetened, and 

 their flavor delicious, having, to the taste, much the character of grapes, and, I am 

 inclined to think, would produce excellent wine. 



