540 



North American 



very few birds; but it is very perceptible that they were formerly 

 more common in this country. Further on we met with a quantity 

 of buffaloes' skulls and bones, regularly arranged in a semicircular 

 form, and painted in different colours. It was a monument raised by 

 superstition, for the Pawnees never undertake an expedition against 

 the savages who may be in hostility with their tribe, or against the 

 wild beasts of their forests, without commencing the chase, or war, 

 by some religious ceremony performed amidst those heaps of bones. 

 At the sight of them our huntsmen raised a cry of joy ; they well 

 knew that the plain of the buffaloes was not far off, and they ex- 

 pressed by those shouts the anticipated pleasure of spreading havoc 

 among the peaceful herds. 



"Wishing to obtain a commanding view of the hunt, I got up 

 early in the morning and quitted the camp alone, in order to ascend 

 a hillock near our tents, from which I might fully view the widely 

 extended pasturages. After crossing some ravines, I reached an 

 eminence, whence I descried a plain, whose radius was about twelve 

 miles, entirely covered with wild oxen. You could not form, from 

 any thing in your European markets, an idea of their movement and 

 multitude. Just as I was beginning to view them, I heard shouts 

 near me ; it was our huntsmen, who rapidly rushed down upon the 

 affrighted herd; the buffaloes fell in great numbers beneath their 

 weapons. When they were tired with killing them, each cut up 

 his prey, put behind him his favourite part, and retired, leaving 

 the rest for the voracity of the wolves, which are exceedingly nume- 

 rous in these places. And they did not fail to enjoy the repast. On 

 the following night I was awakened by a confused noise, which, 

 in the fear of the moment, I mistook for impending danger ; I ima- 

 gined, in my first terror, that the Pawnees conspired to dispute 

 with us the passage over their lands, had assembled around our camp, 

 and that these lugubrious cries were their signal of attack. — ' Where 

 are we ?' said I, abruptly, to my guide : * Hark ye ! — Rest easy/ 

 he replied, lying down again in his bed ; ' we have nothing to fear ; 

 it is the wolves that are howling with joy ; after their long winter's 

 hunger, they are making a great meal to-night on tjie carcasses 

 of the buffaloes, which our huntsmen have left after them on the 

 plain. 



