42 
r.UFFAl.O. 
years ago, and give you inci'cly a. sketcli of tlic mode in wliicli we killed 
them during our journey to the Miesh in 1843. 
One morning in July, our party and several persons attached to Fort 
Union, (for wc were then located there,) crossed the river, landed oppo- 
site the fort, and passing through the rich alluvial belt of woodhmd which 
margins the river, were early on our way to the adjacent praiiic, beyond 
the hills. ( )ur equipment consisted of an old Jersey wagon, to which we 
had two horses attached, tandem, driven by Mr. Culhertsont, principal at 
the fort. This wagon carried Mr. lI.vRRts, Belt,, and ourselves, and we 
were followed by twm carts, which contained the rest of the party, while 
behind came the running horses or hunters, led carefully along. Aftei 
crossing the lower prairie, we ascended between the steep banks ol the 
ragged”raviaes, un'dl we reached the high undulating plains above. ^ On 
turning to take a retrospective view, we beheld the fort and a consider- 
able expanse of broken and prairie-land behind us, and the course of the 
river wuas seen as it w'ound along, for some distance. Besiiming our ad- 
vance w^e soon saw a number of antelopes, some of which hadjoung ones 
with them. After travelling about ten miles farther we approached the 
Fox river, and at this point one of the party espied a small herd of Bisons 
at a considerable distance off. Mr. Cclbertsox, after searching for them 
with the telescope, handed it to us and showed us where they were. ^ They 
were all lying down and appeared perfectly unconscious of the existence 
of our party. Our vehicles and horses were now turned towuirds them 
and w'e travelled cautiously to wdthiu about a quarter of a mile of the herd, 
covered by a high ridge of land wdhch concealed us from their viewc 
The wind was favourable, (blowing towards us,) and now the hunters threw 
aside their coats, tied handkerchiefs around their heads, looked to their 
guns, mounted their steeds, and moved slowly and cautiously towards the 
game. The rest of the party crawled carefully to the top of the ridge to 
see the chase. At the word of command, given by Mr. Culbertson, the 
hunters dashed forward after the bulls, which already began to run off 
in a line nearly parallel with the ridge we were upon. The swift horses, 
urged on by their eager riders and their own impetuosity, soon began to 
overtake the affrighted animals ; two of them separated from the others 
and were pursued by Mr. Culbertson and Mr. Bell ; presently the former 
bred, and we could sec that he had wounded one of the bulls. It stopped 
after going a little way and stood with its head hanging down and its 
nose near”the ground. The blood appeared to be pouring from its mouth 
and nostrils, and its drooping tail showed the agony of the poor beast. 
Yet it stood linn, and its sturdy legs upheld its ponderous body as if nought 
had happened- We hastened toward it hut ere we approached the spot. 
