OCR Text |
Show JUUl~NAL Of A \ ~OYAGE • middle of an hmncnse prairie, knew it was folly to attempt to s11oot them. \\founded several deer, but got none. fn hlCt, I knew I could shoot as many deer as any body; but neither 1nysclf nor company could find one in ten, whereas one experienced.- hunter would get all. Ncar niaht struck a lake about ftvc miles long and two n1iles wide. b Saw imn1ense droves of elk op both banks. About sun down saw a herd crossing the prairie towards us. W c sat down. Two buck , 1nore curious than the others, came pretty close. I struck one behinJ the fore ~hou lder: he did not go more than 20 yards be.fore he fell and dj 'd. This was the caus, of 1nuch exultation, because it fulfilled my determination, and, as we had be '11 two days and nights without victuals, it was very ace< ptabl'. Found l • • ~ome scrub oak. ln about one nule made a fire, Jntl w1th much -labor (mel pains got onr meat to it ; the wolvrs feasting on one half while we Wl!rc carry{ng aw~ r the other. We were now provisioned, but were still in want cf wzlter, the snow being all n1clt~. Finding n1y drought very exc~ssive in the 11ight, I went in search of water, and \vas nmch ~urpriscJ, after having gone about a n1ile, to ~trike the Mi~sissippi. Filled my hat and returned to my . compamon. 4tb November, Mondoy.-Repaired nty mockinsons, using a piece of elk's bone as an awl. We both went to the Mississippi and found we were a great distance from the camp. I left Miller to guard the nlC~at and marched for catnp. IIaving strained my andes in the swamps, they were extre1nely sore, and the strings of my JnockinsoiJS cut thenl and made them swell considerably. Before I had gone far discovered a herd of 10 elk. ApproachC'cl within .50 yards and shot one through the body. l-Ie fell on the spot ; but rose again and ran off. I pursued him at least five miles, expecting every minute to sec him TO TI 1 E SOU HC 1:s OF TJTE l\1ISSJ •,s I J>PI. drop. I then gave him up. When I arrived at Clear 1·i·vcr, a J eer was standing on the other bank. I killed him on 1 he spot, and whjlc I was taking out the entrails another came up. l ~hot him also. This was my last ball, and then only could l kill ! Left part of 1ny clothes at this place to scare th wolves. Arrived at my camp at du~k, to the great joy of our men, who had been to our little garrison to nquire f()r me, and receiving no intelligence, had concluded we were killed by the Indians, having h ·ard them fire on the opposit bank. The same night we saw flres on the opposite shore in the prairie ; this was likewise seen in the fort, when all the 1ncn moved in tlw works. 5tb November, Tucsday.-Sent four of my men witl1 one cano,·, loaded with the balance of nine deer, that had been killed, with the other two. Went down the river for my meat. Stopped for the deer, which I found safe. Miller had just start d to n1arch home, but returned to camp with us. Found all the meat safe, and brought it to the river, where we pitched our camp. Gtb No·vcmbcr, I'T'cdncsday.-At the earnest entreaties of my 1ncn, and with a hope of killing some more game, f agreed to stay and hunt. We went out anJ founJ that all the elk and buJEdo had gone down the river from those plains the day bt:forc, leaving large roads to point out their course. This woulJ not appear extraordinary to per ons acq uainteu with the nature of those animals, as the prairie had unluckily caught fire. After Miller left the camp for home, Sparks killed two deer, about six miles off, and it being ncar the river, I ~ent tlw three men down with the canoe, to return early in the morning. It commenced ~nowing about midnight, and by morning- wns six iuchc.') dv{'P· t• |