Volume II Part 4 (1/2)
_Friday, 8th._ Cloudy and remarkably cold; the river has risen 6 feet since yesterday, and the water is muddy and thick. Started early. The effect of sudden rises in this river is wonderful upon the sand-bars, which are no sooner covered by a foot or so of water than they at once break up, causing very high waves to run, through which no small boat could pa.s.s without imminent danger. The swells are felt for many feet as if small waves at sea. Appearances of rain. The current very strong; but we reached Fort Pierre at half-past five, and found all well.
_Sat.u.r.day, 9th._ Rain all night. Breakfasted at the fort. Exchanged our boat for a larger one. Orders found here obliged Mr. Culbertson to leave us and go to the Platte River establishment, much to my regret.
_Sunday, 10th._ Very cloudy. Mr. Culbertson gave me a _parfleche_[37]
which had been presented to him by ”L'Ours de Fer,” the Sioux chief. It is very curiously painted, and is a record of a victory of the Sioux over their enemies, the Gros Ventres. Two rows of horses with Indians dressed in full war rig are rus.h.i.+ng onwards; small black marks everywhere represent the horse tracks; round green marks are s.h.i.+elds thrown away by the enemy in their flight, and red spots on the horses, like wafers, denote wounds.
_Monday, 11th._ Cloudy; the men at work fitting up our new boat. Rained nearly all day, and the wind s.h.i.+fted to every point of the compa.s.s.
Nothing done.
_Tuesday, 12th._ Partially clear this morning early, but rained by ten o'clock. Nothing done.
_Wednesday, 13th._ Rainy again. Many birds were seen moving southwest.
Our boat is getting into travelling shape. I did several drawings of objects in and about the fort.
_Thursday, 14th._ Cloudy and threatening. Mr. Laidlow making ready to leave for Fort Union, and ourselves for our trip down the river. Mr.
Laidlow left at half-past eleven, and we started at two this afternoon; landed at the farm belonging to the fort, and procured a few potatoes, some corn, and a pig.
_Friday, 15th._ A foggy morning. Reached Fort George. Mr. Illingsworth left at half-past ten. Wind ahead, and we were obliged to stop on this account at two. Fresh signs of both Indians and Buffaloes, but nothing killed.
_Sat.u.r.day, 16th._ Windy till near daylight. Started early; pa.s.sed Ebbett's new island. Bell heard Parrakeets. The day was perfectly calm.
Found _Arvicola pennsylvanica_. Landed at the Great Bend for Black-tailed Deer and wood. Have seen nothing worthy our attention.
Squires put up a board at our old camp the ”Six Trees,” which I hope to see again. The Deer are lying down, and we shall not go out to hunt again till near sunset. The note of the Meadow Lark here is now unheard.
I saw fully two hundred flying due south. Collected a good deal of the Yucca plant.
_Sunday, 17th._ We had a hard gale last night with rain for about an hour. This morning was beautiful; we started early, but only ran for two hours, when we were forced to stop by the wind, which blew a gale.
Provost saw fresh signs of Indians, and we were told that there were a few lodges at the bottom of the Bend, about two miles below us. The wind is north and quite cold, and the contrast between to-day and yesterday is great. Went shooting, and killed three Sharp-tailed Grouse. Left our camp about three o'clock as the wind abated. Saw ten or twelve Antelopes on the prairie where the Grouse were. We camped about a mile from the spot where we landed in May last, at the end of the Great Bend.
The evening calm and beautiful.
_Monday, 18th._ The weather cloudy and somewhat windy. Started early; saw a Fish Hawk, two Gulls, two White-headed Eagles and abundance of Golden Plovers. The Sharp-tailed Grouse feeds on rose-berries and the seeds of the wild sunflower and gra.s.shoppers. Stopped at twenty minutes past nine, the wind was so high, and warmed some coffee. Many dead Buffaloes are in the ravines and on the prairies. Harris, Bell, and Sprague went hunting, but had no show with such a wind. Sprague outlined a curious hill. The wind finally s.h.i.+fted, and then lulled down. Saw Say's Flycatcher, with a Grosbeak. Saw two of the common t.i.tlark. Left again at two, with a better prospect. Landed at sunset on the west side.
Signs of Indians. Wolves howling, and found one dead on the sh.o.r.e, but too far gone to be skinned; I was sorry, as it was a beautiful gray one.
These animals feed on wild plums in great quant.i.ties. Tried to shoot some Doves for my Fox and Badger, but without success. Pea-vines very scarce.
_Tuesday, 19th._ Dark and drizzly. Did not start until six. Reached Cedar Island, and landed for wood to use on the boat. Bell went off hunting. Wind north. Found no fit trees and left. Pa.s.sed the burning cliffs and got on a bar. The weather fine, and wind behind us. Wolves will even eat the frogs found along the sh.o.r.es of this river. Saw five, all gray. At three o'clock we were obliged to stop on account of the wind, under a poor point. No game.
_Wednesday, 20th._ Wind very high. Tracks of Wild Cats along the sh.o.r.e.
The motion of the boat is so great it makes me sea-sick. Sprague saw a Sharp-tailed Grouse. We left at half-past twelve. Saw immense numbers of Pin-tailed Ducks, but could not get near them. Stopped on an island to procure pea-vines for my young Deer, and found plenty. Our camp of last night was only two miles and a half below White River. Ran on a bar and were delayed nearly half an hour. Shot two Blue-winged Teal. Camped opposite Bijou's Hill.
_Thursday, 21st._ Wind and rain most of the night. Started early.
Weather cloudy and cold. Landed to examine Burnt Hills, and again on an island for pea-vines. Fresh signs of Indians. Saw many Antelopes and Mule Deer. At twelve saw a bull on one side of the river, and in a few moments after a herd of ten cattle on the other side. Landed, and Squires, Harris, Bell, and Provost have gone to try to procure fresh meat; these are the first Buffaloes seen since we left Fort Pierre. The hunters only killed one bull; no cows among eleven bulls, and this is strange at this season. Saw three more bulls in a ravine. Stopped to camp at the lower end of great Cedar Island at five o'clock. Fresh signs of Buffaloes and Deer. We cut some timber for oars. Rain set in early in the evening, and it rained hard all night.
_Friday, 22d._ Raining; left at a quarter past eight, with the wind ahead. Distant thunder. Everything wet and dirty after a very uncomfortable night. We went down the river about a mile, when we were forced to come to on the opposite side by the wind and the rain. Played cards for a couple of hours. No chance to cook or get hot coffee, on account of the heavy storm. We dropped down a few miles and finally camped till next day in the mud, but managed to make a roaring fire.
Wolves in numbers howling all about us, and Owls hooting also. Still raining heavily. We played cards till nine o'clock to kill time. Our boat a quagmire.
_Sat.u.r.day, 23d._ A cloudy morning; we left at six o'clock. Five Wolves were on a sand-bar very near us. Saw Red-shafted Woodp.e.c.k.e.rs, and two House Swallows. Have made a good run of about sixty miles. At four this afternoon we took in three men of the steamer ”New Haven” belonging to the Opposition, which was fast on the bar, eight miles below. We reached Ponca Island and landed for the night. At dusk the steamer came up, and landed above us, and we found Messrs. Cutting and Taylor, and I had the gratification of a letter from Victor and Johnny, of July 22d.
_Sunday, 24th._ Cloudy, windy, and cold. Both the steamer and ourselves left as soon as we could see. Saw a Wolf on a bar, and a large flock of White Pelicans, which we took at first for a keel-boat. Pa.s.sed the Poncas, L'Eau qui Court, Manuel, and Basil rivers by ten o'clock.[38]
Landed just below Basil River, stopped by wind. Hunted and shot one Raven, one Turkey Buzzard, and four Wood-ducks. Ripe plums abound, and there are garfish in the creek. Found feathers of the Wild Turkey. Signs of Indians, Elks, and Deer. Provost and the men made four new oars. Went to bed early.
_Monday, 25th._ Blowing hard all night, and began raining before day.