Page:The adventures of Captain Bonneville (IA adventurescaptai00irvi).pdf/42

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
36
ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN BONNEVILLE.

as it is said to be as fine as that of the goat of Cashmere, but it is not to be procured in sufficient quantities.

The ahsahta, argali, or bighorn, on the contrary, has short hair like a deer, and resembles it in shape, but has the head and horns of a sheep, and its flesh is said to be delicious mutton. The Indians consider it more sweet and delicate than any other kind of venison. It abounds in the Rocky Mountains, from the fiftieth degree of north latitude quite down to California; generally in the highest regions capable of vegetation; sometimes it ventures into the valleys, but on the least alarm, regains its favorite cliffs and precipices, where it is perilous, if not impossible for the hunter to follow.[1]

CHAPTER IV.

An alarm—Crow Indians—their appearance—mode of approach—their vengeful errand—their curiosity—hostility between the Crows and Blackfeet—loving conduct of the Crows—Larmie's Fork—first navigation of the Nebraska—Great elevation of the country—rarity of the atmosphere—its effect on the woodwork of wagons—Black Hills—their wild and broken scenery—Indian dogs—Crow trophies—sterle and dreary country—banks of the Sweet Water—buffalo hunting—adventure of Tom Cain, the Irish cook.

When on the march, Captain Bonneville always sent some of his best hunters in the advance to reconnoitre the country, as well as to look out for game. On the 24th of May, as the caravan was slowly journeying up the banks of the Nebraska, the hunters came galloping back, waving their caps, and giving the alarm cry, Indians! Indians!

The captain immediately ordered a halt: the hunters now came up and announced that a large war-party of Crow Indians were just above, on the river. The captain knew the character of those savages; one of the most roving, warlike,

  1. ↑ Dimensions of a male of this species: from the nose to the base of the tail, five feet: length of the tail, four inches: girth of the body, four feet: height, three feet eight inches: the horn, three feet six inches long; one foot three inches in circumference at base.
This article is issued from Wikisource. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.