The Arkansas advocate., 1835-05-29

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 ling was heard approachipg-a we stood to our arms, when suddenly about a hun ] dred horses came careerlng down towards the water. They had approached within thirty yards of Us before they discovered us, when, with a general snort. they qallop- ed swiftly by us. As they passed, Ish dis charged his big gun, which added wings to their terror, and they were soon out of sight and hearing, and we returned to our cook ing. Upon eating our meat, we found 1t far from unpleasant It was tender, sweet and very fat; and on the whole, is far pre- ferable to the meat of lean deer. The choice piece in horse. Is under the mane; and this we Jeff roasting under the coas, wrapped in the skin, until morning. After ter this, two or three of us went out on the track of the horses, and about two hundred yards from camp we found beautiful roan lilly, dead-the effects of Ish's big gun Of this animal, We took small portion and returned to camp; and for the sake of satis- lying my curiosity, l took with me the tongue. This part of the beast, found not very palatable.
 It seems astonishing, that from the few horses introduced so short time since, irl- to America, by the Spaniards, there should now be such immense herds in the prairie, and in the possession of the Aborginals Hardly day passed without our seeing a herd of them, either quietly feeding, or ca reering off wildly in the distance. They are the mostbeautiful sight to be met with in the prairie. Of all coIors, but most commonly of bay, and with their names floating in the wind, they form most beau- tiful contrast to the heavy, unwleldy herds of buffalo, which seem, even at their best speed, 10 be moved by some kind of clumsy machinery. Some old patriarch always heads the gang and takes the command over them. We were witnesses on one particular occasion to an example of com- munication between these animals, which proves them possessed of something nearly allied to the power of speech. We had seen a herd feeding at distance, and we watched them to see what effect would be produced upon them, when they should re- ceiye our smell in the air; or, as hunters say, the wind of us, which was blowing across our path in their direction. On feel- ing 1t, they started in slow tfot, headed, as usual, by nobIe-looking old patriarch Three only of the whole herd were bold enough to separate and take another direc- tion. On discovering the defection of his troops, the old chief turned back, and the whole herd halted. Trotting brskly 10 the three deserters, he communicated with them for moment or two, and probably finding remonstrances unaYaihng, started back and put his followers in motion, quickly accel- erating their gait 10 galiop. You may see the leader sometimes before, and some times behind his troops, biting them and urging them on, by every means in his powef As to the tale of their keeping one of their number as sentlnels, believe noth- ing of 1t. Their acute smell gives them sufficient warning, and does away tie need of sentry. We travelled to-day about if teen miles in course nearly east-north- east.
 I8.--Left camp iD the morning, after a hearty meal of horse-meat, and travelled through a high mosquito prairie The bushes. however, began to grow thinner and smaller, and we now hoped to reach speed fly to the high open prairie, an event which we anxiously looked for. About noon, we fell off from the prairie into a bottom of good land covered with thick blackberry trees, and in short distance, came upon a creek about twenty yards wide, running clear water, but sait. This Is a branch of Red River. Here we nooned, and for the first time saw a flock of wild turkeys, out of which we killed one. Leaving our camping ground, we crossed the creek and kept down 1t some distance, and then turn ed to the east Towards night, we struck another branch, aud followed the bed Of 1t to the mouth, where it joined the creek On which we nooned, and here we encamped. The water of the creek winch ran ripping over the stones, reminding us of the clear streams of our own country and the noun tains, was very salt, but there was small tide of good water Chat is, not too salt to drink in the bed of the creek. Here we ate our turkey, with the addition of little horse-meat to relieve the dryness of It. This day we travelled perhaps fifteen miles east-north-east.
 I9.-This morning we finished our horse- meat, and followed the course of the creek two or three miles, and found sweet water under a bluff rock In the bed of the river. We had, for several days, been toFmented by constant thirst; for salt water satisfies man only while he is drinking #. We now drank enough to satiate us, and took gen. eral smoke upon the occasion. We then struck into the prairie, and Lewis killed a fat bIlrlx We then turned dot0n tn a branch