Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1842-09-17
Miscellaneous.
TIE PRAIRIE DOG.

we extract the following account o! an e1traord
airy Commonwealth he met with in the Prairie.
o that region:l
: Learning from the guide who had r
E turned, that there was large city or cor
monwe!th of Prairie Dogs. directly 4
the route the command would take. wi,
two companions started OH ahead to Vi
it these neighbors. We were in suced b
. double bjecl-frstly, by desire to G.
anime one OF the republics about whic
prairie travellers have said so much; an
secondly, TO obtain something to eat--lc
the flesh OF these animals was said 10 b
excellent.
| Our road wound up the sides Ola gen,
Iy ascending mountain for some six O
seven miles. On arriving at the summi
we found beautiful table land
out before US, reaching for miles in ever,
direction.
The soil appeared to be uncommonl,
rich, and was covered with luxurian
growth of musquest trees. The grass is o
the CURLY musqueet species, the swectes
and most nutritious Of all the differen
kinds ofthat grass, and the dogs neve
locate their towns or cities excep, where
it grows in abundance
| We had proceeded but a short distance
after reaching this beautiful prairie, be
fore we came upon the outskirts Of the
commonwealth. A few scattering dogs
were seen scampering in, and by their
short, sharp yelps, gayefa general alarm
to the whole community.
Upon the first cry Of danger from the
outskirts, it was soon taken up in the cen.
ire Of the city; and nov, nothing was TO
be seen in and direction but dashing
and scampering Of the mercurial aud ex-
citable denizen Of the place, to his lodge
or burrow. Far as the eye could reach
the city extended, and all over it the scene
was the same.
We rode leisurly along until we had
reached the more thickly settled portions
of the place, when We halted, and after
taking the brides from our horses, to al.
low them to Craze, we prepared for reg
liar attack upon the inhabitants The
,nrrow. We no. more than fifteen yards
part, with well ..scdden paths leading in.
ssrent directions; ana even 'housh.
ou,d =, .-coyer something like .esu'a..'.s
n the laying = mt the streets.
We sat down upy.. 2 bank under the
hade Of a musqueet, and is. .ss'fty survey
d the scene before US. Our APP. a'ac''
ad driven every one in our immediate
icinity to his home; bu, some hundred
ards off, the small mound Of earth in
cont of each burrow was occupied by a
og, sitting strait upon his hind legs, and
DOLLY looking about him TO ascertain the
ause Of the recent commotion Every
ow and then some citizen more ventur-
US that his neighbor, would leave his
'dge on flying visit to companion, ap-
arently exchange few words, and then
camper back as fast as his legs would
.rry him.
BY and by, as we kept perfectly still,
me Of our nearer neighbors were seen
poking their heads from out Of
'eir holes, aud looking cupningly and at ,
le same time inquisitiyelv about them. (
radualIy acitizen would emerge from {
&c entrance Of his domical, come on, up
his looking out place, yerk his head 3
I'd commence yelping. 6
~ WSsS GAAhSAS SAAS WAtn ~ 0OuUlOe =
lrreled shot gun, another with Colts t
ght shooting rifles Of small bore, while. $
had riflo, made in Louisville by the d
lebratod Dickinson. running about TWEEN 4
-four to the pound Acknowledged II
/ all to be the best weapon in camp. Ii $
ould drive ball through buffalo al q
Q distance Of one hundred and fifty 9
ards, held up that far, and there was no Q
mping off or running away by Il deer il
hen struck in the right place-,o use a )
mnlon expression, he would never know I
hat hurt him. Hit one OF the dogs l,
here we would with q. small ball, he G
ould almost invariably turn peculiar u
merset and get into his hoie-but with f
ball from my rifle, the entire head OF the t.
lmal would DO knocked oil, and after a
is there was no escape. Ii
For three hours, we remained iif this Q
watching the movements r,
the inhabitants, and occasionally pick q
g ono Of them off. No less than nine 81
ire BOT by the party, and one c.rcdm- d
lnce wouldthention as singular in the f
treme,. and which shows the social re- d
lionship which exists among these ami te
ais. as we'll as the regard they have for Ii
e another. - ne OF them had perched /,
mseif directly upon the pile Of dirt in i,
ont ofhis hole setting up and exposing q H
i mark, while companions head was X
an rpoking out Of the entrance, too tim,d s,
rhaps to expose himself farther. EG
A we'll directed ball from my rifle car hi
ID away the entire top ofthe formers h,
ad and-knocked him some two orihree 10
i from his post perfectly dead. While I'll
oading, .the other daringly came out, SC
zed his companion by one leg, and be- T
o we could reach the hole, had drawn 81
n completely out ofreach, although we hi
ed to twist him out with ramrod n.
lere was q feeling in the little incident, te
human, which raised the an 81
al in my estimation, and ever after al
! not attempt 10 kill one Of them, OK p,
pit when driven by hunger. e,
The prairie dog is apparently about a
. size Of q RABBIT, heavier perhaps, more n
impact, and with much shorter legs. In n
it resembles the woodchuck
!, ground hog Of the north, although al =
ne smaller than that animal. In their l. !.
bits, the prairie dogs are soeiai, never !,
ing alone like other animals. but are al =
sys found in villages or large settle =
ts.-Fhey are wild, irolicksome sci