Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1843-07-21
From the Boston Atlas.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN EXPEDITION.
LETTER FROM MR. AUDUBON.


letter from this distinguished Naturalist has
recently been received by one OF the editors of
the Atlas, giving an Interesting account OF the
progress Of The Exploring expedition with which
he is connected, and OF the country through
which he has passed. Having been kindly per-
ntted to make extracts by the writer, we avail
ourselves of The permission with pleasure, in
whct, we are assured our readers VIII not fail 10
participate.
The principal portion Of the letter is written
from about $50 miles below ST. Pierre. A post
script dated at Fort Pierre, Missouri" about
1900 miles above ST. Louis, June Isl, lS43, an.
nounces their safe arrival.
GAS it happens that are now fast on sand
bar about $50 miles below Fort Pierre, one of
the many establishments of the American Fur
Company, | have taken 1t into my head TO bore
you with another letter, md you must make the
best of it. | will, however. try TO give it some
interest, so far us can. Since my last of the
18th instant, the general appearance of the coun-
try has assumed different aspect-and one for
the worse. The river has become more contrac-
ted between the sides through which its channel
passes. and has also become sraghIer. We meet
with less water. fewer snagS, ind many more sHnd
bars. The bluffs become more abrupt and more
picturesque in their forms, SO far as The effects Of
cold aud thaw take pInce, the upper portions
lose their softer paris aud leave The hard parts,
assuming the shapes of battlenents, towers, &c,
unlike curio isy wrought cities The trees are
becoming SC ,rce and Uf an extremely stunted
growth, aud IN the ravineS that wind their way
between the hills, the growth is principally red
CEDAR
The hills themselves, which gradually ascend
10 the pluns of immense extent, are all OF the
very poorest description, so much so thar one can
scarcely conceive how millions OF DnfialOes, deer,
anelopes, &c. manage 10 subslst, and yet they do
So aud grow fat between this time aud the ai-
tumn. This is u wild and melancholy looking
district but upon it countless mulIitudes OF butfi-
loes live and die, even more by the arrow and the
rifle bullet than by drowning, while attempting
to cross the rapid Missouri. The shores are Often
slrewed with their carcasses, on which the vol,
the buZzard and the raven gorge themselves at
leisure, undisIurbed, for hunters, rarely if ever,
shoot any Of them. We have seen many elks,
abundance OF deer, wild cats, anteopes, buhdoes,
and wolves, aud one bear. Our folks have shot
many bufialoes, but have not done SO, simply
because these are now worthless when killed
through poverty, and displaying onl, u mass of
bone aud skin, covered only by u very Thin portion
OF flesh aud if you shoot bull, the rankness OF
the flesh even of its best parts is quite enough To
raise a revolt in the stomachs OF all but starving
men. The winter has been 80 very severe that
buhaloes have been 400 miles lower down the
river than they have been for twenty years. The
calves have been nearly all destroyed.
In The way of plants, we have seen several spe-
cies OF cactus unknown 10 us previously, and we
intend TO take plenty OF them home. We have
also tourd beautiful dwarf sweet-scented pea
that perfumes the whole atmosphere. IL grows
over oil ,he sandy and dreary hills aud plains
which have spoken. There exists u root here
called the tohite apple, which Is iarlnaceous nnd
makes good nusll when dried aud pounded fine.
OF those also we will lake some home. We have