The Oxford intelligencer., 1860-10-17

81 lIsHif 4t---
Women, boys, and the supernumcraries of
the brigade drive the carts, each enc taking
charge of two or three, and passing his or her
time in belaboring the forward OK, and yelling
to the hinder ones as they lag in the march
The hunters are mounted on fine horses, and
relieve the tedum of the slow, wearisome travel
with an occasional scamper after a badger seen
scrambling TO his hole; or a shot at gray wolf
disturbed ip his lurlingplace in the long rnshes
of some deep marsh through which the train
passes. Some of the hunters keep at a consd-
cradle distance fcom the train, on the lookout
for buffalo and signs of hostile Indians. If the
latter are near the train divides into three sec
tions, and travel in parallel lines.
The lowering aud raising Of The flag on the
foremost cart is the sign to halt or start At
night thcy gather in u circle. called corral,
where the carts are ranged side by side, with
the shafts turned toward the center Of the cir
Gle. where the lodges and tents are raised, and
the camp-lfres made The drudcery of the camp
is'pcrforned by the halfbreed women. When
the train is in motion every separate wheel ON
every cart has its peculiar shrek. In camp
these are silent but Babel is continued by all
voices, each with its peculiar shrlncss or vehe-
mence of language, by the b1rllngs Of all the
dogs, comprising every chromauc of the canine
gamut by the lowing Of the oxen and the whin-
nying of horses, rolling and kicking up their
heels in the grass. But in the midst Of it all
matters are going on, fires lighted, water boiling,
potatoes cooking, pemmican frying, and bread
baking and before sunset supper is ready in
most Of the messes. After supper the pipe.
As the twilight deepens into dark, all the an
irnals arc brought into the nclosurc made by the
carts, and picketed there, the buialorunners
receiving especial care; and the watch begins to
control the camp. Numbers linger about the
camp-fires, smoking and telling stories of buiia-
10 hunts, or listening to some older man as he
rccounts the carly disresses of the colonists, the
wars of the Northwest and Hudson's Bay Com
pany, the long journey to Prairie du Chien for
food and seeds, or some attack of the Sioux upon
the hunters in previous year. But before the
light has entirely died out in the western sky all
are wrapped in their blankets or robes-the
sweet odor of kinnie-kinnic lingering in the air
and the low voices Of the watchmen are inter-
ruptcd only by the long. hOwlings of distant
wolves-long and exultant, sometimes, as if
conscious that they were about to begin their
annual feast upon the carcasses of buffalo.
Early in the morning, before sunrise, in the
cold gray dawn, dew dabbling every spear of
grass. the flags arc raised, ana at the sign, and
sound of the horn, sleepers rouse, the tents and
lodges are. struck by the women, the oxen har-
messed into the carts. and horses saddled by the
men. The horn again sounds and the carts fall
into line, and the hunters mount and the train
Is in motion After about two hours of brisk
travel the train halts an hour and half for
breakfast, and then pushes on again I'll the or
deris given to halt for dinner.
During the early part of the day which is to
be described, no large herds had been seem but
all.vere in anxious expectation Of falling in with
one before the day ended, so frequent we've the
signs oftlcir presence in the numerous trails
the fresh dung and the trampled grass in all the
marshes looking Ike innumerabie heaps Of green
jacl,straws.
Just as the leader was sounding the horn
which was the order 10 ''catchup the horses,
rider was seen gallOping at full speed down the
bither side Of hill by which he bad been Ind
from sight on the rolling prairie. All knew the
message he had to bring before hearing it from
his lips. He had seen a herd Of hundreds stead
ilv pushing their way over the prairie TOWARD
the northeast, just hey ond high ridge which
was the limit of sight in the direction the brigade
was then tIaxeIing-neaIly due south. The OK
en- that had been haruessed were again ioosed
iltbe buffalo runners saddled, and every hunte
eagerly examined his gun and ammunition In
No. too knew what was in the wind and th
more hfsh-spirised ones among them, which ha'