Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1883-09-07


While digging sweet potatoes noticed
a very luxurious growth OF vines cover
Ing q small mound In the field, and In
Quiry revealed the fact that horse nne
COW had been buried there som'
years before. just then nothing i'm
pressed me Ia that connection sayc th'
lmmenslly of the potatoes which va
found everything these two graves, bu
In the afternoon and during the follow
Ing day huzzarls shadowed the farm BY
scores, seeming 10 obey from all quar-
lers OF the heavens a mysterious sum-
nous 10 oonsocation. soon perceived
the sweet potaioe-ileld WAS the 'radlant
point Of each speeding shadow Buz-
1ard after buzzard traced rs they mp
pcarod In various portions Of the sky
with half-folded wings, reminding mo Of
mute aerial hounds, coming down the
scent, " their course as swift, silent, and
nndeyiaiing as an arrows. II was a
strangely interesting spectacle TO behold
them swoop within a few feet Of the
harse-hades, and rlso again with slow,
reluctant flaps, indicative Of disappont-
ment, then return 10 deliberately 'beatN
and quarter the ground, aerially
speaking. with all the tact and perseyer-
ing sagacity Of their canine compoers;
IN fact, the performance was suggestive
Of fox-hunt, in which Reynard's place
was represented by the dead bodies,
''carthcd' in this case, however, for
other than Reynards reasons One Of
the yultures in particular showed
an extreme faith in the guidance
of It's smelling powers by alight-
ing without domur on the fence half
dozen PAGES from the centre of attrac-
lion, where, after some time Of manifest
uncasiness and uncouth posturing, il
was joined by few Of lis more dubious
companions. This visitation Of uncanny
birds continued long after, though l
never saw SO many us at first when tho
srop was plowed out, this disturbance
probably releasing for time the pcnt-
up odors. Ieould detect no talnt in the
atmosphere Of the place even while
working in the freshly plowed ground,
get hundreds of buzzards assembled
from fur and near, and with unerring
accuracy pointed ont the place Of burial
with oyershadowing wings. In conse-
luence Of these observations the theory
hat the vulturc family are enabled to
lctcct the existence Of dead body by
scent, unassisied by any OF the remaining
senses, and this too, at great distance,
and when such carcass had lain deep
ander the ground for several years, was
10 me satisfactorily proved. Gosse, as
| before stated, gives IN instance con-
lirmatory to the one just related, justly
attributing to the same species OF
yulture this wondrous faculty Of track
ing its prey from afar. II was observed
in Jamaica; "A poor German immi-
grant, who lived alone in detached
cottage in this town, rose from his bed
after few days confinement by fever
to purchase in the market some fresh
meat for little soup. Before he could
prepare the several ingredients Of herbs
and roots. and put his meat in water for
the preparation Of his pottage, the
paroxysm Of his fever had returned, and
he laid himself on his bed exhausted,
Two days elasped in this state Of helpless
ness and inanimation, BY which time the
mass Of meat and pot herbs had putre-
fed. The stencil became very percepti-
Die in the neighborhood, yulture after
vulure as they sailed pastw we're observed
always to descend TO the cottage Of the
German, and to sweep round as if they
had tracked some putrid carcase, but
failed to find exactly where it was. ~
The Amcrican Naturalist