ight have hit my companion. As the smoke
cleared away I saw the deer spring into the air and fall lifeless to the
ground. The bullet had struck her in the very spot I intended. Charley
rose to his feet, and I ran forward, anxious to ascertain if he was
injured. Providentially, his ramrod alone was broken, and, except a
bruise on the shoulder which caused him some pain, he had escaped
without damage.

We lost no time in skinning and cutting up the deer, which having done,
we formed two packages of as much of the meat as we could carry, while
we suspended the remainder to the bough of a neighbouring tree, to
return for it before night-fall. Our companions were nearly as
successful, each party having killed a deer, the whole of which they
brought into camp. We left them all employed in cutting the chief
portion into strips to dry in the sun, so that it could be transported
more easily than in a fresh state. As we approached the spot where we
had left the venison, a loud yelping which reached our ears told us that
the coyotes had found it out. The brutes were not worth powder and
shot, so getting some thick sticks, we rushed in among them and drove
them off to a distance. They returned, however, as soon as we had got
down the venison and were employed in packing it up, and we had to make
several onslaughts, during which we killed three or four of the wolves,
who were instantly devoured by their companions. While they were thus
employed, we had time to pack up our game, but the rapacious creatures
followed howling at our heels until we reached the camp. All night long
also they continued their unpleasant chorus.

In the morning, having breakfasted on fresh venison, we started, each
man carrying a load of the dried meat. Our object was to push on as
fast as possible, only halting when necessary to rest our horses, or to
kill some buffalo or deer, should any be seen. Pierre especially
advised that we should otherwise make no delay, saying that he had
observed the trails of Indians, who were probably out on the warpath,
and that, at all events, it would be necessary to be on our guard
against them.

We crossed the burnt prairie, our horses' hoofs stirring up the ashes as
we scampered along. Frequently we came upon the bodies of small animals
which had failed to escape from the fire. We saw also numbers of
snakes, some burnt to death, others only scorched and still managing to
make their way over the ground. W