Free The Audubon Reader by John James Audubon Page B

discernible for many miles.
    With the exception of these beautiful animals and the thousands ofbuffalo skulls that lay scattered about, just appearing above the water, which was about a foot deep, there was nothing remarkable at this season. But in spring, about the month of May, theprairies are indeed a garden. The grass, rich and succulent, shoots from the soil with incredible rapidity, and amongst its green carpeting, millions of variegated flowers raise their odoriferous heads. Butterflies of the richest colors hover about in the sunshine and the hummingbird darts swiftly along, gathering honey, amongst clouds of bees. The deer are quietly reposing upon the luxuriant herbage in picturesque groups and the flocks of the squatters are seen scattered about in all directions. The weather is mild, the sky cloudless; and nothing can be conceived more delightful than traveling over these fertile regions at this season.
    Yet they are infested by one scourge—thebuffalo gnats. These insects fly in dense bodies, compacted together like swarms of bees, as swift as the wind. They attack a deer or buffalo, alight upon it and torture the animal to death in a few minutes. This may appear incredible till we recollect that the swarms are so dense that above a hundred will often alight upon a square inch. I had myself an opportunity of witnessing their fatal power when I crossed the same prairies in the May following the very Christmas of which I am writing.
    I was mounted upon a fine horse, and in consequence of the advice of experienced persons, I had his head and body wholly clothed with light linen to protect him from these gnats, leaving only the nostrils uncovered. Being unaware of the full extent of the danger, I was not, as it proved, sufficiently careful in joining the different cloths which covered my horse. I had ridden a considerable distance when, on a sudden, he actually began to dance; he snorted, leaped and almost flew from under me. This took place near the Big Muddy River, for which I instantly made, and plunged the horse into the stream to quiet him. But upon reaching the shore, his motions were languid, his head drooped, and it was with difficulty that I reached a squatter’s hut, where the poor animal died in a few hours. He had been bitten between the joinings ofhis body-clothes by a swarm of these remorseless insects, whose bite is invariably fatal whenever they can settle upon the body of an animal in any number. They do not attack the human species, and it is only during the heat of the day that they appear, at which time the cattle in the prairies resort to the woods for security. The deer rush to the water to avoid them, and stand during the midday heats with only their noses appearing above the surface.
    A light smoke arising from the trees which covered a beautiful mound promised me a good dinner and gave me an appetite, and I made straight for it. The woman of the house which stood there received me kindly, and whilst the boys were busied in examining my handsome double-barreled gun, as I sat drying my clothes by the fire, the daughter ground coffee, fried venison and prepared eggs, which, washed down by a good glass of brandy, formed a sumptuous repast. To those who, used to the ceremonies of cities, have no idea how soon an acquaintance is cemented in these wilds by the broad ties of hospitality, it would have been a matter of surprise to see how, though we were previously strangers, we became in an hour as familiar as if we had been friends of years.
    I slept at this hospitable dwelling, and the kind hostess was stirring at daybreak to get me a good breakfast before I started. Of course for all this she would receive no recompense, so I gave each of the boys a horn of powder—a rare and valuable article to a squatter in those days.
    My way lay through woods, and many crossroads that intersected them embarrassed me much; but I marched on, and according to my computation, I had left about forty-five miles