y the
Indians came madly galloping back, much to the alarm of the white men.
It proved, however, that the spy had returned to tell his comrades that
one of the white hunters (Drewyer) had killed a deer. An Indian riding
behind Captain Lewis, fearful that he should not get his share of
the spoil, jumped off the horse and ran for a mile at full speed. The
journal says:--

"Captain Lewis slackened his pace, and followed at a sufficient distance
to observe them. When they reached the place where Drewyer had thrown
out the intestines, they all dismounted in confusion and ran tumbling
over each other like famished dogs. Each tore away whatever part he
could, and instantly began to eat it. Some had the liver, some the
kidneys--in short, no part on which we are accustomed to look with
disgust escaped them. One of them, who had seized about nine feet of the
entrails, was chewing at one end, while with his hand he was diligently
clearing his way by discharging the contents at the other. It was indeed
impossible to see these wretches ravenously feeding on the filth of
animals, the blood streaming from their mouths, without deploring how
nearly the condition of savages approaches that of the brute creation.
Yet, though suffering with hunger, they did not attempt, as they might
have done, to take by force the whole deer, but contented themselves
with what had been thrown away by the hunter. Captain Lewis now had the
deer skinned, and after reserving a quarter of it gave the rest of the
animal to the chief, to be divided among the Indians, who immediately
devoured nearly the whole of it without cooking. They now went toward
the (Prairie) creek, where there was some brushwood to make a fire, and
found Drewyer, who had killed a second deer. The same struggle for the
entrails was renewed here, and on giving nearly the whole deer to the
Indians, they devoured it even to the soft part of the hoofs. A fire
being made, Captain Lewis had his breakfast, during which Drewyer
brought in a third deer. This too, after reserving one-quarter, was
given to the Indians, who now seemed completely satisfied and in good
humor."

They now approached the forks of the Jefferson, where they had expected
to meet Clark and his party with the canoes. Not seeing any signs of
them, the Lewis party were placed in a critical position. The Indians
were again alarmed and suspicious. Here Captain Clark's journal says:--

"As they went on towards the point, Captain