of
the prairie!

They did not waste time when they had got there. Marengo was released,
and the whole party hurried in the direction of their horses. These
were soon reached, caught, and saddled; and our hunters, now that they
could mount at any moment they pleased, felt themselves safe.

They resolved, however, to remain no longer by the butte, but to ride
away from it, as soon as they had eaten a morsel. A small fire was,
therefore, kindled; and a piece of bear-meat, hastily broiled, satisfied
their hunger. Basil would have gone back on horseback, to attack the
old she-bear in the ravine; but the more prudent Lucien dissuaded him;
and, holding their horses in readiness, they packed their camp
equipments upon Jeanette, and once more took the route.

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.

THE VULTURES AND THEIR KING.

They turned their horses' heads westward. It was their intention to
travel in that direction, until they should strike the tracks of the
buffaloes, when they would turn to the north, follow upon the trail of
these animals, and endeavour to come up with the great herd. This was
clearly the best course they could adopt.

As they were riding past the western extremity of the butte, a flock of
large birds drew their attention. They were vultures. The boys now
remembered the cimmaron that had fallen over the cliff; and, looking up,
they beheld its body still swinging from the tree. It was that which
had attracted the vultures.

There were many of them--over an hundred in the flock. Some were
sailing about in the air. Others had alighted on the top of the cliff,
or perched themselves on the branches of the pines, while a few hovered
around the carcass, occasionally settling a moment upon its stiffened
limbs, and endeavouring to penetrate the hide with their beaks. They
had already torn out the eyes of the animal, but the tough skin of the
body still resisted their attacks.

These birds were larger than ravens, and of a dark colour--nearly black.
At a distance they appeared purely black; but, upon a nearer view, an
admixture of brownish feathers could be perceived, and this was apparent
in some of them more than in others. To a careless observer they would
all have passed for birds of the same species, although that was not the
case. There were two distinct species of them, the "turkey-buzzard"
(_Cathartes aura_), and the black vulture (_Cathartes atratus_). Our
boys knew them well enough--for both kin