146 ' EXPEDITION TO TIIK 



the party in sight; this reminded Major Long of some of 

 the difficulties he had experienced in travelling through 

 the cane hrakes of Arkansaw. On halting at noon, we disco- 

 vered the Elkheart at no great distance, and from the account 

 of our guides, concluded that we had got through our diffi- 

 culties. To the younger travellers it was a source of much 

 gratification, to find that the fatigues of that morning had ex- 

 ceeded all that their more experienced companions had ever 

 met with, as it was to them a sure warrant that they had not 

 overrated their forces in undertaking the journey. At our 

 noontime's encampment, we found the angelica plant, and the 

 wild pea-vine. We soon struck a trail, and about three 

 miles below, came to the lower crossing of the river ; it 

 was still so high that it would have been impossible to pass, 

 but we experienced great pleasure in ascertaining that we had 

 again fallen into the usual track from Wayne to Chicago ; 

 we observed here, for the first time, the equisetum grow- 

 ing in abundance. In the afternoon we travelled with 

 ease and comfort over a prairie country interspersed with 

 occasional spots of woodland. One of these prairies which 

 was about five miles wide and one and a half long, was as 

 level as possible, and as far as the eye could observe, it re- 

 sembled a smooth unruffled sheet of water. The scene was 

 enlivened, and the solitude interrupted by the quick flight 

 of the deer which we disturbed while feeding, and which 

 darted across our path with a rapidity that baffles description. 

 About sunset we arrived at a romantic stream called Devil's 

 river, and here we encamped upon as beautiful a spot as 

 the most fastidious could have wished for; we pitched our 

 tent for the first time, and while partaking of a comfortable 

 meal, in the open air, spent a more pleasant evening 

 than perhaps we could ever have expected to enjoy 

 in such a solitude. There was a still sublimity in the scene, 



