54 



disease of the hoof, and the wagons, and especially the harness, from 

 long use, were of very inferior quality. It occupied me six days in 

 getting the train in travelling condition, which was only done by 

 abandoning one wagon and a large supply of stores for the escort. 

 During this time a rumor* reached there of a fight having taken place 

 between the soldiers and the Shyennes at Ash Hollow, in which a 

 hnndred of the former were killed. Twelve of the soldiers of the 

 escort, tempted by the high prices of labor in this vicinity, and tired 

 of the toils and privations of campaigning, deserted as we were about 

 to set out, and some white thieves who infested the neighborhood of 

 Sioux City carried off two of my best horses. These losses occurring 

 in a civilized community, where we supposed ourselves among friends, 

 were quite annojing, and gave rather unpleasant forebodings of what 

 might occur to us when we should come among our enemies, the 

 Indians. 



We set out from Sioux City July 6, and, taking a direct course, joined 

 the other party on the Loup Fork, being 11 days in going 110 miles. 

 The route was heavy from frequent rains, all the ravines being filled 

 with water, and the most insignificant rivulet requiring preparation, 

 on account of the soft nature of the soil, before a wagon could cross it. 

 We had to make one bridge (over Middle creek) about 30 eet long, 

 and construct a raft with which to cross the Elk Horn. 



The united party now set out on their journey westward on the Loup 

 Fork, meeting with no serious difficulties on the route (except the 

 quicksands in crossing the main north branch) till we came to within 

 50 miles of the source of the stream. Here the river became shut up 

 in a gorge impassable for wagons, and we were forced out among the 

 difficult sand hills which border the bluffs and which extend north to 

 the Niobrara and south nearly to the Platte. They also extend much 

 further east, but they occasioned us no diflSculties till we were forced 

 to leave the bank of the stream. 



We finally came to the source of the Loup Fork, and from this point 

 endeavored to proceed as directly as possible north to the Niobrara, 

 for we were somewhat apprehensive of losing everything, for want of 

 water, by endeavoring to push our way westward through the Sand 

 Hills. These hills, however, were so impracticable for wagons that 

 we were forced much more to the west than we desired, and one day 

 we were unable to find water to camp by. There are numerous lakes 

 in this Sand Hill country, but many of them are too much impregnated 

 with salts to be wholesome. Some of these latter our animals drank 

 out of without injury. On reaching the longitude of 102° 80' we had 

 the good fortune to find an open stretch of country with a large well 

 marked lodge trail leading between the Platte and Niobrara, which, 

 in one day's travel northward, brought us to the Niobrara. We now 

 proceeded rapidly over an easy route to Fort Laramie. 



During the journey there had been considerable sickness in the 

 camp from fevers, and one of the men was so near the point of death 

 that a halt of several days was made for his benefit. Dr. Moffett also 

 became so ill as to require a delay of one or two days. These neces- 



* This rumor was without foundation, as it afterwards appeared. 



