EARLY DAY STORIES. 43 



CHAPTER VI. 



The journey up the Platte Valley — Hunting Mountain Sheep 

 —Talk With a Sioux Indian— The Buffalo Hunt. 



As the trail passed on up the Platte valley to the west, 

 the country began to change in appearance — the valley be- 

 came gradually narrower, and the hills bounding it on 

 either side became high, rough and bluffy in form — the ele- 

 vation was greater, the air rarer and drier, and there were 

 no rains excepting brief showers which were generally ac- 

 companied with a good deal of thunder and lightning. The 

 scenery grew more and more interesting as the western part 

 of the state was reached, and Court House Rock, Chimney 

 Rock and Scotts Bluff came one after the other into view. 



Grass became less abundant as the train progressed 

 toward the west, although there was always plenty of it 

 found by going some distance away from the camping 

 grounds. Camp was always made where there was water, 

 and if possible where there was wood also. If there was 

 no wood there was always the substitute mentioned in a 

 previous chapter. At one time when we had toiled along 

 all day up hill and down, for we had left the level valley of 

 the Platte — the country being quite hilly, rough and broken, 

 but the road though hilly was not bad, but was hard and 

 smooth almost as a rock — it had clouded up, and showed 

 signs of a storm as we made camp. Mr. Knapp had gone 

 on ahead with the pony and selected a good camping place, 

 and about a mile from camp had found good pasture for 

 the oxen, for it was all eaten off near the camping ground. 

 It was my turn to go out with the cattle and stay with them 

 all night, and Jolly was to be my companion on guard. 

 Jolly was an Englishman, and a very good fellow, but he 

 had some ways and traits that were not agreeable. His name 



