ALONG THE PLATTE TO FORT LARAMIE. 61 



between the Cheyennes and the Americans under General Har- 

 ney. The fortifications erected by the latter could still be seen 

 on the flat extending between the bluff and the river. One of 

 our men who had been an eye-witness of the fight gave us a 

 graphic description of it. It was a hardly fought contest, but 

 the skill of the Americans at last prevailed over the superior 

 numbers of the enemy. The Cheyennes were entirely ^routed, 

 with the loss of two hundred of their number and all their 

 tents and baggage, which were burned in a huge bonfire by 

 the victors. Their squaws were taken prisoners, and distrib- 

 uted among our gallant soldiers, but were afterwards given up 

 to their lawful owners. The severe castigation which the Chey- 

 ennes here received has humbled them greatly, and they are far 

 less mischievous now than formerly. Old " Harney " is held 

 in great detestation among them, and the mere mention of his 

 name will bring a scowl on the face of a Cheyenne brave. 



The scenery along the Plattes begins to change above the 

 Forks. The broad, level bottoms stretching along the river as 

 far as the eye can reach, are no longer seen, and the sandy 

 bluffs often approach to the very edge of the water, rising in 

 rough, uneven outlines to the height of near a thousand feet. 

 Among the sharp rocks that cover their desolate sides a few 

 scrubby cedars are growing, looking from the road like mere 

 bushes, but several were a foot in diameter, as I found on 

 clambering up for wood. We no longer see the richly timbered 

 islands of the lower Platte, the sand-bars being merely fringed 

 with willows and destitute of trees. 



After procuring a supply of cedar-wood from the neigh- 

 boring hills, we proceeded on our way over a road which 

 was very heavy on account of the deep sand. Our teams, 

 weakened by hard driving and starvation, were continually 

 stalling, so that the day had its usual amount of excitement 

 to vary the monotony of the journey. A train which had 

 passed through our corral the preceding night and encamped 



