72 A CALIFORNIA TRAMP. 



deep and swift flowing was the Platte here, that we could hardly 

 get the cattle across, and it was only by riding the mules back 

 and forth along the rear of the reluctant column, and clubbing 

 and yelling at the affrighted animals, that w^e were enabled to 

 land them on the opposite shore. (4th.) Passing over a dis- 

 mal flat, the soil of which was in some places white with alka- 

 line efllorescences, with stunted cotton- woods here and there 

 rising above it, and with a high hill covered with craggy rocks 

 rising on our left, we came about six miles from our last night's 

 camp to wdiere the river emerges from a deep gorge, walled on 

 either side by solid rocks. The road here turns to the left and 

 ascends a precipitous hill, whose summit we attained with 

 much difficulty. The characteristic plant of these regions, the 

 artemisia, now began to make its appearance. This plant, to 

 which the title of sage-bush is commonly given on the plains, 

 abounds westward of Fort Laramie. It varies in height from 

 six inches to as many feet, growing in gnarled, twisted clumps, 

 and is of a dark gray color, giving the country which it covers 

 a desolate look. It sometimes grows so thickly that it is a 

 hard matter to force one's way through it, and it was continu- 

 ally wearing out our clothes and patience. The more elevated 

 the country, the larger and more abundant it grows, until from 

 a little weed six inches in height, we find it transformed into a 

 tree from three to four inches in diameter. Owing to the cold 

 of the preceding winter, or to the excessive drought, we found 

 a great portion of the artimisias dead, and the brittle stalks 

 made excellent fuel. The plant emits a peculiar, but not un- 

 pleasant odor, somewhat like that of turpentine or camphor. 

 We encamped in the afternoon on the shores of a clear, 

 sparkling stream, shaded by majestic trees, which were scat- 

 tered along its margin. We found two trains, which had left 

 Laramie the day of our arrival, and which were under the 

 command of Messrs. Crissman and Truett, encamped here. A 

 wagon belonging to one of them, while descending the danger- 



