288 THE KEW PAHK. 



Proceeding by the valley of a creek tributary to the above river, the day 

 following we came to a considerable branch from the south, and carepM 

 near its mouth, for the purpose of killing buffalo, of which vast numbera 

 thronged the vicinity. 



The valleys of the Yampah and Little Bear were broad, in places, with a 

 deep soil of dark, sandy loam, and tolerably well timbered. 



The country contiguous to them was rugged and generally sterile ; the 

 soil, with the exception of the creek bottoms, being shallow and sandy, and 

 infested with extensive fields of absinlhe. 



By the way we passed a fort, formerly occupied by a company of trap- 

 pers under the command of Frapp, near wliich himself and four other 

 whites were killed in an engagement witli the Sioux some two years since. 

 The Indians lost fifteen or twoAty of their warriors in killed and wounded, 

 but succeeded in driving off eighty head of horses as their booty. 



Among the rocks of the hills 1 noticed frequent clusters of larb, richly 

 laden with its deep red berry,* both tempting to tlie eye ;ind pleasing to tlw 

 taste. 



On reaching the Platte we were ushered into a large and beautiful circu- 

 lar valley, known as the New Park. 



This valley is thirty-five miles in width by thirty in breadth, and is shal 

 in upon all sides by lofty mountains, whose summits tower far above the 

 Buow-line and sport their white-caps through each returning year. It i» 

 well watered by numerous streams that trace their course from tlie neigh- 

 boring heigiits to commingle with the Platte. 



The river makes its exit from this place by a forced passage through nar- 

 row defiles, bt tween the Medicine Bow and New Park Mountains, forming 

 a canon several miles in length, defined by precipitous walls, varying in 

 height from fifty to six hundred feet. 



The New Park valley affords considerable timber of various kinds, and a 

 fertile soil, well adapted to cultivation. The superfice is usually a thick 

 mould, compounded of clay, sand, and gravel, with decomposed vegetable 

 matter ; while tlie bottoms disclose a rich alluvion of two or three feet 

 depth. 



The entire country was crowded with game, in countless numbers, both 

 of buffalo, elk, and deer. It seemed as though a general ingathering from 

 mountain, hill, and plain, had taken place to winter in this chosen spot. 



It is said the great abundance of game first suggested the christening of 

 the locality as the New Park. 



We remained in our encampment till the 5th of December, and improved 

 the interval in procuring a choice supply of meat, and feasting upon those 

 delicious viands which mountaineers so well know how -to acquire and dis- 

 pose of. 



The day preceding our departure, a fall of snow covered tlie ground for 



• The larb-berry is of a deep red color, and somewhat larger than the common cur 

 lant. It is of a sweet spicy taste, and very pleasant. It grows upon a small ground" 

 vine of evergreen, vritJi a leaf assimiladr.g the winter-clover in shape, and is fcood 

 •nly in moimtaiiious regioiui. 



