S38 PREVAILING ROCK 



and two children. Our surprise at tbie laughable denouement was only 

 equalled by tlieir own. 



They announced themselves in search of the Arapaho village, and ex- 

 pressed much pleasure at meeting with the whites. Our visitors having 

 passed the night v/ith us, the next morning we yielded to iheir solicitations, 

 and set out with them to the village, some eighteen miles distant, in a 

 northwest direction. 



About noon we arrived at the place, and found six or seven hundred 

 lodges v.i Arapahos, Chyennes, and Sioux, encamped in a large valley 

 skirting a small affluent of Beaver creek. 



The xollage, being prepared to move, in a few moments succeeding our 

 arrival, was en route for the Platte river. The spectacle was novel and 

 imposing. Lodge followed lodge in successive order, — forming vast pro- 

 cessions for miles in length. Squaws, children, horses, and dogs, mingling 

 in promiscuous throng, covered the landscape in every direction, and gave 

 it the aspect of one dense mass of life and animation. 



Here a troop of gorgeously dressed and gaily painted damsels, ail ra- 

 diant witli smOes and flaunting in conscious beauty, bestriding richly ca- 

 parisoned horses, excited the admiration and commanded the homage of 

 gallantry ; there a cavalcade of young warriors, bedaubed witli fantast.c 

 colors — black, red, white, blue, or yellow, in strict accordance with savage 

 t4^i.e — habited in their nicest attire, swept proudly along, chanting their 

 war- deeds in measured accents to the deep-toned drum ; and then another 

 band of pompous horsemen scoured the spreading plain, in eager race to 

 test the speed of their foaming chargers ; and, yet again, a vast array of 

 mounted squaws, armed with tJie implements for root-digging, spread 1'dr 

 and wide In search of the varied products of the prairie ; then, among th» 

 moving mass, passed slowly along the travees, conveying the aged, infirm, 

 and helpless, screened from the heat of a sununer's sun by awnings of skhia, 

 that beshaded their cradled occupants, — while immense trains of pack-ani- 

 mals, haavily laden with provisions and camp equipage, as they crowded 

 amid the jogging multitudes, united to complete die picture of a travelling 

 Indian village. 



Yielding to the lequest of our new friends, we proceeded with them ten 

 er twelve miles further and passed the night in their lodge. 



Our route from Beaver creek led over a tumulous country, interspersed 

 with valleys of a rich soil, and prolific in rank vegetation. The side-hilla 

 afforded large quantities of pomme blanc, and the prairies and bottoms ft 

 splendid array of choice floral beauties. 



The creeks disclosed wide, sandy beds, often dry and skirted by broail 

 valleys which were passably well timbered. The principal ridges were 

 not high, but surmounted by dense pine forests, with pleasant openings, 

 smiling in all the loveliness of spring. 



Notwithstanding the scanty volumes of the streams, the coimtry presents 

 to the traveller tlie appearance of being well watered by frequent rains, 

 while ever and anon a gurghng fountain strikes upon his ear with its soft 

 music. 



Stratified rock is usually rare ; the only species noticed were limeston* " 

 and sandstone. I remarked a great abundance of silez and horrblen4 



