64 HORSE CREEK.— GOLD. 



A lovely valley marks the spot 



That claims his lowly bed ; 

 But o'er the wand'rer's hapless fate 



No friendly tear was shed. 



No willing grave received the corse 



Of this poor lonely one ; — 

 His bones, alas, were left to bleach 



And moulder 'neath the sun ! 



The night-wolf howl'd his requiem, — 



The rude winds danced his dirge ; 

 And e'er anon, in mournful chime, 



Sigh'd forth the mellow surge ! 



The Spring shall teach the rising grass 



To twine for him a tomb ; 

 And, o'er the spot where he doth lie, 



Shall bid the wild flowers bloom. 



V 



But, far from friends, and far from home, 



Ah, dismal thought, to die ! 

 Oh, let me 'mid my friends expire, 



And with my fathers lie. 



Oct. Ilth. The day being clear and pleasant, we travelled rapidly, and 

 in the course of the afternoon reached Horse creek. This stream is a 

 large affluent of the Platte, heading in the Black Hills, and, tracing its way 

 in a northeasterly direction, through a timberless country, (in many places 

 mere barren wastes,) makes its debouchment nearly fifteen miles above 

 Scott's Bluff. 



The region adjacent to its head is represented as being rich in minerals, 

 among which is gold ; and from my limited information respecting its geo- 

 logical character, I am inclined to accredit the rumor. The story runs 

 thus : 



Six or eight years since, Du Shay, an old French hunter, while ranging 

 in the parts above alluded to, on crossing one of the two principal forks 

 that unite to form the main stream, observed a singular looking something 

 in the creek bed, which he picked up. Tt was apparently a fragment of 

 rock, very heavy, and contained numerous yellow specks. 



Having deposited it in his bullet-pouch for preservation, subsequently, in 

 approaching a band of buffalo, its weight became so annoying he thought- 

 lessly threw it away. The year following he visited Santa Fe, at which 

 place his pouch was accidentally emptied, and, among its contents, several 

 bright particles, that had become parted from the rock, attracted the atten. 

 tion of tlie Mexicans. These were carefully gathered up, and, upon due 

 examination, proved to be virgin gold. 



The old man, on his return, searched diligently for the spot that afford- 

 ed the treasure he had so foolishly thrown away, — but (not being intellect- 



