114 MOCCASIN MAKING. 



equipage, the day following we mounted our horses and were under way. 

 With the exception of myself, the present party consisted of old and ex- 

 perienced mountaineers, well acquainted with the country and the nature 

 of Indians. Though, in regard to the latter, little danger was apprehen- 

 ded at this season of the year, as the Sioux had not yet left their winter 

 quarters, and they rarely traverse the vicinity of Sweet Water before the 

 middle of May. Other tribes we might look upon as friendly. We, 

 therefore, anticipated a safe and pleasant excursion. 



During the day our course led over a rough undulating prairie, bounded 

 on the right mostly by the river, and on the left by the mountains. 



In the heads of valleys and ravines I noticed numerous withered stalks 

 of the bread-root, (psoralea esculenia,) indicating its great abundance, and 

 also an increased quantity of absinthe. 



At night we encamped at the forks of a small stream called La Bonte's 

 creek. Near the confluence of its waters with the Platte are the remains 

 of a log cabin, occcupied by a trading party several years since. 



The creek is tolerably well timbered, and the valley, through which it 

 winds its way, aflLrds many beautiful bottoms of rich soil. The rock in 

 the vicinity disclosed a furruginous character, especially the sandstone. 



Among the usual fruit-bearing shrubs and bushes, I here noticed the 

 " service berry." 



This kind of fruit is very abundant in the mountainous parts of Oregon, 

 where it attains a size but little inferior to the common plum, and is highly 

 esteemed for its superior flavor. 



Leaving La Bonte's creek, we travelled by easy stages, for three suc- 

 cessive days, and struck camp at the mouth of Deer creek. 



Our course led over several beautiful streams, most of them well tim- 

 bered with Cottonwood and box-elder, and occasionally skirted by rich bot- 

 toms. Previous to reaching this point we followed along the Platte valley, 

 for a distance of some twenty or thirty miles, which presented several fine 

 bottoms of rich sandy soil upon either bank, together with numerous 

 groves of cottonwood. 



The face of the country is generally a succession of ridges and hol- 

 lows, intersected by ravines and small streams of water. 



At Deer creek, and for some distance before reaching it, the mountain 

 chain to our left approaches within four or five miles of the river, rising 

 abruptly to a height of from eight to fifteen hundred feet, with frowning 

 brows and pine-clad summits. 



Deer creek is one of the largest affluents of the Platte, from the south, 

 between Sweet Water and Laramie. At this place it is about eight yards 

 broad, with a smooth and transparent current that sweeps over a bed of 

 rock and gravel. Its banks are well timbered v/ith large cotton woods, and 

 present rich bottoms of alluvial soil, very luxuriant in grass. 



Even this early in the season, the fresh grass of the vicinity aflLrds tempt- 

 ing nourishment for our animals, and wishing to favor them as much as 

 possible, we have concluded to remain a short time. 



During the succeeding interval we were variously occupied in hunting, 

 root-digging, and moccasin-making. The latter is a business in which 



