COMICAL ADVENTURE. 271 



much to the cheerlessness of its solitude. A general scarcity of rock alb(j 

 prevails, and the only specimens I noticed were exhibited in the banks of 

 watercourses, and consisted of slate and Ibssilifcrous limestone (formed of 

 an extinct species of shell-fish, principally hiiahes.) The soil in many 

 places might be called fertile, and, were it not for lack of moisture, could 

 be turned to good account for agricultural purposes. 



The landscape is generally undulating, disclosing at the north and north- 

 east broken ridges of hills, which were now and then surmounted by scat- 

 tering pines. 



The buffalo having left the vicinity soon after our arrival, we again 

 moved camp eight or ten miles, to Beaver creek, an affluent of the 

 Platte, where we remained for fifteen or twenty days. 



Our stay at this place was one continued series of feasting, as we lacked 

 nothing of all the varied delicacies procurable in a country abounding with 

 game. But one item in our entertainment was indeed a novelty, — viz . 

 crows' eggs. Almost every tree and bush, skirting the creek at intervals 

 for miles above and below, had been appropriated to the use of the countless 

 swarms of crows that populated the surrounding prairie. Sometimes four 

 or five nests of these birds might be seen upon a single tree. On two or 

 three occasions I obtained from six to ten dozen of eggs in the course of 

 an hour. These, whether boiled, roasted, or fried, were found quite an ac- 

 ceptable addition to our bill of daily fare. 



The chmate of this region is evidently less mild, and its warm season 

 much shorter, than is common to other places in the same latitude. 



It was now the middle of June, and yet the wild fruits, currants, cherries, 

 and plums, were only in blossom, and all other kinds of vegetation assumed 

 the appearance of recent spring. Indeed, the day succeeding our arrival, 

 snow fell to a depth of three or four inches, and remained upon the ground 

 for several hours. Whether such occurrences are common, I have not the 

 necessary information to decide. 



In our excursions after game, the remains of an Indian fort had been 

 discovered in a small grove, a short distance below camp, which received 

 the honor of our subsequent occupancy. A few hours devoted to repairs 

 rendered it a complete shelter from either wind or rain ; and, still farther 

 to enhance its conveniences, we succeeded in digging a small well adjoin- 

 ing the entrance, thus securing a most welcome supply of cool water. 

 Here revelling in the midst of plenty, with nothing to think of or care for 

 but our own personal comforts, we had no mind to exchange our situation 

 for the fatigues of war and the drudgery of camp-duty. 



Several incidents also occurred in the interim to enliven the scene and 

 relieve its otherwise dull monotony. On one occasion a strolling wolf, 

 venturing too near camp, received the contents of my rifle and instantly 

 fell. Supposing the shot to be a fatal one, I advanced and seized him by 

 the tail with the design of taking his skin. 



But the creature, having been only stunned by a neck wound, now re- 

 vived in full strength, and, enraged at his rough treatment, called into ex- 

 ercise the utmost tension of his energies to afiford a bitter sample of the 

 fierceness of wolfine vengeance. Here was a quandary — to relinquish 



