CONTENTS. IX 



in council. Journey to White river. High winds and snow. Intense suf- 

 ferings and painful result-'*. 135 



CHAPTER XII. 



Anotht't drunken spree. Horses devoured by wolves. An upset. A blowing up. 

 Daring feat of wolves. A girl offered for liquor. Winter on the Platte. 

 Boat building. Hunting expedition. Journey up tlie Platte. Island camp. 

 Narrow escape. Snowstorm. Warm Spring. Pass of the Platte into" the 

 prairies. A valley. Bitter Cottonwood. Indian forts. Wild fruit. Root 

 digging. Cherry tea and its uses. Geology of the country. Soils, grasses, 

 herbs, plants, and purity of atmospiiere. IIur^e-^hc)e (•rotik. A panther. 

 Prairie dogs and their peculiarities. 143 



CHAPTER XIII. 



The Creek valley. The Platte as a mountain stream. Canon. Rojuautic pros* 

 pect. Comical bear story. Perilous encounter with a wounded bull. Ge- 

 ological remarks. Division of party. Safety of spring travel. La Bonte's 



creek, llemarks by the way. Service-berry. Deer Creek. CJeneral 

 observations. Moccasin making. Box elder. Bear killed. Excellence of 

 its flesh. Different kinds of bears in Oregon and tlie mountains. The 

 grizzly bear, his nature and habits. 150 



CHAPTER XIV. 



Desperate encounter with a grizzly bear, and extraordinary instance of suffering. 

 Close contest. A comical incident. Cross Platte. Canon camp. Sage 

 trees. Mountain sheep, and all about them. Independence Rock ; why so 

 called, and description of it. Devil's Gate. Landscape scenery. 159 



CHAPTER XV. 



Return route. Oregon trail from Independence Rock through the South Pass. 

 Cross the Sweet Water and Platte. Mountain Fowl. Journey up 3Iedicine 

 Bow. Dangerous country. A fight with the Sioux. The " Carcague." 

 A surprise. Visit to the Crow village. Number and character of the Crow 

 nation. Selling a prisoner for tobacco. Description of Laramie Plains. 165 



CHAPTER XVI. 



Sibille's-hole. Novel bitters. Chugwater. Gold. Curiosity. Affairs at the 

 Fort. Amusements. Gambling among squaws, and games played. Squaw 

 dresses, and riding fashion. Items of interest to the curious, proving the in- 

 tercourse of the ancient Romans with the people of this continent. 178 



CHAPTER XVII. 



Singular exhibition of natural affection. Embark for the States. Scarcity cf 

 provisions and consequent hardship and suffering. Extraordinary daring of 



