l^E BRAVE BEAR. 83 



Oct. 24111. About noon we crossed Gonneville's creek, a lart^e easteily 

 affluent of the Platte. This stream also derives its name from a trapper, 

 killed near it in an Indian fight, some eight years since. 



Upon the south bank of Gonneville's creek, ten or twelve miles from the 

 river, is a singular natural formation, known as the Court House, or 

 McFarlan's Ca&tle, on account of its fancied resemblance to such a struc- 

 ture. It rises in an abrupt quadrangular iorm, to a height of three or 

 four hundred feet, and covers an area of two hundred yards in length hv 

 one hundred and fifty broad. Occupying a perfectly level site in ati opeii 

 prairie, it stands as the proud palace of Solitude, amid her boundless do- 

 mains. 



Its position commands a view of the country for forty miles around, and 

 meets the eye of the travelle? for several successive days, in journeying 

 up the Platte. We have been in sight of it ibr three day.-, and even now 

 seem no nearer than at first, notwithfttandfng our course, meanwhile, has 

 borne not far from a direct line towards it. 



Here, for the first time, I remarked the deceptiveness of distances, on 

 the high prairies and in regions adjacent to the mountains. Sometimes an 

 object will appear as if within a mile, at most, which cannot be reached 

 short of fifteen or twenty miles ; then, again, objects will seem to be much 

 further olT than they really are. 



I attribute this, in part, to three several causes : — First, the variab-e state 

 of the atmosphere, in regard to density. Second, the absence or plenitude 

 of humid exhalations and eflluvisB in the air of dilibront regions. Third, 

 the peculiar locality of some places in regard to the reception of the sun's 

 rays. 



In passing from Gonneville's creek to Fort Platte, we encountered no 

 more buffalo. — these animals having been driven back into the high prairies 

 by bands of t-trolling Indians. 



If the prospect had hitherto been lonesome, it now seemed threefold 

 lonely. Tiie hard-beaten footpaths that had furrowed the bottoms and 

 plains, in all directions, ever since our first entrance to the buffalo range, 

 were still seen ; but, unhonored by the presence and unmarked by the loot- 

 prints of their whilom travellers, they looked li^e the once oft-trodden 

 streets of some deserted city. 



Late in the afternoon we were joined by tvv^o engages from Fort Platte, 

 whose object it was to hasten our advance. Soon after, we entered upon 

 a stretch cf burnt prairie, and v/ere compelled to travel till daylight the 

 next morning, before a sufficiency of grass could be found for a camping 

 place. 



Oct. 25th. Resuming our course about midday, we had proceeded only 

 a few miles, when a moimted Indian appeared upon the opposite bank ot 

 tlie river, and accosted us : 



" Chay, cullo ! — Hanno chaum-pa-monet ha Mena-huska tour ?" (Tell 

 me, friend! — Are those the Long-knife's* waggons?) 



* This term seems to call for a word of explanation. Our company was (Io!'ij:^ate<l 

 by the Indians as the Long-knife, or American company, — a tenn by which a.l 



