186 NOT TO BE ENVIED. 



Slipping cable, we glided midway of the stream, and gave a parting 

 salute to the friends who lined the shore, accompanied by a loud hurra 

 and waving of hats, deeply responded to by them, — and even tears coursed 

 their way a down the dusky visages of our voyageurs, when mindful of 

 the fate separating them — perhaps forever ! 



The crews now struck up a merry song, while the dripping oars, as they 

 spurned the crystal waters, responded their time in measured strokes. 



As we passed swiftly along and were fast receding from within hailing 

 distance of the Fort, an old mountaineer, who stood gazing upon us, ex- 

 claimed, " Ah, boys ; you can sing now, but your tune will be altered ere- 

 long !" 



This strange announcement, though a riddle at the time of its utterance, 

 soon began to more than verify itself, and often did we repeat the remark, 

 " Well, sure enough, our tune has changed." 



Moving along prettily during the day — sometimes floating with the cur- 

 rent tiien again plying oars, — we reached the mouth of Horse creek ; and, 

 passing on a short distance, lay to for the night. 



The day following we again pushed off; but, after proceeding ten or 

 twelve miles, tho water became so shallow, we were compelled to lay by to 

 await a further rise, and struck camp in a small grove of cottonwood upon 

 the right bank of the Platte, a siiort distance above Scott's Blutf. Here we 

 remained for some two weeks. 



The crew of our consort being poorly supplied with provisions, we 

 divided our own with them, and, at the expiration of a j:ew days, were left 

 entirely destitute. 



From this on, we were dependent solely upon such game as chance 

 threw in our way, — sometimes starving for two or three days, and then 

 feasting for a hke interval, upon the products of successful hunting. 



To us was a tedious lot, — there being no game in the country, save per- 

 chance a few straggling bulls, and they rarely within less dist mce than ten 

 or twelve miles. Our hunting excursions often led further than that, and 

 when we were so fortunate as to kill, the proceeds were borne upon our 

 Dacks to camp. We became so accustomed to packing in this manner, it 

 was thought no extra burthen for an individual to carry upwards of a hundred 

 pounds of fresh meat at a single load, some ten or twelve successive miles, 

 over an open, sandy prairie, and beneath the scorching rays of an almost 

 vertical sun. 



So far from regarding it a task, we esteemed it a pleasure, and were 

 glad to appjase the cravings of appetite even at so small a sacrifice of 

 comfort and convenience. 



The reason for the scarcity of all kinds of game in the vicinity of the 

 river at this time, was tlie recent burning of the prairie upon both sides, 

 for many miles back, leaving not even the vestige of vegetation for the 

 subsistence of any graminivorous animals. 



This we found to be the case nearly the entire distance to the forks. 



During the latter part of our stay at this camp, it rained almost inces- 

 santly ; we also encountered a severe snow storm. 



The winds were usually high, and frequently blew with hurricane-vio- 

 lence. 



