ACROSS THE KOCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 63 



The road was very uneven and difficult, winding from 

 amongst innumerable mounds six to eight feet in height, the 

 space between them frequently so narrow as scarcely to admit 

 our horses, and some of the men rode for upwards of a mile 

 kneeling upon their saddles. These mounds were of hard yel- 

 low clay, without a particle of rock of any kind, and along their 

 bases, and in the narrow passages, flowers of every hue were 

 growing. It was a most enchanting sight ; even the men 

 noticed it, and more than one of our matter-of-fact people ex- 

 claimed, beautiful, beautiful ! Mr. N. was here in his glory. 

 He rode on ahead of the company, and cleared the passages with 

 a trembling and eager hand, looking anxiously back at the 

 approaching party, as though he feared it would come ere he 

 had finished, and tread his lovely prizes under foot. 



The distance through the ravine is about three miles. We 

 then crossed several beautiful grassy knolls, and descending to 

 the plain, struck the Platte again, and travelled along its bank. 

 Here one of our men caught a young antelope, which he brought 

 to the camp upon his saddle. It was a beautiful and most deli- 

 cate little creature, and in a few days became so taniC as to re- 

 main with the camp without being tied, and to drink, from a tin 

 cup, the milk which our good missionaries spared from their own 

 scanty meals. The men christened it " Zip Coo7i" and it soon 

 became familiar with its name, running to them when called, and 

 exhibiting many evidences of affection and attachment. It be- 

 came a great favorite with every one. A little pannier of willows 

 was made for it, which was packed on the back of a mule, and 

 when the camp moved in the mornings, little Zip ran to his 

 station beside his long-eared hack, bleating with impatience until 

 some one came to assist him in mounting. 



On the afternoon of the 31st, we came to green trees and 

 bushes again, and the sight of them was more cheering than can 



