ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 81 



tenances were disguised as they were on the plains of the Platte. 

 The march to-day has been a most laborious and fatiguing one 

 both for man and beast ; we have travelled steadily from morning 

 till night, not stopping at noon ; our poor horses' feet are 

 becoming very much worn and sore, and when at length we 

 struck Bear river again and encamped, the wearied animals re- 

 fused to eat, stretching themselves upon the ground and falling 

 asleep from very exhaustion. 



Trout, grayling, and a kind of char are very abundant here — 

 the first very large. The next day we travelled but twelve 

 miles, it being impossible to urge our worn-out horses farther. 

 Near our camp this evening we found some large gooseberries 

 and currants, and made a hearty meal upon them. They were 

 to us peculiarly delicious. We have lately been living entirely 

 upon dried buffalo, without vegetables or bread ; even this is now 

 failing us, and we are upon short allowance. Game is very 

 scarce, our hunters cannot find any, and our Indians have killed 

 but two buffalo for several days. Of this small stock they would 

 not spare us a mouthful, so it is probable we shall soon be hungry. 



The alluvial plain here presents many unequivocal evidences of 

 volcanic action, being thickly covered with masses of lava, and 

 high walls and "regular columns of basalt appear in many places. 

 The surrounding country is composed, as usual, of high hills and 

 narrow, stony valleys between them ; the hills are thickly covered 

 with a growth of small cedars, but on the plain, nothing 

 flourishes but the everlasting wormwood, or sage as it is here 

 called. ' 



Our encampment on the 8th, was near what are called the 



" White-clay pits," still on Bear river. The soil is soft chalk, 



white and tenacious ; and in the vicinity are several springs 



of strong supercarbonated water, which bubble up with all the 



activity of artificial fountains. The taste was very agreeable 



11 



