66 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [ BULL, 77 
Horses thus laden, and with trailing poles on either side, left a 
very distinctive trail as they crossed the prairie, and as described: 
“The trail of the Plain Indians consists usually of three paths, close 
together, yet at fixed distances apart. They are produced as fol- 
lows: The framework of their lodges or tents are made of long poles 
which, on a journey, are tied to each side of a pony, and allowed to 
trail upon the ground. The result is that a long string of ponies, 
thus laden and following each other, will wear a triple path—the 
central one being caused by the tread of the ponies, the two outer 
by the trailing of the lodge-poles.” (Bell, (1), pp. 25-26.) An 
Fic. 3.—Horse travois, 
illustration of a horse so loaded is given on page 26 and is here re- 
produced as figure 3. It bears the legend “ Sioux Indian Lodges or 
Tents; one packed for a journey, the other standing,” and, although 
crude, conveys a clear conception of the subject. 
To continue the narrative of the Stansbury expedition. The party 
advanced up the river and pursued their journey to the Great Salt 
Lake and there wintered. The following year they returned to the 
east and on September 21, 1850, reached the left bank of the North 
Fork of the Platte, at a point near the center of the present Carbon 
County, Wyoming. Describing the site of their encampment that 
night, near the bank of the Platte: “ The place we now occupy has 
long been a favorite camp-ground for the numerous war-parties 
