148 A DRY RIVER.» 
it presents the face of one of the greatest 
rivers of the west during freshets, yet even 
then it would not be navigable on account of 
its rapidity and shallowness. It would ap- 
pear almost incredible to those unacquainted 
with the prairie streams, that a river of about 
1500 miles in length, and whose head wears 
a cap of perennial snow (having its source in 
the Rocky Mountains), should scarcely be 
navigable, for even the smallest craft, over 
fifty miles above its mouth. 
We pursued our course down the same side 
of the river for several days, during which 
time we crossed a multitude of little streams 
which flowed into the Canadian from the ad- 
joining plains, while others presented nothing 
but dry beds of sand. One of these was so 
remarkable, on account of its peculiarity and 
size, that we named it ‘Dry River. The bed 
was at least 200 yards wide, yet without a 
vestige of water; notwithstanding, our guide 
assured us that it was a brisk-flowing stream 
some leagues above : and from the drift-wood 
along itspborders, it was evident that, even 
here, it must be a considerable river during 
freshets. ; 
While travelling down the course of the 
Canadian, we sometimes found the buffalo 
very abundant. On one occasion, two or 
three hunters, who were a little in advance 
of the caravan, perceiving a herd quietly 
grazing in an open glade, they ‘ crawled upon’ 
them after the manner of the ‘still hunters.’ 
Their first shot having brought down a fine 
