Ex. Doc. No. 41. f 3S7 



its tendrils and was growing so luxuriantly that it was with great 

 difficulty one on horseback could force his way through. 



On the hill sides, the wild rose was still in bloom, and mingled 

 its pink flowers with the beautiful white clusters of the Jersey tea, 

 (ceonothus Araericanus.) The prairies were covered with tall 

 stalks of the rattlesnake weed, (rudebeckia purpurea.) 

 . Some of our mules proved very refractory, but we soon con- 

 quered them with the aid of the ''lazo,'' or cabriesto, as it is often 

 called— a rope of hair, or plaited hide, 50 to 60 feet long, in which 

 a noose is formed that, by a skilful hand, is easily thrown over the 

 mule's head, the noose being gradually tightened, the animal soon 

 falls to all appearance lifeless. Now, the bridle, the saddle, and 

 packs are fixed, the noose loosened, and the mule rises readyfor the 



journey. 



After a^march of twelve miles, we encamped near a log house, 

 close to a l£ne spring of cold clear water. Here we npticed the 



^ 



chest- 



nut oak,^ (quercus primus acuminata,) the spicewood, (laurus ben- 



) 



modest May apple, (p 

 ) and bloodroot, (sanguinaria canadensis,) 



e shape of a half basket, firmly attached to the 

 clay, lined internally with horse hair and soft 



As we retired to rest, the sky became clouly, and in a little time 

 a plentiful shower of rain fell, which annoyed us greatly as it 

 drove through our tents. * 



2Sih. — During the early portion of the morning, the rain con- 

 tinued with some abatement, and, as the sky showed signs of clear- 

 ing off, we commenced making our arrangements for the march. 

 I went dovrn to a log house close by, and, whilst examining it, was 

 attracted by the chirping of birds, and, on searching, found that 

 the sound proceeded from the chimney, and I there discovered a 

 beautiful nest, in th 

 chimney walls with 



grass, and covered externally with mossj within were five un- 

 fledged birds, their eyes scarcely open, and at every sound they 

 heard they would open their mouths and scream for food. The 

 anxious parent several times darted down rjear my. head. I wished 

 much to ascertain its species, but, although it lit on the trees near 

 the house, I could not get near enough to make any decision, and, 

 as I did not desire to kill a bird with young, I had to content my- 

 self with the name some of our people gave it, to whom I pointed 

 it out, and who called it the "grey bird." 



After some little trouble with the mules, we got off about 7 

 o'clockj the rain had made the roads slippery, and the wheels cut 

 into the soft mould so that the mules labored hard; at length we 

 reached a sudden rise, where, in spite of our efforts, we were obliged 

 to remain until one of the volunteer teamsters, seeing our difl5- 

 culty, kindly brought us three yoke of oxen, and soon tlrew us up 

 the &lope. Passing on over gently rising and falling swells and 



Tallies, with the delightful breeze that one almost aj^ways meet? on 

 the prairies, we felt our spirits rising with the clearing away of 

 the clouds, and wh^n the sun broke forth in splendor the sensa- 

 tion was truly exhilirating. Whenever we rode to one side of the 



