540 



Ex. Doc. No. 41. 



we a'tache.'J the two oxen to the tongue anrl started. After a march 

 of seven miles we reached "Ash creek" and there encamped. ^ 



I rtow resolved to let some of my men go on as rapidly as the^ 

 cocild, and get mules at West Port, Mo., with which they could 

 meet me at vCouncil grove. I therefore sent for Pilka, Dobson, and- 

 Wise.naan, and having given them all necessary letterSj they pre- 

 pared v*o set oi*F by sunrise the next morning. " 



February 15.-— To-day the sky was cloudy, and threatened us with 

 a storm; the air \Tas very cold. After marching six miles we reached 

 *' Pawnee rock;" here we stopped a few minutes and kindled a fire; 

 again conti.nuing o'lir route, we marched sixteen miles further, and 

 encamped on WalntU creek. Plere we overtook the express party, 

 and we had a hearty ^augh at our having overtaken them; but Pilka 

 was a good woodsman^, a^id would not leave the timber when the 

 sky looked so tbreateniVig-j otherwise they would have gone on, and 

 have slept in the open prairie. 



February 16. — Just as we were about starting this morning, a fine 

 mule came trotting into ca^Tip. We tried to catch it, but it had 

 heeome so wild that it wou d not let us approach sufTiciently near. 

 This mule had a blind bridle on it§ lead, the rein hung dangling 

 ■upon the ground. As soon a^^ we crossed Walnut creek, we came 

 in sight of herds of buffalo. 'J'^hese animals v/ere continually run- 

 ning across our road as we advanced. Sometimes they would stop 

 just in the road a few hundred yards in front of us, and kneeling 

 dow^n, toss the dust into the air with their horns, or else take a roll 

 over on their backs, then springin^^^ up, dash off again with their 

 long beards and manes waving in the wind. 



After a iiarch of fourteen miles we encamped at ''Plum biiltes." 

 We got water from some neighboring' pools, and the plum bushes 

 answered for fuel. 



In the afternoon a hand of buffaloes started for the river; they 

 came directly towards our camp; we aU secreteU ourselves ^in the 

 bushes ai the top of the butte. We had^ "the wind" of the buffalo,, 

 and they came on without discovering' us; they walked slowly 

 along; having suffered the old bulls to pass on, we selected a fine 

 buffalo and fired down upon him; he only ran a short distance be- 

 fore he laid himself down. We approachet? warily, for we were all 

 on foot, and fired a second gun, which cause.d the buffalo to lay flat. 

 upon his side. We were instantly \jpon him with our knives and 

 toinahav;ks. Laing gave a mortal wound to a fine fat cow, but as- 

 she would get up and walk off every time he tried to approach,, 

 and as night was drawing on us apace, he deemed it more prudent 

 to leave his victim to the wolves than risk the loss of his own life 

 by Indians, 



d 



W 



rrow hones and all the choice 



pieces, an 



spent the best part of the night in cooking and eating, and during 

 the night the wolves eat up everything we bad left. 



We would have been very glad if we could have carried some of 



this meat with us, but our packs felt heavy enough without any 

 addition. «=• •' 



February 17.— I Lad intended to 



h to Chavez creek, about 



