AN OASIS. 151- 
evidenced. We also renewed the water in our bags, 
which we took care to do at every opportunity. 
Near this spring, and on the highest point of the hill, was 
a Camanche graye, marked by a pile of stones and some 
remnants of scanty clothing. Conner pronounced it to be 
the grave of a woman, recognizing it as such by the few 
shreds of cloth, fluttering on a mesquite tree near the grave. 
We now passed rapidly on in a southern course, ‘and 
entered an extensive plain covered with thin coarse grass 
and stunted mesquite timber. 
We moved parallel to a chain of mountains, making quite 
a variety to the dull monotony of the barren prairie, and 
striking the gypsum formation again halted towards sunset 
upon a branch of the Brazos, where we had bitter water, but 
plenty of grass and wild rye for our animals.* 
. Previous to reaching ‘our bivouac, we crossed a narrow 
ridge, upon the top of which was the dry bed of a stream, 
which overflowing in time of high water, caused a most 
luxuriant growth of grass on the flats at either side. It 
reminded me of the course of the Mississippi. 
Near this, one of the men got astray (in the tall coarse 
sedge, reaching higher than a man’s head on horseback, and 
extending for half a mile on either side of the ridge) but with 
a succession of yells and shouts aroused the ever ready 
iT their 
ur trip. + 
pt as 
extent, in ueailike to the lnomenne scadicrs traversed, that they were more 
