» 152 NOTES TAKEN. 
Wagon, who was scouting in the vicinity, and soon put hin 
right. 
Our a was in a grove, the ee of an old Ca- 
manche camp* at the base of a succession of low hills of red 
clay, posted and sparkling with crystals of gypsum. 
The timber was cotton wood and hackberry; the bed of 
the stream one quicksand, so- that the animals were watered 
with iggeos 
sai oe ‘til ec ae ee, 1. ea i ft oe 
A evs DOW s el 
a ie or a mule is, Wiepwete all tied close to camp and 
we lounging on our blankets, when just at dusk the Major 
observed them start ease: with ears pricked, and one of 
them gave a loud snort. “Look out, something there !” was 
his sharp, quick exclamation. Instantly, every man was 
upon his feet, revolver and rifle in hand, when it proved to be 
one of the men who had gone over to put out the cook's fire 
on the gypsum hills, where it had been built for safety. 
This incident shows also how prairie life sharpens the facul- 
ties of both men and animals. Distance to-day, thirty miles, 
August 1st—Our course to day was still south, towards 
some high knobs seen in the distance, 
We left the gypsum formation and crossed” a pretty 
extensive plain, but soon we struck it again and crossed a 
* It was surprising how readily and with what accuracy in detail our 
Delawares would designate the tribe, the number and the disposition of the 
Indians, who had occupied the deserted camps we met with during our whole 
