23 ir 2. 
- As-we were 6 riding slowly along this afternoon, clouds of dust in the 
ravines, among the hills to the right, suddenly attracted our attention, and 
ina few minutes column after column of buffalo came galloping down, 
making directly to the river. By the time the leading herds had reach 
‘the water, the prairie was darkened with the dense masses. Inimediately 
before us, when the bands first came down into the valley, stretched an 
unbroken line, the head of which was lost among the river hills on the 
opposite’side ; and still they poured down from the ridge on our right. 
From hill to hill, the prairie bottom was certainly not less than two “miles 
wide ; and, allowin ing the animals to be ten feet apart, and only ten ina 
line, there were already eleven thousand in view. Some idea may thus 
be formed of their number when they had occupied the whole plain. In 
a short'time they surrounded us on every side ; extending for several miles. 
in the rear, and forward as far as the eye could reach ; ieee ics ms, 
as we advanced, an open space of only two or three hundre 
movement of the buffalo indicated to us the presence of iain on. the 
North fork. 
I halted earlier than usual, about forty sities from the junction, and all 
hands were soon busily. engaged i in preparing a feast to celebrate the day. 
‘The a of our friends at St. Louis had provided us wit e€ 
ee saps ellent rs and rich fruit cake; and when these were 
a Pimedrarce soup, and variously prepare ed dishes of the choicest 
rec pie Setavet with a cap of coffee, and enjoyed with prairie 
petite, we felt, as we satin barbaric luxury around our smoking” ‘sup 
on the grass,a greater sensation of enjoyment than the Roman Rist o4 * 
- his perfumed feast. But most of all it seemed to please our agence 
who, in the unrestrained enjoyment of the moment, demand Leow 
our “medicine days came often.”’ No restraint was exercised at the hos- 
pitable board, and, to the great delight of his elders, our young Indian” lad 
“made himself extreme ly drunk. 
Our encampment was within a few nilled of the place where the'soud 
crosses to the North fork, and various reasons led me to divide my Le & 
at this point. ~ The North fork was the principal object of my surve ess 
far as St. Viral s fort, estimate 16 bes some two handéed miles nat a 
the river, and near to Long” s peak: ‘There I hoped to obtain some naees, 
which I found would be necessary to relieve my horses. In a milit 
point of view, I was desirous to form*some opinion of the coun : 
to the establishment of posts on a line connecting the ‘senleninaniey’ with 
the South pass of the Rocky mountains, by way of the Arkansas and the 
South and Laramie forks of the Platte. Crossing the country northwest- 
mets from St. Vrain’s fort; to the American company’s fort at the mouth 
Laramie, would give me some acquaintance with the affluents which ~ 
head i Ht — mountains between the two; I therefore de! eninied to set out 
_the next morning, accompanied by Mr. "Preuss and four men, Maxwe 
“Seine; Ayot, and Basil Lajeunesse. Our Cheyennes, whose ore ly 
up this river, also decided to accompany us. The party I left in cha 
of Clemént Lambert, with orders to cross: to the North fork 5 
convenient place, near to the Coulée des Frénes, make a ca 
thing not-absolutely to the further progress of 
Fiom this point; using sie vichansaineat precaution in | i 
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