eo 174 . 52 
; ‘elled later: chan usual, having spent some time in searching for grass, 
crossing and recrossing the river before we could find a sufficient quantity 
for our animals: Toward dusk, we pncaadibd among some artemisia 
bushes, two and three’ feet in height, where some scattered patches of 
short tough grass afforded a scanty supply. In crossing, we had oceasion 
to observe that the river was frequently too deep to be forded, though we 
always succeeded in finding a place where the water did not enter the 
carts. ‘The stream continued very clear, with two or threeshundred feet 
breadth of water, and the sa and banks were frequently covered 
with large round pebbles. We had travelled this day twenty-seven miles. 
The main chain of the Black hills was here only about ‘seven miles to 
the south, on the tight bank of the river, rising abruptly to the height of 
eight and. twelve hundred feet.» Patches of green grass in the ravines on 
the steep sides marked the presence of springs, and the summits were clad 
with pines. 
July 28. —In two miles from our encampment, we reached the place 
where the regular road crosses the. Platte.. There was two hundred feet 
breadth of water at this time in the bed, which has a variable width of 
eight to fifteen hundred feet. The channels were generally three feet deep, 
and there were large angularrocks on the bottom, which made the ford in 
some places a little difficult, Even at its low stages, this river cannot be 
crossed at'random, and this has always been used as the best ford, The 
_ low stage of the waters the present year had ~ it fordable i in almost any 
“part of its course, where access could be had to ! Byer Dott 
For the satisfaction os casera I will anion vo} to give ‘edehd "Weaditp- 
» tion of the nature of the road from Laramie to this point. The nature of 
>the soil may be safoersa Sete its geological formation. The rianeardlve’ ‘at 
the eastérn limit of this'section is succeeded by limestone without ‘fossils, 
‘a great variety of sandstone, consi sisting principally of red sandstone and 
“fine conglomerates. The red sandstone is argillaceous, with compact white 
‘gypsum or alabaster, very ret The other sandstones are gray y, yel- 
iow, and ferrugitious, sometimes very coarse.’ The apparent sterility of 
the country must therefore be ante for in other causes than the nature of ~ 
the soil. ‘The face of the country cannot with propriety be called hilly. It 
isa suecession of long ridges, made by the numerous streams which come 
down f the neighboring mountain- range. ‘The ridges have an undu- 
Tat poi aca with some s ae appearance Lod s the ocean presents in an or- 
= 
“= agreed es “arhieh i is daw ipinorelly followed iheougt ei 
fore a very good one, without any difficult ascents to ov 
- obstructions are near the river, where the transient Waties ot 
‘ains have made deep ravines ce std steep banks, which renders fre- 
necessary. It will be remembered that wagons pass this 
r twice a year, wate is by no means sufficient to break 
n roots of the innumerable — la es A Spebttal 
if these is neo the vers indication of the track ; and the ae 
many places gives’ the hat the charaet 
wooed country. | sis a consi 
f the mountains ; and, as it passes 1 
to the seer - valley, west of the _ 
