INDIAN SIGNS. 9 



On the morning of the 16th the water had fallen so much that, after 

 digging down the banks, the wagons were taken over without difficulty. 

 We found an excellent ford upon a rapid, where the water was shallow, 

 and the bed hard gravel. 



Passing through the timbered land in the bottom, we struck out 

 across the valley, and ascended the ridge dividing Red river from Cache 

 creek ; here we found a good road over smooth, high prairie, and after 

 travelling 14 789 miles, encamped upon a small affluent of the west fork 

 of Cache creek, where we found good water and wood. In the course 

 of the march to day, we met with numerous detached pieces of copper 

 ore, mixed with volcanic scoria.* This scoria is found in large masses 

 in the ravines we have passed, and extends back several miles from the 

 creek. The other rocks have been principally sandstone. In the course 

 of the day's march we observed several Indian horse-tracks crossing our 

 road, which were made just previous to the last rain. The direction 

 they had been going was towards the Witchita mountains, and are the 

 first Indian signs we have seen. 



* These ores consisted of a calcareous amygdaloid, through which is interspersed 

 black oxide of copper and stains of malachite. According to Professor Shephard's 

 analysis, it only yields five per cent of copper. 



Upon the river, a few miles south of our route, we found specimens of a very 

 Tich ore, which Professor Shephard, after a careful analysis, pronounces to be a 

 new species, which he has called Marcylite ; it was coated with a thin layer of 

 the rare and beautiful Atacamite, (muriate of copper,) and consists of— 



Copper 54.30 



Oxygen and chloride , 36.20 



Water 9.50 



100. 00 



