NARRATIVE OF 1853. 63 
state of anxiety for the safety of our comrades. Many believed that they had fallen in with 
Indians, and were deprived of their horses and their lives; others thought that the exposure 
without blankets or food had probably caused the sickness of some member of the little band; 
others feared their animals had stampeded, and that the party were delayed by endeavoring to 
recover them; some thought that they had crossed our trail, faint as it was in some places, and 
being unable to determine our course were possibly moving still further from us. 
Taking everything into consideration, I deemed it best to leave a party at this point so 
equipped as to combine great energy and force with promptness of movement, so as to be able 
to overtake the main train without difficulty. Accordingly, Mr. Lander was left in charge of 
the engineer wagon and the wagon belonging to the mountain howitzer, which were made light 
enough to be moved with ease 40 miles in a single day. "The howitzer was also left with him 
for the purpose of making signals. Mr. Doty, with three voyageurs, and three men to manage 
the howitzer, together with the teamsters of the ammunition wagon, remain with Mr. Lander, 
having abundance of arms, provisions, animals, &c., to supply any emergency. 
This party was instructed to keep up fires, to fire three rounds with the howitzer at noon and 
at sunset should the party not arrive, and communicate with us if any casualty occurred. 
A party of four brave and thorough woodsmen, whose knowledge of the prairie life was 
derived from experience in many expeditions, and who well understood the Indian character, 
were sent out on the route travelled yesterday, and were directed, after travelling some ten or 
twelve miles, to leave the road, and going in different directions, plant signals and scour the 
country. I felt certain that Mr. Tinkham and his party would be found by these men if found 
at all. 
The remainder of the train left about o'clock, pursuing the same course as yesterday. The 
first ten miles was over a level plateau. We met with but one slough which presented any 
obstruction to our march. Our mid-day halt was on a high hill, in sight of a large herd of 
buffalo, which the hunters pursued, and succeeded in killing two fine cows. The wagon had 
to go only some half mile off for the meat. Parties were sent out to collect buffalo skulls and 
ribs, and twigs of the grease wood, which abounded in several places along the route. The 
twigs were made into bundles and thrown into the lightly loaded wagons. About six miles 
from the halting place we came to a long marsh or slough, in which the engineer wagon got 
bogged. The others, pursuing a different route, passed through with some difficulty. 
After travelling sixteen miles we came to a considerable quantity of brush, much larger 
than that above alluded to. Here we stopped to rest the animals, and while they were feeding 
all the command were engaged in collecting fuel. In a short time we had sufficient for to-night 
and to-morrow morning. We moved on and encamped about 4j o'clock at the bank of a fine 
lake, having made to-day a distance of little over 20 miles. The grass was excellent, but the 
water was very indifferent; it was slightly brackish, and had to be strained before being used. 
This has been the character of the water for the past few days, and has affected both animals 
and men; many are now taking opiates to correct the purgative effects produced by drinking it. 
The Shyenne river is said to be only some eight or nine miles ahead, and if a good crossing or 
camping place is found on it, we will move forward to it. E 
The mosquitos are exceedingly annoying, flying against the sides of the tents with a noise 
