24 FROM FOET LEAVENWORTH TO FORT KEARNY. 



on one of the head branches of Turkey Creek, the channel 

 of which appeared to be cut deeply into the detritus of a sand- 

 stone slightly ferruginous. Near the Blue, the highest rock ob- 

 served was ferruginous sandstone, and during the day an imper- 

 fect section exposed shaly limestone and white sandstone. Our 

 course has lately been rising with the country, and we have been 

 traversing a sort of plateau, having, however, no very marked 

 ridges,' but being intersected in all directions by ravines, the sides 

 of which have but a moderate slope and little fall, with water 

 standing in pools. Passed six graves to-day. Day's march, se- 

 venteen and a-quarter miles. 



Tuesday, June 12. — Bar. 28.64; Ther. 63°. Breakfast at four. 

 In ten and a half miles crossed the west branch of Turkey Creek, 

 and halted to noon on the bank of Wyeth's Creek, six miles be- 

 yond. The crossing here is bad and rocky, and the grass poor, 

 having been eaten close by the trains which had preceded us. 

 The afternoon was oppressively hot and close, the wind being 

 from the eastward, with every appearance of rain. We have been 

 in company with multitudes of emigrants the whole day. The 

 road has been lined to a long extent with their wagons, whose 

 white covers, glittering in the sunlight, resembled, at a distance, 

 ships upon the ocean. We passed a company from Boston, con- 

 sisting of seventy persons, one hundred and forty pack and riding 

 mules, a number of riding horses, and a drove of cattle for beef. 

 The expedition, as might be expected, and as is too generally the 

 case, was badly conducted : the mules were overloaded, and the man- 

 ner of securing and arranging the packs elicited many a sarcastic 

 criticism from our party, most of whom were old and experienced 

 mountain-men, with whom the making up of a pack and the load- 

 ing of a mule amounted to a science. We passed also an old 

 Dutchman, with an immense wagon, drawn by six yoke of cattle, 

 and loaded with household furniture. Behind, followed a covered 

 cart containing the wife, driving herself, and a host of babies — 

 the whole bound to the land of promise, of the distance to which, 

 however, they seemed to have not the most remote idea. To the 

 tail of the cart was attached a large chicken-coop, full of fowls ; 

 two milch-cows followed, and next came an old mare, upon the 

 back of which was perched a little, brown-faced, barefooted girl, 

 not more than seven years old, while a small sucking colt brought 

 up the rear. We had occasion to see this old gentleman and his 

 ftaravan frequently afterward, as we passed and repassed each 



