20 FROM FORT LEAVENWORTH TO FORT KEARNY. 



slopes descended from the road on each side of us as we gradually 

 ascended the ridge. From our elevated position, the course and 

 windings of either branch of the stream could plainly be traced 

 by the fringes of rich timber which clothed their banks, while the 

 dull uniformity of the prairie was agreeably relieved by the ravines 

 of numerous tributary waters, extending almost to the crest of the 

 ridge over which we travelled, and wooded to their very heads. 

 As we continued to rise with the country, the graceful undulations 

 of the naked hills and hollows contrasted agreeably with the waving 

 lines of hickory and oak that marked the course of each little 

 rivulet until it joined its destined stream, and formed together a 

 landscape which, for extent and rich picturesque beauty, cannot 

 easily be surpassed. The country generally begins to present a 

 more sandy appearance than heretofore, and the rock to be com- 

 posed of extremely friable materials, from the decomposition of 

 which results much sand impregnated with iron and shale, together 

 with a great deal of gravel. The examination of a ravine near 

 the morning's camp, the north side of which was very precipitous 

 and about a hundred and fifty feet in height, exhibited a section 

 from N. to S. of the upper strata of rocks, which were in this di- 

 rection horizontal, but with a dip to the west. The strata con- 

 sisted of layers of shales, sand, and detritus of older rocks, mixed 

 with sand — all very friable. In the bottom, limestone again ap- 

 peared. On a hill opposite, the limestone was found cropping out 

 with a dip to the west. The country to-day has presented a differ- 

 ent aspect from that heretofore passed over; being intersected by 

 deep ravines, most of which are heavily wooded to near the summit 

 of the ridge. We encamped at the head of one of these, in a 

 handsome grove of timber, after a drive of seventeen and a half 

 miles. 



Saturday, June 9. — Bar. 28.66; Ther. 63°. Morning cool and 

 sky overcast. The road continued to ascend for a few miles, when 

 we crossed the Big Vermilion, (a tributary of the Big Blue,) which 

 heads a mile to the N. E. The crossing is miry. In the after- 

 noon, encamped on the right bank of the Big Blue, near a spring 

 of fine water, on the margin of a level prairie, bordered with huge 

 trees, under the welcome shade of which we pitched our tents after 

 a fatiguing march of twenty-six miles. 



The stream is here about seventy yards wide and three feet 

 deep, flowing with a bold current, and is tolerably well wooded. 

 We found the trees and stumps on its banks carved all over with 



