GAME — RUNNING BUFFALO. 249 



The scenery from the "divide" was in beautiful contrast with 

 that of the country left behind us. Broad and grassy valleys 

 were spread out before us, bounded by low rounded hills covered 

 with verdure, over which ranged bands of buffalo, while little 

 flocks of antelope bounded gracefully around us. The low bottom 

 of the Medicine-bow, upon which we are encamped, is thickly 

 covered with excellent grass, and the stream has an extensive 

 fringe of willows and rose-bushes, with occasional groves of cotton- 

 wood and aspens. The night was too cloudy to admit of an ob- 

 servation; but a meridian altitude of the sun gave for latitude 

 41° 41' 50''.9. 



Wednesday, September 25. — The wind blew furiously all night ; 

 and as we had for so long a time been unaccustomed to the sound 

 of the blast rushing through a forest, our slumbers were frequently 

 broken by the apprehension lest the tall trees, beneath whose 

 spreading branches we had encamped, should be blown down upon 

 our heads. Immediately upon leaving camp, we crossed the Me- 

 dicine-bow, and ascended a high bluff, whence Laramie's Peak was 

 distinctly visible, bearing north, 45° east. The route continued 

 over a rolling country, crossing several small streams heading in 

 the Medicine-bow Mountains on our right. Game was seen during 

 the day, in greater abundance than we had yet met with it ; and, 

 from the fact of our being off the great line of emigration, the 

 buffalo were quite tame, some of the old bulls allowing us to ap- 

 proach very near to them and moving off quite lazily. The ante- 

 lope, too, seemed to regard us with more curiosity than fear, and 

 repeatedly stopped within shot to take a good look at us, and then 

 trotted off entirely at their leisure. Being already supplied with 

 meat from yesterday's slaughter, we suffered them to frisk around 

 us unmolested ; scorning to touch venison when buffalo-meat was 

 so abundant. 



An incident occurred in the course of the morning which came 

 near proving fatal to my friend. Lieutenant Gunnison. Seeing a 

 small band of buffalo near at hand, he started on his horse to run 

 one of them down, as the creature's hide was wanted for the repair 

 of our little wagon. The train had passed on for about a mile, 

 when one of the men galloped up and reported that Lieutenant 

 Gunnison's horse had thrown him, and that he was fearful some- 

 thing serious had happened. I instantly rode rapidly to the 

 point indicated ; and found my excellent officer partially delirious, 

 reclining on the ground, his face and hands covered with blood, and 



