Rocky Mountains. 75 



Charles: a horse was therefore hired, and a person returned 

 in pursuit, but he was not to be found, having proceeded 

 on his journey, previously to the arrival of the messenger. 



The prairie flies (a species of Tabanus,) are exceedingly 

 troublesome to horses and cattle, in so much that people 

 who cross these grassy plains, usually travel very early 

 in the morning, and again at evening, resting greater part of 

 the day ; some indeed journey only by night. If they travel 

 at all in the day, they have the precaution to defend the 

 horse, by a covering thrown loosely over him. The Tabani 

 appear about the 10th of June, and are seen in immense 

 numbers, until about the 10th of August, when they disap- 

 pear. Near the farm houses we observed, that cattle when at- 

 tacked by them, ran violently among the bushes, to rid them- 

 selves of their persecutors. — Mosquitoes were not numerous. 



As they were fearful of being unable to overtake the 

 steam boat on the Missouri, if they made a longer delay to 

 prosecute the search for their horse, it was determined to 

 abandon him altogether, rather than return to St. Charles, 

 whither he had doubtless gone ; accordingly on the 29th of 

 June, they made a division of their baggage, and each one 

 shouldering his respective portion, proceeded towards the 

 margin of Loutre Prairie. When they arrived here, they 

 determined to take the most direct route towards the Mis- 

 souri, as it seemed folly for them to attempt, in the drought 

 and heat, which then prevailed, to. cross the extensive plains 

 of Loutre, and the grand Prairie with their heavy burthens. 

 They therefore, followed a path leading nearly south, along 

 a naked ridge, where they travelled twelve miles, without 

 finding water, and arrived at Loutre Island in the evening. 

 They were all the day tormented with excessive thirst, and 

 being unaccustomed to travelling on foot, they were much 

 fatigued, ami several became lame. The soil of the exten- 

 sive Prairies which they passed, was not very good, but mixed 

 at the surface, with so much vegetable matter, accumulated 



