Rocky Mountains . 117 



of the Warreruza, and produce less timber. The settle- 

 ment of this region, will be much retarded on account of the 

 want of trees, these being confined to the margins of the 

 water courses, while tracts of valuable soil, of many miles in 

 extent, have not a single tree or bush upon them. The soil 

 is, however, well adapted to the culture of some of our most 

 valuable forest trees. The sugar maple, and several of the 

 most important species of carya, the oaks, the tulip tree, and 

 the linden, would unquestionably succeed. 



In consequence of the excessive heat of the weather, the 

 great fatigues of the party, and their constant exposure in 

 the open plains, the health of several of them began to be 

 impaired. The high and coarse grasses which now covered 

 the plains greatly impeded their progress, and very rapidly 

 destroy ed their clothing and mockasins. Their journey was, 

 therefore, slow and laborious. On the night of the 13th they 

 encamped on the bank of the Konzas, having travelled some 

 distance parallel to the course of that river. The next day 

 several of the party, already much debilitated, began to be 

 afflicted with dysentery; some accidents also occured to re- 

 tard their progress, and on that and the following day they 

 advanced only two miles. On the 16th they marched about 

 fifteen miles, and encamped on the bank of the Konzas. Being 

 now in doubt, as to the situation of the Konza village, and 

 the illness of some of the party continuing, they determined 

 to remain encamped, while some persons should be sent out 

 to reconnoitre the country, and discover, if possible, whether 

 that part of the river, at which they had arrived, was above 

 or below the village they designed to visit. The Konzas 

 river in this part bears the closest resemblance to the Mis- 

 souri, both in the turbulence and rapidity of its current, and 

 the aspect of the country along its banks; it is, however, so 

 shoal as at almost any point to admit of being forded with- 

 out difficulty. 



Willow islands, moving sandbars, and falling-in banks, 

 are as frequent as in the Missouri. The line of forest which 



