Rocky Mountains. 41* 



vial lands, partly covered with forests, but all extremely fer- 

 tile. Here we were to take leave of the settlements, and to 

 pursue the remainder of our journey through the wilderness, 

 after dining in the cabin of a settler, we crossed Grand river, 

 and betook ourselves to the course we thought proper to pur- 

 sue, through a tangled and pathless forest. This brought us 

 after a few hours, to the border of an extensive plain- Our 

 horses, somewhat unaccustomed to travelling in woods, and 

 particularly the pack-horse being young and untutored, gave 

 us much trouble. 



After ascending into the prairie, as the night came on, we 

 were compelled to go a mile or two off from our course, in 

 search of water and wood for our encampment; at length 

 finding a suitable place on the bank of a small stream, called 

 Doe creek, discharging into Grand river, we kindled a fire, 

 cooked, and ate our supper of bacon, pilot bread and coffee, 

 and as we had no tent, spread our blankets under the shelter 

 of a large tree and laid ourselves down to rest. The hooting 

 of owls, together with the howling of wolves, and the cries 

 of other nocturnal animals, as we were yet unaccustomed to 

 them, occasionally interrupted our slumbers. On the follow- 

 ing morning, however, we found ourselves well refreshed, 

 and were prepared to resume our journey at an early hour. 



The road known by the name of Field's trace, ascends 

 from Charaton on the east ude of Grand river, about sixty 

 miles, thence running nearly northwest through the immense 

 plains of the Little Platte, the Nishnebottona, and the Mos- 

 quito river, to Council Bluff, At the mouth of Grand river 

 we had learned, that the eastern tributaries of that stream 

 were much swollen, and were therefore difficult to cross; ac- 

 cordingly we determined to ascend along the ridge between 

 that river and the Little Platte, until we should fall in with 

 the trace. 



We were detained several hours in searching for a place, 

 where we might cross Doe creek. Though a very inconsi- 



