454 Expedition to the 



At no great distance from our camp, which was placed 

 immediately on the brink of the river, we found the body of 

 a horse lying dead in the edge of the water. The animal 

 had, in all probability, been recently lost by a war party of 

 Indians. 



15th. Soon after leaving our camp we crossed a small 

 stream tributary to the Platte, from the north. It is called 

 Great Wood river, and has some timber along its banks. 



Our provisions being nearly exhausted two of the hunters 

 were sent forward in search of game, but after some time they 

 rejoined the party, having killed nothing. 



Shortly afterwards a single bison was discovered some 

 miles ahead of the party, and travelling apparently in the 

 same direction. Four of our hunters, having disencumbered 

 their horses of all their baggage, spurred forward in the pur- 

 suit, but none of them were able to overtake the animal, except 

 the young Spaniard, who came near enough to wound it with 

 an arrow; but his horse being exhausted he was compelled 

 to desist from the pursuit, and suffer the bison to escape. 



Having ascended the Platte about sixteen miles we halted 

 to make such a dinner as the condition of our stores would 

 allow, and here the Spaniard took his leave of us to return 

 to the Pawnees. 



In the scenery of the Platte there is the utmost uniformi- 

 ty; a broad plain, unvaried by any object on which the eye 

 can rest, lies extended before us; on our right are the low 

 and distant hills which bound the "valley ; and on our left the 

 broad Platte, studded with numerous small, but verdant 

 islands. On these islands is usually a little timber, which is 

 not met with in other situations. We were fortunate in find- 

 ing, towards evening, an old Indian encampment, where 

 were poles, stakes, &c which had been brought from the 

 islands, and here we placed our camp. Some antelopes were 

 seen during the day, but so wild and vigilant that all our 

 efforts to take them proved unsuccessful. Our supper, there- 



