Rocky Mountains. 495 



of the subjacent country on the east of the mountains, so that 

 our view was wholly unobstructed. They stretched from 

 north to south, like an immense wall occupying all that por- 

 tion of the horizon, King to the northwest, west, and south- 

 west. We could now see the surface of the plain, extending 

 almost unvaried to the base of the first ridge, which rises by 

 an abrupt ascent above the commencement of the snow. 



A set of observations for longitude was commenced in the 

 morning, but the weather becoming cloudy, we were pre- 

 vented from completing them. In the afternoon a storm came 

 on from the north, which continued during the night. Much 

 rain fell, accompanied with thunder, and high but variable 

 winds. Between twelve o'clock and sunset, the mercury in 

 Fahrenheit's thermometer, fell nineteen degress, from 89° 

 to 60°. 



3rd. Breakfast was despatched, and we had mounted our 

 horses before five o'clock. We were enabled to have our 

 breakfast thus early, as the sentinel on duty during the night, 

 was directed to put the kettles over the fire at three o'clock, 

 all the processes preparatory to boiling, having been finished 

 on the preceding evening. 



As we approached the mountains, wood became much 

 more abundant along the Platte. We had often heard our 

 guide, in speaking of the country, two or three days journey 

 from the mountains, mention the Grand Forest, and were a 

 little surprised on arriving at it, to find no more than a nar- 

 row but uninterrupted strip of timber, extending along the 

 immediate banks of the river, never occupying the space of 

 half a mile in width. 



For several days the direction of our course in ascending 

 the Platte, had inclined considerably to the south, varying 

 from due west to south, 20° west. 



In the course of the day, we passed the mouths of three 

 large creeks, heading in the mountains, and entering the 

 Platte from the northwest. One of these nearly opposite to 



