Rocky Mountains. 19 



and best course, until turning the side of a mountain of mo- 

 derate elevation, the ocean of prairie again spread before us. 

 This monotonous plain, of which we had been hitherto so 

 weary, now burst upon the sight, and for a moment exhibit- 

 ed a cheerful and pleasant contrast to the rude mountain 

 ruins, we had, with such toil and hazard, been clambering 

 over. This charm was, however, soon to be dispelled. On 

 descending to the plain, it became, as usual, desirable to find 

 a good situation for an encampment, abounding with grass 

 for. the horses, and convenient to a water course. For this 

 purpose, one of the party rode to a small line of timber, 

 about a mile on our left, which ran in a parallel direction to 

 our line of march. He overtook us again at the distance of 

 two or three miles, having discovered a copious stream of 

 water. It was about three miles below the point at which the 

 water had been discovered, that we gained the line of tim- 

 ber, only to experience the mortification of disappointment, 

 in finding a naked bed of sand, the stream having no doubt 

 sunk into the earth, some distance above. We had therefore 

 to undergo the pains of abstinence still longer, until we again 

 sought the timber farther below, where the water had reap- 

 peared on the surface. 



Near this encampment we first observed the great shrubby 

 cactus,* which forms so conspicuous a feature in the vege- 

 table physiognomy of the plains of the Arkansa. Its trunk 

 is six or eight feet in height, and at the root five or six in- 

 ches in diameter. It is much branched, the ultimate divi- 

 sions, consisting of long cylindric articulations. The flowers 

 are as large as those of Cferox^ of a purple colour, and are 

 on the ends of the articulations. These last are arranged 

 somewhat in whorls, about the ends of the smaller branches. 

 The surface of every part of the plant, aside from its terrific 

 armature of thorns, is marked by little prominences of near 



* Cactus cyhndricus of Humboldt^ 



