^^'^ Expedition to the 



At about ten o'clock on the morning following, the hun- 

 ters, who had preceded the party, discovered on the oppo- 

 site side of the river, a solitary bison, of which they went 

 immediately in pursuit. The party had made their breakfast 

 of about two ounces of sugar and some grapes, which had 

 been found near camp, and having been for several days re- 

 duced to a scanty allowance of provision, they encamped im- 

 mediately, and awaited with great anxiety the return of the 

 hunters, who soon joined us bringing in the greater part of 

 the carcass of the bison, so extremely lean and ill-flavored 

 that nothing but the most urgent necessity could have in- 

 duced us to taste it. It was evident that the animal was dis- 

 eased, and had lingered behind the herd for want of strength 

 to travel. Our situation, however, afforded us not the power 

 of choosing, and from the occurrence of this one we were in- 

 duced to hope we should soon meet with others in better con- 

 dition. 



We had passed on the preceding day for the first time a 

 small creek discharging some water into the river, and short- 

 ly afterwards the sandy bed of another, sixty yards in width, 

 with an extensive valley, but having no water visible above 

 the sand. This morning we also crossed a tributary afford- 

 ing a little water, and a dry channel communicating opposite 

 to our encampment with the bed of the river, which is here 

 paved with small stones, occasioning an inconsiderable fall. 

 Throughout the day the weather was extremely warm, and 

 at sunrise on the following morning the mercury was stand- 

 ing at 71°. 



We had not proceeded far on our way, when we disco- 

 vered on the opposite side of the river, a large party of In- 

 dians, approaching in an irregular and interrupted line, which 

 extended more than a mile, from the opposite bank. They 

 had, as was evident, already discovered us, and their out- 

 riders were seen plunging into the river at various points, 

 and several soon came up to shake hands with us. The fore- 



