Rocky Mountains. 1S3 



and a portion of the upper branches, of what appeared to be 

 large trees. Notwithstanding we were now three hundred 

 miles distant from the sources of the river, we found very 

 little water, and that being stagnant and frequented by bi- 

 sons and other animals, was so loathsome, both to sight and 

 small, that nothing but the most incontrollable thirst, could 

 have induced us to taste it. 



At a short distance below the place of our encampment, 

 we passed the confluence of a large creek, entering from the 

 southwest. Though like all the streams of this thirsty region . 

 its waters were entirely hid in the sand, yet it is evidently 

 the bed of a large tributary; from its direction, we conclude 

 it can be no other than the one on which the Kaskaias in- 

 formed us they had encamped the night before we met them, 

 its name, if it have any among the Indians or Spaniards, we 

 have not learned. 



We had for some days observed a few wild horses, and 

 they, as well as the bisons, were now becoming numerous. 

 In the habits of the wild horse, we find little unlike what is 

 seen in the domestic animal. He becomes the most timorous 

 and watchful of the inhabitants of the wilderness. They show 

 a similar attachment to each others' society, though the males 

 are occasionally found at a distance from the herds. It would 

 appear from the paths we have seen, that they sometimes 

 perform long journies, and it may be worthy of remark, that 

 along these paths are frequently found very large piles of 

 horse-dung of different ages, affording sufficient evidence that 

 this animal in a wild state, has, in common with some others, 

 an inclination to drop his excrement where another has done 

 so before him. This habit is sometimes faintly discovered in 

 the domestic horse. 



As we were about to halt for dinner, a male bison which 

 had lingered near our path was killed, but the flesh was found 

 in too ill a condition to be eaten, as is the case with all the 

 bulls at this season. 



