148 Expedition to the 



towards the east. The grass on this plain was fine, thick and 

 close fed. As we approached, it happened to he covered 

 with a herd of some thousands of bisons; on the left were a 

 number of wild horses, and immediately before us twenty or 

 thirty antelopes and about half as many deer. As it was near 

 sunset the light fell obliquely upon the grass, giving an ad- 

 ditional brilliancy to its dark verdure. The little inhabitants 

 of the village were seen running playfully about in all direc- 

 tions, and as we approached, they perched themselves on 

 their burrows and proclaimed their terror in the customary 

 note of alarm. A scene of this kind comprises most of what 

 is beautiful and interesting to the passing traveller in the 

 wide unvaried plains of the Missouri and Arkansa. 



In the course of the day We passed two large creeks, one 

 entering from the south, the other from the north; also seve- 

 ral springs on the south side, along the base of a rocky hill, 

 rising abruptly from the bed of the river; but notwithstand- 

 ing all these tributary supplies, no running water appeared 

 above the sands. 



We passed great numbers of carcases of bisons recently 

 slaughtered, and the air was darkened by flights of carrion 

 birds, among which we distinguished the vultur aura and the 

 V. atrata, the black vulture of the Southern States. From 

 the great number of carcases and skeletons, we were induced 

 to believe ourselves near the hunting ground of some nation 

 of Indians, and our expectations of seeing the Pawnees of 

 Red River began to revive. 



29th. Finding the valley of the river somewhat contract;- 

 ed in width and extremely serpentine, we ascended into the 

 open country on the north side and made our way across the 

 hills, taking a course a little south of east. At the distance 

 of a mile or two from the river we enjoyed a delightful 

 view of the elevated country beautifully varied with gentle 

 hills, broad vallies, fertile pastures, and extensive woodlands. 

 The soil we found of a superior quality, the timber more 



