1^6 Expedition to the 



At evening a large flock of white pelicans passed us on 

 their way up the river. 



On the morning of the 3d, not having been able to select 

 a suitable place for a Sunday encampment, we moved on, 

 searching for a supply of grass, that we might halt for the 

 day. The hunters preceded the party, and meeting with a 

 herd of bisons, and good pasturage in the same place, killed 

 a bull of a most gigantic stature, and waited until the remain- 

 der of the party came up, and encamped near the carcass. 



Having arranged our camp, and performed in the way of 

 washing, dressing, &c., the little in ourpowertodo,we made an 

 excursion into the adjoining forest, to collect plants, and to 

 search for honey, which, from the great numbers of bees we 

 had seen, we were conscious must be abundant. Since leav- 

 ing the open country, we had remarked a very great change 

 in the vegetation. The dense shade, and perhaps, the some- 

 what confined air of the forest, :are unfavorable to the 

 growth of many of those grasses, and those robust perenni- 

 als, which seem to delight in the arid soils, and the scorch- 

 ing winds of the sandy desert. The sensitive cassia (C. nic- 

 titans.^ the favorite food of the bees, some species of Hedy- 

 sarum and a few other leguminse, are however, common to 

 both regions. 



A considerable part of the day we spent in unavailing con- 

 test with the ticks. The torment of their stings increased 

 upon us if we were a moment idle, or attempted to rest our- 

 selves under the shadow of a tree. We considered ourselves 

 peculiarly fortunate, when we could find the shade of a tree 

 extending some distance on the naked sands of the. river bed, 

 for there the ticks were less numerous. In the middle of the 

 day, the mercury again rose to 97*>, and the blowing flies 

 swarmed in such numbers about our blankets and clothing, 

 as to allow us no rest. 



About the pools near our camp, we saw the little white 

 Egret; the snowy Heron had been common for some days. 



