204 Expedition to the 



tance above, its stream was slightly fringed with timber, but 

 at our crossing place, it was like the neighbouring part of the 

 river, to which it contributed, entirely destitute of trees. 

 Our journey this day was a distance of twenty-four and a 

 half miles; towards evening, we crossed another creek, over 

 which, being much backed up by the river, we experienced 

 some difficulty in effecting a passage, and were obliged with 

 this view to ascend its stream some distance. It was mode- 

 rately wooded, and amongst other trees we observed the elm, 

 (Ulmus alata^) and some plum trees, bearing fruit near- 

 ly ripe. 



9th. During these few days past, the bisons have occurred 

 in vast and almost continuous herds, and in such infinite 

 numbers, as seemed to indicate the great bend of the Ar- 

 kansa, as their chief and general rendezvous. As we passed 

 along, they ran in an almost uninterrupted line before us. The 

 course of our line being parallel to that of the Arkansa, when 

 we travelled at the distance of a mile or two from the river, 

 great herds of these animals were included between us and 

 it; as the prevailing wind blew very obliquely from our left 

 towards the river, it informed them of our presence, by the 

 scent which it conveyed. As soon as the odour reached even 

 the farthest animal, though at the distance of two miles on 

 our right, and perhaps a half a mile in our rear, he betrayed 

 the utmost alarm, would start into a full bounding run, to 

 pass before us to the bluffs, and as he turned round the head 

 of our line, he would strain every muscle to accelerate his 

 motion. This constant procession of bulls, cows, and calves 

 of various sizes, grew so familiar to us at length, as no lon- 

 ger to divert our view from the contemplation of other ob- 

 jects, and from the examination of the comparatively more 

 minute, but certainly not less wonderful works of nature. 



The white and prairie wolves more intelligent than their 

 associates, judging by the eye of the proximity of danger, as 

 well as by their exquisite sense of smelling, either dashed 



