218 Expedition to the 



without impediment. Indeed, the surface of the country 

 which extends along the upper portions of the Platte and 

 Arkansa rivers, is generally less undulated than that on either 

 side of the Missouri. 



1 he ravines, which intersected our path were not so ex- 

 tensive or profound as those of yesterday, and, in one of 

 them, we observed the common elder (Sambucus). 



Should military possession ever be taken of this elevated 

 country, eligible positions might readily be selected for mi- 

 litary posts, at several different points below the Little Ar- 

 kansa, where the bluffs almost impend over the river. Such 

 a position was occupied by our evening encampment. This 

 bluff is naked, of a gently rounded surface, presenting a high, 

 rugged, and inaccessible front upon the river, which it com- 

 mands to a considerable distance, in both directions. An 

 adequate supply of wood, for fuel and architectural pur- 

 poses, is afforded by a ravine which flanks its lower side, 

 and by other points. 



Two fawns were killed during this afternoon's journey of 

 twelve miles, and a black bear was seen. The bitter-apple 

 vine fCucumis,) occurred now but rarely. 



18th. The inequality of the surface increases as we pro- 

 ceed, the undulations being now much more abrupt and con- 

 siderable, belted near their summits with a rocky stratum, 

 and assuming much the same character with those spoken of 

 in the account of our expedition to the Konza village. This 

 stratum, which is a gray and ferruginous sandstone, contains 

 petrifactions of marine shells, so completely assimilated with 

 the matrix, in which they repose, and decomposing so entire- 

 ly simultaneously with it, when exposed to atmospheric ac- 

 tion, that even their generic characters cannot be recognized. 

 Amongst other appearances, however, we observed a bi- 

 valve, which seemed to differ from Terebratula and its con- 

 geners. 



At the distance of eleven miles, we crossed a small river, 



