Rocky Mountains. 229 



yards, but without any visible currentj its bed was muddy, 

 and in soin^ places rocky. 



The journey of the afternoon was equally intricate with 

 that of the morning; our way led along the fertile but narrow 

 eastern margin of the ravine, or, as it would be called in the 

 settlements of the Arkansa, bayou; and immediately on our 

 left ascended the abrupt and rocky ridge of the bluff. 



After a fatiguing journey of nineteen miles, we encamped 

 on the river bank, in a fine clear bottom, surrounded semi- 

 circularly by the forest. The plum bushes, which abound 

 in the country through which we have for several days been 

 travelling, are generally killed, probably by conflagration, 

 their black and defoliated branche's strongly contrasting with, 

 the verdure around them; to day, however, we met with 

 some which had escaped uninjured, and which afforded a 

 few ripe plums. 



2rth. The river bottom becoming very narrow, obliged 

 us to ascend upon the high grounds, which we found to be 

 little less than mountainous, often rocky and steep, and as 

 usual, intersected by profound ravines, Mr. Swift having 

 succeeded in killing another deer, we halted, after a journey 

 of twelve miles, in order to jerk the meat which we now 

 possessed, and to rest the horses, whose feet were bruised 

 and broken by fragments of rock. 



The corporal did not join us until evening. The horse 

 which he had rode became so exceedingly feeble as to be no 

 longer able to support the weight of his rider, who therefore 

 dismounted, and attempted to drive him on before him. In 

 spite of his utmost endeavours the horse proceeded so slowly 

 that the corporal was obliged to abandon him, in order to 

 seek our trail that he had lost on the rocks over which we 

 had passed. Not being able to regain the trail, and suppos- 

 ing we had directed our course towards the river, he wan- 

 dered along its margin to a considerable distance, until 

 almost exhausted with fatigue and vexation; he at length 



