232 Expedition to the 



forest of 3'oung and scrub oak, intermixed with hiclcory. In 

 the course of a few miles, we arrived at the edge of this 

 forest, which here crowned a much elevated region. It was 

 in fact higher, in proportion to the surface before us, than 

 any other portion of the country we had seen on this si.le of 

 the mountains. The eye, from this height, roved over a 

 vast distance of prairie, and comparatively plain, country; 

 and it was evident that we had now passed the hillv, and 

 even mountainous, region which we have of late been tra- 

 versing. A few hills still interrupted the continuity of sur- 

 face below, more particularly on the right of the landscape 

 towards the river. Not a human being was yet to be per- 

 ceived, nor a single trait indicative of their present existence. 

 It seemed, for a moment, that our little cavalcade alone was 

 endowed with the vital principle, and that the vegetable 

 world held a solitary and silent dominion. Belle Point still 

 evaded our sight; we might have passed it, or it might still 

 have been very far before us, yet we could no longer strug- 

 gle through the tangled underwood that inclosed the river, 

 nor pick our passage amongst the loose stones of the bluffs, 

 in order to preserve an uninterrupted view of the bank of 

 the river, upon which that post is established. From this 

 position the path winds rather abruptly downward, and at a 

 little distance on the plain, conducted us through an aban- 

 doned Indian hunting camp. 



The horse t"hat gave out on Sunday, having been since 

 both packed and rode, this afternoon sunk under his rider, 

 to the ground, and resisted our efforts to induce him to rise. 

 As he appeared to be entirely exhausted we reluctantly aban- 

 doned him. He had been a sprightly, handsome, and ser- 

 vicable animal, and was chosen from a considerable number 

 of horses, and presented to Mr. Say, by Major O'Failon, 

 when at the Pawnee villages. 



After a day's journey of twenty-two miles, a favorable 

 situation for an encampment offernig timely, at a site which 



