398 Ex. Doc. No. 41. 



sure of seeing one of the animals fall; the other then turned off 

 into the wide prairie. 



Near the buttes we collected some beautiful Gaillardias of differ- 

 ent species. Gaillardia amblyodon and G. pinnatifida we found 

 abundant o^v sr the remainder of our day's route. After a march of 

 eight miles more we reached the banks of the Arkansas river, where 

 we encamned. Here we found a large train of wagons, belonging 

 to Messrs. Hoffman, of Baltimore- 



Sunday^ July 12. — We left the Arkansas and marched to Wal- 

 nut creek, w^tere we found Mr. Hoffman's party, they having 

 started before daybreak. We here noticed the prairie gourd 

 fcucumis perennis) and the cactus, (cactus opunta;) also the 

 " pinette de prairie, 5 ' or liatris pychnostuchia, with a great abun- 

 dance of the common sunflower, (helianthus annuus;) the bright 

 scarlet malva (maiva pedata) and the .silver edged euphorbia, (E. 

 inaro-inata;) also the purslane, the convolvulus (ipomen lepto- 

 phylla^ rudbeckia hirta, and a species of cockle burr; and on all 

 sides the little mounds of loose earth thrown up by the gopher, 

 (psedostoma brissarius.) 



We left Walnut creek at 3 o'clock, and entered upon vast plains 

 of the buffalo grass, (sesleria dactyloides.) After a march of 11 

 miles we camped within five miles of the famed Pawnee rock. Our 

 camp was a mile from the river; but we drove our horses to water 

 and got our buckets filled. As. there'was no wood, we used the 

 * l bois de vache," and lay down near the smoke of the fires to avoid 

 the mosquitoes. We had no sticks to support our mosquito bars. 

 When we first arrived, the country around was covered with buf- 

 falo but it was too late in the day to hunt; we therefore lay 

 down quietly with the intention of having a fierce chase in the 



morning. , 



July 13th. — Last night we had a terrible serenade from a large 

 drove of prairie wolves, (canis latrans.) The: e animals always 

 'bono- on the heels of the buffalo, to pick up the infirm and those 

 the "hunters have wounded, as well as to prey on what is lefi of the 

 slaughtered. _ 



We got off in good time, and Lieutenaut jCitnory, in company of 

 one of our huncers, started for the buffalo. We saw the. chase; as 

 the herd would divide, and let the horsemen pass through, we heard 

 the rumbling sound of their iuany feet; but at last they crossed the 

 bluff that extends towards the north from Pawnee rock, and were 

 lost to cur view. Lieutenant Emory killed one of the herd; but 

 our hunter came into c imp empty handed. We halted a short time 

 to pack the buffalo meat, and then proceeded to Ash creek. This 

 creek was dry, so we continued our route among herds of buffalo 

 that were continually dashing across r ,r road, and at length reached 

 pawnee fork after a marsh of IS .^ues. 



The waters of this creek were so high that we could not cross; 

 the trees along the sides of the banks were half hidden; the whirl- 

 ino- eddies were rushing along with great velocity; the willows that 

 grew on the banks were waving under the strong pressure of the 

 •water and brush and large logs were hurriedly borne along on the 



