Ex. Doc. No. 41. 391 



peeoris,) made their appearance, and no sooner had we picketed 

 our animals than those birds installed them on their backs. 



The elder (sambucus pucesoens) was still in bloom, and the 

 orange asclepias still displaying its- gaudy flowers, much to the 

 delight of the brilliant butterflies that' sported aroun< it, and are 

 so constantly found near it, that it is often called tne butterfly 

 plant. 



Our camp is on a high point which separates the branches of a 

 little stream; the grass around is good, and our situation high, and 

 must bid defiance to the mosquitoes. Along the margin of the 

 creek I found a beautiful lily, (lilium tigrinum,) of a bright orange 

 color, and beautifully dotted. 



On July 1 we arose early and made our way back to the trail 

 we had left. After a march of three miles we reached the route 

 sought for; we then rose to the top of the " divide," which unites 

 with the Wakaroosa valley by a series of slopes that resemble the 

 exterior slopes of parapets, their crests changing direction sud- 

 denly, so as to form sharp angles like those of a bastion; we 

 ascended 15 feet, and on taking a ber.ring back, found that the 

 "Wakaroosa buttes were north 40° east. 



Afte/ travelling three miles further, we reached the broad trail 

 of the traders from Independence, Missouri, to Santa Fe. 



As our horses moved through the grass, the horse-flies seemed to 

 be shaken from the spikelets, as the farina from the stamens of 

 corn, when shaken by the wind; then rising up, they covered the 

 heads and necks of the pocr animals, making them frantic with 

 pain; they would rub against each other, and stamp their hoofs; 

 and some would place their heads so as to get the benefit of the 

 switchings of another's tail; and even the riders were annoyed by 

 their desperate efforts to get rid of these persecutors. 



Before we had proceeded far, we met a man driving an ox team; 

 he had accompanied some of the volunteer companies to carry 

 provisons; and, having emptied his wagon, he was now on his 

 return. He told us that it was twenty miles from the next pool to 

 wafer, so we determine 1 to camp soon; and, having made a march 

 of eleven miles, we pitched our tents on the very same spot on 

 which we had encamped one year previous. Here we collected 

 some beautiful flowers, amongst which were the rudbeckia hirta, 

 and the delicate bed straw, (galium tinctorum.) 



The stream upon which we were was then merely a line of 

 unconnected pools. The only trees to be seen were some tall 

 elms, (ulmus Amer,,) in whose tops several turkey .vultures 

 (cathartes aura) were preparing to go to roost, while below, 

 amongst the willow brush that bordered the stream, some cat birds 

 (orpheus carol.) kept up a low conversation as they plunged into 

 the inmost recesses of the undergrowth. 



July 2. — As we had the twenty mile stretch tjo make to-day 

 without water, we ?rose early. The dew last night had been very 

 heavy, and we found little pools of water standing en the tops of 

 our mosquito bars, for we had been obliged to desert the tent 

 where our bars could not be fixed conveniently. 



