\<S. U bS Ex. Doc. No. 41. 387 



its tendrils and was growing so luxuriantly that it was with great 

 diff y one on horseback could force his way through. 



On the hill sides, the wild rose was still in blcom, and mingled 

 its pink flowers with the beautiful white clusters of the Jersey tea, 

 (ceonothus Amerir-anus.) The prairies were covered with tall 

 stalks of the rattlesnake weed, (rudebeckia purpurea.) 



Some of our mules proved very refractory, but we soon con- 

 quered them with the aid of the "lazo,' or cabriesto, as it is often 

 called— -a rope of hair, or plaited hide, 50 to 60 feet long, in which 

 a noose is formed that, by a skilful hand, is easily thrown over the 

 mule's head, the noose being gradually tightened, the animal soon 

 falls to ail appearance lifeless. Now, the bridle, the saddle, and 

 packs aie fixed, the noose loosened, and the mule rises ready for the 

 journey. 



After a march of 'twelve miles, we encarrped near a log house, 

 close to a fine spring of cola clear water. Here we noticed the 

 white hickory, or dovvny hickory, (juglans pubescens,) the chest- 

 nut oak, (quercus primus acuminata,) the spicewood, (laurus ben- 

 zoin,) and, deep in the woods, the modest May apple, (podophyl- 

 lum peltatum,) and bloodroot, (sanguinaria canadensis.) 



As we retired to rest, th.e sky became clou'}/, and in a little time 

 a plentiful shower ot ra ; l fell, which annoyed us greatly as it 

 drove through our tents. 



28fh. — During the early portion of the morning, the rain con- 

 tinued with some abatement, and, as the sky showed signs of clear- ' 

 ing off, we commenced making our arrangements for the march. 

 I went down to a log house close by, and, whilst examining H, was 

 attracted by the chirping of birds, and, on searching, found that 

 the sound proceeded from the chimney, and I there discovered a 

 beautiful nest, in the shape of a half basket, firmly attached to the 

 chimney walls with clay, lined internally with horse hair and soit 

 grass, and covered externally with mr&s; within were five un- 

 fledged birds, their eye., scarcely oron, and at every sound they 

 heard they would op. n their mouth ~5. and scream for food. The 

 anxious parent several times da ,ed down n c :r my head. I wished 

 much to ascertain its species, but, although it lit on the trees near 

 the hou~e, I could not get near enough ..o make any decision, and, 

 as I did not desire to kill a bird with young, I had to content my- 

 self with the name some of our people gave it, to whom I pointed 

 it oi.' + . and who called it the "grey bird." 



After some little trouble with the mules, we got off about 7 

 o'clock; the rain had made the roads slippery, and the wheels cut 

 into the soft mould so that the mules labored hard; at length we 

 reached a sudden rise, where, in spite of our efforts, we were obliged 

 to remain until one of the volunteer teamsters, seeing our diffi- 

 culty, kindly brought us three yoke of oxen, and soon drew us up 

 the slope. Passing on over gently rising and falling swells and 

 Tallies, with the delightful breeze that one almost always me As on 

 the prairies, we felt our spirits rising with the clearing away of 

 clouds, and wh^n the sun broke forth in splendor the sensa- 

 tion was truly exhilirating. Whenever we rode to one side of the 



