170 



to the shafts, one before the other, arid the rider 

 places himself in the sleigh, with his feet under 

 the covered part. He then guides the foremost 

 dog by a line fastened round his neck, and in this 

 manner the dogs will draw him with great ease. 

 We arrived on the banks of the Missouri, near 

 the salt springs, on the 23d, and being unable to 

 cross the river on account of the ice, which be- 

 gan to break up, we continued up the river to 

 where the ice remained firm, and well secured by 

 a sand bar in the middle of the river. Here we 

 crossed, and proceeded up to White fiver, about 

 twenty miles, where we arrived on the 27th, and 

 encamped. On the 29th, we removed up the 

 White river, sixteen miles, to hunt. The snow 

 now began to disappear, and the plains were cov- 

 ered with game. Here no timber was to be seen 

 except on the water courses, where a few willows, 

 elm, and button wood grew, but the appearance 

 of the soil was rich. A small party of Rus,; 

 joined us at this camp, and on the 6th of April,! 

 we crossed White river, which is about one hun-. 

 dred and fifty yards wide, and continued our 

 journey towards the Rus village. On the 9thJ 

 w r e encamped on Tyler's creek ; and on the 12th J 

 we arrived opposite Tuton river. Here we leftj 

 the Missouri, and proceeded a west course to the 

 River Chein, or Dog river. On this route we 

 travelled through a broken country, destitute of 

 wood, and badly watered. We arrived at the ; 

 Chein river on the 14th,and immediately crossed it 



