TO HORSE-HEAD CROSSING. 
71 
October 21st The night had been quite cold. The 
morning was clear and pleasant. Left at half-past six 
o’clock. The colony of prairie dogs continued the 
whole of this day’s march, with scarcely an interrup- 
tion. Our course was more westerly, over a level 
and open country, covered with short mezquit grass, 
and studded with small mezquit trees, uninterrupted 
by either hill, rock, or valley. We kept steadily on 
by the compass until we struck the north fork of 
Brady’s Creek, sixteen miles from our last camp. 
Stopped on its banks two hours to water and graze 
the animals, a longer time than was necessary, or 
than could well be spared ; but our mules got frisky, 
and it was difficult to catch them. I determined not 
to make a noon halt again, but to push on until we 
should reach our place for encamping. This course 
is recommended by all experienced men who have 
had charge of trains. A stop cannot be made at 
noon, if the mules are taken from the wagons, without 
consuming two hours, which cannot be spared, unless 
a very long march is to be made, and continued 
during a portion of the night. Then it becomes 
necessary to stop to rest and feed. Reached what I 
supposed to be the head of the creek at half-past three 
o’clock ; at least my guide stated such to be the case, 
and that we should not meet water again for thirteen 
miles. We therefore encamped here, though the 
grass was very poor, having been recently burnt, and 
the new shoots but just appearing above the ground. 
October 2 2d Delayed this morning until half- 
past eight o’clock in searching for four mules, which 
got loose during the night and disappeared. Such is 
