JOURNAL; 
CHAPTER V. 
Monday June 3d. A strong wind from the N. E. this morn¬ 
ing, compelied us, after proceeding a few miles, to encamp for 
the remainder of the day. Took my gun, and set off to make 
an excursion. The country is altogether open, excepting some 
groves of cotton wood in the bottom. The upland rises into con¬ 
siderable hills, about one-third covered with a very short grass* 
intermixed with a great variety of plants and flowers, the rest 
consists of hills of clay, bare of almost every kind of vegetation. 
On the tops of the higher hills, at some distance from the river, 
there are masses of granite, of several tons weight, and great 
quantities of pebbles. In the course of my ramble, I happened on 
a village of barking squirrels, or prairie dogs, as they have been 
called. My approach was announced by an incessant barking, 
or rather chirping, similar to that of a common squirrel, though 
much louder The village was situated on the slope of a hill, and 
appeared to be at least two miles in length ; the holes were sel¬ 
dom at a greater distance from each other than twenty or thirty 
paces. Near each hole, there was a small elevation of earth, 
of six or eight inches, behind which, the little animal posted 
himself, and never abandoned it, or ceased his demonstrations of 
alarm, tc insignificantly fierce,” until I approached within a few 
paces. As I proceeded through the village, they disappeared, 
one after another, before me. There was never more than one 
at each hole. I had heard that the magpie, the Missouri rattle 
snake, and the horn frog, were observed to frequent these places; 
but I did not see any of them, except the magpie. The rattle 
snake of the prairies, is about the same length with the common 
rattle snake, but more slender, and the color white and black. 
Mr. Bradbury has met with great success in his pursuit.— 
He has found nearly an hundred undescribed plants. Within a 
few days he has found a great number, which he calls Mexican. 
The country thus far, has offered nothing remarkable as to mi¬ 
nerals. There is in company, a gentleman of the name of Nut * 
