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Show NoteJ By the: ll1ay. -------------------------~ norant. They are sai<l to hav:e ow~s and rattlesJ).akes as companions 1n their poles. houses ·with clon12 roofs. The main on:e, on the fore ground, with its per .. pendicular ';valls and ro~nd . centt:e, seems to form a Capitol. Rece1~ed u: the evenino- a visit from a fe\\1' fnendly <:I Sioux Indians. Another storm arose, ,;vhicb like many of its predecessors, coutai'ned more ·wind than \Vater. CAMP 28, JuLY 8 :-Roads g.ood~ ·with. ~n oc.casionallow, sandy bluff. W ~ather cool and pleasant. In the evening a slight sh.o,ver, ~vith . high wind. Our can1 p th1s evc111ng 1~ lo~uted ?Y the river side, across which 1s a singular CAMP 30 JuLY 10 :-Good road all formation known as "Court 1-Iou.se day. Pass~d Scott's ~luffs, a ledge of Rock," which .derives its ~arne from 1ts roek worthy of 1nention. They stand appearance. It stands u~olatecl from near the river also on the south the bluffs, an.d can be seen at a great side; they are i~ places perpendicular, dietanae. The bluffs ·we passed to-day, but for the most part are steep but on the north side of the road, assun1e r.1gged. They stand alone, a!though various shapes, a faint description of they are of t~en1selves of co~Hnderable which Y\"ill be found below.* extent, and 1n con1mon ·w1th other CAMP 29 JULY 9 :-Weather beautiful for trdvelino-. Roads during the forenoon 'vere v~ry good, but in the afternoon ';ve found them sornevvhat rough. At noon passed Chin1?ey Rock, which stands on the south s1de of the river. From the view \Ve had of it, it seems to be a rough specimen of the mon1.1.meiJtal art, hevvn out by nature. The obeljsk or coh.unn stands on a pedestal ·which is very broad at the base, and 'vbich tapers to the centre. ':rhe 'vhole appears 'to be about 60 feet high. It is near the river, and frotn its position can be seen n1any miles. To the w·est a short distance stq.nds several piles of rock, each having some distinct~ ve feature, representing buildings, forts ~nd to·~vers, as vvell as :round- *STARTED out this morning for a trip among the bluffs a.nd rocks, sight-seeing, and in quest of anything tbo.t coulq afford amusement. For some ~iJlle wandcreq al'ltong t4e various hollows and steep rocks, u~til tired wit4 the exercise: An adequate description we canqot give; indeed in o.ny Qther l:l.nd than this t4ere is but l ittle tnat would p.ttract more tha.n ordinary 11ttention. One mo-q,nQ., with forms of rock on the top, which, at a dis ~ tance, looks like a dog, formed one item of interest, a.nd what is called H Ancient Bluff Ruins," ¬herf They represent castles, fortifications, &c., and we;,suppose tbo.t in res~mblance the fact ceases. What traditions exist in relation to them, if. ~..Y, we are not aw.~trc of. Picked up a few ~eqbles BAd flrJwcrs a.s n. m cmento of the ,Place. prominent points, can be seen from afar. We started in the morning ,;vith the intention of making a short day's drive, aud camping near a stream where we ·were told there ·were many trout. We reached the creek, but found that neither trout, nor fish of any kind had been known to exist there. Moved beyond a fevY miles, through an Indian village, and located where the grass vvas of a n1edium quality, Water unfit to drink 'vitbin a mile ~nd a half of us. A nuinber of Indians paid us a visit. The weather this evening is unexceptionable, ''\7ith the moon shining brilliantly. With the gnats during the day, and the musquitoes at night, ease and con1fort are beyond our reach. Pqrchased a piece of antelope frorr1 the Indians, which was eaten with great relish. Met two more Mormon trains, the first containing 49 wagons, the last 33. CAMf 31, JuLY 11 :-The weather fop a time after starting was cool and pleasant; the sun, however, soon changed it, and the air became hot and oppressive. Roads passably good, with prick~ ly pear and wilQ. ~age in ab11ndance: :b,ound timber 1~orth side of the river, the first we have seen :tor many days~ All day has Laramie Peak, among the Not~s Ey t/tt Way. 17 Black Hills, been in view. This evenino- another slight shovver, heavy win5d and thunder. c~ cHHp on a san d bank-a most disagreeable situation . -Plenty of vvood and. v~ater, and a moderate, though suflictent a1nonnt of grass. hard. ' Veather hot in the tnorning, and cool 1n the after part of the day. CA:\I P 34, JULY 15 :-The 1:oncl to-dny vvaR hilh· and rather 1nounta1nous. In 1nany l·;laces the ascent and descent vvas steep and very rocky. Thjs co~1 - tinu ed tl:rough the forcuoon, nnd 1s said to ue the lVOrst part of the road CAMP 32 JuLY 12 :-Roads in the through the "Black IIiJls." . '~hey a~·e moruing w~re o-ood, but in the after- of different ranges, cut 'lP mto sepa. noon were sandY, which caused heav~· rate peaks, and are of a dark appeardrawing~ Heat intense, and dust al- ancc. Cedar and pine gro,vs in abunmost intolerable. l{eaclled }fort Lara- dance along their sides, and in the holmie early in the evening, n_n~1 here we lovvs. Iu the afternoon the road was found the absent oues awa1t1ng our ar- rnore in the form of a rolling prairie. rival. The re-nn1on was a most joyous Froln one point an extcnde~ ~i.e~ .. !'~as one. After many ,;veeks separati?u, had v;l) 1cb in a ]and of ClVlhzation, with sickness and death, and traveling wot~ ld h:n;e been grandly beautiful. through a wild and desert vvaste, tho Ranges of bills stretching away to the 1neeting with those 'vho had ~aused us north nnd east, and the Platte river 80 much anxiety was most sahsfaetory. coursiug along at the foot. To the Fort Laran1ie is sit~ated on the south south also as far as could be .seen, Lars ide of the Platte nver, and over the amie Peak loon1s up loftily above all soldiers' barracks the flag of our cou.n - ! its n1ates. Snow is still visible on its try floats. C~mped. about one Inlle sides. While can1ped for c~inn.er . a above on the river, vv1th ·wood and 1va- storn1 arose which poured out rmn 111 ter in abundance, but feed scarce and copious quantities. A heavy fall of' dry .. '.rh~ soil for the most ?f ~he W~ty hail, vvith thunder and lightning acc~m~ ere 1s arid and barren, bacl~ from the panying it. water. and grass being· r1ver bottoms. scarce articles, 011r JOUrney vvas _necessari. Iy continued again until late ~n the evenin0·. We found a good spring of water, l)ut feed nothing extra. Midnight settled do·wn upon us ere the camp became settled. and quiet. SuNDAY, JuLY 13 :-Again vvas. Sunday a day of labor. q,~erhauling .and re-packing loads, wash1ng and cook1ng. The Sunday "'ith us has been similar in experience to all vvho cross the plains. The labors of the day closed ~t a late hour. CAMP 35 J ULY 16 :-Rovds similar to yesterday ~fternoon, with hills of graqual slope. \V eather hot and unco~- CAMP 33~ JuLY 14 :-Remained in fortable. No " Tater for 12 miles this camp until after dinner, repairing and afternoon. Cainped by the river. Wood, re-arranging. Traveled but a fevv but feed poor. miles in th~ afternoon; left the n1ain roaQ. and camped by the river. :E'eed. . CAMP 3~, J uLY 17 :-No essential exc~llent when compared to that of dlfference In the forenoon f~om the yeeterday. ·wood in abundance, and roads of yeste~day. In the afterno?n, ·goQd spring water for cooking, ·which by way of var1ety, we had a fe'Y hills js quite a treat, being used to river ·wa- and s?n1e sand. Th~ weather In the ter so long. A heavy sho,ver passed ~orn1ng was very chilly, and so conto the south, giving us but a slight tlnued all day. Feed along .the ~oa.d touch. Roach1 somewhat hilly, but dried up o:r eaten off; to-p.1ght It lS |
