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Show 50 FROM BRIDGER'S PASS utary of Green River a small disgusting stream, known as Bitter Creek. This was the first bad water we had been compelled to use since leaving the Big Muddy, south of Fort Kearney. It was a small sluggish stream, changing the color of its water with that of the soil through which it flow ed, and in some places looked like a mucilage of red brick-dust. Its name is owing to an alkaline rather than bitter taste, caused by the absorption of a substance of that na ture of which I have spoken as abounding in the soil of most of this western country. There were frequent re ports by emigrants of its fatal effects upon animals that drank of it, but I failed to observe any unpleasant consequences either to the animal man or of the brute creation, both of which classes in our command and train drank of it freely, on a march of several days. Of all the country we marched over between Leaven-worth and Salt Lake City, that along Bitter Creek was the most barren and uninviting. On the prairies of Kansas, along the valleys of the Platte, and Lodge Pole Creek, in the Black Hills, on Laramie Plain, through Bridger's Pass, everywhere else I saw something to admire ; but along Bitter Creek is an arid waste, without a redeeming feature. It was disgusting to travel through the country at any time, but seemed particularly so on Independence Day. Grass for the animals was scarce, the water bad, the weather hot and dry, the dust thick in a word, everything conspired to dis gust the traveller, and even some of our mules became de moralized, and strayed off in search of a more congenial country. When I pass along Bitter Creek again I hope it will be at night in a sleeping- car. One day, while passing along this part of our route,! ob served a man at one of the stage stations preparing for a hunting excursion, and upon inquiry I learned that he was employed by the company to hunt game for them, and re ceived for his services the value of the meat he brought in. This hunter had been captain in a volunteer regiment, and when mustered out of service decided to remain a year in the country to indulge in the sport of hunting large game, such as |
