cottonwoods, with which the stream is wooded scatteringly. In the upper
part of its course, it runs amid the wildest mountain scenery, and,
breaking through the Black hills, falls into the Platte about ten miles
below this place. In the course of our late journey, I had managed to
become the possessor of a very untractable mule--a perfect vixen--and her
I had turned over to my Spaniard. It occupied us about half an hour to-day
to get saddle upon her; but, once on her back, Jose could not be
dismounted, realizing the accounts given of Mexican horses and
horsemanship; and we continued our route in the afternoon.

At evening, we encamped on Crow creek, having traveled about twenty-eight
miles. None of the party were well acquainted with the country, and I had
great difficulty in ascertaining what were the names of the streams we
crossed between the North and South forks of the Platte. This I supposed
to be Cow creek. It is what is called a salt stream, and the water stands
in pools, having no continuous course. A fine-grained sandstone made its
appearance in the banks. The observations of the night placed us in
latitude 40 deg. 42', longitude 104 deg. 57' 49". The barometer at sunset was
25.231; attached thermometer at 66 deg.. Sky clear, except in the east, with a
light wind from the north.

13th.--There being no wood here, we used last night the _bois de
vache_, which is very plentiful. At our camp this morning, the
barometer was at 25.235; the attached thermometer 60 deg.. A few clouds were
moving through a deep-blue sky, with a light wind from the west. After a
ride of twelve miles, in a northerly direction, over a plain covered with
innumerable quantities of _cacti_, we reached a small creek in which
there was water, and where several herds of buffalo were scattered about
among the ravines, which always afford good pasturage. We seem now to be
passing along the base of a plateau of the Black hills, in which the