Page:Early western travels, 1748-1846 V13.djvu/219

 rocky pine hills, without the good fortune of a bison trace, when, after taking a frugal breakfast, our hunters again surprised a herd of Bison lying down, but which were quickly roused into an active gallop. Deer were uncommonly abundant, and scarcely timid, or conscious of the aim of their destroyers. At length getting rid of the pine hills, we proceeded through a shrubby prairie, but, by continuing too much to the westward, again came inadvertently to the Kiamesha, and were obliged to leave it some miles directly behind us, in order to keep clear of the swampy alluvions {152} and ponds by which it was bordered. We now continued south-east, about 20 miles, over hilly woods covered with dwarfish post and black oaks, which having been burnt were extremely difficult to penetrate, lashing and tearing every thing with which they came in contact; we had also to encounter the additional embarrassment of ponds and wet prairies.

The rock was still sandstone, containing appearances indicative of coal. For the last two days I was busily employed in collecting new and curious plants, which continually presented themselves.

22d.] This morning we kept two or three miles to the south-east, and on turning to the south, had the good fortune to enter upon a beaten path, recognised by our guide, which, in the distance of about three miles, brought us to Mr. Styles's,[182] where we had the gratification of obtaining milk and butter for breakfast. This was the emigrant whose traces we had discovered, and who had encountered the Mazern mountains with a loaded wagon, women, and