Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 7.pdf/345

Rh twenty-five miles. Camped on the north fork about two miles in the rear of Childs and Waldo. Several of our men lost this evening. A little rain in the night.

Saturday, July 8.—The company traveled up the north fork about eighteen miles. Myself and three others went back on the plains to hunt some lost men belonging to our company. Found them in about seven miles and overtook the company at noon. Roads in some places rather sandy. Saw no buffalo to-day except a few on the north side of the river.

Sunday, July 9.—Traveled about fifteen miles, and camped on the bank of the river. Came in sight of the Chimney about noon. Childs and Waldo's company still ahead. I mount sergeant of the guard and have some sport. Gave two members of the old guard a tour by way of punishment for sleeping on post the night before. Found one of my men sleeping at post and took his gun away from him.

Monday, July 10.—Childs and Waldo out of sight ahead. I go on with a party to look at the Chimney. Eight or ten of us ascend to the top of the mound from whence the shaft or column of clay and sand ascends about 150 feet above the mound, which is about 200 feet high, making 350 feet above the level of the plains, and one of the greatest curiosities I have ever seen in the West, and can be seen distinctly thirty miles on the plains. The shaft is about twenty-five feet in diameter, and at a distance of thirty miles, resembles the trunk of a tree standing erect. There are also many other mounds and high clay bluffs in the neighborhood of the Chimney. We camped at night in the bank of the Platte about nine miles from the Chimney. Its appearance from here resembles a funnel reversed. Traveled sixteen miles today.

Tuesday, July 11.—Company left the Platte this morning and turned to the left in order to avoid some high bluffs on the river. Mr. Reading and myself left the trail and kept between it and the river, in order to examine the curiosities in the hills. Passed some very high bluffs, one of which we