Page:Route Across the Rocky Mountains with a Description of Oregon and California.djvu/136

Rh distance of about twenty-five miles, by traveling a large portion of the night; laying by in the middle of the day, when the sun was most powerful, to kill and dry meat. We continued this method of proceedure until we had supplied ourselves with provisions, and then again traveled as usual. When we came to the junction of the Platte, we found a vast herd of Buffalo, almost covering the valley. They were so thick, that, in many places, they blackened the earth for hundreds of acres. The lowest estimate made in our camp, of the number of that single herd, was, we believe, one hundred thousand, and it was, probably, much greater. During the time that we were passing them, in which we traveled about ten miles, the partially detached or smaller herds extending out from it, became frightened, as we proceeded, and kept pouring across our path, about two hundred yards before us, in an almost constant stream. Besides this, the hills were spotted in every direction, as far as the eye could reach, with bands of Buffalo. Such vast herds are, however, uncommon. Afterwards we ascertained the cause, as we thought, of their being assembled in such vast numbers.

On the morning of the 13th, about two hours before day, while we lay encamped upon the bank of the Grand Platte, we heard a drum beating below us, on the river. We were sure that it was the Pawnees; and, besides, that they were in great numbers, as they were on the middle ground, between their own country and that of the Sioux, where they never come, except in strong parties. We, therefore, made all possible haste to get under way, in order to pass them before they should discover us.

Having traveled a few miles, we passed through a large encampment, which had been left only a very short time; and all along the road, and on every side, there were fresh signs of a large body of Indians; and we had not proceeded much farther, before we were favored with still stronger proofs of it. We saw an Indian gliding along across the prairie, in a direction to meet our course, and then another, and again another, until they were nearly double our number.

They tried in every way to detain us: they endeavored to persuade us to go across to their village, at which, they said, there were fifteen hundred of their people. We refused, and they told us that there were a great many Buffalo a short distance below; that they intended to surround them the next day, and that they did not wish us to go on and frighten them. To this, although we were sure it was false, we replied, that we had an