e States, and hope
I may not see another on this journey. We drove 26 miles and camped on
an island in the Platte, or Nebraska river, about two miles below Fort
Kearney, where we found plenty of grass and fuel. Saw some antelope,
deer and buffalo to-day, but did not try to kill any.

26 miles.

21st. Remained over to repair damages, and to cut our wagon boxes off
and make them shorter. Had some rain in the morning. A report is
current here this morning that a train was cut off by the Indians on
Sunday night, (where we baited Sunday noon.) A company of dragoons have
left the Fort to-day to investigate the matter. Fort Kearney is
considerable of a fort, built of adobies or unburnt brick. It is built
in the form of a paralelogram, the centre forming a square which is
defended by a park of artillery. The garrison consists of about 250
soldiers, who seem to be under excellent discipline. The commander's
name I did not learn. The whole affair seems to be well calculated to
keep the Indians in check, but I think would be of very little account
in repelling an attack made by scientific troops, supported with good
artillery.

22d. Started again this morning, traveled 22 miles up the Platte river.
Our road lay along the Platte bottom, and was very good, but somewhat
slippery from the rain that fell day before yesterday. The Platte
bottom on this side of the river, is from 10 to 15 miles wide, being
terminated on the side opposite from the river by high sand hills or
bluffs. The river itself is about two miles wide, with a swift current,
but filled up with innumerable islands and sand bars.

22 miles.

23d. Our road still leads up the Platte bottoms. The land is very good,
and we find some grass, best where there is no wood, except some
willows and cotton wood on the islands in the river. We saw some
antelope and buffalo to-day, but they were back on the bluffs, and our
men thought too much of their spare horses to follow them.

25 miles.

24th. Continue still up the Platte bottom. We found some excellent
springs of cool water, which were a treat to us, as we have had a very
hot day, and our water has all along been muddy river water. We were
compelled to use buffalo chips to-day for fuel, there being no wood. I
suppose many of my lady readers would rather turn up their noses at a
hoe cake baked on buffalo chips, but I assure them I saw ladies, who
were genteel, that seemed to eat cakes baked with this fuel with gre