irst bands had reached the water the
whole prairie seemed darkened with the countless multitudes, numbering
thousands upon thousands. They stretched in an unbroken line from the
hills to the river, and fording the river passed on to the other side.

The prairie here was not less than two miles wide. The mighty mass filled
the whole expanse. As they reached the caravan, they circled around it
leaving the travellers an open space of two or three hundred yards. The
caravan continued its march, and the buffaloes continued their flow, until
towards evening, when the company reached its camping-ground.

It was the evening of the fourth of July. All through the day preparations
were being made to celebrate the anniversary by a great feast. Lieutenant
Fremont gives the following attractive account of the bill of fare:

"The kindness of our friends at St. Louis had provided us with a large
supply of excellent preserves and rich fruit cake. When these were added
to macaroni soup and variously prepared dishes of the nicest buffalo meat,
crowned with a cup of coffee, and enjoyed with prairie appetites, we felt
as we sat in barbaric luxury around our smoking supper on the grass, a
greater sensation of enjoyment than the Roman epicure at his perfumed
feast. But most of all it seemed to please our Indian friends who, in the
unrestrained enjoyment of the moment, demanded to know if our medicine
days came often."

The party had now reached near the point where the north and south fork of
the Platte river unite. Lieutenant Fremont wished to explore the south
branch, to obtain some astronomical observations, and to determine the
mouths of its tributaries as far as St. Vrain's fort. He also hoped to
obtain some mules there which he greatly needed. He took with him nine
men. The three Cheyenne Indians accompanied him, as their village was upon
that stream. The remainder of the company followed up the north fork to
Fort Laramie to be joined by their companions there.

The journey proved an arduous one. It was intolerably hot; there were
frequent tempests, with floods of rain and violent gusts of wind. The
bottom lands on each side of the river seemed absolutely covered with
buffaloes. Upon ascending any eminence vast herds were seen grazing as far
as the eye could reach. Our adventurers pressed on, quietly and
cautiously, following the windings of the stream. On the fourth day they
discovered Indians in the distance; a band of three hundr