. As we are now rapidly
approaching its source the creek is growing quite shallow, but the
water is, if anything, purer and colder. Near the close of the march
two or three white clouds were on the horizon, in front and a little to
the left of us. All the firmament, except this one spot, was perfectly
innocent of anything like a cloud, and the objects themselves kept such
a stubbornly immovable position that we began to doubt whether they
were clouds after all. As we approached camp they changed their
appearance not in the least, except that they grew somewhat larger.
When we were encamped a party ascended a bluff nearby and satisfied
ourselves that we were actually in sight of the Medicine Bow Mountains.
This was a new and grand sight to many of us. On our right, far in the
distance, could be descried a long range of mountains, stretching away
as far as the eye could see. Compared with the color of the rolling
prairie, that fills up the expanse between us and the mountains, they
are a dusky black--hence the name, "Black Hills." The appearance is
owing to the density of the pine timber with which the hills are
covered.

Our men shot two antelopes, of which achievement we were all very
proud.

_June 20_ (Sunday). We are now nearly six hundred miles from Fort
Leavenworth. The day was spent in domestic occupations. Groups might be
seen sitting in the shade of the wagons, the only objects which here
afford a shade, engaged in mending the breaches in their breeches and
other clothes. Others were busied in the laundry department. Others,
again, were deep in the mazes of correspondence.

A most magnificent sunset was seen by us this evening. The God of Day
was retiring from our vision, majestically robing himself in the dark,
threatening thunder-clouds which were rapidly spreading over the
heavens. The storm soon interposed its black curtain between us and the
grand spectacle, and darkness reigned where before everything was
bathed in a flood of silvery light.

_June 21_ (Monday). We marched twenty miles, and once more camped on
Pole Creek. Our whole course lay along valleys, so that we obtained but
one view of the mountains.

Several more antelopes were shot to-day. Either game is getting more
plentiful, or else we are improving in the quality of our hunters. The
Infantry are very successful in their hunting excursions.

_June 22_ (Tuesday). We made seventeen miles, and encamped for the last
time on Pole Creek. The Ch