nd at the
distance of six miles further, during which the river makes a
considerable bend to the east. Reuben Fields returned about noon with
information that he had gone up Wisdom river till its entrance into the
mountains, but could find nothing of Shannon. We made seven miles beyond
the last island, and after passing some small bayous, encamped under a
few high trees on the left, at the distance of fourteen miles above
Philanthropy river by water, though only six by land. The river has in
fact become so very crooked that although by means of the pole which we
now use constantly we make a considerable distance, yet being obliged to
follow its windings, at the end of the day, we find ourselves very
little advanced on our general course. It forms itself into small
circular bends, which are so numerous that within the last fourteen
miles we passed thirty-five of them, all inclining towards the right; it
is however much more gentle and deep than below Wisdom river, and its
general width is from thirty-five to forty-five yards. The general
appearance of the surrounding country is that of a valley five or six
miles wide, enclosed between two high mountains. The bottom is rich,
with some small timber on the islands and along the river, which
consists rather of underbrush, and a few cottonwood, birch, and
willow-trees. The high grounds have some scattered pine, which just
relieve the general nakedness of the hills and the plain, where there is
nothing except grass. Along the bottoms we saw to-day a considerable
quantity of the buffaloe clover, the sunflower, flax, green sward,
thistle and several species of rye grass, some of which rise to the
height of three or four feet. There is also a grass with a soft smooth
leaf which rises about three feet high, and bears its seed very much
like the timothy, but it does not grow luxuriantly nor would it
apparently answer so well in our meadows as that plant. We preserved
some of its seed, which are now ripe, in order to make the experiment.
Our game consisted of deer and antelope, and we saw a number of geese
and ducks just beginning to fly, and some cranes. Among the inferior
animals we have an abundance of the large biting or hare fly, of which
there are two species, one black, the other smaller and brown, except
the head which is green. The green or blowing flies unite with them in
swarms to attack us, and seem to have relieved the eye-gnats who have
now disappeared. The musquitoes t