muddy, it would be a fortune to some
one to bridge it, it could be easily done, for it is not wide & the
timber could be had on Elm creek which is but a few miles back, & any
one would rather pay a reasonable toll, than to pull his team (cattle)
so hard. Saw several head of stalk [_i. e._, stock] which had give out,
one old cow by the road with a paper pined on her head, it stated that
she had been left to die, but if anyone choose, they might have her, but
requested that they would not abuse her as she had been one of the best
of cows, she looked so pittiful, & it called up so many assotiations in
my mind that it affected me to tears. Drove on and encamped; turned out
the cattle & put up the tent, then for a fire, no wood, but _chips_ in
abundance, no alternative, soon had a large pile of them, & set fire to
them, when they immediately blazed up & burned like dry bark, it was
laughable to see the boys jump around it, particularly Beth & saying it
"wooled them" bad. On saying that I feared the dust would get in the
meat, as it was frying, George said he would as soon have his broiled as
any way, so laughing, & jokeing we forgot our antipathies to the fire
some said it had improved all the supper, even the coffee. [May 29--46th
day] Hear of people killing buffalo, the ground is strewed with their
bones. Passed a prairie dog town,[49] killed two, that we might have a
near view of them; they resemble both the squirrel & puppy, teeth feet
and tail like the squirrel their shape is more like that of a puppy;
their color is redish grey, their size about twice that of a fox
squirrel, some pronounce them good to eat, they bark nearly like a
little puppy but their note is quicker & more like a squirrel, as we
first came in sight, they comenced barking & running from hole to hole,
& it is believed that they are all connected by subteraneous passages,
which is probably the case, for they are not but a few feet apart, and
on the near approach of any one, they will "disappear in a twinkling," &
appear as if they turn a summerset right down into their hole. They set
up straight on their hind feet when they bark, & they are so near the
color of the sand that you can hardly see them, unless in motion. Shot a
young hare, which made us a fine dinner. The water along here is very
poor; the river water is said to be healthiest, but it is warm, & muddy.

[May 30--47th day] The road is along the bank of the river, which is
very straight, & on