ment. When least expected, an army of warriors might spring up as if from the depths of the earth. With their light equipments, swift and fresh ponies, expert horsemanship, and rapid evolutions, the better part of valor in our case was, to be always ready for an emergency. Far more dreaded than an attack was a stampede of the stock, a piece of strategy always resorted to by the savages. I had once the experience of being with a wagon-train in which the animals took fright from some unknown cause. The alarm seemed to communicate itself in an instant. It spread like wildfire. Mule teams, with drivers, and without, dashed in all directions over the plain at a dead run. Every effort to check the tide only seemed to increase it. The animals were perfectly frantic and beyond control. No obstacle could stay them, and to be anywhere in front of the terrific wave was certain death. The alarm kept up until the animals could run no longer. The wagons were gathered and formed into a corral, in which the animals were placed to allow the excitement to pass off. A stampede of a large train is frequently attended with loss of life. To prevent any such calamity as this befalling our own column every measure of safety was adopted, and strict injunctions were placed upon teamsters never to leave their posts.

Our course during the day was over a high rolling plain, very similar to the country to the northward. At one stage of the journey we struck a remarkably peculiar section, the plain being covered with a number of hummocks of red earth and `gravel, without any apparent connection or system. During the morning we moved through forests of minature oaks. These diminutive types of the giant specimens were perfect as regarded structure, and bore an abundance of acorns. The tree, for such it was, ranged from six to twelve inches in height. These forests were found upon the sides of the higher ranges, and frequently covered as much as twenty and thirty acres. For hours the column, like so many mighty monsters, marched over the tops of forests of oak.

About noon a small herd of buffaloes was chased by a party

sent out, and the meat of two fine animals was secured.

After a march of thirty miles the column went into camp on Hackberry creek, so named by the Commanding General on account of that tree predominating on its banks. The stream was insignificant in itself, but important as the only desirable campingplace between the Wolf and Main Canadian rivers. At several points on the stream recent traces of Indians were discovered, and a "lodge-pole trail" was seen leading off towards the south.

Traveling on the plains bears the relation to railway travel, that navigation on the broad ocean does to that on rivers. A vast sea of earth, its waves rise into great swells and sink into deep troughs. To an inexperienced eye there is a dull monotony, a sameness, and an expanse of vision which seldom varies. For days the "direction" lies apparently over the same ground. No roads, rarely a stream, and a painful scarcity of timber. The startled game sometimes creates a transient ripple, but this vanishes as suddenly as it comes.

The plains have few streams, particularly in summer, but the configuration is wisely provided for purposes of drainage by means of valleys and ravines, all of which form part of a regular system, leading into the main water courses. The swell in the surface, which constitutes the main water shed, is termed the "divide." To know the "divide," and how to follow it, constitutes the highest art of the guide. Here the best footing is found, and the broken ground in the ravines is avoided. It is wonderful to observe how the guides in a new country, by a sort of intuition, will distinguish one "divide" from another, and select that which is most desirable for the line of direction. All traveling parties on the plains use the compass. Except with a perfect knowledge of keeping the points by astronomical objects it would be as impossible to traverse them, except by some unerring guide, as to navigate the ocean without the needle. There are no roads. The trail of the buffalo, the warparty, or the village, are the roads of the country. At points wagon-trails have been opened for the use of emigrant and sup

ply trains from the verge of eastern civilization to the advancing tide from the west, but blank spaces of hundred of miles intervene. Under such circumstances the perplexities of moving a column of nearly two thousand mounted men, and nearly four thousand animals, may be imagined.

Breaking camp at Hackberry creek at the usual hour, the column headed towards the Canadian. In the night a "norther" had set in, and now swept over the plain with the force of a tornado. The train found great difficulty in making any progress whatever. The temperature figured at 100 to 15° Fahrenheit. The men suffered severely from their feet and hands, although a pair of stout buffalo shoes and a pair of substantia. gloves had been provided each before starting on the campaign. During most of the day's march the cold was so excessive tha the troopers dismounted and led their horses.

The country, on the line of march this day, presented an en tirely new and novel appearance. Immense quantities of gyp sum were visible in all directions, cropping out at the surface, frequently resembling at a distance, extensive banks of snow and ice. Specimens were picked up by the way exhibiting every stage of crystallization. A delicate selenite, composed of transparent crystals or crystalline masses, easily splitting, with the assistance of a knife, into thin transparent plates, was found in great abundance. Several varieties of an earthy nature were gathered, and again specimens of a smoky hue or more beautifully colored with tints, from a pale pink to a deep crimson. Other varieties closely resembling alabaster were met with. In some forms the gypsum was easily crushed with the fingers, and presented a pulverized mass of minute sparkling crystals, while in other conditions, it possessed the hardness of the most durable stone.

The entire region between the Cimmaron and the Main Canadian, a distance of nearly a hundred miles was of the same character. The water in all the streams met with, had an extremely bitter and unpalatable taste. In traversing this section it was necessary to transport a supply of water, taken from the

smaller streams, which were found to be less impregnated than the rivers.

The beds or layers generally made their appearance on the face of high bluffs, or upon the sides of the loftier "divide." The position of the veins indicated upheaval from a considerable depth, and were universally found in extensive fields of red earth and shale. An experiment made in camp, by burning a small quantity, produced an excellent quality of the Plaster of Paris known to commerce. Small deposits of gypsum have

been discovered in Wisconsin and Iowa. Also on some of the western slopes of the Cordilleras.

The configuration of the country as we approached the Main Canadian increased in the vastness of its proportions, to the degree of sublimity. Bald hills rose on all sides, towering high over the plain, while the intermediate valleys could be followed away in the distance until the powers of vision failed to define the line of demarcation between the earth and the heavens. From some lofty eminence, gazing upon the extensive landscape, chaos and desolation alone conveyed the spirit and the reality of the scene. Countless hummocks of red gravel and rocks in every conceivable shape, from perfect cones to jagged boulders, covered the surface of the low grounds in every direction. Not a sign of animal life was visible, not a sound broke the awful stillness which prevailed. Vegetation was sparse. The hardy buffalo grass grew in bunches, between which seams of barren red earth stared forth a perfect type of sterility. Owing to the lack of every inducement as a place of abode, the tribes of the plains knew the country as the "bad ground."

After a tedious march of ten hours, in which time making but fifteen miles, the column went into camp on the north bank of the Main Canadian. As might be expected in such a region, the advantages for camping were not very inviting. Timber. was scarce and water barely palatable. The "norther" which had impeded our progress during the day, showed no signs of being "blowed out." The thermometer had fallen several degrees.

During the day a number of animals overcome with

exhaustion were shot, and left a rich feast for the half starved wolf.

The win

From the summit of a hill in the rear of our camp, the valley of the Canadian presented the same scene of desolation witnessed throughout the day. On the north side, the “divide” descended abruptly into a plain several hundred yards in width, extending to the river. On the opposite bank, the country rose at once into high bluffs of red clay furrowed by deep arroyas. "The camp on the Canadian" will long be remembered by all who participated in the campaign of 1868–69. try blast swept mercilessly through the valley, demolishing tents and extinguishing the few fires built against the intense cold. The night was intolerably dark. The troopers unable to keep warm, could be heard through the long hours tramping up and down, within the limits of the camp, afraid to lie down for fear of freezing to death. The animals without covering or protection from the wind suffered intensely. All night shivering at the picket-rope the poor brutes uttered melancholy moans, but it was beyond the power of man to alleviate their sufferings. At headquarters it was no better. Fires were out, tents were either down or flapping in the wind.

It was with a feeling of relief and satisfaction that the reveille sounded. The camp had long been astir, for there was no rest taken that night. The intense cold occasioned a material delay in getting started the following morning. The animals almost paralyzed by the cold, refused to move except by beating. The teamsters half frozen were almost powerless to perform their accustomed duties.

About an hour after daylight, the column left camp moving down the Canadian a distance of about a mile to a suitable place for crossing. The thermometer stood near zero, (Fahr.) The wind blew more violently then ever. A dense smothering cloud of sand, started from the dry bed of the stream, rushed furiously by. The current of the river was about a half a mile in width. It was now frozen from shore to shore, but not sufficiently to bear up the train or even the animals. To effect