After descending from the more precipitous parts about the summit of the mountain, they crossed along a rugged tract, buried and rendered almost impassable by boulders and fragments which had fallen from above, and were at length so fortunate as to {194} find a spring of cool water, and a shade, in a narrow ravine; where they sat down to rest and dine on the provision they had brought.
The men who were with them stopped in the same ravine, a few rods below. One of these was violently attacked, immediately after drinking of the water, with headache, vomiting, and purging, which increased to such an alarming degree, that he was presently unable to stand upon his feet. As it was feared he would not soon be able to walk, Mr. Peale undertook to return alone to camp, and give notice of his situation, and return with medicine and assistance.
He descended along a rough and obstructed ravine, until he arrived at the Platte, but found the valley so confined as to be impassable, and again directed his course towards the north-east, attempting to regain the route which the party had taken in ascending. After a most rugged and fatiguing march of about six miles, he arrived at camp late in the afternoon. Here he found a number of the party suffering in a similar manner, but not so severely as the man he had left in the mountains. Two men were immediately despatched in search of the disabled party.
Mr. Peale had left them but a short time, when their attention was called to the noise as of some large animal running up the narrow defile in which they were sitting; on turning round they perceived a large bear advancing at full speed towards the place where they were. Seizing their rifles, they fired upon him at the distance of about ten steps, but the bear, without stopping or turning his head, mounted an almost perpendicular precipice of about thirty feet, and was out of sight in an instant.
At this spot, which was several miles within the mountains, and elevated nearly to the limit of phænogamous vegetation, the common hop (H. lupulus) was growing in perfection; also the box elder (acer negundo, Ph.), the common sarsaparilla of the eastern {195} States (aralia nudicaulis), the spikenard (A. vacemora), and many other common plants.
After waiting about two hours, they found the sick man so far recovered as to be able to stand upon his feet and walk a little. They therefore relieved him of his gun and other luggage, and moved by short stages towards camp, where they arrived at a late hour in the evening.[145]
The men who had been sent out to their assistance returned some time afterwards, having sought for them without success.
On the morning,[146] soon after the departure of Dr. James's detachment, two of the party passed into the mountains on the left side of the river; they experienced much difficulty, and underwent much labour in scaling the steep ascents, and some hazard in descending the precipitous declivities which marked their course. The timber was small, scrubby, and scattered in the most favoured situation; and many of the solitary pines which occupied an elevated position, had evidently been the sport of furious tempests, being rived and seamed by lightning. Upon surmounting one of the elevations, they observed on a projecting ledge of the succeeding mountain two elk grazing, which seemed to be at a very short distance; and in consequence of this deceptive appearance were magnified into a vast size. The party were surprized at the apparent heedlessness of these animals, which remained peacefully feeding, whilst the party was clambering along the rocks in full view, until at length they majestically bounded off, leaving the authors of their alarm to measure the unexpected distance to the position they had occupied. To the right, and easy of access, was a projecting rock supporting a single humble cedar in one of its fissures, from which a stone let fall was received into the torrent of the river which washed its base. The huge rampart of naked rock which had been seen from below to stretch across {196} the valley, was now in nearer view, the river whirling abruptly around the acute angle of its extremity, and offering at its superior edge an embattled outline. They ascended a primitive mountain, which seemed to be of a superior elevation, in order to overlook the western ranges; but found their horizon bounded by the succeeding mountains towering majestically above them. To the east, over the tops of a few inferior elevations, lay expanded the vast interminable prairie over which we had so long held our mountainous march. The undulations which swell its surface now disappeared, and the whole lay like a map before the observer. They could trace the course of the Platte, and number the streams they had crossed, and others which they had before passed near, by the slight fringing of timber or bushes which margined their banks, and by an occasional glimpse of their streams shining like quicksilver, and interrupting and varying the continuity of the plain as they pursued their serpentine course. The atmosphere was remarkably serene, small clouds were coursing over the surface of the heavens, casting their swiftly moving shadows upon the earth, and enhancing the beauty of the contrast which the long lines of timber afforded to the general glare of light. After contemplating for some time the beauty and extent of the scene, their attention was attracted by a moving point, which occasionally became visible by reflecting the rays of the retiring sun. This object was our white flag, waving in a gentle breeze, and revealing the position of our camp, the only spot in the boundless landscape where the eye could rest on the work of human hands. The descent towards the river from this pinnacle was so precipitous, that much caution was requisite in attempting to gain the river towards which they now directed their course. Upon a step or resting place were several ponderous masses of rock, which, by the application of a little force, were readily overturned down the steep; and {197} we were amused by marking their impetuous and rapidly increasing motion as they rolled and bounded onward, until a surge and wide-thrown spray announced their reception into the bed of the river. Arriving at the river, it was found necessary to pass along in the stream, the margin not admitting sufficient foot-hold; this mode of progression, however, soon proved too painful and laborious, as the very unequal rocks with which the bottom was paved, were invested with a slime, and refused repose to the foot, the uncertain motion of which was only arrested by the opposition of an angular fragment, or the intervention of an interstice; we therefore again ascended the mountain side, and at length regained the plain.
Astronomical observations were attempted at camp, but in the middle of the day the moon was found to be too near the sun, and in the evening the sky was cloudy.
The sickness experienced by almost all the party was probably occasioned by eating of currants, which were abundant about the camp. It is not to be supposed this illness was caused by any very active deleterious quality in the fruit, but that the stomach, by long disuse, had in a great measure lost the power of digesting vegetable matter. Several continued unwell during the night.