James's Account of S. H. Long's Expedition, 1819-1820, part 3

by Edwin James; Stephen H. Long; Thomas Say

One of the small striped ground-squirrels already noticed was killed, and an individual belonging to another species,[46] distinguished by the extraordinary coarseness and flattened form of the fur, and by three black lines on each side of the tail; these [260] lines at their tips are of course united over the surface of the tail as in the Barbary squirrel. It nestles in holds and crevices of the rocks, and does not appear to ascend trees voluntarily.

It appears to inhabit principally about the naked parts of the sandstone cliffs, or where there are only a few cedar bushes. In the pouch of the specimens killed, we found the buds and leaves of a few small plants, common among the rocks.

Following up the bed of the creek, we ascended by a gradual elevation to the surface of the stratum of red sandstone. It is separated by a somewhat distinct boundary from the finer and more compact grey variety which rests upon it. This grey sandstone appears from the organic relics it contains, as well as from its relative position, to have been of more recent deposition than the red. Its prevailing colours are grey or yellowish white; its stratifications distinct; and its cement often argillaceous.

After entering upon this variety, we found the valley of the creek less circuitous in direction, but narrower and more obstructed by detached fragments than below. The impaling cliffs on each side were also more uniformly perpendicular, putting it out of our power to choose any other path than the rugged one before us. As with every step of our advance upon this route, we were gaining a little in point of elevation, we hoped by following it to reach at length its termination in the high and open plain, which we had no doubt existed, extending over the greater part of the surface of the country, wherever the strata of sandstone were still unbroken. At five P. M., supposing we had arrived very near this much-wished-for spot, and finding an indifferent supply of grass for our horses, we halted for the night, having travelled fifteen miles.

July 26th. The water of the large stream we had crossed, and ascended for some distance on the preceding [261] day, was turbid, and so brackish as to be nauseous to the taste. The same was observed, though in a less remarkable degree, of the little tributary we had followed up to our encampment. After leaving the region of red sandstone, we found the water to become perceptibly purer. In the districts occupied by that rock, we have observed several copious springs, but not one whose waters were without a very manifest impregnation of muriate of soda, or other saline substances. In the gray or argillaceous sandstone springs are less frequent, but the water is not so universally impure.

A beautiful dalea, two or three euphorbias, with several species of eriogonum, were among the plants collected about this encampment. Notwithstanding the barrenness of the soil and the aspect of desolation which so widely prevails, we are often surprised by the occurrence of splendid and interesting productions springing up under our feet, in situations that seemed to promise nothing but the most cheerless and unvaried sterility. Operating with unbounded energy in every situation, adapting itself with wonderful versatility to all combinations of circumstances; the principle of life extends its dominion over those portions of nature which seem as if designed for the perpetual abode of inorganic desolation, distributing some of its choicest gifts to the most ungenial regions; fitting them by peculiarity of structure, for the maintenance of life and vigour, in situations apparently the most unfavoured.

At nine o'clock in the evening of the 25th, a fall of rain commenced; we were now ten in company, with a single tent, large enough to cover half the number. In order, however, to make the most equal distribution of our several comforts, it was so arranged that about the half of each man was sheltered under the tent, while the remainder was exposed to the weather. This was effected by placing all our heads near together in the centre of the tent, and [262] allowing our feet to project in all directions, like the radii of a circle.

On the ensuing morning we commenced our ride at an early hour, being encouraged still to pursue the course up the ravine, by a bison path, which we believed would at length conduct us to the open plain. Our progress was slow and laborious, and our narrow path so hemmed in with perpendicular cliffs of sandstone, that our views were nearly as confined, and the surrounding objects as unvaried as if we had been making our way in a subterranean passage. Two black-tailed deer, with a few squirrels, and some small birds, were all the animals seen in the course of the day. Some enormous tracks of the grizzly bear, with the recent signs of bisons, afforded sufficient proof that these animals, though unseen, were near at hand.

Our courses were nearly south during the day, and the distance we travelled, estimated on them, fifteen miles. The actual distance passed must have been much greater, as our real course was extremely circuitous, winding from right to left in conformity to the sinuosities of the valley.