With  the  change  in  the  geological  formation  on  leaving  Fort
Laramie,  the  whole  face  of  the  country  has  entirely  altered  its
appearance.  Eastward  of  that  meridian,  the  principal  objects
which  strike  the  eye  of  a  traveler  are  the  absence  of  timber,
and  the  immense  expanse  of  prairie,  covered  with  the  verdure
of  rich  grasses,  and  higWy  adapted  for  pasturage.  Wherever
they  are  not  disturbed  by  the  vicinity  of  man,  large  herds  of
buffalo  give  animation  to  this  country.  Westward  of  Laramie
river,  the  region  is  sandy,  and  apparently  sterile;  and  the
place  of  the  grass  is  usurped  by  the  artemisia  and  other  odorif-
erous plants,  to  whose  growth  the  sandy  soil  and  dry  air  of  this
elevated  region  seem  highly  fevorable.
One  of  the  prominent  characteristics  inthe  face  of  the  coun-
try  is  the  extraordinary  abundance  of  the  artemisias.  They
grow  everywhere — on  the  hills,  and  over  the  river  bottoms,
in  tough,  twisted,  wiry  clumps;  and,  wherever  the  beaten
track  was  lefl:,  they  rendered  the  progress  of  the  carts  rough
ai>d  slow.     As  the  country  increased  in  elevation  on  our  ad


136     COL.  Fremont's  narrative  of

Vance  tc  .he  west,  they  increased  in  size ;  and  the  whole  ai  t
is  strongly  impregnated  and  saturated  with  the  odor  of  cam-
phor and  spirits  of  turpentine  which  belongs  to  this  plant.
This  climate  has  been  found  very  favorable  to.  the  restoration
of  health,  particularly  in  cases  of  consumption ;  and  possibly
the  respiration  of  air  so  highly  impregnated  with  aromatiS
plants  may  have  some  influence.
