J  OYBNTUEES  AND  EXPLORATIONS.       289

after  an  uncomfortable  day's  ride  of  25  miles,  we  were  glaJ
xvhen  at  evening  we  found  a  sheltered  camp,  where  there  wa?
an  abundance  of  wood,  at  some  elevated  rocky  islands  covered
with  cedar,  near  the  commencement  of  another  long  canon  "{

.the  ri\er.  With  the  exception  of  a  short  detention  at  a  deep
little  stream  called  Goose  creek,  and  some  occasional  rocky
places,  we  had  to-day  a  very  good  road ;  but  the  country  has
a  barren  appearance,  ?undy,  and  densely  covered  with  the  ar-
teiui^ias  from  the  banks  of  the  river  to  the  foot  of  the  moun-
tains. Here  I  remarked,  among  the  sage  bushes^  green  bunch-
es of  what  is  called  the  second  growth  of  grass.  The  river
to-day  has  had  a  smooth  appearance,  free  from  rapids,  with  a

'  low  sandy  hill-slope  bordering  the  bottoms,  in  which  there  is  a
little  good  «oil.  Thermometer  at  sunset  45°,  blowing  a  gale,
and  disagreeably  cold.
