Our chase had led us into dangerous ground.

A prairie dog village, so thickly settled that there were three or four holes in twenty yards square, occupied the whole bottom for nearly two miles in length." The stirring buffalo hunt ended, the company advanced over the prairie for more than twenty miles, and encamped on the banks of a stream, where they enjoyed a fine feast on choice bison steaks.

While they were thus employed, the wolves were attracted thither by the smell of broiling meat and prowled around camp, licking their chops, impatient for the time when they would be permitted to gorge themselves upon what should be left.
For several days there was little variation in the experience of the explorers, and no special incident took place.

At the junction of the north and south fork of the Platte, Fremont, who wished to explore the south branch and to secure some astronomical observations, set out with nine men intending to advance to St.Vrain's fort, where he was hopeful of obtaining some mules.

The rest of the party followed the north fork to fort Laramie, where it was agreed they would wait for the others to join them.
Fremont's experience in going up the south branch was in strong contrast to the pleasant scenes of the previous.