The river was skirted with a slight fringe of willow and cottonwood trees.
As Lieutenant Fremont intended to return by the same route, he concealed here for his homeward journey, in what is called a _cache_, a barrel of pork.

They encamped in the evening upon the open prairie.

As there was no wood at hand, they built their fires of the dry excrement of the buffalo.
This substance, which was called buffalo chips, burns like turf and forms a very good substitute for wood.

Immense numbers of wolves surrounded the camp at night, with an incessant and hideous howling and barking.

In the morning, while the explorers were sitting quietly at breakfast, a small buffalo calf rushed frantic with terror through the camp, pursued by two wolves.