It seemed like a vast frozen lake.

The railroad which ran through this section ascended from the south-west to the north-west by Great Island, Columbus, an important Nebraska town, Schuyler, and Fremont, to Omaha.

It followed throughout the right bank of the Platte River.

The sledge, shortening this route, took a chord of the arc described by the railway.

Mudge was not afraid of being stopped by the Platte River, because it was frozen.