In the course of the day we saw several antelopes, all more wild and shy than those between the Pawnee villages and the Missouri. Also a few wild horses, but it was easy to see that all the animals inhabiting this portion of the country had been accustomed to be hunted. Few traces of bison, either old or recent, were to be seen. From these facts we inferred that we were now on the frontiers of some permanent settlement, either of Spaniards or Indians. {273} CHAPTER IV {XI} Sufferings of the Party from Stormy Weather and Want of Provisions--Indications of an Approach towards Settlements--Inscribed Rock--Cervus Macrotis--Volcanic Origin of Amygdaloid. The valley in which we halted, is narrow and bounded on both sides by cliffs of greenstone, having manifestly a tendency to columnar or polyhedral structure. It falls readily into large prismatic masses, but obstinately resists that further progress of disintegration which must take place before it can be removed by the water. For this reason the valley is much obstructed by fallen masses retaining their angular form, and little intermixed with soil. The common choke cherry, and the yellow and black currants, are almost the only woody plants met with in this valley. The stream which may be supposed to exist in it for a part of the year at least, but which was now dry, runs towards the south-east. Having arrived at that part of the country which has by common consent been represented to contain the sources of the Red river of Louisiana, we were induced, by the general inclination of the surface of the country and the direction of this creek, to consider it as one of those sources; and accordingly resolved to descend along its course, hoping it might soon conduct us to a country abounding in game, and presenting fewer obstacles to our progress than that in which we now were. Our sufferings from the want of provisions, and from the late storm, had given us a little distaste for prolonging farther than was necessary our journey towards the south-west. And our horses {274} failing so rapidly, that we did not now believe they would hold out to bring us to the settlements by the nearest and easiest route.[52]