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25th January, Sunday • I determined never again to march with so little provision on hand; as had the storm continued one day longer, the animals would have continued in the mountains, and we should have became so weak as not to be able to hunt, and of course have perished.
 The doctor went out with the boys, and they secured three of the buffalo; we commenced bringing in the meat, at which we continued all day.
26th January, Monday • Got in all the meat and dried it on a scaffold, intending to take as much as possible along and leave one of my frozen lads with the balance, as a deposit for the parties who might return for their baggage & c. on the way to Baroney’s camp.
27th January, Tuesday • We marched, determining to cross the mountains, leaving Menaugh encamped with our deposit, after a bad days march, through snows, some places three feet deep; we struck on a brook which led west, which I followed down, and shortly came to a small run, running west; which we hailed with fervency as the waters of the Red river. Saw some sign of elk. Distance 14 miles.
28th January, Wednesday • Followed down the ravine and discovered after some time that there had been a road cut out, and on many trees were various hieroglyphics painted; after marching some miles, we discovered through the lengthy vista at a distance, another chain of mountains and nearer by at the foot of the White mountains, which we were then descending, sandy hills. We marched on the outlet of the mountains, and left the sandy desert to our right; kept down between it and the mountain...When we encamped, I ascended one of the largest hills of sand, and with my glass could discover a large river, flowing nearly north by west, and south by east, through the plain which came out of the third chain of mountains, about N .75 degrees W. the prairie between the two mountains bore nearly north and south. I returned to camp with the news of my discovery. The sand hills extended up and down at the foot of the White mountains, about 15 miles in width.
Their appearance was exactly that of the sea in a storm, (except as to color) not the least sign of vegetation existing thereon. Distance 15 miles.
29th January, Thursday • Finding the distance too great to attempt crossing immediately to the river, in a direct line, we marched obliquely to a copse of woods, which made down a considerable distance from the mountains. Distance 17 miles. Saw first sign of horses.
30th January, Friday • We marched hard, and arrived in the evening on the banks (then supposed Red river) of the Rio del Norte. Distance 24 miles.
- The Journals of Z.M. Pike, 1807 |
