CHAPTER 5. AT THE THREE BUTTES.

July 23

Started at 6 AM. & made 12 m.to a coulé where water remains in pools. The other watering places on the map appear to have dried up. Saw a good section near the road & got a number of fossil shells from it. [In] afternoon came on about 10 m., approaching the Eastern butte closely. The Buttes appear very large on approach & have bold & mountainous outlines.

A great relief after so much prairie country. Saw a great many buffalo today. The scouts & others had a chase after some of them but without success.

Camped in a coulé where a beautiful spring of fresh water comes out & supplies a small stream, which as usual in this country, soon loses itself. Water only travells here safely below the ground, on appearing at the surface evaporation & absorption quickly cause it to disappear. A picturesque wall of stones caused a trap dyke crossing the valley from which the softer rocks wear away & leave it projecting.

The hills around dotted with buffalo. A small herd came nearly down into the camp in search of water, but swerved & retired to another coulé. Ran up on a hill to try & get a shot but they were too far away before we got there. Sat down & watched the men creeping up around three bulls which stood on a hillside about half a mile distant. Sbooting began & quite an exciting hunt took place. One soon wounded & fell behind. Shots fired at him in rapid succession from various quarters soon made him bleed at the mouth & nose, & then trying to rush down a hill he stumbled & fell dead. The sportsmen then centered on him from all quarters & before long steaks were under preparation for supper. From the hill on which we sat could view the whole thing through a glass as though at a play.

Small exposures of beds belonging to the Milk R. series continue to appear at intervals. Such were observed particularly 1 1/2 m. W of last nights camp. 4 1/2 m. where yellowish sandstones are underlaid by grey sandy clays. At 6 m. W. of the camp many exposures occur in coulés running into a great valley many miles in width gently sloping edges, which runs about N.N.W.

At 9 m. West a remarkably good exposure occurs & shows the following