24th. Continue still up the Platte bottom. We found some excellent
springs of cool water, which were a treat to us, as we have had a very
hot day, and our water has all along been muddy river water. We were
compelled to use buffalo chips to-day for fuel, there being no wood. I
suppose many of my lady readers would rather turn up their noses at a
hoe cake baked on buffalo chips, but I assure them I saw ladies, who
were genteel, that seemed to eat cakes baked with this fuel with great
apparent relish. The buffalo chips used are droppings of buffalo the
year previous. They become entirely dry, and make very good fuel, and
are the main dependance for cooking for the next 300 miles, and until
we get into the sage country. One of our men waded the Platte river
to-day while we were baiting. The water was about three feet deep,
except on the sand bars, where it was often not over six inches deep.
The width of the river is about one mile. We began to find alkali on
the surface of the ground to-day. In some places it was half an inch in
depth, and tastes like air slacked salaeratus. We found but little grass
on this day's travel, but a very good, level road, and saw some
antelope.