.ODk2.NTY0OTI

bottom somewhat marshy, but good grazing for horses. Had little trouble in getting wagons over this canon, banks being very steep. Two miles from ford struck up canon running out of bluffs. N. and S. varying E. and W. occasionally. When one and a half miles from mouth of canon, we discovered a deserted camp. made by Indians in the early Spring. the houses being made of bushes after being in full leaf and were withered and dead. but not rotton. Small stream running in this canon. water in pools. some very large and deep. There was no timber in this canon only at head branches. Bluffs surrounding for 8 miles, high and mountainous, steep and very hard to go over with Cavalry or teams. Found a divide, running N.W. by N. and marched some eight miles, to Northern Edge of bluffs, bordering wide bottom of buttes, the magnitude of which we could not guess. We could see the bluffs on N. side of Cedar Creek, but was too far to go over? sand hills, or buttes which extended as far as the eye could reach, N.W. and East. After [some] deliberation, concluded to go back to canon [word missing] the pools of water was passed, near S. edge [word missing] bluffs, and take an early start and be sure