1 66 Reminiscences of 



and descended from the car, pointing back in the direc- 

 tion we came from, but the station agent to whom he 

 appealed held a parley with him, and managed to con- 

 vince him of the necessity of his going on farther, ex- 

 plaining to us that this personal accompaniment of 

 Indians on each train had been arranged for between 

 the big chiefs and the railroad for the period when the 

 buffalo hunts should be along the route. As the buf- 

 falo were proceeding north, the present condition 

 would last but a few days longer. 



Although a bed had been made up in our car for 

 our dusky companion for the night, he declined to 

 occupy it, and sat stolidly by the car window all night- 

 The following morning, beyond the buffalo range, our 

 Indian left us at a station, where he joined a west- 

 bound train, consenting to take from us a moderate 

 purse we made up for him. 



WHAT a singular spectacle was presented by our 

 train in the last act of the drama of buffalo 

 and Indians, in the last change in the transition of the 

 plains from wild buffalo range and barbarism to peace- 

 ful settlement and civilization. 



But the evolution of the buffalo and Indian is no 

 more striking than that of the great Western country 

 which has exhibited such wondrous change. 



Ward, the Minister to Mexico from England, upon 

 the establishment of the new government independ- 

 ent of the dominion of Spain, a most sagacious and 

 conservative author, whose work to-day published 

 in 1827 is a standard one upon Mexico, said in the 

 preface of his work: 



