A START FOR KANSAS CITY. 127 



he is convinced of the truth of it ; that, however, is 

 nothing to me, further than it, at the time, raised a fear 

 that the rest of the intelligence, propounded for my 

 future guidance, might have been of the same substance 

 as the story I have just narrated. 



My waggons, harness, provisions, and camp-fittings 

 having been by this time prepared, as well as a consider 

 able box which I was erroneously advised to take by way 

 of presents to the Indians, it then became necessary for 

 me to consider the best way of reaching Kansas city, the 

 last considerable town on the frontiers of the desert. 

 The matter to be considered was Should I take my 

 baggage by railroad or river steamer ? The latter 

 would consume the longest time, and extend over 400 

 miles of conveyance by water. Having had a surfeit of 

 the horrors of the rail, and being at the same time 

 desirous of ascertaining if the ideas in England were 

 correct in regard to the dangers and reckless go-ahead 

 desperation of the captains in command of river steam 

 ers, I resolved to make the method of my further jour 

 ney dependent on the kind of accommodation I could 

 obtain for my dogs. My waggons and heavy baggage 

 would go infinitely cheaper by river transit than by 

 rail, and if I could make it convenient I resolved to go 

 by the same conveyance. Mr Campbell soon settled 

 the matter by saying that he knew the captain of the 

 u Skylark," Capt. Sousley, and would obtain his kind atten 

 tion to all I desired. A kennel having been fitted up for 

 my dogs, and a double berth to myself having been secured, 

 I resolved by personal inspection to judge whether or not 

 the dangers and riotous conduct of the river steamers in 

 the United States were as rife as my countrymen repre 

 sented them to be. A four days' voyage over 450 miles 



