230 FIRST VIEW OF FORT RILEY. 



repaired, and the fine mule recovered his equanimity as 

 quickly ; but when Mr Canterall made his appearance, of 

 course he caught it for his neglect of duty. 



This fellow afterwards told me that on that day he had 

 seen a settler who had been with a hunting party, all of 

 whom had returned on account of the Indians, and that 

 the buffalo were but two days' distance from us. It was 

 very evident to me that this guide, as he was called, 

 would have wished to have prevented my reaching Fort 

 Eiley, to which, for some reasons best known to himself 

 at the time, he had a very evident dislike. 



Continuing on our way, and having a very bad hill to 

 descend, at last my men pointed to some white-looking 

 buildings on the distant hills, and told me that that was 

 "the Fort." About an hour before dark we descended 

 into the narrow valley of the Kansas river, the fort be 

 ing on the opposite side, to arrive at which we must cross 

 in a very indifferent ferry-boat : so having attained the 

 banks of the river, it being nearly dark, I ordered Tay- 

 mouth to be got ready for me to ride, and some things 

 that I should need to be put into the dog- waggon, which 

 was to follow me, and the rest to encamp where they 

 were, and await further orders on the following morning. 



Having possessed myself of my letters of introduction, 

 covered with black dust, and feeling the heat of the fever 

 increased by a beard of ten days' growth (having tried 

 that hirsute appendage, I cannot conceive any man in his 

 senses wearing one unless in a very cold climate), I cross 

 ed the ferry, and my high-couraged chestnut steed sprang 

 from the boat to land with a joyous toss of his head, and 

 as if anticipating a stable he stepped gaily up the ascend 

 ing ground. In my progress I met several soldiers who, 

 I thought, looked very like our own men at home, many 



