29 



against the north, and our steps were directed toward 

 the setting sun, instead of the polar star. 



The expedition afforded unexcelled facilities for 

 seeing Buffalo Land. It was composed of good ma- 

 terial, and pursued its chosen path successfully, 

 though under difficulties which would have turned 

 back a less determined party. 



None of our company, I trust, will consider it an 

 unwarrantable license which recounts to others the 

 personal peculiarities and mistakes about which we 

 joked so freely while in camp. It was generally un- 

 derstood, before we parted, that the adventures should 

 be common stock for our children and children's 

 children. Why should not the great public share in 

 it also ? 



Let the reader place before him a checker-board, 

 and allow it to represent Kansas, whose shape and 

 outline it much resembles ; the half nearest him will 

 stand for the eastern or settled portion of the State, 

 of which the other half is embraced in Buffalo Land 

 proper. It is with the latter that we have first to do, 

 as with it we first became acquainted. 



Our party entered the State at Kansas City, and 

 took the cars for Topeka, its capital. During our 

 morning ride through the valley of the Kaw, memory 

 went backward to the years when "Bleeding Kan- 

 sas " was the signal-cry of emancipation. When gray 

 old Time, a decade and a half ago, was writing the his- 

 tory of those bright children of Freedom, the united 

 sisterhood, a virgin arm reached over his shoulder, 

 and a fair young hand, stained with its own life- 



