102 IN THE OLD WEST 



apishamores* and lariats, and the next day, with 

 Luke, " put out " for Platte. 



As they passed through the rendezvous, which 

 was encamped on a little stream beyond the town, 

 even our young Mississippian was struck with the 

 novelty of the scene. Upwards of forty huge 

 wagons, of Conestoga and Pittsburgh build, and 

 covered with snow-white tilts, were ranged in a 

 semicircle, or rather a horse-shoe form, on the flat 

 open prairie, their long tongues (poles) pointing 

 outwards; with the necessary harness for four 

 pairs of mules, or eight yoke of oxen, lying on the 

 ground beside them, spread in ready order for 

 hitching up. Round the wagons groups of team- 

 sters, tall, stalwart, young Missourians, were en- 

 gaged in busy preparation for the start, greasing 

 the wheels, fitting or repairing harness, smoothing 

 ox-bows or overhauling their own moderate kits 

 or " possibles." They were all dressed in the same 

 fashion: a pair of homespun pantaloons, tucked 

 into thick boots reaching nearly to the knee, and 

 confined round the waist by a broad leathern belt, 

 which supported a strong butcher-knife in a 

 sheath. A coarse checked shirt was their only 

 other covering, with a fur cap on the head. 



Numerous camp-fires surrounded the wagons, 

 and near them lounged wild-looking mountaineers, 

 easily distinguished from the " greenhorn " team- 

 sters by their dresses of buckskin and their 

 * Saddle-blanket made of buffalo-calf skin. 



