First Expedition to Kansas Chalk 35 



settlers until the section lines were constructed. One 

 of them ran directly south, crossing Hackberry 

 Creek about fifteen miles from the railroad, at a 

 point where there was a spring of pure water a 

 rare and valuable find in that region. We camped 

 here many times, and made such a good trail that it 

 was used for years. Our second trail extended 

 across the country, striking Hackberry Creek where 

 Gove City now stands, and led over Plum Creek 

 Divide, whose high ledges of yellow chalk served 

 us as a landmark for twenty miles. From this point 

 we could see Monument Rocks, and near them the 

 remains of an old one-company post on the Santa 

 Fe Trail. Our trail then led up the Smoky Hill to 

 the mouth of Beaver Creek, on the eastern edge of 

 Logan County, and followed the old road as far 

 west as Wallace. 



Prairie-dog villages extended west along all the 

 water courses, and open prairies to the state line, 

 and we were rarely out of sight of herds of antelope 

 and wild horses. Near the present site of Gove 

 City, on the south side of Hackberry Creek, there 

 is a long ravine with perpendicular banks ten feet 

 or more in height. This ravine was at that time 

 used as a natural corral by some men who made a 

 business of capturing these wild ponies by follow- 

 ing them night and day, keeping them away from 

 their watering places, and giving them no chance 



