PREFACE. 



I FEEL that some excuse is necessary for publishing the follow- 

 ing reminiscences of my life in the " Far West/' the state of 

 things herein described having almost entirely passed away 

 with the buffalo; but it seems to me that now, when so 

 many of my countrymen and countrywomen go West every 

 year either for pleasure or profit, it may interest them and their 

 friends to know what life there once was, and it will not be 

 so hard for even those who stay at home to realize it now that 

 " Buffalo Bill " has made so many familiar with the noble red- 

 man and the buffalo; and those who go to Western America 

 can still see plenty ol Indians, very little improved in appear- 

 ance from those with whom I came in contact. It may be 

 said that the incidents which I have related are somewhat 

 thrilling ; but anyone at all conversant with Western life as it 

 was will know that many adventures even more exciting were 

 continually happening in those days ; and I can only say that I 



