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CHAPTER IV. 



Country from the frontiers to Big Blue, its geological character, &c.— Novel cure for 

 fever and ague.— Indian trails.— Game. — Sage rabbits.— Antelope, and their pe- 

 culiarities.— Beaver cuttings.— Big Blue and its vicinity.— Dangerous country.— 

 Pawnee bravery.— Night-alarrn, (Prairies on fire.) — Platte river.--- Predominant 

 characteristics of the Grand Prairies, and theory explanatory of their phenome- 

 non.— Something to laugh at.—" Big Jim," and the antelope. 



Sept. 26ili. We are now camped upon a small creek, nearly destitute 

 of timber, within two miles of Big Blue, or the N. W. branch of the 

 Kansas river. The geography of this part of the country is incorrectly 

 described upon all the published maps I have yet seen. The Republican 

 Fork, which is the principal branch of the Kansas, is uniformly represented 

 as the most northwesterly branch of that river, forming a junction with it 

 at or below the usual crossing. This is not the case. 



The two forks of Blue, from the northwest, united, form a large and 

 important stream, which, according to my impression, discharges its waters 

 into the Kansas itself, and not into the Republican. Of this, however, I 

 am not quite positive. But be that as it may, admitting the Republican to 

 be the main stream, Big Blue must be, as a matter of course, the most 

 northwesterly branch of the Kansas river. 



Proceeding up the Blue, the geological character of the country under- 

 goes an entire and radical change, and the traveller is introduced to a diirer- 

 ent order of things from that previously observed. 



Perhaps, therefore, it is not out of place to present a general review of 

 the territory thus far. 



The interval from the frontier of Missouri to Big Blue, a distance up- 

 wards of two hundred miles, affords great uniformity in all its more promi- 

 nent characteristics. It generally comprises beautifully undulating prai- 

 ries, of a moist argillaceous soil, rich in sedimentary deposites and vege- 

 table matter. It is somewhat rocky in places, but well watered by the 

 almost innumerable streams that lind their way into the Kansas, l^Uitte 

 and Arkansas rivers. The creeks, with but few exceptions, are heavily 

 timbered with oak, hickory, walnut, maple, cottonwood, and other varieties 

 found in more eastern forests. The hills too, in some parts, are mere 

 than usually abinidant in springs, and covered with stately groves, as taste- 

 fully arranged as if planted by the hand of man, while luxuriant grass 

 and fragrant flowers usurp the place of underbrush. The prairies, hem- 

 med in on every side by the woodlands skirting the water-courses, present 

 to the eye proud oceans of flowery verdure, tossing their wavelets to the 

 breeze and perfuming the air with the breath of spring. 



The streams are clear, witii rocky or pebbly bottoms and high, steep 

 hanks — abounding in choice specimens of the finny tribes and varieties of 

 the testaceous order, of the genus muscuLa. The valley of the Kansas is 



