so SCENES AT NOR'ra FORK OF BLUE. 



ingeniuty to obtain tlie wherewith to " wet his whistle." He was a sHtIt- 

 el-faced old man, and occasioned miicli sport, from his suppHcations is 

 broken Englisli, which ran pretty much as follows : 



" Big man, me. Chief, — Black Warrior. Me, American soldier ! Love 

 Americans, heap. Big man, me ! Love whiskey, heap. White man 

 good. Whiskey good. Love whiskey, me, — drink heap whiskey. No 

 give me whiskey drink ? Me, Chief. Me, American. Me, Black War- 

 rior. Heap big man, me ! Love Americans. Take Mm hand, shake. 

 White ma i good. VV'hiskey good. Me love whiskey ! Love him heap ! 

 No give Black Warrior whiskey? No? — one leetle drink? Whiskey 

 good. Me love him. Make Black ^Varrior strong. Big man, me, — 

 Chief. American soldier. Me love American. Shake him hand. Pight 

 him, bad Indian, no love white man. Kill him. White man good. Me 

 love white man. Whiskey good. Me love whiskey. No give Black 

 Wari'ior whiskey, — one ^etlo drink ? Me, Chief. Big man, me." Etc. 



In this strain the old fellow continued so long as he found listeners, but 

 without success, although, as I afterwards learned, two v/aggons were 

 freighted with the noxious article ; none of it was suffered to find its vv^ay 

 down the throats of our thirsty guests. 



Pursuing a v/esterly course, nearly parallel with the Kansas, for three 

 successive days, we passed the 14th encamped at Big Vermilion, for the 

 purpose of procuring a quantity of hickory for gun-sticks and bow-timber. 

 Hickory is unknown to the Rocky Mountains, and this being the last place 

 on the route affording it, each of our company took care to provide himself 

 with an extra gun-stick. Small pieces, suitable for bows, find market 

 among the mountain Indians, ranging at the price of a robe each, 

 while gun-sticks command one dollar apiece, from the hunters and trap- 

 pers. 



We were also careful to provide an extra quantity of ox-bows, axle-trees, 

 &c., as % resource in case of accidents or breakage. These are articles 

 with which every caravan should be furnished on a journey across the 

 grand prairies. "% 



In this vicinity a species of shrub, which I hafffcefore noticed in various 

 olaces, (designated as "red-root" by our voyageurs,/jbecarae quite abundant 

 The red-root is highly esteemed as a substitute for tea, and my own expe- 

 rience attests its superiority of flavor to any article of that kind imported 

 from China. In appearance it is very similar to the tea of commerce, and 

 it afibrds at all times a most excellent beverage. It is found only upon the 

 prairies between tlie frontiers and Big Blue, and in some portions of the 

 tlocky Mountains. 



Leaving Big Vermilion, we travelled rapidly the two days subsequent, 

 and arrived at the North Fork of Blue, — a large and deep stream, tributary to 

 the Kansas. We were here detained till the 24th~the creek being im- 

 passable on account of high water. 



However, the beauty of the place and variety of its landscape scenery, 

 served in a great measure to alleviate the weariness of delay. The coun- 

 try was most agreeably interspersed with hills, uplands, and dales — amply 

 watered and .variegated with woods and prairies, attired in all the gaudy 

 loveliness of wild-flowers. The busy bee, afraid of the cruel persecuticna 

 ni mai, had here sought a secure retreat to pursue, unmolested betr 



