H 



CHAPTER IV 



Country from the frontiers to Big Blue, its geological character, (fee— Novel cure foi 

 fever and ague.— Indian trails.— Gavne.— Sega rabbits. — Antelope, and their pe 

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

 Pawnee bravery.— Nigiit-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. '26t1i. We are now camped ^.ipon a -^mal] creek, nearly destitute 

 of timber, within two miles of Big l>]ue, or the N. W. branch of the 

 Kansas river. The geograpliy of this part of the coimtry is incorrectly 

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

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

 rr: the most north v.'c^tcrly branch of tliat river, forming a junction with it 

 at or below the usual cro^ssing. This is not^Alic case. 



The two fork-? of Blue, from tlie northv/cst, united, form a large and 

 im.portant stream, which, according to my impression, discharges Its waters 

 into the Kansas itself, and not into the Republican. Of this, ho^vover, 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- 

 o-ies ?.vi. entire and radical change, and the traveller is introduced to a diire> 

 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 find their way into the Kansas, Platte 

 and Arkansas rivers. The creeks, v>^ith but few exceptions, are heavily 

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

 fon!id in more eastern forests. The hills too, in some parts, aie more 

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

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

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

 med in on every side by the woodlands s^kirting the v;ater-courses, present 

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

 breeze and perfuming the air witli thebreathi ( f spring. 



The streams are clear, with rocJcy or pebbly bottoms and high, steep 

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

 ^hi^ testa.ceous order, of the geims muscula. The valley of the Kansas ii 



