BUFFALO PLAINS. '223 



of the numerous trading-boats that sail for the upper 

 waters of the Missouri, every May, from St. Louis. 

 Here, also, I would purchase my horses and stores, 

 which when once on board would be safe and well 

 taken care of till required. However, to avoid the 

 tedious journey up the river to Leavenworth, I should 

 leave my traps and nags (provided I had an attend- 

 ant), and go by train to Leavenworth. Of course it 

 would be even better, if your party be large enough, 

 and do not object to expense, to charter a boat of 

 your own, as you would then always have a com- 

 fortable home, good hard food for your horses, and 

 the means of transporting many luxuries, which it 

 would be impossible to carry with a limited number 

 of pack mules, for the river is navigable through a 

 large portion of the best hunting range, and from 

 the boats being of very light draught you can land 

 or ship your horses without trouble ; on many occa- 

 sions, while the vessel is progressing onward, you 

 may be hunting, for the bends in the river are fre- 

 quent and abrupt. The exact places where buffalo 

 will be found is difficult to say. In summer they 

 keep going north, feeding on the just-sprouted grass, 

 up to almost the sixtieth degree of latitude, while in 

 autumn their progress is south, till New Mexico and 



