SCENERY AT ASII CREEK. 15 



"It's no such thing," said Jim. " The. wind took it away;— n.nd it\ 

 none of your business neither. I j'aidfor it!" 



"True. But what did the wind want with your hat? Sure, if \'^ 

 needed a foot-ball, to toss over the rrairie'?, it would have taken your heaf^ 

 the U^h'esi of the tv;c '."' 



" You're a fool !" retorted Jim indignantly. 



" There, now. Tiiat's the time you coteht it, my boy. Why, fellow, 

 Mr. Jeems took oft his hat, out of pure politeness, — to win the good opinion 

 of the bull. He were righ.t. Didn't you see how the gentleman-cow 

 bov.ed and scraped in turn. Why, he throid'd the dirt dean over his back, 

 not io be outdone in good breeding ! Ah, but the pepky win'l ! Whi'^i 

 Mr. Jeems were showing his brotten up, what had it to do, but to snatch 

 'lis hat and run off wilh it ! Mr. Jeems are no fool ! and the feller what 

 says beam, — (I 'want you all to understand me; Mr. Jeems have been 

 most shamefully abu?ed and misu'?ed, and I can whip the chaps what's 

 done it — provided they'll let me ; — I say, then, I want you all to underst-ind 

 me !) Mr. Jeems are no fool, and the man what says he am — is, — (I can't 

 think of words bad enough,) — is — is, as near the mark as though he'd 

 drove centre!" 



" Aye. Jim's right. You are all a pack of dough-heads to make fun 

 of him in the way you do. Suppose you'd be struck comical ! Then 

 what'd ye think of yourselves !" 



" Poor Jim. Shoot grass, kill horse, break gun, burn shoe, scorch foot, 

 and go bare-headed ! Wat him mean ?" 



" I say, Jim. When 're going a hunting again ? — 'case I want to go 

 'long too!" 



CHAPTER VI. 



Ash Creek. — Pawnee and Sioux battle-^ound. — Bread-root. — ^The Eagle's Nest.— 

 Mad wolf, — Number and variety of prairie wolves, — their sagacity. — Mad biill. — 

 Making and curing meat. — Big Jim still unfortunate. — Johnson's creek. — McFar- 

 lan's Castle. — Deceptiveness of distances. — Express irora the Fort. — Brave Bear. — 

 Bull Tail. — Talk with the Indians. — Speech of Marto-cogershne. — Reply. — Tab- 

 tungah-sana's address. 



Oct \%th. Bkaring to tlie right, over a high undulating prairie, we 

 struck the North Fork of the Platte, after a drive of about twelve miles, 

 and continuing up its left bank a short distance, camped for the s ght at 

 the mouth of Ash Creek. 



The atream at this place is a broad bed of sand, entirely dry, except in 

 the spring months. Higher up, however, it affords a generous supply of 

 pure running water, sustained by the numerous feeders that force their 

 way into it, from the high grounds dividing the two rivers. 



The valley is of variable width, and well timbered with beautiful ash 

 groves, from which the creek derives its name. Here are also found seve- 

 ral varieties of wild fruit indigenous to the mountains. As a wbttl« it 



