212 WILD SPORTS IN THE FAR WEST. 



"vvith US, showed us every thing that was to be seen, and 

 did all in his power to make our visit agreeable. We 

 could not see much of the land for snow, but K. assured 

 us that it was very good, the pasture excellent, and the 

 shooting also good. K. seemed likely to make a pleas- 

 ant neighbor, and we soon came to terms. There were 

 two dwelling-houses, with two fields not far apart^ be- 

 longing to an American named Wilson, who was, as 

 usual, willing to sell. In half an hour the matter was 

 settled, 250 dollars, Arkansas paper currency, being 

 paid for the whole. There were two other fields, mak- 

 ing altogether about thirteen or fourteen acres of arable 

 land, fenced in. The house furthest from the river was 

 a very good one. 



It has to be noticed that this was Congress land; 

 that is, it belonged to the United States government, 

 and the first settler on it has a prior right to purchase 

 it, called in American law " preemption right." The 

 advantages of this system to the settler are as follows : 

 he may settle on the land and cultivate it as his own, 

 no one having a right to turn him off, till it has been 

 surveyed and announced for sale in the Govern- 

 ment Gazette. He then has the right of purchasing a 

 quarter section, or IGO acres, or even as little as forty 

 acres at the rate of a dollar and a quarter an acre, even 

 though another should bid a larger sum for it. This 

 light Wilson transferred to us with his "improve- 

 ments." 



After concluding the purchase, we all came to Little 

 Rock. Rutkin and Keen went to Louisiana to bring 

 over the families, while Haller and I bought provisions, 

 and returned to Fourche le Fave. Little Rock was much 



