to the Blue River. Both are rapid streamlets, unit- 
ing somewhat farther down as the Big Blue River, 
which empties into the Kanzas. Game becomes more 
plentiful. At times we saw deer, and also some wolves. 
At Rush River one of our hunters (we have two 
hunters in our company who daily go out hunting) 
shot an elk cow. As this noble animal, which was 
formerly at home in the greater part of the United 
States, is known to the younger generation only by 
description, it may not be amiss to devote some words 
to it. 
The elk (Cervus Canadensis) bears resemblance to 
the European deer. It attains the size of a mule or 
small horse. The antlers, borne only by the male, 
grow to a height of four or five feet, and often have 
twenty to thirty tines. The antlers are shed from 
February to August. The hair is bluish gray in the 
fall, dark gray during the winter, and reddish brown 
in spring and summer. The elk is very skittish and 
has a keen sense of smell; but is also very curious. 
He must see the object of his fears, and often runs 
directly toward the hunter whom he has only scented. 
But as soon as he sees him, he stares at him a mo- 
ment; then, with antlers thrown back and head held 
high, he rushes away like an arrow. In August and 
September, the pairing season, there are fierce en- 
counters between the bucks. It is then most unad- 
visable to approach an elk that is merely wounded; 
for he will defend himself to the bitter end with an- 
tler and hoof, and even assume the offensive. In May 
Journey from 
the Kanzas 
to the Platte 
—The Elk— 
The 
Antelope 
