THE NARROWS. 41 



time when a cattle-guard is most needed. It 

 is only after some weeks' travel that the ani- 

 mals begin to feel attached to the caravan, 

 which they then consider about as much their 

 home as the stock-yard of a dairy farm. 



After lea\ing this spot the troubles 

 and vicissitudes of our journey began in 

 good earnest; for on reaching the narrow 

 ridge which separates the Osage and Kansas 

 waters (known as 'the Nan-ows'), we en- 

 countered a region of very troublesome quag- 

 mires. On such occasions it is quite com- 

 mon for a wagon to sink to the hubs in mud, 

 while the surface of the soil all around Avould 

 appear perfectly dry and smooth. To extri- 

 cate each other's wagons we had frequently 

 to employ double and triple teams, Avith * all 

 hands to the wheels' in addition — often led 

 by the proprietors themselves up to tlie waist 

 in mud and water. 



Three or four days after tliis, and while 



t) 



the head branches of the O 



we experienced a momentary alarm. Con- 

 spicuously elevated upon a rod by the road- 

 side, ^ve found a paper purporting to have 

 been written by the Kansas agent, stating that 

 a band of Pawnees were said to be lurkmg 

 in the vicinity! The first excitement over, 

 however, the majority of our party came to 

 the conclusion that it was either a hoax of 

 some of tlie company in advance, or else a 

 stratagem of the Kaws (or Kansas Indians), 

 who, as well as the Osages, prowl about those 

 prairie^ and steal from the caravans, during 



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