28 FROM FORT LEAVENWORTH TO FORT KEARNY. 



four hundred oxen, (five or six yoke to each team,) and about forty 

 men. At night the wagons are drawn into a circle, in the open 

 plain, away from any covert, and chained together by the wheels, 

 leaving a small space. The cattle are driven, after feeding, into 

 the enclosure thus formed, when the aperture is closed for the 

 night, and a guard set. A very formidable little field-work is thus 

 easily and rapidly constructed. In the morning and middle of the 

 day the cattle are turned loose to graze, and a day-guard is de- 

 tailed for their protection. This is the general mode adopted by 

 travellers on the plains for the security of themselves and their 

 property. 



The valley of the Little Blue has not presented any great novelty 

 in the way of flowers. The only new plants met with have been a 

 lupine, the flower of which, of a bright purple, rises directly from 

 the root ; the plant is totally leafless. A splendid variety of the 

 mallow, of a bright carmine colour, its trailing stems sending up 

 flowers in little patches of a few yards square, presented a rich and 

 beautiful appearance, enlivening the monotony of the prairie by its 

 brilliant hues. The aloe occurred in some places in abundance ; 

 and there were a few cacti, and a species of a leguminous plant 

 was met with, having a flower of a pale purple colour, resembling 

 a vetch ; also a species of pale blue digitalis. 



Yesterday, being Sunday, was devoted to rest. Most of the 

 people, however, availed themselves of the opportunity to take a 

 hunt, as we had killed no game up to this time. In fact, we had had 

 no opportunity, the game having been driven from the vicinity of 

 the travelled route by the unintermitted stream of emigration which 

 had already passed over the road. The result of their efforts was 

 accordingly not very magnificent, the whole party bringing in only 

 a duck, a musk-rat, a large snapping-turtle, and one miserably poor 

 little antelope. The constant use of salt meat, without vegetables, 

 had affected us all with a cutaneous irritation, to be allayed only 

 by the use of fresh meat ; and hence the arrival of this antelope, 

 poor as it was, was hailed by our voyageurs with lively satisfaction. 

 The little carcass was cut up and divided among the several messes, 

 a portion being sent to our travelling companions ; and it was 

 amusing to see how soon every one was sedulously engaged in pre- 

 paring this most welcome addition to our usual homely fare. The 

 scene was picturesque : the camp-fires blazed in every direction, 

 while around each might be seen a busy little group, boiling, roast- 

 ing, and baking, in happy anticipation of their venison dinner ; the 



