The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1859-07-28
AN OVERLAND JOURNEY
The Home of the Buffalo.
Station II. Pike s Peak Express.
CLEAR CREEK, May 20, 1859.

Station IL. Pixies Peak Express. }
CLEAR CREEK, May 20, 1859. (
ceased writing No. VI last nj gbt al
midnight at Station 9-the storm which
had been threatened since dark, just
bursting in wind and rain The Wind
was a gale, bat upset neither tents nor
wagons: the rain fell for about aU hour,
then ceased, though little more fell this
morning, and We have had thunder aud
lightning at intervals through the day,
and have it still. threatening showers be-
fore dawn. We rose early from our
wagonhed this morning, had breakfast at
6, and soon bade adieu to Pipe Greek, with
Its fringe of low elms and cottonwoods,
such as thinly streak all the streams We
have passed 20 day that are large enough
to protect timber from prairie fires. We.
~ soon, We we're off the sandstone upon
limestone again, which hae been the only
rock visible for the last forty miles, aud
this but spariugly. The soil is of course
improved, bat | think not equal to that
of Eastern Kansas. The face Of the couu-
try is slightly rolling-ip one place lev
ei prairie eleven miles wile-but even
this is cut, and washed out by shallow
water courses, probably dry good part
of each Summer. We have crossed many
streams to-day, all making south for sol
omou's Fork, which has throughout been
from two to six n.iles from US on our left,
its narrow belt of timber coGstantly send
ch kp
creeks which feed it on either side. The
route has been from 50 to 200 feet above
the bed of the Fork, keeping out Of all
bottoms aud marshes, but continually cut
By watcr-courses, often with abrupt banks
aud miry beds. in one of which only were
We stalled until au extra span of mules
was sent from the other wagon TO our aid.
(The Express wagons always 90 in pats
for reciprocal aid and security. | pre-
sumo all the timber We have passed
through since We left the Republican at
junction, land We are now 10 miles
from it by our route, and perhaps 100
in straight line) would not form belt
half a mile wide, with but a few white
oaks to render il of any value except for
fuel. A low, ong-limbed, tWisty Elm,
forms three fourths of all the wood We
have seen this side of Junction; the resi-
due is mainly Cottonwood. The streams
arc usually clear, except where riled by
recent showers, aud springs are not in-
frequent. If well tinbered. this country
would be rather Inviting. 1t is largely
covered with the dead stalks Of the wild
sunaower, which is said to indicate a
good soil for Corn. The sunfOWer plant
has pot started this season.
On rising our frst ridge this morn
ing, herd of Buffalo was seen grazing
on the prairie some three miles toward
the Solomon; soon more were visible;
then others. At length. herd of per-
haps hundred appeared on the north
the only one We saw on that side Of our
road during the day. They were head
ing down the valley Of small creek to-
ward the Solomon. Just then, the tents
and wagons of body of ofepcamped Pixies
Peskers appeared just across that stream;
two men running across the prairie on
foot to get shot at the buffalo; another
mounting horse with like iutent. The
herd passed on long, awkward gallop
north of the tents and struck southwest
across our road some forty rods ahead of
US. 4 Sharp's i6e was leveled and fred
at them BY one Of our party, bnt seemed
rather to hasten than arrest their pro- !
gress. But one old bull sbambled along |
behind in knock kneed fashion (hasiog |
probably been lamed by some former
partly; and be was fred at twice by our
marksman as he attempted to cross the
road-once when only fifteen rods dis
tsut. They thought they wounded him
fatally. but be vanished from our sight
behind low bill, and their bssty search
for him proved unsuccessful.
Nearly all day, the Buffalo in greater or
less numbers were visible among the bot
toms of Solomon on our rigb;-usually
two to three miles distapt. At length,
about p. ~, We reached the crest of a
"divide," whence we looked down on the
valley of creek running to the Solomon
some three miles distant, and saw the whole
region from half a mile to three miles
south of our road, and for an extent Of at
least four miles east and west. fairly alive
with Buffalo. There certainly we're not
less than ten thousand of them; / be-
lieve there were many more. Some were