The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-12-08
INKLINGS FROM THE FRONTIER;
LIFE ON THE PLAINS AND ADVENTURES IN
THE TENTED FIELD,


THE TENTED FIELD.
CAMP AT RED Rock CANON.
To the Editor Of the National Era:
2 While other correspondents of the press are
discussing the sayings, doings, fashions, and
politics of society, and the genus homo, why
should not /, who am far remote from civiliza
ton, not jot down few inklings of the man
ners aud habits of interesting specimens of the
animal kingdom? If l fail to interest, amuse
or instruct you, please take the will for the deed
student who d Qahahg psdhf By ts fesssoih5s
The whole universe, all nature, both animate
and inanimate, show forth the power, the wis
dom, and the loving kindness of God. All
nature sings his praise, and the glad anthems
vibrate on every chord of our finer feelings:
How with the song of every bird, E
&. e.. And with the scent OF every flower,
Some recollection de is stirr
Ofmany long departed hour"
And how often, during our lonely walks, do we
realize that
"The meanest flower that blooms can give
.7 Thoughts that do often lie to" deep for tears"
And here on the vast plains, where big-mouthed
oaths and bitter curses are more frequent than
Gospel teachings, and ribald songs than hymns
of praise, the lover of Nature and Natures God
realizes the sentiment of the poet who sang
Were in churchIes solitudas remaining,
Far from all voice of teachers and divnes,
My soul would find, in fower foods ordaining,
Priests, sermons, shrines?p ,ta. fsz8s
The little animals = those ingenious little
creatures whom God seems to have peculiarly
endowed-also preach sermons of His wisdom
and infinite goodness. 5aI a.5a945 ala
Why, then, should we not study the habits
and history of every class of the animal king
dom, however insignificant they may appear to
the mere casual observer? 1aealu sal
The gopher is another species of the burrow
ing animal. He is not, however, near SO large
as the prairie dog, being only about three times
as large as the mole, the despoiler of our gar
dens and strawberry beds; and has none of hi,
1.-THE prairie dogs) habits, excepting he lives in
communities, and. burrows in the earth. The
gopher chooses light sandy soil for the site Of
his town, and has no open port of entrance to his
domestic residence, and is as exclusive and a.
Jealous of the curious eye as John Chinaman
Small round mounds of sand, pretty thickly scat
tered over wide extent of sandy plain, is sure
indication that thousands of gophers live. move
have their being, and dig, in that particular vicin
ity but one will have to keep sharp lookout, il
he ever sees one of them. i have heard prairie
men, of much experience on the plains, say thai
they Have never yet seen gopher, although
accustomed to seeing their little sand-hill towns
wear after year. believe this species is called
the pocket gopher, owing to pocketlike con
trivance on each side of the neck, by which
they are enabled to carry up sand, and dispatch
their work of mound building. In order to
obtain sight Of one Of these exclusive little
fellows, and examine his wonderful mechanism
one must station himself in proximity to q
mound being built, and watch until he ascer
tains at what particular spot the gopher is work
ing. This he will learn by seeing quantity o.
fresh sand occasionally thrown above the sur
face. Then let him take sight along his rife
until he draws a fae "bead on the precise
spot, and then, Just as the next load of sand il
thrown up, let him FIRE if he is good marks
man, he will probably kill the innocent little
workman, and have an opportunity Of crafty
ing his curiosity. 1t is said that each poke,
of the. gopher has the capacity of holding 9
considerable quantity of sand, and that he has
the, power Of turning it inside out with quick
motion, thus ejecting his load with considerable
proiectile force. ,,o,,T 1.u ,fr sa-
taking Of the I gopher family, brings up q
lauchablea "reminiscences of by-gone days.
once put up at a. hotel in one of the larger
towns in an interior State. At the dinner
table were two gentlemen returning from q
tour out West. These gentlemen, among other
notable things to be seen out West, mentioned
the gophers and their peculiar habits. In reply
to some question asked BY one Of the boarders,
one Of the tourists remarked, "9Oh, yes, the
gopher, 4, family very numerous both in Hi
versation, en- intense Democratic politician
came and took his seat opposite, "a What fam,
iIy Is that you were speaking off" queried oul
Democratic boarder, looking up and down the
table. while 4 knowing and selEcomplacent
smile played about the corners Of his mouth.
I The Gopher fsmily,r replied the Tourist,
The Gopher fAmiiy. Live IN Illinois and
Iowa. Very rich, most of 'em. Know 'em