The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1860-04-25

PRAIRIE, Potawatamie Co.. KIT Mar. 30.

ED. REPUBLICAN Perhaps you of the unini
tiated may think this wandering over western
prairies pleasant and interesting. So thought
at distance, and it was the distance that LEM
the enchantment. The disappearance of til,
romance does not occur all at once, but the reel
ity stands Out not the less boldly after few
weeks experience.
Ny hrst movement toward lorg trip into the
interior was the purchase Of 'varrnint killer
and fixings.' whereby it might be effec tualiy
pulled OIL. 1t il the custom of the country, anc
must be conformed to If one looks for safety il
travelling. Even ministers carry revolvers and
bowie knives, thus placing themselve. upon ar
equality with sinners, and not caring to trust
their precious carcrsses to the protection of spir
tual weapons alone.
My next movement was to secure sea: in the
Leavenworth and Fl. Riley mail coach. Coach :
But will say nothing about it, lest lose my
temper. l might be led to speak of the rowdy,
drunken drivers unexpectedly, and to anstha-
Matte the whole performance generally. /,
would be Impossible to exhibit the extent Of my
gatherings to your symps,hizing readers, so
will simply state that l came out at the end of
one husdrsd and twenty miles very much in the
condition of Fastaff after his cudgeng by the
jealous Ford, "beaten into all the coors Of the
rainbow"
| took dinner at the identical house where
Horace Greeley diaed last summer with the half
breed Patawotamies, and paid an equally reluc-
tant half dollar for the privilege Of sitting upon
a rude bench. at rude table, and partaling of
fried bacon and corn dodger.
The country around and about the junction
Of the Big Blue and the Kansas rivers is indeed
beautiful, and all that travellers have described
it. Added to the fertility of the soil, is the
of the scattered bluffs, high
prairie, and level bottoms which stretch away in
an endless and ever varying panorama The
present settlers lazy, shiftcss, thrftless set
Of fellows, with but little Heaven to work indus
try amonst them. They live by making claims
and cheating Government, deeming it better to
lie boldly and cheat openly, than to work out
an honest living.
In company with young fellow from Ohio,
hired horses for trip up the Big Blue, and over
the adjoining country. Always the same ever
changing landscape. No timber except along
the streams, and stunted and scrubby at that
Night overlook US upon the prairie far from
shelter. Rode on, leaving our horse. to pick
their own was over the prairie, and to follow the
path which we could no longer Sec Young
Ohio grew uneasy. Visions of horse thieves
and robbers appeared to him, and he hestated
about going on. We had rode past hard look
ing place several hours before, and what if We
should be followed, plucked, and murdered.
Easily tracked-a white pony and a bay horse
we might be riding right into an ambush Just
then we heard a noise ahead, and stopped and
listened. Thieves coming upon us to take our
coveted steeds and our precious Gves--hark
No-the prolonged yell of prairie wolf who
has scented footsteps and flies before our APP
proach, Or-stop-the heavy tramp of horse
coming nearer-nOw prepare for the struggle
We rode a little way out of the track, Ohio
refining his white pony into. the obscurity OF my
larger and darker steed, and SO we grasped our
weapons and waited the onset. Nearer came
the tramp-a yell. Still we waited-rcvovers
cooked and bowie knives unsheathed wills.
tle-I breathed more freely. Then came-a
bullet? No, but
Dad AMI | went down to town" sc
and exclaimed 81 reckon that must be van
kee."
al reckon that is bout as how as It's" said
the rider hating by the side of us. The object
Of our alarm proved to be a harmless green
un' on his way home after fruitess search fol
the "kaows." He directed US to a cabin a mile
head, and we rode on thanking him and Prov
idsnce that We were then and there, not foot
for wolves, but sound aud whole and--thnkine
about supper.
Horse stealing is an organized business in va
riOus parts of the Territory. 1t is an easy mat
ter to run tho horses off into the wilderness
sell out to Pixies Peak emigrants, and then re-
turn impudently for fresh supply. The tele
graph wires were cut between Leayenworth anC
Kansas City, and string tied in by the rascals
which, at a short distance, could not be distin
guished from the wire. 1t took four days ant
much experimenting to find the break.
So incensed have the settlers become agains
these lawless rovers, that whenever one is caugh
he is immediately strung up to limb of th'
nearest tree without trial OF ceremony.