The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-07-07
FROM THE WEST.

The following extracts are from a
letter of Emory Hayhurst, of this
city, who, as the extracts describe. is
travelling through the Western coun-
try, in company with Charley Fend-
rich, also of this city. The letter is
dated Parker, Montgomery County,
Kansas, June q, 1870. It says:
We left Fort Scott on the 9th inst,
on the evening train. for Baxter
Springs. All along the road there
were little towns, but none of import
ance. We arrived at the Springs at
about 8: 40 the same evening, after
ride of sixty FIVE miles.
We went up to the town, which is a
very small place, aud stopped about
fifteen minutes, when we started for
the country we are DOW in. Before
we got out Of sight Of town we con-
cluded to eat little supper, as we
had not eaten anything since we left
Fort Scott. We had nothing but
some dried beef and crackers, which
we had got in Fort Scott. and we ate
a small bit. l say small bit, as we
ouly had one aud a half pounds of
dried beef and two pounds of crack
ers, which had to last us until the fol-
lowing evening". After eating, we
then started on foot and walked until
10 o'clock, when We were tired, and
concluded to stop and lay down on
the open prairie and take a nap. So
we laid down on our overcoats, they
being all the clothing we had with US,
except what we wore; and so, as [
started to say, We laid down, but il
seemed impossible for me to get to
sleep. but finally did.
We slept until II o'clock. when a
wagon came along which woke me up.
[ did not say anything, but laid still
until the w9gon got out of sight, aud
then / woke Charley up and asked
him if we had not better walk on a
little, as was very cold, and he said
he was also; so we started on, and
walked until 2 o'clock; we then laid
down on the prairie grass, which is
about fifteen inches high, and lay un-
til 4 o'clock, when both being COW
cred with dew and feeling cold, con.
cluded to go on. We walked until
about 8 O'Clock, when We came to a
grove, with a small stream running
through it. Here we stopped until a
O'Clock P NJ, when we resumed our
walk, arriving at the Neosho River
and the small town of Chetop3.
The Neosho is a very swift stream
but only about as large as Pigeon
| Greek. We got across by helping a
man to load a wagon with lum Der,
and stayed all night at Chetopa, which
cost us four dollars. Up to that time
we had not seen an Indian that we
were certain were Indians. Well, we
left Chet0pa about 8 O'Clock in the
morning and walked until IL o'clock,
when we stopped to eat some bread
that being all we now had. and had to
buy that in Chetopa. After eating,
we started on and walked until Z
O'Clock In the afternoon. when we ar
rived at Snow Creek, which is TWEEN
ty-two miles from Chetopa. So being
tired, we concluded to stop there all
/ night. We only had two loaves oil
bread with US, and felt that we would
like to have some meat of some kind
so we heard these big green headed
bull frogs yelling, and as luck would
have it, we happened to have fishing
line with us, but had to find some
thing for bait.
Charley had a red handkerchiet
with him, and we cut small piece of
and put 1t on the hook, and in les
than five minutes we had the larges
frog L ever saw. We then built a gooC
fire, but hardly knew how to cook che
freq. After cutting the hind legs of
and skinning them, we got some sticks
and, running them through the legs
H~o rD1
them in that way; and L tell you they
went mighty good.
| After eating. we got wood to keep
fire all night, and lay down on oul
coats and went to sleep, but woult
wake up every little bit to put mor'
wood on the FIRE.
Finally morning came; about Z
o'clock it was daylight, and we de
termined to have more frogs, so vi
started to catch them. We went VI
a little distance and saw some, bu
they were on the other side of th,
creek, so | got to q narrow pace
jumped across and proceeded to ge
the frog, but as | got near, it wen
under, so I had to go back. When
. came to jump back one foot caught OIL
a bush aud tripped me. / fell SQUARE
into the creek fat on my face. anC
got wet all over. but we both kept OIL
: fishing after frogs and caught four. 81
l concluded to pull off my clothes
and dry them.
My boots were full Of water, and
pulled them of. laid them down b!
the fire, and burnt them nearly up
I burnt the back out of one boot, and
the shank out Of the other. but l con
cluded to make the best of it. W.
cot our frogs cooked, aud went to eat
, ing them, but they did not taste 81
good. and we had to quit eating. as i
made US both nearly sick; so we con
cluded to pack up and start again
, Ii vas then nine o'clock. Thursda,
morning, and we had eight miles t
81 before we arrived at this place
! We arrived at last, feeling very sor
all over. We got here at halt past /
: o'clock, and stopped to get dinner q
a boarding house. kept by Lero
! Neale. cousin of George L. Dixor