The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1870-07-15
A TRIP TO WICHITA AND THE MN
NESCAH.

ed with our inevitable alpacas, and q
well stored dinner box.
4 We took last lingering look of EN-
poria from jacobs Mound, sixteen miles
distant During the P. NJ. we passed
and met forty wagons, chiefly laden
with lumber, bound for the Southwest.
4 We camped for the night below
MitchelI's, in company with Messrs.
Williams and Cunningham. We imme-
diately entered into friendly compact
not to criticise each others good looks
on account of the dust. Next day we
passed Mercer and Sycamore Springs.
At Mercer we ran to the top of the hill
and looked down vertical wall of
smooth stone, at least thirty feet, shaded
fish scenery in Kansas prairie. At
i Sycamore, large spring gushes from
beneath the roots of a branching tree,
; which is fairly embroidered with names,
showing that some people know how to
; get their names up in the world. We
found Eldorado. all right-our first
greeting was a fine view of two Irish
men holding OR. r. Meeting" over a
bottle. A mile beyond, we found Cave
Springs fine place to camp. A flight
of rough stone steps leads down to a
pool of water from which flows a large
stream under the rocks. It was deli
cious1y refreshing to gaze upon. About
noon the next day, the Arkansas River
came in sight. Shanties appeared on
every hill. The first we passed possess
ed half n roof and part of three sides.
In case of rain we thought some things
might become damaged. There we had
fine view of the Arkansas Valley.
Arriving at the "Dr's." we found his
usually hospitabIe domicile barred and
bolted. We felt 'Ecircumwented," as
Sam Weller hath it, but showed our
innate burglar talent by effecting an en-
trance, by the use of ladder, over the
lower sash of second story window.
Imagine the surprise of the family on
returning to find their citadel thus peo-
pied. Towards night we heard of n
proposed buffalo hunt and decided to
join the party, to start at once. Supper
was eaten, dinner box packed, and we
were soon following the track of the
hunters, expecting to overtake them at
Peck's, seven miles distant. Night came
on before we reached there, SO we stop
ped at an empty house and prepared to
camp. Men soon appeared. While one
was drawing water, r. asked for some
to drink. at don't taste very well" he
said. apolegetically. "We clean it out
every morning, but it tastes" ''What
of? bugs ?"tquoth r. eyes IN, bugs (;
that's just what it tastes Of" r. wasn't
thirsty. We found that the two occu-
pants were q Vermont Union soldier
and the other South Carolina Rebel.
We aroused, gathered ourselves out of
sawdust, shavings &C., at half past three
in the morning and proceeded up the
Little Arkansas. After crossing we
beheld the hunters, nine in number,
whom we will allow to introduce them
selves as the story continues. After
eating hasty breakfast, we started up
the Great Arkansas River and nearly
parallel with it. At Park City we were
met by an immense delegation of Buffalo
gnats Like the sword of Gazul, they
"pierced through hide and hair" We
found few new varieties of flowers,
beautiful crimson mallows, spiderwort
of dazzling blue, and the delicate, rose
colored, sensitive brier. Lead plant and
buffalo clover abounded. We crossed
tile Arkansas twenty five miles from
Wichita. The first team fioundered con-
siderably in the quicksand, causing no
small commotion in the minds of the
girls, butno more trouble was experience
ed. We were now beyond all civiliza-
ton. One of the horsemen rode to the
top of the hill and rushed back with the
cry of Buffalo, Sure enough, there was
buffalo, about three miles away. The
DR.. took the spy-glass-''Ye that is q
bufaIol The Captain took the glass
eyes, that is q three-year old buffalof
eWhy, Cap'in, how can you tell so fan
OFF," "By the wrinkles on his horns,
quoth he. 81 can see him wink" said
Dan. eyes," said the Rev. DIR. 81 car
see him switch his tall" "Well boys,
said the Captain, "just say SO, and III
bring him in for dinner They said
so, and three of the most valiant
rode after him, while we proceeded tc
make ready for the buffalo steak. Ii
half an hour the hunters returned say
ing, in disgust, 1T tcds ctIole IN, the ground
It was supposed that the buffalo, seeing
, no escape possible, sunk to some q. G
r. r., and left the hole where he went in
Our dry dinner was eaten with solemn
countenances, and we resumed our jour
ney-seeing nothing new but a beaver
and several sticks cut off by the busy
workers. We stopped to fill our Jug
! with pure water, consisting of mud
: polliwogs &c. and then arose quite :
discussion about Beecher's sermons
whether they were published in the In
8 dependent, Christian Union or Ply
mouth Pulpit. From this place w,
struck west, with the comfortable pros
9 pect of no more water till noon mex
day. The heat was intense-130 deg. il
sun, we guessed-faces burned, almos
= blistered. We were fairly on the plains
everything looked desolate; no tim
Der; short grass and endless hills
Soil consisted of blue and red clay, will
, some very fine gravel. The countr!
!, seemed to lie up close to the sun, and, a
:, the DR.. said, to have been cursed for tn,
sins of a former race. We passed
communist village of prairie dog
: and owls, and, farther on, saw bald ca
gle. Night came on. We fortunatel!
found water and concluded to camp
:. having seen no buffalo, only their path
and wallows. Antelope were also nu
: merous. The Captain ordered thu
: teams to be corraled, remarking tina
he "never looked for snow storm il
a July, but such things had happened an,
: it was best to be ready" CTbe girl
g thought he meant Indians.) After re
. firing, we were RECALLED with yelpini
i from the wolves and the talk of tn
IS campers, of which we give extracts
!, Which way 3 north ?" "Yonder, don
e you see the north star with those tw
pointing towards it?" t'Used to know
Ie a good many stars-there is Sirius an
, Orion s'Who's that lecturing on as