The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1900-08-17
Camping .lsfe.

a nd Mrs b. r. Tatun, Mrs. L. N.
Hobbs and Miss Noble, Mrs. Chas.'
G. Noble and daughter, j. Nj. Lewis
and family and En-taee Smith started
for a point called Neil Woods, on the
Greenleaf ranch 40 miles south of
Ainsley.
An early start was made and the
first bait made on the Arkansas river
bridge on account of ''hot box" in
.dulged i" by the off hind wheel Of r.
r.. Edwards new trap. The warm
box performance was kept aP during
lie day at varying intervals and af-
torded plenty of excitement.
Camp was made at l2:30 o'clock, 81
mile, north of Gree rs burg, and after
lunch and rest the journey south
was resumed and Il short visit made
at Greens burg.
The drive over the divide after the
creek country was reached was
beautiful one. About five o'clock the
Gteenleaf ranch was reached and the
party directed to the camp.
The wagon. loaded with tents, pro-
visions and fishing tackle, driver
and cook, in charge of MesSrs. Tudor
Y. Donnell and Chas- X. Hine had
preceded the party one day.
Coming up over the brow of hill a
beautiful sight greeted the eyes of the
excursionists- The tents were pitched
in beautiful elm grove on the bank
of the Medicine 1t was an ideal spot
for a camp, with the harvest moon on
one side and the last glow of II glori-
Gus sunset on the other and an old
stone ruin of what had been The Neil
House.
Just step from the tents brought
fn thu honkS Ot tho Stro m xhifsh
rippled clear and shimmering over d
sandy bed, gividg the children beau
tiful beach for sand fun, under the
watchful eyes of the elders.
There we're plenty of pools for
swimming and fishing near the camp.
A walk of half mile brought one to
what is known as fossil hill; the petri
fed specimens of the ages that are no
more were of perpetual interest to the
children who made many trips there.
There was plenty of sleeping room
in the tents, but large number of the
picnicers preferred sleeping out in the
moonlight.
The first night out one of the gentle
men was quite ill, and this caused
some little anxiety. Mr. Jesse Green
leaf, who visited camp the first night,
extended kind invitation to bring
tRe lnVdllQ 10 mis- nome.
Friday was spent in loafing and
dreaming under green trees and be-
side clear water, reading and chatting.
Saturday morning the entire party
except five started for the old Tatum
ranch at the head of Thompson Greek.
r. E. Edwards and B. f. Tatum, two
of the old time cattle men who claimed
to know the entire country, were to
pilot the party. The country has been
fenced quite thoroughly since they
were residents. but they assured the
entire party that either of them could
go over to Tatum;s old ranch with
their eyes shut, so twenty cOnfiding
people started under their guidance on
the trip.
After considerable driving they
pointed out the south fork of Thomp-
sons creek: upon getting little near
er they decided that it WAS some other
stream and that South Fork came in
somewhere else. They pointed out
South Fork several times, and finally
the excursionists decided they were
lost. MIR. Tatum would SAY Il never
saw foot of this ground before. Mr..
Edwards declared he knew exactly
where he was at bat did not know how
to get out.
About this time they met a man with
salt wagon who gave them minute
directions, and again they lost them
selves. No one In the entire party
minded it, as the idea of these two old
time cattlemen being lost on their old
ranges was h good enough joke to
sustain every one for some time.
Finally they decided to take old
time tactics when they were lost, and
drive up on one of the divides, locate
themselves and then cut fences. They
cut about five to get out, and finally
reached The Old TaTum ranch now oc-
cupied by MIR. William j. Brown. He
has one of the finest show places in the
country. There are twenty fish ponds
stocked with fine fish, an orchard of
j. OOu trees, all sorts Of small fruit that
has produced abundantly. His spring
house is stone and she water is piped
from the milk house on into the DWELL
ing house.
Only IA few years since all the coun-
try was range and now there are
many fine farms with orchards.
On Sunday nearly the entire party
started in carriages for Rocky Draw
and were piloted by Jesse Gil eenleaf
accompanied by his wife and Mrs.
Watson. This is one of the most in
terestlng and picturesque regions in
the state. The rocks are a sandstone
formation and the natural coloring in
reds and browns, with the delicate
tracery of vines and patches of moss.