Year: 1859

OWLS, fRAlRlE-DOGS AND ANTEL0PES.


would match this station and its surroundings
against any other scene on our continent for desc
lation. From the high prairie over which we ap-
proach it, you overlook a grand sweep of treeless
desert, through the middle of which flows the
Republican, usually in several shallow streams SEN
arated by sandbars or isets-aits whole volume
being far less than that of the Mohawk at Utica,
though 1t has drained above this point an aeuua
TO that OF Connecticut. of the few scrubby cot
tonwoods lately covering under the bluffs Mt this
point most have been cut for the uses of the sta
ton, though logs for its embryo house are drawn
from little clump, eight miles distant A broad
bed OF sand indicates that the volume of water is
sometimes hundred fold its present amount
though it will doubtless soon be far less than it now
Is. Its average depth cannot now exceed six
inches. On every hand, and for many miles above
and below, the country above the bluffs is such AS
we have passed over this morning. A dead mule
bitten in the jaw this morning by a rattesnake-
lies here as II to complete the scene. Of the track
to Pixies Peak, all is drearv, solitude and silence


speaking OF RattlesnakeS-I hasten to retract
the skepticiSm avowed in Il former letter as to the
usual and welcome residence of these vcnomous
serpents in the Prairie-Dog's burrow. The evi-
dence OF the fact is too direct and reliable to be
gainsayed. A credible witness tesifes that he and
others once undertook to drown out Prairie Dog
IN his domicil, and when sufficient water had been
rapidly poured in, out came a Prarie-Dog an Owl
and Rattesnake all together. In another case a
tremendous ram raised creek so that it suddenly
overfiowed PrairieDog town, when the general
stampede of Prairie-DOgs, Owls and Rattlesnakes
was sight to behold. It's idle to attempt holding
out against facts; so have pondered this anomaly
until think clearly comprehend it, The case is
much like that OF some newspaper establishments
whose prOprietors it is said, find it convenient to
keep on their staff ga broth of a boy" from Tin
perary, standing six feet two in his stockings and
measuring yard or more across the Culders
who stands ready, with an Elegant brogue twin
kle in his eye and hickory saplng firmly grasped
IN his dexter fist to respond all choleric per
emptory customers, who call of a morning, hot
with wrath and bristling with cowhide, to demand
parley with the editor. The Cayota is gentle
man of an inquiringy investigating turn who is an
adept at excavation. and whose fondness for Prai-
rie-Dog is more ardent than fattering. To dig
one out and digest him would be an easy task if he
were alone in his den, or with only the Owl as his
partner; but when the firm is known to be Prairie
Dog, Rattesnake Il Co., the Cayota's passion for
subterranean researches is materially cooled
The Rattlesnake is to the concern what the Fight
ing Editor is to the journalistic organizations afore-
said. And thus, while my faith is enlarged, is nv
reason satisfied.


word now on the Antelope. liked him when
first saw him, days ago; then wished for bet
ter acquaintance, which wish has since been graft
he'd; and since | dined with him (that is, off hm)
my esteem has rpened into affection. OF the many
antelopes have seen, judge majority consider
ably larger than the deer of our Eastern forests
not so tall nor (perhaps) so long, but heavier in
body while hardly less swift less graceful in mo-
ton. He is the only animal l have seen here
that may justly boast of either grace or beauty
His flesh is tender and delicate-the choicest eating
have found in Kansas.-H G.