one vast sweep, extending as far as the eye could reach. Even that luxuriant natural growth, known popularly as the "Prairie Grass" which was found further east, had given place to a new variety. An occasional wood-pile or water-tank, watched by two or three men and a squad of soldiers constituted the railway stations. A dilapidated freight car answered the double purpose of sleeping quarters and defence for the railway employees, while the soldiers occupied a few tents outside.

The reader has frequently heard of the great American Plains yet very few have ever seen them and consequently the idea the term conveys is any thing but a correct conception of their natural character or their vast extent. Four hundred and twenty two miles west of the Mississipi, at St. Louis, or the ninety seventh meridian, these Plains properly begin. For a distance of nearly five hundred miles westward, or to the one hundred and fifth meridian, this vast and monotonous region stretches away to the base of the Rocky Mountains. It extends from the Red River in the south, to the Nebraska or Platte in the north, a distance of fully five hundred miles, or from latitude thirty-four to forty one degrees. This immense region embraces the western portion of the Indian Territory, western Kansas, southern Nebraska, eastern Colorado, eastern New Mexico and north-western Texas. With the exception of the beautiful and fertile strip of country between the Red and the Washita rivers and a few isolated and limited vallies, the country presents no features of configuration to interest the eye and no qualities of soil to invite the settler. Wave after wave rolls in endless sameness, an ocean of earth, terminating where its billows strike the immense mountain walls on the west. The soil generally is composed of an extremely sandy loam, with extensive patches of gravel, red clay and shale. Here and there are met surface indications of large beds of gypsum, and strata of sandstone and limestone.

Five large streams having their fountains within or near the spurs of the Rocky mountains, flow the entire width of the Plains, from west to east. These are the Republican, the Arkansas, the Çimmaron, the Canadian and the Red. There are four lesser

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streams, the Solomon, the Smokey Hill, the north Fork of the Canadian and the Washita. Besides these, innumerable tributaries answering more the purposes of an extensive system of drainage during the rainy season, than permanently flowing curtents, are to be found every where.

A peculiar feature of all the plains streams, is the effect of the seasons upon their size. During the summer the largest rivers dwindle into utter insignificance and the fact that they were ever anything more, is only observable by their dry sandy bed covered when the streams are swelled by the melting snows and spring rains. When the larger streams are effected by the excessive lack of rain, it is easy to imagine that the tributaries and smaller water courses are lost entirely. It frequently happens that the water loses itself in the sand and at intervals of a few miles will rise again to the surface, forming a chain of ponds with no apparent communication with each other. In some of the streams the water is exceedingly impregnated with alkaline substances and is very unpalatable, as well as injurious to either man or beast. This is particularly the case with the Cimmaron

region.

Timber is the rare exception, rather than the common representative of the vegetable kingdom of the plains. The traveler pursues his way for mile after mile, without seeing a single tree, nor even a shrub. Where trees are found at all, is upon the banks of some of the larger streams and then a very sparse growth. The Indian when it is possible establishes the seat of his families where wood and brush are to be had, while his hunting-parties build their fires of buffalo chips. The emigrant trails have generaly been laid out with a view to the streams presenting the advantages of timber and water.

The only vegetation which thrives, is a tenacious, diminutive, but very nutritious growth called the "buffalo grass" and by some set down as a variety of mosquito. With this grass the entire country is covered, until within a short distance of the mountains where the sage brush predominates.

The traveler in passing over this country naturally asks him

self the question, will this immense domain forever remain a barren waste? Extreme heats and sand storms in summer and terrific visitations of winds, snow and rain in winter are certainly not climatic considerations the most inviting. The hot winds of summer, have repeatedly demonstrated the precarious tenure of any vegetable growth, except the buffalo grass. This grass driving its roots far down into the earth, seems in this manner to derive ample moisture to keep up the requisite supply. To look at the buffalo grass not over an inch in height and really resembling moss rather than what its name indicates, persons unfamiliar with its nutritious qualities would at once remark the country as worthless as a desert, though experienced frontiersmen declare that the time is not far off when stock grazing on these very plains will be a profitable and extensive employment and lands now considered not worth taking as a gift, will have their value. If this prove correct, these plains alone will graze enough cattle to feed half a dozen states. It is certain they afford sustenance to vast herds of buffaloes, which keep in wonderfully fine condition.

As daylight dawned on our way towards Fort Hays, several dark indefinable spots on the horizon were pointed out as small herds of buffalo. They were entirely too far distant to enable us to make a minute examination of the monstrous beast. We who had never yet had the pleasure of feasting our eyes upon a live buffalo, excepting some unfortunate representative of the species in a menagerie, were left at least to the gratifying reflection that we had some evidence that there were buffaloes in the country and that such an animal had an existence, and we a very good prospect of verifying the fact.

It was not long before several shots fired from the window of the forward car created some excitement. As the savages had appeared in sight of the railroad several days before, each man seized his rifle which he loaded and kept near at hand ready for a brush. In the car in which I was seated I observed twenty-five stand of arms, breech-loading rifles, and a large chest of metallic centre primed needle-cartridges, provided by

the railroad company, for the use of the employees to defend their trains against Indian attacks.

As soon as the firing commenced several of the train men rushed into the car in which I was seated, snatched a rifle from the rack, rammed a couple of handsful of cartridges in their pockets and darted back again into the forward car.

At this juncture as I thought things were getting serious I re-examined my own rifle, buckled on a pair of pistols, slung my cartridge box over my shoulder and started forward to look into the cause of all the commotion. At this moment a shout "Buffalo crossing the track" was heard and bang! bang! bang! simultaneously went several pieces. Poking my head out of the car window I observed a small herd of six buffalo bulls running at full speed parallel with the train, about a hundred yards ahead and not more than sixty feet from the track. The stupid animals seemed bent upon crossing, but finding the locomotive pursuing too closely, at the last moment turned and attempted to get out of reach. While the pursuit was going on, a number of shots were fired but without effect. As the herd left the track, the engineer slackened the speed of the train. A fusilade now began in earnest. Each person vied with the other in firing the most shots. Two of the animals were wounded, one mortally. The locomotive whistled "down breaks." Without waiting for the train to stop every one, engineer, conductor, brakesman and passengers, leaving only the fireman, jumped off the cars and gave chase. The wounded buffalo still on his feet, with great effort was trying to make his escape. He had been shot in the thigh and though retarded, made good progress, when another ball taking effect in the other leg, let his hind-quarters down upon the ground. Nothing daunted the wounded animal made every exertion to drag himself 'off, on his two fore feet, when a ball under the shoulder put an end to his sufferings and his efforts to rejoin his companions. A cheer wound up the railroad chase, when the busy knives of "professionals" in hipjoint operations, soon had the "rumps" severed and after cutting out the tongues and a few strips of "hump" the rest of the

two immense carcasses were left as a dainty and abundant repast for the wolf. The meat was put on the train, and again we continued our journey. Both the animals killed were bulls, and, judging from the rings on their horns and their long shaggy manes, had already outlived the ordinary life-time of their specics.

Without further delay at about noon the train reached Hays city. Here for the present was the termination of my journey. Hays city was, and probably is still if not migrated further west as is a peculiar habit of plains towns, located on the railroad, three hundred miles from the eastern state line of Kansas and five hundred and eighty three miles west of St. Louis. Its population, composed of Americans, Germans, Swiss, French, Jews, Mexicans, and a few women, numbered not more than two hundred souls. The place when the terminus of the road, could have mustered a much stronger force, but with the railroad, all the restless spirits pushed farther west. Even the houses were taken down and carried to Phil Sheridan station, a hundred miles away. The houses still standing at the time of my visit were the depot, the hotel, a dozen "rum holes" and a few shops, mainly kept by Jews, a drug store, a lawyer's office and the post-office. These were all built of wood in the most economical manner, frequently with canvas roofs. The citizens occupied "doabee" huts and tents.

Wonderful stories of an excessively sanguinary character were told me concerning the early ages of Hays city, that was about twelve months before. Drunken brawls, murders and robberies, were the every day enjoyment of the citizens.