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Show 28 FBOX FORT LEAVENWORTH TO FORT KEARNY. four hundred oxen, ( five or six yoke to each team,) and about forty men. At night the wagons are drawn into a circle, in the open plain, away from any covert, and chained together by the wheels, leaving a small space. The cattle are driven, after feeding, into the enclosure thus formed, when the aperture is closed for the night, and a guard set. A very formidable little field- work is thus easily and rapidly constructed. In the morning and middle of the day the cattle are turned loose to graze, and a day- guard is detailed for their protection. This is the general mode adopted by travellers on the plains for the security of themselves and their property. The valley of the Little Blue has not presented any great novelty in the way of flowers. The only new plants met with have been a lupine, the flower of which, of a bright purple, rises directly from the root; the plant is totally leafless. A splendid variety of the mallow, of a bright carmine colour, its trailing stems sending up flowers in little patches of a few yards square, presented a rich and beautiful appearance, enlivening the monotony of the prairie by its brilliant hues. The aloe occurred in some places in abundance; and there were a few cacti, and a species of a leguminous plant was met with, having a flower of a pale purple colour, resembling a vetch; also a species of pale blue digitalis. Yesterday, being Sunday, was devoted to rest. Most of the people, however, availed themselves of the opportunity to take a hunt, as we had killed no game up to this time. In fact, we had had no opportunity, the game having been driven from the vicinity of the travelled route by the unintermitted stream of emigration which had already passed over the road. The result of their efforts was accordingly not very magnificent, the whole party bringing in only a duck, a musk- rat, a large snapping- turtle, and one miserably poor little antelope. The constant use of salt meat, without vegetables, had affected us all with a cutaneous irritation, to be allayed only by the use of fresh meat; and hence the arrival of this antelope, poor as it was, was hailed by our voyageurs with lively satisfaction. The little carcass was cut up and divided among the several messes, a portion being sent to our travelling companions; and it was amusing to see how soon every one was sedulously engaged in preparing this most welcome addition to our usual homely fare. The scene was picturesque: the camp- fires blazed in every direction, while around each might be seen a busy little group, boiling, roasting, and baking, in happy anticipation of their venison dinner; the |