a trading establishment. Beside
this, he has a fine farm and a considerable number of slaves. Indeed the
Shawanoes have made greater progress in agriculture than any other tribe
on the Missouri frontier; and both in appearance and in character form a
marked contrast to our late acquaintance, the Kansas.

A few hours' ride brought us to the banks of the river Kansas.
Traversing the woods that lined it, and plowing through the deep sand,
we encamped not far from the bank, at the Lower Delaware crossing. Our
tent was erected for the first time on a meadow close to the woods, and
the camp preparations being complete we began to think of supper. An old
Delaware woman, of some three hundred pounds' weight, sat in the porch
of a little log-house close to the water, and a very pretty half-breed
girl was engaged, under her superintendence, in feeding a large flock of
turkeys that were fluttering and gobbling about the door. But no offers
of money, or even of tobacco, could induce her to part with one of her
favorites; so I took my rifle, to see if the woods or the river could
furnish us anything. A multitude of quails were plaintively whistling
in the woods and meadows; but nothing appropriate to the rifle was to be
seen, except three buzzards, seated on the spectral limbs of an old dead
sycamore, that thrust itself out over the river from the dense sunny
wall of fresh foliage. Their ugly heads were drawn down between their
shoulders, and they seemed to luxuriate in the soft sunshine that was
pouring from the west. As they offered no epicurean temptations, I
refrained from disturbing their enjoyment; but contented myself with
admiring the calm beauty of the sunset, for the river, eddying swiftly
in deep purple shadows between the impending woods, formed a wild but
tranquillizing scene.

When I returned to the camp I found Shaw and an old Indian seated on the
ground in close conference, passing the pipe between them. The old man
was explaining that he loved the whites, and had an especial partiality
for tobacco. Delorier was arranging upon the ground our service of tin
cups and plates; and as other viands were not to be had, he set before
us a repast of biscuit and bacon, and a large pot of coffee. Unsheathing
our knives, we attacked it, disposed of the greater part, and tossed the
residue to the Indian. Meanwhile our horses, now hobbled for the first
time, stood among the trees, with their fore-legs tied together, in
great dis