Produced by Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images available at The Internet Archive) [Illustration: Sketch of author George W. Romspert & signature] THE WESTERN ECHO: A DESCRIPTION OF THE Western States and Territories _OF THE UNITED STATES_. AS GATHERED IN A TOUR BY WAGON. BY GEORGE W. ROMSPERT. [Illustration: colophon] DAYTON, OHIO: United Brethren Publishing House. 1881. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1881, By G. W. ROMSPERT, In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C. ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE. FRONTISPIECE. THE PRAIRIE FIRE 111 INDIAN CRUELTY 131 THE MOUNTAIN LAKE 282 SCENE IN THE SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAINS 361 SAN FRANCISCO BAY 386 CONTENTS PAGE. PREFACE 11 INTRODUCTION 13 PART I. CHAPTER I. Start from Dayton--Coal-Mine--Indianapolis--Illinois Roads--Springfield--Crops--Poor Water--Missouri River--Enter Iowa--Enter Missouri--Kansas City--Des Moines Valley and City--Western Iowa--Fourth of July at Lewis--Council Bluffs 17 CHAPTER II. Omaha--Homestead Land--Coming Onto the Plains--Cold Winds--Platte Valley--Republican Forks--Fort Wallace--Big Sandy--Old Battle-Ground--Arkansas Valley--Irrigation Farming 41 CHAPTER III. Arrival of Lesher and Wonderly--Our Start South--First Buffalo Herd--Cimaron River--Strayed Team--Old Hunters--How to Hunt Buffaloes--Wolf Hunt--Prairie Fire--Herd at Ten-Mile Creek--Blizzard--Find a Frozen Man--Hide Season Ends 73 CHAPTER IV. Summer Trip Through the South--Indian Agencies--Canadian River--Lion Fight--Red River--Double Mountain--Staked Plains--Pecos River--Indian Skirmish--Santa Fe, New Mexico--Return to the Arkansas Valley--Description of the Plains--Mirage--Dangers of the Prairie--Wild Horses and How Captured--Creasing Animals 128 CHAPTER V.