Following the river east, claims became more and more numerous until we arrived at Wichita, when we found the whole valley settled up, and were surprised to see the great buffalo-range of so few years ago bearing upon its bosom great fields of rich, golden grain. Going west toward the mountains, the farmers became fewer and fewer, and the valley and plain are left to the stock-men. About sunset thousands of cattle may be seen coming in to water from all directions, until the whole valley is a moving mass. The plain is high and dry, covered with a thick growth of buffalo-grass, and perfectly destitute of all else. Not even a _bush_ can be seen except along the streams or little lakes, which are often forty and fifty miles apart. The cattle and all wild animals range along the water, feeding five and six miles out upon the plain. The waters on the plains stand in pools, in long, deep arrowas; and in the spring, when the snow melts in the mountains, the water courses its way through these gulches toward the rivers. The _rest_ of the year they are but _pools_; and these seldom dry up. Crossing over the dry plain from one water to another, a journey of often a couple of days, without seeing so much as a wolf to break the monotony, it is needless to say that upon coming into one of the valleys it appears like entering a paradise. Having spent several weeks hunting over these parts, it was now the latter part of September, and we prepared to start south for a buffalo hunt. 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. When the October sun was creeping from the horizon and the melancholy winds were roaring over the dry, brown prairie, two young men of Montgomery County, Ohio,--Charles Wonderly and David Lesher,--came out on the train and met us at Granada. Being now a party of four, we were well prepared, and went to Las Animas to lay in supplies for a buffalo campaign. We bought flour, meal, salt, pepper, tobacco, etc., and a few sacks of _corn_ to feed our horses when the winter’s snow had come. We also took a keg of brandy, for _snake-bites_, and enough ammunition to kill everything in Texas. We then came east, into the Arkansas Valley, intending to strike south from Granada. When we got within fifteen miles of Granada some cow-boys came riding up the valley, spurring their ponies to their utmost, and warning settlers that a band of _Cheyennes_ had been seen down the river. Great excitement prevailed for the safety of the wives and children, who--there being but a few families--were hurried to the ranche of Captain Irwin. We brought our ponies under the cover of our guns, and took quarters in the same _adobe_ hut.