Saddle and Mocassin

AUTHOR OF IN A LONDON SUBURB, WAR, WAVES, AND WANDERINGS.

CHARLES DICKENS AND EVANS, CRYSTAL PALACE PRESS.

AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF THE LATE FRANCIS FRANCIS (AUTHOR OF A BOOK ON ANGLING, ETC., ETC., ETC.), AN OLD-FASHIONED SPORTSMAN SANS PEUR ET SANS REPROCHE.

The following sketches were made at different times and during various cruises in the States. The earlier ones are fairly close records of the scenes and incidents which they profess to describe. My movements in the country referred to in the two latter were, however, too desultory to admit of similar treatment; in some cases I traversed the same ground two or three times, and remained for weeks without gleaning anything that would be of interest to the ordinary reader. In the trips detailed in this part of the book, therefore, I have occasionally introduced characters and materials that do not strictly belong in the situations assigned to them. In fact, my object has been rather to present two characteristic studies of local colour than bare records of the travels that afford a pretext for them.


SADDLE AND MOCASSIN.
Wal, sir, I tell you that that thar Yellowstone Park and them geysers is jest indescribable—that's what they are, sure! said all the packers, teamsters, and prospectors whom we consulted on the subject.