Page:Don Coronado through Kansas.djvu/178

15 MILES AN HOUR IN CANOE. 167 picked up on the bluSs. Some have been seen ia. Ellis County, which puts one to guessing how they were formed, especially mica, which nature has moulded into maryelous shapes. The location referred to is on the high bluffs south of the Saline river near PlainviUe. Well, the children's attire are asked about; They were as born, therefore it does not take long to enum- erate what their garments consisted of. It is in the magnificent valley of the Kansas river where our party is making towards one of the princi- pal cities of Quivira, and as they approach they are met by a large concourse of people, for the news has spread not only to the clan Kansas, but messengers have sped to the Osage villages along the Osage river; also the Pawnees have been informed of the presence of the strangers. It will appear incredible the short- ness of time it took to get word to the people of the country, but here is how it was done: The principal town was located a little east of Manhattan on the Kan- sas river, so canoes were used to spread the news along the Kansas and Missouri rivers; and mind you, al- though it is about 125 mUes from Manhattan to the mouth of the river, and the meandering of the stream making it at least 200 miles, and considering the speed of a canoe, as it was going down stream, fif- teen miles an hour was not considered very fast, for at times twenty miles an hour could be made; and when you consider what a frail, Hght craft was used, your wonder will cease. The Indians of the forest used birch bark and other desirable bark to construct their boats with, but our Buffalo Indians could not