Page:Don Coronado through Kansas.djvu/149

138 138 SANTA rr. TnAi-.. ^elds." Is it not strange tlia.t the :iaT!'^ "Tpn?.'^'^ ii admitted to be the name of a river known in 18:5(5 when Clark visited it? Clark Creek is to commemo- rate his visit. Also in 1848, Fremont was there. How appropriatfe is the name "Ne-o-sho," or "stream with water in it." History tells of the beautiful springs which abound; and there is a prominent look- out place near by which made an ideal spot to watch tor herds of wild game or enemies. The same work cited here tells of Rock Creek, formerly being named "Ne-oo-its-ah-ba," which means "Dead Man's Greek." This name was given to it by the Indians on account of the terrible slaughter that once took place upon its banks between the two tribes of hostile Indians; so it is not unreasonable to conjecture that the natives seen were a hunting party. It may seem slow progress on the part of our explorers, but twenty miles a day is not a bad pace, all things considered. Of course it is easy to ride a horse sixty miles a day and the same horse can keep it up many days; but he must have grain, and you should remember that our i^arfcy had provisions with them, presents for the king and his lords, and many other articles, 6o their beasta of burden could only walk. They lived, too, on the grass without grain, and had to be given time to feed during the day as weU as through the night; of course, a horse without grain soon becomes weak and has very little endur- ance; so considering everything, that was a good gait. Then again, remember the steps were counted and recorded with great care to make their reckoning of distance traveled. This was the scientific part of ^be