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As Ellen said, if that was the kind of Indian we should meet with
during the journey, then we need have little or no fear, for the
savages we saw at Independence were nothing more nor less than beggars,
who would greedily pick up and devour anything eatable that was thrown
at them. Eben Jordan made himself ridiculous by marching around armed
with a rifle, and a huge knife thrust in his belt, as if expecting each
instant to be called upon to defend his life.
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We were tired of the settlement, even before we had fairly arrived, and
after Ellen and I walked through the town, wondering not a little at
seeing a number of the houses and stores built entirely of brick, we
were content to return to our own encampment, which was about half a
mile out on the prairie.