n fact, there
was a good deal of the Indian look about him, except in his figure.
That was somewhat slouched, with arms and limbs of over-length, loosely
hung about it. Both, however, though not modelled after the Apollo,
were evidently full of muscle and tough strength, and looked as though
their owner could return the hug of a bear with interest. There was a
gravity in his look, but that was not from any gravity of spirits; it
was his swarth complexion that gave him this appearance, aided, no
doubt, by several lines of "ambeer" proceeding from the corners of his
mouth in the direction of the chin. So far from being grave, this dark
Kentuckian was as gay and buoyant as any of the party. Indeed, a light
and boyish spirit is a characteristic of the Kentuckian as well as of
all the natives of the Mississippi Valley--at least such has been my
observation.

Our Kentuckian was costumed just as he would have been upon a cool
morning riding about the "woodland" of his own plantation, for a
"planter" he was. He wore a "Jeans" frock, and over that a long-tailed
overcoat of the best green blanket, with side pockets and flaps. His
jeans pantaloons were stuck into a pair of heavy horse-leather pegged
boots, sometimes known as "nigger" boots; but over these were "wrappers"
of green baize, fastened with a string above the knees. His hat was a
"broad-brimmed felt," costly enough, but somewhat crushed by being sat
upon and slept in. He bestrode a tall raw-boned stood that possessed
many of the characteristics of the rider; and in the same proportion
that the latter overtopped his companions, so did the steed out-size all
the other horses of the cavalcade. Over the shoulders of the Kentuckian
were suspended, by several straps, pouch, horn, and haversack, and
resting upon his toe was the butt of a heavy rifle, the muzzle of which
reached to a level with his shoulder.

He was a rich Kentucky planter, and known in his native state as a great
deer-hunter. Some business or pleasure had brought him to Saint Louis.
It was hinted that Kentucky was becoming too thickly settled for him--
deer becoming scarce, and bear hardly to be found--and that his visit to
Saint Louis had something to do with seeking a new "location" where
these animals were still to be met with in greater plenty. The idea of
buffalo-hunting was just to his liking. The expedition would carry him
through the frontier country, where he might afterwards choose his
"