Sunday, 6th. An unusual number of wolves and jackals hovered around our encampment of last night, attracted probably by the smell of the meat. Resumed our journey on a fine cloudless morning, with a strong and highly agreeable breeze from the south. We were now traversing the great bend of the river.103 Travelled twenty-three miles to-day, and shot two bulls, which were now poor, and their flesh of a disagreeable rank taste and scarcely eatable; we therefore contented ourselves with the tongues and marrow-bones.
Monday, 7th. The mercurial column of the thermometer at sunrise, for a few days past, has ranged [66] between 42 and 67 degrees, and the atmosphere is serene and dry. The services of the two French Pawnee interpreters, Bijeau and Ledoux, had terminated, agreeably to their contract, at Purgatory Creek; but having been highly serviceable to us on our route, it became desirable, particularly on the departure of our companions for Red river, that they should accompany us still farther, until we should have passed beyond the great Indian war-path, here so widely outspread. This they readily consented to, as they regarded a journey from that point to their home, at the Pawnee villages, as somewhat too hazardous to be prudently attempted by only two individuals, however considerable their qualifications, and intimate their familiarity with the manners of those whom they would probably meet.
But as we now supposed ourselves to have almost reached the boundary of this region, and they again expressed their anxiety to return to their village, in order to prepare for their autumnal hunt, we no longer attempted to induce their further delay. They departed after breakfast, on a pathless journey of about three hundred miles, the supposed distance from this point to the Pawnee villages of the Platte, apparently well pleased with the treatment they had received, and expressing a desire again to accompany us, should we again ascend the Missouri. We cannot take leave of them, without expressing our entire approbation of their conduct and deportment, during our arduous journey; Bijeau, particularly, was faithful, active, industrious, and communicative. Besides the duties of guide and interpreter, he occasionally and frequently volunteered his services as hunter, butcher, cook, veterinarian, &c., and pointed out various little services, tending to our comfort and security, which he performed with pleasure and alacrity, and which no other than one long habituated to this mode of life would have devised. During leisure intervals, he had communicated an historical narrative of his life and [67] adventures, more particularly in as far as they were relative to the country which we have been exploring. He particularized the adventures of Choteau and Demun's hunting and trading party; their success in beaver hunting, the considerable quantity of merchandize they took with them, their adventures with the natives, and the singular circumstances attendant on their capture by the Mexican Spaniards, and the transfer of the merchandize to Santa Fé, without however venturing to express any conjectures relative to the latter transaction.104 Much still more important information was derived from him concerning the manners and habits of these mountain Indians, their history, affinities, and migrations.
A copious vocabulary of words of the Pawnee language was obtained from Ledoux, together with an account of the manners and habits of that nation. All these, however, composed a part of the manuscripts of Mr. Say, that were subsequently carried off by deserters from our camp.
Travelled this day twenty-seven miles. The soil is becoming in many districts more exclusively sandy; the finer particles of which, driven by the wind, have formed numerous large hillocks on the opposite side of the river, precisely resembling those which are accumulated on our sea-coast. On the northern side, or that which we are traversing, the prairie still offers its unvaried flatness and cheerless barrenness, so that during a portion of the day's journey not a solitary bush, even on the river bank, relieved the monotonous scene before us.
Tuesday, 8th. Proceeded early, and at the distance of twelve miles, crossed a creek of clear running water, called by Bijeau Demun's Creek,105 from the circumstance of that hunter losing there a fine horse. At a considerable distance above, its stream was slightly fringed with timber, but at our crossing place, it was like the neighbouring part of the river to which it contributed, entirely destitute of trees. Our journey [68] this day was a distance of 24½ miles; towards evening we crossed another creek,106 over which, being much backed up by the river, we experienced some difficulty in effecting a passage, and were obliged, with this view, to ascend its stream some distance. It was moderately timbered, and amongst other trees we observed the elm and some plum trees, bearing fruit nearly ripe.
Wednesday, 9th. During these few days past, the bisons have occurred in vast and almost continuous herds, and in such infinite numbers as seemed to indicate the great bend of the Arkansa as their chief and general rendezvous. As we pass along, they run in an almost uninterrupted line before us. The course of our line being parallel to that of the Arkansa, when we are travelling at the distance of a mile or two from the river, great herds of these animals were included between us and it; as the prevailing wind blew very obliquely from our left towards the river, it informed them of our presence by the scent which it conveyed. As soon as the odour reached even the farthest animal, though at the distance of two miles on our right, and perhaps half a mile in our rear, he betrayed the utmost alarm, would start into a full bounding run to pass before us to the bluffs, and as he turned round the head of our line, he would strain every muscle to accelerate his motion. This constant procession of bulls, cows, and calves of various sizes, grew so familiar to us at length, as no longer to divert our view from the contemplation of other objects, and from the examination of the comparatively more minute, but certainly not less wonderful works of nature. The white wolves and jackals, more intelligent than their associates, judging by the eye of the proximity of danger, as well as by their exquisite sense of smelling, either dashed over the river, or unhesitatingly crossed our scent in the rear, and at an easy pace, or dog-trot, chose the shortest route to the bluffs.
[69] The soil of the afternoon journey was a deep fine white sand, which rendered the travelling very laborious, under the debilitating influence of an extreme temperature of 94 degrees of Fahrenheit's scale, and affected the sight, by the great glare of light which it so freely reflected. The chief produce of these tracts of unmixed sand is the sunflower, often the dense and almost exclusive occupant. The evening encampment was formed at the junction of a small tributary with the river, at a distance of about twenty-four miles from the last-mentioned creek.107 The very trifling quantity of timber supported by the immediate bank of the river in this region, is almost exclusively the cotton-wood; we are therefore gratified to observe on this creek, besides the elm, the walnut, mulberry, and ash, which we hail with a hearty welcome, as the harbingers of a more productive territory.
Termination of the Great Bend of the Arkansa—Ietan War-party—Little Arkansa—Red River Fork—Little Neosho and Little Verdigrise Creeks.
Thursday, 10th. The great bend of the Arkansa terminates here;108 and as our horses have fed insufficiently for several days past, we lay by for the day to give them an opportunity of recruiting themselves. A S.S.E. wind prevailed, and at noon exerted a considerable force; the extreme degree of heat was 96 degrees. The hunters brought in a deer and bison.
Friday, 11th. Left the encampment at the confluence of the creek and proceeded onwards. The sandy soil and growth of sunflowers still continue on the river bottoms, and the surface of the opposite bank still swells into occasional hillocks of naked sand. The rice bird (emberiza oryzivora, L.) was feeding on the seeds of the sunflower, and the bald eagle was seen sailing high in the air.
We have hitherto generally been able to procure a sufficient supply of small drift-wood for our culinary purposes, but at this noon-day halting-place we were obliged to despatch a man across the river to collect enough to kindle a fire. From our evening encampment not a tree was within the range of sight.
This day was extremely warm, the mercury at three o'clock indicating 96 degrees, a temperature not decreased by a nimbus in the west, pouring rain, with some thunder. In the evening, silent lightning played beautifully amongst the mingled cirrostratus and cumulus clouds with which the heavens became overcast. In the afternoon, we passed the termination of the sand-hills of the opposite shore. A fine male [71] antelope was shot by Lieut. Swift, and a skunk was also the game of the day. Distance, twenty-five miles.
Saturday, 12th. Passed over a very wide bottom, of which the soil, when not too sandy, produces a most luxuriant growth of grasses and other plants; but the river is still in a great measure destitute of trees, of which we passed but three during the morning's ride, and not a bush over the height of about two and a half feet, being a few willows and barren plum bushes. We were again gratified with the appearance of the prairie fowl running nimbly before us through the grass, the first we have seen since leaving the Platte. The bisons have now very much diminished in number; we passed, unheeded, within a few yards of a young bull, whose glazed eye and panting respiration showed the operation of some malady; and it was curious to observe, that though he stood erect and firmly on his legs, the wolves, which fled on our approach, acquainted with his defenceless condition, surrounded him in considerable numbers, awaiting his dissolution, and probably watching their opportunity to accelerate it.
The afternoon was calm, and the mercury, at its greatest elevation, stood at 99 degrees. Soon after our departure from our resting-place of noon, we observed a large herd of bisons on our left, running with their utmost rapidity towards us, from the distant bluffs. This was a sufficient warning to put us on our guard against another unwelcome war-party. Looking attentively over the surface of the country in that direction, a mounted Indian was observed to occupy an elevated swell of the surface, at the distance of a mile from us. Our peace-flag was, as usual, immediately displayed, to let him know that we were white people, and to induce him to come to us, whilst we halted to wait for him. Assured by this pacific display, he approached a short distance, but again halted, as if doubting our intentions. Julien was then sent forward towards him bearing the flag, to [72] assure him of our friendship. The Indian now advanced, but with much caution, and obliquely, from one side to the other, as if beating against the wind. Another Indian was now observed advancing rapidly, who joined his companion. After some communication, by means of signs, with Julien, to ascertain who we were, they approached within gun-shot of us, and halting, desired to shake hands with our chief; after this ceremony they rode to an elevated ground, in order to give information to their party, which, during this short interview, we had discovered at a long distance towards the bluffs, drawn up in line, in a conspicuous situation. One of the horsemen halted whilst his companion rode transversely twice between him and the party. This telegraphic signal was immediately understood by the party, that consequently came on towards us. But their movement was so tardy, that it required the exertion of the greater part of our stock of patience to wait their coming, under the ardour of the heated rays of the sun, to which we were exposed. They seemed peaceably disposed, and desired to accompany us to the river bank, in order to smoke with us; but such was the scarcity of timber, that we were unable to avail ourselves of the shade of a single tree.
We now ascertained that they were an Ietan or Camanch109 (a band of the Snake Indians) war-party, thirty-five in number, of whom five were squaws. They had marched to attack the Osages, but were surprised in their camp of night before last, by a party of unknown Indians. In the skirmish that ensued, they lost three men, and had six wounded. They however escaped under cover of the darkness, with the further loss of fifty-six horses, and all their clothing, which were captured by the enemy.110 They were indeed in a naked condition, being destitute of robes, leggings, and mockasins; with nothing to cover their bodies at night, or to protect them from the influence of the sun during the day. The squaws, however, had [73] managed to retain their clothing, and one of the warriors had preserved an article of dress, resembling a coat, half red and half blue, ornamented with beads on the sleeves and shoulders. The usual decoration of beads about the neck and in the hair and ears were preserved, and one warrior only was painted with vermilion. The hair of several was matted into flat braids with red clay, and one individual had seven or eight pieces of the pearl shell suspended from his ears, so highly valued by these Indians. In every particular of form and feature, they were undistinguishable from the Kiawas, Kaskaias, and Arrapahoes. Much attention was devoted to the wounded, who were each accommodated with a horse, of which animals eight had been fortunately retained. These objects of sympathy were assisted in alighting from their horses with great tenderness, particularly one of them, who was shot through the body. Another of them, who was one of the two mounted spies that first approached us, had lost his brother in the late battle; and to prove the sincerity of his grief for his loss, he had cut more than one hundred parallel transverse lines on his arms and thighs, of the length of from three to four inches, deep enough to draw blood, and so close to each other that the width of the finger could not be interposed between any two of them.
They were armed with bows and arrows, lances and shields, and thirteen guns, but by far the greater number carried lances. They begged stoutly for various articles, particularly clothing; and it was found necessary to separate from them a few feet into a distinct body, in order to be prepared to act together in case of necessity. One of us, however, occupied with the appearance of these Indians, still remained amongst them, until one of them attempted to seize his gun, when a slight scuffle ensued, which he terminated by violently wresting the piece from the grasp of the Indian, and warily retreating from the midst of them.
[74] All being seated, the pipe was passed round to a few principal persons who sat directly in front of us. Some presents were likewise laid before the partizan, consisting of a blanket, a skin to make mockasins of, a dozen knives, and five twists of tobacco; and though some of them complained aloud, and with a violent shivering gesticulation, of the cold they suffered during the night, such was the state of our stores, both public and private, that it was not thought prudent further to enlarge our bounty.
One of our number, who was earnestly occupied in endeavouring to obtain a few words of their language, but who succeeded in recording but four, heard one of them, whilst in conversation with the partizan, terminate a remark with a word or phrase so exactly similar in sound to the words How is it, that he almost involuntarily repeated them aloud. The speaker seemed pleased with this, and believing, from the exact similarity of the sounds, that he understood the language, immediately directed his discourse to him, but was answered only by signs denoting ignorance of the language. Their words seem less harsh, more harmonious, and easier of acquisition, than those of their neighbours.
Whilst thus occupied, one of the soldiers who were behind us called our attention to an Indian who had the effrontery to seize the Kaskaia horse by the halter, and, as in a former instance, was making a noose to pass over his head; this procedure was pointed out to the partizan, who taking no notice of it, the fellow was ordered, in a peremptory tone of voice and unequivocal manner, to desist, which he reluctantly complied with. Thus this horse is immediately distinguished and recognized by all the parties we have met with since he has been with us.
We had remained about an hour with this party, when, in consequence of this conduct, of their importunateness, and some incipient symptoms of disorder [75] amongst them, we judged it prudent to leave them, in order to avoid a quarrel. We therefore mounted our horses, notwithstanding the earnest solicitations of these Indians that we would pass the night with them, probably anticipating another night attack from some unseen enemy: but hardly had we proceeded an hundred yards, when Julien's voice called our attention to the precarious situation in which he was placed. He had been by an accident detained in the rear, and being separated a short distance from the party, he was now entirely surrounded by the Indians, who appeared determined to strip him of every thing, and by pulling at his blanket, bridle, &c. they had nearly unhorsed him. Several of us, of course, at this critical juncture turned our horses to assist him, and a soldier who was nearest prepared his rifle to begin the onset. Observing our attitude, many of the Indians were in a moment prepared for battle, by placing their arrows across their bows. And a skirmish would no doubt have ensued, had not the partizan, observing our determination, and influenced perhaps by gratitude for the presents he had received, called off his men from Julien, and permitted us, without any further futile molestation, to proceed on our way.
In consequence of the desperate situation of this party, we could not entertain a doubt that they would attempt to capture our horses during the night, and to appropriate to themselves our personal equipments. We therefore continued our movement until a later hour than usual; and after a day's journey of twenty-two miles, during which we saw but three trees, we encamped on a selected position, and made the best arrangements in our power to repulse a night attack. The horses were staked as near to each other and to ourselves as possible; the packs were arranged in a semicircular line of defence, and each man reposed on his private baggage; the guard was doubled, and we remained wakeful during the [76] night. No alarm, however, occurred; and in the morning,
Sunday 13th, set out early. Our way led over a luxuriant bottom of from three to twelve miles in breadth, producing a luxuriant growth of grasses, now glittering with drops of collected dew; crossed a creek which is destitute of timber, as far as the eye can trace its course. The depth of the water being to all appearance considerable, it became necessary to seek a fording-place, which was found about a mile above its confluence. It was here knee-deep, flowing with a moderate current over a bed of sand and gravel, the surface of the water being depressed only about four feet below the general level.111 About an hundred yards beyond its confluence, we observed a canal of water backed up from the river, which, from a little distance, gave a double appearance to the creek. We remained here until a large elk, which had been shot, was cut up, and the meat packed upon the horses. At our mid-day resting-place were a few trees, and some elevated sand-hills, but as the situation was not an eligible one for the protection of the horses from Indian depredation, we moved a few miles further, and encamped, as usual, on the bank of the river. The day had been very sultry, with an extreme temperature of 95 degrees, and the evening was accompanied by a display of lightning in the north-western horizon.
The bisons are yet numerous, and the white wolves also abundant; packs of the latter are still heard to howl about our camp in the night, thus responding to the harsh bellowing or grunting of the bulls. Our dogs, that formerly took part in this wild and savage concert, by barking fiercely in return, no longer rouse us from our sleep by noticing it.
Monday, 14th. A slight dew had fallen; the wind was S.S.E., nearly calm; and our morning's journey was arduous, in consequence of the great heat of the atmosphere. Our dogs, these two or three days past, [77] had evidently followed us with difficulty. Cæsar, a fine mastiff, and the larger of the two, this morning trotted heavily forwards, and threw himself down directly before the first horse in the line; the rider turned his horse aside, to avoid doing injury to the dog; but had he noticed the urgency of this eloquent appeal of the animal for a halt, it would not have passed unregarded. The dog, finding this attempt to draw attention to his sufferings unavailing, threw himself successively before two or three other horses, but still failed to excite the attention he solicited, until a soldier in the rear observed that his respiration was excessively laborious, and his tongue to a great length depended from his widely extended mouth. He therefore took the dog upon his horse before him, intending to bathe him in the river, which, however, being at the distance of half a mile, the poor exhausted animal expired in his arms before he reached it. To travellers in such a country, any domesticated animal, however abject, becomes an acceptable companion; and our dogs, besides their real usefulness as guards at night, drew our attention in various ways during the day, and became gradually so endeared to us, that the loss of Cæsar was felt as a real evil.
The afternoon continued sultry, the extreme heat being 97 degrees. Towards evening a brisk N. E. wind appeared to proceed from a nimbus which was pouring rain in that direction, and produced so instantaneous and great a change in the atmospheric temperature, that we were obliged to button up to the chin; but it refreshed and revived us all. As we were now approaching a well-wooded creek, we hoped soon to assuage our impatient thirst, but great was the mortification, upon arriving at the naked bank, to see a dry bed of gravel of at least fifty yards in breadth. Crossing this inhospitable tract, which appears to be occasionally deluged with water, with the intention of passing down the opposite bank to [78] the river, we were agreeably surprised to discover a fine limpid stream of cool flowing water, meandering through a dense growth of trees and bushes, which had before concealed it from view. Here we remarked the honey locust and button-wood (platanus occidentalis), though the principal growth was cotton-wood, elm, and ash. This stream of water, we believe, is known to a few hunters, who have had an opportunity to visit it, by the name of Little Arkansa.112
The distance of the day's journey was twenty-three miles, during which but a single prairie dog village was seen, and proved to be the last one that occurred on the expedition. Partridges and prairie fowls were numerous.
Tuesday, 15th. Much lightning occurred during the night, pervading the eastern heavens nearly from N. to S. At a distance of a mile from encampment, we crossed a timbered ravine, and further on, a small creek; when, upon looking back on our right, we saw the appearance of an Indian village situated near the confluence of the Little Arkansa with the river. Inspired with hope, we turned towards the spot; but on arriving there, it proved to be a large hunting camp, which had probably been occupied during the preceding season. It exhibited a more permanent aspect than three others that occurred on our route of the three past days; much bark covered the boweries; and a few pumpkins, water-melons, and some maize, the seeds of which had fallen from unknown hands, were fortuitously growing as well within as without the rude frail tenements. Of the maize, we collected enough to furnish out a very slight but extremely grateful repast, and the water-melons were eaten in their unripe state.
Resuming our ride, we crossed three branches of a creek,113 in one of which two of the horses entered in a part not fordable, and as the banks were steep and miry, it was with much exertion and delay that they [79] were recovered. Oak and walnut trees abound upon this creek, besides elm, ash, and locust. A king-fisher (alcedo alcyon) was also seen. The extreme heat was rather more intense than that of the preceding day, the mercurial column standing for a time at 97½ degrees. The bluffs, hitherto more or less remote from the bed of the river, now approach it so closely as to render it necessary to pursue our course over them. On ascending upon the elevated prairie, we observed that it had assumed a different appearance, in point of fertility, from that which we had been familiar with nearer to the mountains; and although the soil is not yet entirely concealed from the view by its produce, yet the grass is from six inches to one foot in height.
But five bisons were seen to-day, a privation which communicates a solitary air to this region, when compared with the teeming plains over which we have passed, and of which these animals formed the chief feature.
Our distance this day on a straight line may be estimated at 14¼ miles, though the actual travelled distance was much more considerable.
During the space of one month, our only regular food, besides meat, has been coarsely ground parched maize meal, of which a ration of one gill per day was shared to each individual. This quantity was thrown into common stock, and boiled with the meat, into a kind of soup. This meal is nutritious, portable, not subject to spoil by keeping a reasonable length of time, and is probably to be preferred, as a substitute for bread, to other succedanea, by travellers in an uncivilised country. Our store of meal, however, was now exhausted, and we were obliged to resort to a small quantity of mouldy crumbs of biscuit, which had been treasured up for times of need.
At night almost incessant lightning coruscated in the north-western horizon.
Wednesday, 16th. Several showers of rain, with much thunder and vivid lightning, fell during the [80] night, and the early morning continued showery; but the clouds were evidently undergoing the change from nimbus to cirrostratus, in this instance the harbingers of a fine day. Several ravines occurred on the morning's journey, containing, in the deeper parts of their beds, pools of standing water. The first was of considerable size, with steep banks, and thickly wooded, as far up its course as the vision extended; the trees were principally oak, some walnut, elm, ash, mulberry, button-wood, cotton-wood, and willow.
A horse presented by the Kiawa chief could not be prevailed upon to traverse this occasional watercourse; he evaded the attempts of several men to urge him forward; and after being thus fruitlessly detained a considerable space of time, the animal was shot. If he had been abandoned, he must have perished for want of water, having been accidentally deprived of sight, and more certainly, as that fluid, so indispensable for the support of the animal's life, was here of difficult access.
At the ravine, which served as a halting place during the mid-day heats, we first observed the plant familiarly known in the settlements by the name of poke (phytolacca decandria), reclining over the banks with its fecundity, in the midst of a crowded assemblage of bushes, and partially shading a limpid pool that mantled a rocky bed below. A large species of mushroom, of the puff-ball kind, was not uncommon, nearly equal in size to a man's head.
We have now passed the boundary of the summer bison range; and the wolves, those invariable attendants on that animal, are now but rarely seen. The antelopes also have disappeared. The river banks, as well as the creeks and some ravines, from near the Little Arkansa, are pretty well wooded, with but few interruptions, and in many parts sufficiently dense, but always, as yet, strictly limited to skirting those watercourses.
[81] During the afternoon we crossed numerous ravines, some of which, judging by the infallible indications of dried grass and floated wood lodged on high in the crotches of the trees, poured down at certain seasons large volumes of water from the prairies into the river.
Near our evening encampment, but on the opposite side of the river, appeared the entrance of a large creek, of the width of 90 or 100 yards, and of considerable depth; it seems to be well wooded, and its course is nearly parallel to the river for a great distance before it discharges into it. This stream is called Red river fork, its waters are turbid, opaque, and red;114 great numbers of fresh water tortoises, closely allied to the testudo geographica of Le Sueur, inhabit the basin formed by the entrance of this stream immediately below its junction. The bluffs on that side are washed by the stream of the river.
The bottom land, on the left bank, is still confined to a narrow strip. The sun having been, during the chief part of the day, obscured by an interrupted sheet of cirrostratus, and a brisk N. E. wind prevailing, rendered the day temperate and agreeable. Travelled distance miles nineteen and a half.
Thursday, 17th. Having been entirely unsuccessful in hunting since the 13th instant, we remained in our position during the morning, and sent out four hunters to procure fresh meat; but towards noon they all returned with but three turkies, of which two were young; they saw no deer, but much elk sign.
At two o'clock proceeded onward, upon a slightly undulated prairie, over which the eye roves to a great distance without impediment. Indeed the surface of the country, which extends along the upper portions of the Platte and Arkansa rivers, is generally less undulated than that which extends on either side of the Missouri.
[82] The ravines which intersected our path were not so extensive or profound as those of yesterday, and in one of them we observed the common elder (sambucus).
Should military possession ever be taken of this elevated country, eligible positions might readily be selected for military posts, at several different points below the Little Arkansa, where the bluffs almost impend over the river. Such a position was occupied by our evening encampment. This bluff is naked, of a gently rounded surface, presenting a high rugged and inaccessible front upon the river, which it commands to a considerable distance in both directions. An adequate supply of wood, for fuel and architectural purposes, is offered by a ravine, which flanks its lower side, and by other points.
Two fawns were killed during this afternoon's journey of twelve miles, and a black bear was seen. The bitter apple vine occurred now but rarely.
Friday, 18th. The inequality of the surface increases as we proceed, the undulations being now much more abrupt and considerable, belted near their summits with a rocky stratum, and assuming much the same character with those spoken of in the account of our expedition to the Konza village. This stratum, which is of gray and ferruginous sandstone, contains petrifactions of marine shells, so completely assimilated with the matrix in which they repose, and decomposing so entirely simultaneously with it, when exposed to atmospheric action, that even their generic characters cannot be recognised. Amongst other appearances, however, we observed a bivalve, which seemed to differ from terebratula and its congeners.
At the distance of eleven miles we crossed a small river, flowing with a very gentle current over a gravelly bed, with a breadth of fifty or sixty yards, and an extreme depth of three feet; we have named [83] it Little Neosho, or Stinking Fork.115 Its western bottom is of very considerable width, well wooded with the before mentioned description of trees, in addition to which the hackberry here first appears, and supporting a crowded undergrowth of pea-vines, nettles, and rank weeds, which obstruct the passage of the traveller. The eastern bank, upon which our noon-day encampment was established, was high rock and precipitous, requiring considerable exertion to surmount it.
Here the organic reliquiæ are somewhat more distinct than those which we examined on the opposite side of this secondary river. They are referable to those generally extinct genera that inhabited the great depths of the primeval ocean. Amongst them we recognized a smooth species of anomia of the length of half an inch, a species of terebratula, an encrinus, and numerous insulated species of a Linnæan echinus.
At two o'clock pursued our journey, under an extreme heat of 92 degrees, which was hardly mitigated by the gentle fanning of a slight S. E. breeze. The appearance of the country here undergoes a somewhat abrupt change. Low scrubby oaks, the prevailing timber, no longer exclusively restricted, as we have hitherto observed it, to a mere margin of a watercourse, now was seen extending in little clusters or oases, in the low grounds. In the ravines, which are numerous, profound, abrupt, and rocky, we observed the hickory (caria of Nuttall), which had not before occurred since our departure from the forest of the Missouri. The bluffs are steep and stony, rendering the journey much more laborious to our horses, that were almost exhausted by traversing a plain country, and their hoofs, already very much worn by constant friction with the grass, will, we fear, be splintered and broken by the numerous loose and angular stones which they cannot avoid. Near the summits of some of these bluffs the stratum of rock [84] assumes an appearance of such extraordinary regularity, as to resemble an artificial wall, constructed for the support of the superincumbent soil.
At the distance of eight miles from the small river before mentioned we encamped for the night, on the east side of a creek which we call Little Verdigrise.116
It is about forty yards in breadth, and not so deep as the Little Neosho; its bed is gravelly, but the foot of each bank is so miry that we experienced some difficulty in crossing. There is but a slight skirting of forest, which denotes to the distant spectator the locality of this creek.
One of the hunters returned with the information of his having discovered a small field of maize, occupying a fertile spot, at no great distance from the camp; it exhibited proofs of having been lately visited by the cultivators; a circumstance which leads us to believe, that an ascending column of smoke, seen at a distance this afternoon, proceeded from an encampment of Indians, whom, if not a war-party, we should now rejoice to meet. We took the liberty, agreeably to the customs of the Indians, of procuring a mess of corn, and some small but nearly ripe water-melons, that were also found growing there, intending to recompense the Osages for them, to whom we supposed they belonged. During the night we were visited by a slight shower of rain from the S. W., accompanied by distant thunder.
Indian Hunting Encampment—Brackish Water—The Party Pressed by Hunger—Forked-tailed Flycatcher—An Elevated, almost Mountainous, Range of Country—Desertion of Three Men—Red Water.
Saturday, 19th. Several small corn fields were seen this morning along the creek. At a short distance from our place of encampment we passed an Indian camp that had a more permanent aspect than any we had before seen near this river. The boweries were more completely covered, and a greater proportion of bark was used in the construction of them. They are between sixty and seventy in number. Well-worn traces, or paths, lead in various directions from this spot; and the vicinity of the corn fields induces the belief that it is occasionally occupied by a tribe of Indians, for the purposes of cultivation as well as of hunting.
The increasing quantity of forest, partially obscuring the course of the river, renders it now no easy task to trace its inflexions.
After proceeding twelve miles over a rugged country, at present destitute of water, we were rejoiced to find at our dining-place a puddle of stagnant rain-water, which had been protected from the action of the sun by the elevated and almost impending bank of the ravine in which it was situated, and which, though mantled o'er with green, was yet cool and grateful to our pressing thirst.
We left our cool and shady retreat, and again betook ourselves to the prairies, under a temperature of 96 degrees. Our remaining dog, Buck, had been, [86] since the regretted death of his companion, treated with all the kindness and attention due to a humble friend. He was very frequently accommodated with a ride on horseback before one of the men when he betrayed unusual exhaustion. But notwithstanding all such attentions, for which he seemed touched with the feelings of gratitude, he experienced Cæsar's fate, and was necessarily abandoned.
The evening encampment was pitched upon a luxuriant grassy plain on the margin of the river. On tasting the water, it was perceived to be slightly saline, though the proportion of that condiment was not so considerable as to render it unpleasant to the palate. This saline intermixture is, no doubt, due to the Red river fork, inasmuch as the river, above the entrance of that stream, appeared entirely destitute of saline contamination, and no stream enters on this side in which the slightest apparent degree of brackishness is to be detected by the taste.
The cotton tree is less numerous in this vicinity than we have seen it higher up the river, and being intermixed with other trees, forms but an insignificant feature of the forest.
Sunday, 20th. Heavy rain, accompanied with much thunder and lightning, commenced early in the night, and continued until day-light this morning. Hunters who had been sent out detained us until nine o'clock, when they returned unsuccessful; in consequence of which, and of our having made a sparing meal last evening on a turkey that had been shot, we were obliged to depart fasting on our way.
The ravines were muddy and their banks slippery in consequence of the rain; we had, however, the good fortune to fall upon an Indian trace, which complied with our proper direction, and which indicated the best points at which the gullies might be passed. In its course it conducted us to a creek which was pouring down a torrent of water. Here was an encampment that had obviously been occupied [87] within a day or two, there being fresh rinds of water-melons strewed about it.
One of the party, on attempting to cross this creek, was thrown into the water, in consequence of his horse having plunged suddenly beyond his depth; he however avoided being carried down with the rapid current, by seizing the depending bough of a tree; the horse also was fortunately saved; by taking a different direction, we all passed over without further casualty.117
But we were unable to trace any farther the party that we thus ascertained to have so recently preceded us, their footsteps being here entirely obliterated by the rain.
At the distance of sixteen miles we encamped at an early hour on the bank of the river, and sent out hunters, who, however, after examining the vicinity, returned unsuccessful. Our three meals were therefore again, by stern necessity, reduced to a single frugal one, and our table, the soil, was set with a few mouldy biscuit crumbs, boiled in a large quantity of water, with the nutritious addition of some grease. Julien, who had been despatched for the peace flag, which was casually left at a ravine, to our great satisfaction returned with a skunk or polecat, that he had fortunately killed. This we determined to preserve for a feast to-morrow.
Monday, 21st. One of our horses strayed away last night, and could not now be found, we therefore set out without him, and as usual without breakfasting. The Indian trace was again discovered, and pursued about nine miles to the dining place at noon. Here we were obliged to have recourse for food to a little treasured store of dried bison meat, which, when all issued, amounted to the pittance of two ounces per man; this, added to the soup maigre of the skunk, and a half pint of the crumbs of bread, afforded a tolerably good though far from abundant meal.
[88] Proceeded on under an extreme atmospheric temperature of 90 degrees; several deer were seen, but they proved to be so shy, that our hunters, perhaps through over-eagerness, did not succeed in approaching them within gun shot. After accomplishing a distance of ten miles, we pitched our camp on the river bank. Here the stream turns rather abruptly to the east, after having preserved a southerly and south of west direction for a considerable distance. A considerable stream of water, called Nesuketonga, or Grand Saline creek, flows into the river at this point, nearly opposite to our camp.118
Supped on a few bread crumbs boiled in water. A black wolf, the first seen since our departure from the Missouri, made his appearance in the distance.
Tuesday, 22d. Three of the horses having strayed detained us until eight o'clock, when a fall of rain commenced, which continued during the morning, and wet us thoroughly to the skin. A few hostile Indians, aware of the state of our fire-arms, might perhaps have disappointed our hopes of a safe return to the settlements, if, in their attack, their bow-strings could have been preserved from the effects of the rain, which tends greatly to relax them.
A note like that of the prairie dog for a moment induced the belief that a village of the marmot was near; but we were soon undeceived by the appearance of the beautiful tyrannus forficatus in full pursuit of a crow. Not at first recognising the bird, the fine elongated tail plumes, occasionally diverging in a furcate manner, and again closing together, to give direction to the aerial evolutions of the bird, seemed like the extraneous processes of dried grass, or twigs of a tree, adventitiously attached to the tail, and influenced by currents of wind. The feathered warrior flew forward to a tree, from whence, at our too near approach, he descended to the earth at a little distance, continuing at intervals his chirping note. This bird seems to be rather rare in this region, and as the [89] very powder within the barrels of our guns was wet, we were obliged to content ourselves with only a distant view of the bird.
The river margin, on which we now hold our course, is narrow and fertile, supporting a tolerably thick growth of mossy cup oaks, with walnut, cotton-wood, elm, and much underwood, through which it is sometimes rather difficult to force a passage. The river is now more serpentine in its course than it was remarked to be nearer the mountains, but it is here wide and still, thickly studded with sand-bars.
One of the hunters rescued the body of a small fawn from the wolves that had killed and embowelled it. This afforded us all a good dinner, and as we had in the morning drawn upon our almost exhausted store of sweet corn for a gill to each man as a breakfast, we are to-day comparatively well-fed.
Near our evening encampment was a large old Indian hunting camp. Our distance to-day nineteen miles.
Wednesday, 23d. Set out again fasting, and pursued our journey over a beautiful open level bottom. The bluffs on our left, of but moderate height, were partially clothed with oaks, and the river on the right skirted with the cotton tree. But a single ravine crossed our morning route. At eleven o'clock the mercury in the thermometer indicated 93 degrees.
At the distance of about two miles from our resting-place of noon we again halted and pitched the tents, in anticipation of a violent storm, as a nimbus of an unusually menacing aspect was otherwise announced by wind and thunder, and seemed rapidly approaching from the south. In order to avail ourselves of this delay, the hunters were sent out to endeavour to procure some food. But as the storm passed round, they were soon recalled, bringing with them the seasonable supply of four turkies. On the subsequent part of this day we passed over a small [90] stream, which we call Bitter Apple Creek, with but a slow-moving current, of the width of about ten yards, and three feet deep. Its bed was so muddy that two of the pack-horses were mired, but were finally brought out. We then ascended into the prairie, from which, after labouring over an almost continual succession of ravines, we passed down to the river bank, and encamped for the night, having travelled about twenty miles. Numerous deer were seen to-day, but they were very shy.
The last bitter apple vine that occurred on the expedition was seen to-day. We were once again saluted by the note of the blue jay. The pine warbler (sylvia pinus) also occurred.
Thursday, 24th. As the high prairies offered almost continually a succession of steep and rugged ravines, which called for too much exertion for our horses to pass them, it was determined to endeavour to force our way through the underwood of the bottoms. These we found to be now so intricate, that in many places it was really difficult to force a passage through the intertwined briers and climbing plants. Our progress was, however, at length altogether interrupted by a deep and miry sluice of the river over which no ford could be found. Fortunately, however, the sandy bed of the river itself offered a sufficiently firm footing to enable us to pass round the obstacle. Tired of the brambles, we again sought the prairie, and, ascending an elevated hill, enjoyed a fine view of the river in its meanders to a great distance; but the place of destination, Belle Point, which we now all anxiously look out for, was not yet in sight.
A journey of nine miles and three quarters brought us to a large stream of clear water, but hardly perceptible current, passing over a bed of rock and mud; the banks were steep and high, and afforded us a very pleasant resting-place during the presence of the mid-day heats. A flock of paroquets flew over our [91] heads, uttering their loud note, with their usual loquacity. The king-fisher was flying from one withered support to another, over the surface of the creek, and occasionally darting into the water in pursuit of some little scaly victim; and a large white crane (ardea egretta of Wilson) stalked with slow and measured strides in the shallows of the creek. A glass snake (ophisaurus ventralis) approached too near us, and was captured.
In the afternoon small cumulus clouds arose in the horizon, and we again put forward under a temperature of 95 degrees. Three miles farther a large ravine occurred, containing much water in the deeper parts of its bed, but dry at intervals; it is wooded as far as we can trace it with the eye, and in the season of floods must discharge a large volume of water at its confluence, which is distant about five miles from the creek crossed this morning.119
We passed by several singular natural elevations, with conical summits, and halted early to hunt, for which purpose four men were sent out, who returned with two turkies, which furnished us with a very light supper.
Friday, 25th. Remained encamped in order to give the hunters an opportunity to procure some game. We had nothing for breakfast or dinner, and as our meals a few days past had been few and slight, we have become impatient under the pressure of hunger; a few fresh-water muscles (unio), two or three small fishes, and a tortoise which had been found in the mud of the ravine, were roasted and eaten, without that essential condiment salt, of which we had been for some time destitute. The hunters so anxiously looked for at length returned, bringing but three ducks (anas sponsa); one of them had shot down three deer, but they all escaped.
As we have no idea of our distance from Belle Point, and know not what extent of country we are doomed to traverse in the state of privation to which [92] we have of late been subjected, we have selected, from our miserable horses, an individual to be slaughtered for food, in case of extremity of abstinence; and upon which, although very lean, we cannot forbear to cast an occasional wishful glance.
Bijeau, before he parted from us, urged by his wishes for our safety, drew for our information a sketch of the country over which we had to pass, as far as he had travelled in that direction on a former occasion, which sketch was terminated by two large streams entering the river near to each other, and diverging in the opposite direction. As the remarkable relative course of these two streams, as represented by Bijeau, corresponded to sufficient exactness with the representation of the Verdigrise and Grand rivers, which terminated a sketch which Major Long drew to depict the country from Belle Point upwards, we believed that by joining the two sketches we had a complete view of the country before us, as far as the settlements. Bijeau's sketch proved to be a pretty faithful transcript of the country, as far as the two watercourses that we passed on the 18th instant; which, as they terminated his map, we then supposed were, of course, the Verdigrise and Grand rivers. But not being able to recognise in Major Long's draft one single feature of the region we have since traversed, we finally concluded, either that we had not yet arrived at the true Verdigrise river, or that we had passed by our place of destination without perceiving it. In this state of uncertainty it was determined to continue our course with as much speed as the exhausted situation of our horses would permit, with the hope of soon arriving at some settlement, where we might obtain the proper direction.
The greatest heat of the day was 97 degrees. Two hunters were this evening sent forwards to encamp, and hunt early in the morning. Another flock of paroquets were seen to-day.
[93] Saturday, 26th. Penetrated through an intricate bottom of bushes, interlaced by vines and briers, the timber chiefly oak. The hunters had procured nothing; but Lieut. Swift had the good fortune to kill a fine buck, and one of the hunters afterwards a turkey. These were a happy alleviation to us, and at our noon halting-place we enjoyed the rare luxury of a full meal. At this position was a large ravine, containing much water of the depth of two feet and a half, and width of twenty or twenty-five yards, but without any visible current; its bed was muddy, and in some places rocky.
The journey of the afternoon was equally intricate with that of the morning; our way led along the fertile but narrow eastern margin of the ravine, or as it would be called in the settlements of the Arkansa, bayou, and immediately on our left ascended the abrupt and rocky ridge of the bluff.
After a fatiguing journey of 19 miles we encamped on the river bank, in a fine clear bottom, surrounded semicircularly by the forest. The plum-bushes, which abound in the country through which we have for several days been travelling, are generally killed, probably by conflagration, their black and defoliated branches strongly contrasted with the verdure around them; to-day, however, we met with some which had escaped uninjured, and which afforded a few ripe plums.
Sunday, 27th. The river bottom becoming very narrow, obliged us to ascend upon the high grounds, which we found to be little less than mountainous, often rocky and steep, and, as usual, intersected by profound ravines. Mr. Swift having succeeded in killing another deer, we halted, after a journey of twelve miles, in order to jerk the meat which we now possessed, and to rest the horses, whose feet were bruised and broken by the fragments of rock.
The corporal did not join us until evening. The horse which he had rode became so exceedingly feeble [94] as to be no longer able to support the weight of his rider, who therefore dismounted, and attempted to drive him on before him. In spite of his utmost endeavours the horse proceeded so slowly that the corporal was obliged to forsake him, in order to seek our trail, which he had lost on the rocks over which we had passed. Not being able to regain the trail, and supposing we had directed our course towards the river, he wandered along its margin to a considerable distance, until almost exhausted with fatigue and vexation. He at length ascended a considerable hill which commanded a view of the country around, from which he had the satisfaction to see a column of smoke rising above the forest at a distance. This sure indication he had pursued, until approaching with much caution, he was overjoyed to ascertain that his beacon was no other than the smoke from our meat-drying process. Supposing that the horse would be able to travel after having rested during the night, the corporal was directed to accompany Julien to the spot where he had been left, and to bring him on in the morning.
We availed ourselves of this leisure-time to mend our horse-gear, clothes, and mockasins.
In the evening a slight fall of rain took place, accompanied by thunder in the N. E., which at night became heavy and loud.120
Monday, 28th. The horse that gave out yesterday was brought in, together with two others that had strayed, and for which we were hunting. We were now traversing a high ridge of country, which, at many points may be safely estimated at five hundred feet above the surface of the river, and wooded to a great distance from that stream.
In the afternoon, having descended to the river, we again laboured through the difficulties of dense underwood, which such productive soils usually present, until towards evening, when we had the happiness to see a well-worn Indian path which had been [95] interrupted by the river, and now took a direction towards our left. Wishing to pursue this route, as well for the facility of travelling as with the hope of soon arriving at some Indian town, we readily persuaded ourselves that it deviated from the course we were pursuing only in compliance with the inequalities of the country. With little hesitation, therefore, we struck into the path, and night gathered around us before we threw ourselves supperless upon the ground to repose, after a fatiguing march of about twenty-one miles, during which the greatest degree of heat was 92.
Several small flocks of the common wild pigeons flew by us, both yesterday and to-day, in a southerly direction.
Tuesday, 29th. After some detention in seeking a troublesome horse that had strayed, we again proceeded forward fasting. This abstinence, to which we have been several times subjected, affects one of our party in a singular and uniform manner; his voice becomes hollow-toned, and his hearing much impaired, a state that is popularly known, as he expresses it, by the phrase of the almonds of the ears being down.
We pursued the Indian path a considerable distance this morning; but as its course continued its divergence from the river, and we were fearful of deviating too far, we abandoned it, and by an oblique course endeavoured to regain the river. Here, however, the undergrowth being almost impervious, induced our return to the path, which we again attained near an Indian hunting camp of the past season, situated in a beautiful prairie, near a gently swelling hill.
Here finding a little water in a ravine puddle, we halted, and served out a stinted ration of dried meat to each individual instead of dinner, which, so far from gratifying, tended to stimulate our desire of food.
[96] Having been some days entirely destitute of tobacco in any shape, those of the party who are habituated to the use of it experienced an additional formidable privation. One of the men, who was erroneously supposed to have still a remnant of the precious stimulant in his possession, was heard to reply to an earnest and most humble petition for a small taste of it, or to be allowed to apply his tongue to it:—"Every man chaws his own tobacco, and them that hasn't any chaws leaves."
During the prevalence of the greatest heat of the day, which was 94 degrees, we again set forward, and passed over a gently undulated surface, supporting an open forest of young and scrub oak, intermixed with hickory. In the course of a few miles we arrived at the edge of this forest, which here crowned a much elevated region. It was in fact higher in proportion to the surface before us than any other portion of the country we had seen on this side of the mountains. The eye from this height roved over a vast distance of prairie, and comparatively plain country; and it was evident that we had now passed the hilly and even mountainous country, which we have of late been traversing. A few hills still interrupted the continuity of surface below, more particularly on the right of the landscape towards the river. Not a human being was yet to be perceived, nor a single trait indicative of their present existence. It seemed for a moment that our little cavalcade alone was endowed with the vital principle, and that the vegetable world held a silent and solitary dominion. Belle Point still evades our sight; we might have passed it, or it may still be very far before us; yet we can no longer struggle through the tangled underwood that encloses the river, nor pick our passage amongst the loose stones of the bluffs, in order to preserve an uninterrupted view of the bank of the river upon which that post is established. From this [97] position the path winds rather abruptly downward, and, at a little distance on the plain, conducted us through an abandoned Indian hunting camp.
The horse that gave out on Sunday, having been since both packed and rode, this afternoon sunk under his rider to the ground, and resisted our efforts to induce him to rise. As he appeared to be entirely exhausted, we reluctantly abandoned him. He had been a sprightly, handsome, and serviceable animal, and was chosen from a considerable number of horses, and presented to Mr. Say, by Major O'Fallon, when at the Pawnee villages.
After a day's journey of twenty-two miles, a favourable situation for an encampment offering timely at a site which appeared to have been occupied by a tribe of Indians during the late winter, induced us to pitch the tents, and prepare for the night. And Lieutenant Swift, whose dexterity as a marksman had previously relieved us in times of need, now succeeded in killing a turkey for our evening meal.
Wednesday, 30th. We pursued the path about ten miles farther, with the hope of its soon terminating at some Indian village; but as it continued to diverge too widely from our apparent true course, we once again relinquished it, and turned towards the river, which we expected to regain in the course of a few miles, by tracing down the opposite bank of a large ravine, which now presented itself.
At our resting place of noon the banded rattlesnake (C. horridus) occurred, and five young turkies were procured by the hunters.
Resuming our journey, it soon became obvious that the ravine we were tracing did not discharge into the Arkansa, but into some large tributary of that river, and which, from an elevated ground, we could distinctly see meandering to a great distance on the left.121 Another Indian path was now discovered, which by its direction seemed to comply with our proper course. It led us to recross the ravine, [98] with its most luxuriant growth of trees, bushes, and weeds. On emerging from this intricate maze we observed a large column of smoke arising in the south-east, as if from the conflagration of some entire prairie. This occurrence, combined with the effects of a large burning in the vicinity of our evening encampment, that seemed very recent, and the appearance of the well-worn pathways, inspired us with a renewed expectation of soon meeting with human beings, and of arriving at some permanent Indian village.
The highest temperature of the day was 95 degrees. Our distance this afternoon was ten miles.
Thursday, 31st. We arose early, and on looking at the horses that were staked around the camp, three of the best were missing. Supposing that they had strayed to a distance, inquiry was made of the corporal respecting them; who answered that three of the men were absent, probably in pursuit of them, and added, that one of those men who chanced to be last on guard had neglected to awaken him to perform his duty on the morning watch. Forster, a faithful, industrious soldier, and who, in performing the culinary services for the party, had not lately been laboriously occupied, now exclaimed, that his knapsack had been robbed; and upon examining our baggage, we were mortified to perceive that it also had been overhauled and plundered during the night. But we were utterly astounded to find that our saddle bags, which contained our clothing, Indian presents, and manuscripts, had also been carried off.
This greatest of all privations that could have occurred within the range of possibility, suspended for a time every exertion, and seemed to fill the measure of our trials, difficulties, and dangers.
It was too obvious that the infamous absentees, Nolan, Myers, and Bernard, had deserted during the night, robbing us of our best horses, and of our most important treasures. We endeavoured in vain [99] to trace them, as a heavy dew had fallen since their departure, and rested upon every spear of grass alike, and we returned from the fruitless search to number over our losses with a feeling of disconsolateness verging on despair.
Our entire wardrobe, with the sole exception of the rude clothing on our persons, and our entire private stock of Indian presents, were included in the saddle bags. But their most important contents were all the manuscripts of Mr. Say and Lieut. Swift, completed during the extensive journey from Engineer Cantonment to this place. Those of the former consisted of five books, viz. one book of observations on the manners and habits of the Mountain Indians, and their history, so far as it could be obtained from the interpreters; one book of notes on the manners and habits of animals, and descriptions of species; one book containing a journal; two books containing vocabularies of the languages of the Mountain Indians; and those of the latter consisted of a topographical journal of the same portion of our expedition. All these, being utterly useless to the wretches who now possessed them, were probably thrown away upon the ocean of prairie, and consequently the labour of months was consigned to oblivion by these uneducated vandals.
Nolan, Myers, and Bernard, though selected by the officers of Camp Missouri, with the best intentions, for the purpose of accompanying our party, proved worthless, indolent, and pusillanimous from the beginning; and Nolan, we ascertained, was a notorious deserter in two former instances.
This desertion and robbery occurred at a most unfortunate period, inasmuch as we were all much debilitated, and their services consequently the less dispensable on that account, in the attentions necessarily due to the pack-horses, in driving these animals, loading and unloading them, &c.
[100] We resumed our journey upon our Indian pathway in silence, and at the distance of sixteen miles we passed through the river forest, here three miles in width, and once again encamped upon the bank which overlooks that stream. No trace of Belle Point, nor any appearances of civilization were yet in view. But we were all immediately struck with the change in the appearance of the water in the river. No longer of that pale clay colour, to which we have been accustomed, it has now assumed a reddish hue, hardly unlike that of the blood of the human arteries, and is still perfectly opaque, from the quantity of an earthy substance of this tint, which it holds in suspension; its banks and bars are, from deposition, of the same colour. This extraneous pigment has been contributed by some large stream flowing in from the opposite side, and which, in consequence of our late aberrance, we had not seen.122
The hunters returned without game, but bringing us a few grapes and some unripe persimmons, all of which were eaten.
The extreme heat of the day was 95 degrees, and in the evening thunder and lightning occurred in the western horizon.