We had continued our march until near sunset, expecting constantly to

come in view of the river, which we were persuaded must soon make a

great bend to the south, but perceiving the night would overtake us

in the plains, we began to search for a place to encamp. The bison

paths in this country are as frequent and almost as conspicuous as

the roads in the most populous parts of the United States. These

converge from all directions to the places where water is to be found,

and by following their guidance we were soon led to a spot where was

found a small spring dripping from the side of a cliff of sandstone.

The water collected in a little basin at the foot of the cliff, and

flowing a few rods down a narrow ravine, disappeared in the sand.

Having established our camp, we travelled down this ravine, searching

for plants, while any daylight remained. The rocks were beautifully

exposed, but exhibited no appearance unlike what we had been accustomed

to see along the river--the red indistinctly stratified sand-rock,

spotted and veined with plaster-stone and selenite. About the shelvings

and crevices of the rocks, the slender corolla of the œnothera

macrocarpa, and the purple blossoms of the pentstemon bradburis, lay

withering together, while the fading leaves and the ripening fruit

seemed to proclaim the summer near its end.

On the morning following we resumed our march, altering our course from

S. E. to N. E. The want of water in the hills compelled us again to

seek the river. Falling in with a large bison path, which we {325} knew

would conduct us by the easiest and most direct route, we travelled

about fifteen miles, and encamped at noon on the bank of the river. In

returning to the low grounds, we passed some grassy pastures, carpeted

with the densest and finest verdure, and sprinkled with herds of deer,

antelopes, and bisons. In some places the ground was covered with a

purple mat of the aculeate leaves and branches of a procumbent eryngo;

here rose the tall and graceful head of the centaurea speciosa,[69]

there, in more retiring beauty, crept a humble dalea, or an ascending

petalostemum.

As we approached the river, we discovered a fine herd of bisons, in

the grove where we intended to place our camp, some lying down in the

shade, others standing in the pool of water, which extended along under

the bank. Dismounting from our horses, and approaching under cover

of the bushes, we shot two of the fattest, but before we had time to

reload our pieces, after the second fire, we perceived a bull running

towards us, evidently with the design to make battle; we, however, gave

him the slip, by escaping into the thick bushes, and he turned off to

follow the retiring herd.

It is only in the seasons of their loves, that any danger is to be

apprehended from the strength and ferocity of the bison. At all other

times, whether wounded or not, their efforts are to the last directed

solely towards an escape from their pursuers; and at this time it does

not appear that their rage is provoked, particularly by an attack upon

themselves, but their unusual intrepidity is directed indiscriminately

against all suspicious intruders.

We had now for some days been excessively annoyed with large swarms

of blowing-flies, which had prevented our carrying fresh game along

with us for more than a single day. It had been our custom at meals,

to place our boiled or roasted bison-meat on the grass or the broken

boughs of a tree, in the middle {326} of our circle; but this practice

we now found it inexpedient to continue, as, before we could finish

our repast, our table often became white with the eggs deposited by

these flies. We were commonly induced to dispense with our roast meats,

unless we chose to superintend the cooking ourselves, and afterwards

to devote the exertions of one hand to keep away the flies, while with

the other we helped ourselves to what we wished to eat. Our more common

practice was to confine ourselves to the single dish of hunter's soup,

suffering the meat to remain immersed in the kettle until we were ready

to transfer it to our mouths.

Gnats had been rather frequent, and we began to feel once more the

persecutions of the ticks, the most tormenting of the insects of this

country.

The little pool near our tent afforded all the water that could be

found within a very considerable distance. The bisons came in from

every direction to drink, and we almost regretted that our presence

frighted away the suffering animals with their thirst unslaked.

August 21st. The day was warm and somewhat rainy. Soon after leaving

our camp we saw three black bears, and killed one of them. This is the

first animal of the kind we have eaten since we left the Missouri; and

the flesh, though now not in the best condition, we found deserving the

high encomiums commonly lavished upon it. Experienced hunters prefer it

to the bison, and indeed to almost every thing except the tail of the

beaver.

Black bears had been frequent in the country passed since the 15th. At

this season they feed principally upon grapes, plums, the berries of

the cornus alba, and C. circinata, and the acorns of a small scrubby

oak, common about the sand hills.

They are also fond of the flesh of animals; and it is not uncommon to

see them disputing with the wolves and buzzards, for their share of

the carcasses {327} of bisons and other animals, which have been left

by the hunters or have died of disease. Grapes had evidently been very

abundant here, but had been devoured, and the vines torn in pieces by

the bears and turkies.

In the middle of the day we found the heat more oppressive, with

the mercury at 96°, than we had known it in many instances when the

thermometer had indicated a higher temperature by six or eight degrees.

This sultry calm, was, however, soon succeeded by thunder-showers,

attended with their ordinary effects upon the atmosphere. In the

afternoon the country we passed was swarming with innumerable herds

of bison, wild horses, deer, elk, &c. while great numbers of minute

sand-pipers, yellow-shanked snipes, killdeer plovers, (charadrius

vociferus,) and telltale godwits about the river, seemed to indicate

the vicinity of larger bodies of water than we had been accustomed of

late to see. During the afternoon and the night there was a continual

and rapid alternation of bright calm and cloudless skies, with sudden

and violent thunder-storms. Our horizon was a little obscured on

both sides by the hills and the scattered trees which skirted along

the sides of the valley. As we looked out of our tent to observe the

progress of the night, we found sometimes a pitchy darkness veiling

every object; at others, by the clear light of the stars and the

constant flashing from some unseen cloud, we could distinguish all the

features of the surrounding scene: our horses grazing quietly about our

tent, and the famished jackal prowling near, to seize the fragments

of our plentiful supper. The thunder was almost incessant, but its

low and distant mutterings were at times so blended with the roaring

of the bisons, that more experienced ears than ours might have found

a difficulty in distinguishing between them. At a late hour in the

night some disturbance was perceived among the horses, occasioned by

a herd of wild horses, who had {328} come in, and struck up a hasty

acquaintance with their enslaved fellow brutes.

As it was near daylight, we forbore to do any thing to frighten away

the intruders, hoping, as soon as the light should be sufficient, to

have an opportunity to prove our skill in the operation of "creasing."

A method sometimes adopted by hunters for taking the wild horses,

is to shoot the animal through the neck, using the requisite care

not to injure the spine. There is a particular part of the neck

through which a horse may receive a rifle ball without sustaining

any permanent injury; the blow is, however, sufficient to produce a

temporary suspension of the powers of life, during which the animal is

easily taken: this is called creasing, and requires for its successful

performance a very considerable degree of skill and precision in the

use of the rifle. A valuable but rather refractory mule belonging to

our party, escaped from the cantonment near Council Bluffs, a few

days before we left that place. He was pursued by two men through the

prairies of the Papillon, across the Elk Horn, and finally to the

Platte, where, as they saw no prospect of taking him by other means,

they resolved upon creasing. The ball, however, swerved an inch or two

from its aim, and broke the neck of the animal.

CHAPTER VII {I}[70]

Inconveniences Resulting from Want of Water--Wood Ticks--Plants--Loss

of One of the Party--Honey Bees--Forests--Gray Sandstone--Indications

of Coal--Limestone.

August 22d. So much rain had fallen during the night, that, soon after

commencing our morning march, we enjoyed the novel and pleasing sight

of a running stream of water. It had been only two weeks since the

disappearance of running water in the river above, but during this time

we had suffered much from thirst, and had been constantly tantalized

with the expectation of arriving at the spot where the river should

emerge from the sand. By our computation of distances we had travelled

more than one hundred and fifty miles along the bed of this river

without having once found it to contain running water. We had passed

the mouths of many large tributaries, but they, like the river itself,

were beds of naked sand. The narrative of Lewis and Clarke has been

thought deserving of ridicule, on account of the frequent mention of

"dry rivers;" but if not rivers, what are these extensive drains, {2}

carrying off the occasional surplus of water from large districts, to

be called? It is to be remembered also, that all the more considerable

of them are constantly conveying away, silent and unseen, in the

bottom of their deep beds, streams of water of no trifling magnitude.

This is probably the case with all such as have their sources in the

primitive country of the Rocky Mountains, likewise with those which

traverse any great extent of the floetz trap district, as both of these

formations afford a more abundant supply of water than the sandstone

tracts.

In the afternoon we saw a dense column of smoke rising suddenly from

the summit of a hill at some distance, on the right hand side of

the river. As at the moment the air happened to be calm, the smoke

rose perpendicularly in a defined mass, and after continuing for a

few minutes, ceased suddenly. Having recently observed the signs of

Indians, we took this as a confirmation of our suspicions, that an

encampment or a village was not far distant. We have observed that

parties of Indians, whether stationary or on their marches, are never

without _videttes_, kept constantly at a distance from the main body,

for the purpose of giving timely notice of the approach of enemies.

Several methods of telegraphic communication are in use among them,

one of which is this, of raising a sudden smoke; and for this purpose

they are said to keep in constant readiness a supply of combustibles.

During the remainder of this and the day following we were in constant

expectation of falling in with Indians. Towards evening, on the 23d,

we saw an unusual number of horses, probably four or five hundred,

standing among the scattered trees along the river bottom. We saw them

while more than a mile distant; and from the dispersed manner of their

feeding, and the great intermixture of colours among them, we concluded

they must be the horses belonging to a band of Indians. We accordingly

halted, and put our guns in order for {3} immediate use; then,

approaching cautiously, arrived within a few rods of the nearest before

we discovered them to be wild horses. They took fright, and dispersing

in several directions, disappeared almost instantly.

At eleven P. M. the double meridian altitude of the moon's

lower limb, observed for latitude, was 72° 18′ 15″, index error

0° 8′ 0″. For the two last days our average course had inclined

considerably to the south; the water, visible in the river, had

increased rapidly in quantity, and the apparent magnitude of the stream

was nearly equal to what it had been four hundred miles above.

August 24. Our supply of parched corn meal was now entirely exhausted.

Since separating from our companions on the Arkansa, we had confined

ourselves to the fifth part of a pint each per day, and the

discontinuance of this small allowance was at first sensibly felt. We

however became gradually accustomed to the hunter's life in its utmost

simplicity, eating our bison or bear meat without salt or condiments of

any kind, and substituting turkey or venison, both of which we had in

the greatest plenty, for bread. The few hungry weeks we had spent about

the sources of the river had taught us how to dispense with superfluous

luxuries, so the demands of nature could be satisfied.

The inconvenience we felt from another source was more serious. All

our clothing had become so dirty as to be offensive both to sight

and smell. Uniting in our own persons the professions of traveller,

hostler, butcher, and cook, sleeping on the ground by night, and being

almost incessantly on the march by day; it is not to be supposed we

could give as much attention to personal neatness as might be wished.

Notwithstanding this, we had kept ourselves in comfortable condition

as long as we had met with water in which to wash our clothes. This

had not now been the case for some weeks. The sand of the river {4}

bed approaches in character so near to a fluid, that it is in vain to

search for or to attempt to produce any considerable inequalities on

its surface. The utmost we had been able to accomplish, when we had

found it necessary to dig for water, was to scoop a wide and shallow

excavation, in the bottom of which a few gills would collect, but in

so small a quantity, that not more than a pint could be dipped up at a

time; and since the water had appeared above the sand, it was rare to

find it more than an inch or two in depth, and so turbid as to be unfit

for use. The excessive heat of the weather aggravated the inconvenience

resulting from the want of clean clothing, and we were not without

fears that our health might suffer.

The common post oak, the white oak, and several other species, with

gymnocladus or coffee-bean tree, the cercis and the black walnut,

indicate here a soil of very considerable fertility; and game is so

abundant, that we have it at any time in our power to kill as many

bison, bear, deer, and turkies as we may wish, and it is not without

some difficulty we can restrain the hunters from destroying more than

sufficient to supply our wants. Our game to-day has been two bears,

three deers, one turkey, a large white wolf, and a hare. Plums and

grapes are very abundant, affording food to innumerable bears and

turkies.

August 25. Our eventless journey affords little to record, unless we

were to set down the names of the trees we pass, and of the plants and

animals which occur to our notice. Our horses have become so exhausted

by the great fatigues of the trip, that we find it necessary to

content ourselves with a slower progress than formerly. According to

our expectations when we first commenced the descent of this river, we

should ere this time have arrived near the settlements; these, however,

we can plainly perceive, are still far distant. The country we are

traversing has {5} a soil of sufficient fertility to support a dense

population; but the want of springs and streams of water must long

oppose a serious obstacle to its occupation by permanent residents. A

little water is to be seen in the river, but that is stagnant, the rise

occasioned by the late rains having subsided.[71]

Leaving our camp at an early hour, we moved down the valley towards

the south-east, passing some large and beautiful groves of timber. The

fox squirrel, which we had not seen since we left the Missouri, the

cardinal and summer red bird, the forked-tail tyrant, and the pileated

wood-pecker, with other birds and animals belonging to a woody country,

now became frequent. The ravens, common in all the open plains, began

to give place to crows, now first noticed. Thickets of oak, elm, and

nyssa, began to occur on the hills, and the fertile soil of the low

plains to be covered with a dense growth of ambrosia, helianthus, and

other heavy weeds. As we were riding forward, at a small distance from

the river, two noble bucks and a fawn happened to cross our path, a

few rods in front of the party. As the wind blew from them to us, they

could not take our scent, and turned to gaze at us without the least

appearance of alarm. The leader was shot down by one of the party,

when his companion and the fawn, instead of taking fright, came nearer

to us, and stood within pistol-shot, closely watching our movements,

while the hunters were butchering the one we had killed. This unusual

degree of tameness we could discover more or less in all the animals of

this region; and it seems to indicate that man, the enemy and destroyer

of all things, is less known here than in any portions of the country

we have passed. In some parts of our route we have seen the antelopes

take fright when we were more than a mile to the windward of them,

when they could have received no intimation from us only by sight, yet

it does not appear that their powers of {6} vision are in any degree

superior to those of most other ruminant animals.

Sunday, August 27th. We were able to select for this day's rest a

delightful situation at the confluence of a small creek from the south.

The wide valley of the river here presented a pleasing alternation of

heavy forests, with small but luxuriant meadows, affording a profuse

supply of grass for our horses. The broad hills, swelling gently one

above another as they recede from the river, are diversified with

nearly the same intermixture of field and forest as in the most highly

cultivated portions of the eastern states. Herds of bisons, wild

horses, elk and deer, are seen quietly grazing in these extensive and

fertile pastures; the habitations and the works of man alone seem

wanting to complete the picture of rural abundance.

We found, however, the annoyance of innumerable multitudes of minute,

almost invisible, wood ticks, a sufficient counterpart to the

advantages of our situation. These insects, unlike the mosquitoes,

gnats, and sand flies, are not to be turned aside by a gust of wind

or an atmosphere surcharged with smoke, nor does the closest dress of

leather afford any protection from their persecutions. The traveller

no sooner sets foot among them, than they commence in countless

thousands their silent and unseen march; ascending along the feet

and legs, they insinuate themselves into every article of dress, and

fasten, unperceived, their fangs upon every part of the body. The bite

is not felt until the insect has had time to bury the whole of his

head, and in the case of the most minute and most troublesome species,

nearly his whole body, under the skin, where he fastens himself with

such tenacity, that he will sooner suffer his head and body to be

dragged apart than relinquish his hold. It would perhaps be advisable,

when they are once thoroughly planted, to suffer them to remain

unmolested, {7} as the head and claws left under the skin produce more

irritation than the living animal; but they excite such intolerable

itching, that the finger nails are sure very soon to do all finger

nails can do for their destruction. The wound, which was at first

almost imperceptible, swells and inflames gradually, and being enlarged

by rubbing and scratching, at length discharges a serous fluid, and

finally suppurates to such an extent as to carry off the offending

substance. If the insect is suffered to remain unmolested, he protracts

his feast for some weeks, when he is found to have grown of enormous

size, and to have assumed nearly the colour of the skin on which he has

been feeding; his limbs do not enlarge, but are almost buried in the

mass accumulated on his back, which extending forward bears against

the skin, and at last pushes the insect from his hold. Nothing is to

be hoped from becoming accustomed to the bite of these wood ticks. On

the contrary, by long exposure to their venomous influence, the skin

acquires a morbid irritability, which increases in proportion to the

frequency and continuance of the evil, until at length the bite of a

single tick is sufficient to produce a large and painful phlegmon. This

may not be the case with every one; it was so with us.

The burning and smarting of the skin prompted us to bathe and wash

whenever we met with water; but we had not long continued this

practice, when we perceived it only to augment our sufferings by

increasing the irritation it was meant to allay.[72]

It is not on men alone that these blood-thirsty insects fasten

themselves. Horses, dogs, and many wild animals are subject to their

attacks. On the necks of horses they are observed to attain a very

large size. It is, nevertheless, sufficiently evident that, like

mosquitoes and other bloodsucking insects, by far the greater number of

wood ticks must spend their lives without ever establishing themselves

as parasites on any animal, and even without a single {8} opportunity

of gratifying that thirst for blood which, as they can exist and

perform all the common functions of their life without its agency,

would seem to have been given them merely for the annoyance of all who

may fall in their way.

Among many other plants, common to the low and fertile parts of the

United States, we observed the acalypha, and the splendid lobelia

cardinalis, also the cardiospermum halicacabum, sometimes cultivated

in the gardens, and said to be a native of the East Indies. It is a

delicate climbing vine, conspicuous by its large inflated capsules.

The acacia (robinia pseudoacacia), the honey locust, and the ohio

æsculus are among the forest trees, but are confined to the low

grounds. The common black haw (viburnum lentago), the persimmon or

date plum, and a vitis unknown to us, occur frequently, and are all

loaded with unripe fruit. The mistletoe, whose range of elevation

and latitude seems to correspond very nearly with that of the miegia

and the cypress, occurs here parasitic on the branches of elms. In

the sandy soils of the hills, the formidable satropha stimulosa is

sometimes so frequent as to render the walking difficult; it is covered

with long and slender prickles, capable of inflicting a painful and

lasting wound, which is said to prove ruinous to the feet of the blacks

in the West Indies. The cacti and the bartonias had now disappeared,

as also the yucca, the argemone, and most of the plants which had

been conspicuous in the country about the mountains. The phytolacca

decandria, an almost certain indication of a fertile soil, the diodia

tetragonia, a monarda, and several new plants, were collected in an

excursion from our encampment. The red sandrock is disclosed in the

sides of the hills, but appears less frequently and contains less

gypsum than above, though it still retains the same peculiar marks,

distinguishing it as the depository of fossil salt; extensive beds of

red argillaceous soil occur, and are almost {9} invariably accompanied

by saline efflorescences or incrustations. We search in vain, both in

the rocks and the soils, for the remains of animals; and it is rare

in this salt formation to meet with the traces of organic substances

of any kind. The rock itself, though fine and compact, disintegrates

rapidly, producing a soil which contains so much alumine as to

remain long suspended in water, tinging with its peculiar colour all

the rivers of this region. It has been remarked, that the southern

tributaries of the Arkansa, particularly the Canadian, the Ne-gracka,

and the Ne-sew-ke-tonga, discharge red waters at the time of high

freshets, in such quantity as to give a colouring to the Arkansa

all the way to its confluence with the Mississippi; from this it is

inferred that those rivers have their sources in a region of red

sandstone, whose north-eastern limit is not very far removed from the

bed of the Arkansa.[73] We attempted to take sets of equal altitudes,

but failed on account of a trifling inaccuracy in our watch; the

variation of the magnetic needle was found to be the same as on the

25th, namely 11° 30′ east.

Our hunters had been sent out in quest of game, as, notwithstanding the

plenty we had enjoyed, and the great number of animals we had killed,

we found it impossible, on account of the heat of the weather, and the

frequency of the blowing flies, to keep a supply of meat for more than

one day. At evening they returned, having killed a large black bear;

the animal finding himself wounded, had turned with great fury upon the

hunter, who, being alone, was compelled to seek his safety by climbing

into a tree. It is well known that the black bear will sometimes turn

upon his pursuers, and this it is probable is more frequently the case

at this season than at any other, as they are now unincumbered with

that profusion of fat, which for a part of the year renders them clumsy

and inactive, and the males are moreover {10} excited by that uncommon

ferocity which belongs to the season of their loves.

August 28th. The weather during the night had been stormy, a

thunder-shower from the north-west on the preceding evening had been

succeeded by rain and high winds; the morning was cool, the thermometer

at 64°.

We had observed, that the sand-drifts, extending along all that part

of the river we had passed in the three last weeks, were piled almost

exclusively along the northern bank. The country we were now passing

is too fertile, and too closely covered with vegetation, to admit the

drifting of the sand, except from the uncovered bed of the river; yet

along the northern side of the valley we frequently saw naked piles of

sand, which had been wafted to considerable distance by the winds. From

the position of these sand-banks, as well as from our experience, we

were induced to believe, that the high winds of this region are mostly

from the south, at least during the dry season.

We left our encampment at half-past five in the morning, and followed

the river; the aggregate of our courses for the day was about east,

and the distance twenty-one miles. Our last course led us out of the

river valley, and for a few miles lay across the open plain. Here we

passed a large and uncommonly beautiful village of the prairie marmots,

covering an area of about a mile square, having a smooth surface, and

sloping almost imperceptibly towards the east. The grass which covers

this plain is fine, thick, and close fed. As we approached the village,

it happened to be covered with a herd of some thousands of bisons;

on the left were a number of wild horses, and immediately before us

twenty or thirty antelopes, and about half as many deer. As it was near

sunset the light fell obliquely upon the grass, giving an additional

brilliancy to its dark verdure. {11} The little inhabitants of the

village were seen running playfully about in all directions, and as we

approached they perched themselves on their burrows, and proclaimed

their terror in the customary note of alarm. A scene of this kind

comprises most of what is beautiful and interesting to the passing

traveller in the wide unvaried plains of the Missouri and Arkansa.

In the course of the day we passed two large creeks, one entering from

the south, the other from the north; also several springs on the south

side at the base of a rocky hill, rising abruptly from the bed of the

river; but notwithstanding all these tributary supplies, no running

water appeared above the sands of the river bed.

We passed great numbers of carcasses of bisons recently slaughtered,

and the air was darkened by flights of carrion birds, among which

we distinguished the obscene vulture aura, and the vulture atrata,

the black vulture of the Southern States. From the great number of

carcasses and skeletons, we were induced to believe ourselves on the

hunting ground of some nation of Indians, and our expectations of

seeing the Pawnees of Red river began to revive. Our hunters killed two

fine bucks, both in uncommonly good condition for the season. The fat

on the ribs of either of them was more than an inch thick. They were

both changing their hair to what is called the _blue_, which at this

season is a sure indication that the animal is in good condition.

August 29th. Finding the valley of the river somewhat contracted in

width and extremely circuitous, we ascended into the open country on

the north side, and made our way across the hills, taking a course a

little south of east. At the distance of a mile or two from the river

we enjoyed a delightful view of the elevated country, beautifully

varied with gentle hills, broad vallies, fertile pastures, and

extensive woodlands. The soil we found superior, the timber more

abundant than that of any region we had passed since {12} we left

the Missouri. Extensive forests appeared in the distant horizon, and

the prairies in every direction intersected by creeks and ravines,

distinguished by lines of trees. The surface of the country is

undulating, very similar to that of Grand river and the lower part of

the Missouri, but the soil is more fertile. The first elevations rise

from forty to fifty feet above the bed of the river, and these are

succeeded by others, ascending by an almost imperceptible slope towards

the interior. Among the trees on the uplands are the black cherry, the

linden, and the honey locust, all affording indications of a fertile

soil.

A little before we halted to dine, Adams, our interpreter of Spanish,

having dropped some article of baggage, returned on the track for the

purpose of recovering it; and as he did not join us again, we concluded

he must have missed his way.

At evening we returned to the valley of the river, and placed our camp

under a small cotton-wood tree, upon one of whose branches a swarm of

bees were hanging. These useful insects reminded us of the comforts

and luxuries of a life among men, and at the same time gave us the

assurance that we were drawing near the abodes of civilization. Bees,

it is said by the hunters and the Indians, are rarely if ever seen more

than two hundred and fifty or three hundred miles in advance of the

white settlements.

On receiving the first intimation of the absence of Adams, who had

been following in the rear of the party, a man was sent back to search

for and bring him to our encampment; but as he could not be found, we

concluded he had missed our trail, and probably gone forward. We were

confirmed in this belief when, on the following morning, we discovered

the track of a solitary mule which had passed down along the bed of the

river. This we accordingly followed, not doubting but Adams must soon

perceive he had passed us, and would wait until we should overtake him.

{13} The loose soft sands of the river-bed yielding to our horses feet,

made the travelling extremely laborious; and the intense reflection

of the rays of the sun almost deprived us of the use of our eyes. Mr.

Peale's horse soon became unable to proceed at an equal pace with

the remainder of the party; but as no suitable place for encampment

appeared, he dismounted, and by great exertions was able to urge his

animal along in the rear. The travelling in the bed of the river

became so extremely inconvenient, that we resolved upon attempting

to penetrate the thick woods of the bottom, and ascend to the open

plains. We found, however, the woods so thick, and so interlined with

scandent species of smilax cissus, and other climbing vines, as greatly

to retard our progress, and we were soon induced to wish ourselves

again upon the naked sands. Notwithstanding the annoyance they gave us,

we took a pleasure in observing the three American species of cissus

growing almost side by side. The cissus quinquefolia,[74] the common

woodbine, cultivated as an ornament about yards and summer-houses,

grows here to an enormous size, and, as well as the cissus hederacea,

seems to prefer climbing on elms. The remaining species, the cissus

bipinnata, is a smaller plant, and, though much branched, is rarely

scandent. All of them abound in ripe fruit, which, notwithstanding its

external resemblance and its close affinity to the grape, is nauseous

to the taste, and does not appear to be sought with avidity even by

the bears. In ascending the hills, we found them based upon a variety

of sandstone, unlike the red rock of the salt formation, to which we

had been so long accustomed. With this change a corresponding change

takes place in the conformation of the surface and the general aspect

of the country. The hills are higher and more abrupt, the forests more

extensive, the streams of water more copious {14} and more serpentine

in their direction; in other words, we here begin to recognize the

features of a mountainous region. The sandstone which appears in the

beds of the streams, and the sides of the hills, is coarse and hard,

of a dark gray colour, and a horizontally laminated structure. It is

deeply covered with a soil of considerable fertility, sustaining heavy

forests of oak. Among these trees the upland white oak is common, but

is of rather diminutive size, and often hollow. In a tree of this

description we observed, as we passed, the habitation of a swarm of

bees, and as it was not convenient at that time to stop, we fixed a

mark upon it, and proceeded to make the best of our way towards the

river. On descending the hills, we found the valley of the river much

contracted in width, and the bed itself occupying less space by half

than where we had left it above.

On the following day the party remained encamped to take observations,

and afford an opportunity for rest to the horses. Some of the men went

back about six miles to the bee-tree we had passed on the preceding

day, and brought in a small quantity of honey enclosed in the skin of

a deer recently killed. About our camp we examined several lodges of

sandstone, of the coarse dark grey variety above mentioned; in some

instances we found it nearly approaching in character the glittering

crystalline variety of the lead mines, but we sought in vain for an

opportunity to observe the manner of its connexion with red sandstone.

As we were now at the western base of that interesting group of hills,

to which we have attempted to give the name of the almost extinct

tribe of the Ozarks,[75] and as we believed ourselves near the extreme

southern bend of the river we were descending, we thought it important

to ascertain our latitude and longitude by as complete sets of

observations as was in our power to make; and this the favourable {15}

position of the moon enabled us to do in the most satisfactory manner.

The results will be seen on the map.

During the extreme heat of the day the mercury stood at 99° in a fair

exposure. This extraordinary degree of heat may have been in some

degree connected with the stagnation of the air between the hills, and

possibly with the reverberation of the sun's rays from the naked sands;

but the instrument was one of an approved character, and was exposed in

the deep shade of an extensive grove of trees.

As yet no running water appeared in the river; but as the pools were

large, and some of them little frequented by the bisons, we were no

longer under the necessity of digging.

September 1st. The sycamore, the æsculus, the mistletoe, and the

paroquet,[76] are conspicuous objects in the deep and heavy forests of

the Ohio and Mississippi; with these we now found ourselves surrounded.

Bisons were comparatively scarce along this part of the river, but

whether this was owing to the near approach of inhabited countries,

or to the great extent and almost impenetrable density of the forests

on each side of the river, we were unable to determine; at night we

still heard the growling of the herds in the distant prairies, and

occasionally saw bisons in small bodies crossing the river.

The Kaskaia Indians had told us, that before we arrived at the village

of the Pawnee Piquas, we should pass a range of blue hills. These we

concluded could be no other than hills whose sides were covered with

forests, like those we were now passing, and accordingly we watched

with some anxiety for the appearance of something which should indicate

the vicinity of an Indian village. As we pursued our way along the

serpentine bed of the river, the valley became narrower, the hills

more elevated, and as we crossed the rocky points of their bases,

we could not {16} but observe that the sandstone was of a different

character from any we had before seen. It contains more mica than that

of the Alleghanies, or that of the secondary hills along the base of

the Rocky Mountains; it glitters conspicuously, like mica-slate when

seen in the sunshine; and this, as we found by examination, does not

depend entirely on the great proportion of mica it contains, but also

in some degree upon the crystalline surfaces of the minute particles.

Its cement is often argillaceous, and this, as well as the impressions

of some organic relics[77] we observed in it, induced us to expect the

occurrence of coal-beds.

On ascending the hills from the place of our midday encampment,

we found this sandstone at an elevation of about two hundred feet

(according to our estimate) from the bed of the river, succeeded by

a stratum of limestone of the common compact blue variety, abounding

in casts of anomias, entrochi, &c. This rests horizontally upon

the summits of the hills, and disintegrating less rapidly than the

sandstone which forms their bases, it is sometimes left projecting in

such a manner as to render access impossible. Climbing to the summit

of some of the hills near the river, we had the view towards the south

and east of a wild and mountainous region, covered with forests, where,

among the brighter verdure of the oak, the nyssa, and the castanea

pumila, we distinguished the darker shade of the juniper, and others of

the coniferæ.

A little before arriving at the place of our evening encampment, we

observed the track of a man who had passed on foot, and with bare feet,

down the river. This we were confident could be no other than the track

of our lost interpreter Adams. What accident could have deprived him

of his mule we {17} were at a loss to conjecture. We found it equally

difficult to account for his pushing forward with such perseverance,

when he must have had every reason to believe we were behind him.

September 2d. The morning was fair, and we had commenced our journey

by sunrise. At a little distance below our encampment, we passed the

mouth of a large tributary from the south. It was about sixty yards

wide, and appeared to contain a considerable quantity of water, which

was absorbed in the sands immediately at its junction with the larger

stream.[78] About the mouth of this creek we saw the remains of several

gar-fish (esox osseus); this fish is protected by a skin so flinty and

incorruptible, as to be invulnerable to the attacks of birds and beasts

of prey; and even when the internal soft parts have been dissolved

and removed by the progress of putrefaction, the bony cuticle retains

its original shape, like that of the trunk and limbs of the canoe

birch, after the wood has rotted away. The gar is usually found in

deep water, lying concealed in the places where small fish resort, and

seizing them between his elongated jaws, which are armed with numerous

small and sharp teeth. This fish, though not held in high estimation

as an article of food, is little inferior, as we have often found by

experiment, to the boasted sturgeon of the Hudson. Its unsightly aspect

produces a prejudice against it; and in countries of such abundance

as those watered by the Mississippi and its tributaries, a creature

so disgusting in appearance and of so unpromising a name is rarely

eaten. We had passed the creek above mentioned about a mile, when we

discovered a little column of smoke ascending among some scattered oaks

on the right hand bank of the river; approaching the spot, we perceived

our lost interpreter, who had parted from us five days previous,

sitting a few feet in advance of his fire. When we discovered him,

his appearance was peculiarly striking, and indicative of the deepest

despondency. {18} He had kindled a fire upon a little rocky eminence

projecting to the verge of the river, and seated himself near it on

the ground, with his face turned up the river, as if in expectation

of relief from that quarter. His elbows rested upon his knees, and his

hands supported his head. Having sat in long expectation of seeing us,

he had fallen asleep; and on being waked, it was some minutes before he

recovered entire self-possession and consciousness. His long sunburnt

hair hung loosely about a face it could scarcely be said to shade, and

on which famine and terror had imprinted a frightful expression of

ghastliness. Perhaps some consciousness of having acted an imprudent

and reprehensible part, prevented any demonstrations of joy he might

otherwise have shown at sight of us. Under the apprehension that

accidents of this kind might occur, it had repeatedly been enjoined

upon all of the party, never to lose sight of the main body when on

the march. But on this occasion no regard was paid to this necessary

regulation.

From his statement we learned, that after separating from us, on

the morning of the 29th August, he had returned a mile or two to

search for his canteen; but not finding it, in his hurry to rejoin

the party, he had missed the trail, and presently found himself

bewildered. Taking the bed of the river as his guide, he urged on his

mule, without allowing it time to rest or to feed, till, on the third

day, it refused to proceed, and was left. He then took his baggage,

musket, &c. and pushed forward on foot, evidently with the hope of

arriving at the Pawnee village, but by the end of the day found his

strength so exhausted that he could go no farther, and was compelled

to encamp. Having expended his ammunition in unsuccessful attempts to

shoot turkies, he had been trying to make a substitute for fish-hooks

by bending up some needles; but this project he had not brought to

perfection, and assured us he had not tasted food since the breakfast

of the 29th, a period of more than five days.

{19} The small-leaved and the white elm,[79] the nettle-tree or

hackberry, the cotton-wood, mulberry, black walnut, pecan, ash,

sycamore, and indeed most of the trees common to the low grounds of

the Mississippi, are intermixed here to form the dense forests of the

river valley, while, in the more scattered woods of the highlands, the

prevailing growth is oak, with some species of nyssa, the dyospiros,

and a few other small trees. At evening a large flock of white pelicans

passed us on their way up the river.

On the morning of the 3d, not having been able to select a suitable

place for a Sunday encampment, we moved on, searching for a supply of

grass, that we might halt for the day. The hunters preceded the party,

and meeting with a herd of bisons and good pasturage in the same place,

they killed a bull of a most gigantic stature, and waited until the

remainder of the party came up, and encamped near the carcass. We have

often regretted that we had not taken the dimensions of this animal, as

it appeared to surpass in size any we had before killed, and greatly to

exceed the ordinary stature of the bison.

Having arranged our camp, and done in the way of washing, dressing, &c.

the little in our power to do, we made an excursion into the adjoining

forest to collect plants, and to search for honey, which, from the

great number of bees we had seen, we were conscious must be abundant.

Since leaving the open country, we had remarked a very great change

in the vegetation. The dense shade, and perhaps the somewhat confined

air of the forest, are unfavourable to the growth of many of those

grasses, and those robust perennials, which seem to delight in the

arid soils and the scorching winds of the sandy deserts. The sensitive

(cassia nictitans), the favourite food of the bees, some species of

hedysarum, and a few {20} other legumina, are, however, common to both

regions.

Our search for bee-trees was unsuccessful; but in our way we saw great

numbers of gray squirrels, and killed a fat buck, one of whose quarters

we found a heavy load to carry a mile or two to our camp.

A considerable part of the day we spent in unavailing contest with

the ticks. The torment of their stings increased upon us if we were a

moment idle, or attempted to rest ourselves under the shadow of a tree.

We considered ourselves peculiarly fortunate when we could find the

shade of a tree extending some distance on to the naked sands of the

river-bed, for then the ticks were less numerous. In the middle of the

day the mercury again rose to 97°, and the blowing flies swarmed in

such numbers about our blankets and clothing as to allow us no rest.

About the pools near our camp we saw the little white egret; the snowy

heron had been common for some days. Great numbers of cranes, ducks,

pelicans, and other aquatic birds, induced us to believe that larger

bodies of water than we had recently seen must be near.

Bears and wolves were still frequent; among the latter we observed

a black one of a small size, which we believed to be specifically

different from any one of those we had seen above. All our attempts to

capture this watchful animal were without success. Since entering the

region of forests, we had found the number of small animals, birds,

and insects considerably increased. An enormous black hairy spider,

resembling the mygale avicularia of South America, was often seen;

and it was not without shuddering that we sometimes perceived this

formidable insect looking out from his hole within a few feet of the

spot on which we had thrown ourselves down to rest.

{21} On the 4th we met with nothing interesting except the appearance

of running water in the bed of the river. Since the 13th of the

preceding month, we had travelled constantly along the river, and in

all the distance passed in that time, which could not have been less

than five hundred miles, we had seen running water in the river in one

or two instances only, and in those it had evidently been occasioned by

recent rains, and had extended but a mile or two, when it disappeared.

{22} CHAPTER VIII {II}

Osage Orange--Birds--Falls of the Canadian--Green Argillaceous

Sandstone--Northern and Southern Tributaries of the Canadian--

Cotton-wood--Arrival at the Arkansa--Cane Brakes--Cherokees--

Belle Point.

September 5th. The region we were now traversing is one of great

fertility, and we had daily occasion to regret that our visit to it had

not been made earlier in the season. Many unknown plants were observed,

but their flowering season having passed, the fruit of many of them

had ripened and fallen. We were deprived of the means of ascertaining

the name and place of such as had been heretofore described, and of

describing such as were new. We had, however, the satisfaction to

recognize some interesting productions, among which we may enumerate

a very beautiful species of bignonia, and the bow-wood or osage

orange.[80] The rocky hills abound in trees of a small size, and the

cedars are sometimes so numerous, as to give their peculiar and gloomy

colouring to the landscape. We listened as we rode forward to the note

of a bird, new to some of us, and bearing a singular resemblance to the

noise of a child's toy trumpet; this we soon found to be the cry of

the great ivory-billed wood-pecker (picus principalis), the largest of

the North American species, and confined to the warmer parts. The picus

pileatus we had seen on the 25th of August, more than one hundred miles

above, and this with the picus erythrocephalus were now common. Turkies

were very numerous. The paroquet, chuck-wills-widow, wood-robin,

mocking bird, and many other small birds, filled the woods with life

and music. {23} The bald eagle, the turkey buzzard, and black vulture,

raven and crow, were seen swarming like the blowing flies about any

spot where a bison, an elk, or a deer had fallen a prey to the hunter.

About the river were large flocks of pelicans, with numbers of snowy

herons, and the beautiful ardea egretta.

Soon after we had commenced our morning ride, we heard the report of

a gun at the distance of a mile, as we thought, on our left; this was

distinctly heard by several of the party, and induced us to believe

that white hunters were in the neighbourhood. We had recently seen

great numbers of elk, and killed one or two, which we had found in bad

condition.

September 6th. Numerous ridges of rocky hills traverse the country

from north-east to south-west, crossing the direction of the river

obliquely. They are of a sandstone, which bears sufficient evidence of

belonging to a coal formation. At the spot where we halted to dine, one

of these ranges, crossing the river, produces an inconsiderable fall.

As the whole width of the channel is paved with a compact horizontal

sandstone, we believed all the water of the river must be forced into

view, and were a little surprised to find the quantity something less

than it had been almost six hundred miles above in the same stream.

It would appear, that all the water which falls in rains or flows

from springs in an extent of country larger than Pennsylvania, is not

sufficient to supply the evaporation of so extensive a surface of naked

and heated sands.

If the river of which we speak should at any season of the year contain

water enough for the purposes of navigation, it is probable the fall

occasioned by the rocky traverse above mentioned will be sufficient

to prevent the passage upwards. The point is a remarkable one, as

being the locality of a rare and beautiful variety of sandstone.

The rock which appears in the bed of the river is a compact slaty

{24} sandstone, of a deep green colour, resembling some varieties of

chloritic slate.

Whether the colour depends upon epidote, chlorite, or some other

substance, we were not able to determine. The sandstone is micaceous,

but the particles of mica, as well as those of the other integrant

minerals, are very minutely divided. The same rock, as we found by

tracing it to some distance, becomes of a light grey colour, and

contains extensive beds of bituminous clay-slate. Its stratifications

are so little inclined, that their dip cannot be estimated by the eye.

This point, though scarce deserving the name of a cataract, is so

marked by the occurrence of a peculiar bed of rocks crossing the

river, and by the rapid descent of the current, that it may be readily

recognized by any who shall pass that way hereafter. In this view we

attach some importance to it, as the only spot in a distance of six

hundred miles we can hope to identify by description. In ascending,

when the traveller arrives at this point, he has little to expect

beyond, but sandy wastes and thirsty inhospitable steppes. The skirts

of the hilly and wooded region extend to a distance of fifty or sixty

miles above, but even this district is indifferently supplied with

water. Beyond commences the wide sandy desert, stretching westward to

the base of the Rocky Mountains. We have little apprehension of giving

too unfavourable an account of this portion of the country. Though

the soil is in some places fertile, the want of timber, of navigable

streams, and of water for the necessities of life, render it an unfit

residence for any but a nomade population. The traveller who shall at

any time have traversed its desolate sands, will, we think, join us in

the wish that this region may for ever remain the unmolested haunt of

the native hunter, the bison, and the jackall.[81]

One mile below this point (which we call the Falls or the Canadian,

rather for the sake of a name than {25} as considering it worthy to be

thus designated), is the entrance, from the south, of a river fifty

yards wide. Its banks are lined with tall forests of cotton-wood and

sycamore, and its bottoms are wide and fertile. Its bed is less choked

with sand than that of the river to which it is tributary. Six or eight

miles farther down, and on the other side, is the confluence of the

Great North Fork, discharging at least three times as much water as we

found at the falls above mentioned. It is about eighty yards wide. The

beds of both these tributaries are covered with water from shore to

shore, but they have gentle currents, and are not deep, and neither of

them have in any considerable degree that red tinge which characterizes

the Canadian. We have already mentioned that what we consider the

sources of the North Fork are situated in the floetz trap country,

nearly opposite those of the Purgatory Creek of the Arkansa.[82] Of

one of its northern tributaries we have received some information from

the recent work of Mr. Nuttall, who crossed it in his journey to the

Great Salt river of Arkansa in 1819.[83] "Still proceeding," says he,

"a little to the north of west, about ten miles further, we came to

a considerable rivulet of clear and still water, deep enough to swim

our horses. This stream was called the Little North Fork (or Branch)

of the Canadian, and emptied into the main North Fork of the same

river, nearly 200 miles distant, including its meanders, which had been

ascended by the trappers of beaver." From his account it appears that

the banks of this stream are wooded, and that the "superincumbent rock"

is a sandstone, not of the red formation, but probably belonging to a

coal district.

Its water, like that of the Arkansa, and its northern tributaries, when

not swelled by rains, is of a greenish {26} colour. This colouring is

sometimes so intense in the rivers of this region as to suggest the

idea that the water is filled with minute confervas or other floating

plants, but when we see it by transmitted light, as when a portion of

it is held in a glass vessel, the colour disappears.

Three and a half miles below the confluence of the North Fork is a

remarkable rock, standing isolated in the middle of the river, like the

Grand Tower in the Mississippi. It is about twenty-five feet high, and

fifty or sixty in diameter, and its sides so perpendicular as to render

the summit inaccessible. It appears to have been broken from a high

promontory of gray sandstone overhanging the river on the north side.

Not being able to find grass for pasture, we rode later than usual,

and were finally compelled to encamp on a sandy beach, which afforded

nothing but rushes for our horses.

September 8th. The quantity of water in the river had now become so

considerable as to impede our descent along the bed; but the valley was

narrow, and so filled with close and entangled forests, and the uplands

so broken and rugged, that no other path appeared to remain for us.

We therefore continued to make our way, though with great difficulty,

and found our horses much incommoded by being kept almost constantly

in the water, as we were compelled to do to cross from the point of a

sand-bar on one side the river, to the next on the other. Quicksands

also occurred, and in places where we least expected it, our horses and

ourselves were thrown to the earth without a moment's notice. These

sudden falls, occasioned by sinking in the sand, and the subsequent

exertion necessary to extricate themselves, proved extremely harassing

to our jaded horses, and we had reason to fear that these faithful

servants would fail us almost at the end of our journey.

{27} Above the falls, the width of the river, that is of the space

included between its two banks, varies from three hundred yards to

two miles; below it is uniformly narrower, scarce exceeding four

hundred yards. The beaches are sloping, and often covered with young

cotton-wood or willow trees. In the Missouri, Mississippi, and to some

extent in the Arkansa and its tributaries, the islands, sand-bars, and

even the banks, are constantly shifting place. In the progress of

these changes, the young willows and cotton-wood trees which spring

up wherever a naked beach is exposed, may be supposed to have some

agency, by confining the soil with their roots, and arresting the

dirt and rubbish in times of high water. On the Missouri, the first

growth which springs up in these places, is so commonly the willow,

that the expressions "willow-bar" and "willow-island" have passed into

the language of the boatmen, and communicate the definite idea of a

bar, or an island recently risen from the water. These willows become

intermixed with the cotton-wood, and these trees are often almost

the exclusive occupants of extensive portions of the low grounds.

The foliage of the most common species of willow (S. angustata) is

of a light green colour, and, when seen under certain angles, of a

silvery gray, contrasting beautifully with the intense and vivid

green of cotton-wood.[84] Within a few yards of the spot where we

halted to dine, we were so fortunate as to find a small log canoe made

fast on shore. From its appearance we were assured it had been some

months deserted by its rightful owner; and from the necessity of our

situation, thought ourselves justified in seizing and converting it to

our use. Our pack-horses had become much weakened, and reduced by long

fatigue; and in crossing the river, as we had often to do, we felt that

our collections, the only valuable part of our baggage, were constantly

exposed to the risk of being wetted. We accordingly made prize of the

{28} canoe, and putting on board our packs and heavy baggage, manned

it with two men, designing that they should navigate it down to the

settlements. Aside from this canoe, we discovered in the adjoining

woods the remains of an old camp, which we perceived had been occupied

by white men, and saw other convincing proofs that we were coming near

some inhabited country.

We halted at evening in a small prairie on the north side of the river,

the first we had seen for some time. The difficulties of navigation,

arising from the shallowness of the water, prevented the arrival of the

canoe and baggage until a late hour. The men had been compelled to wade

a great part of the way, and drag the canoe over the sand.

September 9th. We had proceeded a mile or two from our encampment, when

we discovered a herd of twenty or thirty elk, some standing in the

water, and some lying upon the sand-beach, at no great distance before

us. The hunters went forward, and singling out one of the finest bucks,

fired upon him, at which the whole herd plunged into the thicket, and

disappeared instantly. We had, however, too much confidence in the

skill of the hunter to doubt but his shot had been fatal, and several

of the party dismounting, pursued the herd into the woods, where they

soon overtook the wounded buck. The noble animal, finding his pursuers

at his heels, turned upon the foremost, who saved himself by springing

into a thicket which the elk could not penetrate, but in which he soon

became entangled by his enormous antlers, and fell an easy victim.

His head was enveloped in such a quantity of cissus smilax and other

twining vines, that scarce the tips of his horns could be seen; thus

blind-folded, he stood until most of those who had followed into the

woods had discharged their pieces, and did not finally yield up his

life until he was stabbed to the heart with a knife. He was found

in excellent condition, having more than two inches {29} of fat on

the brisket. The meat was carried to the river, and deposited on a

projecting point of rocks, with a note addressed to the men who were

behind with the canoe, directing them to add this supply of provisions

to their cargo.

At this point, and again at an inconsiderable distance below, a soft

green slaty sandstone forms the bed of the river, and occasions a

succession of rapids. At noon an observation by the meridian altitude

of the sun's lower limb gave us 35° 30′, as an approximation to

our latitude. This was much greater than we had anticipated from the

position assigned to Red river on the maps, and tending to confirm the

unpleasant fears we had entertained of having mistaken some tributary

of the Arkansa for the Red river.

Thick and extensive cane brakes occurred on both sides of the river,

and though the bottoms were wide and covered with heavy forests,

we could see at intervals the distant sandstone hills, with their

scattered forests of cedar and oak.

September 10th. We left our camp at the usual hour, and after riding

eight or ten miles, arrived at the confluence of our supposed Red

river with another of a much greater size, which we at once perceived

to be the Arkansa. Our disappointment and chagrin at discovering the

mistake we had so long laboured under, was little alleviated by the

consciousness that the season was so far advanced, our horses and our

means so far exhausted, as to place it beyond our power to return and

attempt the discovery of the sources of the Red river. We had been

misled by some little reliance on the maps, and the current statements

concerning the position of the upper branches of Red river, and more

particularly by the confident assurance we had received from the

Kaskaia Indians, whom we did not suspect of a wish to deceive us in

an affair of such indifference to them. Knowing there was a degree

of ambiguity and confusion in the nomenclature of the rivers, we had

insisted {30} particularly on being informed, whether the river we were

descending was the one on which the Pawnee Piquas had their permanent

residence, and this we were repeatedly assured was the case. Several

other circumstances, which have been already mentioned, led us to the

commission of this unfortunate mistake.

According to our estimate of distances on our courses, it is seven

hundred and ninety-six and a half miles from the point where we first

struck the Canadian to its confluence with the Arkansa. If we make

a reasonable allowance for the meanders of the river, and for the

extension of its upper branches some distance to the west of the place

where we commenced our descent, the entire length of the Canadian will

appear to be about one thousand miles.[85] Our journey upon it had

occupied a space of seven weeks, travelling with the utmost diligence

the strength of our horses would permit.

On arriving at the Arkansa, we waited a short time for our canoe, in

which we crossed our heavy baggage, and then swimming our horses,

we ascended the bank in search of a place to encamp, but soon found

ourselves surrounded by a dense almost impenetrable cane brake, where

no vestige of a path could be found. In this dilemma, no alternative

remained, but to force our way forward by the most laborious exertions.

The canes were of large size, and stood so close together that a horse

could not move forward the length of his body without breaking by

main force a great number of them. Making our way with excessive toil

among these gigantic gramina, our party might be said to resemble a

company of rats traversing a sturdy field of grass. The cane stalks,

after being trod to the earth, often inflicted, in virtue of their

elasticity, blows as severe as they were unexpected. It is not to

be supposed our horses alone felt the inconvenience of this sort of

travelling. We received frequent blows and bruises on all parts of our

{31} bodies, had our sweaty faces and hands scratched by the rough

leaves of the cane, and oftentimes, as our attention was otherwise

directed, we caught with our feet and dragged across our shins the

flexible and spiny stalks of the green briar.

This most harassing ride we commenced at eleven in the morning, and

continued without a moment's intermission till sunset, when finding we

were not about to extricate ourselves, we returned near a mile and a

half on our track, to a spot where we had passed a piece of open woods

large enough to spread our blankets on. Here we laid ourselves down at

dark, much exhausted by our day's journey.

Our fatigue was sufficient to overcome the irritation of the ticks, and

we slept soundly until about midnight, when we were awakened by the

commencement of a heavy fall of rain, from which, as we had not been

able to set up our tent, we had no shelter.

On the following morning, after several hours spent in most laborious

travelling, like that of the preceding day, we found ourselves emerging

from the river bottom, and, to our great satisfaction, exchanging the

cane brakes for open woods. At the foot of the hill lay a deep morass,

covered with the nelumbo and other aquatic plants. It had probably

been the former bed of the Arkansa. Observing water in some part of it,

several of the party attempted to penetrate to it to drink, but the

quaking bog was found so deep and soft as to be wholly impassable.

After ascending the hills we pursued our course nearly due north,

through open woods of oak and nyssa, until we reached the prairie,

and soon after discovered a large and frequented path, which we knew

could be no other than that leading to Fort Smith. On emerging from the

low grounds we had no longer the prospect of boundless and monotonous

plains. We were in a region of mountains and forests, {32} interspersed

with open plains, but these were of limited extent.

September 12th. We resumed our journey at sunrise. The weather was

cool, and the morning fair. The wide and densely-wooded valley of the

Arkansa lay on our route. The course of the river was marked by a long

and undulating line of mist, brightening in the beams of the rising

sun; beyond rose the blue summits of the Point Sucre and Cavaniol

mountains, "in the clear light above the dews of morn." Though the

region about us had all the characters of a mountain district, we

could discover little uniformity in the direction of the ranges. The

Cavaniol and Point Sucre mountains are situated on opposite sides of

the Poteau, above the confluence of James's Fork, and are parts of low

ridges running from S. W. to N. E. On the north side of the Arkansa is

a ridge of considerable elevation, nearly parallel in direction to the

aggregate course of the river.[86]

In the path we were travelling we observed tracks indicating that men

on horseback had recently passed, and in the course of the morning

we met a party of six or eight Indians, who informed us they were of

the Cherokee nation; that we should be able to arrive at the military

post at Belle Point on the following morning. They were on horseback,

carrying guns, kettles, and other articles suited to a hunting

excursion, which it was their purpose to make in the territory of the

Osages; one or two of them had on round hats; all had calico shirts,

or some other article of foreign fabric, as part of their dress; and

all had a mean and squalid appearance, indicating that they had been

in habits of frequent intercourse with the whites. They were unable to

speak or understand our language, but communicated with considerable

ease by means of signs.[87]

At eleven o'clock we halted, and as our provisions were nearly

exhausted, most of the party went out to {33} hunt, but were not

fortunate in meeting game. We found, however, some papaw trees with

ripe fruit of an uncommon size and delicious flavor, with which we were

able to allay our hunger. The papaw tree attains a much larger size,

and the fruit arrives at greater perfection, in the low grounds of the

Arkansa, than on the Missouri, Ohio, and Upper Mississippi, where it is

also common. The papaws fall to the ground as soon as fully ripe, and

are eagerly sought after by the bears, raccoons, oppossum, &c.

In the afternoon one of our mules failed so far that the undivided

attention and the most active exertions of two men were required to

keep him moving at the rate of a slow walk. This made it necessary we

should encamp, and we accordingly selected a spot in a fine open grove

of oaks, where we pitched our tent. Among other interesting plants

we collected here the beautiful vexillaria[88] virginica of Eaton,

which has the largest flower of any of the legumina of the United

States, as is remarked by Mr. Nuttall. We saw also the menispermum

lyoni, hieracium marianum, rhexia virginica. As we encamped at an

early hour, the party dispersed in several directions in search of

game. Nothing was found except a swarm of bees, affording as much

honey as we chose to eat for supper. While engaged in felling the tree

we heard guns discharged at a distance, and by sending persons to

examine, learned they were those of a party of men accompanying Mr.

Robert Glen on his way from Fort Smith to the trading-house at the

mouth of the Verdigrise.[89] In the evening we received a visit from

Mr. G., whose camp was distant only about a mile from ours. He was the

first white man not of our own party whom we had seen since the 6th

of {34} the preceding June. From him we received a highly acceptable

present of coffee, biscuits, a bottle of spirits, &c.; also the welcome

intelligence that Captain Bell, with his division of the exploring

party, had arrived at Fort Smith some days previous.

Early on the 13th we took up our march in a heavy fall of rain, which

continued until we arrived at the little plantation opposite Belle

Point. Here we emerged from the deep silence and twilight gloom of

the forest, and found ourselves once more surrounded by the works of

men. The plantation consisted of a single enclosure, covered with a

thick crop of maize, intermixed with gigantic stalks of the phytolacca

decandria and ricinus palma christi; forming a forest of animal plants,

which seemed almost to vie with miegias and annonas occupying the

adjacent portions of the river bottoms. As we followed the winding

pathway past the little cottage, at the corner of the field we were

saluted by several large dogs, who sprang up from the surrounding

weeds. Urged by our impatience to see human faces, we called out to

the people in the cottage to direct us to Belle Point, although we

knew the path could not be mistaken, and that we were not ten rods

from the ferry. Notwithstanding our inquiries might have been thought

impertinent, we were very civilly answered by a young woman, who came

to the door, and attempted to silence the clamours of the dogs. We were

not surprised to find our uncouth appearance a matter of astonishment

both to dogs and men.

On arriving at the beach opposite Fort Smith, and making known our

arrival by the discharge of a pistol, we perceived the inhabitants of

the garrison and our former companions coming down to the ferry to give

us welcome; and being soon carried over, we met from Major Bradford

and Captain Ballard a most cordial and flattering reception.[90]

Captain Bell, with Mr. Say, Mr. Seymour, and Lieutenant Swift, having

experienced numerous casualties, and achieved {35} various adventures,

having suffered much from hunger, and more from the perfidy of some

of their soldiers, had arrived on the 9th, and were all in good

health. The loss most severely felt was that of the manuscript notes

of Mr. Say and Lieutenant Swift. Measures for the apprehension of

the deserters and the recovery of these important papers were taken

immediately, and a reward of two hundred dollars offered. Mr. Glen

had kindly volunteered his assistance and his influence to engage the

Osages in the pursuit. But these efforts were unavailing.

We arrived at Fort Smith at about nine o'clock, and were soon

afterwards invited to a bountifully furnished breakfast-table at Major

Bradford's. Our attentive host knowing the caution necessary to be used

by men in our situation, restrained us from a too unbounded indulgence

in the use of bread, sweet potatoes, and other articles of diet to

which we had been long unaccustomed. The experience of a few days

taught us that it would have been fortunate for us if we had given more

implicit heed to his caution.

The site of Fort Smith was selected by Major Long in the fall of

1817, and called Belle Point, in allusion to its peculiar beauty. It

occupies a point of elevated land immediately below the junction of

the Arkansa and the Poteau, a small tributary from the south-west.

Agreeably to the orders of General Smith,[91] then commanding the ninth

military department, a plan of the proposed work was submitted to Major

Bradford, at that time and since commandant at the post, under whose

superintendance the works have been in part completed, not without some

deviation from the original plan. The buildings now form two sides

of a hollow square, terminated by strong block-houses at the opposite

angles, and fronting towards the river.

The hill which forms the basis of the fort is a dark gray micaceous

sandstone in horizontal laminæ, and is elevated about thirty feet above

the water. The {36} country back of the fort has an undulating surface,

and rises gradually as it recedes, being covered with heavy forests

of oak, tulip tree, sassafras, &c. Towards the south and south-east,

at no great distance, rise the summits of the mountainous range

already mentioned. The Sugar-loaf and Cavaniol mountains (the former

being one of a group of these similar conic summits), are visible

from some points near Fort Smith. The Poteau, so called by the French

from the word signifying a post or station, rises sixty or seventy

miles south of Belle Point, opposite to the sources of the Kiamesha,

a branch of Red river. Nearly the whole of its course is through a

hilly or mountainous region, but it is one so sparingly supplied with

water, that the Poteau, within two miles of its confluence with the

Arkansa, is in the dry season no more than a trifling brook. In an

excursion which we made from Fort Smith, we ascended the Poteau about

a mile and a half, where we observed an extensive bed of bituminous

clay-slate, indicating the neighbourhood of coal. Tracing this slate

to the south and east, we found it to pass under a very considerable

sandstone hill. Several circumstances induce us to believe that it is

also underlayed by a sandstone similar to that at the fort. Attentive

examination will show that these rocks have a slight inclination

towards the east; and if the bituminous slate in question had been

underlayed by compact limestone, as has been conjectured,[92] it is

highly probable this rock would have emerged near where the sandstone

appears at Belle Point. We make this remark because, although we have

often seen both limestone and bituminous clay-slate in various parts of

the Arkansa territory, it has never been our fortune to meet with them

in connexion. A few rods above this bed of bituminous slate we crossed

the Poteau almost at a single step, and without wetting the soles

{37} of our mockasins, so inconsiderable was the quantity of water

it contained. The point between the confluence of the Poteau and the

Arkansa is low and fertile bottom land, and, like that on the opposite

side of the river, covered with dense and heavy forests of cotton-wood,

sycamore, and ash, intermixed with extensive and impenetrable cane

brakes. In these low grounds the beautiful papaw tree, whose luscious

fruit was now ripe, occurs in great abundance. It rises to the height

of thirty or forty feet, and its trunk is sometimes not less than a

foot in diameter.

Grape vines, several scandent species of smilax and cissus, and a

most singular vine allied to menispermum, are so intermixed with the

sturdy under growth as to render the woods almost impassable. Paths have

been opened by the people of the garrison where they have been found

necessary by cutting away the canes and small trees; but they may be

said to resemble subterranean passages, to which the rays of the sun

never penetrate. We found the air in these, and indeed in every part of

heavy forests, stagnant, and so loaded with the effluvia of decaying

vegetable substances as to be immediately oppressive to the lungs.

After spending an hour or two in an atmosphere of this kind, we found

ourselves perceptibly affected with languor and dizziness.

The gardens at Fort Smith afforded green corn, melons, sweet potatoes,

and other esculent vegetables, which to us had for a long time been

untasted luxuries. It is probable we did not exercise sufficient

caution in recommencing the use of these articles, as we soon found our

health beginning to become impaired. We had been a long time confined

to a meat diet, without bread or condiments of any kind, and were

not surprised to find ourselves affected by so great and so sudden

a change. It may be worth while to remark, that we had been so long

unaccustomed to the use of salt, that the sweat of our faces had lost

all perceptible saltness, and that the ordinary {38} dishes which were

brought to our mess-table at the Fort appeared unpalatable, on account

of being too highly seasoned.

In a region of extensive river alluvion, supporting, like that of

the Arkansa, boundless forests, impervious to the winds, and the

rays of the sun, it is not surprising that a state of the atmosphere

should exist unfavourable to health; intermitting, remitting, and

continued bilious fevers prevail during the summer and autumn, and

in many instances terminate fatally. Among recent settlers, the

want of the most common comforts, of the advice and attendance of

skilful physicians, and, above all, the want of cleanliness, and the

destructive habits of intemperance, are causes operating powerfully

to produce and aggravate these diseases. The settlements about Fort

Smith were sickly, and we saw numbers with that peculiar sallowness

of complexion which accompanies those chronic derangements of the

functions of the liver, so often the consequence of bilious fevers.

It is obvious, that the causes of the acknowledged sickliness of the

recent settlements in the south and west, are in a great measure local

and unconnected with the climate; by the increase of settlements, and

the progress of cultivation, they will be in part removed.

Fort Smith is garrisoned by one company of riflemen, under the command

of Major Bradford. Among other important designs contemplated in the

establishment of this post, one was to prevent the encroachments of

the white settlers upon the lands still held by the Indians. Some of

the most fertile portions of the Arkansa territory are those about the

Verdigrise, Skin Bayou, Illinois, Six Bulls, &c.;[93] in which some

unauthorised settlements were heretofore made, but have recently been

abandoned, in compliance with the requirements of the commandant at

Fort Smith.[94]

AN ACCOUNT OF THE EXPEDITION OF THE DETACHED PARTY ON THE ARKANSA

RIVER[95]

{39} CHAPTER IX {III}

The Party Proceed upon their Route--Thunder-storm--Some Account of the

Kiawa, Kaskaia, Arrapaho, and Shienne Indians--New Species of Toad.

Monday, 24th. After the departure of so great a portion of our numbers,

combined with whom we could hardly be regarded as sufficiently powerful

to contend successfully with a force which we were daily liable to

encounter, we were well aware of the necessity of exerting an increased

vigilance, and of relying still more implicitly upon our individual

means of defence, than we had hitherto done. Our small band now

consisted of Captain Bell, Lieut. Swift, Mr. Seymour, Mr. Say, and the

interpreters Bijeau, Ledoux, and Julien, with five soldiers.

We were cheered by the reflection, that we had successfully performed

a very considerable and most important part of our expedition,

harmonizing well {40} with each other, and unassailed by any urgent

visible dangers, such as had been anticipated by ourselves, and

predicted by others. We could not however look forward to the

trackless desert which still separated us from the utmost boundary of

civilisation, and which we had no reason to believe was less than a

thousand miles in breadth, traversed in many portions of its extent

by lawless war-parties of various nations of Indians, without an

emotion of anxiety and of doubt as to the successful termination of our

enterprize.

We were this afternoon assailed by a very severe thunder-storm, and

Julien, who had skirted the timber for the purpose of hunting, was

electrified by a flash of lightning, which entered the earth within

a few yards of him. The wind was violent, and blew the drops of rain

with so much force into our faces, that our horses refused to proceed,

constantly endeavouring to turn themselves about from the storm; we at

length yielded to their obstinacy, and halted upon the plain. The storm

did not abate until we were thoroughly drenched to the skin, when,

after being delayed some additional space of time, until a straggler

had joined us, we continued our journey.

Wednesday, 26th. Late in the afternoon we saw, at a great distance

before us, evident indications of the proximity of Indians, consisting

of conic elevations, or skin lodges, on the edge of the skirting

timber, partially concealed by the foliage of the trees. On our

nearer approach we observed their horses grazing peacefully, but

becoming suddenly frightened, probably by our scent, they all bounded

off towards the camp, which was now full in view. Our attention was

called off from the horses by the appearance of their masters, who

were now seen running towards us with all their swiftness. A minute

afterwards we were surrounded by them, and were happy {41} to observe

in their features and gestures a manifestation of the most pacific

disposition; they shook us by the hand, assured us by signs that they

rejoiced to see us, and invited us to partake of their hospitality.

We however replied, that we had brought our own lodges with us, and

would encamp near them. We selected for this purpose a clear spot of

ground on the bank of the river, intending to remain a day or two

with this little known people, to observe their manners and way of

life. We had scarcely pitched our tents, watered and staked our horses,

before presents of jerked bison meat were brought to us by the squaws,

consisting of selected pieces, the fattest and the best, in sufficient

quantity for the consumption of two or three days. After the usual

ceremony of smoking, they were informed to what nation we belonged,

and that further communication would be made to their principal men

to-morrow, whom we wished summoned for that purpose. About sun-down

they all retired, and left us to our repose. The Indians were encamped

on both sides of the river, but the great body of them was on the

opposite bank, their skin lodges extending in a long single line; the

extremities of which were concealed from our view by the timber of the

islands in the river, whilst about ten lodges only were erected on the

side we occupied, and within a quarter of a mile of our camp.

Soon after our arrival, an Indian well stricken in years inquired if we

had seen a man and squaw within a day or two on our route: we described

to him the appearance of the calf and his squaw. "That is my wife,"

said he, "who has eloped from me, and I will instantly go in pursuit of

them." He accordingly procured a companion, and both were soon on their

way, well armed and mounted.

[Illustration: Kiawa Encampment]

Thursday, 27th. Notice having been sent to the opposite party of our

arrival, and of our wish to see {42} the principal men, four chiefs

presented themselves at our camp this morning at an early hour, as

representatives of the several bands, of the same number of different

nations, here associated together, and consisting of Kiawas, Kaskaias

or Bad-hearts, Shiennes (sometimes written Chayenne), and Arrapahoes.

Several distinguished men accompanied them. We had made some

little preparation for their reception, by spreading skins for them

to sit on, hoisting our flag, and selecting a few presents from our

scanty stores. They arranged themselves with due solemnity, and the

pipe being passed around, many of them seemed to enjoy it as the

greatest rarity, eyeing it as it passed from mouth to mouth, and

inhaling its fragrant smoke into their lungs with a pleasure which

they could not conceal. One individual of a tall emaciated frame,

whose visage was furrowed with deep wrinkles, evidently rather the

effect of disease than of age, after filling his lungs and mouth

topfull of smoke, placed his hands firmly upon his face and inflated

cheeks as in an ecstacy, and unwilling to part with what yielded the

utmost pleasure, he retained his breath until suffocation compelled

him to drive out the smoke and inhale fresh air, which he effected

so suddenly and with so much earnestness, and singular contortion

of countenance, that we restrained ourselves with some effort from

committing the indecorum of a broad laugh. We had the good fortune to

find one of them who could speak the Pawnee language tolerably well;

he had acquired it in his early youth, whilst residing in a state of

captivity in that nation; so that, by means of our interpreters, we

experienced no difficulty in acquainting them, that we belonged to

the numerous and powerful nation of Americans,[96] that we had been

sent by our great chief, who presides over all the country, to {43}

examine that part of his territories, that he might become acquainted

with its features, its produce and population; that we had been

many moons on our journey, and had passed through many red nations,

of whose hospitality we largely partook, &c. This was translated

into French, then into Pawnee, and afterwards into Kiawa, and the

other languages, by their respective interpreters. In reply, a chief

expressed his surprise that we had travelled so far, and assured us

that they were happy to see us, and hoped that as a road was now open

to our nation, traders would be sent amongst them.

We assured them, that traders would be soon amongst them, provided we

could report on our return that we had been hospitably treated while

travelling through their country.

A few presents, such as knives, combs, vermilion, &c., were then laid

before the chiefs, who, in return, presented us with three or four

horses, which terminated the proceedings of the council. We afterwards

understood that our guests thought we gave but little; and it is

perhaps true, that the value of their presents was far greater than

ours, yet our liberality was fully equal to our means.

[Illustration: Kaskaia; Shienne, Chief; Awappaho]

The whole population had now deserted their edifices and crowded

about us, and, agreeably to our wishes, which were announced in the

council, the women brought jerked meat, and the men skin and hair

ropes for halters, to trade with us for trinkets; and we were enabled

to obtain a sufficient quantity of each, at a very moderate price.

The trading being completed, we expected the crowd to diminish, but

it seemed rather to augment in magnitude and density, until, becoming

a very serious inconvenience, we requested the chiefs to direct

their people to retire, which they immediately complied with, but,

with the exception of the Shienne chief, were not obeyed. All the

Shiennes forthwith left us, in compliance with {44} the peremptory

orders of their chief, who seemed to be a man born to command, and to

be endowed with a spirit of unconquerable ferocity, and capable

of inflicting exemplary punishment upon any one who should dare to

disobey his orders. He was tall and graceful, with a highly-ridged

aquiline nose, corrugated forehead, mouth with the corners drawn

downward, and rather small, but remarkably piercing eye, which, when

fixed upon your countenance, appeared strained in the intenseness

of its gaze, and to seek rather for the movements of the soul

within, than to ascertain the mere lineaments it contemplated. The

other chiefs seemed to possess only the dignity of office, without

the power of command; the result, probably, of a deficiency of

that native energy with which their companion was so pre-eminently

endowed. They scarcely dared to reiterate their admonitions to their

followers, not to press so closely upon the white people, but to

limit their approaches to the line of our baggage. Still our tents

were filled, and our persons hemmed in by the ardent and insatiable

curiosity of the multitude, of both sexes and of all ages, mounted

and on foot. To an observer of mankind, the present scene was

abundantly fruitful and interesting. We could not but remark the ease

and air of security with which their equestrians preserved their

equipoise on the naked backs of their horses, in their evolutions

beyond the crowd; nor could we restrain a smile, in the midst of

vexatious circumstances, at the appearance of the naked children,

mounted on horses, sometimes to the number of three or four on each,

carelessly standing erect, or kneeling upon their backs, to catch a

glance, over the heads of the intervening multitude, at the singular

deportment, costume, and appearance of the white strangers.

In the rear of our tent, a squaw, who had become possessed of a wooden

small-toothed comb, was occupied {45} in removing from her head a

population as numerous, as the individuals composing it were robust

and well fed. She had placed a skin upon her lap to receive the victims

as they fell; and a female companion who sat at her feet alternately

craunched the oily vermin between her teeth, and conversed with the

most rapid and pleasant loquacity, as she picked them up from the skin

before her.

Our attention was now arrested by a phenomenon which soon relieved us

from the crowd that pressed upon us. A heavy and extensive cloud of

dust was observed in the north, obscuring the horizon, and bounding

the range of vision in that direction. It moved rapidly towards us.

An animated scene ensued; the Indians fording the river with as much

rapidity of movement as they could exert, towards their encampment,

horse and foot, the water foaming before them. It soon became obvious

that the dust ascended into the atmosphere under the influence of a

violent current of air; we therefore employed a few moments of interval

in strengthening our feeble tenements to resist the influence of the

approaching tempest. Within, they were now so nearly filled with our

red brethren, that we wedged ourselves in with some difficulty amongst

them. It soon became necessary to exert our strength in holding down

our tents and supporting the poles, which bowed and shook violently

under the pressure of the blast. Thunder, lightning, rain, and hail

succeeded. During this play of the elements, our guests sat in

stillness, scarcely articulating a word during the prevalence of the

electrical explosions.

Our tents were much admired, and previously to the fall of rain (which

exposed their imperfection, in admitting the water, modified into the

form of a mist) one of the natives offered to exchange an excellent

mule for that in which he was sitting; and as the commonalty could not

distinguish us in their minds {46} from traders, another offered two

mules (valued equal to four horses) for a double-barrelled gun; and a

third would willingly have bartered a very good horse for an old and

almost worn-out camp-kettle, which we could by no means part with,

though much in want of horses.

These Indians differ, in many particulars, from those of the Missouri,

with whose appearance we had been for some time familiar. Their average

stature appeared to us less considerable; and although the general

appearance of the countenance was such as we had been accustomed to

see, yet their faces have, perhaps, somewhat more latitude, and the

Roman nose is obviously less predominant; but still the direction of

the eye, the prominence of the cheek bones, the form of the lips,

teeth, chin, and retreating forehead, are precisely similar. They have

also the same habit of plucking the hair from various parts of the

body; but that of the head, in the females, is only suffered to attain

to the shoulders, whilst the men permit theirs to grow to its full

extent. They even regard long hair as an ornament, and many wear false

hair fastened to their own by means of an earthy matter, resembling red

clay, and depending in many instances (particularly the young beau)

to their knees, in the form of queues, one on each side of the head,

variously decorated with ribbon, like slips of red and blue cloth,

or coloured skin. Others, and by no means an inconsiderable few, had

collected their long hair into several flat masses, of the breadth of

two or three fingers, and less than the fifth of an inch in thickness,

each one separately annulated with red clay at regular intervals.

The elders wore their hair without decoration, flowing loosely about

their shoulders, or simply intermixed with slender plaited queues. In

structure and colour it is not distinguished from that of the Missouri

Indians, though, in early youth, it is often of a much lighter colour;

and a young man, of {47} perhaps fifteen years of age, who visited us

to-day, had hair decidedly of a flaxen hue, with a tint of dusky yellow.

Their costume is very simple, that of the female consisting of a

leathern petticoat, reaching the calf of the leg, destitute of a seam,

and often exposing a well-formed thigh, as the casualties of wind or

position influence the artless foldings of the skirt. The leg and foot

are often naked, but usually invested by gaiters and mockasins. A

kind of sleeveless short gown, composed of a single piece of the same

material, loosely clothes the body, hanging upon the shoulders, readily

thrown off, without any sense of indelicacy, when suckling their

children, or under the influence of a heated atmosphere, displaying

loose and pendant mammæ. A few are covered by the more costly attire of

coarse red or blue cloth, ornamented with a profusion of blue and white

beads: the short gown of this dress has the addition of wide sleeves

descending below the elbow; its body is of a square form, with a

transverse slit in the upper edge for the head to pass through; around

this aperture, and on the upper side of the sleeves, is a continuous

stripe, the breadth of the hand, of blue and white beads, tastefully

arranged in contrast with each other, and adding considerable weight as

well as ornament to this part of the dress. Around the petticoat, and

in a line with the knees, is an even row of oblong conic bells, made

of sheet copper, each about an inch and a half in length, suspended

vertically by short leathern thongs as near to each other as possible,

so that when the person is in motion, they strike upon each other,

and produce a tinkling sound. The young unmarried females are more

neatly dressed, and seem to participate but little in the laborious

occupations, which fall chiefly to the lot of their wedded companions.

The dress of the men is composed of a breech cloth, skin leggings,

mockasins, and a bison robe. In {48} warm weather the three latter

articles of dress are sometimes thrown aside as superfluous, exposing

all the limbs and body to view, and to the direct influence of the

most ardent rays of the sun. Such are the habiliments that necessity

compels the multitude to adopt; but the opulence of a few has gained

for themselves the comfortable as well as ornamental and highly

esteemed Spanish blanket from the Mexican traders, and of which we had

previously seen two or three in the possession of Pawnee warriors worn

as trophies. Another species of garment, in their estimation equally

sumptuous with the blanket, is the cloth robe, which is of ample

dimensions, simple in form, one half red and the other blue, thrown

loosely about the person, and at a little distance, excepting the

singular arrangement of colours, resembling a Spanish cloak.

Some have, suspended from the slits of their ears, the highly prized

nacre, or pearlaceous fragments of a marine shell, brought probably

from the N. W. coast.

The Shienne chief revisited us in the afternoon. He informed us, that

one of his young men, who had been sent to ascertain the route which

the bison herds had taken, and their present locality, had observed

the trail of a large party of men, whom, by pursuing the direction, he

had discovered to be Spaniards on their way towards the position we

then occupied, where they must very soon arrive. As we were now in a

region claimed by the Mexican Spaniards as exclusively their own, and

as we had for some days anticipated such an event as highly probable,

we involuntarily reposed implicit confidence in the truth of the

intelligence communicated by the chief, who regarded that people as our

natural enemies. Nevertheless his story was heard by our little band,

as it was proper that it should have been in our situation and in the

presence of Indians, with the appearance of absolute apathy. The chief

seemed not to have {49} accomplished some object he had in view, and

departed evidently displeased. When he was out of hearing, the Indian

interpreter, who had become our friend, told us, that the story was

entirely false, and was without a doubt the invention of the chief, and

designed to expedite the trade for a few additional horses that we were

then negociating.

Mr. Say (accompanied by an interpreter), who made a short visit to

the small group of lodges near us, was kindly received, though hooted

by the children, and of course snarled and snapped at by the dogs.

The skin lodges of these wandering people are very similar to those

of the Missouri tribes, but in those to which he was introduced, he

experienced the oppression of an almost suffocating heat, certainly

many degrees above the temperature of the very sultry exterior

atmosphere. A very portly old man, whose features were distinguished

by a remarkably wide mouth and lengthened chin, invited him to a small

ragged lodge, to see the riches it contained. These consisted of

habiliments of red and blue cloth, profusely garnished with blue and

white beads, the product of the industry and ingenuity of his squaw,

from materials obtained last winter from some white traders, who made

their appearance on Red river. The present members of this family were

the old man, one wife, and four children, the latter as usual in a

state of nudity. The baggage was piled around the lodge, serving for

seats and beds; and a pile of jerked meat near the door served also

for a seat, and was occasionally visited by the dirty feet of the

children. A boy was amusing himself with that primitive weapon, the

sling, of an ordinary form, which he used with considerable dexterity;

the effect of which he appeared disposed to try upon the stranger, and

was not readily turned from his purpose by a harsh rebuke and menacing

gesture.

He was informed, that the party of traders who had last winter

ascended Red river to their country, were {50} _Tabbyboos_ (a name

which they also applied to us, and which appears to be the same word

which, according to Lewis and Clarke, in the language of the Snake

Indians, means white men; but it was here applied particularly to the

Americans). These traders offered various articles, such as coarse

cloths, beads, vermillion, kettles, knives, guns, powder, lead, &c. in

exchange for horses and mules, bison-robes, and parchment or parfleche.

Such was the anxiety to obtain the merchandize thus displayed before

them, that those enterprising warriors, whose stock of horses was but

small, crossed the mountains into Mexico, and returned with a plentiful

supply of those animals for exchange, captured from the Spanish

inhabitants of that country. This illicit trade in horses was conducted

so extensively by that party of traders, that he was told of a single

Indian who sold them fifty mules, besides a considerable number of

horses from his own stock.

At his return to camp he was informed, that an old Indian had been

there, who asserted that he never before had seen a white man; and

on being permitted to view a part of the body usually covered by the

dress, he seemed much surprised at its whiteness.

These Indians seem to hold in exalted estimation the martial prowess

of the Americans. They said that a battle had lately been fought in

the country which lay very far down Red river, between a handful of

Americans and a great war-party of Spaniards, that the latter were

soon routed, retreating in a dastardly manner, like partridges running

through the grass. They were at present at war with the Spaniards

themselves, and had lately killed many individuals of a party of that

nation near the mountains.[97]

In the evening, squaws were brought to our camp; and after we had

retired to our tent at night, a brother of the grand chief, Bear

Tooth, continued to interrupt our repose with solicitations in favour

of a squaw he had brought with him, until he was peremptorily {51}

directed to be gone, and the sentinel was ordered to prevent his future

intrusion.

The Bear Tooth is the grand chief of the Arrapahoes, and his influence

extends over all the tribes of the country in which he roves; he was

said to be encamped at no great distance, with the principal body of

these nations. He is said to be very favourably disposed towards the

white people, and to have afforded protection and a home in his own

lodge to a poor and miserable American who had the good fortune to

escape from the barbarity and mistaken policy of the Mexican Spaniards,

and from the horrors of a Spanish prison, to find an asylum amongst

those whom they regard as barbarians, but to whose commiseration his

wretchedness seemed to have been a passport.

Friday, 28th. This morning at sunrise we were called from our tents by

the cry of Tabbyboo, proceeding from two handsome mounted Arrapahoes,

who appeared delighted to see us; they had passed our camp in the

night, on their way from the camp of the Bear Tooth, with a message

from that chief to our neighbours. In consequence of this information

or order, the lodges on both sides of the river were struck at six

o'clock, and the whole body of Indians commenced their march up the

river, notwithstanding the threatening aspect of the heavens, which

portended a storm. We could not but admire the regularity with which

the preparations for their journey seemed to be conducted, and the

remarkable facility with which the lodges disappeared, and with all

their cumbrous and various contents were secured to the backs of the

numerous horses and mules. As the long-drawn cavalcade proceeded

onwards, a military air was imparted to the whole, at the distance

at which we contemplated it, by the activity of the young warriors,

with their lances and shields, galloping or racing along the line for

caprice or amusement.

{52} The Kiawa chief, and a few attendants, called to make his parting

visit; an old man, rather short, inelegantly formed, destitute of

any remarkable physiognomical peculiarity, and like other chiefs

without any distinction of personal ornament. In common with many of

his tribe, his system was subject to cutaneous eruptions, of which

several indications, besides a large ulcer near the angle of the

mouth, exhibited the proof. We were soon all driven into our flimsy

and almost worn-out tents, which afforded us but a very partial

shelter from the fall of a heavy shower of rain from the N. W. Here

we obtained some additional information from the chief, who was

disposed to be communicative, to augment the considerable mass which

we had already collected from other Indians, and particularly from

Bijeau, respecting these wandering herds. The chief seemed to take a

pleasure in pronouncing to us words of the Kiawa language, and smiled

at our awkward attempts to imitate them, whilst we were engaged in

committing them to paper. This vocabulary, as well as that of the

Kaskaia language, which we had previously obtained from the Calf, had

been for some time the objects of our wishes; as Bijeau persuaded us

that they were more difficult to acquire than any other language, and

that although formerly he resided three years with those nations, he

never could understand the meaning of a single word, not even their

expression for Frenchman, or tobacco. Nor does this observation, though

perhaps unintentionally exaggerating the idea of the abstruse nature

of the language, appear absolutely destitute of foundation, since

these nations, although constantly associating together, and united

under the influence of the Bear Tooth, are yet totally ignorant of

each other's language; insomuch that it was no uncommon occurrence to

see two individuals of different nations sitting upon the ground, and

conversing freely with each other by means of the language of signs. In

the art of thus {53} conveying their ideas they were thorough adepts;

and their manual display was only interrupted at remote intervals by

a smile, or by the auxiliary of an articulated word of the language of

the Crow Indians, which to a very limited extent passes current among

them.

These languages abound with sounds strange to our ears, and in the

noisy loquacity of some squaws, who held an animated debate near our

tents yesterday, we distinguished pre-eminently a sound which may be

expressed by the letters koo, koo, koo.

The Shiennes, or Shawhays, who have united their destiny with these

wanderers, are a band of seceders from their own nation; and some

time since, on the occurrence of a serious dispute with their kindred

on Shienne river of the Missouri, flew their country, and placed

themselves under the protection of the Bear Tooth.

These nations have been for the three past years wandering on the head

waters and tributaries of Red river, having returned to the Arkansa

only the day which preceded our first interview with them, on their

way to the mountains at the sources of the Platte river. They have

no permanent town, but constantly rove, as necessity urges them, in

pursuit of the herds of bisons in the vicinity of the sources of the

Platte, Arkansa, and Red rivers.

They are habitually at war with all the nations of the Missouri;

indeed, martial occurrences in which they were interested with

those enemies formed the chief topic of their conversation with

our interpreters. They were desirous to know of them the names of

particular individuals whom they had met in battle, and whom they

described; how many had been present at a particular engagement, and

who were killed or wounded. The late battle, which we have before

spoken of, with the Loup Pawnees, also occupied their inquiries; they

denied that they were on that occasion aided by the Spaniards, as

we understood {54} they had been, but admitted their great numerical

superiority, and the loss of many in killed and wounded. Their

martial weapons are bows and arrows, lances, war-clubs, tomahawks,

scalping-knives, and shields.[98]