convenience of having it always at hand, an article of dress invariably
attendant on the Missouri Indian. Bijeau informed us, that the smoking
of tobacco was regarded as a pleasure so sacred and important, that
the females were accustomed to depart from the interior of a lodge
when the men indulged themselves with the pipe. The Shienne chief, in
consequence of a vow he had made against using the pipe, abstained
from smoking whilst at our council, until he had the good fortune to
find a small piece of paper which some one of our party had rejected;
with this he rolled up a small quantity of tobacco fragments into the
form of a segar, after the manner of the Spaniards, and thus contented
himself with infringing the spirit of his vow, whilst he obeyed it to
the letter.
The rain having ceased, our guest and his attendants took their leave.
These Indians might readily be induced to hunt the beaver, which are so
extremely abundant in their country; but as yet, these peltries seem
not to have entered amongst the items of their trade.
In the afternoon we struck our tents and continued our journey; we were
soon overtaken by a thunder-storm, which poured down upon us a deluge
of rain, which continued with partial intermissions during the night.
Saturday, 29th. The sun arose with renewed splendour, and ushered
in another sultry day. Two of the horses which had been presented
by the chiefs ran off, and were soon observed to rise the bluffs,
and disappear; men were despatched in pursuit of them, who, after a
long and fatiguing chase, returned about {55} noon unsuccessful. We
reconciled ourselves as we might to this privation, and after dining
proceeded onward. The alluvial margins of the river are gradually
dilating as we descend, and the mosquitoes, which have of late visited
our camp but sparingly, are now increasing in number. A fine species
of toad (bufo)[99] inhabits this region. It resembles the common toad
(B. musicus daud.), but differs in the arrangement of the colours,
and in the proportional length of the groove of the head, which in
that species extends to the nose; it is destitute of large verrucose
prominences intervening between the verrucæ behind the eyes, and of the
large irregular black dorsal spots edged with white, observable upon
the musicus. In the arrangement of the cinereous lines, it presents a
general resemblance to _B. fuscus_ saur. as represented on pl. 96. of
the _Encycl. Method._ It thus resides in a country almost destitute of
timber, where, as well as a variety of the musicus, it is very much
exposed to the direct rays of the sun.
{56} CHAPTER X {IV}
Arrapaho War-party--Tabanus--Rattlesnakes--Burrowing Owl--Departure of
Bijeau and Ledoux for the Pawnee Villages--Scarcity of Timber--Great
Herds of Bisons--Wolves.
Sunday, 30th. About sunrise a dense fog intercepted the view of
surrounding scenery, which was soon dissipated as we moved on,
exhibiting all the variety of partially revealed and unnaturally
enlarged objects, so familiar to observers of rural sights. At noon, a
beautiful natural grove of cotton-wood, lining a ravine in which was
some cool but stagnant water near the bank of the river, invited us
to repose during the oppressive mid-day heat. We had hardly stripped
our horses of their baggage, and betaken ourselves to our respective
occupations, when a voice from the opposite bank of the river warned
us of the proximity of Indians, who had been until now unseen. Nine
Indians soon appeared, and crossed the river to our camp. They proved
to be an Arrapaho war-party of eight men and a squaw, of whom one was
a Kiawa.[100] This party informed us, that they had left the Bear
Tooth's party on a tributary of this river, at the distance of about
half a day's journey from us, moving upwards. As no apprehension of
mischief was entertained from so small a party, they were invited
to encamp near us for the remainder of the day; to which, urged by
curiosity, and perhaps by the hope of receiving some presents, they
readily assented. The squaw busied herself in erecting a little bowery,
of a sufficient size to contain herself and her {57} husband, who we
afterwards discovered to be a personage of some eminence in their
mystic arts. Having supplied our guests with a pipe of some tobacco,
we resumed our occupations. Our attention was, however, diverted to
the young Kiawa warrior, who had the presumption to seize the Kaskaia
horse which was purchased of the Calf Indian, loose him from the stake
around which he was grazing, and having the further audacity to lead
him near to our tents, proceeded to make a noose in the halter, which
he placed over the mouth of the animal, that patiently submitted to
his operations. This sudden subjugation of the horse was a subject of
more surprise to us than the outrageous attempt of the Indian, as he
had hitherto resisted all our endeavours to accomplish the same object,
whether conciliatory or forcible. It seemed to corroborate the truth
of the observation, that the horse readily distinguishes the native
from the white man by his acute sense of smelling. The intention of the
Indian to take possession of the horse was now manifest, and one of
our party stepped forward and seized the halter near the head of the
animal; but the Indian, who held the other extremity of the halter,
betrayed no symptoms of fear, or of an intention to relinquish a
possession which he had thus partially obtained: he looked sternly
at his antagonist, and asserted his right to the horse, inasmuch as
he had, he said, formerly owned him, and meant now to repossess him.
Supposing that this altercation might eventuate unpleasantly, the
remainder of our party stood prepared to repulse any attempt which
the other Indians might make to support the claim of their companion,
whilst Bijeau, with a manly decision, advanced and forcibly jerked the
halter out of the hands of the Indian. His companions sat enjoying
themselves with their pipe, and did not appear disposed to take any
part in the transaction. He fortunately made no further exertions to
obtain possession of the horse, but immediately mounted his own horse,
and {58} rode off in high dudgeon, saying he would remain no longer
with us for fear we would kill him. Contrary to our expectations, the
other Indians loudly condemned his conduct; they said that the horse
had never been his property, though they all knew the animal well; that
the Kiawa was a very bad Indian, and would either assemble a party to
return against us, or he would return himself that night to accomplish
his purpose. "If he does come," said they, "you need not give yourself
any trouble; for we will watch for him, and kill him ourselves."
When the excitement of this incident had subsided, we felt desirous to
examine the contents of the medicine bag of the man of mysteries, who
was at once a magician and the leader of the party. At our solicitation
he readily opened his sacred depository, and displayed its contents
on a skin before us, whilst he politely proceeded to expatiate on
their powers and virtues in the occult art, as well as their physical
efficacy. They consisted of various roots, seeds, pappus, and powders,
both active and inert, as respects their action on the human system,
carefully enveloped in skins, leaves, &c., some of which, to his
credulous faith, were invested with supernatural powers. Similar
qualities were also attributed to some animal products with which these
were accompanied, such as claws of birds, beaks, feathers, and hair.
But the object that more particularly attracted our attention was the
intoxicating bean, as it has been called, of which he possessed upwards
of a pint. Julien recognized it immediately. He informed us, that it
is in such high request amongst the Oto Indians, that a horse has been
exchanged for eight or ten of them. In that nation the intoxicating
bean is only used by a particular society, who at their nocturnal
orgies make a decoction of the bean, and with much pomp and ceremony
administer the delightful beverage to each member. The initiation fees
of this society are rather extravagant, and the {59} proceeds are
devoted principally to the purchase of the bean. That old sensualist,
Shongotonga (big horse), is the principal or presiding member of the
society, and the bean is obtained in some circuitous manner from the
Pawnee Piquas of Red river, who probably receive it from the Mexican
Indians. With some few trinkets of little value, we purchased the
principal portion of our medicine man's store of beans; they are of
an ovate form, and of a light red, sometimes yellowish colour, with a
rather deeply impressed oval cicatrix, and larger than a common bean.
A small number of a differently coloured and rather larger bean was
intermixed with them.[101]
The squaw had in her possession a quantity of small flat blackish
cakes, which on tasting we found very palatable. Having purchased some
of them, we ascertained that they were composed of the wild cherry, of
which both pulp and stone were pounded together, until the latter is
broken into fragments, then mixed with grease, and dried in the sun.
Not choosing to rely implicitly on the good faith of the strangers,
however emphatically expressed, the sentinel was directed to look well
to them, and also to keep the horse in question constantly in view
during the night, and to alarm us upon the occurrence of any suspicious
movements.
All, however, remained quiet during the night, and in the morning,
Monday 31st, we resumed our journey. The river now considerably
dilates, and is studded with a number of small islands, but the timber
that skirts its stream is still less abundant, and more scattered. The
alluvial formation affords a moderate growth of grass, but the general
surface of the country is flat, sterile, and uninteresting. The day was
cloudy with an E. S. E. wind, which at night brought some rain.
Tuesday, August 1st. Set out late; and after having travelled about
two miles, a horseman armed with a spear was seen on the bluffs, at
the distance {60} of about a quarter of a mile, who, after gazing at
our line for a short time, disappeared. Our Pawnee interpreters being
at a considerable distance in the rear, Julien was sent forward to
reconnoitre. He mounted the bluff to the general level of the country,
and abruptly halted his horse within our view, as if appearances before
him rendered precaution necessary. The Indian again came in sight, and
in full career rushed towards him, passed him, and wheeling, halted his
horse. Many other Indians then appeared, who surrounded Julien, and
after a short and hurried conference, they dashed at full speed down
the steep bank of the bluff to meet us, the whole in concert singing
the scalp song. So adventurous and heedless was this movement, that
one of the horses stumbled and fell with great violence, and rolled
to the bottom. His rider, no doubt prepared for such an accident,
threw himself in the instant from his seat, so as to fall in the most
favourable manner, and avoid the danger of being crushed by the horse;
not the slightest attention was bestowed upon him by his companions,
and indeed the disaster, however serious it first appeared, hardly
interrupted his song. His horse being but little injured, he almost
immediately regained his saddle, and came on but little in the rear of
the others, who now had mingled with our party, shaking us by the hand
with a kind of earnest familiarity not the most agreeable. We needed no
additional information to convince us that this was a war-party; their
appearance was a sufficient evidence of the nature of their occupation.
One of us asked an individual if they were Kiawas, and was answered
in the affirmative; he asked a second, if they were Kaskaias, and a
third, if they were Arrapahoes, who both also answered affirmatively.
This conduct, added to their general deportment, served to excite
our suspicions and redouble our vigilance. Two or three other little
detached squads were now seen to approach, also singing the scalp
{61} song. Our interpreters having joined us, it was proposed that we
should avail ourselves of the shade of a large tree which stood near
the river, to sit down and smoke with them. They reared their spears
against the tree with apparent carelessness and indifference, and took
their seats in the form of a semicircle on the ground. Having staked
our horses in the rear, and stationed the men to protect them and the
baggage, we seated ourselves, and circulated the pipe as usual. But as
the party opposed to us was nearly quadruple our number, we did not
choose to follow their example in relinquishing our arms, but grasped
them securely in our hands, and retained a cautious attitude.
Bijeau ascertained that they were a Shienne war-party, on their return
from an expedition against the Pawnee Loups. They had killed one squaw,
whose scalp was suspended to the spear of the partizan or leader of
the party, the handle of which was decorated with strips of red and
white cloth, beads, and tail plumes of the war-eagle. He also informed
us, that he recognized several of them, particularly a chief who sat
next to him, whose person himself and party had formerly seized upon,
and detained as a hostage for the recovery of some horses that had
been stolen. The chief, however, did not now betray any symptoms of
a disposition to retaliate for that act, though, without doubt, he
regarded us as in his power. Our interpreter readily conversed with
them through the medium of a Crow prisoner, whose language he partially
understood.
The partizan who killed the victim of this excursion, and two others,
one of whom first struck the dead body, and the other who took off the
scalp, were painted deep black with charcoal, and almost the entire
body being exposed, rendered the effect more impressive. One of the
latter, a tall athletic figure, remained standing behind us, and
refused to smoke when the pipe was offered to him, alleging {62} as an
excuse, the obligation of a vow he had made against the use of tobacco,
on the demise of his late father.
We now drew upon our little store of merchandize, for two or three
twists of tobacco and a few knives, which, being laid before the
partizan, excited from his politeness the return of thanks. He was
of an ordinary stature, and had exceeded the middle age; his face
much pitted with the small pox, his nostrils distended by a habitual
muscular action, which at the same time elevated the skin of the
forehead, and forcibly drew downward that part which corresponds with
the inner extremity of the eyebrows, into a kind of gloomy frown.
This singular expression of countenance, added to the contrast of the
whites of his large eyes, with the black colour with which his features
and body were overspread, seemed to indicate the operations of a mind
hardened to the commission of the most outrageous actions. He however
behaved with much propriety. During these scenes Mr. Say succeeded in
ascertaining and recording many of the words of the language, from an
Indian who had seated himself behind him.
The party was armed with spears, bows, and arrows, war-clubs,
tomahawks, scalping knives, &c.
As many of them now began to ask for tobacco and for paper, to include
fragments of it in the form of segars for smoking, and not finding
it convenient to gratify them in this respect, we thought it prudent
to withdraw, lest a quarrel might ensue. We therefore mounted our
horses without molestation, having been detained an hour and a half,
and proceeded on our journey, with the agreeable reflection that our
deportment had not warranted a supposition that we were conscious of
any inferiority in force, but rather that it was dictated by a high
courtesy.
A few bisons varied the landscape, which is fatiguing to the eye by its
sameness; and after travelling twenty-three miles, we encamped for the
night. A {63} large green-headed fly (tabanus) has made its appearance
in great numbers, which exceedingly worries our already sufficiently
miserable horses. Their range seems to be in a great measure restricted
to the luxuriant bottoms, and, like the zimb of Egypt, they appear to
roam but little beyond their proper boundaries. If we traversed these
fertile portions of the low grounds, which yield a profuse growth of
grasses, we were sure of being attacked by them, seizing upon the necks
of the horses, and dyeing them with blood; but the refuge of the more
elevated surface, and arid barren soil, afforded speedy relief, by
banishing our assailants.
Scarcely were our tents pitched, when a thunder-storm, which had been
approaching with a strong west wind, burst over us, but was of short
continuance.
Wednesday, 2d. After moving a few miles, we halted, and sent out
hunters to kill a bison.[102] The confluent rattlesnakes are very
abundant, particularly in and about the prairie dog villages; but
neither their appearance nor the sound of their rattle excites the
attention of our horses; the sagacity of Mr. Seymour's mule, however,
seems superior to that of his quadruped companions. He appears to be
perfectly aware of the dangerous qualities of these reptiles, and when
he perceives one of them near him, he springs so abruptly to one side,
as to endanger his rider. Fortunately none of us have been bitten by
them during our pedestrian rambles.
A recent trail of some war-party was this morning observed, leading
across the river. The hunters returned unsuccessful, and we proceeded
on until sunset to a distance of twenty miles. Great numbers of bisons
were seen this afternoon, and some antelopes.
Thursday, 3d. The morning was clear and fine, with a temperature of
57 degrees. The antelopes become more numerous as we proceed; one
of them trotted up so near to our line as to fall a victim to his
curiosity. A considerable number of the coquimbo, {64} or burrowing
owl, occurred in a prairie dog village of limited extent. They readily
permitted the hunter to approach within gunshot, and we were successful
in obtaining a specimen of the bird in good order. Upon examining the
several burrows upon which the owls had been observed to be perched,
we remarked in them a different aspect from those on which the prairie
dog had appeared; they were often in a ruined condition, the sides in
some instances fallen in, sometimes seamed and grooved by the action of
the water in its course from the surface to the interior, and in other
respects presenting a deserted aspect, and, like dilapidated monuments
of human art, were the fit abode of serpents, lizards, and owls. The
burrows on which we saw the prairie dog were, on the contrary, neat,
always in repair, and evinced the operations of industrious tenants.
This contrast, added to the form and magnitude of the dwelling, leads
us to the belief that the coquimbo owl does not, in this region,
excavate its own burrow, as it is said to do in South America and
in the West India islands; but rather that it avails itself of the
abandoned burrows of this species of marmot, for the purposes of
nidification and shelter.
On our arrival at our mid-day resting-place, on the bank of the
Arkansa, the water of the river was potable, but in a few minutes it
became surcharged with earthy and stercoraceous matters, from the
sweepings of the prairie by the late rain, to such a degree that our
horses would hardly drink it. There remained however, a short distance
below, a small stream of beautifully pellucid water, which rapidly
filtrated through a fortuitous embankment of sand and pebbles, and
strongly contrasted with the flood with which it was soon again to
intermingle. Our travelled distance to-day was twenty-three miles.
Friday, 4th. Proceeded on about six miles, when we forded a small
portion of the river to an island which supported a growth of low and
distant trees. {65} Here the tents were pitched, with the intention of
halting a day or two, to recruit our miserable horses, and to supply
ourselves with a store of jerked meat. The hunters were accordingly
sent to the opposite side of the river, and in a short time they
succeeded in killing four fat cows, which gave employment to all the
men in preparing the meat for transportation.
A brisk southerly wind prevailed, that rendered the atmosphere less
oppressive than usual.
Saturday, 5th. The wind ceased during the night, and the lowing of the
thousands of bisons that surrounded us in every direction, reached us
in one continual roar. This harsh and guttural noise, intermediate
between the bellowing of the domestic bull and the grunting of the
hog, was varied by the shrill bark and scream of the jackals, and the
howling of the white wolves (canis mexicanus var.), which were also
abundant. These wild and dissonant sounds were associated with the
idea of the barren and inhospitable wastes, in the midst of which we
were then reposing, and vividly reminded us of our remoteness from
the comforts of civilised society. Completed the operation of jerking
the meat, of which we had prepared two packs sufficient in weight to
constitute a load for one of our horses, and disposed every thing for
an early departure to-morrow.
Sunday, 6th. An unusual number of wolves and jackals hovered around
our encampment of last night, attracted probably by the smell of the
meat. Resumed our journey on a fine cloudless morning, with a strong
and highly agreeable breeze from the south. We were now traversing the
great bend of the river.[103] Travelled twenty-three miles to-day, and
shot two bulls, which were now poor, and their flesh of a disagreeable
rank taste and scarcely eatable; we therefore contented ourselves with
the tongues and marrow-bones.
Monday, 7th. The mercurial column of the thermometer at sunrise, for
a few days past, has ranged {66} between 42 and 67 degrees, and the
atmosphere is serene and dry. The services of the two French Pawnee
interpreters, Bijeau and Ledoux, had terminated, agreeably to their
contract, at Purgatory Creek; but having been highly serviceable to us
on our route, it became desirable, particularly on the departure of our
companions for Red river, that they should accompany us still farther,
until we should have passed beyond the great Indian war-path, here
so widely outspread. This they readily consented to, as they regarded
a journey from that point to their home, at the Pawnee villages,
as somewhat too hazardous to be prudently attempted by only two
individuals, however considerable their qualifications, and intimate
their familiarity with the manners of those whom they would probably
meet.
But as we now supposed ourselves to have almost reached the boundary
of this region, and they again expressed their anxiety to return to
their village, in order to prepare for their autumnal hunt, we no
longer attempted to induce their further delay. They departed after
breakfast, on a pathless journey of about three hundred miles, the
supposed distance from this point to the Pawnee villages of the Platte,
apparently well pleased with the treatment they had received, and
expressing a desire again to accompany us, should we again ascend
the Missouri. We cannot take leave of them, without expressing our
entire approbation of their conduct and deportment, during our arduous
journey; Bijeau, particularly, was faithful, active, industrious,
and communicative. Besides the duties of guide and interpreter, he
occasionally and frequently volunteered his services as hunter,
butcher, cook, veterinarian, &c., and pointed out various
little services, tending to our comfort and security, which he
performed with pleasure and alacrity, and which no other than one long
habituated to this mode of life would have devised. During leisure
intervals, he had communicated an historical narrative of his life and
{67} adventures, more particularly in as far as they were relative
to the country which we have been exploring. He particularized the
adventures of Choteau and Demun's hunting and trading party; their
success in beaver hunting, the considerable quantity of merchandize
they took with them, their adventures with the natives, and the
singular circumstances attendant on their capture by the Mexican
Spaniards, and the transfer of the merchandize to Santa Fé, without
however venturing to express any conjectures relative to the latter
transaction.[104] Much still more important information was derived
from him concerning the manners and habits of these mountain Indians,
their history, affinities, and migrations.
A copious vocabulary of words of the Pawnee language was obtained from
Ledoux, together with an account of the manners and habits of that
nation. All these, however, composed a part of the manuscripts of Mr.
Say, that were subsequently carried off by deserters from our camp.
Travelled this day twenty-seven miles. The soil is becoming in many
districts more exclusively sandy; the finer particles of which, driven
by the wind, have formed numerous large hillocks on the opposite side
of the river, precisely resembling those which are accumulated on our
sea-coast. On the northern side, or that which we are traversing, the
prairie still offers its unvaried flatness and cheerless barrenness, so
that during a portion of the day's journey not a solitary bush, even on
the river bank, relieved the monotonous scene before us.
Tuesday, 8th. Proceeded early, and at the distance of twelve miles,
crossed a creek of clear running water, called by Bijeau _Demun's
Creek_,[105] from the circumstance of that hunter losing there a fine
horse. At a considerable distance above, its stream was slightly
fringed with timber, but at our crossing place, it was like the
neighbouring part of the river to which it contributed, entirely
destitute of trees. Our journey {68} this day was a distance of 24½
miles; towards evening we crossed another creek,[106] over which,
being much backed up by the river, we experienced some difficulty in
effecting a passage, and were obliged, with this view, to ascend its
stream some distance. It was moderately timbered, and amongst other
trees we observed the elm and some plum trees, bearing fruit nearly
ripe.
Wednesday, 9th. During these few days past, the bisons have occurred
in vast and almost continuous herds, and in such infinite numbers
as seemed to indicate the great bend of the Arkansa as their chief
and general rendezvous. As we pass along, they run in an almost
uninterrupted line before us. The course of our line being parallel
to that of the Arkansa, when we are travelling at the distance of a
mile or two from the river, great herds of these animals were included
between us and it; as the prevailing wind blew very obliquely from our
left towards the river, it informed them of our presence by the scent
which it conveyed. As soon as the odour reached even the farthest
animal, though at the distance of two miles on our right, and perhaps
half a mile in our rear, he betrayed the utmost alarm, would start
into a full bounding run to pass before us to the bluffs, and as he
turned round the head of our line, he would strain every muscle to
accelerate his motion. This constant procession of bulls, cows, and
calves of various sizes, grew so familiar to us at length, as no longer
to divert our view from the contemplation of other objects, and from
the examination of the comparatively more minute, but certainly not
less wonderful works of nature. The white wolves and jackals, more
intelligent than their associates, judging by the eye of the proximity
of danger, as well as by their exquisite sense of smelling, either
dashed over the river, or unhesitatingly crossed our scent in the rear,
and at an easy pace, or dog-trot, chose the shortest route to the
bluffs.
{69} The soil of the afternoon journey was a deep fine white sand,
which rendered the travelling very laborious, under the debilitating
influence of an extreme temperature of 94 degrees of Fahrenheit's
scale, and affected the sight, by the great glare of light which it so
freely reflected. The chief produce of these tracts of unmixed sand
is the sunflower, often the dense and almost exclusive occupant. The
evening encampment was formed at the junction of a small tributary
with the river, at a distance of about twenty-four miles from the
last-mentioned creek.[107] The very trifling quantity of timber
supported by the immediate bank of the river in this region, is almost
exclusively the cotton-wood; we are therefore gratified to observe on
this creek, besides the elm, the walnut, mulberry, and ash, which we
hail with a hearty welcome, as the harbingers of a more productive
territory.
{70} CHAPTER XI {V}
Termination of the Great Bend of the Arkansa--Ietan War-party--Little
Arkansa--Red River Fork--Little Neosho and Little Verdigrise Creeks.
Thursday, 10th. The great bend of the Arkansa terminates here;[108] and
as our horses have fed insufficiently for several days past, we lay by
for the day to give them an opportunity of recruiting themselves. A
S.S.E. wind prevailed, and at noon exerted a considerable force; the
extreme degree of heat was 96 degrees. The hunters brought in a deer
and bison.
Friday, 11th. Left the encampment at the confluence of the creek and
proceeded onwards. The sandy soil and growth of sunflowers still
continue on the river bottoms, and the surface of the opposite bank
still swells into occasional hillocks of naked sand. The rice bird
(emberiza oryzivora, L.) was feeding on the seeds of the sunflower, and
the bald eagle was seen sailing high in the air.
We have hitherto generally been able to procure a sufficient supply
of small drift-wood for our culinary purposes, but at this noon-day
halting-place we were obliged to despatch a man across the river to
collect enough to kindle a fire. From our evening encampment not a tree
was within the range of sight.
This day was extremely warm, the mercury at three o'clock indicating 96
degrees, a temperature not decreased by a nimbus in the west, pouring
rain, with some thunder. In the evening, silent lightning played
beautifully amongst the mingled cirrostratus and cumulus clouds with
which the heavens became overcast. In the afternoon, we passed the
termination of the sand-hills of the opposite shore. A fine male {71}
antelope was shot by Lieut. Swift, and a skunk was also the game of the
day. Distance, twenty-five miles.
Saturday, 12th. Passed over a very wide bottom, of which the soil, when
not too sandy, produces a most luxuriant growth of grasses and other
plants; but the river is still in a great measure destitute of trees,
of which we passed but three during the morning's ride, and not a bush
over the height of about two and a half feet, being a few willows
and barren plum bushes. We were again gratified with the appearance
of the prairie fowl running nimbly before us through the grass, the
first we have seen since leaving the Platte. The bisons have now very
much diminished in number; we passed, unheeded, within a few yards
of a young bull, whose glazed eye and panting respiration showed the
operation of some malady; and it was curious to observe, that though
he stood erect and firmly on his legs, the wolves, which fled on our
approach, acquainted with his defenceless condition, surrounded him in
considerable numbers, awaiting his dissolution, and probably watching
their opportunity to accelerate it.
The afternoon was calm, and the mercury, at its greatest elevation,
stood at 99 degrees. Soon after our departure from our resting-place
of noon, we observed a large herd of bisons on our left, running with
their utmost rapidity towards us, from the distant bluffs. This was a
sufficient warning to put us on our guard against another unwelcome
war-party. Looking attentively over the surface of the country in that
direction, a mounted Indian was observed to occupy an elevated swell
of the surface, at the distance of a mile from us. Our peace-flag
was, as usual, immediately displayed, to let him know that we were
white people, and to induce him to come to us, whilst we halted to
wait for him. Assured by this pacific display, he approached a short
distance, but again halted, as if doubting our intentions. Julien was
then sent forward towards him bearing the flag, to {72} assure him of
our friendship. The Indian now advanced, but with much caution, and
obliquely, from one side to the other, as if beating against the wind.
Another Indian was now observed advancing rapidly, who joined his
companion. After some communication, by means of signs, with Julien,
to ascertain who we were, they approached within gun-shot of us, and
halting, desired to shake hands with our chief; after this ceremony
they rode to an elevated ground, in order to give information to their
party, which, during this short interview, we had discovered at a
long distance towards the bluffs, drawn up in line, in a conspicuous
situation. One of the horsemen halted whilst his companion rode
transversely twice between him and the party. This telegraphic signal
was immediately understood by the party, that consequently came on
towards us. But their movement was so tardy, that it required the
exertion of the greater part of our stock of patience to wait their
coming, under the ardour of the heated rays of the sun, to which we
were exposed. They seemed peaceably disposed, and desired to accompany
us to the river bank, in order to smoke with us; but such was the
scarcity of timber, that we were unable to avail ourselves of the shade
of a single tree.
We now ascertained that they were an Ietan or Camanch[109] (a band of
the Snake Indians) war-party, thirty-five in number, of whom five were
squaws. They had marched to attack the Osages, but were surprised in
their camp of night before last, by a party of unknown Indians. In the
skirmish that ensued, they lost three men, and had six wounded. They
however escaped under cover of the darkness, with the further loss of
fifty-six horses, and all their clothing, which were captured by the
enemy.[110] They were indeed in a naked condition, being destitute of
robes, leggings, and mockasins; with nothing to cover their bodies at
night, or to protect them from the influence of the sun during the
day. The squaws, however, had {73} managed to retain their clothing,
and one of the warriors had preserved an article of dress, resembling
a coat, half red and half blue, ornamented with beads on the sleeves
and shoulders. The usual decoration of beads about the neck and in
the hair and ears were preserved, and one warrior only was painted
with vermilion. The hair of several was matted into flat braids with
red clay, and one individual had seven or eight pieces of the pearl
shell suspended from his ears, so highly valued by these Indians. In
every particular of form and feature, they were undistinguishable
from the Kiawas, Kaskaias, and Arrapahoes. Much attention was devoted
to the wounded, who were each accommodated with a horse, of which
animals eight had been fortunately retained. These objects of sympathy
were assisted in alighting from their horses with great tenderness,
particularly one of them, who was shot through the body. Another of
them, who was one of the two mounted spies that first approached us,
had lost his brother in the late battle; and to prove the sincerity
of his grief for his loss, he had cut more than one hundred parallel
transverse lines on his arms and thighs, of the length of from three to
four inches, deep enough to draw blood, and so close to each other that
the width of the finger could not be interposed between any two of them.
They were armed with bows and arrows, lances and shields, and thirteen
guns, but by far the greater number carried lances. They begged stoutly
for various articles, particularly clothing; and it was found necessary
to separate from them a few feet into a distinct body, in order to be
prepared to act together in case of necessity. One of us, however,
occupied with the appearance of these Indians, still remained amongst
them, until one of them attempted to seize his gun, when a slight
scuffle ensued, which he terminated by violently wresting the piece
from the grasp of the Indian, and warily retreating from the midst of
them.
{74} All being seated, the pipe was passed round to a few principal
persons who sat directly in front of us. Some presents were likewise
laid before the partizan, consisting of a blanket, a skin to make
mockasins of, a dozen knives, and five twists of tobacco; and
though some of them complained aloud, and with a violent shivering
gesticulation, of the cold they suffered during the night, such was the
state of our stores, both public and private, that it was not thought
prudent further to enlarge our bounty.
One of our number, who was earnestly occupied in endeavouring to obtain
a few words of their language, but who succeeded in recording but four,
heard one of them, whilst in conversation with the partizan, terminate
a remark with a word or phrase so exactly similar in sound to the
words _How is it_, that he almost involuntarily repeated them aloud.
The speaker seemed pleased with this, and believing, from the exact
similarity of the sounds, that he understood the language, immediately
directed his discourse to him, but was answered only by signs
denoting ignorance of the language. Their words seem less harsh, more
harmonious, and easier of acquisition, than those of their neighbours.
Whilst thus occupied, one of the soldiers who were behind us called
our attention to an Indian who had the effrontery to seize the Kaskaia
horse by the halter, and, as in a former instance, was making a noose
to pass over his head; this procedure was pointed out to the partizan,
who taking no notice of it, the fellow was ordered, in a peremptory
tone of voice and unequivocal manner, to desist, which he reluctantly
complied with. Thus this horse is immediately distinguished and
recognized by all the parties we have met with since he has been with
us.
We had remained about an hour with this party, when, in consequence
of this conduct, of their importunateness, and some incipient
symptoms of disorder {75} amongst them, we judged it prudent to leave
them, in order to avoid a quarrel. We therefore mounted our horses,
notwithstanding the earnest solicitations of these Indians that we
would pass the night with them, probably anticipating another night
attack from some unseen enemy: but hardly had we proceeded an hundred
yards, when Julien's voice called our attention to the precarious
situation in which he was placed. He had been by an accident detained
in the rear, and being separated a short distance from the party, he
was now entirely surrounded by the Indians, who appeared determined
to strip him of every thing, and by pulling at his blanket, bridle,
&c. they had nearly unhorsed him. Several of us, of course, at this
critical juncture turned our horses to assist him, and a soldier who
was nearest prepared his rifle to begin the onset. Observing our
attitude, many of the Indians were in a moment prepared for battle,
by placing their arrows across their bows. And a skirmish would no
doubt have ensued, had not the partizan, observing our determination,
and influenced perhaps by gratitude for the presents he had received,
called off his men from Julien, and permitted us, without any further
futile molestation, to proceed on our way.
In consequence of the desperate situation of this party, we could not
entertain a doubt that they would attempt to capture our horses during
the night, and to appropriate to themselves our personal equipments.
We therefore continued our movement until a later hour than usual; and
after a day's journey of twenty-two miles, during which we saw but
three trees, we encamped on a selected position, and made the best
arrangements in our power to repulse a night attack. The horses were
staked as near to each other and to ourselves as possible; the packs
were arranged in a semicircular line of defence, and each man reposed
on his private baggage; the guard was doubled, and we remained wakeful
during the {76} night. No alarm, however, occurred; and in the morning,
Sunday 13th, set out early. Our way led over a luxuriant bottom of
from three to twelve miles in breadth, producing a luxuriant growth of
grasses, now glittering with drops of collected dew; crossed a creek
which is destitute of timber, as far as the eye can trace its course.
The depth of the water being to all appearance considerable, it became
necessary to seek a fording-place, which was found about a mile above
its confluence. It was here knee-deep, flowing with a moderate current
over a bed of sand and gravel, the surface of the water being depressed
only about four feet below the general level.[111] About an hundred
yards beyond its confluence, we observed a canal of water backed up
from the river, which, from a little distance, gave a double appearance
to the creek. We remained here until a large elk, which had been
shot, was cut up, and the meat packed upon the horses. At our mid-day
resting-place were a few trees, and some elevated sand-hills, but as
the situation was not an eligible one for the protection of the horses
from Indian depredation, we moved a few miles further, and encamped, as
usual, on the bank of the river. The day had been very sultry, with an
extreme temperature of 95 degrees, and the evening was accompanied by a
display of lightning in the north-western horizon.
The bisons are yet numerous, and the white wolves also abundant; packs
of the latter are still heard to howl about our camp in the night, thus
responding to the harsh bellowing or grunting of the bulls. Our dogs,
that formerly took part in this wild and savage concert, by barking
fiercely in return, no longer rouse us from our sleep by noticing it.
Monday, 14th. A slight dew had fallen; the wind was S.S.E., nearly
calm; and our morning's journey was arduous, in consequence of the
great heat of the atmosphere. Our dogs, these two or three days past,
{77} had evidently followed us with difficulty. Cæsar, a fine mastiff,
and the larger of the two, this morning trotted heavily forwards, and
threw himself down directly before the first horse in the line; the
rider turned his horse aside, to avoid doing injury to the dog; but
had he noticed the urgency of this eloquent appeal of the animal for
a halt, it would not have passed unregarded. The dog, finding this
attempt to draw attention to his sufferings unavailing, threw himself
successively before two or three other horses, but still failed to
excite the attention he solicited, until a soldier in the rear observed
that his respiration was excessively laborious, and his tongue to a
great length depended from his widely extended mouth. He therefore
took the dog upon his horse before him, intending to bathe him in
the river, which, however, being at the distance of half a mile, the
poor exhausted animal expired in his arms before he reached it. To
travellers in such a country, any domesticated animal, however abject,
becomes an acceptable companion; and our dogs, besides their real
usefulness as guards at night, drew our attention in various ways
during the day, and became gradually so endeared to us, that the loss
of Cæsar was felt as a real evil.
The afternoon continued sultry, the extreme heat being 97 degrees.
Towards evening a brisk N. E. wind appeared to proceed from a nimbus
which was pouring rain in that direction, and produced so instantaneous
and great a change in the atmospheric temperature, that we were obliged
to button up to the chin; but it refreshed and revived us all. As we
were now approaching a well-wooded creek, we hoped soon to assuage
our impatient thirst, but great was the mortification, upon arriving
at the naked bank, to see a dry bed of gravel of at least fifty yards
in breadth. Crossing this inhospitable tract, which appears to be
occasionally deluged with water, with the intention of passing down
the opposite bank to {78} the river, we were agreeably surprised to
discover a fine limpid stream of cool flowing water, meandering through
a dense growth of trees and bushes, which had before concealed it from
view. Here we remarked the honey locust and button-wood (platanus
occidentalis), though the principal growth was cotton-wood, elm, and
ash. This stream of water, we believe, is known to a few hunters,
who have had an opportunity to visit it, by the name of _Little
Arkansa_.[112]
The distance of the day's journey was twenty-three miles, during which
but a single prairie dog village was seen, and proved to be the last
one that occurred on the expedition. Partridges and prairie fowls were
numerous.
Tuesday, 15th. Much lightning occurred during the night, pervading
the eastern heavens nearly from N. to S. At a distance of a mile from
encampment, we crossed a timbered ravine, and further on, a small
creek; when, upon looking back on our right, we saw the appearance of
an Indian village situated near the confluence of the Little Arkansa
with the river. Inspired with hope, we turned towards the spot; but
on arriving there, it proved to be a large hunting camp, which had
probably been occupied during the preceding season. It exhibited a more
permanent aspect than three others that occurred on our route of the
three past days; much bark covered the boweries; and a few pumpkins,
water-melons, and some maize, the seeds of which had fallen from
unknown hands, were fortuitously growing as well within as without the
rude frail tenements. Of the maize, we collected enough to furnish out
a very slight but extremely grateful repast, and the water-melons were
eaten in their unripe state.
Resuming our ride, we crossed three branches of a creek,[113] in one
of which two of the horses entered in a part not fordable, and as
the banks were steep and miry, it was with much exertion and delay
that they {79} were recovered. Oak and walnut trees abound upon this
creek, besides elm, ash, and locust. A king-fisher (alcedo alcyon)
was also seen. The extreme heat was rather more intense than that of
the preceding day, the mercurial column standing for a time at 97½
degrees. The bluffs, hitherto more or less remote from the bed of
the river, now approach it so closely as to render it necessary to
pursue our course over them. On ascending upon the elevated prairie,
we observed that it had assumed a different appearance, in point of
fertility, from that which we had been familiar with nearer to the
mountains; and although the soil is not yet entirely concealed from the
view by its produce, yet the grass is from six inches to one foot in
height.
But five bisons were seen to-day, a privation which communicates a
solitary air to this region, when compared with the teeming plains
over which we have passed, and of which these animals formed the chief
feature.
Our distance this day on a straight line may be estimated at 14¼
miles, though the actual travelled distance was much more considerable.
During the space of one month, our only regular food, besides meat, has
been coarsely ground parched maize meal, of which a ration of one gill
per day was shared to each individual. This quantity was thrown into
common stock, and boiled with the meat, into a kind of soup. This meal
is nutritious, portable, not subject to spoil by keeping a reasonable
length of time, and is probably to be preferred, as a substitute for
bread, to other succedanea, by travellers in an uncivilised country.
Our store of meal, however, was now exhausted, and we were obliged to
resort to a small quantity of mouldy crumbs of biscuit, which had been
treasured up for times of need.
At night almost incessant lightning coruscated in the north-western
horizon.
Wednesday, 16th. Several showers of rain, with much thunder and vivid
lightning, fell during the {80} night, and the early morning continued
showery; but the clouds were evidently undergoing the change from
nimbus to cirrostratus, in this instance the harbingers of a fine day.
Several ravines occurred on the morning's journey, containing, in the
deeper parts of their beds, pools of standing water. The first was of
considerable size, with steep banks, and thickly wooded, as far up its
course as the vision extended; the trees were principally oak, some
walnut, elm, ash, mulberry, button-wood, cotton-wood, and willow.
A horse presented by the Kiawa chief could not be prevailed upon
to traverse this occasional watercourse; he evaded the attempts of
several men to urge him forward; and after being thus fruitlessly
detained a considerable space of time, the animal was shot. If he had
been abandoned, he must have perished for want of water, having been
accidentally deprived of sight, and more certainly, as that fluid,
so indispensable for the support of the animal's life, was here of
difficult access.
At the ravine, which served as a halting place during the mid-day
heats, we first observed the plant familiarly known in the settlements
by the name of _poke_ (phytolacca decandria), reclining over the banks
with its fecundity, in the midst of a crowded assemblage of bushes, and
partially shading a limpid pool that mantled a rocky bed below. A large
species of mushroom, of the puff-ball kind, was not uncommon, nearly
equal in size to a man's head.
We have now passed the boundary of the summer bison range; and the
wolves, those invariable attendants on that animal, are now but rarely
seen. The antelopes also have disappeared. The river banks, as well
as the creeks and some ravines, from near the Little Arkansa, are
pretty well wooded, with but few interruptions, and in many parts
sufficiently dense, but always, as yet, strictly limited to skirting
those watercourses.
{81} During the afternoon we crossed numerous ravines, some of which,
judging by the infallible indications of dried grass and floated wood
lodged on high in the crotches of the trees, poured down at certain
seasons large volumes of water from the prairies into the river.
Near our evening encampment, but on the opposite side of the river,
appeared the entrance of a large creek, of the width of 90 or 100
yards, and of considerable depth; it seems to be well wooded, and its
course is nearly parallel to the river for a great distance before
it discharges into it. This stream is called Red river fork, its
waters are turbid, opaque, and red;[114] great numbers of fresh water
tortoises, closely allied to the testudo geographica of Le Sueur,
inhabit the basin formed by the entrance of this stream immediately
below its junction. The bluffs on that side are washed by the stream of
the river.
The bottom land, on the left bank, is still confined to a narrow strip.
The sun having been, during the chief part of the day, obscured by an
interrupted sheet of cirrostratus, and a brisk N. E. wind prevailing,
rendered the day temperate and agreeable. Travelled distance miles
nineteen and a half.
Thursday, 17th. Having been entirely unsuccessful in hunting since
the 13th instant, we remained in our position during the morning, and
sent out four hunters to procure fresh meat; but towards noon they all
returned with but three turkies, of which two were young; they saw no
deer, but much elk sign.
At two o'clock proceeded onward, upon a slightly undulated prairie,
over which the eye roves to a great distance without impediment. Indeed
the surface of the country, which extends along the upper portions of
the Platte and Arkansa rivers, is generally less undulated than that
which extends on either side of the Missouri.
{82} The ravines which intersected our path were not so extensive or
profound as those of yesterday, and in one of them we observed the
common elder (sambucus).
Should military possession ever be taken of this elevated country,
eligible positions might readily be selected for military posts, at
several different points below the Little Arkansa, where the bluffs
almost impend over the river. Such a position was occupied by our
evening encampment. This bluff is naked, of a gently rounded surface,
presenting a high rugged and inaccessible front upon the river, which
it commands to a considerable distance in both directions. An adequate
supply of wood, for fuel and architectural purposes, is offered by a
ravine, which flanks its lower side, and by other points.
Two fawns were killed during this afternoon's journey of twelve miles,
and a black bear was seen. The bitter apple vine occurred now but
rarely.
Friday, 18th. The inequality of the surface increases as we proceed,
the undulations being now much more abrupt and considerable, belted
near their summits with a rocky stratum, and assuming much the same
character with those spoken of in the account of our expedition to
the Konza village. This stratum, which is of gray and ferruginous
sandstone, contains petrifactions of marine shells, so completely
assimilated with the matrix in which they repose, and decomposing so
entirely simultaneously with it, when exposed to atmospheric action,
that even their generic characters cannot be recognised. Amongst other
appearances, however, we observed a bivalve, which seemed to differ
from terebratula and its congeners.
At the distance of eleven miles we crossed a small river, flowing with
a very gentle current over a gravelly bed, with a breadth of fifty or
sixty yards, and an extreme depth of three feet; we have named {83} it
_Little Neosho_, or _Stinking Fork_.[115] Its western bottom is of very
considerable width, well wooded with the before mentioned description
of trees, in addition to which the hackberry here first appears, and
supporting a crowded undergrowth of pea-vines, nettles, and rank
weeds, which obstruct the passage of the traveller. The eastern bank,
upon which our noon-day encampment was established, was high rock and
precipitous, requiring considerable exertion to surmount it.
Here the organic reliquiæ are somewhat more distinct than those
which we examined on the opposite side of this secondary river. They
are referable to those generally extinct genera that inhabited the
great depths of the primeval ocean. Amongst them we recognized a
smooth species of anomia of the length of half an inch, a species of
terebratula, an encrinus, and numerous insulated species of a Linnæan
echinus.
At two o'clock pursued our journey, under an extreme heat of 92
degrees, which was hardly mitigated by the gentle fanning of a slight
S. E. breeze. The appearance of the country here undergoes a somewhat
abrupt change. Low scrubby oaks, the prevailing timber, no longer
exclusively restricted, as we have hitherto observed it, to a mere
margin of a watercourse, now was seen extending in little clusters
or oases, in the low grounds. In the ravines, which are numerous,
profound, abrupt, and rocky, we observed the hickory (caria of
Nuttall), which had not before occurred since our departure from the
forest of the Missouri. The bluffs are steep and stony, rendering the
journey much more laborious to our horses, that were almost exhausted
by traversing a plain country, and their hoofs, already very much worn
by constant friction with the grass, will, we fear, be splintered and
broken by the numerous loose and angular stones which they cannot
avoid. Near the summits of some of these bluffs the stratum of rock
{84} assumes an appearance of such extraordinary regularity, as to
resemble an artificial wall, constructed for the support of the
superincumbent soil.
At the distance of eight miles from the small river before mentioned
we encamped for the night, on the east side of a creek which we call
_Little Verdigrise_.[116]
It is about forty yards in breadth, and not so deep as the Little
Neosho; its bed is gravelly, but the foot of each bank is so miry that
we experienced some difficulty in crossing. There is but a slight
skirting of forest, which denotes to the distant spectator the
locality of this creek.
One of the hunters returned with the information of his having
discovered a small field of maize, occupying a fertile spot, at no
great distance from the camp; it exhibited proofs of having been lately
visited by the cultivators; a circumstance which leads us to believe,
that an ascending column of smoke, seen at a distance this afternoon,
proceeded from an encampment of Indians, whom, if not a war-party,
we should now rejoice to meet. We took the liberty, agreeably to the
customs of the Indians, of procuring a mess of corn, and some small but
nearly ripe water-melons, that were also found growing there, intending
to recompense the Osages for them, to whom we supposed they belonged.
During the night we were visited by a slight shower of rain from the S.
W., accompanied by distant thunder.
{85} CHAPTER XII {VI}
Indian Hunting Encampment--Brackish Water--The Party Pressed by
Hunger--Forked-tailed Flycatcher--An Elevated, almost Mountainous,
Range of Country--Desertion of Three Men--Red Water.
Saturday, 19th. Several small corn fields were seen this morning along
the creek. At a short distance from our place of encampment we passed
an Indian camp that had a more permanent aspect than any we had before
seen near this river. The boweries were more completely covered, and a
greater proportion of bark was used in the construction of them. They
are between sixty and seventy in number. Well-worn traces, or paths,
lead in various directions from this spot; and the vicinity of the corn
fields induces the belief that it is occasionally occupied by a tribe
of Indians, for the purposes of cultivation as well as of hunting.
The increasing quantity of forest, partially obscuring the course of
the river, renders it now no easy task to trace its inflexions.
After proceeding twelve miles over a rugged country, at present
destitute of water, we were rejoiced to find at our dining-place a
puddle of stagnant rain-water, which had been protected from the action
of the sun by the elevated and almost impending bank of the ravine in
which it was situated, and which, though mantled o'er with green, was
yet cool and grateful to our pressing thirst.
We left our cool and shady retreat, and again betook ourselves to the
prairies, under a temperature of 96 degrees. Our remaining dog, Buck,
had been, {86} since the regretted death of his companion, treated with
all the kindness and attention due to a humble friend. He was very
frequently accommodated with a ride on horseback before one of the
men when he betrayed unusual exhaustion. But notwithstanding all such
attentions, for which he seemed touched with the feelings of gratitude,
he experienced Cæsar's fate, and was necessarily abandoned.
The evening encampment was pitched upon a luxuriant grassy plain on
the margin of the river. On tasting the water, it was perceived to be
slightly saline, though the proportion of that condiment was not so
considerable as to render it unpleasant to the palate. This saline
intermixture is, no doubt, due to the Red river fork, inasmuch as the
river, above the entrance of that stream, appeared entirely destitute
of saline contamination, and no stream enters on this side in which
the slightest apparent degree of brackishness is to be detected by the
taste.
The cotton tree is less numerous in this vicinity than we have seen it
higher up the river, and being intermixed with other trees, forms but
an insignificant feature of the forest.
Sunday, 20th. Heavy rain, accompanied with much thunder and lightning,
commenced early in the night, and continued until day-light this
morning. Hunters who had been sent out detained us until nine o'clock,
when they returned unsuccessful; in consequence of which, and of our
having made a sparing meal last evening on a turkey that had been shot,
we were obliged to depart fasting on our way.
The ravines were muddy and their banks slippery in consequence of the
rain; we had, however, the good fortune to fall upon an Indian trace,
which complied with our proper direction, and which indicated the best
points at which the gullies might be passed. In its course it conducted
us to a creek which was pouring down a torrent of water. Here was an
encampment that had obviously been occupied {87} within a day or two,
there being fresh rinds of water-melons strewed about it.
One of the party, on attempting to cross this creek, was thrown into
the water, in consequence of his horse having plunged suddenly beyond
his depth; he however avoided being carried down with the rapid
current, by seizing the depending bough of a tree; the horse also was
fortunately saved; by taking a different direction, we all passed over
without further casualty.[117]
But we were unable to trace any farther the party that we thus
ascertained to have so recently preceded us, their footsteps being here
entirely obliterated by the rain.
At the distance of sixteen miles we encamped at an early hour on the
bank of the river, and sent out hunters, who, however, after examining
the vicinity, returned unsuccessful. Our three meals were therefore
again, by stern necessity, reduced to a single frugal one, and our
table, the soil, was set with a few mouldy biscuit crumbs, boiled in a
large quantity of water, with the nutritious addition of some grease.
Julien, who had been despatched for the peace flag, which was casually
left at a ravine, to our great satisfaction returned with a skunk or
polecat, that he had fortunately killed. This we determined to preserve
for a feast to-morrow.
Monday, 21st. One of our horses strayed away last night, and could not
now be found, we therefore set out without him, and as usual without
breakfasting. The Indian trace was again discovered, and pursued about
nine miles to the dining place at noon. Here we were obliged to have
recourse for food to a little treasured store of dried bison meat,
which, when all issued, amounted to the pittance of two ounces per man;
this, added to the soup maigre of the skunk, and a half pint of the
crumbs of bread, afforded a tolerably good though far from abundant
meal.
{88} Proceeded on under an extreme atmospheric temperature of 90
degrees; several deer were seen, but they proved to be so shy, that our
hunters, perhaps through over-eagerness, did not succeed in approaching
them within gun shot. After accomplishing a distance of ten miles,
we pitched our camp on the river bank. Here the stream turns rather
abruptly to the east, after having preserved a southerly and south of
west direction for a considerable distance. A considerable stream of
water, called Nesuketonga, or Grand Saline creek, flows into the river
at this point, nearly opposite to our camp.[118]
Supped on a few bread crumbs boiled in water. A black wolf, the first
seen since our departure from the Missouri, made his appearance in the
distance.
Tuesday, 22d. Three of the horses having strayed detained us until
eight o'clock, when a fall of rain commenced, which continued during
the morning, and wet us thoroughly to the skin. A few hostile Indians,
aware of the state of our fire-arms, might perhaps have disappointed
our hopes of a safe return to the settlements, if, in their attack,
their bow-strings could have been preserved from the effects of the
rain, which tends greatly to relax them.
A note like that of the prairie dog for a moment induced the belief
that a village of the marmot was near; but we were soon undeceived by
the appearance of the beautiful tyrannus forficatus in full pursuit
of a crow. Not at first recognising the bird, the fine elongated tail
plumes, occasionally diverging in a furcate manner, and again closing
together, to give direction to the aerial evolutions of the bird,
seemed like the extraneous processes of dried grass, or twigs of a
tree, adventitiously attached to the tail, and influenced by currents
of wind. The feathered warrior flew forward to a tree, from whence, at
our too near approach, he descended to the earth at a little distance,
continuing at intervals his chirping note. This bird seems to be
rather rare in this region, and as the {89} very powder within the
barrels of our guns was wet, we were obliged to content ourselves with
only a distant view of the bird.
The river margin, on which we now hold our course, is narrow and
fertile, supporting a tolerably thick growth of mossy cup oaks,
with walnut, cotton-wood, elm, and much underwood, through which
it is sometimes rather difficult to force a passage. The river is
now more serpentine in its course than it was remarked to be nearer
the mountains, but it is here wide and still, thickly studded with
sand-bars.
One of the hunters rescued the body of a small fawn from the wolves
that had killed and embowelled it. This afforded us all a good dinner,
and as we had in the morning drawn upon our almost exhausted store
of sweet corn for a gill to each man as a breakfast, we are to-day
comparatively well-fed.
Near our evening encampment was a large old Indian hunting camp. Our
distance to-day nineteen miles.
Wednesday, 23d. Set out again fasting, and pursued our journey over a
beautiful open level bottom. The bluffs on our left, of but moderate
height, were partially clothed with oaks, and the river on the right
skirted with the cotton tree. But a single ravine crossed our morning
route. At eleven o'clock the mercury in the thermometer indicated 93
degrees.
At the distance of about two miles from our resting-place of noon we
again halted and pitched the tents, in anticipation of a violent storm,
as a nimbus of an unusually menacing aspect was otherwise announced by
wind and thunder, and seemed rapidly approaching from the south. In
order to avail ourselves of this delay, the hunters were sent out to
endeavour to procure some food. But as the storm passed round, they
were soon recalled, bringing with them the seasonable supply of four
turkies. On the subsequent part of this day we passed over a small
{90} stream, which we call Bitter Apple Creek, with but a slow-moving
current, of the width of about ten yards, and three feet deep. Its bed
was so muddy that two of the pack-horses were mired, but were finally
brought out. We then ascended into the prairie, from which, after
labouring over an almost continual succession of ravines, we passed
down to the river bank, and encamped for the night, having travelled
about twenty miles. Numerous deer were seen to-day, but they were very
shy.
The last bitter apple vine that occurred on the expedition was seen
to-day. We were once again saluted by the note of the blue jay. The
pine warbler (sylvia pinus) also occurred.
Thursday, 24th. As the high prairies offered almost continually a
succession of steep and rugged ravines, which called for too much
exertion for our horses to pass them, it was determined to endeavour
to force our way through the underwood of the bottoms. These we found
to be now so intricate, that in many places it was really difficult to
force a passage through the intertwined briers and climbing plants.
Our progress was, however, at length altogether interrupted by a
deep and miry sluice of the river over which no ford could be found.
Fortunately, however, the sandy bed of the river itself offered a
sufficiently firm footing to enable us to pass round the obstacle.
Tired of the brambles, we again sought the prairie, and, ascending an
elevated hill, enjoyed a fine view of the river in its meanders to a
great distance; but the place of destination, Belle Point, which we
now all anxiously look out for, was not yet in sight.
A journey of nine miles and three quarters brought us to a large
stream of clear water, but hardly perceptible current, passing over
a bed of rock and mud; the banks were steep and high, and afforded
us a very pleasant resting-place during the presence of the mid-day
heats. A flock of paroquets flew over our {91} heads, uttering their
loud note, with their usual loquacity. The king-fisher was flying from
one withered support to another, over the surface of the creek, and
occasionally darting into the water in pursuit of some little scaly
victim; and a large white crane (ardea egretta of Wilson) stalked with
slow and measured strides in the shallows of the creek. A glass snake
(ophisaurus ventralis) approached too near us, and was captured.
In the afternoon small cumulus clouds arose in the horizon, and we
again put forward under a temperature of 95 degrees. Three miles
farther a large ravine occurred, containing much water in the deeper
parts of its bed, but dry at intervals; it is wooded as far as we can
trace it with the eye, and in the season of floods must discharge a
large volume of water at its confluence, which is distant about five
miles from the creek crossed this morning.[119]
We passed by several singular natural elevations, with conical summits,
and halted early to hunt, for which purpose four men were sent out, who
returned with two turkies, which furnished us with a very light supper.
Friday, 25th. Remained encamped in order to give the hunters an
opportunity to procure some game. We had nothing for breakfast or
dinner, and as our meals a few days past had been few and slight, we
have become impatient under the pressure of hunger; a few fresh-water
muscles (unio), two or three small fishes, and a tortoise which had
been found in the mud of the ravine, were roasted and eaten, without
that essential condiment salt, of which we had been for some time
destitute. The hunters so anxiously looked for at length returned,
bringing but three ducks (anas sponsa); one of them had shot down three
deer, but they all escaped.
As we have no idea of our distance from Belle Point, and know not what
extent of country we are doomed to traverse in the state of privation
to which {92} we have of late been subjected, we have selected, from
our miserable horses, an individual to be slaughtered for food, in case
of extremity of abstinence; and upon which, although very lean, we
cannot forbear to cast an occasional wishful glance.
Bijeau, before he parted from us, urged by his wishes for our safety,
drew for our information a sketch of the country over which we had
to pass, as far as he had travelled in that direction on a former
occasion, which sketch was terminated by two large streams entering the
river near to each other, and diverging in the opposite direction. As
the remarkable relative course of these two streams, as represented by
Bijeau, corresponded to sufficient exactness with the representation
of the Verdigrise and Grand rivers, which terminated a sketch which
Major Long drew to depict the country from Belle Point upwards, we
believed that by joining the two sketches we had a complete view of
the country before us, as far as the settlements. Bijeau's sketch
proved to be a pretty faithful transcript of the country, as far as the
two watercourses that we passed on the 18th instant; which, as they
terminated his map, we then supposed were, of course, the Verdigrise
and Grand rivers. But not being able to recognise in Major Long's
draft one single feature of the region we have since traversed, we
finally concluded, either that we had not yet arrived at the true
Verdigrise river, or that we had passed by our place of destination
without perceiving it. In this state of uncertainty it was determined
to continue our course with as much speed as the exhausted situation
of our horses would permit, with the hope of soon arriving at some
settlement, where we might obtain the proper direction.
The greatest heat of the day was 97 degrees. Two hunters were this
evening sent forwards to encamp, and hunt early in the morning. Another
flock of paroquets were seen to-day.
{93} Saturday, 26th. Penetrated through an intricate bottom of bushes,
interlaced by vines and briers, the timber chiefly oak. The hunters had
procured nothing; but Lieut. Swift had the good fortune to kill a fine
buck, and one of the hunters afterwards a turkey. These were a happy
alleviation to us, and at our noon halting-place we enjoyed the rare
luxury of a full meal. At this position was a large ravine, containing
much water of the depth of two feet and a half, and width of twenty or
twenty-five yards, but without any visible current; its bed was muddy,
and in some places rocky.
The journey of the afternoon was equally intricate with that of the
morning; our way led along the fertile but narrow eastern margin of the
ravine, or as it would be called in the settlements of the Arkansa,
_bayou_, and immediately on our left ascended the abrupt and rocky
ridge of the bluff.
After a fatiguing journey of 19 miles we encamped on the river bank,
in a fine clear bottom, surrounded semicircularly by the forest.
The plum-bushes, which abound in the country through which we have
for several days been travelling, are generally killed, probably by
conflagration, their black and defoliated branches strongly contrasted
with the verdure around them; to-day, however, we met with some which
had escaped uninjured, and which afforded a few ripe plums.
Sunday, 27th. The river bottom becoming very narrow, obliged us to
ascend upon the high grounds, which we found to be little less than
mountainous, often rocky and steep, and, as usual, intersected by
profound ravines. Mr. Swift having succeeded in killing another deer,
we halted, after a journey of twelve miles, in order to jerk the meat
which we now possessed, and to rest the horses, whose feet were bruised
and broken by the fragments of rock.
The corporal did not join us until evening. The horse which he had rode
became so exceedingly feeble {94} as to be no longer able to support
the weight of his rider, who therefore dismounted, and attempted to
drive him on before him. In spite of his utmost endeavours the horse
proceeded so slowly that the corporal was obliged to forsake him, in
order to seek our trail, which he had lost on the rocks over which we
had passed. Not being able to regain the trail, and supposing we had
directed our course towards the river, he wandered along its margin
to a considerable distance, until almost exhausted with fatigue and
vexation. He at length ascended a considerable hill which commanded a
view of the country around, from which he had the satisfaction to see
a column of smoke rising above the forest at a distance. This sure
indication he had pursued, until approaching with much caution, he was
overjoyed to ascertain that his beacon was no other than the smoke from
our meat-drying process. Supposing that the horse would be able to
travel after having rested during the night, the corporal was directed
to accompany Julien to the spot where he had been left, and to bring
him on in the morning.
We availed ourselves of this leisure-time to mend our horse-gear,
clothes, and mockasins.
In the evening a slight fall of rain took place, accompanied by thunder
in the N. E., which at night became heavy and loud.[120]
Monday, 28th. The horse that gave out yesterday was brought in,
together with two others that had strayed, and for which we were
hunting. We were now traversing a high ridge of country, which, at many
points may be safely estimated at five hundred feet above the surface
of the river, and wooded to a great distance from that stream.
In the afternoon, having descended to the river, we again laboured
through the difficulties of dense underwood, which such productive
soils usually present, until towards evening, when we had the happiness
to see a well-worn Indian path which had been {95} interrupted by the
river, and now took a direction towards our left. Wishing to pursue
this route, as well for the facility of travelling as with the hope of
soon arriving at some Indian town, we readily persuaded ourselves that
it deviated from the course we were pursuing only in compliance with
the inequalities of the country. With little hesitation, therefore,
we struck into the path, and night gathered around us before we threw
ourselves supperless upon the ground to repose, after a fatiguing march
of about twenty-one miles, during which the greatest degree of heat was
92.
Several small flocks of the common wild pigeons flew by us, both
yesterday and to-day, in a southerly direction.
Tuesday, 29th. After some detention in seeking a troublesome horse that
had strayed, we again proceeded forward fasting. This abstinence, to
which we have been several times subjected, affects one of our party in
a singular and uniform manner; his voice becomes hollow-toned, and his
hearing much impaired, a state that is popularly known, as he expresses
it, by the phrase of _the almonds of the ears_ being _down_.
We pursued the Indian path a considerable distance this morning; but
as its course continued its divergence from the river, and we were
fearful of deviating too far, we abandoned it, and by an oblique course
endeavoured to regain the river. Here, however, the undergrowth being
almost impervious, induced our return to the path, which we again
attained near an Indian hunting camp of the past season, situated in a
beautiful prairie, near a gently swelling hill.
Here finding a little water in a ravine puddle, we halted, and served
out a stinted ration of dried meat to each individual instead of
dinner, which, so far from gratifying, tended to stimulate our desire
of food.
{96} Having been some days entirely destitute of tobacco in any shape,
those of the party who are habituated to the use of it experienced an
additional formidable privation. One of the men, who was erroneously
supposed to have still a remnant of the precious stimulant in his
possession, was heard to reply to an earnest and most humble petition
for a small taste of it, or to be allowed to apply his tongue to
it:--"Every man chaws his own tobacco, and them that hasn't any chaws
leaves."
During the prevalence of the greatest heat of the day, which was 94
degrees, we again set forward, and passed over a gently undulated
surface, supporting an open forest of young and scrub oak, intermixed
with hickory. In the course of a few miles we arrived at the edge of
this forest, which here crowned a much elevated region. It was in fact
higher in proportion to the surface before us than any other portion
of the country we had seen on this side of the mountains. The eye from
this height roved over a vast distance of prairie, and comparatively
plain country; and it was evident that we had now passed the hilly
and even mountainous country, which we have of late been traversing.
A few hills still interrupted the continuity of surface below, more
particularly on the right of the landscape towards the river. Not a
human being was yet to be perceived, nor a single trait indicative
of their present existence. It seemed for a moment that our little
cavalcade alone was endowed with the vital principle, and that the
vegetable world held a silent and solitary dominion. Belle Point
still evades our sight; we might have passed it, or it may still be
very far before us; yet we can no longer struggle through the tangled
underwood that encloses the river, nor pick our passage amongst the
loose stones of the bluffs, in order to preserve an uninterrupted view
of the bank of the river upon which that post is established. From
this {97} position the path winds rather abruptly downward, and, at a
little distance on the plain, conducted us through an abandoned Indian
hunting camp.
The horse that gave out on Sunday, having been since both packed and
rode, this afternoon sunk under his rider to the ground, and resisted
our efforts to induce him to rise. As he appeared to be entirely
exhausted, we reluctantly abandoned him. He had been a sprightly,
handsome, and serviceable animal, and was chosen from a considerable
number of horses, and presented to Mr. Say, by Major O'Fallon, when at
the Pawnee villages.
After a day's journey of twenty-two miles, a favourable situation for
an encampment offering timely at a site which appeared to have been
occupied by a tribe of Indians during the late winter, induced us to
pitch the tents, and prepare for the night. And Lieutenant Swift, whose
dexterity as a marksman had previously relieved us in times of need,
now succeeded in killing a turkey for our evening meal.
Wednesday, 30th. We pursued the path about ten miles farther, with
the hope of its soon terminating at some Indian village; but as it
continued to diverge too widely from our apparent true course, we once
again relinquished it, and turned towards the river, which we expected
to regain in the course of a few miles, by tracing down the opposite
bank of a large ravine, which now presented itself.
At our resting place of noon the banded rattlesnake (C. horridus)
occurred, and five young turkies were procured by the hunters.
Resuming our journey, it soon became obvious that the ravine we were
tracing did not discharge into the Arkansa, but into some large
tributary of that river, and which, from an elevated ground, we could
distinctly see meandering to a great distance on the left.[121] Another
Indian path was now discovered, which by its direction seemed to comply
with our proper course. It led us to recross the ravine, {98} with its
most luxuriant growth of trees, bushes, and weeds. On emerging from
this intricate maze we observed a large column of smoke arising in
the south-east, as if from the conflagration of some entire prairie.
This occurrence, combined with the effects of a large _burning_ in
the vicinity of our evening encampment, that seemed very recent, and
the appearance of the well-worn pathways, inspired us with a renewed
expectation of soon meeting with human beings, and of arriving at some
permanent Indian village.
The highest temperature of the day was 95 degrees. Our distance this
afternoon was ten miles.
Thursday, 31st. We arose early, and on looking at the horses that were
staked around the camp, three of the best were missing. Supposing
that they had strayed to a distance, inquiry was made of the corporal
respecting them; who answered that three of the men were absent,
probably in pursuit of them, and added, that one of those men who
chanced to be last on guard had neglected to awaken him to perform his
duty on the morning watch. Forster, a faithful, industrious soldier,
and who, in performing the culinary services for the party, had not
lately been laboriously occupied, now exclaimed, that his knapsack
had been robbed; and upon examining our baggage, we were mortified to
perceive that it also had been overhauled and plundered during the
night. But we were utterly astounded to find that our saddle bags,
which contained our clothing, Indian presents, and manuscripts, had
also been carried off.
This greatest of all privations that could have occurred within the
range of possibility, suspended for a time every exertion, and seemed
to fill the measure of our trials, difficulties, and dangers.
It was too obvious that the infamous absentees, Nolan, Myers, and
Bernard, had deserted during the night, robbing us of our best horses,
and of our most important treasures. We endeavoured in vain {99} to
trace them, as a heavy dew had fallen since their departure, and rested
upon every spear of grass alike, and we returned from the fruitless
search to number over our losses with a feeling of disconsolateness
verging on despair.
Our entire wardrobe, with the sole exception of the rude clothing on
our persons, and our entire private stock of Indian presents, were
included in the saddle bags. But their most important contents were
all the manuscripts of Mr. Say and Lieut. Swift, completed during the
extensive journey from Engineer Cantonment to this place. Those of the
former consisted of five books, viz. one book of observations on the
manners and habits of the Mountain Indians, and their history, so far
as it could be obtained from the interpreters; one book of notes on
the manners and habits of animals, and descriptions of species; one
book containing a journal; two books containing vocabularies of the
languages of the Mountain Indians; and those of the latter consisted
of a topographical journal of the same portion of our expedition. All
these, being utterly useless to the wretches who now possessed them,
were probably thrown away upon the ocean of prairie, and consequently
the labour of months was consigned to oblivion by these uneducated
vandals.
Nolan, Myers, and Bernard, though selected by the officers of Camp
Missouri, with the best intentions, for the purpose of accompanying
our party, proved worthless, indolent, and pusillanimous from the
beginning; and Nolan, we ascertained, was a notorious deserter in two
former instances.
This desertion and robbery occurred at a most unfortunate period,
inasmuch as we were all much debilitated, and their services
consequently the less dispensable on that account, in the attentions
necessarily due to the pack-horses, in driving these animals, loading
and unloading them, &c.
{100} We resumed our journey upon our Indian pathway in silence, and
at the distance of sixteen miles we passed through the river forest,
here three miles in width, and once again encamped upon the bank which
overlooks that stream. No trace of Belle Point, nor any appearances of
civilization were yet in view. But we were all immediately struck with
the change in the appearance of the water in the river. No longer of
that pale clay colour, to which we have been accustomed, it has now
assumed a reddish hue, hardly unlike that of the blood of the human
arteries, and is still perfectly opaque, from the quantity of an earthy
substance of this tint, which it holds in suspension; its banks and
bars are, from deposition, of the same colour. This extraneous pigment
has been contributed by some large stream flowing in from the opposite
side, and which, in consequence of our late aberrance, we had not
seen.[122]
The hunters returned without game, but bringing us a few grapes and
some unripe persimmons, all of which were eaten.
The extreme heat of the day was 95 degrees, and in the evening thunder
and lightning occurred in the western horizon.
{101} CHAPTER XIII {VII}[123]
The Party Meet with Osage Indians--Some Account of this Nation--Manner
of Taking Wild Horses.
Friday, September 1st. The hunters, who had been sent out at day-light,
returned at eight o'clock again unsuccessful, but after a journey of
about three hours we had an opportunity to appease the cravings of
hunger, and halted to regale ourselves on a small fawn that was shot.
At three o'clock proceeded on under the extreme atmospheric temperature
of the day of 96 degrees, and, as the current of air was scarcely
perceptible, the day was as usual very sultry. We were at length very
agreeably surprised by hearing an Indian whoop in our rear, and on
looking back a mounted Indian was observed upon a rising piece of
ground, contemplating our movements. The usual ceremony of displaying
our flag, and deputing an individual to assure him of the pacific
nature of our mission, induced him readily to approach; and after some
communication, he consented to encamp with us. He informed us that he
was the son of Clermont, principal chief of the Osages of the Oaks,
or _Osage des Chênes_ of the French traders; in whose territories we
then were. Their village was at the distance of about fifteen miles,
but by far the greater portion of the inhabitants of it were now on
their way to this river for the purpose of hunting. They had heard the
report of the guns of our hunters, and, agreeably to their custom, had
sent out spies, of whom he was one, to ascertain from whom the firing
proceeded; that he had fallen upon our trail, and consequently had no
difficulty in finding us, and was moreover glad to see us. Indeed his
conduct proved that he {102} entertained towards us the most friendly
and generous disposition. He was not tardy in ascertaining our wants,
nor parsimonious in his attempts to relieve them. He passed his pipe
around, a ceremony which signifies just as much among these people as
the drinking to friendship and good fellowship does amongst the lower
classes in civilized society; but to us, who had been so long deprived
of the use of tobacco, it was an intrinsic gratification. He then laid
before us some fine ripe blue plums; and remarking that the small
portion of fawn meat, that constituted all our store, was very lean, he
said that he would soon bring some more palatable food, and leaving his
pipe and tobacco pouch on the ground, with the request that we would
partake freely of both, he disappeared in the forest.
It was dusk when he returned with a fat buck hanging in pieces from
his saddle; he was accompanied by five or six young warriors. These
young men had visited the opposite side of the river, where they
had discovered a herd of bisons, and as they were hastening back to
Clermont with the intelligence, they observed our trail, which they
mistook for that of a Pawnee war-party, and were exerting their utmost
speed homeward, when they met with our friendly Indian, who smiled when
he informed us of their mistake.
The remnant of our fawn had been cooked, and was partly eaten on their
arrival, when they readily accepted our invitation to partake of it.
In return for which, when their meat was prepared, the whole was set
before us, and they respectfully waited until we were satisfied.
We now ascertained our position with respect to the settlements. We
were within about four days march of Belle Point, and the next large
stream we would cross was the Verdigrise.
Previous to retiring to rest the Osages performed their vespers by
chanting in a wild and melancholy {103} tone a kind of hymn to the
Master of life. Very remote lightning in the S. E. horizon.
Saturday, 2d. Our guests awakened early, and one of them, retiring a
short distance from his companions, began the well-known ceremony,
common to this nation, of crying aloud with a voice of lamentation,
intended probably as an invocation of the departed spirit of a relative
or friend.[124]
Messengers were despatched before sunrise to Clermont's camp, to inform
that chief of the proximity of a party of white men on this side of the
river, and of bisons on the other; and soon afterwards the remainder of
our guests, with the exception of one that concluded to remain with us,
departed to hunt.
Other Indians, attracted by curiosity, visited us in the course of
the day, one of whom informed us, that three men, whose appearance
corresponded with the description of our deserters, were now at the
village; and that the approaching hunting party being already apprised
of their character, Clermont, who was himself with the party, had
forthwith despatched an order to the village to have them detained
there until the decision of our chief respecting them should be known.
This most welcome news induced Lieutenant Swift and Julien, accompanied
by Clermont's brother, and two or three of the young warriors who were
present, to set out immediately for the village, in order to seize the
recreants, and conduct them to camp. Thus we were inspired with the
most sanguine expectations, not only of retrieving our losses, but also
of subjecting the offenders to that punishment which was their due.
In the afternoon we had the company of numerous Indians from the
hunting party; and an individual, that left our camp early in the
morning in pursuit of the bisons on the opposite side of the river,
brought a horse load of very lean meat. Their demeanour was pacific
and kind, and they appeared disposed to {104} serve us. They brought
a considerable quantity of plums of a blue colour, and exceedingly
agreeable taste, which were collected from trees growing in the
adjacent forest. Our cook having intimated to one of them our want
of salt, he instantly mounted his horse, and, after a short absence,
returned with a supply. One half of the hunting party was soon
afterwards observed fording the river in a long line about a mile below
our camp; the other portion, we were told, would cross the river at
some point above the camp to-morrow morning, and would act in concert
with the others, so as to surround the herd of bisons that they were
now going in pursuit of.
In the evening Mr. Swift returned unsuccessful; when he left us in the
morning he directed his course to Clermont's camp, which he found in
the prairie near a little impure puddle of water. He was very cordially
and graciously received by the chief, who invited him to partake of
some food. He assured Mr. S. of his regret at being unable to induce
any of his young men to pursue our fugitives, who, as he had but then
been informed, departed from the village early in the morning. This
unwillingness on the part of his young men arose from their extreme
anxiety to hunt the bisons, that were at this time unusually near;
an enjoyment which they would on no account relinquish. He likewise
regretted that he was at present so circumstanced as to be unable to
comply with his wishes by visiting our camp. "But," said Clermont, "if
your chief will visit me at my camp, which will be established near
yours in the evening, I will treat him well; I will present him with as
much maize and dried meat as he wants. I will, moreover, furnish him
with young men to serve as guides, and a horse or two if he wants them,
to aid in the transportation of the baggage." Lieutenant Swift assured
him that we were much in want of such assistance as he had proffered,
and that on our arrival at Belle Point his generosity should be {105}
requited; but the chief declared his indifference to any recompence for
such services. Mr. Swift further learned that the deserters, during
their short stay at the village, had traded freely for provisions with
the trinkets they found in our saddle bags; and although dressed in
our clothing, they appeared to imagine themselves suspected to be
not what they seemed. This idea was in truth well-founded; for the
Indians observing that they retained their guns constantly within their
grasp, even when partaking of the hospitality of the different lodges,
believed them to have committed some crime or outrage, in consequence
of which they regarded themselves as unsafe in any asylum.
As the camp was about to move when Mr. Swift arrived there, he now
took his leave to return, but inadvertently deviating from the proper
course, he struck the river several miles above our camp. Clermont,
meeting with his trail, perceived at once that he had gone astray, and
immediately deputed one of his sons to pilot him to our camp.
In the acceptation of these Indians white man and trader seemed to be
synonymous, and many of those who visited us importuned us much to
trade for leather, dried meat, pumpkins both dried and fresh, &c.; in
exchange for which they desired our blankets, and even the clothing
from our bodies.
The superiority of the hunting qualifications of the Indians over those
of our hunters was obvious in an instance which occurred to-day. The
corporal went to the forest for the purpose of killing a deer, and it
was not long before an Indian, who accompanied him, pointed out one
of those animals in a favourable situation. The corporal fired, but
thought he had missed his object. The Osage, however, insisted that the
animal was mortally wounded, and advanced forward a very considerable
distance, where our hunter could see nothing of the usual sign of
blood, or trodden grass, and found the victim dead upon the ground.
{106} One of the party, on another occasion, saw an Osage shoot at
a deer running, and wound him; another Indian, at a short distance
further, fired at the same deer and brought him down, both, of course,
with single ball.
The extreme heat of the day was 95 degrees.
Sunday, 3d. Our chief, who upon the invitation of Clermont visited the
Indian camp accompanied by Julien and Clermont's son, returned this
morning with two other sons of that chief, and a handsome young squaw,
wife of one of them. His reception was not equal to his anticipations;
Clermont, however, and one of his sons, each presented a skin of maize;
but that chief could not realize the almost splendid offers he had made
of guides and horses.
Word was brought to Clermont that the information received yesterday,
of our deserters having departed from the village, was incorrect,
and that they still remained there. This induced, at once, the offer
of every thing they were in possession of, with the exception of the
manuscripts alone, to any persons who should bring them to our camp.
With this liberal offer Clermont himself, accompanied by Julien, set
out for the village to arrest them, but on their way a messenger, whom
they met, assured them that they had actually and finally departed this
morning. Thus all our hopes of recovering our lost property vanished.
The stature of the Osages that fell under our observation was by no
means superior to that of the Missouri Indians, and in very many
instances their form exhibited a beautiful symmetry. They do not seem
to differ, in point of features or colour, from the Indians just
mentioned. But the custom seems to be still more general in this nation
of shaving the head, so as to leave only a scalp on the back part and
above, which is, as usual, ornamented with silver plates, brooches and
feathers.
{107} Their dresses and decorations are very similar to those of
the Omawhaws, Otoes, and Konzas; but, from their proximity to the
settlements, they are furnished with a great proportion of manufactured
articles from the Whites.
Their government, so far as we could ascertain, was of the same
description with that of the other nations; and their manners, though
perhaps less fierce and warlike, seem to be, with the exception of
their vociferous matins, not very essentially distinct.
They have the usual armature of the bow and arrow, tomahawk, war-club,
and scalping-knife; but a large proportion of them have fusees, and
we saw but very few who bore the lance and shield. They are freely
branded by the Missouri Indians with the epithet of cowards. They are,
at present, in amity with the Sauks and Foxes; and their friendship
with the Konzas, with whom they freely intermarry, seems to have been
uninterrupted since the expedition of Lieutenant Pike.
The horses belonging to the Osages are by much the best we have seen
amongst the Indian nations, and they are kept in the best order. The
Indians generally of this country appear to be excellent connoisseurs
of horses, and to perceive any defects in them with a remarkable
readiness. One of Clermont's sons possessed a very fine horse, for
which the Kaskaia horse was offered, but the exchange was refused.
Horses are the object of a particular hunt to the Osages. For the
purposes of obtaining these animals, which in their wild state preserve
all their fleetness, they go in a large party to the country of the Red
or Canadian river, where these animals are to be found in considerable
numbers. When they discover a gang of the horses, they distribute
themselves into three parties, two of which station themselves at
different and proper distances on the route, which by previous
experience they know the horses will most {108} probably take when
endeavouring to escape. This arrangement being completed, the first
party commences the pursuit in the direction of their colleagues, at
whose position they at length arrive. The second party then continues
the chase with fresh horses, and pursues the fugitives to the third
party, which generally succeeds in so far running them down as to noose
and capture a considerable number of them.
The name of this nation, agreeably to their own pronunciation, is
Waw-sash-e; but our border inhabitants speak of them under the names
of Huz-zaus, and O-saw-ses. The word Wawsashe, of three syllables,
has been corrupted by the French traders into Osage; and though the
spelling of the latter has been retained by the Americans, we have
still farther swerved from the original, by pronouncing the word
agreeably to the genius of our language.
The lodges or huts of their villages are yet covered with the bark of
trees, but it is probable that they will adopt the more permanent and
preferable architecture of dirt lodges, used by most of the Missouri
nations.
As we proceeded to load our horses at ten o'clock, in order to continue
our journey, we perceived that several small articles of no great value
had been pilfered from us by our visitors. These are the only losses
we have sustained from Indian theft during this protracted journey.
During the stay of our party at Fort Osage last season, Mr. Sibley,
Indian factor at that place, politely furnished us with the following
information respecting the Osages; being the copy of a report made by
him to government, in the late war with Great Britain. We present it
to the reader in Mr. Sibley's own words:
"1st. The Chancers,[125] or band of the Arkansa, 600 men; town situated
near the mouth of the Verdigrise, a branch of the Arkansa; Clermont
first chief.
{109} "2d. The Great Osages, or White Hair's band, 400 men; town
situated near the head of the Osage river; Che-sho-hun-ga, first chief.
"3d. The Little Osages, 250 men; town situated on the Ne-ozho, a branch
of the Arkansa; Ne-zu-mo-nee, first chief.