Under the protection of the United States dragoons, I arrived at this
place three days since, on my way again in search of the “Far West.”
How far I may _this time_ follow the flying phantom, is uncertain. I am
already again in the land of the _buffaloes_ and the _fleet-bounding
antelopes_; and I anticipate, with many other beating hearts, rare
sport and amusement amongst the wild herds ere long.
We shall start from hence in a few days, and other epistles I may
occasionally drop you from _terra incognita_, for such is the great
expanse of country which we expect to range over; and names we are to
give, and country to explore, as far as we proceed. We are, at this
place, on the banks of the Red River, having Texas under our eye on
the opposite bank. Our encampment is on the point of land between the
Red and False Washita rivers, at their junction; and the country about
us is a panorama too beautiful to be painted with a pen: it is, like
most of the country in these regions, composed of prairie and timber,
alternating in the most delightful shapes and proportions that the eye
of a connoisseur could desire. The verdure is everywhere of the deepest
green, and the plains about us are literally speckled with buffalo.
We are distant from Fort Gibson about 200 miles, which distance we
accomplished in ten days.
A great part of the way, the country is prairie, gracefully
undulating—well watered, and continually beautified by copses and
patches of timber. On our way my attention was rivetted to the tops
of some of the prairie bluffs, whose summits I approached with
inexpressible delight. I rode to the top of one of these noble mounds,
in company with my friends Lieut. Wheelock and Joseph Chadwick, where
we agreed that our _horses_ instinctively _looked_ and _admired_.
They thought not of the rich herbage that was under their feet,
but, with deep-drawn sighs, their necks were loftily curved, and
their eyes widely stretched over the landscape that was beneath us.
From this elevated spot, the horizon was bounded all around us by
mountain streaks of blue, softening into azure as they vanished, and
the pictured vales that intermediate lay, were deepening into green
as the eye was returning from its roamings. Beneath us, and winding
through the waving landscape was seen with peculiar effect, the “bold
dragoons,” marching in beautiful order forming a train of a mile in
length. Baggage waggons and Indians (_engagés_) helped to lengthen
the procession. From the point where we stood, the line was seen in
miniature; and the undulating hills over which it was bending its way,
gave it the appearance of a huge black snake gracefully gliding over a
rich carpet of green.
This picturesque country of 200 miles, over which we have passed,
belongs to the Creeks and Choctaws, and affords one of the richest and
most desirable countries in the world for agricultural pursuits.
Scarcely a day has passed, in which we have not crossed oak ridges,
of several miles in breadth, with a sandy soil and scattering timber;
where the ground was almost literally covered with vines, producing the
greatest profusion of delicious grapes, of five-eighths of an inch in
diameter, and hanging in such endless clusters, as justly to entitle
this singular and solitary wilderness to the style of a vineyard (and
ready for the vintage), for many miles together.
The next hour we would be trailing through broad and verdant valleys of
green prairies, into which we had descended; and oftentimes find our
progress completely arrested by hundreds of acres of small plum-trees,
of four or six feet in height; so closely woven and interlocked
together, as entirely to dispute our progress, and sending us several
miles around; when every bush that was in sight was so loaded with the
weight of its delicious wild fruit, that they were in many instances
literally without leaves on their branches, and bent quite to the
ground. Amongst these, and in patches, were intervening beds of wild
roses, wild currants, and gooseberries. And underneath and about them,
and occasionally interlocked with them, huge masses of the prickly
pears, and beautiful and tempting wild flowers that sweetened the
atmosphere above; whilst an occasional huge yellow rattlesnake, or
a copper-head, could be seen gliding over, or basking across their
vari-coloured tendrils and leaves.
On the eighth day of our march we met, for the first time, a herd of
buffaloes; and being in advance of the command, in company with General
Leavenworth, Colonel Dodge, and several other officers; we all had an
opportunity of testing the mettle of our horses and _our own tact_ at
the wild and spirited death. The inspiration of chase took at once, and
alike, with the old and the young; a beautiful plain lay before us,
and we all gave spur for the onset. General Leavenworth and Colonel
Dodge, with their pistols, gallantly and handsomely belaboured a fat
cow, and were in together at the death. I was not quite so fortunate
in my selection, for the one which I saw fit to gallant over the plain
alone, of the same sex, younger and coy, led me a hard chase, and for a
long time, disputed my near approach; when, at length, the _full speed_
of my horse forced us to close company, and she desperately assaulted
his shoulders with her horns. My gun was aimed, but missing its fire,
the muzzle entangled in her mane, and was instantly broke in two in my
hands, and fell over my shoulder. My pistols were then brought to bear
upon her; and though severely wounded, she succeeded in reaching the
thicket and left me without “a deed of chivalry to boast.”—Since that
day, the Indian hunters in our charge have supplied us abundantly with
buffalo meat; and report says, that the country ahead of us will afford
us continual sport, and an abundant supply.
We are halting here for a few days to recruit horses and men, after
which the line of march will be resumed; and if the Pawnees are as near
to us as we have strong reason to believe, from their recent trails and
fires, it is probable that within a few days we shall “thrash” them or
“_get thrashed_;” unless through their sagacity and fear, they elude
our search by flying before us to their hiding-places.
The prevailing policy amongst the officers seems to be, that of
flogging them first, and then establishing a treaty of peace. If this
plan were _morally right_, I do not think it _practicable_; for,
as _enemies_, I do not believe they will stand to meet us; but, as
_friends_, I think we _may_ bring them to a _talk_, if the proper means
are adopted. We are here encamped on the ground on which Judge Martin
and servant were butchered, and his son kidnapped by the Pawnees or
Camanchees, but a few weeks since; and the moment they discover us in
a large body, they will presume that we are relentlessly seeking for
revenge, and they will probably be very shy of our approach. We are
over the Washita—the “Rubicon is passed.” We are invaders of a sacred
soil. We are carrying war in our front,—and “we shall soon _see_, what
we _shall see_.”
The cruel fate of Judge Martin and family has been published in the
papers; and it belongs to the regiment of dragoons to demand the
surrender of the murderers, and get for the information of the world,
some authentic account of the mode in which this horrid outrage was
committed.
Judge Martin was a very respectable and independent man, living on the
lower part of the Red River, and in the habit of taking his children
and a couple of black men-servants with him, and a tent to live in,
every summer, into these wild regions; where he pitched it upon the
prairie, and spent several months in killing buffaloes and other wild
game, for his own private amusement. The news came to Fort Gibson but
a few weeks before we started, that he had been set upon by a party of
Indians and destroyed. A detachment of troops was speedily sent to the
spot, where they found his body horridly mangled, and also of one of
his negroes; and it is supposed that his son, a fine boy of nine years
of age, has been taken home to their villages by them. Where they still
retain him, and where it is our hope to recover him.
Great praise is due to General Leavenworth for his early and unremitted
efforts to facilitate the movements of the regiment of dragoons, by
opening roads from Gibson and Towson to this place. We found encamped
two companies of infantry from Fort Towson, who will follow in the
rear of the dragoons as far as necessary, transporting with waggons,
stores and supplies, and ready, at the same time, to co-operate with
the dragoons in case of necessity. General Leavenworth will advance
with us from this post, but how far he may proceed is uncertain. We
know not exactly the route which we shall take, for circumstances alone
must decide that point. We shall probably reach Cantonment Leavenworth
in the fall; and one thing is _certain_ (in the opinion of one who has
already seen something of Indian life and country), we shall meet with
many severe privations and reach that place a jaded set of fellows, and
as ragged as Jack Falstaff’s famous band.
You are no doubt inquiring, who are these Pawnees, Camanchees, and
Arapahoes, and why not tell us all about them? Their history, numbers
and limits are still in obscurity; nothing definite is yet known of
them, but I hope I shall soon be able to give the world a clue to them.
If my life and health are preserved, I anticipate many a pleasing scene
for my pencil, as well as incidents worthy of reciting to the world,
which I shall occasionally do, as opportunity may occur.
LETTER—No. 40.