a general S. E. course from Kansas through the N. E. corner of Oklahoma
into the Cherokee country, and joining the Verdigris in the vicinity of
the Blue Mounds. Fowler continues up the Little Verdigris.
[15] Some obscure tributary of the Little Verdigris, up which river
Fowler has come to a point probably not determinable from his itinerary.
On crossing the meridian of 96° W. he passed from the Indian Territory
into Oklahoma, and is now in the N. W. corner of the latter, in the Osage
Reservation, not far from the S. border of Kansas. Hence he will take
a general westerly course, through the Osage country, nearly parallel
with the Kansas border and Cherokee strip, to the Arkansaw river. I
find myself unable to trace this traverse satisfactorily, as neither
the courses nor the distances given can be relied upon. I am inclined
to think Fowler sometimes reverses the courses of streams—_i.e._, gives
them as they bear from himself, not as they flow. At any rate I cannot
identify the several streams he mentions Oct. 3-5. I suppose that, after
finishing with the watershed of the Little Verdigris, he crosses some
heads of Buck (formerly Suicide) creek, and then Beaver and Little Beaver
creeks, whose united streams enter the Arkansaw at the Kaw Agency.
[16] Cabree or cabri—the American antelope, _Antilocapra americana_.
[17] _Read_ Bad Saline. But this is a mistake; the Saline or Salt fork of
the Arkansaw is far from here, on the other side of the main river. Qu:
is the supposed “Bad Salean” a headwater of Buck creek?
[18] Four questionable streams passed to-day; I suppose them to be the
Beaver creek and its tributaries already mentioned, as Fowler must cross
these to strike the Arkansaw at the only point which renders intelligible
his itinerary up this river to the Little Arkansaw at Wichita, Kas.,
as given beyond. Fowler appears to be camped on Little Beaver creek,
above its junction with Beaver creek; if so, he is in the Kansas Indian
Reservation, a few miles N. of present Kaw Agency.
[19] At a point somewhere within the present Kansas Indian Reservation,
in Oklahoma, perhaps not far from opposite the mouth of Chilocco or
Chilocky creek, a little S. of the Cherokee strip.
[20] Apparently the stream now known as Grouse creek, which traverses
Cowley Co., Kas., on a general S. S. W. course, to fall into the Arkansaw
in the Cherokee strip, between Kansas and Oklahoma.
[21] White or Whitewater is a former name of that stream which is now
known as Walnut creek, and on which is situated Winfield, seat of Cowley
Co., Kas. Its general course is S. through Butler and Cowley counties,
but it loops both E. and W. on approaching the Arkansaw. Fowler says that
he struck it on its W. bend, which is above the place called Arkansas
City, and if, after crossing it, he ascended it for 8 m., he proceeded
about N. W. in the direction of Winfield.
[22] Nearly on the line between Cowley and Sumner counties, Kas.
[23] Vicinity of Mulvane, on or near the line between Sumner and Sedgwick
counties, Kas.
[24] At Wichita, seat of Sedgwick Co., Kas., where the Little Arkansaw
joins the Arkansaw river.
[25] Up which the party will continue for many days. Camp to-day in
Sedgwick Co., near the border of Reno Co.
[26] Cow creek, a considerable tributary of the Arkansaw, falling in
below Hutchinson, seat of Reno Co. See Pike, ed. of 1893, p. 424.
[27] At or near Hutchinson, Reno Co.
[28] The ultimate sources of Cow creek, at the mouth of which Fowler
camped on the 15th, are of course afar off. He means a source of Bull
creek, that branch of Cow creek which arises in the vicinity of Sterling,
Rice Co., and runs approx. parallel with the Arkansaw past Nickerson,
Reno Co., to join Cow creek a few miles below the latter place.
[29] The 1700-feet contour line is quite near the S. side of the Arkansaw
for several miles along here, and crosses the river a little below
Raymond, Rice Co., while on the N. side the same contour line is as far
off as Lyons—some 11 or 12 miles. Fowler viewed the topography correctly.
[30] At or near Ellinwood, Barton Co. See Pike, ed. of 1895, p. 425.
Fowler is fairly on the great bend of the Arkansaw, but not yet at the
place called Great Bend.
[31] A mistake—Fowler has not yet reached the Pawnee fork of the
Arkansaw. His “paney River” is Walnut creek, near which is Great Bend,
seat of Barton Co. This identification is proven by: (1) The _west_
course assigned for to-day, the reach from Ellinwood to Great Bend being
the only one in that direction. (2) The _walnut_ and other trees named
as growing on this stream. (3) The statement that this is the _second_
stream crossed since leaving the Little Arkansaw—the only other one
being Cow creek of p. 19. (4) The courses and distances given beyond
for the identifiable streams crossed, namely: Pawnee fork, Coon creek,
and Mulberry creek, all of which fetch out quite right, if the present
adjustment be made, otherwise all wrong. It would be curious to know if
this is simply a blunder of Fowler’s, or if Walnut creek was once known
as “paney river”; most likely the former, as I have never met with the
present malidentification before. See Pike, ed. of 1895, p. 425.
Fowler rounds the great bend, past Great Bend, and camps, as he says, 9
m. short of the true Pawnee fork. It will be observed that he has no name
but “Red Rock” for the subsequently and long famous Pawnee Rock, which
now gives name to a station on the railroad, said to be 16 m. above Great
Bend and 13 m. below Larned. It is said to have received its name from
a fight there in May or June, 1826, when an expedition which Col. Ceran
St. Vrain had fitted out was attacked by Pawnees, and Kit Carson, then a
boy, killed his own mule by mistake for an Indian during a false alarm
the night before. “Pawnee Rock is no longer conspicuous. Its material has
been torn away both by the railroad and the settlers in the vicinity,
to build foundations for water-tanks, in the one instance, and for the
construction of their houses, barns, and sheds, in the other. Nothing
remains of the once famous landmark, its site is occupied as a cattle
corral by the owner of the claim in which it is situated,” says Inman,
Old Santa Fé Trail, 1897, pp. 404, 405.
[32] _This_ is the Pawnee fork, which Fowler crosses at Larned, Pawnee
Co., and continues up the left bank of the Arkansaw. See Pike, ed. of
1895, p. 432.
[33] Big Coon creek, which skirts the Arkansaw for a long distance, and
on which are Garfield, Pawnee Co., and Kinsley, Edwards Co. Camp in the
vicinity of Garfield. See Pike, ed. of 1895, pp. 434, 435.
[34] The same Big Coon creek, up which Fowler is still going, approx.
parallel with the Arkansaw. Camp in the vicinity of Kinsley, Edwards Co.
[35] One of the forks of the same Big Coon creek.
[36] Mulberry creek, falling into the right bank of the Arkansaw at town
of Ford, Ford Co. Here is a case in which Fowler obviously reverses the
course of a stream, giving the direction as it bears _from_ himself; N.
25° E. is about right for Mulberry creek. See Pike, ed. of 1895, p. 436.
This identification of Mulberry creek shows that we have fetched Fowler
correctly from the great bend, his courses and distances proving to be
near enough.
[37] The distance given sets Fowler at or near site of present Dodge
City, seat of Ford Co., for many years the most notable point along this
portion of the river, as it still is. See Pike, ed. of 1895, p. 437.
[38] Vicinity of Cimarron, Gray Co. See Pike, ed. of 1895, p. 438.
[39] Vicinity of Ingalls, Gray Co., or rather beyond.
[40] At some point beyond Pierceville, Finney Co. See Pike, ed. of 1895,
p. 440.
[41] Having passed Garden City, seat of Finney Co., by perhaps 8 or 10 m.
[42] This first southing seems to indicate a start from a point where the
river reaches lat. 38° N., near the W. border of Finney Co., at about the
distance last said beyond Garden City; whence the general course of the
Arkansaw is nearly as said past Deerfield and Lakin to Hartland, Kearney
Co. The distance given from this turn of the river would bring Fowler
somewhere between the two last named places.
[43] Chouteau’s, whose name was long borne by a large island in this
vicinity, not easy to locate exactly. If there has been but one of this
name, Chouteau’s island has floated a good many miles up and down the
river—at least, in books I have sought on the subject. Inman locates it
near Cimarron, Kas., p. 42; at the mouth of Big Sandy creek, Col., p. 75;
and his map agrees with the latter position. He says, pp. 40, 41: “As
early as 1815, Auguste P. Chouteau and his partner, with a large number
of trappers and hunters, went out to the valley of the upper Arkansas,
... The island on which Chouteau established his trading-post, and
which bears his name even to this day, is in the Arkansas River on the
boundary line of the United States and Mexico.... While occupying the
island, Chouteau and his old hunters were attacked by about three hundred
Pawnees, whom they repulsed with the loss of thirty killed and wounded.”
(Auguste P. Chouteau, b. May 9, 1786, married Sophie A. Labadie Feb. 15,
1809; d. 1839. He was the eldest son of John Pierre Chouteau, and elder
brother of Pierre Chouteau, jr., b. Jan. 19, 1789, d. Oct. 6, 1865.)
[44] Exactly so—passing Hartland, seat of Kearney Co., and continuing 10
m. N. 80° W. to camp near border of Kearney and Hamilton counties, nearly
in the position of Kendall, in the latter county. See Pike, ed. of 1895,
p. 440.
[45] Reading 4 + 6 + 6 = 16 m. to-day, and the last course W., we should
bring Fowler past Syracuse, seat of Hamilton Co., to the vicinity of
Coolidge, and thus near the boundary between Kansas and Colorado. This
lap seems to me to stretch somewhat, but such advance as I here indicate
appears to be required to adjust Fowler’s topography beyond, and bring
him correctly to Purgatory river on the 13th. See Pike, ed. of 1895, p.
441. Compare also date of June 11, 1822, beyond.
[46] Apparently that now known as Two Butte creek, from the S., falling
in nearly opposite Wild Horse or Little Sandy creek from the N., a mile
or two above Hollys, Prowers Co., Colorado. Camp 3 m. above Two Butte
creek would be about 2 m. short of the station Adana, on the A. T. and S.
F. R. R. See Pike, ed. of 1895, p. 442.
[47] Past Adana, Granada, and Manville, to a point about opposite
Carlton, Prowers Co.
[48] This large dry creek, from the N., is the Big Sandy, which falls in
about the distance said above the camp which was on the island opposite
Carlton. See Pike, ed. of 1895, p. 443. Somewhere about the mouth of
Big Sandy creek is one of the locations of the shifty Chouteau’s island
mentioned on p. 32.
[49] Willow creek, on which is Lamar, seat of Prowers Co. See Pike, ed.
of 1895, p. 443.
[50] Present name the same—Mud or Muddy creek, nearly halfway between
Prowers, Bent Co., and Caddoa creek. See Pike, ed. of 1895, p. 443.
[51] A statement which serves to fix camp with perfect precision. The two
mounds said are both between one and two miles due W. of Caddoa, and just
the distance said W. of Caddoa creek. These isolated elevations appear
in due form on the U. S. Geological Survey map of Colorado, Lamar sheet,
near lower left-hand corner. The railroad cuts between the river and
these bluffs, but the wagon road rises over them, back of their tops. See
Pike, ed. of 1895, p. 443.
[52] Two special elevations across the river, directly in line from camp,
are respectively 3975 and 4200 feet high, and their summits just about 5
m. apart.
[53] Present Rule creek, quite at the distance said from the twin bluffs
at camp.
[54] Las Cumbres Españolas—the celebrated Spanish Peaks. This is the
place where, on the 15th of Nov., 1806, Pike’s party gave “three cheers
to the Mexican mountains.” His map bears the legend: “Here the Mountains
are first seen.” It is a curious fact, now forgotten by most persons,
that the Spanish Peaks were called and supposed to be Pike’s Peak for
some time—during the years that Pike’s Peak was called James’ Peak.
Thus, Thomas J. Farnham, writing of 1839 in his Travels, New York, 1843,
p. 41, says: “Pike’s peak in the _south_west, and James’ peak in the
northwest, at sunset showed their hoary heads above the clouds that hung
around them.” Again, _ibid._, p. 42: “Sixty miles east of these mountains
[in Colorado and New Mexico], and 50 _south_ of the Arkansas, stands,
isolated on the plain, Pike’s peak, and the lesser ones that cluster
around it”—here also thus distinguishing it from James’ Peak, north of
the Arkansaw. As I have said in my edition of Pike, p. 457, where I
discuss the first application of Pike’s name to the peak which now bears
it, the date has never been exactly ascertained; and here in Farnham we
have the Spanish Peaks called by Pike’s name so late as 1839. I suppose
it will be difficult, if not impossible, to trace the proper appellation
of Pike’s Peak back of Frémont’s expedition of 1843-44. At the time I
penned my note on the subject I did not know that the misapplication
of Pike’s name to the Spanish Peaks had ever been current, and my
reference to the verbal use of the term in the 30’s may have had no other
foundation. Pike’s Peak having been first surmounted by Dr. Edwin James
and his men, at 4 p. m., July 14, 1820, was formally named James’ Peak in
Long, ii, 1823, p. 45, from Long’s MS. notes of July 15, 1820.
[55] Fowler’s supposition is correct—this is Pike’s “1st Fork” of the
Arkansaw, Spanish Rio Purgatorio and Rio de las Animas Perdidas, French
Rivière Purgatoire, English Purgatory river, often corrupted into
Picket-wire, and also known as Las Animas river. It enters the Arkansaw
from the S. in long. 103° 10´ W., midway between Fort Lyon (across the
main stream) and the town of Las Animas, Bent Co. See Pike, ed. of 1895,
p. 445.
Fowler names Purgatory river “White Bair crick” on June 6, 1822, beyond,
from the tragic incident now about to be narrated.
[56] Grizzly bear, _Ursus horribilis_. Lewis Dawson may not have been the
first American citizen to die and be buried in present Colorado, but I
have found no such fact of earlier date.
[57] The first of these is Pike’s Peak; the second and third are the two
Spanish Peaks. Besides the names of these latter which I have noted on p.
40, they have also been known as Las Dos Hermanas—The Two Sisters; and
when I was in that country I sometimes heard the French names Les Tetons
and Les Mamelles. The Ute Indian name, Wahtoyah, meaning Twins, is taken
by Lewis H. Garrard as the major title of his book, otherwise The Taos
Trail, etc., Cincinnati, 1850—a boyish piece of work, but the readable
work of a very bright boy, who has much to say from personal observation
of Taos, whither Fowler is bound. He is well worth looking up in the
present connection.
[58] Vicinity of Robinson, about on the boundary between Bent and Otero
counties, and near the site of Bent’s fort, which was a noted place for
many years. See Pike, ed. of 1895, pp. 446, 447, and to authorities there
cited for description add Farnham, Travels, 1843, chap. iv, beginning p.
34. Fort William was an alternative name of the same establishment—so
called after one of the Canadian-French Bent brothers, who were William,
George, Robert, and Charles. In 1826 three of them, with Ceran St.
Vrain, built a rude stockade on the N. bank of the Arkansaw _above_
Pueblo—perhaps halfway up to Cañon City. In 1828 they moved down below
Pueblo, and began the erection of the permanent structure called Fort
William, which was long better known as Bent’s “old” Fort. It existed
till 1852, when Col. Wm. Bent destroyed it with fire and gunpowder. He
immediately selected a new site lower down the Arkansaw, on the same (N.)
side, in the well-known locality of the Big Timbers, where he erected
Bent’s “new” fort in 1853, and used it as a trading-post till 1859, when
it was leased to the Government; Col. Bent moving to a point just above
Purgatory river for the winter of 1859-60. Next spring Bent’s place
became Fort Wise, so named for the Governor of Virginia, but in 1861 this
name was changed to Fort Lyon, in honor of Gen. Nathaniel Lyon, who was
killed at the battle of Wilson’s creek, Mo., Aug. 10, 1861. In the spring
of 1866 the river undermined this post, and it was moved to a point 20 m.
lower down, though the old post continued to be used as a stage station
by Barlow, Sanderson and Co.
[59] Adobe and Horse creeks. See Pike, ed. of 1895, p. 446.
[60] At or near La Junta, seat of Otero Co., where the Arkansaw bends a
little S. of lat. 38° N. See Pike, ed. of 1895, p. 447.
[61] Present Crooked creek, a little above La Junta. See Pike, ed. of
1895, p. 447.
[62] Timpas creek, about midway between La Junta and Rocky Ford, Otero
Co. See Pike, ed. of 1895, p. 448.
[63] In the wide low bottom some 4 or 5 m. below Catlin, Otero Co., and
about twice that distance short of the Apishapa river. See Pike, ed. of
1895, p. 448.
[64] Apishapa river, now crossed by the railroad 4½ m. above the station
Catlin, already named. Camp said to be 5 m. above this river. See Pike,
ed. of 1895, p. 448.
[65] This Indian camp, of which we shall hear more, appears from the
indications given to have been on the N. side of the Arkansaw, a little
over the border of Otero Co., about half way between Fowler’s last camp
and Nepesta, Pueblo Co.
[66] Ietans—Comanches.
[67] James Monroe, then President of the United States.
[68] San Antonio, Tex.
[69] Pueblo de Taos, N. M.
[70] Major S. H. Long, whose expedition came down the Arkansaw and
Canadian rivers in 1820. The “Predesent” above said is of course
President Monroe.
[71] To a position 2 or 3 m. beyond Nepesta, and about 5 m. short of
Huerfano river.
[72] The Huerfano or Orphan river, falling into the Arkansaw as said,
opposite the station Booneville on the railroad. See Pike, ed. of 1895,
p. 448, for this river, which is his “2nd Fork.” Among the mangled names
found in print are Rio Walfano of Farnham, Travels, 1843, p. 41; and,
most curious of all, Wharf creek of Long’s Exped., ii, 1823, p. 59, where
the innocent reader is informed that the Rio Huerfano “is called by the
Spaniards Wharf creek, probably from the circumstance of its washing
perpendicular precipices of moderate height”!
[73] From camp at a point given on the 25th as 3 m. above the Huerfano,
to-day’s 5 m. would take Fowler about 3 m. short of St. Charles river. He
passes opposite the mouth of Chico creek, as duly noted on the 27th. See
Pike, ed. of 1895, p. 451.
[74] At this point in the MS. the handwriting changes, Fowler’s giving
way to that of Colonel Glenn, who writes in a firm and clear hand. The
reader will also notice the difference in the spelling and syntax of what
now follows, to the middle of the account of Dec. 31.
[75] At this point Fowler resumes his own pen, but Colonel Glenn’s story
continues, apparently by dictation to Fowler, to the end of the entry for
Jan. 1, 1822.
[76] Santa Fé, N. M.—End of Colonel Glenn’s story, in Fowler’s
handwriting.
[77] Fontaine qui Bouille of the French, Boiling Spring river or creek,
present Fountain river or creek, site of the city of Pueblo. This river
is Fontaine-qui-bouit in Frémont, Fontequebouir in Farnham, Rio Almagre
of the Spanish, and forms one of the Grand Forks of Pike. See Pike, ed.
of 1895, p. 452, etc.
We must pause here to consider Fowler as the first settler, or at least
squatter, on the site of the future Pueblo, Col., the honor of founding
which is claimed by, and commonly conceded to, James P. Beckwourth, whose
mendacity was as illimitable as the plains over which he roamed while he
was the great chief of the Crows, and whose credit for the same was as
high as the mountains in which his adopted nation lurked. It is true that
Pike built at Pueblo a sort of stockade for the defense of his party,
but this was merely a log pen or breastwork which his men occupied Nov.
24-29, 1806, while he went on a side trip to his peak. The structure
was such as could be thrown up over night, and all trace of it speedily
disappeared. But Fowler built a habitable house and horse-corral, which
he occupied about a month, while his party were trapping, hunting, and
herding their stock in the vicinity, awaiting the appointed time to
take up the Taos Trail which Col. Glenn had already followed to Santa
Fé. The site of Pueblo does not appear to have been reoccupied in any
way that can be called settling, for 20 years after Fowler. Then the
redoubtable Jim appears upon the scene: see Leland’s ed. of Bonner’s
Life of Beckwourth, 1892, p. 383. “We reached the Arkansaw about the
first of October, 1842, where I erected a trading-post, and opened a
successful business. In a very short time I was joined by from fifteen
to twenty free trappers, with their families. We all united our labors,
and constructed an adobe fort sixty yards square. By the following spring
we had grown into quite a little settlement, and we gave it the name of
Pueblo.” In so saying, this boundless liar tells the truth—whether by
accident or design is immaterial to the substantial accuracy of what
he says. We also read further in Inman, p. 252: “The old Pueblo fort,
as nearly as can be determined now, was built as early as 1840, or not
later than 1842, and, as one authority asserts, by George Simpson and
his associates, Barclay and Doyle. Beckwourth claims to have been the
original projector of the fort, and to have given the general plan and
its name, in which I am inclined to believe he is correct; perhaps
Barclay, Doyle, and Simpson were connected with him, as he states that
there were other trappers, though he mentions no names. It was a square
fort of adobe, with circular bastions at the corners, no part of the
walls being more than eight feet high. Around the inside of the plaza, or
corral, were half a dozen small rooms inhabited by as many Indian traders
and mountain-men.” According to Fitzpatrick, in 1847 the settlement
contained about 150 men and 60 or more women, the former mostly
Missourians, French-Canadians, and Mexicans, whose wives were squaws of
various Indian tribes, together with some American Mormon women. On this
subject see also Pike, ed. of 1895, pp. 453, 454, where an adobe fort is
noted.
[78] Compare “‘tabba bone!’ which in the Shoshonee language means white
man,” Lewis and Clark, ed. of 1893, p. 480.
[79] From Pueblo, Col., to a point on the Rio San Carlos or St. Charles
river, the creek above said, which is struck a little above the
confluence of the Greenhorn branch. See Pike, ed. of 1895, p. 451. The
San Carlos is Pike’s “3d Fork” of the Arkansaw.
[80] Approximately up the Greenhorn to a point near lat. 38° N. The
sources of the Greenhorn are several, flowing from the mountain of the
same name (Spanish Cuerno Verde), 12,230 or 12,341 feet high, near the
southern end of the Wet Mountain range.
At this date Fowler duplicates the day of the week, which throws him out
till Feb. 9, when he corrects himself. But there is no break in days of
the month.
[81] One of the sources of the Greenhorn.
[82] Apache creek, a branch of Rio Huerfano, arising with sources of the
Greenhorn from the mountain of the latter name, and flowing eastward.
[83] Fowler’s distances seem to me short, considering how soon he is to
make the Sangre de Cristo Pass for which he is heading, and I cannot
locate this camp exactly. But his approximate position is easily made
out. He is about to round the southern end of the Wet Mountain range,
marked by Badito Cone, where the Rio Huerfano flows out to the plains; he
will cross this river and enter upon the Sangre de Cristo range between
the Sheep mts. and the Veta mts. His position is not far from lat. 37°
45´; place called St. Mary’s in the vicinity. Fowler has come all along
at an increasing distance W. of the D. and R. G. R. R., his route being
the old “Taos Trail” which the Mexicans followed in passing from the Rio
Grande in the vicinity of Taos to the Arkansaw at or near present Pueblo,
Col.
[84] Of the Huerfano river, which, if followed up W., would take him into
Huerfano Park, between the Wet Mountain range and the Sangre de Cristo
range.