The Expeditions of Zebulon Montgomery Pike, Volume 2 (of 3)
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Title: The Expeditions of Zebulon Montgomery Pike, Volume 2 (of 3)
Author: Zebulon Montgomery Pike
Elliott Coues
Release date: September 21, 2013 [eBook #43775]
Most recently updated: October 23, 2024
Language: English
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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE EXPEDITIONS OF ZEBULON MONTGOMERY PIKE, VOLUME 2 (OF 3) ***
Transcriber's Note:
Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have
been preserved. Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.
Italic text is denoted by _underscores_. Superscripts are prefixed
with a ^caret. Symbols in the text are noted by [Symbol: ]. Blanks in
the text are represented by ----.
Footnote numbering, which in the original restarted at "1" with every
chapter, has been prepended with the Roman chapter number (e. g. VI-7
for the 7th note of chapter 6). Footnotes to Part III are indicated
with a prime (e. g. I'-7).
Footnote III-37 was missing its anchor. Its location in the text was
approximated.
This book is the second of three volumes. Page numbering continues
from Volume 1, available at https://www.gutenberg.org/etext/43774.
Volume 3, at https://www.gutenberg.org/etext/43776, contains an
Index and Maps.
Pike's Expeditions
VOLUME II.
THE EXPEDITIONS
OF
ZEBULON MONTGOMERY PIKE,
To Headwaters of the Mississippi River,
Through Louisiana Territory, and in New Spain,
During the Years 1805-6-7.
A NEW EDITION,
NOW FIRST REPRINTED IN FULL FROM THE ORIGINAL OF 1810,
WITH COPIOUS CRITICAL COMMENTARY,
MEMOIR OF PIKE, NEW MAP AND OTHER ILLUSTRATIONS,
AND COMPLETE INDEX,
BY
ELLIOTT COUES,
Late Captain and Assistant Surgeon, United States Army,
Late Secretary and Naturalist, United States Geological Survey,
Member of the National Academy of Sciences,
Editor of Lewis and Clark,
etc., etc., etc.
IN THREE VOLUMES.
VOL. II.
Arkansaw Journey--Mexican Tour.
NEW YORK:
FRANCIS P. HARPER.
1895.
COPYRIGHT, 1895,
BY
FRANCIS P. HARPER,
New York.
All rights reserved.
CONTENTS OF VOL. II.
PART II.
THE ARKANSAW JOURNEY.
CHAPTER I. PAGES
ITINERARY: UP THE MISSOURI AND OSAGE RIVERS, AND
THROUGH KANSAS TO THE PAWNEE VILLAGE ON
THE REPUBLICAN RIVER, JULY 15TH-SEPTEMBER
30TH, 1806, 357-416
CHAPTER II.
ITINERARY, CONTINUED: FROM THE PAWNEE VILLAGE
THROUGH KANSAS AND COLORADO TO PIKE'S PEAK,
OCTOBER 1ST-NOVEMBER 30TH, 1806, 417-459
CHAPTER III.
ITINERARY, CONCLUDED: IN THE MOUNTAINS OF COLORADO
ON HEADWATERS OF THE ARKANSAW AND
RIO GRANDE, DECEMBER 1ST, 1806-FEBRUARY 26TH,
1807, 460-510
CHAPTER IV.
PIKE'S DISSERTATION ON LOUISIANA, 511-538
CHAPTER V.
WILKINSON'S REPORT ON THE ARKANSAW, 539-561
CHAPTER VI.
CORRESPONDENCE, 562-594
PART III.
THE MEXICAN TOUR.
CHAPTER I. PAGES
ITINERARY: THROUGH NEW MEXICO ON THE RIO
GRANDE TO EL PASO, FEBRUARY 27TH-MARCH
21ST, 1807, 595-647
CHAPTER II.
ITINERARY, CONTINUED: THROUGH OLD MEXICO, IN
CHIHUAHUA, DURANGO, AND COAHUILA, TO THE
PRESIDIO GRANDE, MARCH 22D-MAY 31ST, 1807, 648-689
CHAPTER III.
ITINERARY, CONCLUDED: THROUGH TEXAS TO NATCHITOCHES
ON THE RED RIVER OF LOUISIANA, JUNE
1ST-JULY 1ST, 1807, 690-717
CHAPTER IV.
OBSERVATIONS ON NEW SPAIN, 718-806
CHAPTER V.
CORRESPONDENCE, 807-839
CHAPTER VI.
CONGRESSIONAL REPORT AND ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTS, 840-856
PIKE'S EXPEDITIONS.
Part II.
_THE ARKANSAW JOURNEY._
CHAPTER I.
ITINERARY: UP THE MISSOURI AND OSAGE RIVERS, AND THROUGH KANSAS TO THE
PAWNEE VILLAGE ON THE REPUBLICAN RIVER, JULY 15TH-SEPT. 30TH, 1806.
Tuesday, July 15th, 1806. We sailed from the landing at Belle
Fontaine[I-1] about 3 o'clock p. m., in two boats. Our party consisted
of two lieutenants, one surgeon, one sergeant, two corporals, 16
privates and one interpreter.[I-2] We had also under our charge chiefs
of the Osage and Pawnees, who, with a number of women and children,
had been to Washington. These Indians had been redeemed from captivity
among the Potowatomies, and were now to be returned to their friends
at the Osage towns. The whole number of Indians amounted to 51.
We ascended the river about six miles, and encamped on the south side
behind an island. This day my boat swung around twice; once when we
had a tow-rope on shore, which it snapped off in an instant. The
Indians did not encamp with us at night. Distance six miles.[I-3]
_July 16th._ We rejoined our red brethren at breakfast, after which we
again separated, and with very severe labor arrived late in the
evening opposite the village of St. Charles,[I-4] where the Indians
joined us. Distance 15 miles.
_July 17th._ We crossed the river to learn if any communications had
arrived from St. Louis, and if there was any news of other Indian
enemies of the Osages. Called at Mr. James Morrison's, and was
introduced to Mr. [George] Henry, of New Jersey, about 28 years of
age; he spoke a little Spanish and French tolerably well; he wished to
go with me as a volunteer. From this place I wrote letters back to
Belle Fontaine, whilst the Indians were crossing the river. A man by
the name of Ramsay reported to the Indians that 500 Sacs, Ioways, and
Reynards were at the mouth of Big Manitou [_i. e._, the band under
Pashepaho (Stabber) and Quashquame (Lance)]. This gave them
considerable uneasiness, and it took me some time to do away the
impression it made upon them, for I by no means believed it. We were
about sailing when my interpreter [Vasquez] was arrested by the
sheriff at the suit of Manuel De Liza [or Lisa[I-5]], for a debt
between $300 and $400, and was obliged to return to St. Louis. This
made it necessary for me to write another letter to the general.[I-6]
We encamped about three-fourths of a mile above the village.
_July 18th._ Lieutenant Wilkinson and Dr. Robinson went with [one
soldier and] the Indians across the country to the village of La
Charette.[I-7] Mr. George Henry engaged, under oath, to accompany me
on my tour. Wrote to the general, and inclosed him one of Henry's
engagements.[I-8] After we had made our little arrangements we
marched by land and joined the boats, which had sailed early [in
charge of Sergeant Ballenger], at twelve o'clock. Two of the men being
sick, I steered one boat and Mr. Henry the other, by which means we
were enabled to keep employed our full complement of oars, although we
put the sick men on shore. Encamped on the north side. About eleven at
night a tremendous thunderstorm arose, and it continued to blow and
rain, with thunder and lightning, until day. Distance 15 miles.[I-9]
_July 19th._ In consequence of the rain we did not put off until past
nine o'clock; my sick men marched. I had some reason to suspect that
one of them [Kennerman[I-10]] intended never joining us again. At
dinner time the sick man of my own boat came on board; I then went on
board the other, and we continued to run races all day. Although this
boat had hitherto kept behind, yet I arrived at the encamping ground
with her nearly half an hour before the other. The current not
generally so strong as below. Distance 14 miles.[I-11]
_Sunday, July 20th._ Embarked about sunrise. Wishing to ascertain the
temperature of the water, I discovered my large thermometer to be
missing, which probably had fallen into the river. Passed one
settlement on the north side, and, after turning the point to the
south, saw two more houses on the south side. We encamped [on the
south] in a long reach which bore north and west. The absentees had
not yet joined us. Distance 15 miles.[I-12]
_July 21st._ It commenced raining near day, and continued until four
o'clock in the afternoon; the rain was immensely heavy, with thunder
and lightning remarkably severe. This obliged me to lie by; for, if we
proceeded with our boats, it necessarily exposed our baggage much more
than when at rest, as the tarpaulin could then cover all. We set sail
at a quarter past four o'clock, and arrived at the village of La
Charette at a little after the dusk of the evening. Here we found
Lieutenant Wilkinson and Dr. Robinson with the Indians; also, Baroney
[Vasquez[I-13]], our interpreter, with letters from the general and
our friends. The weather still continued cloudy, with rain. We were
received in the house of Mr. Chartron, and every accommodation in his
power was offered us. Distance six miles.[I-14]
_July 22d._ We arranged our boats, dried our lading, and wrote
letters for Belle Fontaine.
_July 23d._ I dispatched an express to the general, with
advertisements relative to Kennerman, the soldier who had
deserted.[I-15] We embarked after breakfast, and made good progress.
Lieutenant Wilkinson steered one boat and I the other, in order to
detach all the men on shore, with the Indians, that we could spare. We
crossed to the south side, a little below Shepherd river. Dr. Robinson
killed a deer, which was the first killed by the party. Distance 13
miles.[I-16]
_July 24th._ We embarked at half past six o'clock. Very foggy. The
Indians accompanied by only three of my people. Lieutenant Wilkinson
being a little indisposed, I was obliged to let Baroney steer his
boat. We made an excellent day's journey, and encamped [on the south]
five miles from [below] the Gasconade river. Killed three deer, one
bear, and three turkeys. But three or four of the Indians arrived; the
others encamped a small distance below. Distance 18 miles.[I-17]
_July 25th._ We embarked at half past six o'clock, and arrived at the
entrance of the Gasconade river at half past eight o'clock, at which
place I determined to remain the day, as my Indians and foot people
were yet in the rear, and they had complained to me of being without
shoes, leggings, etc. Distance five miles.[I-18]
One of our Pawnees did not arrive until late; the other had
communicated his suspicions to me that the Oto, who was in company,
had killed him: he acknowledged that he proposed to him to take out
their baggage and return to St. Louis. The real occasion of his
absence, however, was his having followed a large fresh trace up the
Gasconade a considerable distance; but finding it led from the
Missouri, he examined it and discovered horses to have been on it; he
then left it, joined ours, and came in. This being generally the route
taken by the Potowatamies, when they go to war against the Osage, it
occasioned some alarm. Every morning we were awakened by the mourning
of the savages, who commenced crying about daylight, and continued
for the space of an hour. I made inquiry of my interpreter with
respect to this, who informed me that this was a custom not only with
those who had recently lost their relatives, but also with others who
recalled to mind the loss of some friend, dead long since, and joined
the other mourners purely from sympathy. They appeared extremely
affected; tears ran down their cheeks, and they sobbed bitterly; but
in a moment they dry their cheeks and cease their cries. Their songs
of grief generally run thus: "My dear father exists no longer; have
pity on me, O Great Spirit! you see I cry forever; dry my tears and
give me comfort." The warriors' songs are thus: "Our enemies have
slain my father (or mother); he is lost to me and his family; I pray
to you, O Master of Life! to preserve me until I avenge his death, and
then do with me as thou pleaseth."
_July 26th._ We commenced at five o'clock to ferry the Indians over
the Gasconade, and left the entrance of this river at half past six
o'clock in the afternoon. Met five Frenchmen, who informed us that
they had just left the Osage river, and that it was so low they could
not ascend it with their canoe. We wrote letters and sent them back by
them.[I-19] Dr. Robinson, Baroney, Sparks, and all the Indians
encamped about one league above us. Killed one bear, two deer, one
otter, three turkeys, and one raccoon. Distance 15 miles.[I-20]
_Sunday, July 27th._ We embarked at half past five o'clock, and
arrived at the Indians' camp at seven o'clock. They had been alarmed
the day before, and in the evening sent men back in the trace, and
some of the chiefs sat up all night. Breakfasted with them. About half
past three o'clock encamped in sight of the Osage river. There being
every appearance of rain, we halted thus early in order to give the
Indians time to prepare temporary camps, and to secure our baggage. I
went out to hunt, and firing at a deer, near two of the Indians who
were in the woods, they knew the difference of the report of my rifle
from their guns, were alarmed, and immediately retired to camp.
Distance 13 miles.[I-21]
_July 28th._ Embarked at half past five o'clock, and at half past ten
arrived at the Osage[I-22] river, where we stopped, discharged our
guns, bathed, etc. We then proceeded on about six miles, where we
waited for and crossed the Indians to the west shore; we then
proceeded on to the first island, and encamped on the west side, Sans
Oreille and only four or five young men coming up, the rest encamping
some distance behind. Killed one deer and one turkey. Distance 19
miles.
_July 29th._ All the [rest of the] Indians arrived very early. Big
Soldier, whom I had appointed the officer to regulate the march, was
much displeased that Sans Oreille and the others had left him, and
said for that reason he would not suffer any woman to go in the boat
and by that means separate the party; but in truth it was from
jealousy of the men whose women went in the boats. He began by
flogging one of the young men and was about to strike Sans Oreille's
wife, but was stopped by him and told that he knew he had done wrong,
but that the women were innocent. We then crossed them and embarked at
half past eight o'clock. About twelve o'clock we found the Indians
rafting the river, when the first chief of the Little Osage, called
Tuttasuggy, or Wind, told me that the man whom Big Soldier struck had
not yet arrived with his wife, "but that he would throw them away." As
I knew he was extremely mortified at the dissensions which appeared to
reign amongst them, I told him by no means [to do so]; that one of my
boats should wait for the woman and her child, but that the man might
go to the devil, as a punishment for his insubordination.
I then left Baroney with one boat, and proceeded with the other. We
were called ashore by three young Indians, who had killed some deer;
and, on putting them on board, gave them about one or two gills of
whisky, which intoxicated all of them. It commenced raining about one
o'clock, and continued incessantly for three hours, which obliged us
to stop and encamp. One of our men, Miller, lost himself, and did not
arrive until after dark. Killed five deer, one turkey, and one
raccoon. Distance 14 miles.[I-23]
_July 30th._ After the fog dispersed I left Lieutenant Wilkinson with
the party to dry the baggage, and went with Dr. Robinson and Bradley.
About two o'clock we returned, set sail, and having passed the first
rapid about three miles, encamped on the eastern shore. Killed three
deer. Distance five miles.[I-24]
_July 31st._ We embarked early, and passed several rapids pretty well.
Dined with the Indians. Two of them left us in the morning for the
village, and they all had an idea of doing the same, but finally
concluded otherwise. One of the Osages, who had left the party for the
village, returned and reported that he had seen and heard strange
Indians in the woods. This we considered as merely a pretext to come
back. I this day lost my dog, and the misfortune was the greater, as
we had no other dog which would bring anything out of the water. This
was the dog Fisher had presented to me at Prairie des Chiens. Killed
three deer and one turkey. Distance 18 miles.[I-25]
_Aug. 1st._ It having rained all night, the river appeared to have
risen about six inches. We spread out our baggage to dry, but it
continuing to rain at intervals all day, the things were wetter at
sundown than in the morning. We rolled them up and left them on the
beach. We sent out two hunters in the morning, one of whom killed
three deer; all the Indians killed three more.
_Aug. 2d._ The weather cleared up. The lading being spread out to dry,
Dr. Robinson, myself, Bradley, Sparks, and Brown went out to hunt. We
killed four deer, the Indians two. Having reloaded the boats, we
embarked at five o'clock, and came about two miles. The river rose, in
the last 24 hours, four inches.
_Sunday, Aug. 3d._ Embarked early, and wishing to save the fresh [take
advantage of the rise in the river], I pushed hard all day. Sparks was
lost, and did not arrive until night. We encamped about 25 paces from
the river, on a sand-bar. Near day I heard the sentry observe that the
boats had better be brought in; I got up and found the water within a
rod of our tent, and before we could get all our things out it had
reached the tent. Killed nine deer, one wildcat, one goose, and one
turkey. Distance 18 miles.[I-26]
_Aug. 4th._ We embarked early and continued on for some time, not
being able to find a suitable place to dry our things, but at length
stopped on the east shore. Here we had to ferry the Indians over a
small channel which we did not before observe; all of them, however,
not arriving, we put off and continued our route. Finding our progress
much impeded by our mast, I unshipped it and stripped it of its iron,
and, after Lieutenant Wilkinson had carved our names on it, set it
adrift, followed by the yards. This mast had been cut and made at [our
wintering post on] Pine creek, Upper Mississippi. After proceeding
some miles, we found the Indians on the west shore, they having rafted
the river. We stopped for them to cook, after which we proceeded. The
navigation had become very difficult from the rapidity of the current,
occasioned by the rise of the water, which rose one foot in an hour.
Killed two deer. Rainy. Distance 10 miles.[I-27]
_Aug. 5th._ We lay by this day, in order to give the Indians an
opportunity to dry their baggage. Dr. Robinson and myself, accompanied
by Mr. Henry, went out to hunt; we lost the latter about two miles
from camp. After hunting some time on the west shore, we concluded to
raft the river, which we effected with difficulty and danger, and
hunted for some time, but without success. We then returned to the
party and found that Mr. Henry, who had been lost, had arrived one
hour before us; he had met one of the soldiers, who brought him in.
To-day in our tour I passed over a remarkably large rattlesnake, as he
lay curled up, and trod so near him as to touch him with my foot, he
drawing himself up to make room for my heel. Dr. Robinson, who
followed me, was on the point of treading on him, but by a spring
avoided it. I then turned round and touched him with my ramrod, but he
showed no disposition to bite, and appeared quite peaceable. The
gratitude which I felt toward him for not having bitten me induced me
to save his life. Killed four deer. River rises 13 inches. Rain
continues.
_Aug. 6th._ We embarked at half past eight o'clock, it having cleared
off and had the appearance of a fine day. Passed [Little] Gravel river
[of Pike, now Big Gravois creek] on the west.[I-28] About three miles
above this river the Indians left us and informed me that, by keeping
a little to the south and west, they would make in 15 miles what would
be at least 35 miles for us. Dr. Robinson, Mr. Henry, and Sergeant
Ballenger accompanied them. Killed two deer. Distance 13 miles.
_Aug. 7th._ Not being detained by the Indians, we are for once enabled
to embark at a quarter past five o'clock. The river having fallen
since yesterday morning about four feet, we wish to improve every
moment of time previous to its entire fall. We proceeded extremely
well, passed the Saline [read Great Gravel[I-29]] river [of Pike, now
Grand Auglaise creek] on the east, and encamped opposite La Belle
Roche on the west shore. This day we passed many beautiful cliffs on
both sides of the river; saw a bear and wolf swimming the river. I
employed myself part of the day in translating into French a talk of
General Wilkinson's to Cheveux Blanche.[I-30] Distance 21 miles.
_Aug. 8th._ We embarked at 20 minutes past five o'clock. Found the
river had fallen about two feet during the night. At the confluence of
the Youngar[I-31] with the Osage river we breakfasted. Encamped at
night on a bar. Distance 21 miles.
_Aug. 9th._ We embarked at five o'clock, and at half past six met the
Indians and our gentlemen. They had met with nothing extraordinary.
They had killed in their excursion seven deer and three bear. We
proceeded to an old wintering ground, where there were eight houses,
occupied last winter by [Blank], who had not been able to proceed any
higher for want of water. Passed the Old Man's Rapids, below which, on
the west shore, are some beautiful cliffs. Dined with the Indians,
after which we passed Upper Gravel river on the west, and Pottoe [qu.
Poteau?] river on the east. Sparks went out to hunt, and did not
arrive at our encampment, nor did the Indians. Distance 25
miles.[I-32]
_Sunday, Aug. 10th._ Embarked a quarter past five o'clock, when the
sun shone out very clearly; but in 15 minutes it began to rain, and
continued to rain very hard until one o'clock. Passed the Indians, who
were encamped on the west shore, about half a mile, and halted for
them. They all forded the river but Sans Oreille, who brought his wife
up to the boats, and informed me that Sparks had encamped with them,
but left them early to return in search of us. We proceeded after
breakfast. Sparks arrived just at the moment we were embarking. The
Indians traversing the country on the east had sent Sparks with Sans
Oreille. About two o'clock split a plank in the bottom of the batteau.
Unloaded and turned her up, repaired the breach, and continued on the
route. By four o'clock found the Indians behind a large island; we
made no stop, and they followed us. We encamped together on a bar,
where we proposed halting to dry our corn, etc., on Monday. Killed
four deer. Distance 18½ miles.[I-33]
_Aug. 11th._ We continued here to dry our corn and baggage. This
morning we had a match at shooting. The prize offered to the
successful person was a jacket and a twist of tobacco, which I myself
was so fortunate as to win; I made the articles, however, a present to
the young fellow who waited on me. After this, taking Huddleston with
me, I went out to hunt; after traveling about 12 miles we arrived at
the river, almost exhausted with thirst. I here indulged myself by
drinking plentifully of the water, and was rendered so extremely
unwell by it that I was scarcely capable of pursuing my route to the
camp. On arriving opposite it, I swam the river, from which I
experienced considerable relief. The party informed me they had found
the heat very oppressive, and the mercury, at sundown, was at 25°
Reaumer [Réaumur]. This day, for the first time, I saw trout west of
the Allegheny mountains. Reloaded our boats and finished two new oars,
which were requisite.
_Aug. 12th._ Previously to our embarkation, which took place at half
past five o'clock, I was obliged to convince my red brethren that, if
I protected them, I would not suffer them to plunder my men with
impunity; for the chief had got one of my lads' tin cups attached to
his baggage, and, notwithstanding it was marked with the initials of
the soldier's name, he refused to give it up. On which I requested the
interpreter to tell him, "that I had no idea that he had purloined the
cup, but supposed some other person had attached it to his baggage;
but that, knowing it to be my soldier's, I requested him to deliver it
up, or I should be obliged to take other measures to obtain it." This
had the desired effect; for I certainly should have put my threats
into execution, from this principle, formed from my experience during
my intercourse with Indians, that if you have justice on your side,
and do not enforce it, they universally despise you. When we stopped
for dinner, one of my men took his gun and went out; not having
returned when we were ready to re-embark, I left him. Passed the
Indians twice when they were crossing the river. Passed some very
beautiful cliffs on the W. [N. or right] shore; also Vermillion
[Little Tabeau] and Grand rivers, the latter of which is a large
stream, and encamped at the [first bend above it, on the E. or
left-hand bank of the Osage[I-34]]. Distance 24 miles.
Immediately after our encampment a thunder-storm came on, which blew
overboard my flag-staff and a number of articles of my clothing, which
were on top of the cabin, and sunk them immediately. Being much
fatigued and the bank difficult of ascent, lay down in the cabin
without supper and slept all night. It continued to rain. The man
[Sparks] I left on shore arrived on the opposite bank in the night,
having killed two deer, but was obliged to leave the largest behind.
Finding he was not to be sent for, he concealed his gun and deer, and
swam the river.
_Aug. 13th._ It continued to rain. In the morning sent a boat over for
Sparks' gun and deer. Embarked at half past nine o'clock. Stopped to
dine at two o'clock. During the time we halted, the river rose over
the flat bar on which we were; this, if we had no other proof, would
convince us we were near the head of the river, as the rain must have
reached it. We made almost a perfect circle, so that I do not believe
we were to-night three miles from where we encamped last night. This
day, for the first time, we have prairie hills. Distance 13
miles.[I-35]
_Aug. 14th._ Embarked at half past five o'clock. Passed the Park,
which is 10 miles around, and not more than three-quarters of a mile
across, bearing from S. 5° E. to due N. At its head we breakfasted,
and just as we were about to put off we saw and brought-to a canoe
manned with three engagees of Mr. [Chouteau], who informed us that
the Little Osage had marched a war-party against the Kans, and the
Grand Osage a party against our citizens on the Arkansaw river. Wrote
by them to the general[I-36] and all friends. Gave the poor fellows
some whisky and eight quarts of corn, they having had only two turkeys
for four days. We left them and proceeded, passing on our east some of
the largest cedars I ever saw. Came on very well in the afternoon, and
encamped[I-37] on an island above Turkey island. Distance 28 miles.
_Aug. 15th._ We embarked at five o'clock, and at eight o'clock met the
Indians and the gentlemen[I-38] who accompanied them. Found all well.
They had been joined by their friends and relatives from the village,
with horses to transport their baggage. Lieutenant Wilkinson informed
me that their meeting was very tender and affectionate--"wives
throwing themselves into the arms of their husbands, parents embracing
their children, and children their parents, brothers and sisters
meeting, one from captivity, the other from the towns; they at the
same time returning thanks to the Good God for having brought them
once more together"--in short, the _tout ensemble_ was such as to make
polished society blush, when compared with those savages, in whom the
passions of the mind, whether joy, grief, fear, anger, or revenge,
have their full scope. Why can we not correct the baneful passions,
without weakening the good? Sans Oreille made them a speech, in which
he remarked: "Osage, you now see your wives, your brothers, your
daughters, your sons, redeemed from captivity. Who did this? Was it
the Spaniards? No. The French? No. Had either of those people been
governors of the country, your relatives might have rotted in
captivity, and you never would have seen them; but the Americans
stretched forth their hands, and they are returned to you! What can
you do in return for all this goodness? Nothing; all your lives would
not suffice to repay their goodness." This man had children in
captivity, not one of whom we were able to obtain for him.
The chief then requested that Lieutenant Wilkinson and Dr. Robinson
might be permitted to accompany them by land, to which I consented.
Wrote a letter to Cheveux Blanche, by Lieutenant Wilkinson. When we
parted, after delivering the Indians their baggage, Sans Oreille put
an Indian on board to hunt, or obey any other commands I might have
for him. We stopped at eleven o'clock to dry our baggage. Found our
biscuit and crackers almost all ruined. Put off at half past four
o'clock, and encamped at three-quarters past five o'clock. Distance
15½ miles.[I-39]
_Aug. 16th._ We embarked at five o'clock and came on extremely well
in the barge to an evacuated French hunting-camp 12 miles to
breakfast, the batteaux coming up late. We exchanged hands. About
twelve o'clock passed the Grand Fork [confluence of Sac river with the
Osage, above Osceola], which is equal in size to the one on which we
pursued our route. Waited to dine at the rocks called the Swallow's
Nest, on the W. shore, above the forks. The batteaux having gained
nearly half an hour, the crews are convinced that it is not the boat,
but men who make the difference; each take their own boat, after which
we proceeded very well, the water being good and men in spirits. Saw
an elk on the shore; also met an old man alone hunting, from whom we
obtained no information of consequence. Encamped on the W. shore of
Mine [or Mire] river. Distance 37 miles.[I-40]
We to-day passed the place where the chief called Belle Oiseau, and
others, were killed. The Belle Oiseau was killed by the Sacs in the
year 1804, in a boat of Manuel de Liza, when on his way down to St.
Louis, in order to join the first deputation of his nation who were
forwarded to the seat of government by Governor Lewis. A particular
relation of the event, no doubt, has been given by that gentleman.
This chief had a son who accompanied me to the Pawnee nation, and
whose honorable deportment, attachment to our government, amiableness
of disposition, and the respect and esteem in which he was held by his
compeers, entitle him to the attention of our agents to his nation.
_Sunday, Aug. 17th._ We embarked at five o'clock and came 12 miles to
breakfast. At four o'clock arrived at 10 French houses on the E.
shore, where was then residing a Sac, who was married to an Osage
femme and spoke French only. We afterward passed the position where
Mr. [Pierre] Chouteau formerly had his fort [Fort Carondelet[I-41]],
not a vestige of which was remaining, the spot being only marked by
the superior growth of vegetation. Here the river-bank is one solid
bed of stone-coal, just below which is a very shoal and rapid ripple
[Kaw rapids, where was Collen or Colly ford]; whence to the village of
the Grand Osage is nine miles across a large prairie. We came about
two miles above [Chouteau's], and encamped on the W. [right-hand]
shore. This day the river has been generally bounded by prairies on
both sides. Distance 41½ miles.
_Aug. 18th._ We put off at half past five o'clock. Stopped at nine
o'clock to breakfast. Passed the second fork[I-42] of the river at
twelve o'clock, the right-hand fork bearing N., about 30 yards wide;
the left, the one which we pursued, N. 60° W., and not more than 50 or
60 feet in width, very full of old trees, etc., but with plenty of
water. Observed the road where the chiefs and Lieutenant Wilkinson
crossed. We proceeded until one o'clock, when we were halted by a
large drift quite across the river. Dispatched Baroney to the village
of the Grand Osage, to procure horses to take our baggage nearer to
the towns, and unloaded our boats. In about two hours Lieutenant
Wilkinson, with Tuttasuggy, arrived at our camp, the former of whom
presented me an express from the general[I-43] and letters from my
friends. The chiefs remained at our camp all night. I was attacked by
a violent headache. It commenced raining, and continued with great
force until day. Distance 19¼ miles.
_Aug. 19th._ We commenced very early to arrange our baggage, but had
not finished at one o'clock, when the chief of the Grand Osage, and 40
or 50 men of his village, arrived with horses. We loaded and took our
departure for the place where Manuel de Liza had his establishment,
[near Fort Carondelet], at which we arrived about four o'clock, and
commenced pitching our encampment near the edge of the prairie, when I
was informed that three men had arrived from St. Louis sent by Manuel
de Liza. I dispatched Lieutenant Wilkinson to the village with
Baroney, who brought to camp the man [Jean Baptiste Duchouquette] who
had charge of the others from St. Louis; he having no passport, I
detained him until further consideration. Our reception by the Osage
was flattering, and particularly by White Hair and our fellow-travelers.
This evening there arrived in the village of the Grand Osage an
express from the Arkansaw, who brought the news that a boat, ascending
that river, had been fired on, had two white men killed and two
wounded, and that the brother-in-law of Cheveux Blanche, who happened
to be on board, was also killed. This put the whole village in
mourning.
_Aug. 20th._ About twelve o'clock I dispatched Baroney for the chiefs
of the Grand [Osage] village, in order to give the general's parole to
Cheveux Blanche; also, a young man to the village of the Little Osage.
Cheveux Blanche and his people arrived about three o'clock, and after
waiting some time for Wind and his people, I just informed the chiefs
that I had merely assembled them to deliver the parole of the general
and present the marks of distinction intended for Cheveux Blanche and
his son--hanging a grand medal round the neck of the latter. The
packets committed to my charge for the relations of the deceased
Osages were then delivered to them, the widow making the distribution.
It must be remarked that I had merely requested Cheveux Blanche to
come with his son, and receive the general's message; but instead of
coming with a few chiefs, he was accompanied by 186 men, to all of
whom we were obliged to give something to drink. When the council was
over we mounted our horses, rode to the village, and halted at the
quarters of the chief, where we were regaled with boiled pumpkins;
then we went to two different houses, and were invited to many others,
but declined, promising that I would pay them a visit previous to my
departure, and spend the whole day. We then returned to camp. After
inquiring of White Hair if the men of Manuel de Liza had any
ostensible object in view, he informed me that they had only said to
him that they expected Manuel would be up to trade in the autumn. I
concluded to take the deposition of Babtiste Larme as to the manner in
which he was employed by Manuel de Liza, forward the same to Dr.
Brown[I-44] and the attorney-general of Louisiana, and permit the men
to return to St. Louis, as it was impossible for me to detach a party
with them as prisoners.
_Aug. 21st._ In the morning White Hair paid us a visit, and brought us
a present of corn, meat, and grease; we invited him, his son, and
son-in-law to breakfast with us, and gave his companions something to
eat. I then wrote a number of letters to send by express, and inclosed
the deposition of Larme. In the afternoon we rode to the village of
the Little Osage, and were received by our fellow-travelers with true
hospitality. Returned in the evening, when a tremendous storm of rain,
thunder, and lightning commenced, and continued with extraordinary
violence until half past nine o'clock. It was with great difficulty we
were enabled to keep our tents from blowing down. The place prepared
for an observatory was carried away.
_Aug. 22d._ Preparing in the morning for the council, and committing
to paper the heads of the subject on which I intended to speak. The
chiefs of the Little Osage arrived about one o'clock, also the
interpreter of the Grand Osage, who pretended to say that the Grand
Osage had expected us at their village with the Little Osage. Cheveux
Blanche arrived with his chiefs. The ceremony of the council being
arranged, I delivered them the general's parole, forwarded by express.
My reason for not delivering it until this time was in order to have
the two villages together, as it was equally interesting to both.
After this I explained at large the will, wishes, and advice of their
Great Father, and the mode which I conceived most applicable to carry
them into effect. Cheveux Blanche replied in a few words, and promised
to give me a full reply to-morrow. Wind replied to the same amount;
after which Cheveux Blanche addressed himself to Wind as follows: "I
am shocked at your conduct, Tuttasuggy--you who have lately come from
the States, and should have been wise; but you led the redeemed
captives, with an officer of the United States, to your village,
instead of bringing them through my town in the first instance." To
this Wind made no reply, but left his seat shortly after, under
pretense of giving some orders to his young men. I conceived this
reprimand intended barely to show us the superiority of the one and
inferiority of the other; it originated, in my opinion, from an
altercation of Lieutenant Wilkinson and Cheveux Blanche, in which
allusions were made by the former to the friendly conduct of the
Little Chief, alias Wind, when compared to that of the latter. I must
here observe that when the chiefs and prisoners left me, accompanied
by Lieutenant Wilkinson, I did not know the geographical situation of
the two villages,[I-45] but conceived that, in going to the Little
Village, they would pass by the Grand Village, and of course that
Lieutenant Wilkinson and the chief would arrange the affair properly.
_Aug. 23d._ I expected to have received from the chiefs their answers
to my demands; but received an express from both villages, informing
me that they wished to put them off until to-morrow. I then adjusted
my instruments. Took equal altitudes and a meridional altitude of the
sun; but, owing to flying clouds, missed the immersions of Jupiter's
satellites.
_Sunday, Aug. 24th._ Was nearly half the day in adjusting the line of
collimation in the telescopic sights of my theodolite. It began to
cloud before evening, and although the sky was not entirely covered, I
was so unfortunate as to miss the time of an immersion, and, although
clear in the intermediate period, an emersion also. I was informed by
Baroney that the Little Village had made up 11 horses for us. In the
evening, however, the interpreter, accompanied by the son-in-law and
son of Cheveux Blanche, came to camp, and informed me that there were
no horses to be got in the village of the Big Osage.
The son-in-law spoke as follows: "I am come to give you the news of
our village, which is unfortunate for us, our chief having assembled
his young men and warriors and proposed to them to furnish horses,
etc. They have generally refused him; but I, who am the principal man
after Cheveux Blanche, will accompany you." The son: "Our young men
and warriors will not take pity on my father, nor on me, nor on you,
and have refused to comply with your request; but I will accompany you
with two horses to carry provision for your voyage." The interpreter:
"The Cheveux Blanche was ashamed to bring you this answer, but will
again assemble his village and to-morrow come and give you the
answer." I replied: "That I had made the demand without explanation,
merely to let the Osage act agreeably to their inclination, in order
that we might see what disposition they would exhibit toward us; but
why do I ask of their chiefs to follow me to the Pawnees? Is it for
our good, or their own? Is it not to make peace with the Kans? To put
their wives and children out of danger? As to their horses which they
may furnish us with, I will pay them for their hire; but it is
uncertain whether I can pay them here, or give them an order on the
Superintendent of Indian Affairs at St. Louis; but this I do not now
wish them to be made acquainted with."
_Aug. 25th._ In the morning we were visited by Cheveux Blanche and
three or four of his chiefs, who were pleased to accord to my demands.
He found much difficulty in informing me that in all his village he
could only raise four horses, but that we should be accompanied by his
son and son-in-law. I then expressed to him the difference of our
expectations from the reality. He remained until after twelve o'clock,
when I went to the Little Osage village, and was received with great
friendship by the chief. Remained all night at the house of
Tuttasuggy. Took the census.[I-46]
_Aug. 26th._ Rose early and found my friends in council, which was
merely relative to our horses. The chief then declared their
determination to me, and that he himself gave me one horse, and lent
me eight more to carry our baggage to the Pawnees. Sold the old
batteau for $100 in merchandise, which I conceived infinitely
preferable to leaving her to the uncertain safeguard of the Indians.
About this time we received the news that the party of Potowatomies
were discovered to be near the towns. I gave them the best advice I
was capable of giving, and then returned to our camp.
_Aug. 27th._ Spent in arranging our baggage for the horses. Received
four horses from the Little Village and two from the Big Village. In
the evening Lieutenant Wilkinson rode to the Grand Village. I observed
two immersions of Jupiter's satellites.
_Aug. 28th._ Writing to the secretary at war and the general, and
making arrangements for our departure. Visited by Wind and Sans
Oreille.
_Aug. 29th._ Forenoon writing letters. In the afternoon Dr. Robinson
and myself went to the Grand Village, at which we saw the great
medicine dance. Remained at the village all night.
_Aug. 30th._ Returned to the camp after settling all my affairs at the
town. Sealed up our dispatches and sent off the general's
express.[I-47] In the afternoon we were visited by the principal men
of the Little Village and the chief, to whom I presented a flag, and
made the donations which I conceived requisite to the different
Indians, on account of horses, etc.
_Sunday, Aug. 31st._ Arranging our packs and loading our horses, in
order to fit our loads, as we expected to march on the morrow. Up late
writing letters.
_Sept. 1st._ Struck our tents early in the morning, and commenced
loading our horses. We now discovered that an Indian had stolen a
large black horse which Cheveux Blanche had presented to Lieutenant
Wilkinson. I mounted a horse to pursue him; but the interpreter sent
to town, and the chief's wife sent another in its place. We left the
place about twelve o'clock with 15 loaded horses,[I-48] our party
consisting of two lieutenants, one doctor, two sergeants, one
corporal, 15 privates, two interpreters, three Pawnees, and four
chiefs of the Grand Osage, amounting in all to 30 warriors and one
woman. We crossed the Grand Osage fork and a prairie N. 80° W. five
miles to the fork of the Little Osage.[I-49] Joined by Sans Oreille
and seven Little Osage, all of whom I equipped for the march. Distance
eight miles.
_Sept. 2d._ Marched at six o'clock. Halted at ten o'clock and two
o'clock on the side of the creek [Little Osage river], our route
having been all the time on its borders. Whilst there I was informed
by a young Indian that Mr. C. Chouteau had arrived at the towns. I
conceived it proper for me to return, which I did, accompanied by
Baroney, first to the Little Village; whence we were accompanied by
Wind to the Big Village, where we remained all night at the lodge of
Cheveux Blanche. Mr. Chouteau gave us all the news, after which I
scrawled a letter to the general and my friends.
_Sept. 3d._ Rose early, and went to the Little Village to breakfast.
After giving my letters to Mr. Henry, and arranging my affairs, we
proceeded, and overtook our party at two o'clock. They had left their
first camp about four miles. Our horses being much fatigued, we
concluded to remain all night. Sent out our red and white hunters, all
of whom only killed two turkeys. Distance four miles.[I-50]
_Sept. 4th._ When about to march in the morning one of our horses was
missing; we left Sans Oreille, with the two Pawnees, to search for
him, and proceeded till about nine o'clock; stopped until twelve
o'clock, and then marched. In about half an hour I was overtaken and
informed that Sans Oreille had not been able to find our horse; on
which we encamped, and sent two horses back for the load. One of the
Indians, being jealous of his wife, sent her back to the village.
After making the necessary notes, Dr. Robinson and myself took our
horses and followed the course of a little stream until we arrived at
the Grand[I-51] river, which was distant about six miles. We here
found a most delightful basin of water, of 25 paces' diameter and
about 100 in circumference, in which we bathed; found it deep and
delightfully pleasant. Nature scarcely ever formed a more beautiful
place for a farm. We returned to camp about dusk, when I was informed
that some of the Indians had been dreaming and wished to return.
Killed one deer, one turkey, one raccoon. Distance [made by the main
party] 13 miles.
_Sept. 5th._ In the morning our Little Osage all came to a
determination to return, and, much to my surprise, Sans Oreille among
the rest. I had given an order on the chiefs for the lost horse to be
delivered to Sans Oreille's wife, previously to my knowing that he was
going back; but took from him his gun, and the guns from all the
others also.
In about five miles we struck a beautiful hill, which bears south on
the prairie; its elevation I suppose to be 100 feet. From its summit
the view is sublime to the east and southeast. We waited on this hill
to breakfast, and had to send two miles for water. Killed a deer on
the rise, which was soon roasting before the fire. Here another Indian
wished to return and take his horse with him; which, as we had so few,
I could not allow, for he had already received a gun for the use of
his horse. I told him he might return, but his horse would go to the
Pawnees.
We marched, leaving the Osage trace, which we had hitherto followed,
and crossed the hills to a creek that was almost dry. Descended it to
the main [Little Osage] river, where we dined [vicinity of Harding].
The discontented Indian came up, and put on an air of satisfaction and
content.
We again marched about six miles further, and encamped at the head of
a small creek, about half a mile from the water. Distance 19 miles
[approaching Xenia, Bourbon Co., Kas.[I-52]].
_Sept. 6th._ We marched at half past six o'clock, and arrived at a
large fork of the Little Osage river, where we breakfasted [vicinity
of Xenia]. In the holes of the creek we discovered many fish, which,
from the stripes on their bellies and their spots, I supposed to be
trout and bass; they were 12 inches long. This brought to mind the
necessity of a net, which would have frequently afforded subsistence
to the whole party. We halted at one o'clock and remained until four
o'clock. Being told that we could not arrive at any water, we here
filled our vessels. At five o'clock arrived at the dividing ridge,
between the waters of the Osage and the Arkansaw, alias White
river,[I-53] the dry branches of which interlock within 20 yards of
each other. The prospect from the dividing ridge to the east and
southeast is sublime. The prairie rising and falling in regular
swells, as far as the sight can extend, produces a very beautiful
appearance. We left our course, and struck down to the southwest on a
small [tributary of Elm] creek, or rather a puddle of water. Killed
one deer. Distance 20 miles.
_Sunday, Sept. 7th._ We left this at half past six o'clock, before
which we had a difficulty with the son of the chief, which was
accommodated. At nine o'clock we came on a large fork [of Elm creek]
and stopped for breakfast. Proceeded on and encamped on a fine stream
[Deer creek?], where we swam our horses and bathed ourselves. Killed
four deer. Distance 15 miles.[I-54]
_Sept. 8th._ Marched early, and arrived at a grand fork of the White
river.[I-55] The Indians were all discontented; we had taken the wrong
ford; but, as they were dispersed through the woods, we could not be
governed by their movements. Previously to our leaving the camp, the
son of Cheveux Blanche proposed returning, and offered no other reason
than that he felt too lazy to perform the route. The reason I offered
to prevent his going was ineffectual, and he departed with his hunter,
who deprived us of one horse. His return left us without any chief or
man of consideration, except the son of Belle Oiseau, who was but a
lad. The former appeared to be a discontented young fellow, filled
with self-pride; he certainly should have considered it as an honor to
be sent on so respectable an embassy as he was. Another Indian, who
owned one of our horses, wished to return with him, which was
positively refused him; but fearing he might steal him, I contented
him with a present. We marched, and made the second branch [North Big
creek], crossing one prairie 12 miles, in which we suffered much with
drought. Distance 22 miles.[I-56]
_Sept. 9th._ Marched at seven o'clock, and struck a large [Eagle]
creek at 11 miles' distance. On holding a council, it was determined
to ascend this creek to the highest point of water, and strike across
to a large river of the Arkansaw [watershed]. We ascended 4½ miles,
and encamped. Killed one cabrie [antelope, _Antilocapra americana_],
two deer, and two turkeys. Distance 12 miles.[I-57]
_Sept. 10th._ Marched early. Struck and passed the divide between the
Grand [Neosho] river and the Verdegris [or Vermilion] river. Stopped
to breakfast on a small stream of the latter; after which we marched
and encamped on the fourth small stream [tributary of Vermilion
river]. Killed one elk, one deer. Distance 21 miles.[I-58]
_Sept. 11th._ Passed four branches and over high hilly prairies.
Encamped at night on a large branch of Grand river. Killed one cabrie,
one deer. Distance 17 miles.[I-59]
_Sept. 12th._ Commenced our march at seven o'clock. Passed very ruff
[rough] flint hills. My feet blistered and very sore. I stood on a
hill, and in one view below me saw buffalo, elk, deer, cabrie, and
panthers. Encamped on the main [Cottonwood] branch of Grand [Neosho]
river, which had very steep banks and was deep. Dr. Robinson, Bradley,
and Baroney arrived after dusk, having killed three buffalo, which,
with one I killed, and two by the Indians, made six; the Indians
alleging it was the Kans' hunting ground, therefore they would destroy
all the game they possibly could. Distance 18 miles.[I-60]
_Sept. 13th._ Late in marching, it having every appearance of rain.
Halted to dine on a branch of Grand river. Marched again at half past
two o'clock, and halted at five, intending to dispatch Dr. Robinson
and one of our Pawnees to the village to-morrow. Killed six buffalo,
one elk, and three deer. Distance nine miles.[I-61]
_Sunday, Sept. 14th._ The doctor and Frank, a young Pawnee, marched
for the village at daylight; we at half past six o'clock. Halted at
one o'clock. On the march we were continually passing through large
herds of buffalo, elk, and cabrie; and I have no doubt that one hunter
could support 200 men. I prevented the men shooting at the game, not
merely because of the scarcity of ammunition, but, as I conceived, the
laws of morality forbid it also. Encamped at sunset on the main branch
[Cottonwood] of White river, hitherto called Grand river. Killed one
buffalo and one cabrie. Distance 21 miles.[I-62]
_Sept. 15th._ Marched at seven o'clock; passed a very large Kans
encampment, evacuated, which had been occupied last summer. Proceeded
on to the dividing ridge between the waters of White river and the
Kans [more exactly, from basin of the Cottonwood to that of the Smoky
Hill]. This ridge was covered with a layer of stone, which was
strongly impregnated with iron ore, and on the W. side of said ridge
we found spa springs. Halted at one o'clock, very much against the
inclination of the Osage, who, from the running of the buffalo,
conceived a party of Kans to be near. Killed two buffalo. Distance 18
miles.[I-63]
_Sept. 16th._ Marched late, and in about 4½ miles' distance came to a
very handsome branch of water [Hobbs branch of Gypsum creek], at which
we stopped and remained until after two o'clock, when we marched and
crossed two branches [main Gypsum and Stag creeks]. Encamped on a
third. At the second [Gypsum] creek, a horse was discovered on the
prairie, when Baroney went in pursuit of him on a horse of Lieutenant
Wilkinson, but arrived at our camp without success. Distance 13
miles.[I-64]
_Sept. 17th._ Marched early and struck the main S. E. [Smoky Hill]
branch of the Kans river at nine o'clock; it appeared to be 25 or 30
yards wide, and is navigable in the flood seasons. We passed it six
miles to a small branch to breakfast. Game getting scarce, our
provision began to run low. Marched about two o'clock, and encamped at
sundown on a large branch [Mulberry creek]. Killed one buffalo.
Distance 21 miles.[I-65]
_Sept. 18th._ Marched at our usual hour, and at twelve o'clock halted
at a large branch [Saline river] of the Kans [Smoky Hill], which was
strongly impregnated with salt. This day we expected the people of the
[Pawnee] village to meet us. We marched again at four o'clock. Our
route being over a continued series of hills and hollows, we were
until eight at night before we arrived at a small dry branch [of
Covert creek]. It was nearly ten o'clock before we found any water.
Commenced raining a little before day. Distance 25 miles.[I-66]
_Sept. 19th._ It having commenced raining early, we secured our
baggage and pitched our tents. The rain continued without any
intermission the whole day, during which we employed ourselves in
reading the Bible and Pope's Essays, and in pricking on our arms with
India ink some characters, which will frequently bring to mind our
forlorn and dreary situation, as well as the happiest days of our
life. In the rear of our encampment was a hill, on which there was a
large rock, where the Indians kept a continual sentinel, as I imagine
to apprise them of the approach of any party, friends or foes, as well
as to see if they could discover any game on the prairies.
_Sept. 20th._ It appearing as if we possibly might have a clear day, I
ordered our baggage spread abroad to dry; but it shortly after clouded
up and commenced raining. The Osage sentinel discovered a buffalo on
the prairies; upon which we dispatched a hunter on horseback in
pursuit of him, also some hunters on foot; before night they killed
three buffalo, some of the best of which we brought in and jerked or
dried by the fire. It continued showery until afternoon, when we put
our baggage again in a position to dry, and remained encamped. The
detention of the doctor and our Pawnee ambassador began to be a
serious matter of consideration.
_Sunday, Sept. 21st._ We marched at eight o'clock, although there was
every appearance of rain, and at eleven o'clock passed a large [Little
Saline river of Pike, now Covert] creek, remarkably salt. Stopped at
one o'clock on a fresh branch of the salt creek. Our interpreter
having killed an elk, we sent out for some meat, which detained us so
late that I concluded it best to encamp where we were, in preference
to running the risk of finding no water. Distance 10 miles.
Lieutenant Wilkinson was attacked with a severe headache and slight
fever. One of my men had been attacked with a touch of the pleurisy on
the 18th, and was still ill. We were informed by an Osage woman that
two of the Indians were conspiring to desert us in the night and
steal some of our horses, one of whom was her husband. We engaged her
as our spy. Thus were we obliged to keep ourselves on our guard
against our own companions and fellow-travelers--men of a nation
highly favored by the United States, but whom I believe to be a
faithless set of poltrons, incapable of a great and generous action.
Among them, indeed, there may be some exceptions.
In the evening, finding that the two Indians above mentioned had made
all preparations to depart, I sent for one of them, who owned a horse
and had received a gun and other property for his hire, and told him
"I knew his plans, and that if he was disposed to desert, I should
take care to retain his horse; that as for himself, he might leave me
if he pleased, as I only wanted men with us." He replied "that he was
a man, that he always performed his promises, that he had never said
he would return; but that he would follow me to the Pawnee village,
which he intended to do." He then brought his baggage and put it under
charge of the sentinel, and slept by my fire; but notwithstanding I
had him well watched.
_Sept. 22d._ We did not march until eight o'clock, owing to the
indisposition of Lieutenant Wilkinson. At eleven waited to dine. Light
mists of rain, with flying clouds. We marched again at three o'clock,
and continued our route 12 miles to the first branch of the Republican
Fork. [?] Met a Pawnee hunter, who informed us that the chief had left
the village the day after the doctor arrived, with 50 or 60 horses and
many people, and had taken his course to the north of our route;
consequently we had missed each other. He likewise informed us that
the Tetaus [misprint for Tetans, and that a mistake for Ietans, _i. e._,
Comanches] had recently killed six Pawnees, the Kans had stolen some
horses, and a party of 300 Spaniards had lately been as far as the
Sabine; but for what purpose was unknown. Distance 11 miles.[I-67]
_Sept. 23d._ Marched early and passed a large fork of the Kans [_i. e._,
Smoky Hill] river, which I [correctly] suppose to be the one generally
called Solomon's. One of our horses fell into the water and wet his
load. Halted at ten o'clock on a branch of this fork. We marched
at half past one o'clock, and encamped at sundown on a stream [Buffalo
creek] where we had a great difficulty to find water. We were overtaken
by a Pawnee, who encamped with us. He offered his horse for our use.
Distance 21 miles.[I-68]
_Sept. 24th._ We could not find our horses until late, when we
marched. Before noon met Frank, who had accompanied Dr. Robinson to
the village, and three other Pawnees, who informed us that the chief
and his party had only arrived at the village yesterday, and had
dispatched them out in search of us. Before three o'clock we were
joined by several Pawnees; one of them wore a scarlet coat, with a
small medal of General Washington, and a Spanish medal also. We
encamped at sunset on a middle-sized branch [White Rock creek], and
were joined by several Pawnees in the evening, who brought us some
buffalo meat. Here we saw some mules, horses, bridles, and blankets,
which they obtained of the Spaniards. Few only had breech cloths, most
being wrapped in buffalo robes, otherwise quite naked. Distance 18
miles.[I-69]
_Sept. 25th._ We marched at a good hour, and in about eight miles
struck a very large road on which the Spanish troops had returned, and
on which we could yet discover the grass beaten down in the direction
which they went.
When we arrived within about three miles of the village, we were
requested to remain, as the ceremony of receiving the Osage into the
towns was to be performed here. There was a small circular spot, clear
of grass, before which the Osage sat down. We were a small distance in
advance of the Indians. The Pawnees then advanced within a mile of us,
halted, divided into two troops, and came on each flank at full
charge, making all the gestures and performing the maneuvers of a real
war charge. They then encircled us around, and the chief advanced in
the center and gave us his hand; his name was Caracterish. He was
accompanied by his two sons and a chief by the name of Iskatappe. The
Osage were still seated; but Belle Oiseau then rose, came forward with
a pipe, and presented it to the chief, who took a whiff or two from
it. We then proceeded; the chief, Lieutenant Wilkinson, and myself in
front; my sergeant, on a white horse, next with the colors; then our
horses and baggage, escorted by our men, with the Pawnees on each
side, running races, etc. When we arrived on the hill over the town we
were again halted, and the Osage seated in a row; when each Pawnee who
intended so to do presented them with a horse and gave a pipe to smoke
to the Osage to whom he had made the present. In this manner were
eight horses given. Lieutenant Wilkinson then proceeded with the party
to the [Republican] river above the town, and encamped. I went up to
our camp in the evening, having a young Pawnee with me loaded with
corn for my men. Distance 12 miles.[I-70] As the chief had invited us
to his lodge to eat, we thought it proper for one to go. At the lodge
he gave me many particulars which were interesting to us, relative to
the late visit of the Spaniards.
I will attempt to give some memoranda of this expedition, which was
the most important ever carried on from the province of New Mexico,
and in fact the only one directed N. E. (except that mentioned by the
Abbe Raynal[I-71] in his History of the Indies) to the Pawnees--of
which see a more particular account hereafter. In the year 1806 our
affairs with Spain began to wear a very serious aspect, and the troops
of the two governments almost came to actual hostilities on the
frontiers of Texas and the Orleans territory. At this time, when
matters bore every appearance of coming to a crisis, I was fitting out
for my expedition from St. Louis, where some of the Spanish emissaries
in that country transmitted the information to Majar. Merior [_sic_]
and the Spanish council at that place, who immediately forwarded the
information to the then commandant of Nacogdoches, Captain Sebastian
Rodreriques [_sic_] who forwarded it to Colonel [Don Antonio] Cordero,
by whom it was transmitted to [General Don Nimesio Salcedo, at
Chihuahua,] the seat of government. This information was personally
communicated to me, as an instance of the rapid means they possessed
of transmitting information relative to the occurrences transacting on
our frontiers. The expedition was then determined on, and had three
objects in view:
1st. To descend the Red river, in order, if he met our expedition, to
intercept and turn us back; or, should Major Sparks[I-72] and Mr.
[Thomas] Freeman have missed the party from Nacogdoches, under the
command of Captain Viana, to oblige them to return and not penetrate
further into the country, or make them prisoners of war.
2d. To explore and examine all the internal parts of the country from
the frontiers of the province of New Mexico to the Missouri between
the La Platte [sentence unfinished].
3d. To visit the Tetaus, Pawnees republic, Grand Pawnees, Pawnee
Mahaws, and Kans.[I-73] To the head chief of each of those nations the
commanding officer bore flags, a commission, grand medal, and four
mules; and with all of them he had to renew the chains of ancient
amity which was said to have existed between their father, his most
Catholic majesty, and his children the red people.
The commanding officers also bore positive orders to oblige all
parties or persons, in the above-specified countries, either to
retire from them into the acknowledged territories of the United
States, or to make prisoners of them and conduct them into the
province of N. Mexico. Lieutenant Don Facundo Malgares, the officer
selected from the five internal provinces to command this expedition,
was a European (his uncle was one of the royal judges in the kingdom
of New Spain), and had distinguished himself in several long
expeditions against the Apaches and other Indian nations with whom the
Spaniards were at war; added to these circumstances, he was a man of
immense fortune, and generous in its disposal, almost to profusion;
possessed a liberal education, high sense of honor, and a disposition
formed for military enterprise. This officer marched from the province
of Biscay with 100 dragoons of the regular service, and at Santa Fe,
the place where the expedition was fitted out, he was joined by 500 of
the mounted militia of that province, armed after the manner described
by my notes on that subject, and completely equipped with ammunition,
etc., for six months; each man leading with them (by order) two horses
and one mule, the whole number of their beasts was 2,075. They
descended the Red river 233 leagues; met the grand bands of the
Tetaus, and held councils with them; then struck off N. E., and
crossed the country to the Arkansaw, where Lieutenant Malgares left
240 of his men with the lame and tired horses, while he proceeded on
with the rest to the Pawnee republic. Here he was met by the chiefs
and warriors of the Grand Pawnees; held councils with the two nations
and presented them the flags, medals, etc., which were destined for
them. He did not proceed to the execution of his mission with the
Pawnee Mahaws and Kans, as he represented to me, from the poverty of
their horses and the discontent of his own men; but, as I conceive,
from the suspicion and discontent which began to arise between the
Spaniards and the Indians; the former wished to revenge the death of
Villineuve and party, while the latter possessed all the suspicions of
conscious villainy deserving punishment. Malgares took with him all
the traders he found there from our country, some of whom, having
been sent to Natchitoches, were in abject poverty at that place on my
arrival, and applied to me for means to return to St. Louis.
Lieutenant Malgares returned to Santa Fe the ---- of October, when his
militia was disbanded; but he remained in the vicinity of that place
until we were brought in, when he, with dragoons, became our escort to
the seat of government [in Chihuahua].
_Sept. 26th._ Finding our encampment not eligible as to situation, we
moved down on to the prairie hill, about three-fourths of a mile
nearer the village. We sent our interpreter to town to trade for
provisions. About three o'clock in the afternoon 12 Kans arrived at
the village, and informed Baroney that they had come to meet us,
hearing that we were to be at the Pawnees' village. We pitched our
camp upon a beautiful eminence, whence we had a view of the town and
all that was transacting. In the evening Baroney, with the chief, came
to camp to give us the news, and returned together.
_Sept. 27th._ Baroney arrived from the village about one o'clock, with
Characterish, whose commission from the Governor of New Mexico was
dated Santa Fe, June 15th, 1806, and three other chiefs, to all of
whom we gave a dinner. I then made an appropriate present to each,
after which Lieutenant Wilkinson and myself accompanied them to town,
where we remained a few hours, and returned. Appointed to-morrow for
the interview with the Kans and Osage.
_Sunday, Sept. 28th._ Held a council of the Kans and Osage, and made
them smoke of the pipe of peace. Two of the Kans agreed to accompany
us. We received a visit from the chief of the village. Made an
observation on an emersion of one of Jupiter's satellites.
_Sept. 29th._ Held our grand council with the Pawnees, at which were
present not less than 400 warriors, the circumstances of which were
extremely interesting. The notes I took on my grand council held with
the Pawnee nation were seized by the Spanish government, together
with all my speeches to the different nations. But it may be
interesting to observe here, in case they should never be returned,
that the Spaniards had left several of their flags in this village,
one of which was unfurled at the chief's door the day of the grand
council; and that among various demands and charges I gave them was,
that the said flag should be delivered to me, and one of the United
States' flags be received and hoisted in its place. This probably was
carrying the pride of nations a little too far, as there had so lately
been a large force of Spanish cavalry at the village, which had made a
great impression on the minds of the young men, as to their power,
consequence, etc., which my appearance with 20 infantry was by no
means calculated to remove.
After the chiefs had replied to various parts of my discourse, but
were silent as to the flag, I again reiterated the demand for the
flag, adding "that it was impossible for the nation to have two
fathers; that they must either be the children of the Spaniards, or
acknowledge their American father." After a silence of some time an
old man rose, went to the door, took down the Spanish flag, brought it
and laid it at my feet; he then received the American flag, and
elevated it on the staff which had lately borne the standard of his
Catholic Majesty. This gave great satisfaction to the Osage and Kans,
both of whom decidedly avow themselves to be under American
protection. Perceiving that every face in the council was clouded with
sorrow, as if some great national calamity were about to befall them,
I took up the contested colors, and told them "that as they had shown
themselves dutiful children in acknowledging their great American
father, I did not wish to embarrass them with the Spaniards, for it
was the wish of the Americans that their red brethren should remain
peaceably around their own fires, and not embroil themselves in any
disputes between the white people; and that for fear the Spaniards
might return there in force again, I returned them their flag, but
with an injunction that it should never be hoisted again during our
stay." At this there was a general shout of applause, and the charge
was particularly attended to.
_Sept. 30th._ Remained all day at the camp, but sent Baroney to town,
who informed me on his return that the chief appeared to wish to throw
great obstacles in our way. A great disturbance had taken place in the
village, owing to one of the young Pawnees, Frank, who lately came
from the United States, having taken the wife of an Osage and run away
with her. The chief, in whose lodge the Osage put up, was extremely
enraged, considering it a breach of hospitality to a person under his
roof, and threatened to kill Frank if he caught him.
FOOTNOTES:
[I-1] Belle Fontaine or Bellefontaine is the name of the large
cemetery in the environs of St. Louis, where William Clark lies
buried; and probably few persons now living know its proper
geographical connotation. The cemetery is four miles from the Court
House, and ten miles further is the place whose name was given to the
burying-ground on the road thither, after its original designation as
the Rural Cemetery. Belle Fontaine was a place on the south bank of
the river, 14 m. north of St. Louis, in what is now St. Ferdinand
township of St. Louis Co. (Sect. 10, T. 47 N., R. 7 E. of this
county). Before there was any such "place," or locality, Belle
Fontaine was the French name of the creek which falls in there, which
had been called Ferdinand by the Spanish, and which became known to
the English as Cold Water creek, there being a fine large spring under
the bluffs, close to the Missouri. This, however, was washed away by
the encroachment of the river. We find the latter name in Lewis and
Clark, who made the first camp of their expedition on Green isl.,
opposite the mouth of the creek, May 14th, 1804. There was nothing
then at the place that was soon to become forever notable as the spot
where was built the first military post ever established in the newly
acquired territory of Louisiana. Much early history attaches to the
locality, some of which may be here epitomized, mainly on the basis of
Billon's Annals. In 1768, when St. Louis was but begun, Captain Rios
arrived with 25 soldiers under orders from Count Ulloa to establish
Spanish authority in the region where things were at a standstill, if
not in distraction. Rios was persona non grata in the infant St.
Louis; he withdrew, and selected Belle Fontaine as a suitable location
for a post. Late in 1768 he there built a fort which he called Fort
Prince Charles in honor of the son of his king and heir apparent to
the Spanish throne. In 1769 Rios left with his men; in 1770 Piernas
came. The Spanish presidio was soon turned into a commercial factory
or trading-post. On Sept. 10th, 1797, Governor Zenon Trudeau granted
to Hezekiah Lord a concession of 1,000 arpents of land on Belle
Fontaine or Cold Water cr.; and on the site of the former Spanish fort
Lord built a house and mill. He died in 1799; his estate was sold in
partition in 1803, when 600 arpents were bought by William Massey. In
1805, General James Wilkinson selected the place for a military
establishment, and United States troops were first cantoned in
temporary quarters during the winter of 1805-6. This was the original
Cantonment Belle Fontaine. On April 20th, 1806, General Wilkinson
purchased from Massey, on behalf of the United States, five acres of
ground with the improvements, called Belle Fontaine, with the use for
five years of the ground on which had been located the cantonment, and
upon these five acres established a permanent post. In July, 1806, he
purchased the rest of the tract of 500 arpents, which was conveyed to
the United States in Mar., 1809. Belle Fontaine was really the parent
of Jefferson Barracks; for, after the establishment of Forts Atkinson,
Snelling, and others on the Missouri and Mississippi frontiers, it
lost its importance from a military point of view, and was abandoned
for the site of the present Jefferson Barracks. This in 1825; on July
4th of which year Colonel Talbot Chambers, with four companies of the
1st United States Infantry, evacuated Belle Fontaine and proceeded to
the new site which had been selected, though the place remained for
some ten years in charge of a military storekeeper, Major John
Whistler. General Lewis Cass, Secretary of War under Van Buren,
ordered it to be sold at public auction in 1836. It was bought by
Jamison Samuel, Dunham Spalding, H. N. Davis, and E. L. Langham, who
laid out a paper town that never came to anything. Agriculture finally
reclaimed Belle Fontaine after the military occupancy; it was bought
for a farm by the late Dr. David C. Tandy of St. Louis, whose son,
Robert E. Tandy, now or lately did live there. The old road can still
be traced in part over ground where it ran more than a century ago.
[I-2] The roster of the party, with some of the most notable
particulars, is as follows:
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS (2).
1. Captain Zebulon M. Pike. Escorted to Mexico from his post on the
Rio Conejos, with six privates, by Spanish dragoons, Feb. 26th, 1807.
His men, excepting one left with Jackson, were Brown, Carter, Gorden,
Menaugh, Mountjoy, Roy, and Stoute.
2. Lieutenant James B. Wilkinson. Detached to descend the Arkansaw
with five men, from camp near Great Bend, Aug. 28th, 1806.
NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS (3).
1. Sergeant Joseph Ballenger. Went with Wilkinson.
2. Sergeant William E. Meek. Sent from Rio Conejos to relief of
abandoned men, Feb. 19th, 1807.
3. Corporal Jeremiah R. Jackson. Left in charge of post on Rio
Conejos, with Carter, Feb. 26th, 1807, to await return of Meek and
Miller with Vasquez, Smith, Sparks, and Dougherty.
PRIVATES (16).
1. John Boley. Went with Wilkinson, Aug. 28th, 1806.
2. Samuel Bradley. Went with Wilkinson, Aug. 28th, 1806.
3. John Brown. Left with Jackson on Rio Conejos, Feb. 26th, 1807.
4. Jacob Carter. Went with Pike, Feb. 26th, 1807.
5. Thomas Dougherty. Abandoned in Sangre de Cristo mountains with
frozen feet, Jan. 22d, 1807.
6. William Gorden. Went with Pike, Feb. 26th, 1807.
7. Solomon Huddleston. Went with Wilkinson, Aug. 28th, 1806.
8. Henry Kennerman. Deserted July 19th, 1806.
9. Hugh Menaugh. Abandoned in Sangre de Cristo mountains, Jan. 27th,
1807; recovered on Rio Conejos, Feb. 18th, 1807; went with Pike, Feb.
26th, 1807.
10. Theodore Miller. Went with Meek to relief of abandoned men, Feb.
19th, 1807.
11. John Mountjoy. Went with Pike, Feb. 26th, 1807.
12. Alexander Roy. Went with Pike, Feb. 26th, 1807.
13. Patrick Smith. Left with Vasquez on the Arkansaw at site of
present Cañon City, Jan. 14th, 1807.
14. John Sparks. Abandoned in Sangre de Cristo mountains with frozen
feet, Jan. 22d, 1807.
15. Freegift Stoute. Went with Pike, Feb. 26th, 1807.
16. John Wilson. Went with Wilkinson, Aug. 28th, 1806.
CIVILIANS (2).
1. Dr. John H. Robinson, volunteer surgeon. Left Pike on the Rio
Conejos to proceed to Santa Fé alone, Feb. 7th, 1807.
2. Interpreter A. F. Baronet Vasquez. Left with Smith on the Arkansaw,
at site of present Cañon City, Jan. 14th, 1807.
Of these persons--
(1) Lieutenant Wilkinson, Sergeant Ballenger, and Privates Boley,
Bradley, Huddleston, and Wilson descended the Arkansaw and reached New
Orleans in February, 1807.
(2) Private Kennerman deserted.
(3) Dr. Robinson left Captain Pike at the post on Conejos r., and went
to Mexico on his own account.
(4) Captain Pike, Sergeant Meek, Corporal Jackson, Privates Brown,
Carter, Dougherty, Gorden, Menaugh, Miller, Mountjoy, Roy, Smith,
Sparks, Stoute, and Interpreter Vasquez were escorted in separated
parties to Mexico by Spanish dragoons. Of whom--
(5) Captain Pike, Privates Brown, Gorden, Menaugh, Roy, and Stoute
were escorted back to the United States, and reached Nachitoches on or
about July 1st, 1807; while--
(6) Sergeant Meek, Corporal Jackson, Privates Carter, Dougherty,
Miller, Mountjoy, Smith, and Sparks, and Interpreter Vasquez, were
still detained in Mexico at the time of Pike's return, and are not
accounted for in his narrative.
(7) The 51 Indians, which raised to 74 the total of persons who left
Belle Fontaine, were all dropped at their respective destinations, and
no others were permanently attached to the party which reached the
Rocky mts.
[I-3] Past present Jamestown ldg. to Carbunker's pt., off which the
large Pelican isl. now separates Car of Commerce bend from Pelican
bend.
[I-4] See L. and C., ed. 1893, p. 6, and Pike's Dissertation, etc.,
beyond. The village was then the seat of justice of the District of
St. Charles, Louisiana Territory, as it is now of St. Charles Co., Mo.
The Wabash, St. L. and Pac. R. R. bridged the Mo. r. here; opposite is
Bon Fils station; also Brotherton. St. Charles was not so called till
1784; the place had been known as Les Petites Côtes, where the hunter
Blanchette settled about 1770: note 41, p. 214. In to-day's journey
Pike passed the place known as Piper's (or Fifer's) ldg.: see the mark
"Ferry" on his map. The principal point was the coal hill on the
south, then known as La Charbonnière, now Charbonnier pt. A present or
recent place of ferriage is Music's or Hall's; some of the landings
are Heagler's, Kemp's, and Orick's or Orrick's; some of the present
islands above the Pelicans are Charbonnier or Mullanphy, Holmes, and
Vingt-une. There was a marsh or lake on the N. side, 5 or 6 m. below
St. Charles, which the French called Marais Croche, Crooked marsh;
some maps now make it Marie Croche l.
[I-5] M. de Lisa was one of the most noted Missourian Indian traders
in those days. This is certainly not the last, and probably not the
first, time he played exactly that trick. Pike has a good deal to say
of him further on: see also L. and C., pp. lxxix, 62, 242, 256, 443,
1153, 1154, 1232, where my notes refer to further information in
Brackenridge's Travels and Irving's Astoria. Lisa was at one time
associated with Captain Clark in the fur-trade.
[I-6] One of the two letters Pike wrote to Wilkinson formed No. 3 of
the App. to Pt. 2 of the orig. ed. See beyond, where it is given.
[I-7] See L. and C., ed. 1893, pp. 2, 8, 1182, 1211; also, p. 1257,
where Charette's cr. and village are given, showing this to be a
personal name. We come to the place presently.
[I-8] This letter formed No. 4 of the App. to Pt. 2 of the orig. ed.
It is given beyond.
[I-9] This mileage would set Pike about Cottleville ldg., on the N.,
though I hardly think he got quite so far. He passed Fee Fee and
Crèvecoeur creeks on the S., latter discharging from Crèvecoeur
l.; Little Duckett and Big Duckett creeks, near together, on the N.;
Catfish isl., behind which is Howard bend, into which Bon Homme or
Good Man's r. falls, about opposite the middle of Green's bottom, N.,
3½ m. long, separated by Green's chute from Bon Homme isl., next above
which comes Bacon's or Post's isl., and then Cottleville ldg. If Pike
reached this place, he was 44 m. from the mouth of the Missouri,
according to recent charts.
[I-10] Late Sergeant Henry Kennerman, reduced to the ranks for cause
at Pike's stockade on the Upper Mississippi r., Mar. 9th, 1806: see p.
181 and note 10, p. 245. He was posted as a deserter in various
places, but we are not told he was retaken. He drops out of the story
at this point. With Kennerman deserted, Vasquez arrested, and Geo.
Henry engaged, the whites of the party are now 23 - 2 + 1 = 22; Vasquez
rejoins on the 21st, when the roster is again 23.
[I-11] Position uncertain, especially as the text of the 18th-20th
cannot be squared with the camp-marks on Pike's map. Going by the
text, which agrees with the actual geography better than the map does,
we may set Pike in the vicinity of St. Albans. To reach this point
from his last camp he passes places on the N. now known as Cottleville
ldg., Hamburg, and Dozier's ldg. At the last named Femme Osage r.
falls into the lower end of Dozier's bend. The Missouri is here 1½-2
m. broad, and mostly filled with Howell's isl., 2½ m. long, some small
islands, and various sand-bars. Thence on the N. or rather N. W. is a
bottom 8 m. long and a mile or more deep; while on the S. E. is a
nearly unbroken line of bluffs which the river washes from Port Royal
(in Franklin Co., just over the border of St. Louis Co.) to St.
Albans. At one place in these rocks is the cave formerly, and perhaps
still, known as the Tavern: see L. and C., ed. 1893, p. 8, and Pike's
map, place lettered "Cave." The small stream which makes in on the S.
W. at St. Albans is still called Tavern cr.; and directly opposite is
Murdoch's ldg. The Mo. R. Comm. charts of 1879 mark a place
Missouriton on the N. W., 2 m. below Murdoch's ldg. Nicollet's map,
pub. 1843, marks Missouriton on the N., slightly _below_ mouth of
Femme Osage r., about position of present Hamburg.
[I-12] The "point to the south" which Pike passes I take to be that
opp. Cottlebaum's ldg., at the mouth of Ridenour or Fiddle cr., at the
head of the difficult place called Devil's Race-ground by Lewis and
Clark: see ed. of 1893, p. 8. This is a couple of miles above St.
Albans, at the 55th river-mile point of recent surveys. The bluffs
continue a mile or so, and then, at the mouth of Labadie's cr. or
slough, begins the extensive Labadie's bottom on the S., for the
Missouri crosses over to the bluffs on the N., and continues on that
side to the town of Augusta, St. Charles Co. Thence the channel runs
obliquely by the Augusta and Hinkley bends, between Labadie's and
Hancock's bottoms, to the S. side again. Here, at Mung's or South
Point isl., is the lower end of the "long reach," N. W., in which Pike
says he camped. We set him on the S., at the mouth of Dubois or Wood
cr., where there is now a place called South Point. This is directly
opposite the line between St. Charles and Warren cos. on the N.; it is
about 2 m. below Washington, Franklin Co., and at the 67th mile-point
from the mouth of the Missouri. Pike maps the stream in the right
place, but by the wrong name of "Ash R."
[I-13] The proper name of the interpreter, whom Pike usually calls
"Baroney," was A. F. Baronet Vasquez. He was b. St. Louis, 1783; his
wife was Emily Faustine Parent. He was the son of Benito Vasquez (b.
1750) and Julia Papin (married Nov. 27th, 1774), and was the fifth
child of 12 they had. He appears in army registers as Barony Vasquez,
appointed to be an ensign in the 2nd Infantry Dec. 12th, 1808;
transferred to 1st Infantry Oct. 31st, 1810; commissioned as second
lieutenant Mar. 4th, 1811; promoted to a first lieutenancy July 30th,
1813; and resigned Oct. 1st, 1814. See also a letter about him in my
Memoir of Pike, _anteà_.
[I-14] See note 7, p. 361. La Charette is still the name of the
stream, and of the extensive bottom on the N. side through which the
river seeks the Missouri. But the settlement once so called is not to
be found by this name on modern maps. Instead of this we have
Marthasville (3 m. N. of which stands still the house in which Daniel
Boone died), a village about a mile from the Missouri, and nearly
midway between the points where La Charette cr. and Tuque cr.
respectively enter the bottom. Marthasville appears on maps of 50
years ago, as for example, on Nicollet's, 1843. Gass calls the place
St. Johns where he camped May 25th, 1804; it then had seven houses:
see L. and C., ed. 1893, p. 8. St. Johns is now the name of the
largest one of a cluster of islands and sand-bars in an expanded part
of the Missouri, between the mouth of La Charette cr. on the N. and of
St. Johns or Bourbeuse cr. on the S., 2 m. and more above the town of
Washington, Franklin Co. Pike maps "S^t. Johns R." correctly between
his "Ash R." (error for Wood or Dubois cr.) and his "Bay R." (error
for Boeuf r.). Washington is the most notable place Pike passes
to-day; it is now quite a town, large enough to have started a place
opposite itself, called North Washington, on Lac's pt. in Warren Co.
Here is where, at the 69th river-mile point, a creek falls in on the
N.; it is commonly called Tuque cr., though Sheet III. of the Mo. R.
Comm. charts has "Duke" as the name. It looks like a French word, but
whether it be a personal name, or derived from _Toque_ or _Turque_,
does not appear. It is one of two creeks which L. and C. speak of
passing on the N., May 25th; the other one of these has never been
identified. But there is an old lake bed, or something of the sort, a
couple of miles back of North Washington, in Hancock's bottom, under
the bluffs, and I imagine this once discharged about opp. Dubois or
Wood cr.--say at Rieskamp's place, on the boundary between St. Charles
and Warren cos. Tuque cr. itself seems to have had more than one
outlet, in the course of the several miles it meanders the low land
and separates Hancock's bottom from La Charette.
[I-15] Originally Docs. Nos. 5 and 6, p. 33 and p. 36 of the App. to
Pt. 2. They are given beyond.
[I-16] To camp at New Haven, Franklin Co., a considerable town which
has grown up of late years at the place formerly known as Miller's
ldg., on the S., a little below Pinckney pt. Passing through Charette
bend, beyond Patton's pt. and ldg., Pike comes to the mouth of the
Rivière au Boeuf of the French, now Boeuf or Buffalo r., which
falls in on the S. behind Boeuf, Buffalo, or Shelton's isl., about a
mile below Dundee station of the Mo. Pac. R. R. This is the stream by
error lettered "Bay R." on Pike's map. On rounding Emily and Miller
bends, Pike comes to his camp, say at the 85th river-mile point of
late surveys. Here he is 1½ m. below a place which was charted by
Nicollet in 1843 as Griswold, and which may be found on maps of but
few years ago, but has since disappeared. On the N., opp. Griswold,
was a place called Pinckney or Pinckneyville, seat of Warren Co. about
1825, and there is still a hamlet of the same name in the vicinity.
The Shepherd r. which the above text mentions falls in about a mile
above Griswold and the same below the present R. R. station Etlah.
This is Shepherd's cr. of L. and C., ed. 1893, p. 9, but is oftener
now called Berger r. or cr. I am told by R. J. Holcombe that the word
is not the common F. noun _berger_, a shepherd, but a personal name,
probably of the old German pioneer Caspar Burger, a founder of the
colony there; if so, it should not have been translated into English.
The word is mangled into "Boeger" on the beautiful chart of the Mo. R.
Comm. It is a pity that so many cases as bad as this one mar the
lettering of such fine draughtsman's work as Mr. D. W. Wellman's.
Berger's or Burger's cr. comes into the bottom 2 m. above its mouth,
and is there joined by Little Berger's or Burger's cr., which runs
about 4½ m. in the bottom before its confluence; the two thus make
what is known as Berger's (_i. e._, Burger's) bottom nearly an island,
6 or 7 m. long.
[I-17] On rounding Pinckney pt. through the bend of that name, Pike
passes the mouth of Berger's cr., opp. Yeager's ldg., crosses to the
N. side of the Missouri, and sails along with Berger's bottom on his
left for several miles; he goes by Whitehouse's isl., near which L.
and C. were camped May 26th, 1804, and on finishing with Berger's
bottom, reaches a place on the N. called Bridgeport. This is pretty
old for a Missouri River town; we find it located more than 50 years
ago, and it still exists in name, but has never amounted to much. Opp.
Bridgeport is Bates' isl., 2 m. long, the largest one of several at
the head of Berger's bottom. In the vicinity of Bridgeport several
small creeks fall in on the N. Three of these are called Lost cr.,
Massas (qu. Massey's?) cr., and Malhern (qu. Malheur?) cr. Excepting
Lost cr., these fall into Chenal à Loutre or Otter slough; and this
snicarty cuts off a very large piece of bottom known as Île à Loutre
or Otter isl. L. and C. speak of this as nearly 10 m. long, and say
that it was one of the most fertile in the whole river. The details of
the river bottom along here seem to have altered a good deal since
1804, and even since Long's time; the upper end of the slough is now a
little above Hermann, near McGirk's isl. and ldg., cutting the island
down to a total length of not over 7 m. The slough itself is very
narrow, and hardly more than a sluggish creek, like a good many others
that meander bottoms before they discharge. L. and C. speak of three
creeks which fall in behind Otter isl., and one of these as having the
same name. This is Rivière à la Loutre of early F. settlers, now
Loutre, Louter, or Luter r., and Otter r., very curiously lettered on
the Mo. R. Comm. map, as "L'Outre"--a form which only needs an accent
to be decidedly _outré_. Pike maps the stream as "Otter Riv." He
proceeds by Otter or Loutre Island bend to a mile or so above Hermann,
and camps on the S. In finishing the bend just named he passes on the
S. the county line between Franklin and Gasconade, which cuts through
Bates' isl., and then on the N. the line between Warren and Montgomery
cos., which cuts the upper part of Otter isl. at the lower point of
Hermann isl., opp. the town of this name. This is now quite a place,
and more than 50 years old. It is situated across the mouth of Rivière
aux Frênes of the F., commonly called Frene cr. and Ash cr., but
uncommonly appearing as "Frame" cr. on the Mo. R. Comm. map. Pike does
not map Ash cr., though it is given under this name by L. and C.: for
the stream he marks "Ash R." by mistake, see note 12, p. 363.
Loutre isl. is quite historic. A number of Americans and some French
families settled there in 1805; first child born was Jacob Grosjean
(name corrupted to Groshong); one b. 1806 became the local celebrity
known as "old man Patton," living in 1884. Fort Clemson was built by
Capt. Clemson about 1808, and maintained till after the war of
1812-15. From 1808 to 1816 there was quite a colony, whence were drawn
the settlers for Boone's Lick, Howard Co. On the N. mainland the
colonists, when the war broke out, were killed in part, and the rest
driven to the island to be "forted up" till the peace. Fort Clemson
was a Rangers' hdqrs. in the war, and from this post Capt. James
Callaway, grandson of Daniel Boone, set out in March, 1815, on the
expedition up Loutre r., during which he and others were killed.
Daniel Boone's Spanish grant from Gov. Delassus was about 15 m. up the
Loutre, and included a salt spring--the original and only genuine
"Boone's Lick"; Boone's adopted son Van Bibber kept a tavern there,
where Washington Irving stopped some time in the '30's; it is now
reputed a medicinal spring in the little village Mineola, near
Danville, seat of Montgomery Co.
[I-18] Passing McGirk's ldg. and isl. N., Cole's or Coles' cr., S.,
Rineland and Kallmeyer's ldgs., S., to the mouth of the Gasconade,
which falls in on the S., opp. Cuyler's pt., 107⅓ m. up the
Missouri: see L. and C., ed. 1893, p. 9. This is much the largest
tributary of the Missouri thus far reached; Pike elsewhere allows it
200 yards' width at the mouth, and navigability at times of 100 m. He
also notes that the Sac boundary started opp. its mouth: see note 14,
p. 11. Gasconade City is a place on the tongue of land that makes into
the Missouri on the upper side of the Gasconade; being a mere village
or hamlet, is as appropriately named as the river itself, which got
its name from the way some persons bragged about their exploits when
they returned to St. Louis. Beck's Gaz. speaks of pine which was cut
and rafted down, but there has been none for 60 years within 150
miles.
[I-19] One of these letters, given beyond, formed No. 7, p. 36, of the
App. to Pt. 2. of the orig. ed.
[I-20] Pike's map marks no camp for the 26th. The distance between
Gasconade and Osage rivers is exactly 30 m. by the channel. Pike says
he goes 15 m. to-day; I doubt that he went so far if he did not leave
the Gasconade till 6.30 p. m. But to take the record on its face would
be to set him a mile above Fisher's ldg., on the S., in the vicinity
of the hamlet called Chamois, in Osage Co. On decamping and ferrying
over the Gasconade, Pike first passed the mouth of Bailey's cr. (Deer
cr. of L. and C.), on the S., whence the channel took him obliquely to
Bluffton on the N., 5 m. above the Gasconade. The bluffs border the
river for about 4 m. along here, and at one place in them is the cave
which used to be known as Montbrun's Tavern: see L. and C., _l. c._ At
1 or 1½ m. above Bluffton the line between Montgomery and Callaway
cos. comes to the Missouri just about opp. the line between Gasconade
and Osage cos. on the S.; this last strikes the river-bottom just
where Bailey's cr. also does. At 5 m. above Bluffton is Portland,
Callaway Co., before reaching which Pike passes Little Tavern and Big
Tavern creeks, which are a mile apart, on the N., and both opp.
Portland isl., 2 m. long; while a mile above Portland is the mouth of
Logan cr. On the S. along here is a creek whose mysteries I have never
been able to fathom. This is Rush cr. of L. and C., _l. c._, given by
them as 4 m. above Montbrun's Tavern, on the S. It is called Greassy
cr. by the Mo. R. Comm., and Greasy cr. by the U. S. G. S.; the latter
name is probably correct. It comes into the bottom in the vicinity of
Chamois, about the 121st river-mile point, meanders down for several
miles, and finally discharges behind Portland isl., somewhere between
the 117th and 115th m. of the Mo. R. Comm.
[I-21] To an interesting locality--that of the old French village,
Côte sans Dessein, so called from the celebrated long narrow ledge of
rocks of the same name immediately above, isolated on the N. bank of
the river opposite Dodd's isl. In approaching the Osage, Pike maps two
streams from the N., respectively lettered "Gr. R. au vase" and "L. R.
au vase." The first of these is Grande Rivière au Vase or Grande
Rivière Vaseuse of the F., which appears on the best modern maps as Au
Vasse and Auxvasse r.--better talk English than such Missouri French
as this, and say Big Muddy r., as L. and C. did! This considerable
stream falls in a mile above Harrison's ldg., about 123½ m. by the
channel from the mouth of the Missouri. The other is Little Muddy r.
of L. and C., who translated Petite Rivière au Vase (or Petite Rivière
Vaseuse) better than those do who now style it Au Vasse cr. or
Auxvasse cr. This creek joins in the bottom-land another now called
Middle r. or cr., and the two fall in together a mile above the
village of St. Aubert, Callaway Co. Moreover: between the Big and the
Little Muddy there is a third creek, distinct from both the others,
falling in 1½ m. _below_ St. Aubert. This is simply called Muddy cr.
on the Mo. R. Comm. map; on that of the U. S. G. S. it is lettered
Ewing's cr. A branch of this is lettered by the U. S. G. S. East Wing
cr.--a name which I suspect originated in mistaking "Ewing" for "E.
Wing." On the S. side of the Missouri Pike passes two small streams,
both historically notable. The first of these is the one which L. and
C. called Grindstone cr., when they camped at its mouth May 30th,
1804; but it is now known as Deer cr. It falls in behind St. Aubert's
isl., a mile below St. Aubert station on the Mo. Pac. R. R., or the
village now called Medora, 126⅔ m. up the Mo. r. One Carr has or
had his home at the mouth of this creek. The other creek is 4¾ m.
above Grindstone or Deer cr., and 1¼ m. above Shipley's ldg.; it is
the one L. and C. called Bear cr., May 31st, 1804; Pike charted it
"Bear R.," and it is now called Bear or Loose cr. I suppose "Loose"
cr. to be a loose translation of F. R. à l'Ours or à l'Ourse,
according to whether it was a he-bear or a she-bear which the
Frenchman who first named the creek killed there. In any event this
stream has given name to the village of Loose Creek and to Bear Creek
isl., opposite its mouth. Four miles higher on the S., opposite the
foot of Dodd's isl., is the village of Dauphine at the place where one
Benêt, Bénite, Benoit, Bennet, Bonnet, Bonnot, or Bennight built his
mill, 15-20 years ago. Dauphine is almost exactly opposite the site of
the old French village above named, which started about 1808 and had a
dozen or more families in 1811. There is a sort of settlement in this
vicinity immediately at the lower end of the Côte sans Dessein, at one
time known as Bennet's ldg.; people named Gray, Crews, and Maddox live
or lived there. Behind the Côte are some small lakes or ponds
discharging by R. aux Riveaux or Riveaux cr. (as it is called) around
the upper end of the Côte, near Dearing's ldg. Hence it is only 1½ m.
diagonally across the Missouri to Glenn's ldg. at the mouth of the
Osage r. See L. and C., ed. 1893, p. 11.
[I-22] Arising in the Ozark mts. of Kansas, the Osage r. leaves that
State and enters Missouri in Vernon Co., which it delimits in part
from Bates Co.; traverses St. Clair and continues past the corner
where this, Henry, and Benton cos. adjoin; traverses Benton, enters
Morgan, forms a part of the boundary between this and Camden, makes a
loop through the latter and again separates it for a short space from
Morgan, then for a little distance separates Camden from Miller,
traverses the latter, enters Cole, and finally runs to the Mo. r.
between this last and Osage cos. We shall learn much more of this
stream as we follow it up in Pike's wake. There is a village called
Osage City at its mouth on the west bank; Pike's camp is also on this
side, in Cole Co., past two small tributaries known as Caddy and
Sandford's creeks, and not far above Maries r., which comes from
Pulaski through Maries (named for two French girls) and Osage cos. to
fall in on the E. or right (left hand) bank. A Spanish fort
(trading-house) was built about 1795 near the mouth of the Osage.
[I-23] No further indication of camp of 29th, which is also omitted by
the draughtsman or engraver from Pike's map; nor is there any notable
modern locality along here. But it must be short of where the Osage,
after coursing in Cole Co., begins to separate the latter from Osage
Co. Nearest present settlements, Babbtown, Osage Co., and St. Thomas,
Cole Co.
[I-24] In Cole Co., and a mile or two above Proft's cr.; about 2 m. N.
E. of St. Thomas, and 4 m. S. E. of Osage Bluff.
[I-25] Camp a little above Big Tavern cr., from the E., in Miller Co.,
on whichever side of the river it was pitched. There is no mark on
Pike's map for this camp, nor those of Aug. 2d and 3d. The nearest
named places to the camp of July 31st and Aug. 1st, and that of Aug.
2d (only 2 m. further), are St. Elizabeth, on Big Tavern cr., and
Mary's Home, west of the Osage--both in Miller Co., but both some
miles away from the river. On breaking camp this morning, Pike passed
on his right the bluffs from which the hamlet of Osage Bluff takes its
name; this is about a mile north of the river. He later passed Babruly
cr., from the W., whose name is obviously a corruption of Bois Brûlé;
then Sugar cr., from the E., and next Little Tavern cr., falling in
from the W. a mile or two below Big Tavern cr. There was more than one
cave or "tavern" in the bluff near the creek: see figure of one, where
the early Osage boatmen used to put up, in the Mo. Geol. Reports.
[I-26] Passing Cub cr., right; Humphrey's and Panther creeks, left;
then the present Saline cr., on the right. This is laid down and
lettered "Saline R." on Pike's map; but observe that it is _not_ the
Saline r. of Aug. 7th: see that date. Above Saline cr. Pike passes Dog
cr., left, and then present site of Tuscumbia, seat of Miller Co., on
the right; and camps at or near present site of Brockman, on the
right, a mile above Bear cr., in the same county.
[I-27] Taking Pike past a place called Bagnell, on the right, just
below present Little Gravois cr., in Miller Co., and setting him
somewhere about the point on the river where Miller, Morgan, and
Camden cos. come together--the latter on the S., the two former on the
N. side, as the river is here running E. His camp of Aug. 4th and 5th
is marked on his map, on the left, just below the mouth of his Little
Gravel r., which he passes on the 6th: see next note.
[I-28] On the right hand as Pike ascends, left bank of the Osage, and
rather on the N. than W., as the general course of the river is to the
E. The "Gravel" rivers of Pike require attention in identifying them
with ours. The Osage is here making an ox-bow bend, which reverses
points of the compass so far as a traveler's right and left are
concerned. The stream now in question, Gravel r. of the above text,
lettered "L. Gravel R." on the map, is that now known as Big Gravois,
Gravis, or Gravel cr., running in Morgan Co., with a place called
Gladstone near its mouth, one known as Gravois Mills higher up, and
some of whose branches are called Indian, Soap, and Mill creeks. Cape
Galena is 2½ m. above the mouth of this river. Present Little Gravois
cr. is that one with Bagnell just below its mouth; it is laid down by
an unlettered trace on Pike's map. The correct form of the word is
Gravois, being F. _gravois_, rubbish, rubble, whence "Gravel."
[I-29] _Not_ the Saline r. of Pike's map, which was passed on the 3d.
"Saline river" of the present text is a slip of the pen or memory;
Pike meant to say Great Gravel r., as correctly laid down by this name
on his map on the left or south, being lettered "G. Gravel R." This is
not the Great Gravel or Big Gravois cr. of present maps, but the
considerable stream now known as Grand Auglaise cr.--a name also
perverted from the F. word _glaise_, clay, into Glaize or Wet Glaize
cr. It heads in Laclede and Pulaski cos., in close relation with
sources of the Gasconade, and runs about N. N. W. through Camden Co.
to fall into the Osage from the S., on the right bank of the river, on
Pike's left, at or near a place called Blackman's Mills. The Osage is
here turning from its E. course to N., whence it soon bends W., then
loops N. and again E., where it receives present Big or Pike's Little
Gravel r., and completes another ox-bow bend. Camp of the 7th,
opposite the notable bluff called "La Belle Roche," is marked on
Pike's map, not far above a place now called Damsel, on the other side
of the Osage; whence the Yungar is reached for breakfast on the 8th.
[I-30] _Sic_, usually in Pike, and I make no change. But "Cheveux
Blanche" is a phrase joining a masculine plural noun to a feminine
singular adjective. The English ed. alters to Cheveu Blanc; but as
doubtless the savage had more than one hair of that color, probably
Cheveux Blancs would be better in form and fact for the F. name of the
person also known as White Hair.
[I-31] Before the Youngar is reached Pike passes on his left Linn cr.;
county seat called Linn Creek, a mile above its mouth. The name of the
river has fluctuated widely. Pike has Yungar, Youngar, and also
Nehemgar; the latest G. L. O. and U. S. G. S. maps letter Niangua. The
word, whatever may be its preferable form, is the Osage name of the
bear, though by some it is said to refer to the numerous springs at
the sources of the stream. It is by far the largest tributary of the
Osage thus far reached; Pike credits it with a canoe navigation of 100
m. The main stream heads in Webster Co., in relation with sources of
the Osage fork of the Gasconade, and runs through Dallas Co., also
touching the W. border of Laclede, into Camden; its tributaries are
numerous and widespread. One called Little Niangua falls in on the W.,
6 or 8 m. above the mouth of the main river. To-day's voyage takes the
Expedition past Purvis, and finishes about 4 m. above Bolinger or
Bollinger cr., from the S., on which are the Osage Iron Works.
[I-32] Pike's map marks none of the places passed to-day by the names
given in his text. We have therefore a triple adjustment to make--of
map with text, and of these with modern geography. This I can do,
bearing in mind that Pike does not necessarily mention places in the
order in which they are passed en route, and that all his mileages are
guessed at by the hours spent in making them. His map marks camp of
Aug. 8th a good ways above the Niangua, and I set it 4 m. above
Bolinger cr., as already said. For the 9th the map has: (1) Big Rock
cr., right; (2) Rapids; (3) Slave r., right; (4) camp, right. The
facts in the case are: Pearson's branch, left; Wells' branch, right;
Proctor cr., right, on which is Proctor; Raney, Rainey, or Rainy cr.,
left, with Crittenden at its mouth--none of the foregoing noted by
Pike in any way; then (1) Little Buffalo cr., right, on or near which
is a place called Search; (2) rapids along a long curved bluff, right,
with three little creeks on the left; (3) Big Buffalo cr., right, with
a place called Riverview at its mouth; (4) camp, right. This makes
about 25 m., barely over the border of Morgan into Benton Co., Big
Buffalo cr. falling in just short of the same boundary; whence it is
evident that (1) Big Rock cr. of the map is (1) Little Buffalo cr., on
which is Search; (3) Slave r. of the map is (3) Big Buffalo cr., on
which is Riverview; and this last is the Upper Gravel cr. of the text.
This ends the day, for by no stretch can we get Pike past Pottoe r. of
the text: see next note for this.
[I-33] Text gives no geography to-day, but the map shows three large
streams between the camp-marks of 9th and 10th. These are: (1) a
river, left, lettered "P. R."--that is, "Pottoe" r.; (2) Francis r.,
right; (3) Cardinal r., left. The facts in the case are: Knobby cr.,
left, small, at lower point of Williams isl., large; (1) a large
creek, left, falling in at head of Williams isl., called Beaver cr. on
the G. L. O. map, Deer cr. on the U. S. G. S. map, and on which is a
place named Hastain; 2 m. above its mouth is another place called
Duroc, on the S. bank of the Osage; (2) a very large creek, right,
variously called Vermilion, Coal Camp or Cole Camp cr.; (3) a very
large creek, left, called Turkey cr. These three are of the relative
sizes and in the relative positions of the three that Pike charts; so
that unquestionably "P. R." or "Pottoe" r. of Pike's map is (1) the
Beaver or Deer cr.; (2) Francis r. is the Vermilion or Cole or Coal
Camp cr.; and (3) Cardinal r. is the Turkey cr. It is true Pike says
his Pottoe cr. was passed on the 9th; but his map shows otherwise; and
if it had been, that is a question of the location of camp for the
9th, not affecting the identification of the streams here made. The
queer name "Pottoe" I suppose to be intended for Poteau, and not a
misprint for Potatoe: see the name Pomme de Terre or Potatoe for a
river further on. Where Pike got his name Francis r. I have no idea.
His Cardinal r. I imagine was so called by some confusion with
Vermilion r.; for cardinal and vermilion are two names of a red
color--in the one case worn by certain church dignitaries on their
heads, in the other by cochineal insects on their bodies. Camp of the
10th (and 11th) is 3 or 4 m. above Turkey cr.
[I-34] The lacuna of the orig. text can be supplied from the map,
which marks camp of the 12th as above said. On decamping this morning
Pike passed what he charts as Cave cr. This is the middle one of three
insignificant runs which make in on the right. "Vermillion" r. of
to-day is a mistake. This is the stream Pike charts as Deep cr., on
the right, immediately below Grand r., and is that now called Little
Tebo, Teabo, Tabo, Tebeau, etc. These are commonly supposed to be
forms of a personal name; but I am informed by R. I. Holcombe they are
perversions of Terre Beau, old name of the prairie in Lafayette Co.
where the "Tebo" r. that flows into the Missouri rises. The Osage
tributary called Tebo, etc., falls in a mile below Grand r.; its E.
fork is meandered for some miles by the Sedalia, Warsaw and Southern
branch of the Mo. Pac. R. R., which then leaves the creek and strikes
the Osage 2½ m. below Warsaw. This is the county seat of Benton, on
the N. bank of the Osage, 2 m. below Little Tabeau cr. and three below
Grand r., opposite the very large island also called Warsaw. Grand r.
of the text and present maps is the largest branch of the Osage passed
since the Niangua was left. It falls in on the N., a mile below
Wright's isl. Some of its affluents head not far from Independence (on
the Mo. r.), and others in Kansas. Its largest branch is Big cr.;
others are Deep Water and Big Tabeau. Camp is in the bight of the bend
that receives Grand r., between Wright's and Holloway isls.
Pike has mapped the river unmistakably along here, rendering
identifications easy; but the text is not so correct, and requires the
interpretation I have given. The mileages of the 10th-12th seem
excessive. Here, as in various other places, he seems to have supplied
the loss of orig. notes from memory.
[I-35] In making the circuit Pike passed two rivers which he charts by
name as "Hallico R." and "Potatoe R.," both from the S., or on his
left as he ascends. Potatoe is clearly the same name as Pomme de
Terre, by which latter title is now mapped the large stream which
heads in Webster Co., cuts the N. E. corner of Green, perhaps also the
S. W. corner of Dallas, then traverses Polk and Hickory, and in Benton
falls into the bight of the bend of the Osage herein mentioned. The
natives call this river "Pumly Tar." Two miles above its mouth it
receives the Little Pomme de Terre, from the W., in the vicinity of
Fairfield. A much smaller stream, next above on the same hand, which
is received in the same bend of the Osage, is Hogle's cr. The relative
situations of these would make Pike's Hallico correspond to Pomme de
Terre, and his Potato to Hogle's. But I have no doubt he _meant_ by
Potato the river now called Pomme de Terre, and we need not insist
upon the reversal of names, especially as there may be some small
stream below to answer to Hallico, and it would be nothing for Pike to
pass over so small a creek as Hogle's, both in the text and on the
map.
[I-36] This letter formed Doc. No. 8 of the App. to Pt. 2. The name,
omission of which causes the hiatus in the text, is Chouteau. The
letter was sent by one Baptiste La Tulipe, who is no doubt the man of
whom we read in Frémont, Rep. 1845, p. 18: "I had found an old
companion on the northern prairie, a hardened and hardly-served
veteran of the mountains, who had been as much hacked and scarred as
an old moustache of Napoleon's 'old guard.' He flourished in the
soubriquet of La Tulipe, and his real name I never knew."
[I-37] Near the N. E. corner of St. Clair Co. and the S. E. corner of
Henry Co. The Park is a narrow, somewhat rectangular loop of the
Osage, including some bold bluffs in its bight. The distance was much
under "28" m., unless the river were then even crookeder than it is
now. We have to foreshorten the mileages along here, in order to bring
Pike into anything like the proper position above the mouth of Sac r.
on the 16th. He passes five or six small creeks to-day, the last and
largest being charted by Pike as Buckeye cr. This is Wright's, from
the S., in St. Clair Co. A mile above this is a large island, which
seems to be Pike's Turkey isl.; and a mile above this is another,
probably that on which he camped.
[I-38] That is to say, Lieut. Wilkinson, Dr. Robinson, the
interpreter, and one soldier, who left the boats to march across
country with some of the Indians, thus avoiding the periplus of
several bends in the river.
[I-39] Pike is still considerably below the present site of Osceola,
at the neck of the last remarkable bend the river makes some 6 or 7 m.
(direct distance) from that town. At present this loop is 4 or 5 m.
around and about a quarter of a mile across at the narrowest part. It
receives several creeks from the N. E., E., and S., the highest and
largest now called Bear cr. In this day's course, which does not
include the circuit of the bend, Pike charts a certain "East River,"
which he runs in directly from the W. This corresponds in position
with the stream now called Muddy cr., but if meant for that it is
drawn much too large--half as large as Grand r. itself.
[I-40] Several points require attention in this long course, whatever
its actual length may have been. 1. Passing Osceola in the forenoon,
Pike reaches his "Grand Fork," _i. e._, the confluence of Sac r. with
the Osage, at noon. This is clear, and the distance seems about right
from the place where I set his camp of the 15th. But the streams he
charts on this course, below the forks, are not more easily disposed
of than was the "East" r. 2. Thus, on the same side as "East" r.,
about halfway from this to the forks, he lays down two small streams
from the W., the lower of which he names Light cr. There are in fact
several such; and it may be reasonable to assume that by Light cr.
Pike means the largest of them. This is the one now called Gallinipper
cr., which falls in a mile below Osceola, and which is now meandered
for a few miles by both the Kansas City, Clinton, and Springfield R.
R., and the Kas. Cy. and Southern R. R. 3. After rounding the bend
above described, and passing the Bear cr. there said, Pike passes two
creeks on his left, from the S., one of which he charts by the name of
Lime r. This probably answers to the stream now called Wablo, or
Weablo, or Weaubleau cr. The other one of the two is Brushy cr. But
the identification of Lime r. with Weaubleau cr., and of Light with
Gallinipper, throws both out of relative position, and introduces a
difficulty which can only be done away with by supposing an error of
the map. 4. Osceola is the seat of St. Clair Co., on the left hand
going up river, 3 or 4 m. below the mouth of Sac r. This village is
notable as a point up to which steamboats used to come, especially
during our Civil War; it was burned in Sept., 1861, by "Jim" Lane
(James Henry Lane, b. Lawrenceburg, Ind., June 22d, 1814, committed
suicide at Leavenworth, Kas., July, 1866); pop. lately 331. 5. Two of
the little crosses which usually mark Pike's camps are superfluous for
the 14th-16th. One I cannot account for; the other evidently marks the
spot where Bel Oiseau was killed, as there is the legend "Beloiseau
Kill'd." Pike usually calls him Belle Oiseau; but the French noun is
of the same gender as the Indian himself. He was also known as
Beautiful Bird. 6. The Sac is about as large as the Osage at their
confluence; it runs on an average due N. course from Lawrence, through
Dade and Cedar, into St. Clair Co. We are told by the old pioneer
"Jack" Beard that the river was so called because a party of Sacs
(probably of the Missouri River band) camped on it about 1820; in the
fall of 1861 Sterling Price's rebel army were on this river for
several weeks. 7. Camp is set on the left bank or right hand of the
Osage, above Salt cr., right, and just below the mouth of the stream
from the N. called Mine r. in the text, but lettered "Mire Cr." on the
map. This is the Little Monegan, Monegau, or Monegaw cr.; the place
called Monegaw Springs is in the vicinity. (The name may be preferably
_Monega_, Osage word for "wolf.")
[I-41] Legended "Chouteau's" on the map, where the cross ×
also does duty for to-night's camp, two miles higher up. The spot can
be identified by the coal bank and shoal mentioned, though the "41½"
m. assigned for the day's journey take us beyond the confluence of the
Little Osage, and we see by tomorrow's itinerary that we are still
half a day's sail short of that point. Pierre Chouteau's place was
known in Spanish records as Fort Carondelet, and was built about 1790
at what is now called Halley's Bluff named for Col. Anselm Halley. It
was an actual fortification with mounted swivels, which Lieut.
Wilkinson speaks of in his Report (given beyond); but it was only
maintained for a few years. The post is twice noticed in the Hist. of
Vernon Co., 1887, by R. I. Holcombe, who informs me that he went over
the ground, including Blue Mound, Timbered Hill, and other places in
the vicinity, and that some old caches in the sandstone may still be
seen. 1. In the course of to-day's voyage the map shows a large
stream, unnamed, falling in from the N., on the right-hand or left
bank. This is evidently intended for Big Monegan or Monegaw cr.; place
called Dollie at its mouth. 2. Higher up, on the other side, another
nameless cr. is charted, from the S. This is Beshaw, better called
Clear, cr.; quite large, coming from Barton, through Vernon, past the
N. W. corner of Cedar, into St. Clair Co. 3. Above this, Pike has two
traces, both from the N., unnamed. One of these doubtless represents
Panther or Painter cr., in Bates Co. Here the Mo., Kan. and Tex. R.
R., a branch of the Mo. Pac. R. R., crosses the Osage between
Rockville on the N. and Schell City on the S. of that river. These
places are 4 m. apart. A mile or two below this crossing the Osage now
forms a circle circumscribing a large round island, nearly a mile in
diameter, which may have been a bend in Pike's time. Several smaller
streams than those just named fall into the Osage on either side, in
the course of a few miles, as Miller, McKenzie, Shaw, Willow, and
Lady's. The "10 French houses" Pike speaks of were opp. the mouth of
Lady's cr. (named for one Wm. Lady). Camp was on the N. W. side of the
Osage, near Lady's cr., and thus in the vicinity of Papinsville (old
Harmony Mission).
[I-42] A most important point in this itinerary, for here is the
junction of the Little Osage with the main stream, which latter Pike
now leaves to proceed up the former to the villages, and so on into
Kansas, etc. He elsewhere says: "The three branches of the [Osage]
river, viz.: the large east fork [_i. e._, Sac r., lying E. of where
he now is], the middle one up which we ascended [_i. e._, Little
Osage], and the northern one [_i. e._, main Osage]." The present
confluence is at the point where Bates and Vernon cos. begin or cease
to be separated by the meanders of the Osage; for the Little Osage
runs in Vernon Co., and the main Osage, above the confluence, runs in
Bates. There is a conspicuous mound in the prairie, a short distance
S. of this "second fork," giving name to Blue Mound township. Both
forks head beyond (W. of) the Missouri State line, in Kansas, in which
State the main Osage r. bears the name of Marais des Cygnes. The
"large drift" in the Little Osage which stopped the boats is marked
and so legended on the map, a short distance above the forks. It seems
to have been above the mouth of Muddy cr., which falls in from the N.
within 2 m. of the forks, and was probably about the place where there
is now some marshy ground on the W. side, opposite Horseshoe l. The
latter is a mile long around the curve, and discharges by a short
stream into the Little Osage, from the S., between the forks and the
mouth of Muddy cr. Doubtless it was once the bed of the river. Close
by this lake, an eastward bend of the Little Osage receives a creek
from the S.; and beyond this was the Grand Osage village, close to
which Pike established what he calls Camp Independence, on the E. side
of the river, near the confluence of Marmiton or Marmaton r. This
stream falls in from the S., and is rather larger than the Little
Osage; in fact, it forms with the latter the main forks. The Marmiton
receives Drywood cr. a few miles above its confluence with the little
Osage. The name of this river is apparently the F. word _marmiton_,
scullion, from _marmite_, pot or kettle; the settlers pronounce it
"Mommytaw." For other features of the locality we may note that the
river bottoms are here below the 75-foot contour line, which
represents the general level of the surrounding prairie; and that
there is an isolated mound or butte of 850 feet or more on the E. side
of the Marmiton and close to this river, at the first bend it makes
eastward. The Marmiton is otherwise notable in the present connection,
as Pike's further route goes between it and the Little Osage.
[I-43] A letter received from General Wilkinson by this express formed
Doc. No. 9 of the App. to Part 2.
[I-44] Joseph Browne, who in 1806 was first Justice of the Court of
Common Pleas in and for the District of St. Louis, appointed by
Governor and General Wilkinson Tuesday, Mar. 18th, 1806; in 1807 he
was Territorial secretary, and sometimes acting governor. He was
succeeded by Frederick Bates, appointed secretary by Jefferson, May
7th, 1807: see L. and C., p. 1236. The "Babtiste Larme" of the above
paragraph is elsewhere called by Pike "Mr. Baptist Duchouquette alias
Larme." Billon's Annals of St. Louis for 1764-1804, pub. 1886, p. 437,
has "Jno. B. Duchouquette, usually called Batiste Lami." Among the
signers of a paper relating to the erection of a Roman Catholic church
in St. Louis, Oct. 30th, 1819, is found "Batiste [Symbol: X]
Duchouquete" (his mark). The alias occurs in various forms, as Lamie,
Lamy, Lamme, etc. J. B. D. was son of François Lafleur Duchouquette
and Céleste Barrois; b. about 1760, d. May, 1834; married Marie
Brazeau, St. Louis, 1798.
[I-45] The village of the Little Osage Indians was about 6 m. higher
up and on the other (west) side of the river of the same name.
Marmiton r. falls in between where the two villages were. These were
so well-known to the traders and others in Pike's time that he does
not take the trouble to say exactly where they were; nor are we
favored with the precise location of Camp Independence, "near the edge
of the prairie." But there is of course no question of the exact site
of a village which stood for more than a century: see for example
Holcombe's Hist. Vernon Co. Hundreds of Osages were buried on the
mound, to which their descendents used to come from Kansas to cry over
them, as late at least as 1874. Among the remains rested those of old
White Hair himself, until his bones were dug up and carried off by
Judge C. H. Allen of Missouri. In the vicinity of the upper village is
now a place called Arthur, where the Lexington and Southern Div. of
the Mo. Pac. R. R. comes south from Rich Hill, Bates Co., and
continues across both Little Osage and Marmiton rivers; a mile W. of
its crossing of the former, on the S. of that river, is the present
hamlet called Little Osage. All Pike's positions of Aug. 18th-Sept.
1st are in the present Osage township.
[I-46] This census of the Grand Osage village was contained in a
letter which in the orig. ed. formed Doc. No. 12 of the App. to Pt. 2,
being a folded table opp. p. 52, with a tabular "recapitulation" on p.
53. The matter is given beyond.
[I-47] Three letters from Pike to Wilkinson which went by this express
formed Docs. Nos. 10, 11, 12 of App. to Pt. 2. One of them is dated
from "Camp Independence," by which we learn the name Pike gave his
station: see beyond.
[I-48] So far as the white men are concerned, the party is identical
with that which left Belle Fontaine (see the roster, pp. 358-360),
excepting Kennerman, deserted, which reduced the privates from 16 to
15, and further excepting the additional interpreter, one Noel alias
Maugraine. (Mr. George Henry, who is left here, was engaged after the
start, and therefore does not affect this count.)
[I-49] By "Grand Osage fork" Pike means the stream on which was the
Grand Osage village, _i. e._, Little Osage r. By "fork of the Little
Osage" his actual implication is Marmiton r., near which was the
Little Osage village--though the phrase happens to be verbally
applicable, as the Marmiton is the fork of the Little Osage r. Pike's
course "N. 80° W." at the start would seem to conflict with the
dot-line on his map; but this is simply due to faulty projection of
the streams: see next note. Observe also that the course of Sept. 1st
is simply a swing-around to the mouth of the Marmiton, whence Pike
revisits the Grand Osage village. There is no camp-mark for this day;
the first [Symbol: +] set is camp of the expedition of Sept. 2d,
before Pike had rejoined his party.
[I-50] Which the party had made on the 3d before Pike joined them.
Their camp of the 2d is the first one marked on the map, and this of
the 3d is the second one so marked. This we know from the position
marked for the 6th, just over the divide, and three camps ahead of
this of the 3d. Pike is now first fairly en route. The faulty
projection of his map makes him seem to go E. of S. till the 6th, and
then turn W. abruptly. The course of the Little Osage is practically
from W. to E., and Pike ascends it the whole way, having it at a
considerable distance to his right. His trail is over the prairie
between the Little Osage and Marmiton rivers. This is to be
particularly noted, as some have vaguely supposed Pike "followed up
the Osage river," _i. e._, the main Osage (Pike's "North fork"), and
then wondered how he came where we presently find him. In fact, he
goes almost due W. from Missouri over into Kansas. Camp of the 3d was
in the vicinity of the present town of Little Osage. Gregg's map, on
which Pike's trail is traced for the most part with all the accuracy
that the small scale allows, starts him into Kansas too far S.--a good
way S. of Fort Scott, which is correctly located on the Marmiton.
[I-51] Misleading, at first sight; but "Grand river" here means that
stream on which was the Grand Osage village. Pike and Robinson simply
took an excursion of 6 m. to the Little Osage and back to camp,
supposed to be 13 m. from that of the 3d. It was considerably past
Rinehart, and probably in the vicinity of Hoover, a place 2 m. E. of
the inter-State line; or perhaps just over this boundary, which here
runs on a meridian of longitude (about 94° 37´). This vicinity is
notable as the scene of the raid of old John Brown in Dec., 1859, when
this extraordinary compound of saint and sinner, whose prophetic
visions of the coming struggle had startling distinctness, killed a
man and stole some negroes and horses. Pike has entered or will
immediately enter the N. E. portion of Bourbon Co., Kas., in the
vicinity of places called Hammond, Fulton, and Barnesville. The two
former of these are on the Kansas City, Fort Scott, and Gulf R. R. I
suppose Pike to be about 10 m. N. N. E. of Fort Scott, the county seat
of Bourbon. This is a well-known city, on Marmiton r., at the point
where Mill cr. falls in. Its military name is a legacy from former
days, the fort having been built in 1842; pop. now about 12,000.
From the present station we have to trail Pike clear across Kansas to
a point on the Republican Fork of the Kansas r., just over the middle
of the northern boundary of the State. This is not easy. It would be
impossible to do so with precision, had we only the slender thread of
text to guide us. His Indians took him a roundabout way by the Smoky
Hill r. The whole country is flat, with a complicated river-system;
Pike cuts through it, incessantly _crossing_ creeks and rivers, not
one of which does he follow for any considerable distance after he
leaves the Osage basin. The names of the many small towns and
stations, as well as of the small streams, will be recognized by few
non-residents. Fortunately we have the trace dotted on his map, and
though this is far out of drawing for absolute geography, its relative
positions are recognizable for the most part. I am satisfied that the
course I lay down for Pike is true to his route in all its main
features. The whole of this Kansan route would be in the Missourian
watershed, were it not for the northward extension of the Arkansan
basin in the drainage of the Neosho and Vermilion rivers. This Pike
enters as soon as he leaves the Osage basin, crosses, and quits before
reaching the Smoky Hill: see the two places legended "Dividing Ridge,"
etc., on his map. If we suppose, what I see no reason to question,
that his camp-marks are all right, his marches of Sept. 5th to 17th
may be summarized as follows: Sept. 5th, further up Little Osage r.;
6th, over divide to Arkansan waters of the Neosho r.; 7th, approaching
the Neosho; 8th, across this river; 9th, further along S. of it; 10th,
across subdivide of Vermilion river basin; 11th, heading this river,
and across subdivide into Neosho basin again; 12th, across Cottonwood
fork of the Neosho; 14th, further along this fork; 15th, across divide
from these Arkansan to Missourian waters again; 16th, nearing Smoky
Hill r.; 17th, across this river. (Total distance from the Osage
villages about 210 m., by Pike's mileages of Sept. 1st-17th about 250
m.) The counties crossed are Bourbon, Allen, Woodson, Coffey, Lyon,
Chase, Marion, Dickinson, and Saline. Further details in following
notes.
[I-52] The whole of this way is W. up along the S. side of the Little
Osage, for the most part at a considerable distance from the river,
which here has a northward convexity. But for some miles after leaving
Camp Independence, Pike must have kept pretty close to the south side
of the Little Osage, to avoid the unnumbered mounds into which the
country further to his left is broken. The hill to which Pike came in
the forenoon represents a rise from the general 750-foot level
hitherto traveled to about 1,100 feet. From its southern slopes, Mill
and Wolverine creeks gather to flow into the Marmiton at and near Fort
Scott; while from the other side some small runs seek the Little
Osage. Camp is in Bourbon Co., somewhere in the vicinity of Xenia,
Zenia, or Hay, a small place near a branch of the Little Osage.
[I-53] Pike does not mean that the Arkansaw r. itself is otherwise
called White r., but the waters of the Arkansaw River basin he has
reached are those of a river called the White, which is perfectly
true. He elsewhere calls this Grand r. He also discusses whether this
White r. be a tributary of the Arkansaw or of the Mississippi, and
comes to the latter erroneous conclusion. This White or Grand r. of
Pike is the Neosho; a large stream which waters much of southeastern
Kansas, leaves the State in Cherokee Co., enters Indian Territory, and
falls into the Arkansaw on the boundary between the Cherokees' and the
Creeks' country. Its general course is S. E., then S. Pike lays it
down pretty well on his map, by the name of Grand r., and I find it so
charted on various modern maps. Pike runs it into the Arkansaw all
right, and makes its Cottonwood fork the main stream, out of all
proportion to the little creek he traces for the other fork; but there
is not much difference in the two streams, which unite in Lyon Co.
some 8 m. below Emporia. From the vicinity of Xenia, in Bourbon Co.,
Pike has to-day continued about W., by or near the station Bayard of
the Mo., Kas., and Tex. R. R., in Allen Co. Having thus headed all
Osage (Missourian) waters, he strikes and crosses the divide, and
camps on the head of a small tributary of Elm cr., a branch of the
Neosho (Arkansan waters). I suppose his camp to be at a point about
equidistant from Bayard and two other places called respectively La
Harpe and Wise--perhaps rather Bayard, La Harpe, and Morantown.
[I-54] The two streams concerned in Pike's approach to the Neosho are
Elm and Deer creeks. Elm is the large forked one which falls in close
below Iola, county seat of Allen. Deer cr. is the next above, falling
in about 4 m. above Elm cr. Pike's map indicates that, after passing
some insignificant heads of Elm cr., he got into its forks, then
crossed its north branch near Iola, and camped on Deer cr., very near
the junction of this with the Neosho. I do not know whether horses can
swim in Deer cr.; if not, the only alternative stream would be the
Neosho itself. But the map sets Pike on the east branch of Deer cr.,
and there I leave him.
[I-55] The Neosho, Neozho, or Neocho r. "A grand fork of the White
river" is ambiguous; but becomes intelligible if we remember that he
has just spoken of the "Arkansaw, alias White river." Pike's ideas of
what he calls "White" and "Grand" r. were not clear. There is no
stream in his present vicinity large enough to be dignified as the
"grand fork" of the Neosho itself; we must understand him to mean the
Neosho, as being itself a grand fork of whatever he meant by "White"
r. The Neosho was long and often called Grand r.; "Neosho or Grand R."
is lettered on Gregg's map. Pike never says where he crossed the
Neosho, nor in fact does he inform us that he ever crossed it--unless
it was when he swam his horses. But that was on the 7th. However these
uncertainties be regarded, two facts are certain: Pike was across the
Neosho on the 8th, and he crossed it between Iola and the town of
Neosho Falls, Woodson Co. I think the crossing was a little above the
mouth of Deer cr.
[I-56] West for a few miles, then about northwest, up along the
Neosho, but at several miles' distance from that river, on the dry
prairie, and passing from Woodson into Coffey Co. As to the "second
branch" on which is camp: Pike charts three streams passed to-day,
running to his right into the Neosho, and marks his camp on the third
one of these. I take these to be Turkey, South Big, and North Big
creeks; and suppose that Pike camped on the last of these. It is true
that these all three unite in one before falling into the Neosho; but
Pike passed them too high up to observe their connections. Turkey cr.
is practically a separate one, as it falls into Big cr. only about
one-quarter of a mile above the mouth of it; and the connection of
North and South creeks, much higher up, may be implied in his speaking
of the "second branch" on which was camp (Turkey cr. then answering to
a first branch). The single mouth of the three streams here in mention
falls into the Neosho about 2 m. west of Leroy. If it seems rather a
stretch to get Pike some distance up North Big cr. to-day, it may be
remembered that the place he crossed the Neosho was not determined
with precision; and that we have to find him to-morrow, at 11 miles'
distance, on a large creek up which he can go over the divide to the
heads of Verdigris r. There seems to be no alternative.
[I-57] The total of 12 m. does not agree with the text, which calls
for 11 + 4½ = 15½. Eagle cr. seems to have been struck about on the
boundary between Coffey and Lyon cos., where Four Mile cr. falls into
it. It is a considerable stream, which heads in the divide about Olpe
(a place on the A. T. and S. Fé R. R.), is increased by Harper,
Hoosier, and other tributaries, and runs E. into the Neosho a mile and
a half above Strawn (a place on the Mo. Pac. R. R.). To reach Eagle
cr. from North Big cr. Pike passed opposite Burlington, seat of Coffey
Co., several miles to his right, and headed the small Otter cr., on or
near which is a place called Patmos.
[I-58] It may not be possible to decide which of the several branches
of Eagle cr. Pike went up to the divide. To send him up the main
branch, past Olpe, agrees best with his 21 m. to-day; but in that case
he must have breakfasted late. There is a sharp elbow in his dotted
trail, which would seem to indicate that he made a turn from his
former course over the divide. Aside from any questions of detail,
which perhaps could not be decided even by a resident of the region
traversed, we have Pike safe on the headwaters of Vermilion or
Verdigris r. (it has these alternative names on recent maps). It heads
in the divide which Pike has crossed, by numerous small tributaries,
several of which Pike charts. Among them are Haldemand and Tate,
heading opposite branches of Eagle cr., and further on Moon, Rock,
Fawn, and Camp creeks. The Verdigris is of a size smaller than the
Neosho, W. of which it runs in an approximately parallel course; it
leaves Kansas through Montgomery Co., enters Indian Territory, and in
the country of the Creek Indians falls into the Arkansaw 8 m. above
the mouth of the Neosho. Pike lays it down well, especially the
fan-shaped leash of branches in which it heads, but runs it into the
Arkansaw in common with the Neosho. The Verdigris has of course its
proper basin or drainage within the more general watershed of the
Neosho and other Arkansan as distinguished from Missourian waters. The
rim of this basin is the divide Pike crosses over to-day. He camps on
one of the small headwaters, probably Fawn or Camp cr., in the close
vicinity of the places called Elco and Verdigris.
[I-59] Pike has headed Verdigris r., and recrossed the brim of its
basin into the Neosho basin again. In cutting off this small segment
of the Verdigris basin he passed from Lyon into Chase Co., "over high
hilly prairies," _i. e._, the divide, and continued westward till he
struck "a large branch of Grand r." We discover later that Pike takes
Cottonwood r. to be the main Grand, _i. e._, Neosho r., which I do not
see that it is not, though the other one retains the name of Neosho
above their confluence. The stream he strikes is the S. fork of
Cottonwood r. This heads in the same hilly country, by tributaries
known as Little Cedar, Thurman, and Mercer creeks, in relation or
opposition to the uttermost sources of Verdigris r., and flows N. to
fall into the main Cottonwood 4 m. below Cottonwood Falls, county seat
of Chase. Pike probably came on this stream somewhere in the vicinity
of Baker or Crocker cr., between places called Matfield Green and
Bazar.
Cottonwood "creek" was originally so named at the point where it was
struck on the old Santa Fé caravan road, and because it showed the
first trees of that kind to be found in traveling westward on that
route. The crossing was at or near present town of Durham, Marion Co.
It was some time before the true connection of the Cottonwood with the
Neosho was made out. At Council Grove the traders knew they were on a
head of the Neosho or Grand r., though they called it Council Grove
cr. They kept on W. to "Diamond springs" (on a head of Six Mile or
present Diamond cr.), and thence to "Lost spring" on their "Willow"
cr. (a head of present Clear cr., which falls into the Cottonwood at
Marion); the next stream they struck being this Cottonwood cr., at or
near Durham: see a note beyond, where I undertake, perhaps rashly, to
recover the old caravan road in terms of modern geography.
[I-60] If Pike bore as much N. of W. as his dotted trail seems to
indicate, the mileage would fetch him on Cottonwood r. about the
situation of Cedar Grove and Cedar Point, which are within a mile or
two of each other and of the boundary between Chase and Marion cos.,
and about 6 m. down river from Florence, Marion Co. He is evidently in
the loop which the Cottonwood makes S. E. from Marion to Florence, and
then gradually N. E. to the vicinity of Cottonwood Falls. If the old
Kansas Indian trail the map lays down could be recovered or
identified, it would serve to locate him still more precisely. He
crosses the Cottonwood and camps on its left bank. If we attentively
regard the camp-marks of the 12th and 13th, we find them close
together, N. of the Cottonwood, S. of a creek flowing E., and W. of a
pair of creeks flowing S. These requirements are fulfilled, if we take
the one running E. to be Middle creek, which falls in by Elmdale, 10
m. below Cedar Grove; and the other two, those that fall in together
at Marion, 12 m. (direct) above Cedar Grove. It is true there are
several creeks nearer, on the same side, as Silver, Bruno, and Martin,
but these are all smaller than such as Pike usually charts, and,
moreover, he could not go his 9 m. to-morrow in any direction without
getting beyond them.
[I-61] Camp in the close vicinity of Marion, seat of the county of
that name. The Indian trail seems to have run past or through Marion.
We can confidently locate Pike within 3 m. of the town on the night of
the 13th; and Marion thus furnishes an excellent fixed point whence to
trace him on to Smoky Hill r. The two streams which unite at Marion,
and run through the place as one, are called Brook Luta and Clear cr.
[I-62] Continuing past Marion, up the Cottonwood, which he has to his
left, Pike camps near Durham, Marion Co. This town is on the river,
and through it runs the Chic., Kas. and Neb. R. R. The route seems to
have sheered off from the river a little to the right, more in line
with Brook Luta than with the Cottonwood itself: see next note.
[I-63] Passing north between Cottonwood r. on his left and Brook Luta
on his right, Pike makes the divide in the vicinity of Tampa, Marion
Co. This is a village on the head of Brook Luta; the railroad last
named goes through it, and Pike crosses the line of this railroad
between Durham and Tampa. He is flanking the higher hills (1,500 feet
or more) in which the main Cottonwood heads, by leaving them to the
left or W. This is a somewhat roundabout way from the vicinity of
Durham to that of Bridgeport on the Smoky Hill, where Pike strikes
this river early on the 17th; but it is evident that he did not go
straight between these points, for they are only about 25 m. (direct)
apart, and we have to account for 18 + 13 + 6 = 37 m. on the 15th,
16th, and morning of the 17th. These mileages adjust themselves to a
nicety by the way I make out. I suppose he crossed the divide between
Tampa and Kuhnbrook, Marion Co., thus passing from Arkansan to
Missourian waters, as he says. Kuhnbrook is a little place on one of
the heads of the large Turkey cr., which runs N. into the Smoky Hill
r. opp. Abilene. Rhoades is the next place on this branch of Turkey
cr., and in passing to its vicinity Pike crosses from Marion into
Dickinson Co. He continues on, bearing to the vicinity of Elmo and
Banner. These are places near another head of Turkey cr., and both on
the Mo. Pac. R. R.; they are within a mile of each other. Pike keeps
on a piece, westerly, and sets camp in the vicinity of Carlton,
Dickinson Co. Carlton is between the two forks of Holland cr., next W.
of Turkey cr., with which Holland runs parallel to fall into the Smoky
Hill r. opp. Abilene. Carleton is 7 m. due E. of Gypsum City, which
latter is on a creek of that name Pike next strikes.
[I-64] Pike camps on a branch of Gypsum creek. This is a large stream
which heads in close relation with the uttermost sources of Cottonwood
r., in the vicinity of Canton, McPherson Co., and flows due N. into
the Smoky Hill, between the mouths of Solomon and Saline rivers. It is
larger than either Turkey or Holland cr., and much branched. It runs
about halfway between Holland cr. and the Smoky Hill, parallel with
both; for the latter, having made a bold sweep from the W., curves N.
past Lindsburg and Bridgeport to Salina, and thence E. to receive
first the Saline, next Gypsum, and then Solomon r. On Gypsum cr. are
Chico and Gypsum City, 10 and 12 m. above its mouth; and Pike strikes
it a few miles further up or S. of these towns. Pike charts its
headwaters elaborately, and sets his camps of the 15th and 16th among
the five branches he lays down. Probably one of these should be taken
for Holland cr.; the other four are less easily identified. From his
position in the vicinity of Carlton Pike passes W. from Dickinson into
Saline Co., comes first to Hobbs cr., next upon Gypsum itself and Stag
cr., in quick succession; crossing these three he continues W. to
another branch of Gypsum cr., namely, that one now meandered by the
Mo. Pac. R. R. between Gypsum City and Bridgeport. He camps on the
latter, 6 m. E. of the Smoky Hill.
[I-65] "We passed it six miles to a small branch to breakfast" is a
dubious phrase which I understand to mean that Pike went 6 m. to a
small branch to breakfast, and then crossed the Smoky Hill r. at
once--at nine o'clock. This crossing was in the immediate vicinity of
Bridgeport, and perhaps at the very place the Council Grove, Smoky
Valley and Western branch of the Mo. Pac. R. R. crosses to run into
Bridgeport. Two insignificant runs fall into the river from the east
within 3 m. below Bridgeport; the first of them is named Pawnee cr.
Crossing the river, Pike proceeds up it, but a little W. of N., and
bearing somewhat away from it; he passes Dry cr., which lower down
runs through the county seat Salina, and camps on Mulberry cr., 2 or 3
m. due W. of that city, and about the same distance below the point
where Spring cr. falls into Mulberry. This stream skirts north of the
city, receives Dry cr., and falls into Saline r. a mile or two
further. Salina is a large place, one of the best known in the State,
where four great railroad lines meet--the U. P., Mo. P., A., T. and S.
F., and C., R. I. and P. Six or 8 m. due W. of the place where Pike
crossed the river are the Smoky hills, or Smoky Hill Buttes,
celebrated in story if not in song. The great river named from these
conspicuous landmarks is the main southern fork of Kansas r., as the
Republican is the northern. Its uttermost sources are in Colorado.
Receiving uncounted tributaries in its long course, it runs E. in
Kansas through Wallace, Logan, Gove, Trego, Ellis, Russell, and
Ellsworth, loops S. into McPherson and out again N. into Saline Co.,
makes an elbow at Salina and continues E. through Dickinson into Geary
Co., where it joins its mate between Junction City and Fort Riley,
thus composing the Kansas. Two of its largest branches are the Saline
and Solomon.
This finishes the first section of Pike's Kansas route from the Little
Osage to Salina. The rest of the way to the Pawnee Republic is
northward, crossing in succession Saline r., Salt cr., Solomon r.,
Buffalo cr., and White Rock cr., striking the Republican r. in Webster
Co., Neb., near the S. border of that State. The distance is less than
the 97 m. Pike makes of it. His map is extremely faulty; he seems to
have gone about N. W., though his actual route was very little W. of
N. It also runs Saline and Solomon rivers far apart into the
Republican, instead of the Smoky Hill, magnifies Salt cr. out of all
proportion, and minimizes both Buffalo and White Rock cr.
As a bit of authentic history which may interest those in Salina who
have reason to be proud of the growth of their city during one
generation, I will transcribe a passage from my own field notebook,
made when I was staging from Leavenworth to Santa Fe, in 1864:
"Sunday, May 29th. Left Junction City and came to a place called
Salina--three houses and a pig stye."
Fort Riley, as above mentioned, was begun by Major Edmund Augustus
Ogden, who had selected the site and was occupied with the work when
he died there Aug. 3d, 1855, in the epidemic of cholera then raging.
He was born at Catskill, N. Y., Feb. 20th, 1810; removed to Unadilla,
N. Y., and from there entered West Point July 1st, 1827; he became
second lieutenant of the 1st Inf., July 1st, 1831; first lieutenant,
Dec. 17th, 1836; was transferred to the 8th Inf., July 7th, 1838;
promoted to be captain, Dec. 1st, 1839; and was breveted major for
meritorious conduct. His first duty was at Prairie du Chien; his
marriage with Captain Gustavus Loomis' daughter Eliza, at Fort
Snelling, is said to have been the first ceremony of the kind between
white persons in Minnesota; he served faithfully and with distinction
in the Black Hawk, Florida, and Mexican wars, and for many years
discharged arduous and responsible duties in the quartermaster
department. For several years immediately preceding his death he was
stationed at Fort Leavenworth.
[I-66] Saline r., distinctively called Great or Grand Saline, has been
already noted. Pike crosses this, and proceeds to "a small dry branch"
of the next river, to camp for three days. This river is the one he
calls Little Saline, and is now known as Covert or Salt cr., a branch
of Solomon r. which falls into the Solomon 4 m. below Minneapolis,
Ottawa Co. Pike's map connects it correctly, but magnifies its size;
for the stream which he passed on returning from the Pawnee village,
and which he lays down as a head of his Little Saline, is a branch of
the Great Saline. Pike probably crossed Saline r. in the vicinity of
Culver, where the railroad now does, then soon passing from Saline
into Ottawa. The small branch of Salt cr. on which he camped was one
of several such in the vicinity of Ada.
[I-67] An error is here evident, and I suspect some confusion of the
diary of the 21st and 22d. 1. "Distance 11 miles," for the whole 22d,
is necessarily wrong, if m. were made in the afternoon, and this, too,
after marching from eight to eleven in the forenoon. 2. Aside from the
fact that there is no branch of the Republican fork in this vicinity,
the map shows that Pike did not reach Solomon r. till the 23d, and the
text of that day confirms this. Camps of the 21st and 22d were both in
the space traversed between Salt cr. and Solomon r., less than 20 m.
at the furthest. 3. The difficulty disappears if for "12 miles," etc.,
of the above questionable clause, we read "2 miles to the first branch
of Solomon river on our route." This would set Pike on one of the
small creeks that fall into the right bank of Solomon r. in the
vicinity of Glasco, Simpson, and Asherville. A former name of Solomon
r. was Nepeholla, used, _e. g._, by Gunnison, P. R. R. Rep. II. 1855,
p. 17. Capt. J. W. Gunnison came to the mouth of Solomon's fork July
6th, 1853, from Westport, Mo., by the Wakarusa River route, striking
the Kansas r. at Fort Riley, crossing there, and continuing through
Abilene; he was en route to the great bend of the Arkansaw by the
usual Smoky Hill route.
[I-68] Taking Pike northward across Buffalo cr. I suppose this was
crossed somewhere in the vicinity of Jamestown, Republic Co. In this
position the Republican r. itself is only 5 or 6 m. to his right, and
the rest of the journey is simply following up this river obliquely on
about a N. W. course, at a somewhat increasing distance from it, until
he nears it to approach the village.
[I-69] To White Rock cr., west of White Rock, a town on the creek and
on the boundary between Republic and Jewell cos. This stream runs east
through these, and falls into the Republican r. opposite Republic
City. In getting here, Pike seems by his map to have crossed several
small streams _running to his left_, and into a stream he runs into
Solomon r. I suppose these to be some branches of Marsh cr., a
sluggish tributary of Buffalo cr. from the N. W.
[I-70] Finishing the journey to the Pawnee Republic village, whence
the great river on which it was situated took its name. Its ultimate
sources are in Colorado, like those of the Smoky Hill r. Its main
course then cuts off the extreme N. W. corner of Kansas, by running
through Cheyenne Co.; whereupon the stream enters Nebraska, and skirts
the southern border of this until it dips into Kansas across the N.
border of Jewell Co., whence it continues E. into Republic Co., turns
S. in this to Cloud Co., E. through this to Clay Co., and S. E.
through this to Geary Co., where it is joined by the Smoky Hill, as
already noted. The whole journey thus made from the Osages to the
Pawnees foots up, by Pike's distances, about 350 m. In a letter to the
Secretary of War he calls it "375"; but this is simply offhand. He
also claims that his Osages led him roundabout 100 m. through their
fear of the "Kans." Pike's land mileages seem to me more correct than
those excessive ones he assigns to his navigation. I suppose this
journey to have been between 300 and 325 m.
I must emphasize here the fact that I have failed in every attempt to
locate the precise site of the Pawnee village. One would suppose it
well known; I find that it is not, and have yet to discover the
ethnographer or geographer who can point it out. Correspondence
addressed to persons now living in the vicinity was as fruitless as my
exploration of the sources of official knowledge in Washington, where
several friends interested themselves in my behalf to no purpose. I
know of no closer indication than that afforded by Gregg's map of
1844. This letters "Old Pawnee Village" on the S. bank of the
Republican, halfway between long. 98° and 99° W., and thus, as I
judge, about opposite the present town of Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.
Gregg runs the Republican entirely S. of lat. 40° N., _i. e._, in
Kansas; but the place where Pike struck it was certainly in that
portion of its course which runs in Nebraska, just over the Kansas
line. Gregg in fact gives his river a recognizable northward convexity
along here, and if it does not overreach 40°, that is a fault of
absolute, not relative, position. We are here much less concerned with
latitude than with longitude. The river is running approximately from
W. to E., in Webster Co., and the main point is how far W. the village
was, as that would affect details of the route from the last point at
which I have been able to locate Pike. It will be necessary to
discover the exact situation of the Pawnee village before the cloud
over the end of this journey can be dispelled, and the beginning of
the journey from the village to Great Bend on the Arkansaw can be set
in a clear light. For the present I can only tentatively assume
longitude 98° 30´ W. (See Scandia, in the Index.)
[I-71] Guillaume Thomas François Raynal, commonly called Abbé Raynal,
b. Aveyron, France, Apr. 12th, 1713, d. Paris, Mar. 6th, 1796--a
philosophical free-thinker and historian, who wrote too much sense and
truth to suit his official superiors, and was consequently unfrocked.
It is a curious fact in the history of the most Tammany-like machine
for the propagation of painful superstitions ever known in the Western
world--excepting perhaps Brigham Young's similarly organized
scheme--that whenever one of its members begins to think for himself
they make him take off his gown and wear trousers openly. The irony in
the case seems to escape the professional nurserymen in that
hot-house. The abbé wrote various works; his most celebrated one, to
which Pike refers, is: Histoire Philosophique et Politique des
Établissements et du Commerce des Européens dans les Deux Indes, 1770,
repub. 1780-85--a book whose strength and other merits may be inferred
from the fact that it had the honor of being burned by Parliamentary
order; though its author was simply exiled, the times being already a
little out of joint for roasting heretics along with their heresies.
[I-72] Richard Sparks of Pennsylvania had been a captain in the levies
of 1791, when he was appointed a captain of infantry, March 7th, 1792;
he was arranged to the 3d Sub-legion, Sept. 4th, 1792, to the 3d
Infantry, Nov. 1st, 1796, and transferred to the 2d Infantry Apr. 1st,
1802; he became major July 29th, 1806, lieutenant-colonel Dec. 9th,
1807, and colonel July 6th, 1812; he was honorably discharged June
15th, 1815, and died July 1st, 1815.
[I-73] 1. As already indicated, "Tetaus" and "Tetans" are Pike's names
for Comanches, also variously known as Ietans, Jetans, Hietans,
Aiatans, etc., and also by the Sioux name Padoucas, adopted by the
French; they called themselves Num, meaning simply "people." Some of
their other names are Kaumains, Choumans and Comandes; we now write
Comanches or Camanches indifferently, thus adopting a form of the
Spanish name, whose meaning is unknown. These Indians are of the
Shoshonean family; they number about 150, on the Kiowa, Comanche, and
Wichita Reservation in Oklahoma; there were some 2,500 when they were
placed in a reservation in 1868; they had been noted, time out of
mind, as wide-ranging, lawless, and warlike freebooters. 2. Pike above
mentions three of the four principal tribes of the Pawnee
confederation, _i. e._, of the middle group of Caddoan stock, who are:
(1) Pawnee proper, Grand Pawnee, or Tcawi; (2) Pawnee Republicans or
Republican Pawnees (giving name to the great branch of the Kansas r.);
(3) Pawnee Loups, Pawnee Mahas, Pawnee Wolves, or Skidis; (4) Tapage
or Pitahauerat: see further, L. and C., ed. 1893, pp. 55-57. (3)
Pike's Kans are entirely different Indians, of Siouan stock, Dhegiha
group: for these see _l. c._, pp. 33, 34.
CHAPTER II.
ITINERARY, CONTINUED: FROM THE PAWNEE VILLAGE THROUGH KANSAS AND
COLORADO TO PIKE'S PEAK, OCT. 1ST-NOV. 30TH, 1806.
Wednesday, Oct. 1st. Paid a visit to town and had a very long
conversation with the chief, who urged everything in his power to
induce us to turn back. Finally, he very candidly told us that the
Spaniards wished to have gone further into our country, but he induced
them to give up the idea; that they had listened to him and he wished
us to do the same; that he had promised the Spaniards to act as he now
did, and that we must proceed no further, or he must stop us by force
of arms. My reply was, "that I had been sent out by our great father
to explore the western country, to visit all his red children, to make
peace between them, and turn them from shedding blood; that he might
see how I had caused the Osage and Kans to meet to smoke the pipe of
peace together, and take each other by the hand like brothers; that as
yet my road had been smooth, with a blue sky over our heads. I had not
seen any blood in our path; but he must know that the young warriors
of his great American father were not women, to be turned back by
words; that I should therefore proceed, and if he thought proper to
stop me, he could attempt it; but we were men, well armed, and would
sell our lives at a dear rate to his nation; that we knew our great
father would send his young warriors there to gather our bones and
revenge our deaths on his people, when our spirits would rejoice in
hearing our exploits sung in the war-songs of our chiefs." I then left
his lodge and returned to camp, in considerable perturbation of mind.
_Oct. 2d._ We received advice from our Kans that the chief had given
publicity to his idea of stopping us by force of arms, which gave
serious reflections to me, and was productive of many singular
expressions from my brave lads, which called for my esteem at the same
time that they excited my laughter. Attempted to trade for horses, but
could not succeed. In the night we were alarmed by some savages coming
near our camp at full speed; but they retreated equally rapidly, on
being hailed with fierceness by our sentinels. This created some
degree of indignation in my little band, as we had noticed that all
the day had passed without any traders presenting themselves, which
appeared as if all intercourse was interdicted. I wrote to the
secretary at war, the general, etc.
_Oct. 3d._ The intercourse again commenced. Traded for some horses,
and wrote for my express.
_Oct. 4th._ Two French traders arrived at the village in order to
procure horses to transport their goods from the Missouri to the
village. They gave us information that Captains Lewis and Clark,[II-1]
with all their people, had descended the river to St. Louis; this
diffused general joy through our party. Our trade for horses advanced
none this day.
_Sunday, Oct. 5th._ Buying horses. Preparing to march, and finishing
my letters.
_Oct. 6th._ Marched my express.[II-2] Purchasing horses and preparing
to march on the morrow.
_Oct. 7th._ In the morning we found two of our newly purchased horses
missing. Sent in search of them; the Indians brought in one pretty
early. Struck our tents and commenced loading our horses. Finding
there was no probability of our obtaining the other lost one, we
marched at 2 p. m.; and as the chief had threatened to stop us by
force of arms, we made every arrangement to make him pay as dearly for
the attempt as possible. The party was kept compact, and marched by a
road round the village, in order that, if attacked, the savages would
not have their houses to fly to for cover. I had given orders not to
fire until within five or six paces, and then to charge with the
bayonet and saber, when I believe it would have cost them at least 100
men to have exterminated us, which would have been necessary. The
village appeared all to be in motion. I galloped up to the lodge of
the chief, attended by my interpreter and one soldier, but soon saw
there was no serious attempt to be made, although many young men were
walking about with their bows, arrows, guns, and lances. After
speaking to the chief with apparent indifference, I told him that I
calculated on his justice in obtaining the horse, and that I should
leave a man until the next day at twelve o'clock to bring him out. We
then joined the party and pursued our route.
When I was once on the summit of the hill which overlooks the village,
I felt my mind relieved from a heavy burden; yet all the evil I wished
the Pawnees was that I might be the instrument, in the hands of our
government, to open their ears and eyes with a strong hand, to
convince them of our power.
Our party now consisted of two officers, one doctor, 18 soldiers, one
interpreter, three Osage men, and one woman, making 25 warriors. We
marched out and encamped on a small branch [of Rock creek], distant
seven miles, on the same route we came in.[II-3] Rain in the night.
_Oct. 8th._ I conceived it best to send Baroney back to the village
with a present, to be offered for our horse, the chief having
suggested the propriety of this measure; he met his son and the horse
with Sparks. Marched at ten o'clock, and at four o'clock came to the
place where the Spanish troops encamped the first night they left the
Pawnee village. Their encampment was circular, having only small fires
round the circle to cook by. We counted 59 fires; now if we allow six
men to each fire, they must have been 354 in number.[II-4] We encamped
on a large branch of the second [Solomon's] fork of the Kans river.
Distance 18 miles.[II-5]
_Oct. 9th._ Marched at eight o'clock, being detained until that time
by our horses being at a great distance. At eleven o'clock we found
the forks of the Spanish and Pawnee roads, and when we halted at
twelve o'clock, we were overtaken by the second chief, Iskatappe, and
the American chief with one-third of the village. They presented us
with a piece of bear-meat.
When we were about to march, we discovered that the dirk of the doctor
had been stolen from behind the saddle. After marching the men, the
doctor and myself, with the interpreter, went to the chief and
demanded that he should cause a search to be made; it was done, but
when the dirk was found, the possessor asserted that he had found it
on the road. I told him that he did not speak the truth, and informed
the chief that we never suffered a thing of ever so little value to be
taken without liberty. At this time the prairie was covered with his
men, who began to encircle us around, and Lieutenant Wilkinson with
the troops had gained half a mile on the road. The Indian demanded a
knife before he would give it up; but as we refused to give any, the
chief took one from his belt and gave him, took the dirk and presented
it to the doctor, who immediately returned it to the chief as a
present, desired Baroney to inform him he now saw it was not the value
of the article but the act we despised, and then galloped off.
In about a mile we discovered a herd of elk, which we pursued; they
took back in sight of the Pawnees, who immediately mounted 50 or 60
young men and joined in the pursuit. Then, for the first time in my
life, I saw animals slaughtered by the true savages with their
original weapons, bows and arrows; they buried the arrow up to the
plume in the animal. We took a piece of meat and pursued our party; we
overtook them and encamped within the Grand or Solomon Fork, which we
had crossed lower down on the 23d of September, on our route to the
Pawnees. This was the Spanish encamping ground. Distance 18
miles.[II-6]
In the evening two Pawnees came to our camp, who had not eaten for
three days, two of which they had carried a sick companion whom they
had left this day; we gave them for supper some meat and corn, and
they immediately departed in order to carry their sick companion this
seasonable supply. When they were coming into camp, the sentinel
challenged, it being dark; they immediately, on seeing him bring his
piece to the charge, supposing he was about to fire on them, advanced
to give him their hands; he, however, not well discerning their
motions, was on the point of firing; but being a cool, collected
little fellow, called out that there were two Indians advancing on
him, and asked if he should fire. This brought out the guard, when the
poor affrighted savages were brought into camp, very much alarmed, for
they had not heard of a white man's being in their country, and
thought they were entering one of the camps of their own people.
_Oct. 10th._ Marched at seven o'clock and halted at twelve o'clock to
dine. Were overtaken by the Pawnee chief whose party we left the day
before, who informed us the hunting-party had taken another road, and
that he had come to bid us good-by. We left a large ridge on our left,
and at sundown crossed it.... [?[II-7]] From this place we had an
extensive view of the southwest; we observed a creek at a distance, to
which I meant to proceed. The doctor, interpreter, and myself arrived
at eight o'clock at night; found water and wood, but had nothing to
eat. Kindled a fire in order to guide the party; but they, not being
able to find the route and not knowing the distance, encamped on the
prairie without wood or water.
_Oct. 11th._ Ordered Baroney to return to find the party and conduct
them to our camp. The doctor and myself went out to hunt, and on our
return found all our people had arrived, except the rear-guard, which
was in sight. Whilst we halted five Pawnees came to our camp and
brought some bones of a horse which the Spanish troops had been
obliged to eat at their encampment on this creek. We took up our line
of march at twelve o'clock, and at sundown the party halted on the
Saline. I was in pursuit of buffalo, and did not make the camp until
near ten o'clock at night. Killed one buffalo. Distance 12
miles.[II-8]
_Sunday, Oct. 12th._ Here Belle Oiseau and one Osage left us, and
there remained only one man and woman of that nation. Their reason for
leaving us was that our course bore too much west, and they desired to
bear more for the hunting-ground of the Osage. In the morning we sent
out to obtain the buffalo meat, and laid by until after breakfast.
Proceeded at eleven o'clock; and crossing the [Grand Saline] river two
or three times, we passed two camps where the Spanish troops had
halted. Here they appeared to have remained some days, their roads
being so much blended with the traces of the buffalo that we lost them
entirely. This was a mortifying stroke, as we had reason to calculate
that they had good guides, and were on the best route for wood and
water. We took a southwest direction, and before night were fortunate
enough to strike their roads on the left; and at dusk, much to our
surprise, struck the east [Smoky Hill] fork of the Kans, or La Touche
de la Cote Bucanieus. Killed one buffalo. Distance 18 miles.[II-9]
_Oct. 13th._ The day being rainy, we did not march until two o'clock;
when, it having an appearance of clearing off, we raised our camp [and
crossed the Smoky Hill river]; after which we marched seven miles and
encamped on the head of a branch of the river we had left. Had to go
two miles for water. Killed one cabrie.
_Oct. 14th._ It having drizzled rain all night, and the atmosphere
being entirely obscured, we did not march until a quarter past nine
o'clock, and commenced crossing the dividing ridge between the Kans
and Arkansaw rivers.[II-10] Arrived on a branch of the latter at one
o'clock; continued down it in search of water until after dusk, when
we found a pond on the prairie, which induced us to halt. Sparks did
not come up, being scarcely able to walk with rheumatic pains. Wounded
several buffalo, but could not get one of them. Distance 24 miles.
_Oct. 15th._ In the morning rode out in search of the south trace, and
crossed the low prairie [Cheyenne Bottoms], which was nearly all
covered with ponds, but could not discover it. Finding Sparks did not
arrive, sent two men in search of him, who arrived with him about
eleven o'clock. At twelve o'clock we commenced our line of march, and
at five o'clock Dr. Robinson and myself left the party at a large
[Walnut[II-11]] creek, having pointed out a distant wood to
Lieutenant Wilkinson for our encampment, in order to search some
distance up it for the Spanish trace. Killed two buffalo and left part
of our clothing with them to scare away the wolves. Went in pursuit of
the party. On our arrival at the [Little Walnut] creek appointed for
the encampment, did not find them. Proceeded down it for some miles,
and not finding them, encamped, struck fire, and then supped on one of
our buffalo tongues.
_Oct. 16th._ Early on horseback; proceeded up the [Little Walnut]
creek some distance in search of our party, but at twelve o'clock
crossed to our two buffaloes; found a great many wolves at them,
notwithstanding the precautions taken to keep them off. Cooked some
marrow-bones and again mounted our horses, and proceeded down the
creek to their junction. Finding nothing of the party, I began to be
seriously alarmed for their safety. Killed two more buffalo, made our
encampment, and feasted sumptuously on the marrow-bones. Rain in the
night.
_Oct. 17th._ Rose early, determining to search the [Little Walnut]
creek to its source. Very hard rain, accompanied by a cold northwester
all day. Encamped near night without being able to discover any signs
of the party. Our sensations now became excruciating, not only for
their personal safety, but for fear of the failure of the national
objects intended to be accomplished by the expedition. Our own
situation was not the most agreeable, not having more than four rounds
of ammunition each, and being 400 miles in the nearest direction from
the first civilized inhabitants. We, however, concluded to search for
the party on the morrow, and if we did not succeed in finding them, to
strike the Arkansaw, where we were in hopes to discover some traces,
if not cut off by the savages.
_Oct. 18th._ Commenced our route at a good time, and about ten o'clock
discovered two men on horseback in search of us--one my waiter. They
informed us the party was encamped on the Arkansaw, about three miles
south of where we then were; this surprised us very much, as we had no
conception of that river being so near. On our arrival we were met by
Lieutenant Wilkinson, who, with all the party, was greatly concerned
for our safety. The Arkansaw, on the party's arrival, had not water in
it six inches deep, and the stream was not more than 20 feet wide;
but the rain of the two days covered all the bottom of the river,
which in this place is 450 yards from bank to bank. These are not more
than four feet in height, bordered by a few cottonwood trees; on the
north side is a low swampy prairie; on the south, a sandy sterile
desert at a small distance. In the afternoon the doctor and myself
took our horses and crossed the Arkansaw, in order to search for some
trees which might answer the purpose to make canoes; found but one,
and returned at dusk. It commenced raining at twelve o'clock.
_Sunday, Oct. 19th._ Finding the river rising rapidly, I thought it
best to secure our passage over [from the N. to the S. bank]; we
consequently made it good by ten o'clock. Rain all day. Preparing our
tools and arms for labor and the chase on the morrow.
_Oct. 20th._ Commenced our labor at two trees for canoes, but one
proved too much doated.[II-12] Killed two buffalo and one cabrie.
Discharged our guns at a mark, the best shot a prize of one tent and a
pair of shoes. Our only dog was standing at the root of the tree, in
the grass; one of the balls struck him on the head and killed him.
Ceased raining about twelve o'clock.
_Oct. 21st._ Dr. Robinson and myself mounted our horses, in order to
go down the river to the entrance of the three last creeks we had
crossed on our route; but meeting with buffalo, we killed four; also,
one cabrie. Returned to the camp and sent for the meat.
_Oct. 22d._ Having sat up very late last evening, expecting the
sergeant and party, who did not arrive, we were very anxious for them;
but about ten o'clock Bradley arrived and informed us that they could
not find the buffalo which we had killed on the prairie. They all
arrived before noon. In the afternoon we scaffolded some meat, and
nearly completed the frame of a skin canoe, which we concluded to
build. Overhauled my instruments and made some rectifications
preparatory to taking an observation, etc.
_Oct. 23d._ Dr. Robinson and myself, accompanied by one man, ascended
the river with an intention of searching for the Spanish trace; at the
same time we dispatched Baroney and our two hunters to kill some
buffalo, to obtain the skins for canoes. We ascended the river about
20 miles to a large branch [Pawnee fork[II-13]] on the right. Just at
dusk gave chase to a buffalo and were obliged to shoot 19 balls into
him before we killed him. Encamped on the fork [at Larned, Pawnee
Co.].
_Oct. 24th._ We ascended the right branch [Pawnee fork] about five
miles [old Fort Larned], but could not see any sign of the Spanish
trace; this is not surprising, as the river bears southwest, and they
no doubt kept more to the west from the head of one branch to another.
We returned and on our way killed some prairie-squirrels [_Cynomys
ludovicianus_], or wishtonwishes, and nine large rattlesnakes
[_Crotalus confluentus_], which frequent their villages. On our
arrival, found the hunters had come in a boat, one hour before, with
two buffalo and one elk skin.
The wishtonwish of the Indians, prairie-dogs of some travelers, or
squirrels, as I should be inclined to denominate them, reside on the
prairies of Louisiana in towns or villages, having an evident police
established in their communities. The sites of their towns are
generally on the brow of a hill, near some creek or pond, in order to
be convenient to water, and that the high ground which they inhabit
may not be subject to inundation. Their residence, being under ground,
is burrowed out, and the earth, which answers the double purpose of
keeping out the water and affording an elevated place in wet seasons
to repose on, and to give them a further and more distinct view of the
country. Their holes descend in a spiral form; therefore I could never
ascertain their depth; but I once had 140 kettles of water poured into
one of them in order to drive out the occupant, without effect. In the
circuit of the villages they clear off all the grass, and leave the
earth bare of vegetation; but whether it is from an instinct they
possess inducing them to keep the ground thus cleared, or whether they
make use of the herbage as food, I cannot pretend to determine. The
latter opinion I think entitled to a preference, as their teeth
designate them to be of the graminivorous species, and I know of no
other substance which is produced in the vicinity of their positions
on which they could subsist; and they never extend their excursions
more than half a mile from the burrows. They are of a dark brown
color, except their bellies, which are white. Their tails are not so
long as those of our gray squirrels, but are shaped precisely like
theirs; their teeth, head, nails, and body are the perfect squirrel,
except that they are generally fatter than that animal. Their villages
sometimes extend over two and three miles square, in which there must
be innumerable hosts of them, as there is generally a burrow every ten
steps in which there are two or more, and you see new ones partly
excavated on all the borders of the town. We killed great numbers of
them with our rifles and found them excellent meat, after they were
exposed a night or two to the frost, by which means the rankness
acquired by their subterraneous dwelling is corrected. As you approach
their towns, you are saluted on all sides by the cry of "wishtonwish,"
from which they derive their name with the Indians, uttered in a
shrill and piercing manner. You then observe them all retreating to
the entrance of their burrows, where they post themselves, and regard
every, even the slightest, movement that you make. It requires a very
nice shot with a rifle to kill them, as they must be killed dead, for
as long as life exists they continue to work into their cells. It is
extremely dangerous to pass through their towns, as they abound with
rattlesnakes, both of the yellow and black species; and strange as it
may appear, I have seen the wishtonwish, the rattlesnake, the horn
frog [_Phrynosoma douglasi_], with which the prairie abounds (termed
by the Spaniards the cammellion [camaleon, _i. e._, chameleon], from
their taking no visible sustenance), and a land-tortoise, all take
refuge in the same hole. I do not pretend to assert that it was their
common place of resort; but I have witnessed the above facts more than
in one instance.[II-14]
_Oct. 25th._ Took an observation; passed the day in writing, and
preparing for the departure of Lieutenant Wilkinson.
_Sunday, Oct. 26th._ Delivered out a ration of corn by way of
distinction of the Sabbath. Preparing for our departure.
_Oct. 27th._ Delivered to Lieutenant Wilkinson letters for the
general[II-15] and our friends, with other papers, consisting of his
instructions, traverse tables of our voyage, and a draught of our
route to that place complete, in order that if we were lost, and he
arrived in safety, we might not have made the tour without some
benefit to our country. He took with him, in corn and meat, 21 days'
provisions, and all the necessary tools to build canoes or cabins.
Launched his canoes. We concluded we would separate in the morning, he
to descend [the river], and we to ascend to the mountains.
_Oct. 28th._ As soon as possible all was in motion, my party crossing
the river to the north side, and Lieutenant Wilkinson launching his
canoes of skins and wood. We breakfasted together, and then filed off;
but I suffered my party to march, while I remained to see Lieutenant
Wilkinson sail. This he did at ten o'clock, having one skin canoe,
made of four buffalo skins and two elk skins, which held three men
besides himself and one Osage. In his wooden canoe were one soldier,
one Osage, and their baggage; one other soldier marched on
shore.[II-16] We parted with "God bless you" from both parties; they
appeared to sail very well. In the pursuit of our party, Dr. Robinson,
Baroney, one soldier, and myself, killed a brelau [blaireau, badger,
_Taxidea americana_] and a buffalo; of the latter we took only his
marrow-bones and liver. Arrived where our men had encamped, about
dusk. Distance 14 miles.[II-17]
_Oct. 29th._ Marched after breakfast and in the first hour's march
passed two fires, where 21 Indians had recently encamped, in which
party, by their paintings on the rocks, there were seven guns. Killed
a buffalo, halted, made fire, and feasted on the choice pieces of
meat. About noon discovered two horses feeding with a herd of buffalo;
we attempted to surround them, but they soon cleared our fleetest
coursers. One appeared to be an elegant horse. These were the first
wild horses we had seen. Two or three hours before night struck the
Spanish road; and, as it was snowing, halted and encamped the party at
the first woods on the bank of the river. The doctor and myself then
forded it, the ice running very thick, in order to discover the course
the Spaniards took; but owing to the many buffalo roads, could not
ascertain it. It evidently appeared that they had halted here some
time, as the ground was covered with horse-dung for miles around.
Returned to camp. The snow fell about two inches deep, and then it
cleared up. Distance 12 miles.[II-18]
_Oct. 30th._ In the morning sent out to kill a buffalo, to have his
marrow-bones for breakfast, which was accomplished. After breakfast
the party marched up on the north side; the doctor and myself crossed
with considerable difficulty, on account of the ice, to the Spanish
camp, where we took a large circuit in order to discover the Spanish
trace, and came in at a point of woods south of the river, where we
found our party encamped. We discovered also that the Spanish troops
had marked the river up [_i. e._, left an up-river trail], and that a
party of savages had been there not more than three days before.
Killed two buffalo. Distance 4 miles. [Opposite Garfield, Pawnee Co.,
where Big Coon creek falls in.[II-19]]
_Oct. 31st._ Fine day; marched at three quarters past nine o'clock, on
the Spanish road. Encamped, sun an hour high, after having made 16
miles [opposite Kinsley, Edwards Co.[II-20]].
We observed this day a species of crystallization on the road, when
the sun was high, in low places where there had been water settled; on
tasting it found it to be salt; this gave in my mind some authenticity
to the report of the prairie being covered for leagues. Discovered the
trace of about 20 savages who had followed our road; and of horses
going down the river. Killed one buffalo, one elk, one deer.
_Nov. 1st._ Marched early; just after commencing our line, heard a gun
on our left. The doctor, Baroney, and myself being in advance, and
lying on the ground waiting for the party, a band of cabrie came up
among our horses, to satisfy their curiosity; we could not resist the
temptation of killing two, although we had plenty of meat. At the
report of the gun they appeared astonished, and stood still until we
hallowed [hallooed] at them to drive them away. Encamped in the
evening on an island.[II-21]
Upon using my glass to observe the adjacent country, I observed on the
prairie a herd of horses. Dr. Robinson and Baroney accompanied me to
go and view them; when within a quarter of a mile they discovered us,
and came immediately up near us, making the earth tremble under them;
this brought to my recollection a charge of cavalry. They stopped and
gave us an opportunity to view them; among them there were some very
beautiful bays, blacks, and grays, and indeed of all colors. We fired
at a black horse, with an idea of creasing[II-22] him, but did not
succeed; they flourished round and returned again to see us, when we
returned to camp.
_Sunday, Nov. 2d._ In the morning, for the purpose of trying the
experiment, we equipped six of our fleetest coursers with riders and
ropes, to noose the wild horses, if in our power to come among the
band. They stood until we came within forty yards of them, neighing
and whinneying, when the chase began, which we continued about two
miles, without success. Two of our horses ran up with them; but we
could not take them. Returned to camp. I have since laughed at our
folly; for taking wild horses in that manner is scarcely ever
attempted, even with the fleetest horses and most expert ropers. See
my account of wild horses and the manner of taking them, in my
dissertation on the province of Texas. Marched late. Killed one
buffalo. River turned to north by west. Hills changed to the north
side. Distance 13½ miles.[II-23]
_Nov. 3d._ Marched at ten o'clock. Passed numerous herds of buffalo,
elk, some horses, etc., all traveling south. The river bottoms full of
salt ponds; grass similar to our salt meadows. Killed one buffalo.
Distance 25½ miles.[II-24]
_Nov. 4th._ This day brought to our recollection the fate of our
countrymen at Recovery,[II-25] when defeated by the Indians, in the
year 1791. In the afternoon discovered the north side of the river to
be covered with animals; which, when we came to them, proved to be
buffalo cows and calves. I do not think it an exaggeration to say
there were 3,000 in one view. It is worthy of remark that in all the
extent of country yet crossed, we never saw one cow, and that now the
face of the earth appeared to be covered with them. Killed one
buffalo. Distance 24½ miles.[II-26]
_Nov. 5th._ Marched at our usual hour; at the end of two miles shot a
buffalo and two deer, and halted, which detained us so long that we
foolishly concluded to halt this day and kill some cows and calves,
which lay on the opposite side of the river. I took post on a hill,
and sent some horsemen over, when a scene took place which gave a
lively representation of an engagement. The herd of buffalo being
divided into separate bands covered the prairie with dust, and first
charged on the one side, then to the other, as the pursuit of the
horsemen impelled them; the report and smoke from the guns added to
the pleasure of the scene, which in part compensated for our
detention.
_Nov. 6th._ Marched early, but was detained two or three hours by the
cows which we killed. The cow buffalo was equal to any meat I ever
saw, and we feasted sumptuously on the choice morsels. I will not
attempt to describe the droves of animals we now saw on our route;
suffice it to say that the face of the prairie was covered with them,
on each side of the river; their numbers exceeded imagination.
Distance 16 miles.[II-27]
_Nov. 7th._ Marched early. The herbage being very poor, concluded to
lay by on the morrow, in order to recruit our horses. Killed three cow
buffalo, one calf, two wolves, one brelaw. Distance 18 miles.[II-28]
_Nov. 8th._ Our horses being very much jaded and our situation very
eligible, we halted all day; jerked meat, mended mockinsons, etc.
_Sunday, Nov. 9th._ Marched early. At twelve o'clock struck the
Spanish road, which had been on the outside of us, and which appeared
to be considerably augmented. On our arrival at the camp, found it to
consist of 96 fires, from which a reasonable conclusion might be drawn
that there were from 600 to 700 men. We this day found the face of the
country considerably changed, being hilly, with springs; passed
numerous herds of buffalo and some horses. Distance 27 miles.[II-29]
_Nov. 10th._ The hills increased; the banks of the river covered with
groves of young cottonwood; the river itself much narrower and
crooked. Our horses growing weak; two gave out; bring them along
empty; cut down trees at night for them to browse on. Killed one
buffalo. Distance 20 miles.[II-30]
_Nov. 11th._ Marched at the usual hour. Passed two old camps, and one
of last summer, which had belonged to the savages, and we supposed
Tetaus. Passed a Spanish camp where it appeared they remained some
days, as we conjectured, to lay up meat, previously to entering the
Tetau country, as the buffalo evidently began to grow much less
numerous. Finding the impossibility of performing the voyage in the
time proposed, I determined to spare no pains to accomplish every
object, even should it oblige me to spend another winter in the
desert. Killed one buffalo, one brelaw. Distance 24 miles.[II-31]
_Nov. 12th._ Was obliged to leave the two horses, which entirely gave
out. Missed the Spanish road. Killed one buffalo. Distance 20
miles.[II-32]
_Nov. 13th._ We marched at the usual hour. The river-banks began to be
entirely covered with woods on both sides, but no other species than
cotton-wood. Discovered very fresh signs of Indians, and one of our
hunters informed me he saw a man on horseback, ascending a ravine on
our left. Discovered signs of war-parties ascending the river. Wounded
several buffalo. Killed one turkey, the first we have seen since we
left the Pawnees. [Supposed distance 12 miles.[II-33]]
_Nov. 14th._ In the morning, Dr. Robinson, one man and myself, went
up the ravine in which the man was supposed to have been seen, but
could make no important discovery. Marched at two o'clock; passed a
point of red rocks and one large creek.[II-34] Distance 10 miles.
_Nov. 15th._ Marched early. Passed two deep creeks[II-35] and many
high points of rocks; also, large herds of buffalo.
At two o'clock in the afternoon I thought I could distinguish a
mountain to our right, which appeared like a small blue cloud; viewed
it with the spy glass, and was still more confirmed in my conjecture,
yet only communicated it to Dr. Robinson, who was in front with me;
but in half an hour they appeared in full view before us. When our
small party arrived on the hill they with one accord gave three cheers
to the Mexican mountains.[II-36] Their appearance can easily be
imagined by those who have crossed the Alleghenies; but their sides
were whiter, as if covered with snow, or a white stone. Those were a
spur of the grand western chain of mountains which divide the waters
of the Pacific from those of the Atlantic ocean; and it [the spur]
divides the waters which empty into the Bay of the Holy Spirit from
those of the Mississippi, as the Alleghenies do those which discharge
themselves into the latter river and the Atlantic. They appear to
present a natural boundary between the province of Louisiana and New
Mexico, and would be a defined and natural boundary.
Before evening we discovered a fork [Purgatory river] on the south
side bearing S. 25° W.; and as the Spanish troops appeared to have
borne up it, we encamped on its banks, about one mile from its
confluence, that we might make further discoveries on the morrow,
Killed three buffalo. Distance 24 miles.[II-37]
_Sunday, Nov. 16th._ After ascertaining that the Spanish troops had
ascended the right branch or main river, we marched at two o'clock.
The Arkansaw appeared at this place to be much more navigable than
below, where we first struck it; and for any impediment I have yet
discovered in the river, I would not hesitate to embark in February at
its mouth and ascend to the Mexican mountains, with crafts properly
constructed. Distance 11½ miles.[II-38]
_Nov. 17th._ Marched at our usual hour; pushed on with an idea of
arriving at the mountains, but found at night no visible difference in
their appearance from what we did yesterday. One of our horses gave
out and was left in a ravine, not being able to ascend the hill; but I
sent back for him and had him brought to the camp. Distance 23½
miles.[II-39]
_Nov. 18th._ As we discovered fresh signs of the savages, we concluded
it best to stop and kill some meat, for fear we should get into a
country where we could not kill game. Sent out the hunters; walked
myself to an eminence whence I took the courses to the different
mountains, and a small sketch of their appearance. In the evening,
found the hunters had killed without mercy, having slain 17 buffalo
and wounded at least 20 more.
_Nov. 19th._ Having several buffalo brought in, gave out sufficient to
last this month. I found it expedient to remain and dry the meat, as
our horses were getting very weak, and the one died which was brought
up on the 17th. Had a general feast of marrow-bones, 136 of them
furnishing the repast.
_Nov. 20th._ Marched at our usual hour; but as our horses' loads were
considerably augmented by the death of one horse and the addition of
900 lbs. of meat, we moved slowly and made only 18 miles.[II-40]
Killed two buffalo and took some choice pieces.
_Nov. 21st._ Marched at our usual hour; passed two Spanish camps,
within three miles of each other. We again discovered the tracks of
two men, who had ascended the river yesterday. This caused us to move
with caution; but at the same time increased our anxiety to discover
them. The river was certainly as navigable here, and I think much more
so, than some hundred miles below; which I suppose arises from its
flowing through a long course of sandy soil, which must absorb much of
the water, and render it shoaler below than above, near the mountains.
Distance 21 miles.[II-41]
_Nov. 22d._ Marched at our usual hour, and with rather more caution
than usual. After having marched about five miles on the prairie, we
descended into the bottom--the front only[II-42]; when Baroney cried
out "_Voila un Savage!_" We observed a number running from the woods
toward us; we advanced to them, and on turning my head to the left I
observed several running on the hill, as it were to surround us; one
with a stand of colors. This caused a momentary halt; but perceiving
those in front reaching out their hands, and without arms, we again
advanced; they met us with open arms, crowding round to touch and
embrace us. They appeared so anxious that I dismounted from my horse;
in a moment a fellow had mounted him and was off. I then observed that
the doctor and Baroney were in the same predicament. The Indians were
embracing the soldiers. After some time tranquillity was so far
restored, they having returned our horses all safe, as to enable us to
learn they were a war-party from the Grand Pawnees, who had been in
search of the Tetaus; but not finding them, were now on their return.
An unsuccessful war-party, on their return home, are always ready to
embrace an opportunity of gratifying their disappointed vengeance on
the first persons whom they meet.
Made for the woods and unloaded our horses, when the two partisans
endeavored to arrange the party; it was with great difficulty that
they got them tranquil, and not until there had been a bow or two bent
on the occasion. When in some order, we found them to be 60 warriors,
half with fire-arms, and half with bows, arrows, and lances. Our party
was 16 total. In a short time they were arranged in a ring, and I took
my seat between the two partisans; our colors were placed opposite
each other; the utensils for smoking were paraded on a small seat
before us; thus far all was well. I then ordered half a carrot of
tobacco, one dozen knives, 60 fire steels, and 60 flints to be
presented them. They demanded ammunition, corn, blankets, kettles,
etc., all of which they were refused, notwithstanding the pressing
instances of my interpreter to accord to some points. The pipes yet
lay unmoved, as if they were undetermined whether to treat us as
friends or enemies; but after some time we were presented with a
kettle of water, drank, smoked, and ate together. During this time Dr.
Robinson was standing up to observe their actions, in order that we
might be ready to commence hostilities as soon as they. They now took
their presents and commenced distributing them, but some malcontents
threw them away, by way of contempt.
We began to load our horses, when they encircled us and commenced
stealing everything they could. Finding it was difficult to preserve
my pistols, I mounted my horse, when I found myself frequently
surrounded; during which some were endeavoring to steal the pistols.
The doctor was equally engaged in another quarter, and all the
soldiers in their positions, in taking things from them. One having
stolen my tomahawk, I informed the chief; but he paid no respect,
except to reply that "they were pitiful." Finding this, I determined
to protect ourselves, as far as was in my power, and the affair began
to take a serious aspect. I ordered my men to take their arms and
separate themselves from the savages; at the same time declaring to
them that I would kill the first man who touched our baggage. On which
they commenced filing off immediately; we marched about the same time,
and found they had made out to steal one sword, tomahawk, broad-ax,
five canteens, and sundry other small articles. After leaving them,
when I reflected on the subject, I felt myself sincerely mortified,
that the smallness of my number obliged me thus to submit to the
insults of lawless banditti, it being the first time a savage ever
took anything from me with the least appearance of force.
After encamping at night the doctor and myself went about one mile
back, and waylaid the road, determined in case we discovered any of
the rascals pursuing us to steal our horses, to kill two at least; but
after waiting behind some logs until some time in the night, and
discovering no person, we returned to camp. Killed two buffalo and one
deer. Distance 17 miles.[II-43]
_Sunday, Nov. 23d._ Marched at ten o'clock; at one o'clock came to the
third fork [St. Charles river], on the south side, and encamped at
night in the point of the grand forks [confluence of Fountain river].
As the river appeared to be dividing itself into many small branches,
and of course must be near its extreme source, I concluded to put the
party in a defensible situation, and ascend the north fork [Fountain
river] to the high point [Pike's Peak] of the blue mountain [Front
range], which we conceived would be one day's march, in order to be
enabled, from its pinical [pinnacle], to lay down the various branches
and positions of the country. Killed five buffalo. Distance 19
miles.[II-44]
_Nov. 24th._ Early in the morning we cut down 14 logs, and put up a
breast work,[II-45] five feet high on three sides and the other
thrown on the river. After giving the necessary orders for their
government during my absence, in case of our not returning, we marched
at one o'clock, with an idea of arriving at the foot of the mountain;
but found ourselves obliged to take up our night's lodging under a
single cedar which we found in the prairie, without water and
extremely cold. Our party besides myself consisted of Dr. Robinson,
and Privates Miller and Brown. Distance 12 miles.[II-46]
_Nov. 25th._ Marched early, with an expectation of ascending the
mountain, but was only able to encamp at its base, after passing over
many small hills covered with cedars and pitch-pines. Our encampment
was on a [Turkey] creek, where we found no water for several miles
from the mountain; but near its base, found springs sufficient
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