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 ■jv^t^f-fSaM*.'*^, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TRAVELS 
 
 IN THE 
 
 GEEAT WESTERN PRAIRIES 
 
 THE AJiAlll'AC AND ROCKY ilIOUXTALNS, 
 
 AND IN THE 
 
 OREGON TERRITORY. 
 
 BY THOMAS J. FARNHAM. 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 It \"n» customary, in old times, for till Authors - 
 to enter the world of lellcrs on tlieir \uinn, and 
 with uncovered head and u lx)w of ehiirniin;^' i 
 meekness, write themselves some hrainlcsd dolt's j 
 " most hunihlc and obedient scrvaut." In 
 later days, the Bamc feigned suhscrvieney has 
 fihown itself m other forms. One desires tiiat 
 Bomc other will kindly pardon the weakness and 
 imhce,ility of his production; for, although these i 
 faults may exist in his book, lie wrote under " most '! 
 adverse cbcumstances," as the crying of a hoixftil 
 child— the quarrels of his [Kiultry, and utlicr dis. 
 asters of the season. 
 
 Anotlicr, clothed with the mantle of the sweet. 
 CBt Bclf.coniplac<'n<'y, looks out from his Preface 
 like a sun-dog on the morning shy, and merely 
 shinrs uul llir query, " Am I nnl a .Sim .'" while 
 he wiCUrCB a retreat for his solf-love, in case any 
 body should supjKjse he ever indulged s>uch a i>iu- 
 gular sentiment. 
 
 Another few of our literary shades make no jiie. 
 tensions to niDdesty. Tliey hold out to llir world 
 no need of aid in laying the foundalions of their 
 fame. .Vnd, however adverse the opinions of the 
 times may l)c to their claims on inunortal renown, 
 they are sure of living hereafler — and only regret 
 they should have lived a lumilred years bcl'ore llie 
 world was prepared to receive them. 
 
 There is another class who — contidcnt tha 
 they u:iderRtaiid the subjects they treat of, ifnotll. 
 ing eUe, aiul that, epcaking plain truth for the in. 
 formation of piaui men, they caimot fail to narrate 
 matter of interest concerning scenes or incidents 
 they have vituesscd, and sens itions they have c.^- 
 perienced — trouble not thenis-elves witli qU'ilnwof 
 inability or lack of p'jl!.i!i, but speak from the 
 heiu't right on. These write tiieir names on their 
 title-pages, and leave their readers at leisure Xft 
 judge of their merits as they dcvelope themselves 
 in the work it..jlf, without any si>cciil pleading or 
 any deiueeatorv prayers to tlie reviews, by 
 
 "THE AUTHOR." 
 
 INTRODUCTIOX. 
 
 The Oiirj:o.\ TEiiiirroav form:* the tcrmiima of 
 thr;ic travels; and, as lli:it loimlry is an object of 
 mui'li interest on both sides of the .Vtlaiilic, I hava 
 thought proper to preface my wanderings there by 
 a brief discussion of tlie question as to whom it 
 belongs. 
 
 Hv iredics l)elwei'n tlic United .States and 
 Spain and .Mexico and Russia the southern boun- 
 dary of Oregon is fixed on the I'-id parallel of 
 .Vorth Latitude; and Ihcnorlhcriion an East and 
 West line at .'> ' li)'. North. Us natural boundary 
 on tlie Ivist i the main ridgr of the Rocky Moun- 
 tains, situated about -I'H) miles East of the Paciti'o 
 Ocean, which washes it on the West. From these 
 
 Entered accords 
 three, bv TiiOM.\s 
 
 ing to an Act uf Congress, in the year of our Lord ei^hle.n hundred and forty 
 J. F.vn.MUM, in 'the Clerk's Office oj the Southern Dis^'^"'' Ar*«-V«-;i, 
 
 nsdc 
 
 ^m 
 
Travels in the Great Western Prairies, 
 
 data the reader will observe tliHt it is about 600 
 iiiilee in length and 400 in brentli 
 
 authorities referred to, no jurisdiction had been 
 exercised by tlie subjcctB of any civiUzcd power 
 
 According to tlie well cstf.blished laws of Na- i "" any part of llio North-Wcsl coast of America 
 tions applicable to the prcniis<'s, the title to the between :)" and OOdogrccBof North latitude 
 Bovereignty over it depends upon the prior diseov. 
 ery and occupancy of it, and uiron cessions liy 
 
 treaty from the first discoverer and occupant. — 
 These several important matters I proceed to ex- 
 amine with Grccnough's History of the Northwest 
 coast of America and the works therein named 
 before me as sources of reference. 
 
 From the year 1533 to 1540, the .SjisinlHli fiov. 
 cnunent sent four expeditions to explore the North. 
 West Coast of Americii in search of what did not 
 exist,— a water communication from the I'a. 
 cific to the Atlantic. These iloets were severally 
 commanded by Mazuehi, tirijalva, Bceera and 
 UUoa. They visited the coast of Califoniia an<l 
 the South- WcBteni shore of Oregon. 
 
 The next Naval Expedition, under the same 
 Power, commanded by Bartolenie Ferrelo, pene- 
 trated the North as far as latitude 43° and (Uscov- 
 cred Cape Blanco. 
 
 Juan de Fuca discovered and entered the 
 •Straits that boar liis name in the year 1592. — 
 He Bi)ent twenty days within the StraitR in ma- 
 king himself acquainted with the surrounding 
 
 Thus is it shown on how firm and incontro. 
 vertible data the Spanish claims rest to the prior 
 discovery and occupancy of the Oregon Terrritory . 
 
 But as against England this claim was rendered 
 if possible more certain by the treaty of February 
 lOth, 17U3, between Spain, England and Franco 
 — by which England was confirmed in her ('ana. 
 diaii possessions, and Spain in her discoveries and 
 |)iirehaNed jmsscssions west of the Mississippi. If, 
 then, England has any claim to Oregon as derived 
 from Spain, it must rest on treaty stipulations en- 
 tered nito Hubsiquently tn the lOtli of February, 
 17t)3. We accordingly find her to liavc formed 
 a treaty with Spain iu the )-ear 180(1, sotthng the 
 diffictdties between the two powers in relation 
 to Nootka Sound. By the first article of thcron- 
 vention, Spain agreed to restore to England those 
 jwrtinns of the country around Nootka Sound 
 which r.ngland had so oecujjied in regard to time 
 and manner as to have acquired a right to them. 
 The 5th article siipidates as follows : 
 
 adjacent, situate to the north of the coast already 
 occupied by Spain wherein the subjects of either 
 of the two Hovers shall have made settlements 
 since the month of April 1789, or shall hereafter 
 make any. 'l"he subjects of the other shall have 
 free access and shall carry on their trade without 
 any disturbance or molestation." 
 
 The inquiries that naturally arise here are, on 
 what places or parts of the North-West Coast did 
 
 "5th. As well in the places which arc to lie 
 restored to the British subjects by virtue of the 
 
 country, tracUng with the natives, and in taking ; ^,?S "51''^''; "/ '" "" f '" '^'"'''""f ''"" '"^'°"'l- 
 ■', ^ ... 1 AVest t oast of North America, or of the Island, 
 
 jiosscssion of the adjacent territories m the name ' 
 
 of the Spanish Crown. The Straits dc Fuca en. 
 
 ter the land in latitude 49° North, and, running ] 
 
 one hundred miles in a South-easterly diree. 
 
 tion, change their course North-westwardly and 
 
 enter the Ocean again under latitude 51° ; 
 
 IJorth. And thus it appears that Spain diseov. \ 
 
 cred the Oregon Coast from latitude 4i.'° to 49° | 
 
 North 251 years ago— and, as will appe.ir by ref- ! tl.is article oi)erate; what rights were grant. ' by 
 
 erence to dates, 184 years jmor to the celebrated ■ -^^^ ,„„i (^ ^^,,,,1 patent the V'nited States, as the 
 
 English Expedition under Captain Cook. | j^^ccessors of Spain, in the ownership of Oregon, 
 
 In 1602, and subsequent years Corran and Vis- i| ^fg hound by this treaty I 
 caiiio, in the employment of Spain, surveyed many jj These will be considered in their order. 
 parts of the Oregon Coast, and in the fullowing , dearly the old Spanish settleinintsof the Call- 
 year Aguiler in the same service, discovered the ,' f„mias were not ineluded among the places or 
 mouth of thel'inpquariverinjatitiide44° North. :i parts of the Norlli-West Coast on which this ar- 
 
 In August, 1774, Pare/, and Martinez under tide was intended to operate, for the reason that 
 the Spanish Hag discovered and anchored in '[^ Kiigland, the party in interest, has never claimed 
 Nootka Sound. It lies between 49 and 50 de. } that they were. But on the contrary, in all her 
 grces of North latitude. !^ diplomatic and commercial intercourse with Spain 
 
 In 1774 and 1775 the North- West Coast was j since IHOil, she has treated the soil of the (/ahfor- 
 explored by Parez and Martinez of the S|)anish j nias with the same consideration that she has any 
 nervice, as far North as the 58th parallel oflati-'l portion of the Spanish territories in Europe. — 
 tude. i And since that country has formed a department 
 
 On the 6th day of May, 1789, the Spanish cap. jl of the Mexican Republic, England has setup 
 tain Martinez, commanding two national onned j no claims within its limits under this treaty, 
 vesecls, took possession of Nootka Sound and the I Was Nootka Sound embraced among the pla. 
 •iiioiuijifr country. Previoua to this event, say the ccs refcrcd to in thii article ? That woi the onlv 
 
 eel 111 f 
 |ecls 
 
 muiilll 
 aii'l u| 
 
in the Rocky Mounlains, the Oregon Tcrrilor;/, ffc. 
 
 icttldiiriit on tlu! Nortli Went ('iKiHt, of the; mil). 
 jcclB of Si):iiii or Kti;;luinl, nm<lr lictwicii thfi 
 iiiuatli of April, ITri?, <iii:l llio >\niv i>( 111" (nsily. 
 iiu^l \v.i;i uiiilfmlili(ll)- (•ml)r;iiT<l in llw 'A\\ Arti. 
 rlu. Anil so wwi tlif rcniiiinilrr of llir roasi, ly. 
 in'^ Norlliwiird of Nocilkii on wliicli Spiiin hul 
 cltiinis. It (lid not cxtciil Smilli of Noulkii Somitl. 
 Sol an in<-li of wiil in tlic> vallry of the ('nltniil)iii 
 ami its Irilmt uicM wns incliidcil in tli' provisions 
 of Irciity of 17(i.'). 
 
 Our ni'xt inipiiry rcl ilcs to the n;ilnrr :inil ex- 
 tt'nt of llio riglilH iit Noolka und nurlliward which 
 Kii'jlund iiC(|nircd by this Ircily. 'J'licy urr 
 (ktrK'il in tlir conclndin'j; jdirasr of tlir :nii<drl)(". 
 fo.iM'itcd. Till' suliji'i'ls of liolli till- iT)iitrnclin<; 
 I'owiTK •' shall have fri'i' across, and slidl carry 
 on llicirlrado willi'inl distnrliancc or inoUsiition."' 
 In oIli'M' words llic sulijccls of Kntrland shall have 
 l.ii; H inic rijjht to est ililisli tradin-j posts and car. 
 ry on a trade wilii the Indians, as were, or shonid 
 he enjiived hy SJ)•.lMi^:ll snlijecls in those r(';;ions. 
 Docs this stipidatiiin ahroriile the Sovi.'rriiriil v <d 
 .■-^p lin over those Territories ! I)n;;land Ik rsilf 
 has si'arcely inipu'lenite eiioaffh to nrire with se. 
 rinnsness a proposilinn sc) ridicnlimsly absurd. A 
 j;rant of an e([U d riirlil to sellle in a coinitry for 
 piM'pc)ses of trade— anil a [fnacanty afi'ainst "dis. 
 tnrbanee"' and " molestation," does not, in any vn. 
 cahulary of common reason, imply u cession of I he 
 KovereijTiily of the IciTitory in whiih Ihesoaclsare 
 to be done. The- niniib.r and nalnre of tlie rijjhis 
 frranled to Kn;^l;Mid hy I his Ire ity ari' simply a r\<shl 
 of the joint oe.cnpiiiey of Xootlia and Ihe Spanish 
 territories to the Nijiiliward for pii'pnscs nt trade 
 with the, Indians ; a joint tenancy, suhiecl to he 
 terminated at the will of Ihe owner of the lillelo 
 the feo and 111'- Sovereijruty ; und, if not Ihiis 
 tcrminaleil, to he teniiinalevl hy llii' opiTaliens 
 of the ni'Cessity of thin:'s — the lui'iilnl ilioii of 
 the trade — the destrii-lion of the Indians llnni- 
 selves as they should fall hefoa^ the march of civ. 
 ili/ati'Xi. It eml.l nol have bicna perpelnal riLrhl. 
 ill the eimteniplation of either of Ihe ei<ntraeliii;r 
 parties. 
 
 Uill there are re irons why the provisions of the 
 
 treaty of 17().3 in ver hive been ao.l n vi r can he 
 hindinij on the rnited .States as ih ■ Mieeessors of 
 Spain in the Oregon Territory. 
 
 There is the evidence of private irentleineii of 
 tlie niost nndonblcd idiaraed r ^oiii;; lo show, that 
 iSpain neilliersiirrend' red lo Ensjlandany portion 
 of Nootka — or ollii r parts of the North- West 
 Coast; for that if she otVeivd to do do, the oiler was 
 not acted upon by lliiiiland; — and testimony to 
 the same elVecl in the deliates of ihe limes in Ihe 
 Farliainunt of Britain, iu which tliis important 
 
 , fiict is distinctly ussertcd, anlhorisi! iih to declitro 
 
 I that the treaty of 1 7f i<i was itnnnlled hy Spnin, nnd 
 so considered by Knijland herself And if Hni^land 
 did not nil an lo show the worbl thai she aeipiicHced 
 ill the iioii-liilliliiient of Spiin. t.lie shoiihl have 
 
 ' reasserled her ri;,r|ils. if she lhoi|i;ht she had any, 
 and not lefl third parlies to infer that she hail 
 
 I (Mliellv aliindoned them. The I 'nitcd States had 
 
 I every reasfin to infer such iiliandoiiment ; and in 
 view of it, thus manilesled. piireliased <)rei,'on 
 of .Spain. I'lider these ciicinnsl inces, with what 
 jiisliee can Ihigland, after the hi|me of nearly Intif 
 a century, come forward and demand of the sni;- 
 ccssor of Spain ri!,dits in Oreiroii which shir Ihim 
 virln.illy abandoned — which were refused by 
 Spain, and to wliii h she never had the shadow of 
 a ri;,'ht on the score of prior discovery, oceiipan. 
 cy or |iiirehase > The perpelually controlling im- 
 pudence aiul selfishness of her iMiliey is the only 
 plea that hislory will assif^n lo her in aecoimtiii|r 
 for Ik r pretensions in this matter. 
 
 Knjiland also (daces her claim to Dreijon ii|>on 
 the ri^dil of di.seovery. f.et lis examine this: 
 
 TIk first Ihiglish vessel wiiieli visited that coust 
 was comiiianded by I'raneis iMaUe. lie entered 
 the I'acilie in ITTH; and. allboiiirh his invn eonn. 
 try was at peace with Spain, rolilied Ihe towns and 
 shi|is along the ^le.xiiMii coast with all the hardi- 
 hood and rccklessncssof a|ir:i lieedpirate, niidere. 
 ated siieli a sens ilioii alniii; the eoas! that his namo 
 was a terror lo Ihe people for a i" ill iiry afterwards. 
 After he had amused himself in this manner to 
 his salisfielioii. he saibd up 'h" coast to the 45111 
 
 j parallel of .North lalilu le. and then returned to the 
 .')H|li deirrie — ai'cijiled Ihe crown of the native 
 Prince in the name of his l^neen — cidled the conn, 
 try .New Albion — reliiiiiid lo lve,r|and. and was, 
 in virtue of the kiiii;hlliood eonlerred upon him, 
 clmn<(ed from a pirati to an honest irentlenian. 
 
 The p' rtionsol OriMronseen by Ihiikehad been 
 seen an e.vplored by Ihe .Spaniards several times 
 
 ! williin the previinis thirty y< .us. 
 
 Sir 'J'lionias CaMiidish next came n|)oii the 
 
 : coast; hut did not see .so minli ul it as Drake hud. 
 The celebrated I'aplaiii Cook lollowcd Caven. 
 dish. He saw the coast in latitude l.'J and 48 
 decrees. He passed the Sirails ile f'uca wiMiont 
 .si'ciiid them, and anehoied in Nootka iSound on 
 the Itith of February, \'il'J. In trading with the 
 Indians there, he found th it they had wea|H)nsof 
 iron, ornainenis of bra.ss, and sjioons of .Sj)anisli 
 
 ' nianiii'aelure. Noolka had bein discovered and 
 ociaiiiied hy the .Spani.irds 4 vears before Cook 
 arrived. 
 
 The snbseipicnt Ihiglish navigators — Mears, 
 Vancouver, and otheni — bo far as the Oregon coai 
 
Trnvnl» in the Great. IfViVrn Pniiriet, 
 
 TRAVELS. .Vc 
 
 w,i5 llir (iilil III' llii'ir luliorn, wrre iuIIhwimk in lliol 
 Ir.ifks |iniiilc-i| out liy iIip prrvloiix ilisi-nvcrirn of 
 tlip Spiniirds. 
 
 So riids tlir clniin of niis;lund lo Orccon on tlir 
 rinlil of prior (li-X'ovcry. \;<oppoM(| to Kn;;!.!!!!!, 
 Spiin'H ri^^hls on lliis principle wire iniiiiilolililc. 
 
 Ity till' Iri-ity of Kloriili, r;iliticfl l''ilirti;irv •-'•.M, 
 IHl'.l, Spiiiii <Milcil lo llic I'liihdSliilix 111 1 ri;;lilh 
 ill the (.)rc!ioii 'I'frritory. in llic rollowiiii: wohIh : 
 " Mia Ciiiliolir MiijcHly crdcM to llic s;i.id t'liilid 
 States idl his iii;litM. cluiinn mid prrliMisionx !o 
 liny iPirilorirs r ikI and iiorlli ol s lid Wnf ; " iin'aii. 
 ill); till' I'Jd paralli'l of moiIIi lalitmli', runiMn iic- 
 iiifj at llic head waters ol llic ArliaiiKa«, mid niir 
 niii;j went to the I'liciCic ; " and lor hiiiiHel!', liin 
 liJB licirH and wirpoHPorH rciioiiiiccM all claiiii to 
 the Raid tcrrilorii k lorcviT." 
 
 Hill the L'liiled SlatcH have ri;;htK lo Orrjjon 
 which ol llicinselves annihilate the pietensions 
 iiol only ol' i;n;;laiid hilt the world, llur eilizeiis 
 (irnt diHCovcred that tlie country on which Noot- 
 ka Sound is iilnaled was an island — tliev lii'st 
 imvijiateil thai part of the Sirails ile |''nia lyiinr 
 iH'twi'cn I'liiMfN Soimd and t^iieeii ('harlolte'H 
 Inland, and diKcovered the main coast of Xorlh- 
 wt'Bt America, from latitude H to .'ill de^rrres 
 north. Ainoriran citizens also diRcovercd Queen 
 C'hurlotle'i! Island, sailed around it, and discovered 
 the main lanil to the east ol it, as far north as lat- 
 itude ;').")''. l',iiu;laiid can show no discoveries he- 
 tweeu these latitudes as important ns these; and 
 consoqiienlly has not equal rights willi us, as n 
 disoovcrer, to that ;mrt of Ore;i;on iiovtii of the 
 4!Mli decree ol laliludc. \Vc also discovered 
 the Columbia River; and its whole valley, in ! 
 virtue of that discovery, accriicH to us under the 
 laws of nations. One of these laws is that the 
 nation which discovcrH the inoiitli of a river, hy 
 implication discoveis the whole eonnlry watered 
 hy it. We discovered the inoiilh of the Colnin- 
 bia and most of its hramhrs; and that valley is 
 ours as astainsl the world. Ours, also, hy jmr. 
 chase from Spain, the first discoverer and occu- 
 pant of the coast. Ours hy prior oecupanev of 
 its (ircat River and Valley, and hy that law 
 which gives us, in virtue of such discovery and 
 occupancy, the territories naturally dependent 
 upou such valley. Wo are the rijfhtful and sole 
 owner of all those parts of Orcfion, which are 
 not watered hy the Colninhia, lyin^ on its iiorlli- 
 ern and Minthern iHirdcr, and which, in the Ian- j 
 guage of the law, are nalurally (li pendent upon li oidv response of these martvrs lo hnniaii snpre. 
 
 CUVPTKR I. 
 
 Tlir. Hpnili/niui— Till- Diiliiiiil ion— Tlir Kiliiraiinn n( 
 .Mu'f^ — 't'hf Hmila Ke Trmltfrii— Tin* MoriiKnii— Tli«' 
 IImIV W.ir -Kiiiriinrp ii)K>ii 111." Imtim 'IVrrllnrV— A 
 hi ii'iii'— All Kih-itiitp ni'iil— A ljO%«— A lluiil— Tlii* llmiKe 
 Ui.cr— \ Ml I liiii: lui I IViriinsf- Knnz iii< Imliiiis— An In- 
 itt.iii t'liii'iinipnii-nt— (^finiiril Oriivc— Kiiln*— An Imlinn 
 anil 111* W.iiit — Kik— .\ riMii|ic»l— Ciipiiin Ki-lly— A Com- 
 fiirllcNs Ni^lil, 
 
 On the '.'Ist of >ray. HHil. the author anil six- 
 Ircii otherH arrived in the town of liidcpindencc. 
 Mo. Onr dcsliiiation was the Oiejron Territory. 
 Some of onr iiinnher soii;;hl heallli in the wilder. 
 iiesM — others Min(,'iit the wilderness for its own 
 Hake — and still olhi rs souifhl a residence aiiioni; 
 the aiicienl loiests and lofty liii;hlH of the valley 
 of llie Coliniiliia ; anil each aelualed liy his own 
 peculiar rcanins ol interest heiraiihis piep.ir.itionn 
 lor leavini; the rrontier. I'aek iiiiili s and horses 
 and pack-siiddles were purchased and prepared for 
 i service, liaeoii iiiiil Hour, salt and pepper, siilli- 
 eii'iil fur ini) niilis, were secured in sacks; onr 
 jiowdcr-casks wire wrapped in painleil canvass; 
 and laryje oil-clollis were purchased to protect 
 these and onr sacks of clolhiiiix I'ioin the rains; 
 our arms were ihoroiiijiily repaired; liiilli Is were 
 moulded ; puwder-hurris and eap-hoM's tilled ; and 
 all else done that «as deemed iieeeiUnl, liefore wii 
 struck onr lent lorllie Indian 'I'errilory. 
 
 Hut Im role leaviii;; this little woodhnid town, it 
 will he inlerestin;,' to remenilHT that it is the usual 
 place of rcnde/.voiis and ■•oull'it" for the overland 
 traders to Santa I'V and other .Mexicii" .States, hi 
 the month of Mav of each year, these tiaders cou. 
 ^reijate here, and liiiy larjre I'ennsylvaiiiii wa(jons, 
 and teams of mules to convey their calicooB, cot- 
 tons, cloths, hoots, shoes, &<•.&<■., over the plains 
 to Ihtit distant and hazardous niarkel. And it is 
 (|iiile ainnsiu'T to a ' ,rrccn-liorn," as tho.sp are 
 called who Inve never liceii rn^a)red in the trade, 
 to .see the midi s make their first atlempt at prac- 
 tical piilliiiir. 'Till y iire harnessed in a team two 
 upon the shaft, and the rcmainiler two abreast in 
 lonij swiiiirinjf iron trices. And then by way of 
 initiary iiiliinaliou that they have passed from a 
 life ol mouoloniius .'onteniplatiou. in the seclusion 
 of their nurscrv pastures, to the bustling; duties of 
 the "Sanli I'l' Trade," a hot iron is applied to 
 the thijjh or shoulder of each with an eiiihrace so 
 cordially warm, as lo leave there, in blistered iK-r. 
 feelioii, the initials of their last owner's name. — 
 This done, a Mexican Spaniard, as chief muleteer, 
 inonnis the liirhl-hand wheel iiinle, and another 
 the left hand one ol the span next the leaders, 
 while four or live olhi is, ns |i)ot-};iiard, stand on 
 cither side, armed with whips and thongs. The 
 team is sir.iiiilileiicil — and nov.' comes the trial of 
 passive obeilii iiee. The chief niuleteer gives the 
 shont of march, and drives his long spurs into the 
 sides of the .'iniiual thai bears him; his compan- 
 ion before lollows liiseAample; but there is no 
 movement. A leer — an uue.irlhly bray, is the 
 
 till 
 or li 
 
 ami 
 
 tioii 
 
 sum 
 
 up 
 
 en 
 
 prei 
 
 hill 
 
 disi 
 
 it. Oregon 'I'errilory, lor all these reasons and 
 many others which will be found in the energy ' 
 with wliicli, if necessary, our citizeuB will defend i 
 
 niai'v. Again the team is straightened; again 
 the hlfKidy rowel is applied ; the body-guard on 
 foot raise the shout; and all as one apply the lash. 
 The untutored animals kick and leap, rear and 
 
 it, is the rightful property of thcue United States, li plunge, and fall in their hamcBS. lafina. tbau« 
 
in the Hockij Mountains, the Oreeon Terrilirri/, i^v. 
 
 Sec. 
 
 I'Im- Kiliiniiinn nf 
 '■ MnriiKiiia—'rhi' 
 iin iVrrlinrv-A 
 
 lluiii-Tlie liMiiii' 
 
 II. Iii.llii,«-Aii In. 
 
 llllln._/\„ |,„||„n 
 
 "I Kwiy-A Cniu- 
 
 ■I'llluir 1111(1 nix. 
 Iiiilc|>iii(|(.|iir, 
 U^i>li 'IVirilorv. 
 ill till' wilder. 
 
 ■™ r>>r itH own 
 
 ■sidcilCC IIIIKIII^ 
 '" 'll'lllf Vhllcv 
 
 || li_v liis Kuii 
 
 ■ |'i'|iir,iii(iii» 
 
 nil > ^iiid liorM'S 
 
 iiid prepared lor 
 
 <\ l>l|'P"''. Nlllll. 
 
 IN s.ickH ; our 
 iiili'il I'liiivnKH ; 
 <w<l to protect 
 ■')iii Ihr riiiiiH; 
 ; ImiII' Is vverfi 
 •vi'N lilled ; iiiid 
 ill'id, l)eforoH(! 
 ilory. 
 
 "lliiMil (own, it 
 it is llie iiKn.il 
 irllie overland 
 icir Sliii.K. I„ 
 ■KO li.idern eon- 
 Viinia Wiijronn, 
 
 • CMlicOTR, cot. 
 
 "verlhrpluins 
 '■'• -VnclitiK 
 
 ill* tlio«c uru 
 il in tlie Iradf, 
 '■mi't at pnic- 
 I" '1 Irani two 
 v<> al)re»Ht in 
 I'n l)j' way of 
 [>!i8Kcd from a 
 
 tile Hcclnsion 
 lin(r (lulicaof 
 
 i« applied to 
 II I'liiliiaep so 
 
 WiKlercdjHT. 
 
 <.T'n name 
 
 lii-riniilelier, 
 ■ind another 
 
 llir leaderB, 
 I'll, stand on 
 l"llJfN. 'I'll,, 
 » Ilic trial ot 
 ■''I' «ivfK the 
 I'lirsinto (he 
 liis eonipan- 
 tliere in no 
 "'•ly, is the. 
 iiiiin Kiiprp. 
 |'<<I ; afjain 
 y-tjuard on 
 'ly tl>c lash. 
 J), rear and 
 
 I 
 
 the rmilo ; and gcncrnlly enceeod in breiikini ncrk 
 or liiiili 01 Koine oiii of ilirir nnniher, iinil in raiH I 
 iiiu a tiiiiiiilt III. 1 1 w I.I ill! (Ill en lilt to any order of : 
 iiniinals uceiisloiiiiil to Imi:; i ar:i. 
 
 Alter a lew lr.iiriiii:;s. Iinuevii'. ol tliix ilii.iiip. i 
 lion. tl|(y move oil' in tine slyie. \iiil. allli(illi.'h 
 wiine liieklesH oiii' mnv at iiilervuU lir.ice liimmir, ; 
 lip to an imeompi'iimiHinir re- ixtaiiec ol kiicIi en. { 
 eroieliinenl upon Ins Ireedom, xtill, the iii.i|(iiily ^ 
 prelrrriiiu passive oliedieiiee to active p' llmi;, dratr 
 iiiin onward, till. liUe tli('in.<elveH. IiiniiIiiiiiIh tu tlie i 
 diHi'ipliiie ol the Iraci H. 
 
 'Independence' wax the I'iihI lucation ol'llie Mm: 
 »i(iH.s' West ol the Mississippi. Hire they laid out 
 tfroimilH tor tliiir trmple. ImiiIi the ' Lonrs store,' 
 und in oilier ways prepared the place tor the per. 
 inunent eRlahlislmiiMl ol their eiimnuimly. Itiit, 
 heenmintr oi>iio\i(>iis to their ni'ii;hl>iirs, they 
 crossed the Missniiii, and romiiled the lu.Mi ol ' I'ar 
 \Ve;i|.' In IhlH ihiy reeoimm need rerl on prac. 
 tie(Hof their hiilh in their new ahode, and Wi're 
 ejectnl iVoiil the State hy its iiiililaiy lorciM. 
 
 I'he inislortiiiK s ol' thoc piiipl|. seem to h.'ive 
 arisen Iroin plai'liciiiir upon ei riaiii rides ol a( lion 
 peculiar to theii'.^elyeH. 'I'lie haMS of these rules 
 is the ussiiiii|ition that they are the " Saints ol the 
 AIohI lliirji," to hIioim the i.ord promisi d ol' old 
 the inheritance ol' the earth; und that as siieli 
 they have the riijht to take possession ot wlial. 
 ever tliey niay he inspired to desire. .Vny moans 
 are jnstitialile. in tlieir Ik lief, to hriii^r alHiiit tlie 
 restoration to the "Chihlieii ol' (ioil" ol lint 
 which lie has he(pieathed to them. In ohedienee 
 to lliese rules ol action, any .Morinon or •' Latter. 
 Day Saint" lahoriin; lor hire on a "worldly" 
 man's plantation, el.iimed the rigrht to dirrct what 
 iinprov(.ments should he mnde on the premisis; 
 what trecH should he leMed, and what (rroinids 
 should Iroiii lime to time he eidtivaled, II' this 
 prerogative (d siiintship w(.ie (luestioned hy tin 
 warni.hlooiled .Missoinians. they wen- uith jfri at 
 coolness and (rravity iiiloiineil that their uodly 
 servants e.\p(-(-led in a short liiiie to he in com. 
 fortahle iM)ssession ol their iniployeis" premises; 
 tor that the Latter |)a\s had eoiiie, and with them 
 Iho .Saints; tli.it wars and carnai;!' wi-re to he e.v. 
 peeled; und that tin- l,aller.|)ay Trophet had 
 Irnrned, in iiis eiiimnimicatioiis with the Ciiiirt ol 
 Heuvrn. thai tin Missonriaiis were to he e.vler. 
 niinated on the first enlarirement ol the holders of 
 " Zion ; " and that over tin- (jraves nl tlm.se " eiie- 
 niies of all riirhteonsness" would sprinif that vast 
 spiritual temple that was ■• to till the earth." 
 
 The provpeet of heiin; tlnis iminolaleil upon tlie 
 nitur ol .Mormonisni, did nut produce fo iiiiich 
 hmnihty ami tremhlinir amonij tluw- hardy I'ron. 
 tiersmen as the pidpl'.et .loe liad henevolenlly ile. 
 sired. On tli( 
 that their thro: 
 
 was r(-sisteil liy some rntliless and sinful act of 
 self-deleiiee; and he denniieiatioiis of the 
 
 holy hrotherlKHid we.e impiously scorned as idle 
 words. However, in spite of the irrelijrions wiatli 
 of these deluded, henighted .Missonriuns, the .Saints 
 cut timber wherever tliey listed on the domains 
 that were claimed by tlie people of the world. 
 And if the " l,ord's hoj;s or imifes " wanted corn, 
 the farms in the hands of the wicked were re. 
 sorted to at u convenient hour of the iiiirht for u 
 
 eontraiy, the pious inlimation 
 s would lie (-lit to jrkirily tJod, 
 
 Mlpplv. Ill nil Ihene cniici', llie "Sainti" iiliilii. 
 h'sted II kind refard to llie lia|ipiness even of llie 
 elieinil b of lliiir t.iilh. Tor whelievi r they l<Mlk 
 corn I'idlll lielil> in po-^seMi ion ol the Wiillij',. peo. 
 pic, tiny not only avoided i.\citiii;r unholy wratli 
 hy allowinir thriiiselyes to In- hcrii ill tin- net, lint, 
 in order that p(-acc mlpjit reiim ii: the hosoms of 
 tli(. wii-ked, I yen, the loiimsl possible tlliii, ihey 
 Hiripped that |M)ilion of llic harvest tiehl which 
 would he last wi n by the iiiiifoillv owner 
 
 The' ( h III I'll iinlitaiit.' linwi ver, beinir iiielhcienl 
 and weak, the I'rophet .loe declared that it WHS 
 their (inly to use tthateyci mi ins the l.oid iniithl 
 fliinish to slrciii;th(-ii thcmselyes. And as one 
 powerful iiK ans would he the kcepini; its doiil)iH 
 as mni-h as poshibic liom the world, il wan, lie 
 s.iiil, the will of Heaven, icvealed to liiin in 
 )ii'oper form, that in no case, whin called k-fore 
 the ini!£odly li.hnuals ol this perverse and blind 
 (leneratiuii, shuiild they uveal, for any cinw-, any 
 matter or tliiiij; thai michl. in its eoiisefpn-nces. 
 
 brinir upon the biothi rl d Ihc inlhclioiis ot those 
 
 preli-iided mils of .Iii^lice. by the woild (-:illed 
 Laws, riiil(-r till' pidteciion of this piuphecVi a 
 band ol the bretlii'(U was nrftanm'd, cdh-d the 
 "Tribe of Dan," whose duty it was to take and 
 brill;; to the " I/ird's ul(ii(-." ni the far Wi-st. any 
 of the Ixinl'a personal estate whi.h they iiiit;ht 
 lind in the possession of the world, and wliich 
 iiiiiiht b(- iiseliil to the •■ .Saints" in adyanciii(f 
 their kingdom, (ireat ifiMid is saiii to hav<! Ik-ch 
 (lone by this Tribe of Dan. For the liord's store 
 was soon tlllid. and the Saints praised the name 
 of .loe. 'I'he rrophel's l.ici shone with the li)tlil 
 of an all.siihdiiiim ileliubl at the iii.-reas(. of " Zi. 
 on." and tin- etlicirncy of his ndmiiiistration. 
 
 The .Missonriaiis. howe-.er. W(-re destitute of 
 the Latter Day I'.iilh. and of just views of tln- 
 riiibls (Il vised to ihoye. who. in the Lord's iiiune, 
 should dolroy his adyersarns. .iiid rt-store the 
 earth to the ilominiuM of milli iiial riirhteonsness. 
 l'(H)r mortals and deluded sinners 1 They believed 
 that the vain und worldly eiiai-lniinls ol Ic. 
 ^'islative h(i(ii(S were to pri vail against the 
 inspirations of the Latter Day I'rophi t ,Ioe ; and 
 in their iins.metilied zeal, declared the Saints to 
 Ik. thiey(-s. and uniust, and mnrdiroiis; and tlie 
 tribe ol Dan to be a pest to theconstitntionulund 
 ai-knowb (li.'i(l inherent and natural riirht to ae. 
 (|iiir(-, posMss, and (iijoy prop( rty. Froni lliis 
 honi'st liidi rince of opinion arost- the '• Morinon 
 War," wlioM- ureal eveni;: — are they not recorded 
 in the b(K)k of theehronieles of the " Latter Day 
 .Saints''' Some »'yents iberc were, liowevcr, not 
 worthy to liinl record thvri , which may be rela- 
 ted In-re. 
 
 'I'he Cloyeriior (d' .Missouri ordered out the State 
 Irisips to fi^ht and subdue tin- Mnrinons, and 
 lak(- Iroiii till ni the pioperty which the " Trihc 
 of Dan'' had deposited in the •■ Lord's brick 
 store" 11 the "(-itadcl of /.ion," cslled "Far 
 West." It U'iis in Is!).-* they appoared helore the 
 camp of the -• Saints" and comm.inded llii-ni to 
 siirreiidLr. It was done in the inanner hereafter 
 described. Ikit before this event transpired, I 
 am informed that the Prophet Joe opened hi^ 
 mouth ill the name of the Lord, and said it had 
 bcin revealed to him that the scenes of .lerioho 
 Were to be re(.mieti.(l in I'ar \Vi st ; that the an. 
 , gelie liost would ajipcar on the day of buttle, and 
 
Travfls ill ill Grtnt ]Visl(in Prniiirs, 
 
 liy llnlr ikiwit L'ivi' victory to llir " S;u;it»." — 
 Anil Id lliiH (Mil III' iiriliiril a liii :ih|.\viiiU I'l' iiii'li 
 pilir liiiiirilK III III' riiimil iiroiiiiil llir r.iiii|i, In 
 HJinw liy lliiM III Ml' luiili rllmi iijfiiliul llir iiilillrry 
 iif llinr li« M, lliiil llii Ir vln ii!,'lli wmh in llir" lirriihl. 
 |iliilr III' ii!;li(riiiitni'n ." mill lliiil liny wili' llic 
 Nililii rx III llii' unlit, ml |iiiitii>ii iil llir Kiiitrilniii 
 111 ll'iivill. 'I'lhii Uiir liliiliii Ills 111' invlul MIS. 
 |i> lisr III llii' r;iiii|i III llir "S;iililn." 'llir Mis. 
 Niiiri liiiyiiiii'N liriKlliil liiiirlillv iiriir llii'ir iiiiKh, 
 mill nil ih'imsmiiimI Inilli I I'.iiili'sKly |ii'iii tr:il' il the 
 |ilnr.liiiliril nilll|i.il'l, rrL':irillr-H ul llir illlllliitinn 
 III ilir I'mpliil. 'i'lii' III .i\ I'll" wirr I'li/i il ii|m.ii 
 liii'llii' NJiiniii^ liiMl, iiiiil listi iiiii:.' riirn tiinii'd to 
 iMlrli till' niHliiiii; III' wim;,'h IIii'(iiii,'Ii llir liii|iiliiir. 
 Till' ili'iiiaiiil III .^iirniii.'i I' \\;\h airniii Iillil inriiill 
 rr|iral( il ; liill h'iiilli liail Hri/.iil oil liiipi', mill Dr- 
 lay waH llir ritl's|n iiiir. 
 
 At this iKiirliiri' ul' iilliiirK, a nliirily nlil .Misfim. 
 rimi a|i|ii'iMirlii'il llir InicU ^llll^, pii'kaxc in liaiiil, 
 apptiri lltly ili'lriliiinril to iln \iiili iii-> In llir wii'icil 
 (l('|Mi)ii' iiy. (llir 111 till' KislriN 111 nilicMir wliili'iir. 
 roHt ,11111. mill with prnprr siilriiinil v niailr kniiu'ii 
 lliat till' '• l.iPiil iil'ilir l-'ailliful ' had liM aliil niito 
 .lor. llir I'riiplirl. Iliil iMTy liiiiiil raiwil a|/aiii;.| 
 thai " liiilv Hiriirliiii " xvuiilil iii'^liiiitlv hr willirrril. 
 'I'hr rniiilici'Kiiian hrsitali il. Iiiil llir liarihliixiil 
 rharartciistir nl thi'M' iinii ul' Ihr rillr irliiriiinir, 
 hr rrpliril. " W rll, olil lmI, I'll 1:11 it mi mir liainl 
 any linw." Tlir awiiil Mow was hlriirk ; Ihr 
 linild (lid nut wither! " I ilmililrs up now." Kaid 
 (he daring ni::ii. iiiid with holli hands iiillirird a 
 lii'Hvy hlow upon a rorioT lirirk. It Innililril to 
 till' (ri'onnil. and tlir luiildiiiir ipiirkly It II iindrr 
 till' wriirlit ol a llioiisaiid viyoroiis arms. 'I'lir 
 ronlidrncr ol tin- Saiiils in tin ir I'roplul wanril. 
 and a Miirrrndrr lollowi il. Sonu' of 11 
 
 > 
 
 hr piiiiripal 
 men wrrc put in riislody. hill the main hoily wrrr 1 
 prniiiltt'd to Iravr the Slair without Carllirr 1110. 
 Irslation. W r allcrwanl mrl many ol llirni 
 with lliiir 111 rdn. iVr., on llir road troni FarU'isl 
 to t^iiinry. Illinois. || u.is ^lr(lnl;lv intinialrd liy 
 Ihr plaiitrrs in thai si riioii ol' ('oiniliy. tli;it Ihrsr 
 I'lniliraliiid ■■ lainis" loiniil lar;;(' ipianlilii s ol'tlir 
 •• I,oii1'm rorn" on Ihr •,\ay. wliirh tlirv a|ipropri. 
 lid as need siigijcHti d |o their own and tlirir aiii. 1 
 in. lis' wants. j 
 
 'I'll;- orijfin of the '• Hook ol "Mormon" was Cor : 
 some tinir a niysli ly. liilt rrn nt drvi loprinriits 
 provr il to havr lirrii wnlti n ill \i^\:i liy llir Id \-. 
 Solomon Spaiildinir. ol .Vrxv ."salriii. in Ihr Stair 
 Hhio. It was eoniposrd liy that (frnllrman as a 
 hisloriral roniaiiee ol' the lonir extim't rare who 
 limit tlir mounds and torts wliirh arr sriittrri (1 
 over the valley Slates. .Mr. Spailhliiiir rrail the 
 work while eomposinir it to some ol' hi.; Iriends, 
 who. on the appeai'aner of the hook in print, were 
 so ihoroiiLrldy eoiivinei d ol'ils idinlily willi lliero. ' 
 iiiaiioc ol llirir dreeased pastor, thai scireli waH ' 
 iiiadr, and the on<;inal nianiiseript loimd ;inioni,r 
 his papers, lint their was yrl ii marvel how the 1 
 work I'onld have [;ol into the h.indsol Joe Siiiilli. 
 On I'urlher investisralion. liowevi r. il appean d Ihit 
 tlir Kev. author had enlerlained llaaiyhts ol' piili- 1 
 hshini; it; and, in pursiianec ot his iiiti iition. had 
 permitted it to lie a loii<j time in the prinliii^ 
 otlirr in wliieh .*«iilney Uiirdon, who has li|;iiredso '• 
 ]iromiiiently in the hislorv of the Mormons, was at ' 
 the tiino employed. |{ii;don, doiilitless. copied 
 jKKJr iSiuiuUling's novel, uiid with il, and Ihu aid ii 
 
 ol' Joe .Smlih, has Miccicdcd in hiiildiii); np n cyK. 
 
 II III ol siipi istilion. wli'i'li, in vili in rs and ImIix'. 
 , hood, is le.irccly iipialid hy that nt Mahomet. 
 
 I .^'ohimon .^paiddin^ waH u ;;riiiltiati ol Dart- 
 
 [ limiith Colli lie. 
 
 On till III nil olMay, We rnmidourKi Ivcspri pan d 
 
 { to nioM' lor the li'diaii 'I'l rrilory. Our pack. sad. 
 
 ; (III H Iil iiii' till ii ,ot'i' iiiria d upon the mninals. oiir 
 K,ii ks ol piii\isions \c. Mindly lai-hi d upon llirlii, 
 and pi'oli ell d in, in llii' rain that had l,i >;mi In tall, 
 and I'lii*-! Ivi H wi II iiionnli d and iiimid. wr took 
 Ihr road llial leads oil' hoiilliw < si I'lom Indipeml. 
 I nee in the (linclion ol ."^aiita l''e, lint lla rains 
 that li.iil aeconipanii d li: daily since we lei: I'co. 
 ria, Nl I III! d di tern 1 1 lied In 1 seorl lis still, our ill-lia- 
 'tiired Hciowls III the conlrarv nolw illislaiidiui;, — 
 We had Ir iveird only three miles wl|i u siieh tor. 
 
 I niilii lell that wc louiiil il mciisaiy to take fhel. 
 
 I Icr in 11 111 i!;hliorinii school. house Idr the niiihl. 
 It was a disni,il one ; hut 11 hla'/ini; lire within, 
 and a iiirriy >on<_r Irom a jovial mi iiihcr nl our 
 
 J conipaiiy imparled as inu< h consolalion as our 
 ciri'nmrlaiii'iN seeiiii d toiliniaiid. till we ri spouil. 
 
 III to the liowlin'i storm the sonorous evideiici h 
 III' ^wel I and i|iiiit slnnihi r. 
 
 'I'lir lollow iiijr moriiiin.f i '. clear and pleasant, 
 and wr were early oil ou. .u.ilc. \\ c ci.issed the 
 stream called liiij 111 lie. a trihiitary of the Missouri, 
 alioiit I'io'cl •'', and iipjiioaehed the horderol the 
 Indian ilomaiiis. .Ml ui re an.xions now tosce and 
 liiiL'iT ovi r ( very olijcel ihal reiiiindid us wc were 
 still on the coiiliiics of that civili/ation which wc 
 had iiilii riled I'lom a Ihonsand ircncrations ; a vaNt 
 mid iiiioerisli ihlc h iriiey ol civil and mcial hajipi. 
 ness. It was. Ihcrelore, paiiiliil loapproach the last 
 fmiilier ( uclosure — the last hahilatioii ol the white 
 man— llic last semhlancc of home. 'I'lie last ca. 
 liin at Icnjith was approai lied. We drank lit the 
 well and liayiled on. It w.is iiowheliind UK. All 
 was heliind us with which the syni|iatliicH of our 
 yoiinjr days had miMi;lcd their holy mcinorii s, — 
 Hclorc lis werethc In I li ss plainsof (rreeii, asllicv 
 li:iil hi 111 since the tlnoil — heanliliil, nnhiokcn hy 
 liiisli or rock ; uiisoih d Ky ploiii;hor t pailc ; sweetly 
 Hc( nil il with till lirsl I li>ssoiiiiii;> ol the sprilljr. 
 'I'llev had hei 11. since lime 1 oiiiinciiccd, ilie llica. 
 Ire III ilie Indians' prowess — ol their liopcK, joyH 
 and sorrows. Here. I,y nations, iik the eve of 
 deadly lialllc cUisi d iiroinid them, they hail knelt 
 and raised the votive oircriii'.; to lliavcn, and ini. 
 plored the lavor and priiti etioii of thclircat Spirit 
 ^yllo had fostered their fathers upon the wnitry 
 mounlaiusof the .\ortli ; and when hravcly dyilijr, 
 h'.id hornc them to the islands of litdit hi ncatli the 
 seltiiiir siin. .A lovely landscape this, lor an In- 
 dian's mi dilution! lie could almost heliohl in 
 the distance where the plain and sky met, the holy 
 portals oi his after Kl;.ie — so mazy and lieaiiiiful 
 was the scene ! 
 
 Ilavimr li'iveled ahont txvcutyf'ivo miles over 
 this Lcaiililnl prairie, wc halted on the liankn of 
 a small sin am at a place called Klin (iroyc. — 
 Here we pitched oiir lent, tied our horses tostakcH 
 carried lor that pnipose. and alter considerahlc 
 dillicully havintr olilaincd luel for a lire, cooked 
 and ale for the first time in llie Indian 'rerritory. 
 
 .\l this encampment linal arran^'cments were 
 niailc ior our joiiinev over the Prairies. To this 
 end pi'iivisirns. arm: . aniiiiiinilinr., packs and pack- 
 saddk'H wtrc ovcrliuulcd, and uii uccouiil taken of 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
 our 
 diiul 
 
 WI 
 
"I'fx 1111(1 Ciili.e. 
 "I Miilimiii t. 
 iilii.ili >,l /)„r(. 
 
 "■' lvi>|ir( (iiiri,| 
 
 "lir|i;i(K.Mi,l. 
 
 I' Kiiiiiiiili.. iiiir 
 
 '"' 'II'MI fllclii, 
 
 ' I'::mii III lull, 
 
 ll""l. \\V IlKilj 
 
 'IN liiili |ii ml. 
 
 "ill llii riiliiN 
 
 »'■ l<i I'ci. 
 
 "lill. 'iiir ill-iiii. 
 
 llif^l.iiii|jn;j 
 
 'i' II Mii'li Ifir. 
 
 '" likr ^\u■l. 
 '"' 'III' liit'lil, 
 '. liri' H-itliiii, 
 ml" T ol our 
 •ili'iii lis oiir 
 line r(H|i()ii(l. 
 
 11 I viilciir-iH 
 
 "ml |ilrili-.illl, 
 '■ <■l.l^N(•|| III,. 
 
 • Ill' .MiHrtiiiri, 
 '''irdi rill ilir 
 '»■ 1(1 wr mill 
 ' IIS «(■ wen- 
 'II uliicli «|. 
 
 'ii'iin; II v.-iKi 
 i-'i'-i.il liMjijii. 
 
 "iicli llirl.'iMl 
 _"lllic«liil,. 
 
 'I'll!' I.'IHI l-il. 
 
 Iliillk lit llir 
 lillll IIH. All 
 "liKs III' our 
 iiciiiornK. — 
 
 <■' II. llNlhcv 
 
 I'lliiokcii liy 
 
 '!'•; sviTtly 
 
 llir Hjiriinr. 
 
 'I. ;lic llici. 
 
 lldpCK, JOVN 
 llic cvi' ol' 
 
 ■ liad kiicll 
 II. nnd ini. 
 ■ri'iil .Spirit 
 I'll' wnitry 
 ■<I.V <lyiii^;, 
 ' iiciitli Die 
 for II M Jn. 
 lo'lidld ill 
 'Mllcll.ily 
 I Ix'iMiiiri'il 
 
 ililrs nyrr 
 
 l':illl(H (if 
 (iroyi". — 
 'londikcH 
 it^idcriilili. 
 f, codkcd 
 I'crritory. 
 Ills wori' 
 
 '/'o lliin 
 iKljiack. 
 tfikcn of 
 
 I 
 
 in the Rnrli) ^fulnlains, the Oregon Territory, S/v. 
 
 ti- . ■■; ■ 
 
 our rommoii ^tock ofpomlH fur irndr with ilic In. I Tim next dny wr. nmdr .\\m\it \') milfn thruiiKh 
 
 dinnn. The rr^nlt (if iIiih rx imlinlioii w.nn, llial llir mud niid r.iiii, nnd Htoppcd fnr Ihi" nighl near 
 
 wn dill riiiinid In rcniim licrr a ulnli' nnd noiid | ii wililnry trrr iiixiii ihr liink of a xmnll tributary 
 
 buck to llii Kaii/aiis ImiIi:iii mill I'nr -''10 pouniU i of the [iomdi river. Mrrr fortune favorrd our 
 
 of lloiir. We well imlii I to lake lliiH Kleji liy i fiisl-deprcnHiirr larder. • liie of the eoinp.iny killed 
 
 nMiiriineoH rrecived Iriiiii eertnin IrailorM whom wr ii liirlle, wliieli fiirnii'lied iin nil nil txrellrnt 
 
 nift I'oiiiiinf from llie iiiiiiiMlaiiiH, that llie InilVnlo i mipper. 'I'Iiih waH llic indy jfaiii' of any diwrip- 
 
 hid not iiilvaiired so l:ir north ;m In fiiniiHli iiit . lion lliiil we liiid neeii Kinec lea iii|r the fnmlicr. 
 
 with their riiie liuinp.nliH iih cirlv liy a week or 
 lortiii^;lit IIH we had rxpi eted. (l|Vii'ern wercnlBo 
 ehoHiii mid their pnwirH ili lined ; and whatever 
 leiHiire we loiiiid friiiii the^e ihiliiH diirini; u larry 
 of two dil^H, w :iH Hpeiil in re^jidiiiLj iiiir>.<'lveH with 
 htrawlierni H ;ind (roosehi rrnH, wliii h (,'riw in (;rcal 
 idinndiiiiee iieur niir euiiip. 
 
 Dm Irii iiiIk liavmif retinniMl from llio mill with 
 the llniir liir wliieli i lad Imi ii <le8|i.ilelicd, we 
 left Kim (irove lai Hie .iii f .liine, traveled iiliinir 
 the .Santa I'e Ir.iil alHiii, . .iiiIcm, and i ni'am|MMl 
 upon a hiu'li knoll, rroin which we had an exlen. 
 hivr view of ilie Hiirp. .niliii!; plains. The i;ra8K 
 was now alioiit :.eir inelie- in Infill, and lieni and 
 
 On the Till, UN llie sun wan Botlinj;, we rniehrd 
 OHaL'e Kiver — a Hlreain wliieh empties into lllo 
 .MinKiiiiri helow Jellirwin City. 'I'lir |Hiint whore 
 we Nlniek it, wiin IUII inilcH HoiilhwrKi of IndriH'ii. 
 denee. We pilclied our lenl Hnii(,'lv hy a I'opmiof 
 w'lKiil within It few yarilH (•! it ; Hiaked down our 
 iimmalH near at hand, nnd prepared nnd ate iiitllO 
 usual foriii. our evenini; repiiHl. Our eompnny 
 wa.-. divided into two mewKH, M'ven In one, and 
 ii(llit in the iillirr. (In the (rround, with CBch n 
 lin pint eiip and a Ninall round plale of the nnnin 
 inatriial ; the lirsl lilleil with eotf»i', Ipn, or wa- 
 ter, the last with fried side haenn nnddiiu(;h fried 
 111 fat; eaeli with a hiiteher.knifii in hand, and 
 
 re Inly iH'auty under llie (JUsIh of ' each iiieHH oiltini;, tiiilor-like. around itH own fry- 
 
 rose III inoiil 
 
 wind that at iiitervals sw. ,il o' • r it. We reniiin- 
 ed here a ilay and ii half, wailiiii; for two of our 
 niindier who hid |roiie in M'areli of a horse that 
 had left om eneampiiieiit at Kim (irove. The 
 tune, however, pnsseil a(jreeahlv. We were, in- 
 deed, lieyond tlic .saneluarieH ol Hoeiety. nnd wv- 
 ered Irom the kind |iiilsalioiiH of friendship; hut 
 tlir spirit of the Keii .Man, wild and rrireless ns 
 Ihe storms he liiitVels, U^an toeiiine over us; and 
 
 ini;'pan, rntini; with Ihe ap|M'llte of ti(rora, wni, 
 perhaps, the tMite.ensemhle oiour company at ■up- 
 per oil till' huiiki of the ()Ha);e. 
 
 There were encamped near iih dome wagonfini on 
 on their return to Miswjuri, who had liren out to 
 Couneil (irove willithe proyiBioiiHand that pqrt of 
 the (tooiIh of the .Santa Fe tradrm, wliieh the trntns 
 of untrained iiiuleii had liren iinnhle to draw when 
 they left Iiidepeiideiice. Willi iheHeiiien wepuuHcd 
 wp sliouhli red our rilles and irallnjM'il nwuy for a i a v-ry aurei'iihle eveiiinj; ! they ainiiHrd lis with 
 
 deer in the lines of liinher thai threaded tlii' west- 
 ern liori/oii. Onrlirsl liiinl in llii depths of the 
 lieaiiliriil and dr ailliil v ilderuessl It was alleiid. 
 ed with no siieeess ; Imi was worth the elVort. — 
 We had heiriiii to hiiiil our fooil. 
 
 In llie afliriioon ol the llli. our friends relnriied 
 with the strayed animals. 'I'iie keepers iimnedi. 
 ntely tired the siirnal-dun?. and ull wc re mmiii in 
 rump. Our road on lln ."illi was Ihrou;;!! a rieh, 
 level prairie, elolheil with the wild (fruns eoinmon 
 to the plains of the West. .V skirt of hlaek oak 
 tiiiiher oeeasioiially lined the hori/.oii or slrayeil 
 up a deep ravine near the trail. The extreme eare 
 of the pioneiTH III the overland Santa l"e trade was 
 
 every where nolieiahle, in tlii! fait that the track j near the fire, and, with the most iinpcrturboblc 
 ol their rielily-loadcil waijoiiH iievnT approached } eulmncss, commenced Hiiiokiui; the eoiii|)ound of 
 within inuskcl-shol of these |«iiils of tinilMr. Fif. ^ willow. bark and tobacco with which they are 
 teen miles' inarch liroii;rlil us to rnir place of en- \ wont to resale Ihciiisrlvcs. When wc Iclt the 
 runipiuent. A cerlain portion of llie Company ground, one of the men threw away a pair of old 
 .Tnottcd to lliat lalmr, unpacked the ('oinpaiiy'ij boots, the soles of which were fuHtened with iron 
 mules of the coimuon-stoek pnjperly, provisions, I nails. t)ur savage viBilers seized upon them with 
 aininuiiilions, &,o. ; another [lorlioii pilclied t)ic | the greatest eagerness, and in their pantominic 
 tent; iinolher gathered wood and kiiiijled a lire ; language, aided hy harsh, guttural grunlB, CJn- 
 wliilc otliers hioiiijht water, und still others put grutulated themselves upon iK'coining the posscK- 
 seelhing.pols iiiid liyiiig-|>aiiK lo their appropriate i sors of so iiiuch wealth. At 8 o'cljck wo were 
 duties. .So that at this, as at other times liefore on inarch. 
 
 yarns of mouiitain-lif' which Irom time to lirne hod 
 tloated in, and formed Ihe tire-side legi nds oi ihat 
 wild iHirder. In the iiioriiing, while wc wcro 
 saddling onr :inim-ils, two of Ihe Kauzaiii IndiaiiH 
 came within a lew rods of ..iir camp, nnd waited 
 for an invitalioii to approach. They were armed 
 with iimsketB and knives, 'i'lie inanner of car- 
 rying their firearms was peculiar, and strongly 
 eharaclcrihtic of Indian ca.ition. The breech wan 
 held in the right hand and the Imrrcl rested on the 
 left arm ; thus they are always prepared to tire. — 
 They watched us narrowly, a8 if to ascertain 
 whether we were friends or foes; and, upon our 
 inakiuir signs lo them lo approach, they lookscatN 
 
 und after, a few miinites transposed our little 
 eavalcadc from a moving trixip into an eating. 
 
 'I'he morning breezes were bland, and a thou- 
 sand young flowers giinincd the grassy plains. It 
 
 drinking and joyous eainii. A ihunder-slorm vis. , seemed as if the tints of a brighter sky nnd the 
 iled us diinng the night. The lightning was in- ] increasing beauty of the cartli were lifting the 
 tensely vivid, .mil the cKplosions were singularly 1 clouds from the future and Bhedding vigor upon 
 
 freipieiit and loud. The sides of the heavens 
 warred like conteiiiliui.^ batteries in deadly conflict. 
 The rain came in Hoods ; and our tent, not U'ing 
 ditched around, was flooded booh after the com- 
 meiicemenl of the storm, and ourselves and bag- 
 gage thoroughly dreii'-hed. 
 
 our hopes. But tliii' illusion lived hula moment. 
 Three of my valuable men had determined to ac- 
 company the wagoiierB to the Stales. And as they 
 filed olVand bade adieu to the enterprise in whieli 
 they had embarked, and blighted many cheering 
 expectations of Bocial uitcicoursc along our weary 
 
Travels in the Great Western Prairies, 
 
 way-faring to Oregon, tin c,\prr8Pion of deep dis. ' 
 coiirafrempnt shnrlrd cvpry fair. But it was of 
 »hort duration. 'J'lic drtcrniinalion to prnetnile 
 tlie vallrys of Orrgon soon swrpl away rvcry f<'<l- 
 itig of depression ; and, two lunitorH being pent lor. 
 ward to repleniiili our larder, we traveled hapjiily 
 onward. 
 
 tlio nercRBity wliicli we supposed exiisted of keep- 
 ing a flinrp look-out among ilH green rr<-ChseB lor 
 till' lurking savage. Tliif grove is tlie Northern 
 limit of tlie wanderings of the C'umanches — a tribe 
 of Indians who make their home on the rich plams 
 along the Western Ixirdeis of the Heptdilic of 
 Texas. Their ten thousand warriors, their incoin- 
 
 The Osage River at this plaee is 100 yards wide, ' parable horsemanship, their terrible charge, the 
 
 with about S.J feet water. Its banks are elollicd 
 with tiinber of eotton-wood, >\yh andhiekoiy. We 
 eroRsed it at 8 in the morning; passed through 
 the groves which border it : and eontinned to lol. 
 low the .Sant.1 I'e trail. The portion of rouulrv 
 over wliich it ran to-day. was imdulating and 
 beautiful ; the soil rich, very deep, and intersect. 
 rd by three small streams, whieli appeared from 
 their eourses to be tributaries of tlie C>sa[Te. -\t 
 night-fall, we found ourselves upon a bight over- 
 looking a beautiful grove. This we supposed to 
 be Council Grove. On the swell of the hill were 
 the remains of an old Kauzaus encampment. A 
 beautiful clear spring gushed out I'lom the rock 
 below. The whole was so inviting to iis, weary 
 and hungry as we were, that w,' determined to 
 
 uiicqualed rapidity with which they load and dis- 
 charge their lire-arms, and their insatiable hatred, 
 make their enmity more fearful than that of any 
 other tribe of aliorigines. yortuuately for us, how- 
 ever, these Spartans of the plains did not appear; 
 and right merrily did we cross the little s,ivannah 
 between it and Coimcil (Jrove — a lieautil'ul lawn 
 of till! wilderness ; some of the men hoping for the 
 sweets of the bee-tree ; others lirir a shot at a tur- 
 key or a deer, and still others that among the 
 drcmj)ing boughs and silent glades might be found 
 the panting loins of a stately ''Ik. 
 
 Council (Irovc derives its name from the prac- 
 tice among the traders, from the eominencemcnt 
 of the overland commcree with the Mexican do- 
 minions, of assembling there for the appointment 
 
 make our bed for the night on the spot. Accord- of otTiceis and the establisbmentof rules and regu- 
 
 ingly, wc fired signal-guns for the hunters, pitclird 
 our tents, broke up the boughs which bad been 
 used by the Indians in building their wigwams, 
 for fuel, and proceeded to cook our supper. 'I'his 
 encampment was made by the Kauzaus sixjears 
 agq, when on their way .^oiith to their annual 
 buffalo-hunt. A semi.eircular piece of ground 
 was enclosed by the outer lodges. TiiC area was 
 fdlcd with wigwams built in straight lines run- 
 ning from the diameter to the circumference. — 
 Tlicy were constructed in the following manner : 
 Boughs of aliout two inches in diameter were in. 
 serted by thi^ir butts in the ground, and witlied 
 together at the top in an arched form. Over 
 these were spread blankets, skins of the butValo, 
 &.C. Fires were built in front of each ; the grass 
 beneath, covered w ith skins, made a delightful 
 couch, and the Indian's home was complete. — 
 Several yards from the outer semi-eircular row of 
 lodges and parallel to it, wc found large stakes 
 driven firmly into tlie earth lor the puqiose of se- 
 curing their horses during the night. We appro- 
 priated to ourselves, without hesitation, whatever 
 we found here of earth, wood or water that could 
 be useful to us, and were soon very comfortable. 
 About 9 o'clock our signal-guns were answered by 
 the return of our hunters. They had scoured the 
 country all day in quest of game, but found none. 
 Our hopes were somewhat depressed bv this result. 
 We had but 100 pount-'s of flour and one side of 
 bacon left ; and the bull'alo, bv the best estimates 
 we could make, were still 300 miles distant. The 
 country between us and these animals, too, being 
 constantly scoured by Indian liuutrrs, aflbrdcd us 
 but little prospect of obtaining otlur game. We 
 did not, however, dwell very minutely upon the 
 evils that might await us ; but having put our- 
 selves on short allowances and looked at our 
 horses as the means of preventing starvation, we 
 Bought rest for the fatigues of the next day's march. 
 In the morning we moved down the hill. Our 
 way lay directly through the little grove already 
 referred to; and, however we might have ailmired 
 it» freshness and beauty, we were diterred Ifom 
 
 lations to govern their march 'rough the danger- 
 ous country South nf it. They first elect their 
 ("ommander-in-Chief His duty is to appoint sub- 
 ordinate leaders and to divide the owners and men 
 into watelus, and to assign them tlielr several 
 hours of duty in guarding the camp during the re- 
 mainder of their perilous journey. He also divides 
 the caravan into two parts, each of which forms 
 a column when on march. In these lines he as- 
 signs each team the place in which it must always 
 be found. Having arranged these several matters, 
 the Council breaks up; and the Commander, with 
 the guard on duty, moves olT inadvaiiceto select 
 tiie track .ind anticipate approaching danger. — 
 Alter this guard the head teams of each column 
 lead otV aliout thirty leet apart, and the others fob 
 low in regular lines; rising and dipping glorious- 
 ly ; 2(10 men, 101) wagons, 800 mules; shoutings 
 and whippings, and whistlings and cheerings, are 
 all there; and, amidst them all. the hardy Vunkees 
 move iiappily onward to the siege of the minesof 
 .Montezuma. Several objects are gained by tliis 
 arrangement of the wagons. If they arc attacked 
 on march by the Cumanehc cavalry or other foes, 
 the leading teams file to the right and left and 
 close the front; and the hindermost, by a similar 
 movement, close the rear ; and thu.< they form 
 an oblong rampart of wagnn.s laden with cotten 
 goods that efl'ectually shiel.'s teams and men from 
 the small arms of the Indians. The sam; ar- 
 rangement is made when tl.cy halt for the night. 
 
 Within the area thus formed are tmt, after they 
 arc fed, many of the more valuable horses and 
 oxen. The remainder of th- animals are 'staked' 
 — that is. tied to stakes, at a distance of 20 or 30 
 yards, around the line. Tiie ropes by which they 
 are fastened are from 30 to -(O feet in length, and 
 the stakes to which they are attached are care, 
 fully driven at such distances ajiart as shall pre- 
 vent their being ent.iiigled one with another. — 
 
 Among the- ■ animals tJie guard on duty is sta- 
 lioned, standing motionless near them or crouch- 
 ing so as to discover every moving spot upon tlie 
 horizon of night. The reasons ataigned for tliis, 
 
 entering into the full enjoyment of the scene by i by those who urc wise in such matters, arc that a 
 
in the Hotky Mounta'tns, the Oregon Terrilery, 4'C. 
 
 ■xistcd of keep. 
 
 • n rrooHscs (or 
 » llir Norlhcni 
 mcluH — a irihe 
 
 till- ricli plains 
 
 • Kcpiililic of 
 s, thrir incom. 
 If oliarjTo, tlio 
 
 load and din. 
 
 atial.lcliatiod, 
 1111 that of any 
 
 ly for us, how- 
 id not appear; 
 ittip K.tvaiinuh 
 iH-autifiil lawn 
 
 hojiingforlhe 
 
 sliot at a inr. 
 It among the 
 iii^ht l)c Ibund 
 
 ^rom the piac 
 minii npcmont 
 ■ Mexican do. 
 ! appointment 
 iilcH and rrgn. 
 ;h the danger, 
 ret ileot tlieir 
 a appoint sub. 
 iierH and men 
 tiieir several 
 during there. 
 [e also dividrj 
 whirli forms 
 f lines lie as. 
 I imist always 
 veral mailers, 
 inlander, witli 
 aiicc to select 
 
 ig danger 
 
 fach eolumn 
 he otlicrs fol. 
 ling glorioiiB. 
 s; slioulingH 
 lieerings, are 
 rdy Yankees 
 the mincBof 
 lined by tliis 
 arc attacked 
 )r other foes, 
 nd left and 
 by a similar 
 > they form 
 witli cotten 
 nd men from 
 e sanu ar. 
 ir the night, 
 t, after they 
 liorseB and 
 are 'staked' 
 of 20 or 30 
 wiiich they 
 length, and 
 J are care. 
 » eliall pre. 
 
 another 
 
 duty i« sta. 
 or crouch. 
 )f upon the 
 ed for tfiis, 
 , we that a, 
 
 guard in motion would lie discovero<l and firrd ! 
 upon by the caution!-' iiavii<re befoie liis presence i 
 could lie known ; and f.irtlnr. tinil it is iMijiossi. 
 blc to (liwern the appioacli of an liidiai, crceiiiii^' 
 among the grass in the dark, inilcss the cnc of (lie 
 observer be m) close to the ^noiiiid as to bring llic | 
 whole surt'aee lying within the range of vision be- ' 
 tween it and liie line of light aiiiimd the lower 
 edge of the horizon If the camp be attacked, the ! 
 guard fire and retreat to i le wagons. 'I'ln; whole, 
 body then take ]iosilioiis lor ilcfence ; at one timet 
 sallying out, rescue the'r animals IVoni the grasp; 
 of the Indians; and at another, concealed behind 
 their wagons, load and lire ii|ion the inlriidird with ' 
 all possible skill and rapnli'y. Au'l many v.< re : 
 the bloody battles fought on lii- ' tr,(il,' and such 
 were some of ihe anxielii s and diMiircrs that at. '. 
 tended and still alteiid the 'Santa Ii' 'rradi-.' — 
 And many are the gravcsalonir llietrack.<if those 
 who have fallen liclore the terrible cavalry of tl,-! 
 Cunianches. 'I'liey slumber alone in this ocean I 
 of plains. Xo tears bedew their ijravcs. No la. 
 ment of atVcction breaksthc stillnessof tlieirtoinb. 
 The tramj) of savage horsemen — Ihedeei) bellow. 
 ing of the butlalo — the ni;.'htly howl of tliehinifrry 
 wolf — the storms that sweep down at midniiilit 
 from the groaning caverns ot the 'shining bights;" 
 or, when Nature is in a tender niooil, the sweet 
 breeze that seems to wliispi r among the wild 
 flowers that nod over his dust in the spring — sav 
 to the dead, " Von are alone; no kindnd boiics 
 moulder at you.' side." 
 
 We traversed ( ■oiincil f irove with the ranie cau- 
 tion and in the same manner as W( had the other, 
 a plat(X)n of four persons in advance to sec tln' 
 first appearance of an ambuscade; behind these 
 the pack animals and their drivers ; on each side 
 an unincumbered horseman ; in the n ar a platoon 
 of four men, all on the look.ont, silent, with 
 rifles lying on the saddles in front, steadilv wind- 
 ing along the path that the heavy wamjiisol Ibe 
 traders had niadeamoni;' ihe matted under-brush. 
 In this manner we marched half a mill' and 
 emerged from the (irov<' at a place where the gen- 
 tlemen traders had a few days before held llieir 
 council. The grass in the vicinity had been 
 gnawed to the earth by their numerous animal." ; 
 their fires still smouldering and smokintr ; 
 
 and the rul^ .n the road were fresh. These indi- 
 cations of our vicinity to the great body of the 
 traders produced an exhilaratin;; efl'eet on our 
 spirits ; and we drove merrily away aloii!.'' the trail. 
 cheered with renewed hojies that we should ovi-r. 
 take our countrymen and be saved from starvation. 
 
 The grove that wc were now leaving was the 
 largest and most beautiful that we had passed 
 since leaving the frontier of the States. The tn es. 
 maple, ash, hickory. black walnut, oaks of several 
 kinds, butternut, and a great variety of shrubs 
 clothed with the sweet Ibliage of ,lunc — a pure 
 stream of water murnmrinu along a gravelly bot- 
 tom, and the songs of the robin and thrush, made 
 Council (irove a source of delighls to us, akin to 
 those that warm the hearts of I'ilgrims in the 
 great denertB of the F.ast, when they behold iVimi 
 the hills of scorching sands the green thorn. tree 
 and the waters of the Imbbling spring. For wc also 
 were pilgrims in a land destitute of the means of 
 subsistence ; with a morsel only of meat and 
 bread per day ; lonely und liungry ; and although i 
 
 wc were among the irrassy plains instead of sandy 
 wastes, we had fri'ezinir storms, temjicsts, torna- 
 does of lijilitninii and hail, which, if not similar 
 in the ineaiis. were certainly c(pial to the sand- 
 storms of the (Jreal .Sahara in the amount of (lis. 
 conifort tlu'v produced. 
 
 Hut we were leavin'r the (jrove and the protec- 
 tion it might yield to us in such disagrcealili' cir- 
 eiimslances. On the slinili'ess plain again I To 
 our right the ])rriirie rose ^radii illy, and stretched 
 away for ten miles, forming .-i beautiful horizon. 
 The whole was cnvcn'd with a line coat of grass 
 a foot ill hiiilit, which was at this season ol the 
 deepest and ricbi'sl irreen. Itehind us lay a dark 
 line of liuilH'r, reaebiiuf Irom Ihe (Jrove lar into 
 the eastern limits olsitjhl, till the leafy tdpsseeined 
 to wave .'iiid mingle among the grass of the 
 wil(l swelling meadows. The eves were ])ained 
 in endeavoring to embrace the view. A sense of 
 vastiiess — beautil'iil vastncss — was the single and 
 so'e conception of the mind ! 
 
 Near this grove are someiulerrsliug Indian ru- 
 ins. Tl)e\ consist of a cnllectiou of dilapidated 
 mounds, seeming to indicate the truth of the 
 legenil of the tribes ivliieh savs that lormcrly this 
 was the Holy ground of the nations, where tliey 
 were accusloined to meet to adjust their difficul- 
 ties and ex.'haiure the salutalious of peace and ce- 
 ment the bonds of union with smoking and dan. 
 ciiitr and ]>rayei's to the (Jreat .Spirit. 
 
 We had advnncc<l a few miles in the open coun- 
 try, when we discovered, on the sunumt to the 
 richt, a small band of Indians. They proved to 
 be a partv of Caws or Kauzaus. An soon as they 
 discovered our approach, two of tl'.em started in 
 dill'erent diieclions at the top of their speed, to 
 spread the news of our arrival among the remote 
 members of the party. The remainder urged on 
 with all practical velocity their pack-horses laden 
 willi iiKiit. skins, blankets, and other parapher- 
 nalia of a biintinir excursion. We pursued our 
 way. inakiii!:; no demonstrations of any kind, un- 
 til one oil! brave lelt bis party, came towards us, 
 and stationing himself be^:ide our path, awaited 
 our near approach. He stood bolt u|)right and 
 motionless. -\s we advanced, we noted closely 
 bis appearance and position. He had no cloth- 
 inn;, save a blanket tied over the left shoulder and 
 drawn under the rijxhl arm. His bead was sha. 
 veil cntirily liare. with the e.veeption of a tuft of 
 hair, about two inches in width, extending from 
 the centre of the occiput over the middle of the 
 head to the forehead. It was short and coarse, 
 and stood erect, like the comb of a cock. His 
 figure was the perfection of physical beauty. It 
 was live li'ct nine or ten inches in bight, and looked 
 the Indian in every thing. He stood by the 
 roadside, apparently perfectly at ease; and seemed 
 to regard all surroimdiug objects with .as much 
 interest as lie did us. This every body knows iy 
 a disiiniiuishing characteristic of the Indian. If 
 a Iwilt of thunder eoiii.! iie embodied and put in 
 living form before their eyes, it would not startle 
 them from their gravity. .So stood our savage 
 fiiend, to all appearance unaware of our approach. 
 Not a muscle of his Irody or face moved, untd I 
 lode up and prolTered iiim a friendly hand. This 
 lie seized eagerly, and continued to shake it very 
 warmly, uttering meanwhile, with great empha- 
 sis and rapidity, the words " How de," "how," 
 
10 
 
 Travels in the Great Western Prairies, 
 
 "how." Ab soon ns one individual hud with- 
 drawn his hand Iriini his frasp. In' passed to ano. 
 thcr, rcpratinjf tlip sanir procrss and lliu same 
 words. From thr carcl'id watch wc lia<l krptiipon 
 his niovrniciits since he look his station, we had 
 noticed that a very dchcalc operation had hern 
 pcrl'onncd npnn the lock of his irnn. ."^onKiliiii^r 
 had licen warily removed lhcr<'lriini, and shppeil 
 into the leathern pouch worn at his side. U'.'e.v. 
 lu'cled, therefore, that the nover.failin'.' appeal to 
 our charities wonld he made for somrlliinir ; and j 
 in this wc wore not <lisappoinle<l. .As soon as the i 
 grcetiu'^s wore over, lie showed lis, with the most i 
 solicitous (re^tures. lli.it his |)iece had no Hint. — [ 
 Wo furnished him with one; and he then sijrni- | 
 (lod to us that he would lik<' sometliini; to put in i; 
 the pan and liarrel ; and liavinu; ijiven him some, ji 
 tliinij of all. he de|>arted at the rai>id swiiijrinjgait r 
 so piTuliar to his race. 
 
 As wc advanced, the pr.-.irie liecamc inorr gen. I 
 tly nmhdalinif. 'I'lie heaving ridtres which ha<l i 
 made our trail thus far, appear to passover an ini- ! 
 mense sea, the hillowsof which had been clianjred 1 
 to wavins; meadows, the instant thev had es. | 
 capcd I'rom tin' endiraces of the tempest, {rave | 
 place to wide and (fentle swells, scarcelv pcrcep. | 
 tihlc over the increased expanse in siiriit. 'IVn 1 
 miles on the dav's march ; the animals wc re tujj. 
 gin;; lustdy thronu'li the mud. when the advance 
 guard shouted " Klk 1 E'dk" a.ld "steaks hroiled'' 
 Knd "rihs hoilcd" anil " marrow hones" and "no 
 more Inmin-rl'" " ( )re!.'on for ever, starve or live," 
 as an a|)pointed inmiher of my eompnnions tiled 
 otV to the chase. I 
 
 The hunters circled nroimd thejmint of tlicshar]) | 
 ridce on which the HIk were fecdin<r. in order to j 
 hrin<r them hetween themselves and the wind:' 
 and layinp; closely to their horses' necks, they ] 
 rode slowly and silently up the ravine towards 1 
 them. W hilc thes' niovenients were makinij, 
 the cavalcade moved iiuietly alonu the trail for 
 Ihcpuriiose of divertinf; the attention of tlic Elk 
 from the hunters. .And thus were the latter eu;i- 
 liled to a])pro;ic]i within three hundred yards of 
 the came he|Vir<' thev were discovered. Hut the 
 instant — that awful instant to our (ruawing appe- 
 tites — the instant that they ]M'rceived the eroucli. 
 injr forms of their pursuers nearintr them, tt.ssiii!: j 
 their heads in the air, and snutliui_' disdainfully at i 
 such attempt In deceive their wakeful senses, Ihey 
 put hoof to turf in line style. The Imnters attem|)t- 
 ed pursuit ; lint havin;; to ascend one side of the i 
 ridLTi', while the F.Ik in their tliirht descended the I 
 other, they were at least four liundred vards (lis- | 
 lant helVire the lirsl hullel whistled after them. — | 
 None killed 1 none 1 -\nd we were ohiiired to 
 console our him'j;er with the hope that three hun- 
 ters who had hieii despatched ahead this morninir. 
 would meet with more success. We encamped 
 soon after this tninnevof ill luck — ate one of the 
 last morsels of fund that rem.ained — jiitclied our 
 tent, stationed the lULdit (iiiard. \c., and, laliirned 
 and faniishi'd. stretched ourselves within it. 
 
 On Ihefollowinifdav we made twenty. five miles 
 over a prairie nearly level, and occasionally marshy. 
 In the al'ternoon we were favored with what 
 we luid scarcelv liiiled. for asinsjledav to receive, 
 since the coimnencemenl of our journey, viz ; all, 
 several and sinjjnlar tlii' numerous henefitsofa 
 tiiuiidtr-storm, Ab wv went into camp at night, 
 
 the fresh ruts along the trail indic.itcd the near 
 vicinity of some of the Santa Fe teams. No sleep; 
 spent the night in drying ourdrenclicd Iwdicsand 
 elolhcR. 
 
 ( )n the 1 0th under way very earlv ; and traveled 
 hriskly alonij, intendin^r to overtake the traderi* 
 helore nielli-fill Miit anollh-r Ihunder.slorm for 
 a while arrested the proseculiou of our desires. — 
 It was aliniit li o'clock when a hiack cloud arose 
 in the south-east, anollier in the south-west, and 
 still another in the nnrlli-cast ; and involvinj; and 
 evolvin;;- tliemselves hke lliose that ai;eompany 
 loruadfies of oilier eoimlries, the'- rose with awful 
 rapidity lowirds the zemlh. Mavin^ nujinh'd 
 their dreadlul masses over our heads, for a mo- 
 ment they slnitrt;led so lerrilieally that the winds 
 appeared liushid at the voice of their dread artil. 
 lery — a moment of din lid battle; and yet not a 
 lireath of wiiul. We looked up for the eomingof 
 the ealaslroplie fori'told hv the awful slillncKH ; 
 and behold the cloud, rent in fraifineuts. hy the 
 most terrilic explosion of electricity we had ever 
 witnessed. .And then, as if every enerjjy of the 
 destroyinir elements had been roused hy this 
 mijrhly <tl'orl, peal upfm peal ol' thunder rolle,! 
 aroumi, and up and down the heavens; and th • 
 burniuif bolts leaped from cloiul to cloud aer'/ss 
 the sky, and from heaven to earth, in such fcaclul 
 rajiidity, that the lurid fjlare of one had sca'.celv 
 lailen on the sii,'ht, when another followed of still 
 fircaler intensity. The senses were absolutely 
 stunned hy the conflict. Our animals, partakiuif 
 of the slupifyiii'j- horror tif the scene, madly hud- 
 died themselves loifetliir, and became innuovable. 
 They he'ded neither whip nor spur ; but with 
 ; hacks to the tempi st drooped their heads, as if 
 waiting their dnom. 'I'lie hail and rain came in 
 torrents. The plains were converted into a sea : 
 the sky, overtlowimj; with floods, lifrhtcd by ii 
 ' continual blaze of electrii^ lire 1 the creation trem- 
 bling at I lie voice of the warring heavens I It was 
 such a scene as no |)cn can adeipiatelv deserihc. 
 
 .After the violence ol the storm had in some do- 
 i gree abated, we |iursued our way, weary, celd anil 
 hungry, .\bout Ii o'clock we overtook a -lompany 
 ; of .Santa I'e trailers commanded by f'aptain Kelly. 
 'I'he gloom of the aliuospliere was such when we 
 aiiproaelied his camp, that Captain K. sup losed 
 us Indians, and limk measures accordingly to dp- 
 fend himself. Having stationed Ids twenty-nine 
 nil n witliiii the barricade Ibrmed hy liis wagons, 
 he liiinsell, ai-coinpanied by a siinjle man, came 
 out to reconnoitre. .And he was not less agree- 
 ably afl'eeted to find us whites and Iriends, than 
 were we at the prospect of societv and food. 
 'I'raders always c'arry a supply of wood over 
 these naked plains, and it may be supposed that, 
 dretudied and pelted as we had been by the storm, 
 we did not hesitate to accept the otVer of their fire 
 to cook our supper, and warm ourselves, lint thn 
 rain continued to fall in cold, shivering floods; 
 ' and. fire e.vei jited, we might as well have been 
 elsewhere as in company with our countrymen, 
 who were as badly sliellerecl and led as ourselveH. 
 ' We therefore cast about lor our own means of 
 j comfort. -And while some were cooking our 
 j morsel of supper, otliers staked out the animals, 
 ; others pitched our tent; and all, when laskH 
 ! were done, hudilled under its shelter. We now 
 I numhered thirteen. This quantity of hiimun 
 
 I 
 
 flesh 
 diam 
 heat 
 some 
 |)i rs. 
 
 SOUiJ 
 
 bad 
 
 ablei 
 
 We 
 
 lll'li 
 
 iKiin 
 
 mal: 
 
 verv 
 
 day ; 
 
 llion 
 
 llie 
 
 as u 
 
 Ore;^ 
 
in the Bochj Mountaiirs, the Oregon Terrilori/, c^r 
 
 II 
 
 ^.itrd the nciir 
 -aiiis. NoHlccp; 
 :licd bodies anil 
 
 y ; and travrlrd 
 ikc the lradt:ri< 
 undd-.Ftorm for 
 1 iiiir dcsircH. — 
 n'k cloud aropr" 
 oulli-wcst. and 
 I iiivolviiifr and 
 at ai'conipanv 
 •'jsc willi awliil 
 iving niiiijrici 
 ads, (or a nio. 
 tlial the winds 
 lir dread anil, 
 and yot not a 
 tin: coniinfroC 
 iwi'id slillnpSH; 
 minis, by the 
 
 V we had ever 
 enerjry of tlio 
 
 lused l)y iliis 
 llinnder rolle,! 
 vens; and lb • 
 n cloud acr'iBB 
 in such fearlul 
 
 V had soa'.oelv 
 )llowc(l of still 
 TO alisolulely 
 lals. partakiuif 
 c. madly hud. 
 lU-inunovablc. 
 |)nr; but with 
 •ir licads, as it' 
 
 rain came in 
 ■<l into a sea ; 
 lighted by a 
 •realiou trcui. 
 •(US 1 It was 
 y deseribo. 
 id in tomcdo- 
 ary. cold and 
 :k a .onipany 
 aplain Kelly, 
 leh when we 
 K. sup )osod 
 •diufrly to dp. 
 twcnly-ninc 
 his wafTons, 
 man, oamo 
 lOt less njrrcr. 
 triends, than 
 tv and food, 
 wood over 
 upposed thai, 
 by I ho slorui, 
 T ot their tire 
 los. Uut Ihn 
 •rinjr Hoods ; 
 II have boon 
 oountrymen, 
 as ourselves. 
 ill n'eans (d' 
 eookiujj our 
 the animals, 
 when laskH 
 I'. ^Ve no\v 
 r ol hutnuii 
 
 llesli, slandinij upon an area of eijrliteon feet in 
 diameter, ijave oil' a sullleirnl (piaiilily ot animal 
 heal in a short time lo render our Iremblin;'; lorms 
 soniewhal eomrortable. We ate ..-'ir scanty sup- 
 pirs. drank the water (Vom tlie puddles, and 
 souirht r(sl. Hut all our p.ieks luiu;,' wet, \vr 
 had no ehau'ie of wardrobe that would have en. 
 aided us to have doTie so with a hope of success. 
 \Vi' however spread our wet blaiduts upon the 
 mud, pot our saddles mulrr our heads, had a soni; 
 Irom o{ir jolly .loe, a::;l nnisod and shivered until 
 morniui,'. 
 
 As till' suu of the I. 'till ruse, we drove our ani- 
 nuds li!roiij;li t'oKouwdid ereek. It had been 
 vciv uMicli swollen liy the rains nf the previous 
 (lav; and oiu' packs and ourselv(-s were again 
 thnroM^■h^v wet. liut, once out of the niin anil 
 the daiitjers of the Hood, our hearts lieat merrily 
 as we lessened, stop by step, the distance from 
 Oregon. 
 
 IIIAI'TKR II. 
 
 Scarcity nf K-ifnt—An Inri li'ia — Ii.i.iinfj niui I^IfatinB— 
 M*-H- «. K*'iil — 'I'rmlt — Liltic Artnin^fts— A N-iuht-iius 
 Mi-al-'V n, 1)1— An Oiin-l— A Ilnnl Uhlp-Tli.- IJcliver 
 am-.' — 'I'll*' Arkagsai; — An All-i,-k— i'l)*' Si.njlil|i(!e (il 
 Deaili — Tlif FfaM amt ii liit ol I'liil'istiptiy — TUe Tr.uleis 
 VViilwiiilli «';(! Alvan'Z'ii Teams— A Kri(jtil— A NnUiul nl 
 Ii.(liah>— 'i hrir ('anip niid Hums— A Treats- A 'IVili. 
 jv.l — Indian HuiclifrinK — A Hunt nniniig^ itte'ltutTrito — A 
 Wniinilt't M.in— \ Drive— A Slnrni ami ilsKneni\— Ni(/I)t 
 nni'ii IS tin- Uiiir.iln— Tlie Cnuniry ami II. e ll«>[iv-'-ri<. — 'iiic 
 Kuril— \ iMn'iny ami iis Cniiseqiiciurcs— Blislereil Fii ^'er 
 — IjiliTly- BfHl'.> Kurt — Dl^ttinHlill^. 
 
 Our liiiiiters, who had been despatchod from | 
 t'ouneil (Jriive in soach of gajue, had njoined us ; 
 in K'ellv's camp. And as our larder had not been 
 ini|iroved by the bunt, aiiullier party was sent out i 
 unler oiders to advance to the biitl'alo with all 
 possible alacrity, and sf'ud back to the main body 
 a portion of the tirst meat that should be taken. — 
 Tills was a day of mild and discomlort. Our 
 p ek and riding animals, constantly amioved by 
 the >lip|iery clay beneath them, became restilV, ■ 
 ami iiol iulVcipiently relieved themselves nf riders 
 or packs, with little apparent respect tortile wish- 
 es of their masters. And yet, as if a thousand 
 thorns should liatchi 1 out at least one rose, we had ; 
 one iniMileul of lively interest. For, while halting \ 
 to secure the load of a ))ack.nmlr. whose obslina. , 
 ey woiilil have entitled him to that name, what- 
 ever bail been Ills form, we ispled upon the side 
 (d' a neighboring ravine several elk and antelope. 
 The men uttered pleas lor thiir stomachs at the 
 i-i'_ht of so imicli line meal, and with teeth shut 
 in the agonv of expi'datioii, primed anew their 
 rilles, and rushed away lor the prize. Hope is 
 verv delusive when il hunts elk upon the open 
 plain. 'Tills fact was never more painfully true 
 tiem in the present liislauee. 'I'hey were ap- 
 proached against the wind — the ravines that were 
 deepest, ami run nearest the elk, were traversed 
 in suidi manner that the huntsmen were within 
 rt'll) vards(d"tliembefore they Were discovered ; and 
 then never did horses run nearer lliclr topmost 
 Sjieed liir a slake in dollars than did ours tor a 
 steak of moat. Ilnl alas! the little advantage 
 gained at the start from the bewlld'red inaction of 
 the game, began to diminish as soon as those lit et 
 coursers of the prairie laid their nliiible hoofs to the 
 sward, anil pledged life upon speed. In tills e\i- 
 geiiev a few balls were sent wbislhiig after llieiii, 
 but they soon slept '11 the cuitli, iiisleud ol tlie 
 
 pimling hearts tlu-y were dr«ignrd to render piilpp. 
 hss; and wc retuined to our lonely and hungry 
 march. 
 
 \S ecnonmijod at runset on the banks of a branch 
 of the .\ikaiis;is. Our ratiiais wiie now rediieed 
 to one-eighth ot a |.hit of Hour toeach man. This, 
 as our ciistoni was, was kneti(kd with water, and 
 baked, or rather dilid. In our Irvhig-pan over a 
 lire siitilelently distltute of eoiuliustibles In ha\c 
 satlslldl the most lastldions miser in that llnr. — 
 Thus rel'reslied, and our clothing dried in the 
 wind during the day, we hugged our titles to our 
 hearts and slept smiiidlv. 
 
 'I'lie Mill of the lollovving ninrniug was unusu- 
 ally bright, the sky cloudless and ddlghtfullv 
 libie. These were new pleasures. Tor the heavens 
 and the earth luul, till that niorning, since oiir 
 departure liom home, scoiirgdl us with every (lis. 
 coiiriigcnient wlileli tlie laws of matter could Jiro- 
 ducc. .Now all aKMind ussni'ded. Dame Mature, 
 a prude though she be, seemed pleased that she 
 had belabored our courage with so little sneccKs. 
 .\ud, lo add to the joy of the occasion, a herd of 
 o\en and mules wore feeding and lowing upon 
 the op|)oslte bank ol llie stream. 'I'liev bolougfd 
 to the Messrs. ifeiits, who have a trading post 
 upon the .\rkansas. One of the partners and 
 Ihlily-odd men were on their way to St. I/iuls. 
 with ten wagons laden with peltries. They were 
 also driving down ^'(M) Santa To sheep, /or the 
 Missouri market. 'J'bese animals are nsiiallv 
 |imclia.-ed from the Spaniards; ami if lli(; In- 
 dians |irove far enough Irom the track to permit 
 the puridiasi r to diive them Into the Slates, his In- 
 vestiuciit Is imnsiiallv protitable. The Indians too 
 residing i.long tlie Alexicaii fronller, not liilVe. 
 (pieutly lind it convenient lo steal large numbers 
 of mules. \'e., t'rom their no less swarlbv neigh- 
 bors ; and from the case with wlileh Ihey acipiiip 
 them, rind themselves able and willing to sell 
 them lo gentlemen-traders for a very easily ar. 
 ranged conijieusatlon. Of these several sources 
 of gain it would siein lliP .Messrs. lients avail 
 themselves; since, on lueetlng the geiitb men hi 
 charge of the v.agons bi lore spoken of. heinlornied 
 us that he had lost thirty Ah xlcaii niulcs and 
 , seven horses; and desired us. as we intended to 
 ■ pass bis post, lo recover and take Iheni \y,u\i. A 
 recpiest <d' any kind from a white face in Ihewll- 
 (Urness Is never denied. .Aecordluglv we agreed 
 lo do as he desired, if within our power. 
 
 W <■ made little progress lo-,lav. Our packs, 
 thai had been soaked by storm and stream, le- 
 (piired drying, iid !- r that purpose we went early 
 into camp. The eniiiilry In wlilidi we now were, 
 was by no means sacred lo safety ol life, limb or 
 properly. The I'awnee and ( 'umanche war-par- 
 ties roam through It during the spring and sum- 
 mer months, tor plinder and scalps. 'J'he guards, 
 wliiidi wc had had on I be ale rt since leaving Couueil 
 drove, wi>rc, tin lefore, earet'ully stationed at night- 
 fall among the anlmalsarouiid the tent, and urged 
 to the most careful walchliilncss. Hut no '»• nio- 
 , listed iij'. In the e.vprcsslve language of the gl. 
 aiil of our band, prelaiad always with an a|ipro- 
 prlale sigh and arms aklniho, " \\'e were not mur- 
 dered yet." 
 
 . .bout l"-' o'clock of the 1 lib wo passeal the Little 
 
 .\rkaiisas. Our Imntcrs bad been there the pre- 
 
 |i viQUs night, uiid hud succeeded in taking a dozen 
 
12 
 
 Travels in the Great Western Prairies, 
 
 cat-fisli. Tlu'ir own keen lumber had dovourcd ; 
 a part of tliciu willioiit pepper, or sail, or l)read, : 
 iir vejTetalile. 'I'lie reiiuiiiider we foiinil utiaelieil ! 
 to a liiisli ill the Ktreaiii, in uii liiiwliolesoille slate 
 of drcoiiiposilioil. 'I'liey were, liowever, lakeli im 
 and exaninu'd l)y llie senses of si(,'lil and smell al- . 
 ternalely I and viewi il and smelt a|;aiii in refennei' 
 to onr ravenous palates ; and illli"nt;li some donlit ■ 
 may have existed in reirard tothi' llelin w principle 
 of devourinjj so nnclr^an a lliinir, onr appetitei< al- ! 
 Iciwed of no demnrrintj. We roasted and ate as I 
 onr roinpanions had done. j 
 
 I had an opporlnnilv al this plaee to tiliservi' 
 the jrreat extent of the rise and fall of these 
 streams of llie plains in a sin^'le day or ni^dit. Il 
 wonid readilv l>e presinneil liy those who liave a 
 eorreet idea of the floods of water that tiiethnn- 
 der-stonns of this rejiion jionr upon the lollinjr 
 prairies, itiat a few I'ules of the channels of a 
 number of the ereeks overwhieh the storms pass 
 may I'c tilled to the lirini in an honr; and that 
 there are phenonu'na of Hoods and falls of water 
 nccnrrinj; in this vast den of tempesis, sneh as are 
 found no where else. Slill. with this evidently 
 true explanation in mind, it was with some dilll. 
 culty that I yielded to the evideneis on the hanks 
 of the Little .Arkansas, that that stream had fal. 
 Un 1.') feel during the last I'J hours. It was still 
 too deep for the safily of the paek animals in an 
 attempt to ford il in the usual w.iy. 'l"he hanks 
 also at the fordinir place were left hy the relirini; 
 flood, a most inilriendly (inai;nnre : so soft that a 
 horse \vitho\it hnrden could with tln' ^rrealcst dif. 
 ticnll v drair himself lhroui;h it to the w.iter IkIow. 
 In our e.xtrcinity. however, we lied oin- lasliin;: 
 lines lof;ether. and, attacliinix one end to a stronir 
 stake on the side we occMpicd, sent the other 
 across the stream and tied it lirndy to a tree. Our 
 bupffaijc, saddles and clothiiii,' suspended to hook.- 
 runuinir toand fmon thisline, were securely passed 
 over. The hors( s liemi;' then driven across at 
 llie ill-omened Foial, .and o.irselves over by swim, 
 miiifj and other means, we s.-iddled anil loade<l oi!r 
 animals with their several burilenn and ie.c;oin- 
 menced our march. 
 
 The Mill, l.'itli anil llith weie days oi' more 
 than ordinary hardships. With barely looil enoiijrli 
 to support lili — drenched daily by thunder-storms 
 and by swunininu '""I lordini; the nuinerons 
 drains of this alluvial rejfion. and wearied bv the 
 continual packiufj and unpaekin^f ol onr animals, 
 and enfeeliled by the dampness of .ny eoucii at 
 night, I was so much reduced when I (lisnioiiiiti d 
 from my horse on tlu' eyeniny of the llith. that I 
 was unable In loosen the (rirtli of my saddle or 
 spread my blanket lor re|)nse. 
 
 The soil thus far liom the Frontier ap|)eared to 
 be from 3 to (i feet in depth — jreuerally nndiila- 
 tiii(; and occasionally, far on the western horizon, 
 broken into ra(i|red and pieturisipie bliiU's. Hc- 
 twecn the swells we oeeasionallv met small tracts 
 of marshy ground saturated with braekisli water. 
 
 On the night of the Ititli. near thelioiirofl^ 
 o'clock, we were suddenly roused by the rajiid 
 trampling of animals near onr eani|). "' Indians 1" 
 was the cry from '.iie guard. " Indians ! " We had 
 expected an encounter with them as wc ap. 
 proaehed the bu'Valo, and were eonseiiuently not 
 unprepared for it. Iv.ich man seized liis rilleaiid 
 was instantly ni position to give the intruders a 
 
 proper reception. On thev came, rushing furious, 
 ly in a dense eolnmn till within Hi) yards of our 
 tent ; and then whcelini; shoii to the left, abrupt- 
 ly hailed. \ot a ritle bd! or an arrow bad yet 
 eletl Ihe air. Xor was il so necessary that they 
 should, as it might have been, had we not disco, 
 yered Ihat instead of bipeds of bloody ineinory, 
 they were the ipiadriipeds that had eloped from 
 the f.itherly care of Mr. Hent. making a call of 
 cremony upon their compatriol mnles, &.r. tied 
 to stakes wilbin onr camp. 
 
 I i"lh. We were on the trail at 7 o'cloeli. The 
 
 sun of a tine morning shone upon onr ranks of 
 
 beasts and men. Were I able to sketch the wo. 
 
 shriveled visages of my starving men. eontorted 
 
 with occasional bursts of wrath upon -Mr. lieiu's 
 
 mules as they displayed their ungraleful heels to 
 
 us, who had restored them from the indeecnciiH 
 
 i of savage life to Ihe dominion of civilized beings, 
 
 ' my readers wonlrl say that the sun never looked 
 
 y. upon biayrr appearaiiees. or a more determined 
 
 1 disregard of educated loveliness. Along march 
 
 before u- — the Arkansas and its Yish before us — 
 
 !; the biiliido with all Ihe ilelic.atc bits of tendcr-loi n 
 
 i and 111 irrow.boiies, the remembr.mce of them in. 
 
 'spires nil — with all tliise before us, who that has 
 
 I; the [glorious sym|)atliies of Ihe gastric sensibilities 
 
 within him, can suppose that we did not use the 
 
 , spur, whip and goad with a right good will on 
 
 i tiiat menioiHble day / Thirty or forty miles, none 
 
 but Ihe vexi d plains can tell which, were traveled 
 
 [l hy I o'clock. The afternoon hours, too, were 
 
 ij comiled slowly. H'eb blurt:-, and bules, and rolls, 
 
 [; and salt iieushes allernalely appearing and falling 
 
 j, hehiiid us, with here uid there a plat of the thick 
 
 j short grass of the upper plains and the stray 
 
 jj bunches of the br.ani'hiiig cobinmar and foliated 
 
 ( prickly pear, indicated that wc were ajiproaching 
 
 I some more imiiorlant course of the mountain wu- 
 
 * lets than -.iw', we li.id yet seen since leaving the 
 
 ma|eslie .Alissouri. " On. merrily on," rang from 
 
 |; our parclii d and linncrv nioulhs ; and if the 
 
 cheerliil shout did nol allay our appetites or thirst, 
 
 ,, il ipiickened the jiacc of our mules and BatisHed 
 
 |i each other of our determined purpose to ImIioIiI 
 
 i; the .\rk iiisas by the light of that day. 
 
 i' During lll!^ hurried drive of the allernoon we, 
 
 j heea me separated trom one anolher among the 
 
 , swellsoycr which onr Iraek ran. Two of 'be ad. 
 
 I vanee plate •■ 'ook the liberty, in the absence of 
 
 I their I'omn. .11 . ., to give chase to an antelope Ihat 
 
 i; seemed to tantalize their torbearance by exhibiting 
 
 his fine surloiiis to their view. .\eyer did men 
 
 better earn liiigiveness ur disobedience of orders. 
 
 One of them crept as I h-.irned half a mile ii|)on 
 
 his hands and knees to get williui ritle shot ol his 
 
 game ; — shot at .'tilt) yards ilistanee and brought 
 
 him down I And nov,-, who. in the tanieness of an 
 
 li enough. and-to.s)iare state of existence, in which 
 
 I every emoliou of the mind is siii'fi ileil and gouty, 
 
 j, can estiin.ite our pleasure at seeing these men gal. 
 
 Ij lop into our ranks with this anielope .' Yon may 
 
 j, •' guess," reader, you may ••reckon." von may 
 
 |1 •' calculate, '• or il learned in the demi-senii-qiiaverti 
 
 of inoderii exi|uisiteness, you may thrust rudely 
 
 aside all these wholesome and fat old words of the 
 
 heart, and •• shrewdly imagine " and still you can- 
 
 not eoin[irehend ihe feelings of that moment '. Did 
 
 ;' we shout ' were we silent ' no, neither. Dili wc 
 
 ji gutiier ipiickly uionnd Ihe horse staiiit'd w ith the 
 
 i 
 
iHliiiifT furious. 
 II y:iids r)f our 
 ln' Icll, iiliiupl- 
 iirrow li;i(l yet 
 s:ily lli:il tl'icy 
 wi' not disco, 
 oody inciiiorv, 
 :id eloped I'roin 
 akiup a rail ol' 
 lules, &.r. lied 
 
 I'cloelt. 'I'he 
 1 our riiuks of 
 nitetoli tile HO. 
 lien. I'liiilnrleH 
 "in Mr. lienrs 
 
 •.Tlcllll IllfU lo 
 
 he iiuleeeneii'H 
 ivilized liriiiirN, 
 1 novrr looked 
 re deleriiiined 
 A lone inareli 
 isli before tin — 
 
 s offender-loin 
 ■e of Iheni in. 
 . who that han 
 e sensibilities 
 I not use the 
 Cood will on 
 rty miles, none 
 werp traveled 
 lurs, too, Were 
 ules, and rolls, 
 iiifr and fallinjr 
 lit of the thick 
 iiid the stray 
 r and foliated 
 •e niiproaehing 
 mountain wa- 
 'e leaving the 
 un," raiiK from 
 i; and if the 
 elites or thirst, 
 < and Hatisficii 
 insp to behold 
 ay. 
 
 alternoon we 
 r among tl,,. 
 'wo ol 'lie ad. 
 he absence of 
 1 antelope Unit 
 hy e.xhiliilinjT 
 ver <li<l men 
 iiep of orders. 
 a mile U|him 
 lie shot ol bis 
 and brought 
 inieness of an 
 ice, in which 
 'd and gout\ , 
 lese men jjal- 
 ? You may 
 ti," you may 
 semi-(iuavi'i» 
 hrusi rudely 
 words ol the 
 still you cull, 
 loineiit 1 Did 
 ler. Did \\c 
 icd with the 
 
 in the Roehj Mountains, the Oregon Territory, 8fc, 
 
 13 
 
 blofiH of thp Hiisprnded animal ? No, nor Ibis. An 
 involuntary murmur of relief from the most fear. 
 fill forpbodings, and tlir sudden ball of the riding 
 animals in tlirir tricks were the only movements, 
 the only acts that indicated our grateful joy at this 
 deliverance. 
 
 Our intention of seeing the Arkansas that night 
 however soon banished every ofbcr Ibougbt from 
 the mind. Whips ami spurs therefore were freely 
 used iijioii our animals as they ascended tediously 
 a long roll of prairies ciivereil with the wild grasses 
 and stinted stalks of the .^im-l'lowi'r. We rightly 
 conceived this to be the bordering ridge of the 
 valley of the .\rkiiiisas. Koroii attaining Its siiin- 
 niit wp saw ten miles of that stream lying in the 
 sunset like a beautiful lake curved among Ibe 
 windings of the bills. D was six miles distant — 
 The sun was setting. Tlie road lay over sirup rolls 
 of laud that rendered it nearly impossible for us to 
 keep our jaded animals on a trot. Hut the swtrt 
 water of thai .Vinericaii Nile, and a copse of tim. 
 her u|)ou its banks that olVercd us the means of 
 ciKiking the .-intelope to satisly our insnircrablc bnn- 
 ger, were motives that gave us new euergv ; and 
 on wi' went at a rajiid pace while suHicient ligbl 
 ii'inained to show us the trail. 
 
 When within about a mile and a half of the river 
 a most aimovingcircumstancc crossed our path. — 
 A swarm of the most gig.intie, and peisrvering 
 mu.sipiitoes that evi'r gathered Iribule from binnau 
 kind, ligbtpd on us and dciuaiidcd blood. Xol in 
 Ibe Icist scrupulous as lo the maimer in which lliev 
 urged their claims, they lixcd ibemsclves boldly 
 and without rereinony upon our organs of siglii. 
 smell, and whipping, the List not least in oursitii.a- 
 tioii.in siicb numbers, tint in conseipieuee of Ibe 
 Pinploymenl they g.ive us in keeping them at the 
 <listauce wliieb ii welLdelincd res[K'el ibr our di. 
 vine faces would have rendered proper, and in con. 
 cpienceof the pain which they iiitlieted upon our 
 restilV animals, we lost the Ir.iil. And now came 
 ipngmirps, Hoimderiiigs and mud, such as would 
 liive taught the most li.irdcned relnl in morals 
 that deviations from the path of dutvleul some. 
 tiiucM to pain, someliiiies to swamps. Doug per. 
 sevcrancp at length enabled lis to reai'li the great 
 " Kiver of Ibe I'lains.'' 
 
 We tarried for a moment ii|h)ii the banks ol the 
 sireini, and east about to extricate ourselves Irom 
 the Kgyptian iilagucs around us. 'I'o reg.iin our 
 track in the darkness of night now mingled uilii a 
 dense fog, was no easy task. We however look 
 the lead of a swell of land that r.an across il. aiirl 
 in thirty minutes enleicd a path so well m.irked 
 that we could thread our u ay onward till we should 
 liiid wood siillicieiit lo cook our supper. This was 
 a dreary riile. 'i'he stars gave a little ligli! among 
 themisi, wliieb enabled us to liiseeni on the even 
 line of Ibe horizon, a small speck that after three 
 bniirs Ir.ivel we found to be a small grove of colton- 
 wood upon an islaml. We encamped near it. .\iid 
 alter our baggage was jiilcd up so as to form a eir. 
 ele of breastworks for deli'iicc, our wearini'ss was 
 such that we sink among il supperless. and sbpi 
 with nolhiug but \\\f heavens over us. And 
 although we weri'iu the range of the ('iimancbe 
 bunting as well a.s war-parlies, tin guard slept m 
 spite of the savage eyes that might be gloating 
 vengcancp \\\mn our little band. No fpar nor war 
 wliooj) could huvc Uokcn the Blumbcrg of tlial 
 
 night. It was a tPinporary dpalli. Nature hud 
 made its rxtremr etliirt, and tuink in helplcpsnCBH 
 till its ebbing pneigies should rpflow. 
 
 On the morning of tlip 18lli of June wc were ear- 
 ly up — early ninund among our animals to jmll 
 up the stakes to which they werp tied, and drive 
 them fast again, where iliey might graze while 
 we should eat. 'I'licii to the care of our noble 
 selves. We wrestled manfully with the frying- 
 pan and roisling.stiek ; and anon in the very man. 
 ncr that one sublime act always follows its prede- 
 ccssor, tore bone from hone the antelope ribs, with 
 so strong a gri|) ami with such unrestrained de- 
 light that a truly ))biloso|iliic observer might liave 
 (lisivivered in the llasli of our eyes and the quick 
 energetie motion of the nellier |)ortions of our 
 pbvslogiiomies, that eating, though an iinconi. 
 mou, was nevertheless our favorite occupation. — 
 .Vnd then " catch up," " sadilbson," "packs on,'' 
 "mount,"' "ma'cli," all severally said and done, 
 we were on the route, hurry-scurry, with forty 
 loosp mules and horses leering, kicking and briiy- 
 ing; and some si.x or eight pack aniirals making 
 every honorable ellbrt to free themselves from scr- 
 yitiide, while we were applying lo their heads and 
 cars certain gentle intimations that siieli ambi. 
 lions views accorded poorly with their master's 
 wishes. 
 
 In uie course of the day we crossed several 
 tributaries of the .Vrkausas. .\t one of these, 
 called by Ibe traders Hig 'J'urkey Creek, we were 
 I'orced to resort again to our (.'bilian bridge. In 
 conseipience of the s|)ongy natitre of the soil and 
 the scireily of limber, tliere wa'e more difficulty 
 here in procuring fastenings for our ropes, than in 
 any |ircyions insl-auce. We at ienj;lli, however, 
 obiained pieces of tl(«)dwood, and drove them in- 
 to the soft lumks " at an inclination," «aid ho of 
 the axe, " of precisely l.') degrees to the plane of 
 the horizon." 'I'liiis supported, the slakc« stood 
 siiflieieiilly llrni for our puqioses ; and our bags, 
 packs, .<;elves, and beasts were oyer in ii ti'icc, and 
 ill the lialfof Ibal malhematical fraction of time, 
 we were repacked, rcmoiinted, and troltiiig' otVat 
 a generous ptice up the Arkansas. The riv."r iip- 
 pe.ired (|uite unlike the streams of the East, and 
 .'~^oulli, and Soiithwesl portion of the Slates i.'i all 
 its i|iialilics. lis biiiiks were low — one and ai'iall 
 feel above the medium stage of water, eompofcd 
 111 an allnvimn of sand end loam as li.ird as a pub. 
 lie highway, and, in the main, covered with u 
 species of wiry grass that seldom grows to more 
 than one and a half or two iiiebes in bight. Tlie 
 sunllov.cr of slinled growth, and a lonely IiubIi fld 
 willow, or an ill-shaped sapless, cotton-wood tree, 
 whose decayed trunk trembled under Ihc weight 
 of years, together with occasional liliitVs of clay 
 ami sajid-slone, formed the only alb vi iting fe*.. 
 Hires of llip landscape. The stream itself was 
 geiieritlly three-quarters of a mill' in width, with 
 a <-iirrciit oi' five miles per hour. \:atcr tbree and 
 a hill.' lo limr feel, and of a chalky whiteness.— 
 It wa.s extremely sweet— so delicifiu.s that sonieof 
 my men declared it an excellent siil)!ilili.'l(' f"'' """'• 
 
 Ce.mped on the bank of the river \,bere the 
 eoin.aiou tall grass of the prairie grew pb.'U'i'"'- 
 ly — posted our iiiglit-guarit, and imule a p.li t "' 
 ov.v meat into a soup for supper. Here I shall t>c 
 expected by those civilized monsters who live by 
 caliug und drinking, to give a description of the 
 
14 
 
 Travels in the Great IVrstern Prairies, 
 
 inaniicr of innkin? this soup. Il wiih iiulccd a 
 rare dish. And my Irinwls of iho troiiclicr — y' 
 who Imvr hrrri ppicrd, niid pcpiicrcd, ;iiiil sidled, 
 from your youlh up, do not liislorl your imsid pro- 
 tldieniiKTs when I dcckiro that of .-ill the vulvar 
 innovations U|H)n kitclicn scirrici' wliii'h <'ivili/.a- 
 tion has patched upon the '^'ood ol<l style of the 
 patriarchs, nolhin'j has produced so heaslly an I'f- ' 
 feet upon taste, as Ihesi' self-same condiments of^ 
 Fait, pepper, i!tc. W'oful heresy 1 human nalurc 
 pe|>perrd and s dtrd 1 Hut to our sou|). It was 
 iiiadi' of simple meat and water — of |)ure water, 
 such as kin;rs dranli from tlw streamsoflhe (rood 
 old land of pyramids and this; and of the wihl 
 meat oftlie wilderness, unl linted with any of the 
 albresaid <-ondimcnls— simply iHiilcd, and then 
 raten with sironi;. durahle irons|K)ons and hnleh- 
 cr-knivcs. Here I eaimol reslrain myself from 
 pemiini.' one slrou!; and irrepressilile emotion that 
 I well rememher crowded through mv heart while 
 strotehcd upiui my conch after our repast. 'I'hc 
 exceedinjr comfort o( hody and mind at that mo- 
 ment undoubtedly jjavc it heinj;. It was an emo- 
 tion of condolenee l()r those of my fellow mortals 
 who lire eniraiicd in the mamU'acture ol rhiunia- 
 tisms and ijout. Could they only lor .an hour en- 
 ter the portals of prairie liH — lor one hour hnatlie 
 the inspiration of a linntcr's Iranscendeulalism — 
 for one hour teed upon tin milk and honey and 
 marrow of life's pure nnpeppcred and nnsalled vi- 1 
 ands, how soon would they forsake that ii_rnol)le 
 emiiloyment — how s<,on would their hissiu'^ aijd 
 vulj^ar lahoi'atorics of diseasi^ and [iraves lie forsa- 
 kiMi. and the cruleh and lirandreth's pills lie ir;.,th- 
 rrerl to the loinlis of (he fathers 1 Ihit as 1 am an 
 inc'itTereiit practitioner of these suhlime leaehinjrs, 
 I will Jiass and mlorju my readers that the next 
 day's mandi terminated in an encampmeni with 
 the hunters I had sent forward li)r i.'aine. They 
 liad fared even worse than ourselves. I'our of 
 the seven days that tlcy had hecn ahsent from the 
 eompanv, they had been without food. .Many of 
 the streams, too, that were forded easily hy ns, 
 were, when they passed, wide and anirry Hoods, 
 'riicsi'lhcv wereohlifjcd toswim, toihe (freatdan-ij 
 •rer of then' lives. 
 
 On the IHtli, howc-cr. they oviTtook IMes.srs. 
 Wuhvorth and Alvarez's teams, and w<'rc ircated 
 with (Treat hospitality hy those ireiillemen. On 
 the sam(^ day the ' died a hull'alo bull, pulled cdl' 
 the tlesli from the l,,..:k, and conunenced dryin;; it 
 over a slow lire preparatory to paekin;;;. On the 
 niornin(f of the liMh, two of them started oil' for 
 us \yith some strips oi' meal danj;lin!j over the 
 shoulders of lli;ir horses, 'i'hcy met us about 1 
 o'clock, and witli n;; returned to the place of dry. 
 ing the meat. Our horses were turned loose to 
 eal the dry [rrass. while we leasted ourselves upon 
 roasted toniru<' and liver. After this we " caudhl 
 np" and went on with the intention of encamp, 
 injr with the ."^anta ['"cans, and after traveling 
 briskly onward for two hours, we came upon the; 
 brow of a hill that overlooks the valley of I'.iwnee 
 Fork, the larrrcst hraneli of the Arkansas on its 
 northern side. The Santa l''e traders had en- 
 camped on the east hank of the stream. The 
 wamins surrounded 'an oval jiiece of (ground, their 
 shafts or tonirucs outside, and the; I'orwai'il wheel 
 of each abreast of the hind wheel of the one he-; 
 I'ui'e it, Tliia arrangement g'dvc thcin u line uu- i 
 
 pect when viewed from the hill over which wc 
 were passini;. Hut wi' had scarcely time to see 
 the little I deserilie<l, when a t<'rrilic scream of 
 "I'awnecl" " I'avnec 1 " .'iro.se from a thousand 
 lonjriies on the farther hank of the river; and In- 
 dian women and children ran anil shrieked horri- 
 bly, " i'awnecl" '■ I'awnecl'' as they sou(rhl the 
 plens and hushes of the nciirhborhooii. \\ i' wi'rc 
 puz'^led to know the object of such an oulhursi of 
 savage delicht as we deemed it to be. and for a 
 lime tliou^hl that we miirht well expect om' hinod 
 to shnnher with the hull'alo, whose hones lay 
 blcachintj around us. The camp of the tradcrH 
 also was in motion ; anus were sei-zcil and horses 
 saddled with "hot haste." A mom<'nt more and two 
 whites were {ridlopi]i(r warily ni'ar us; a moment 
 more hroni,'ht twenty sava;;e warriors in full paint 
 anil pinmi' around us. .\ ipiiek rcconiioilic. and 
 the principal chief rode briskly up to me, shook 
 me warndy by the hand, and wilh a clearly ap- 
 parent Iricnilsliipsaid " .'^ai'ref(i;ilus"(holy lea;rue,) 
 " Kanzaus,'' "Caw." His warriors follo'ivcd Ins 
 example. As soon as our friendly irreetinifs were 
 discovered by some of the mijior chiels, tliey gal- 
 loped their lleil horses at full speed over the river, 
 and the women and chililrcn issued from their 
 concealments, and lined the bank wilh their dusky 
 forms. 'J'lie chiefs rode with ns to onr cam|)lni; 
 trround. and remained till dark, examinin;,' with 
 ureal interesi llic various articles ai our traveling 
 cipiipa'^'c- and p'lrticul.-irly our tciil as il unf'liled 
 ils broadsides like ma;rie. and assumed the form 
 of a solid white cone. Mvcry arraniji uienl hein(r 
 made to |ireviiil these aeeompllslied Ibieves from 
 stealinir our horses. &e.., we supped, and went to 
 make calls upon our neitrhhors. 
 
 The owners of the .'>imta l''e wairons were men 
 who had seen nmeli of life. Crbanc and bospita. 
 blc, they received ns in the kindest manner, and 
 };av(^ us much i;iformalion in rcirird tollw moun- 
 tains, the best mode of defence, iVc that [iroved 
 in our experience remarkably correct. Durinjj 
 the afternoon, llie chiefs of the Kauzaiis sent mi! 
 a nnmhcr of buH'alo ton(;ues and oilier choice hits 
 of meats. Hut the lillli discoverable on llieir per- 
 sons (jcnernlly delerred ns from nsin^' IMcm. For 
 this Ihry carred little. If their presents were ac- 
 cepted, an obliualion was, by their laws incurred 
 on onr part, from which we could only be relieved 
 by presents in return. 'I'd Ibis rule of Indian eli. 
 ipietie wc snbmilled ; and a council was aceord- 
 in;ily held between my.self and the priiicipal chief 
 tbrouixh an inlerprelcr, to delcrmine upon the 
 amount and fpadilyof my inilehledncss in this rc- 
 jrard. The final arranijement was. thai in cfin- 
 sidcr.ition of the small amount of properly I had 
 then in poss<>ssion. I would i;ive him two pounds 
 of tobacco, a sldcdiiiife, and a few papers of ver. 
 million; but thai, on my reliirn. which would be 
 in fourleen months. I should he very rich, and 
 jrivc him more. 
 
 'I'o all which obli'iations and pleasant prophe. 
 cies, I of course cave my mosi bearly eonenrrciua.'. 
 The ( 'aws, or Kanzaus. are notorious Ibieves. Wc 
 Ihereliire pul oni a double (rilaril al niu'lit, to wati'li 
 llieir predatory opi rations, with inslruelions to 
 tire upon them, if Ihcy uttempted to take our ani- 
 mals. Neither (.nrird nor instructions, however, 
 proved ol use ; for the tempest, which Iheexpiri. 
 cucedold Santa I'dulis liad tsccii mil"* 1<-'>1' "<■ 
 
in the Rocky Mountains, the Oregon Territory, tfc. 
 
 15 
 
 tliunclcr.cloiul in the nortliwrst ;it iimort, proved ii 
 more cnicR'nt protection llian the ;irui ol' man. — I 
 Th(; cloud rose nlowly chirini; the early part of the 
 ni(;lit, and iipprared to hanir in suspense ol'execnt- ' 
 ing itH awful purpose. The linhlniuir, and lie.ivy 
 ruinblinp;of the thunder, were friuditful. Jt came 
 to the zenith aliout I'i o'cloeU. When in that po. 
 aition, the cloud covered ou<'-half of lh<' lieaveUB. . 
 and for some minutes was nearly stationary. Af- 
 ter this, the wind liroke forth upon il ul tlw hori- 
 zon, and rolled up the dark masses over otu" heads 
 — now swellin;r, now rendinof to shre<ls its im- 
 mense folds, lint asyel, not a lire.ilh olairnioved 
 over the plains. 'I'lie animals slnod motionless 
 iind silent at the speetaele. The nucleus of elee. 
 tricity was at the zeiiilli, and thence larjje bolts at 
 lust leapi'd in every direction, and liuhled for an ' 
 instant the e.ulh and sUies so intensely, that the 
 eve could not tndure the liriirhtness. The report 
 that followed was appalliufr. The ground treni- 
 liled — the horses ami mules shook with lear, and 
 attempted to esi'ape. liut where could they or 
 our.ielveH have Ibunil shelter ' The cdoiids at the 
 next montent appeared in the wildest eonnnolion. 
 struafjjiinjr with the wind. " Where shall we tly '" 
 could scarcely have heen s|>oken, liefore the wind 
 struck our lent. tr)re the sl.akes from the (;n)nud. 
 snapp<'d the centre pole, and burii'd us in its en. 
 raged I'olds. Kvery man. ihirlei'u in nund)er, im- 
 mediately seized some portion and held it willi his 
 misht. Our opinion at the time w.is, that the 
 absence of the weiirht of a sinirle man would have 
 (riven the storm the victory — our tent woidd have 
 eloped in the iron embraces of the tempest. We 
 attempted to (il it uji a;rain .after the violeneeof the 
 storm had in some deirrei' passed over, but were 
 nntdile so to do. ."so that the remainder of the 
 niitht was spent in gatberinir u|)our loose animals, 
 and in shiveriufT under the cold peltinL's of the 
 rain. The Santa I'Vans. when on march throujrh 
 thesj plains, are inconstant e.xpcclalion of these 
 tornadoes. .Xceordiniily, when the sky iit niijht 
 indicates their approach, they idiaiu the wheels of 
 adjacent wa;,'ons stronfjly toffelher to pri.'vent them 
 from beinir upset — an a(u'ident that has olten hap- 
 pened, when this precaution was not taken. It 
 niav well be conceived, too, th.it to prevent their 
 (r(x)ds from beinir wet in such eases, reipiires a cov- 
 eriu:^ of no <ir(linary powersof protection. Dows 
 in the usual form, save thai they are hiylu-r, are 
 raised over louf; snidicn I'ennsylvania wagons, 
 over which are spretid two or three thicknesses of 
 woolen blankets; and over these, and e.xlemkd to 
 the lower cdfTc of the body, is drawn a slroni; can- 
 vas« covering;, well fjnarded with cords and leatlnr 
 (itrups. Thnnigh this covering these teiniJcsts sel- 
 dom penetrate. 
 
 At 7 o'clock on the morninj; (d' tbi''J7th, "Catch 
 up, eatidi up," rani; around the wafions of the 
 Santa Feans. Innnediattly each man bad his 
 liand upon a horse or mule ; and ere we, in atlempt- 
 jliU to Ibllow their e.vamplc, had our horses by the 
 luilter, the teams were harnessed and ready (or tlie 
 " inarch." .V nolde siirjit those ti ams were, forty- 
 odd in nundjcr, their innnensc waj^ons still unmov- 
 ed, forminj; an oval breastwork of weallb, girded 
 by an iin|iatient niaf;s of near 400 mules, harnessed 
 and ready to move again along their solitary wav. 
 But the interest of the sc<,'iie was nmch increased 
 wbcu. at tliu cull cit' the uoiuinanUci', tlic two li'K'f, 
 
 team after li-am, straiirhlcned themselves into the 
 trail, and rolled majcslically away over the undu- 
 lating plain. We crossed the Pawnee Fork, and 
 visited the ("aw Camp. Their wigwams were 
 eonslructed of bushes inserted into the ground, 
 twisled together at the top, and covered with the 
 bull'alo hides that they bad been gathering for their 
 winter lodgi'S. .Meat was drying in every direc- 
 tion. Il had been cut in long narrow strips, wound 
 arf>nnd slicks standing njirighl in the ground, or 
 laid over a rick of wiekor-work, under which slow 
 tires are kepi burning. The slencli, and the s(pi did 
 a|)pearani-e of the women and children, wcri' not 
 Mdllcienllv int<Teslirig to detain us long ; and we 
 traveled on forllie bull'alo nhicli were bellowing 
 over the bills in adv.inee of us. Tliere appeared 
 to be about I . "lOO souls : they were almo.st naked ; 
 and lillby as swim-. 'I'hey make a yearly bunt to 
 this region m the spring- — lay in a large (pianlily of 
 dried naat — relurn to their own (errilory in Imr- 
 vesl time — g.ither their beans and corn, make the 
 bull'ilo hides, taken before the hair is long enough 
 for robes, into conical tents ; and thus prepare for 
 a long and jollv winler. 
 
 They take wilh ihem.ou these hunting cxeur- 
 siiins, all the hor'^es and mules belonging to the. 
 tribe, lint can be spiU'ed from the laljor of their 
 lields upon (be Konzas river — no south till they 
 meet thi' butjalo — build their distant wigwams, 
 and commence their labor. Tliis is divided in the 
 liillowing manner between the males, females, and 
 children: The men kill the game. The women 
 dress and dry the meat, and ran Ibe hides. 'I'he 
 inslrumeiils used in killing vary with the rank and 
 wealth of e.ieh individual. Tlie high chief has a 
 lance, wi(h a handle six feel and liladi- three feel 
 in length. This in band, mounli'd upon a fleet 
 horse, he rides bobHv (o the side of (he (lying buf- 
 falo, and thrusis il again and again through the 
 liver or hear! of i>ne, and Ihen anolber of the af- 
 frigliled herd, till his horse is no longer able to 
 kee)) near them, lie is thus able to kill live or 
 six, more or le.-is, at .a single hea(. Sonic of the 
 inferior chiefs also have llii;se lances; but they 
 must all be shorter than I bat of his Uoyal Dark- 
 ness. The common Indians use muskets and pis- 
 tols. Uilles are an abomination lo Ihem. 'I'he 
 twisting motiiin of the ball as il enters — Ibe sharp 
 crack when discharged — and the direful singing 
 of the lead as il euls the air, are considered synip- 
 , loms of wileheraft that are unsafe for the red man 
 lo meddle with. Tliev call Ihem nicdii ines — in- 
 scrutable anil irresistible sources of evil. The 
 ! poorer clashes si ill uselhe bow and arrow. Nor is 
 ; Ibis, in ihe wi'll-lrained hand of the Indian, a less 
 , etVeelive w<M|)on ihan those already nienlioned. — 
 .Vstride a giHid horse, beside a b<'llowing band of 
 wild beef, le ininj forward upon the neck, and 
 ( drawing his limbs close lo tbesidesof his horse, 
 ; (he naked liimler uses his national weapon with 
 I astonishing dexterity and success. 2S'ol uiifre- 
 (pienlly, when liitlin;; no bones, does he throw his 
 '. arrows ipiile throuirb tliehuli'.do. Twenty or thir- 
 i Iv thus variously armed, advance upon a herd. — 
 'i'he chief leads the chase, and liy the time they 
 ; conic along siile the band, the diH'crent speed of (ho 
 lior'?s has brought them into a single tile or line. 
 , Thus they run mitil every individual has a buffa. 
 lo at bis side. Then the whole line (ire guns, 
 I, tlu'ow anowit or diivc luiicc^i ai> ul'tvii uud m Igii^ 
 
16 
 
 Travels in the. Great Western Frames, 
 
 UB tho Bficcd of the horprs will iillciw ; iind wldnin 
 do tliey fail, in encounters of this kind, to hiy ii|)on 
 the dusty plain numhers of these noble animals. 
 
 A cloud of squiiws that had hprii lioverinir in 
 the nciijhlHuhood, now liinry up, astride of pack 
 iininiuls — strip oil' liidrs — cut olV the hcst flesh — [ 
 load their puck-saddles, mount themselves on the 
 top, and move slowly away to the eamj). The 
 lord» of creation have llnislied their day's l.dtor. — 
 'I'hc ladies cure the meat in the m;in;iir deseril)e;l 
 above — Btreteh the hidi's u|kpu the i;roMnd, and 
 with n blunt woodin adze hew them into leather. 
 The younger shoots of the trihe durin'.' the day 
 arc eufjaffed in watcing and [;uardint; ti.e horses 
 and mules that have been used in the hunt — elian- 
 (jiuj their stakes from one spot to another of 
 fresh (rrass, and erouehinjj alouij the hiyhts 
 around the camp to notice the approach of foes, 
 and sound the alarm. Thus the Konzas, Kausans, 
 or Caws, lay in their anmial stores. Unless 
 driven from their jrame by the I'luvnees, or some 
 other tribe at enmity with them, they load every 
 animal with meat and hides about the first of .Vu- 
 puHt, and commence the march back to their 
 fields, fathers, and wijjwams, on the Konsas Riv- 
 er. This return march must present a most in- 
 terCBtinj; scene in savage life — 7tll) or i^dH horses 
 or umles loaded with the' spoils of the chase, and 
 the children of the tribe iKildiu'.; on to thi' packs 
 with midhi and main, iriUed as eels, and shining 
 with bntValo [;rease, their fallirrs . lul mothers 
 loapiuf; on foot behind, with their ^uns |)oi.><ed on 
 the left arm, or their bows and arrows swunij at 
 their back ready for action, and turnin'^ their 
 heads rajjidly anil an.xiously for lurking; enemies 
 — the attack, the scrcanvs of women and children 
 — each m.an seizing an animal lor a breastwork, 
 und surroundins thus their wives and children — 
 the firing — the dyini; — the contpicst — the whoop 
 of victory and rejoicin!r^■ of one parly, and the 
 dojjged, sullen submission of the other — all this 
 and more hi's occurred a thousand limes U|x)ii 
 these plains, and is still occurriji!;. Hut if vietn. 
 ry declare for the Caws, or they march to their 
 lioine without molestation, how many warm af- 
 fections spring up in their untamed bosoms, as 
 they see again their parints and children, and tho 
 ripened harvest, the wonds, the streams, and bub- 
 ling springs, among which the glci'fid days of 
 chUdhood were spent 1 And when greetings are 
 over, and welcomes arc said, cmbrai-cs exi-hanged, 
 und their homes seen und smiled upon; in fine, 
 when all the holy feelings of rcmi'mbr.ince, and 
 their present good fortune, find vent in the wild 
 night-dance — who that wears a while skin and 
 bcntimcntalizcs upon the belter lot of civilized 
 men, will not believe thai the Indian too, relurucd 
 from the hunt and from war. has not as much hap- 
 piness, if not in kind the s imc, and as many sen- 
 timents that do honor toour nature, as are wrapped 
 in the stays and lights of a fantastic, m;iwkish 
 civilization — that llattering, pluming, gormandi- 
 zing, unthinking, gilded life, which is beginning 
 to measure mental and moral worth by the 
 amount of wealth |)ossi>ssed, and the adormnenis 
 of a slip or pew in church. Jiut to our journey. 
 We traveled eight miles and encam|>ed. .V hand 
 of buffalo cows were near us. In other woids, wc 
 were determined ujmii a hunt — a deiermination, 
 Uvranaoauwu'AoaluihichjaB will hereafter appear, 
 
 were highly disastrous. Our tent having been 
 pitched, and baggage piled up, the lleetcst horses 
 tclecled, and the lies! marksmen bf si mounted, wb 
 trotted slowly along a circling depression of tlio 
 lilain, that wound around near the herd on the 
 
 . leeward side. When we emerged insight of them, 
 wc put the horses into a slow gallop till withi,! 
 .'10(1 yards of our game ; and then for the nimblest 
 heel 1 Jvich was on his utmost speed. We nil 
 gained n|K)n the herd. Hut two of the horses were 
 by the side of the lubbers before the rest were with- 
 in rille.reach ; anri the rillcs and pistols of their 
 riil"rs discharged into the sh'ck, well-larded Iwdy 
 of a iioble bull. The wounded animal did not drop ; 
 the ba'ls had entered neither liver nor heart ; and 
 away h" ran for dear life. But his unwie;iy fonn 
 moved Siower and slower, an the dripping blood 
 oozed from the bnllct-holes in his loins, lie ran 
 towards our lent ; and we followed him in that 
 
 ' direction, till within a fourth of a niile of it, when 
 onr heroes of the ritle laid him wallowing in his 
 blood, a mountain of flesh weighing at least 3000 
 pounds. W'f butchered him in the following man- 
 ner : Having turned him upon his brisket, split 
 the skin above the spine, and pared it off as fur 
 down the sides as his position would allow, we cut 
 ofVllie flesh that lay outside the ribs as far bacli 
 as the loins. This the hunters call " the fleece." 
 We ne.ict took the ribs that rise perpendicularly 
 from the spine between the shoulders, and support 
 
 ' what is tcrjucd the "hump." Thi?n we laid our 
 heavv wood axes u|K)n the enormous side-ribs, 
 
 ■ opened 111'- cavity, anil took out the tender-loins, 
 tallow. &c., — all Ibis a load for two mules to carry 
 into camp. it wa'i prepared for packing as fol- 
 lows : The fleeiu' was cut across the grain into 
 slices an eighth of an inch in thickness, and spread 
 upon a sc.itrolding of poles, and dried and smoked 
 over a slow fire. While we were engaged in this 
 process, inlbrmilion came that three of .Mr. Heiit's 
 
 ' nudes had escaped. The proliabilily was that they 
 had gone to the guardianship of our neighbors, 
 
 ' the Ciiws. This was a misforlune to ourhonor.i- 
 ble intention of restoring them to their lawful 
 owners. Search was immediately ordered in tho 
 Indian camp and elsewhere for them. It was 
 
 . fruitless, 'i'iie men returned with no very favor, 
 able account of their reception by the Caws, and 
 were of opinion that farther searidi would be in 
 vain. Hut bring disposed to try my influence 
 with the principal chief, I gave orders to raise tho 
 enmp and follow the Santa FOiins, without refer- 
 ence to my return, and mounting my horse, in 
 conipanv with three men, sought his lodge. Tho 
 wigu ams were deserted, save by a few old women 
 
 ' and soualid children, who were wallowing in dirt 
 and grease, and regaling themselves upon the 
 
 ' roasted intestines of the buffalo. I intpiired for 
 
 i the chiefs — for the mules — whether they theni- 
 j selves were human or bestial ; for. on this point, 
 i there was room for doubt : to all which inquiries, 
 
 ] they gave an appropriate grunt. But no chiefor 
 
 other pers:>n eoidd be found, on whom any res])on- 
 
 ! sibilitv could be thrown in regard to the lost nuiles. 
 
 ! .'Vnd after climbing bights to view the plains, and 
 
 I; riding from b;uid to band of Ills Darkness's quad- 
 
 jl rupeds for three hours in vain, we returned to our 
 
 camp sulljeientlj' vc.ted for all purposes of comfort. 
 
 Yet this was only the beginning of the niis- 
 
 forluncB of tliis day. During my absence, one 
 
in the Forhf Mountains, the Oregon Territory, Sfc. 
 
 17 
 
 nt having been 
 ic tlcrtrHt horses 
 )psl mounted, wc 
 rproBfion of the 
 lie herd on the 
 lnsi;r|,t ofthcni, 
 iillop till withiM 
 for the iiiifibleHt 
 Hprcd. We all 
 r the horNi'B were 
 
 • rest were witli. 
 )istol» of their 
 
 vrll-liirdcd Ijody 
 ml did not drop ; 
 nor heart ; and 
 
 I iinwiiviy form 
 drippinc blood 
 loinn. He ran 
 
 eil him in that 
 mile of it, wlicn 
 allowing in hiH 
 ng at least 3000 
 
 • following man. 
 lis l)rifiket, Bplit 
 red it otF bh fur 
 l<l allow, we cut 
 ibs as far bank 
 
 II " the tleeee." 
 perpendicularly 
 ITS. and support 
 icn we laid our 
 mous side-ribs, 
 le tender-loiuH, 
 ) mides to carry 
 piiching as fol- 
 
 the grain into 
 less, and spread 
 icd and smoked 
 ( ngaged in this 
 ecof .Air. IJent's 
 y was that they 
 
 our neighbors, 
 ' to our honora. 
 
 their lawful 
 ordered in the 
 them. It Was 
 no very favor, 
 the Caws, and 
 •h would be in 
 
 my influeneo 
 lers to raise the 
 , without refer. 
 : my horse, in 
 lis lodge. 'J'hn 
 rew old wome?i 
 diowingin dirt 
 Ives upim the 
 
 1 inquired for 
 ■r thi'y them, 
 on this point, 
 hieh inquiries, 
 'ut no ehiefor 
 >m any respon- 
 the lost mules. 
 Ihe plains, and 
 rknesB's quad, 
 cturned to our 
 SCR of comfort. 
 : of the mis. 
 
 ■ absence, one 
 
 J 
 
 of those potty bickerings, so conimf>n among men ' 
 released from the restraints of society and law, 
 had arisen Iwtween two of the most (piarrelsome 
 of the company, terminating in the accidental 
 wounding of one of thcni. It occurred, as I 
 learned, in the following manner : A dispute 
 arose l)etw<!en the parties as to their relative moral 
 honesty in some matter, thing, or act in the past. 
 .\nd as this was a question of great [H'rple.xity in 
 their own minds, and doubt in those of others, 
 words rail high and abusive, till some of the men, 
 more regardful of their duty than these warriors, 
 Iwgaii preparations to strike the teut. The re. 
 doubtable cond>atant8 were within it ; and as the 
 cords were loosed, and its folds began to swing , 
 U|)on tho i!entre pole, the younger of the braves, 
 niled with wrath at his oi)|H)uent, attempted to 
 show how t(^rriblc his ire would be, if once let 
 loose among his muscles. I'oi' t'lis pur|iose, it 
 would seem h« seized the muzzle of his lille with 
 every demonstration of might, power, &ie. and at. 
 tempted to drag it from among the baggigcr. The 
 hammer of the lock caught, and sent the i-ontonts 
 of thi^ barrel into his side. Every thing was done 
 for the wounded man that his condition required, 
 and our circuuistanees ])crmitted. Doctor Wal- 
 worth, of the Santa FiS caravan, then eight miles 
 in advance, returned, examined, and dressed the 
 woimd, and furnished a carriage ''ir the invalid. 
 During the afternoon the high rimf of the ("aws 
 also visited us ; and by introducing discolored wa- 
 tcr into the upper oritice, and watching its pro. 
 gress through, ascertained that the hall had not 
 entered the cavity. But notwithstanding thatt)ur 
 anxieties alxiut the life of Smith were much les. 
 sened by the assurances of Dr. Walworth, and our 
 friend the ('hief, yet we had others of no less ur. 
 gent nature, on which we were called to act. Wc 
 were on tho hunting.grouud of the Caws. They 
 were thieves; and after the Santa F<'' traders 
 should have left the neighborhood, they would, 
 without scruple, use their superior forci^ in ai)pro. 
 priating to themselves our animals, and other 
 means of continuing our jouruej'. The Pawnees, 
 too, were daily expected. The Cuuianehes were 
 l)rowling about the neighliorhood. To remain, 
 therefore, in our present eucaiiipuient, until Smith 
 could travel without pain and danger, was deemed 
 iertain death to all. To travel on in a manner as 
 comfortable to the invalid as our condition would 
 permit — painful to him and tedious to us though 
 it should Ih! — appeared, therefore, the only means 
 of safety to all, or any of us. W(! accordingly co- 
 vered the bottom of the carry.all with gra.ss ai.d 
 blanket-" laid Smith n|ion them, and with other 
 blank Iwlslered him in such manner that the 
 jolting of the carriage would not roll him. Other 
 arrangements necessary to raising camp being 
 made. I gave the company in charge of my lieu- 
 tenant : and ordering hin\ to lead on after mc as 
 fast as possible, took the reins of the carriage, and 
 drove slowly along the trail of the Santa F^'ans. 
 It was continually crossed by deep paths made 
 by the bufl'alo, as a thousand generations of 
 them had, in single file, followed their leaders from 
 (wint to (loint through the plains. These, and 
 other obstructions, jolted the carriage at every step, 
 and caused the wounded man to groan pitiably. 
 I drove on, till the stars indicated the hour of 
 midnight ; and had hoped by thii tim* to havs I 
 
 overtaken the traders, but was disappointed. In 
 vain I looked through the darkness for the white 
 einbanknjcnt of their wagons. The soil over which 
 they had passt'd was now so hard, that the man 
 in advance of the carriage could no longer find 
 the trail ; and another storm was crowding iti 
 ilark pall up the western sky. The thunder aroused 
 and enraged the bulfalo bulls. They pawed th« 
 earth and Iwllowcd, and gathered around the ear. 
 riage madly, as if they considered it a huge animal 
 of their own species, uttering thunder in defianco 
 of them. It became dangerous to move. It was 
 useless also ; for the darkness thickened so rapidly, 
 that we coidd not keeji the track. My men, too, 
 had not come i>|>— had doubtless lost the trail— 
 or, if not, migh* .ain me if I tarried there till tha 
 morning. I therefore halted in a deep ravine, 
 which would partially protect mc from the mad. 
 denarl buffalo and the storm, tied down my at '.. 
 m;ds head to foot, and sought rest. Smith was in 
 gr»iat pain. His groans were sufficient to prevent 
 sleep. But had he been comfortable and silent, 
 the storm |K)ured such torrents of rain and hail, 
 with terrible wind and lightning, around us, tltat 
 life, instead of repose, became the object of our so. 
 licitudc. The horscmaii who had accompanied 
 mc, had s))read his blankets on the ground under 
 the cariiage, and, with his head upon his saddle, 
 attempted to disregard the tempest as an old-fash, 
 ioiied Stoic would the toothache. But it beat too 
 heavily for his philosophy. His Mackinaw blank, 
 ets and slouched hat, for a time protected his un- 
 gainly Imdy from the eft'ectsof the tumbhng flood. 
 But when the water began to stream through the 
 bottom of the carriage u|X)n liim, the ire of the 
 animal burst from his lank checks like the coming 
 of a rival tempest. IIu cursed his stars, and the 
 stars lichind the storm — his garters, and the gar. 
 ters of some female progenitor — consigned to pur. 
 gatory tho thunder, lightning, and rain, and wag. 
 on, alias poor Smith ; and gathering up the sham. 
 bling timbers of his mortal fraine, raised them bolt 
 u|)right in the storm, and thus- stood, quoted 
 •Shakspeare, and ground his teeth till daylight. 
 
 As soon as day dawned I found the trail again, 
 and at 7 o'clock overtook the Santa F<:diui. Hav. 
 ing changed .Smith's bedding, I drove on in the 
 somewhat beaten track that forty.odd wagona 
 made. Still every small jolt caused the unfortunate 
 man to scream with pain. The face of the coi'Ji- 
 try around Pawnee Fork was, when we saw it, a 
 l)icturc of t)cauty. The stream winds silently 
 among blulTs covered with woods, while from an 
 occasiond ravine!, long groves stretch out at ri.(ht 
 angles with itsmtiin course into ihe bosom of the 
 plains. The thousand hills that swelled on the 
 iiorizon, were covered with dark masses of bufTalo 
 |>eiccfully grazing, or quenching their thirst at 
 the sweet streams among them. But the scene 
 had now changed. No timber, no, not a shrub 
 was seen to-day. The soft rich soil had given 
 place to one of flint and st<nd, as hard as Mc- 
 .•Vdam's pavements — the green, tall prairic.grast, 
 to a dry, wiry species, two inches m hight. The 
 water, too — disgusting remembrance ! There was 
 none, save what we scoo|)cd from the puddles, 
 thick and yellow with burtido offal. We traveled 
 fifteen miles, and halted for the night. Smith was 
 extremely unwell. His wound was much inflam- 
 ed and painful. Dr. Walworth dr«a««d it, and «a. 
 
18 
 
 Travels in the Great Western Prairies, 
 
 cmirugcd mo tn »u])poBc that no diingcrof life wuh ' 
 to be npprrhi'ndcd. INIy coinpuny joinitl \\\v iit \'i 
 o'clock, on the 'i'iA, and wc fullowrd in the rear 
 of the cavalcndc. After mipiwr waH over, and 
 Smitli made eunifortable, I soiipht from houie of l 
 tlicm a relation of their forlunew <liirin(; the \)i\»\. \ 
 night. It appeared that they had found tlie biiHa. ; 
 lo tmublenonui ax noon nn night eume on ; that 
 tljc bands of bulls not unfrrcpienlly advanced in 
 great numbers within a few feel uf them, pawing , 
 and bellowing in the nioNt threatening manner; 
 that they also lost the trail after midnight, and 
 HpcBt the remainder of the night in tiring upon 
 the bulTalo, to keep them from nnniing over them. 
 Their situation was indeed dangerous in the ex- 
 treme. For when buffalo l)econie enrageil, or 
 frightened in any considerable nundnr, and com- 
 mence nmning, the whole herd Ktnrt simultane. 
 ously, and pursue nearly a right-linc courw, re. 
 gardJess of obetaclcs. So that, had tliey l)een 
 frightened by the Santa Kt^ans, or myself, or any I 
 other cause, in the direction of my companionH, 
 they must have trampled them to death. 'I'he 
 danger to b« apprehended from such an event was 
 rendered certain in the morning, when we ])er. 
 eeivcd that tlio whole circle of vision was one 
 black mass of these animals. What a sea of life 
 — of niuscuiur |iower — of animal api)etite — ofhes. ' 
 tttol cnipyment! And if lushed to rage by some 
 iMjrvading cause, how fearfid the ebbing and flow- 
 ing of its mighty wrath ! { 
 
 On the 23d the buffalo were more numerous '. 
 than ever. They were arranged in long lines from j 
 Hie eastern to the western horizon. The bulls 
 were forty or fifty yards in advance of the bands 
 of oowB to which tliey severally intended to give 
 protection. And as the moving embankment of 
 wagons, led by the advance guard, and Hanked by ■ 
 horsemen riding slowly from front to rear, and 
 guarded in the rear by my men, made its majestic 
 way ak>ng, these, fiery cavaliers would march each 
 to his own band of dames and misses, with an air 
 tliat seemed to say " we arc here ;" and then back 
 again to their lines, with great apparent satisfac- 
 tion, tJiat they were able to do battle for their sweet 
 ones and their native plains. We traveled fifteen 
 or sixteen miles. This is the lUstance usually made 
 in a day by the traders. Smith's wound was more 
 inflamed and |minful ; the wash and salve ol' the 
 Indtan chief, however, kept it soft, and prevented, 
 to a great extent, the natural iuflumniation of the 
 case. 
 
 llic faoc of the country was still an arid plain 
 — tlie water as on the t22d — fuel, dried bull' lo otl'al 
 — not a shrub of any kind in sight. .»nother 
 Btonn occurred to-night. lis movements wert! more 
 rapid than that of any preceding one which we had 
 experienced. In a few moments after it showed 
 ita dark outUnc above the earth, it rolled its pall 
 over tlie whole sky, as if to build a wall of wrath 
 between us and the increies of heaven. The flush 
 uf the lightning, as it bounded uiwn the firmament, 
 and mingled its thunder with the blast, that came 
 groaning down from the mountains ; the masses 
 of inky durknegs crowding in wild tumult along, 
 as if anxious to lead the leaping bolt upon us — the 
 wild world of buflulo, liellowmg and starting in 
 myriads, as the drajniry of this funeral scene of 
 nature, avast cavern of fire was lighted vp; the 
 rain roaring and foainiug like a cataract— 411 Uiis, i 
 
 a ri-eling world tottering under the great arm of ita 
 Maker, no eye could m c and lie unblenehed ; no 
 mind conceive, and ke<'p its clayey tcntmenl erect. 
 I drew the carryall in which .'>mitli and myself were 
 attempling to Nh'rp, eliiHc to the >^unta Fe wagons, 
 secured the curtains as firmly as I was able to do, 
 spread blankets over the top and 'iround the sides, 
 and laulie<l them firmly with rn|)«'S passing over, 
 under, and around the carriage in every direction ; 
 but to litlle use. The |H'netrating |M>wersof that 
 storm were not resisted by such means. Again 
 we were thoroughly <lrenehed. The men in the 
 tent fared still worse than ourselves. It was blown 
 down with the first blast; and the |KX)r fellows 
 were obliged to lie closely and hold on strongly to 
 prevent it and themselves from a flight less safe 
 than parachuting. 
 
 On the morning of the 21th, .Smith being given 
 in charge of mv excellent Iiieutenant, with the 
 assurance that I would join him at the " Cross- 
 ings," I left them with the traders, and started 
 with the remainder of my company for the Ar- 
 kansas. 
 
 TIk! buffalo, during the last three days, had 
 rovered the whole country so completely, that it 
 apjieared oftentimes extremely dangerous even for 
 the immeni)e cavalcade of the Santa Fe traders to 
 attempt to break its way through them. Wo 
 traveled at the rate of fifteen miles a day. The 
 length of sight on either side of the trail, 1.5 miles; 
 on Ixjth sides, 30 miles :— 15X 3=.|.5X 30=1,350 
 square miles of country so thickly covered with 
 these noble animals that when viewed from a 
 bight it scarcely afforded a sight of a sipiarc 
 league of its surface. What a quantity of food 
 for the sustenaiu^c of the Indian and the white 
 pilgrim of these plains I I It would have lu'cn 
 gratifying lo have wen the Iteam kick over the 
 immense frames of some of those bulls. IJut all 
 that any of us could do, was lo ' guess ' or ' reckon ' 
 their weight, and contend al)out the indubitable 
 certainly of our several 8Up|)osilions. In these 
 disputes, two buteliiTs took the li.-ad ; and the 
 Hubstancc of their discussions that could interest 
 the reader is, •' that many of the large bulls would 
 weigh 3,(100 |Hiunds and upwards ; and that, as a 
 general rule, the buffalo were n'.ucli larger and 
 heavier, llian the donieslicated cattleof the .Stales." 
 We were in view of \\w Arkansas at 4 o'clock, I'.M . 
 The face of the earth was visible again ; for the buf- 
 I falo wen; now seen in small herds only, fording the 
 river, or feeding upon the bluffs. I*fear nightfall 
 \ \\v. killed a young bull, and went into camp for 
 the night. 
 
 On tlie25tli we moved slowly along up the bank 
 of the river. Having traveled ten miles, one of tlie 
 men slu)t an antelope, and we went into camp to 
 avoid, if possible, another storm that wus lower, 
 ing upon us from the North-West. Hut in spite 
 I of this precaution, we were again most uncom- 
 fortubly drenched. 
 
 ! On the 2Gtli wc struck across a sonthem bend 
 
 in the river, und mude the Santa FC "Crossings" 
 
 at 4 o'clock, P. M., twenty-seventh, we lay at the 
 
 j " Crossings" waiting for the Santa Fcuns, and 
 
 : our wounded companion. ( )n this day a mutiny, 
 
 1 which had been riiK'iiing ever since Smith was 
 
 . woundiid, assumed a clear asjiect. It now ap. 
 
 peurcd that certain individuals of my company 
 
 i had dctcriiiiiicd to leave JriuiiUi to perisli in Uio 
 
 encn 
 
 Sll|l|> 
 
 endr 
 
 Sinl 
 dc<l ; 
 
 HHSIl 
 
 ordc 
 
 won 
 
 will 
 
 Ihr 
 
 iikIi 
 
 prcf 
 
 liltr 
 Mirrt 
 pniv 
 ion 
 
 llllr 
 
 JL 
 
in the RnrJcji Mountahm, the Orrcron Territnr;/, \i 
 
 19 
 
 • (f<''>t nrniof itH 
 
 imMniclu'dj no 
 
 f Inilmirit rrcct. 
 
 mid inymlf were 
 
 iiitii fV wugniiH, 
 
 w iiH iil)lc to do, 
 
 round Iho Hides, 
 
 Hs parwinir ovit, 
 
 rvtry direction ; 
 
 |iowrr« of Hint 
 
 iMi'anH. Again 
 
 'lie men in the 
 
 "■ It was l)lown 
 
 i<! |KK)r fellows 
 
 il on Btronfrly to 
 
 flight Iras sufo 
 
 itii being jjiven 
 ■nant, with tlio 
 It the "("roBs- 
 r") nnd started 
 iiy for tile Ar. 
 
 irec ilnys, had 
 ipletely, that it 
 U'erouM even for 
 a Fe trufleni to 
 Il them. Wo 
 I a day. 'I"hc 
 trail, 1.5 miles; 
 LiX 30= 1,350 
 'covered witli 
 iewed from a 
 t of a S(|iiarn 
 lantitv of food 
 ind the whito 
 iild have Imth 
 kick over the 
 "ills. Hut all 
 «' or 'reckon' 
 'ic indiihiluhic 
 iHH. In ihe.««! 
 •ud; and tho 
 •■ould interest 
 te bulls would 
 aiHl that, as n. 
 ;li larger and 
 of the .States." 
 o'clock, r.M, 
 II ; for the buf. 
 Iv, fording the 
 "oiir nightfall 
 iito camp lor 
 
 r up the bank 
 IcH, one of »(k! 
 into camp to 
 it was lower. 
 Hut in spite 
 Host uncom. 
 
 ulhcm J)end 
 " Crossings" 
 we lay at the 
 
 Fcans, and 
 ly a mutiny, 
 
 >Sniitli was 
 It now ap. 
 ly company 
 etiaU intlio 
 
 eneampminl wli'-re lir w im kIihI ; Iml I'liillnL' in 
 «u|i|)orterfi nl I'H li^irli.iriiiiH ;i pnipiiMtinii, lliry now 
 endciivorc'il Id iK'roinplisli llieir (ii'Mi^n liy less oli. 
 )ri;lionililp niiiiiK. 'I'liey f.iid il w.ih evi<l( nl if 
 Sinilli rriniiii''il in llie eonipaiiy, it mu»l he divi- 
 ded ; lor lliat llii'>,piin" en iImiih, could not lon'jer 
 nsHii('i:ili' with w> liii|iuri- a niiin. An<l lliiil, in 
 order to prcHiivi- llic iitiily of tin' ri>iii|Kiny, tliiy 
 would pmpiiHc IImI ariiin'.'ciiiriilH ^lJllMl(l lie ni:i(lc 
 willi llie S.Milii l'"iNinM tip t ilic liiiii iilfiii^ willi 
 llii'Mi. Ill llii" winli ;i nnijorily of llic i'om;i iliy, 
 indiii'eil liy ii laud ililo d<'sir(' lor peai'c, imil Ilie 
 preHervalioM of our Hiiiall force cnlire, in a c "iilry 
 tilled with IiiiIImii fill's, riMilily iiiiited. 1 w iR de- 
 sirtil to irijikr llir arr.iii|;iiM(til ; bill my ellbrtH 
 prnvi'il I'mitlr^H. (fi'iilli'iMi'ii |r;iilrrs wrri-of opin- 
 ion III II il would li" InzirdoiiH lor .Smilli, desli. * 
 lull' of the nil' iiiH of ^l|||l|lorl, lo IniMt himself 
 aiiionij il pi'iiple of wliosi' lainrii me lir was 
 i'^iioniiil, anil amoii:; wlioiii lie eniild riiiisri|i|i'iit- 
 ly ijrl no ( iii|iloymi'iit ; liirtlicr, lliat Smilh had a 
 ri^'hl lo e\|ii'rt prolrclion Iroiii his eomradi's;j 
 and lliey would nil, liy any act of theirs, vi lii've | 
 llii'iii from Ki) sarreil a duly. I riporled to iiiv , 
 roiii|iiiiiy lliiH reply, and dwell at Icil'illl u;i<im the < 
 reiisous assii;Tied liy Ilie lr:iilirH. 'I'll" imiliiieers 
 were liij.'hlv dis|ili'asi'd Vi"illi llir' sironi.' r'oiiilrjima. 
 li'Hi ronlaiiii'il ill llii'iii, of llirir iiili'iilioii lo desert 
 liiiil ; and IkiIiIIv propoM'd lo leave ."^milli in llie 
 e irry.all, and m'Ti'IIv <li|>arl lor llie iiioiiiiI:umh.— 
 Hull we iloiie lliis iiiliiiiinii ai-l, I II ive no iloiilil 
 thill he would II ive lieeii treated witli t'i'eal hii. ' 
 nianily iiiid Uiinliiess, lill he should have recovered 
 from his woiiiid. Ilul llie iiieaiiiuss of llie 
 proposition to leave asieli coinpinioiion llie hands 
 of llmse who liail shown us inilioiinili'il kiiidui'ss, 
 and in violalioii of III" solemn aifrceuieiil we Iriil 
 all I'lilered iiilo on llie rroiiliirof Missouri — "to 
 protect each olher lo Hie l!sl evireiiiilv" — was so 
 luanifi'sl, as lo cause < ', W'ooil, ,loiiriloii, ( )akly, .1. 
 ^Vooll, ami llliir, lo la!<" <ipei) and slroii,f ground 
 ai;ainsl il. 'I'liev deelared tint "however nn. 
 worthy Smilh iiiio-ht he, we could iieilliei' leave 
 him lo liecaleii liy wolves, nor ii|hiu the merev of 
 slrainjers; .-ind that neillier sliould lie done while 
 Ihev had life lo prevent il."' 
 
 Ilaviiii; tliusaseerlaiiii".l that I could rely uiK.n 
 the co-operaliou of these men, Iwn of llie coiupi. 
 iiy made a liller, on which llic nnrorlunalc man 
 mi'iht lie liorne lielwccn two iimlcs. In llie af- 
 lerniKin of llie ;i"<lh, I went down lo the traders, 
 tivc miles below us, lo briivj him up lo iiueaiiip. 
 (Jenllemeii Irailcrs ifciieroiislv reriised lo receive 
 any lliin^r lor tlic usi- of llieir carria-^c, and fur. 
 uislied Smith, when he lell IIh'IU, with every lillle 
 comliirt in iheir power for his liilure use. It was 
 past suiiscl when we left their camp. Deep dark, 
 iicss s<M)n set ill, and wv lost oiir coiirsi' anion',' 
 Ihc wiiidin;; liliill's. Hut as I hid rc.isfins to sup- 
 fiosc that my presence in Ihc camp llie ncxi luorii- 
 ing with i^milh wa.s necessary I'l his welfare, I 
 drove on till ^ o'clock in Ihc miirnin;^- It was of 
 no avail ; the darkness hid heaven and earlli from 
 view, \Vc thcrerorc hailed, lied ihc mules lo the 
 wheels of the Ciirriaj^e, and waited lor the si;rht of 
 morning. When it came, v.'c found that we had ', 
 traveled during the night al. one time up and at i 
 another lime down Ihc ;^lream, and were then ; 
 within a mile and a half of the traders' camp, < hi 
 rcachiiitj my cnuampmcnt, 1 I'oiuid every tliiiijj ,. 
 
 ready lor marching — fcnl hack the carryall to ils 
 owners, and alleinplcd lo swing Smilh in his lil- 
 ler for the march ; liiil lo our great disappoint* 
 niciil, il would iiol answer the purpose. Ilow it 
 was |iossible lo convey him, appeared an impiiry 
 of the most painful imporiaMcc, We dclilx-raled 
 long; but an impossihilily birred every ntleinpt 
 to remove ils dililcullies. We hud no carriage; 
 wc could not carry him upon our sliiiiildcrs ; it 
 seemctl impossible for him lo ride on hurHchaek ; 
 the mill iiieers were moimled; Ihc coiiipany was 
 ahaid lo slay lunger in Ihc vicinity of theCii- 
 maiii'he Indians, with so many animals to lenipt 
 lliem to take (iiir lives; the Santa Fii wagons 
 were uuiying over llie hills ten iiiilcM away on the 
 oilier side of the river; Iliad alijurcd Ihc com. 
 maud, and had no coulrol oyer the movements of 
 the company ; Mvo of the individuals who had de- 
 clared lor mer' v Inward Simlli had gone with Ihc 
 traders; then was but one course lilt— one eftbrt 
 llril could be ni'idc ; he must allcmpt lo ride tin 
 easy, gciillc mule. If thai failed, llmse who had 
 111 Irieiided him would not then liirsikc him, — 
 Alioiil II o"clock, Iherelbrc^ on Ihc ijlttli, Siiiilh 
 being carefully moiiiiled on a pai'iiig mule, oiir 
 faces were liirneil to lleiil's trading-post, llilt 
 miles up Ihc \rkaiisaN, ( liic of the principal mil. 
 liiieers, a hard. laced villain of no honest niemorv 
 iimong the the Iriders ii|ioii llie I'lalle, assumed 
 lo guide and cnmmand. His malice toward Smith 
 was oi llie liilli rest ell iracler, and he had an op. 
 portnnilv now of making il lell. With a grin 
 iipnii his lonir ,ind wilhcied physiiignoiny, that 
 sli iilov.a'd oiil the licndisli dilii^ht of a heart long 
 iiieap able of heller ell lol ions, he drove oft' at a rate 
 which none but a well man could have long en. 
 (hired, ll's innlivc for this was easily uiidcrst(Hid, 
 If we fell behind, he wiiulil gel rid of the wound, 
 ed man, wliose presence seemed lo he a living ev- 
 idence of his iiimdei'oiiK intenlioiis, thwarted and 
 eiisl back blistcriii'r upon his already sulliciently 
 fold cliariclcr. He would, also, if rid of those 
 persons who had dcvdled themsilycs to saving 
 him, be able to induce a large number of the re. 
 maindir ol the company to put themselves under 
 his especi il gil inli iiiship in llieir journey through 
 the moiiutains; and if we should be destroyed by 
 the ('umanche Indians thai were prowling around 
 our way, the blickuess of his heart might be hid. 
 den, awhile nl least, from Ihc world. 
 
 'I'hc nipid riding, .iiid Ihc exiremc warmth, 
 well. nigh proslraleil the rcniaiiiiiig slrcnglh of Ihc 
 invalid. He (liinled once, ami, had like to have 
 fdlcii headlong to the ground ; but all this was 
 dclighl to the sell'-constiliiled IcaiU'r ; and on he 
 drove, bclabnring his own horse unmercifully to 
 keep up the giiil ; and ipioliiig Richard's soliloipiy 
 with a salisfactinn and emphasis, that seemed lo 
 say "the winter '' of liin discontent had passed 
 away, as well as that of his ancient prototype in 
 villany, 
 
 'i'hc Uufl'alo wen^ seldom seen during the day : 
 the herds were heeoniing fewer and smaller, — 
 .Some of the men, when it was near night, gave 
 chase to a small hand near tlic tr.ack, and succeed, 
 ed ill killing a yoniig hull, \ line fresh steak, 
 and night's rest, cheered the invalid for the fa. 
 tigucs of a long ride the following dav. And a 
 long one it was. 'J'wenty-live miles iinilcr a burn- 
 ins ^ui) ^'^''('' "■ '''S'' '^'ver, and tluec broken ribti, 
 
20 
 
 Travels in the llrcai Wcaleni Prairies, 
 
 requirprt the urrntput nttrnlion fwin hin fripniln, 
 unci thr cxirtioii nl' llir iitiiinHt rnniiiiiiii; nirrnirs 
 of ihr iitiliirliiniili' in.iii. H.iw tliMiii;li lie w.ih in 
 rvrry lliiiii; lli:il makcH ii ni.iii rslinmlilc iiiiil v;iln. 
 itblc lo liiiiiM U Mini iillicrn, Siiiilli WiiH rrallv an 
 nl)jr<M of |iity, niid llir mcwt ;ihHi<liu>iiH crirc. Ilif 
 roiirli wiiH K|irrii(l — liiH ni|i (if Wiilcr fii fli friiiii 
 the Hirriiiii, wiim iilwiiyK hy Iiim hIiIi' — iiinl IiIh fiKid 
 |irr|)iir('(l ill llic immt |iiil:it.'ililc niitiiiiir wliicli mir 
 rimiiiiiiliiiK'fN |iiriiilllr(l. Kvcry lliiiij; iiidicd 
 tilut li.n Irii'iidH (im, iml IiIh frlciidM, for lir wnn 
 liu'u|mcitiilrd li> iitt.icdi cillicr [\\r (rnod cir llir liiid 
 to liiH priHoii, bill lliKHC wild I'liiiiiiiiiaiTMli'd IiIn rill). 
 ilitii>n,) I'oiild (III, WUN d(iii(< tu iiiiiki' liiiii ((iiii. 
 fortiililc. 
 
 Ill (•(iiiMiTlion with this kiiidiirss lichlowcd 
 on Smith, bIiohIiI he ri|((;ilrd Ilic n;iiiii' nf Mliiir, 
 nil (lid iiK ch.iiiii' from MisHouri, who Joined 
 my comiiMiiy !il the ('ninsiinjM of tlii' ArUiiiiHiiH. 
 A mini of II kiiiilrr hiMrl iicvir cxiwlcil. h'roiii 
 the pliirr when' lir jiiincd im Id ( )|ci;oii Territory, 
 when invHclf or (illiers were worn with fiiliirne, or 
 (liseaBe, or Htarvalion, he \v:ik iiKviiyH ready lo ad- 
 liiiliiBler whatever relief waH in liin |Miwer. lint 
 towardit .'^mith in liiH lielpleHS eonditioii he wan 
 mprriallv ohlinihj;. lledrecHed liin wound daily. 
 Il(t nlepl near him at niL'lit, and rone lo Kiipply hit" 
 leant want. And in all the lryi,i|; (liHii'iillieN tlial 
 ocenrrrd iilon)/ onr perilous joiirncv. it was lii» 
 (rreatest d<lij;lll to ditrnso pe.iee, eoinforl, anil eon- 
 tcnliiirnt, to the exl('nt oflii« iiitlneiiee. I can 
 never for(;et the jjood old man. lie had heeii 
 elieated out of his properly hy a near relative, of 
 pretended piety ; iiiiil liad left Die ehoseii hi eiies of 
 liiH tnilH and hopes ill seareli of a nsidiiiee in llie 
 wilderiicFS heyoiid the iiiounlaiiis. For the purpose 
 ■ 'I 
 
 yellinii ""' 'heir 'aire ; nnH tmmpinp, pnwinj;, full. 
 111(1 ll|ioll their knees, imd learinix llie earth with 
 llieir horns; lill, as if iinahle lo keep down Ihe 
 sil'ely. valve of iheir eoiira^o iiiiy loiiger, IliPy 
 would liimlile into the nlream, and Ihiiiider, nnd 
 wade, nnd swim, nnd whip the wall m wilh theii 
 tails, and Ihiis llirow olVa ipianlily of liraverv per- 
 frelly irresiHlilile. Iliil, like Ihe wralli and eoiirii(.'i 
 of eertain nieniln rs of Ihe hipeil race. Iliese niiiiii. 
 feKtatioiiM wern not hnllel-priMil ; for Ihe eraek ol a 
 rille, nnd Ihe niiiii; 111 ot a linllet alioni their rilis. 
 opiTiiled inslaiilaneonsly us an niuiilviie lo nil siieji 
 like iiervons exeilalioii. We pitehed (Hir lent ill 
 iiillhl near Ihe river, '('here was no limlier nnur. 
 Hill after n loiij; and ledioiis Hcareh we (rnllierpd 
 tire. wood enoiiL'h lo make onr eveniiiu lire. 
 
 The f.iHl ndiiiL'of the day had wearied ,'<inith 
 I'xeeeiliii'ily. An hour's rest in camp had resloreil 
 ed him, however, lo siieli an exieiil, thai onr aiix 
 ietv its lo his aliililv lo ride lo lieiil's was miieli 
 diiniliished. lie: iiolile mule proved too iiimhle inul 
 easy lo irralify Ihi inaliecof Ihe vairalsinil loader. 
 The ninhl liioiii.rlii lis its usual Irilmli — n slorm. 
 Il w.is as Hcvrri a'* any we had experieiieed. Il 
 We may dislinu'iiitli hdweeii the severilie* ol 
 these iiwl'iil timinlls of nature, Ihe tliiiiider was 
 heavier, deeper, more like the expirini; (jroaii of 
 the woild. '{'he wind also w.ih verv severe. Il 
 eanie in lonir iiiiHts, loaded wilh larjre dropii of 
 rain, that struck tliioiiirh the canvass of onr tent, 
 lis if il had heen cair/.e. 
 
 The liisl day <d' June L'ave lis a lovely morning. 
 The i^rass looked L'recn upon Ihe flinty plains. — 
 Nor dill the apparent fact that they were doomed 
 lollie eoiislaiil reeiirrenee of loni; draii(,'lilslakn 
 from lliein some of the inlerest that ijathrrH 
 around the hills and dales wilhi'i Ihe lines of the 
 .■^laUs. There is indeed a wide dilVerenee in the 
 
 ofjjelliiiS to the ()rei;on Territory, he had hired 
 
 hiniFelf ton i;entleiiiaii of Ihe traders" earavaii. v.illi 
 
 the inlentionof iioiii'j lo the eoimlry hy Ihe way of oulliiie of Ihe surf lee and the prodnetions of llies)! 
 
 New Mexico nnd Cililiirnia. .\ii lionesl m:in — an reirions. In Ihe plains there are none of Ihe pv. 
 
 honornlile man — a henevolenl, kind.sy nip ilhiziiiir 
 friend — Iip deserves well of those who may have the 
 good fortune lo heeonie actpiaiiited with his unpre. 
 tondinc worth. 
 
 Ontlie3iMli, Iwpniy.rivc miles up the river. — 
 This morniiiK the miscreant who acted as leader, 
 exchanged liorses that he niiifhl render it more dif. 
 ficiilt for Siiiitli lokeep in company. Diirinjr the 
 CI tire (lny"s inarch, Shakspeare was on the tapis. 
 I'oor old genllemairs dust and ashes 1 If lliere 
 be cars of him nhoiil Ihe ugly world, to hear his 
 imnii' bandied hy boobicH, and his immortal verse 
 mangled liy barbarians in civilized elolhing, those 
 oars Blood erect, and his dust crawled with iiidig. 
 nation, as lliis savacfc in nature and practice, dis. 
 charged from his polluted mouth the inspirations 
 of liis genius. 
 
 Tiie fact; of the country ^vns such as tliat found 
 ever since we struck llu^ river, l/mg sweeping 
 blufTs swelled away from Ihe water's edge into the 
 l)oimdless jdains. The soil was a composition of 
 Rand and clay and gravel. Tin; only vegelation — 
 the short furzy grass, several kinds of prickly pear, 
 a stinted growth of the sun flower, and a few de- 
 crcpid cotton-W(K)(l trees on the margin of the 
 Btrcnm. The south side of the river was blackened 
 by th(! noisy builido. And it was amusing when 
 our trail led us near the bank, to observe the rising , 
 wrath of the bulls. They would walk with a state. 
 
 crgreeii ridges, the cold dear sprint"!, and snug 
 tlowerini vallies of .New. Kngland; none of the 
 pulse of busy men that beats from the .\llanlic 
 llirouirh Ihe uniat Ixidy of liiiman iiidiislry to tile 
 weslern border of Ihe repiililie ; none of the sweet 
 villages and homes of the old .Saxon race. Hut 
 there are Ihe vast sav.imiahs, resembling ni(dlen 
 seas of emerald sparkling with flowers, arrested, 
 while stormy, and heaving, and fixed in elr ma! 
 ri |Mise. Nor are there lowing herds there, and bl(?n. 
 ling flocks, that dipendeiKc on man has reiidorrd 
 subseryient lo his will, lint there arc tlieri^ thou- 
 sands of lleet and silent antelope, myriads of the 
 bellowing biilValo, the perpelnal patriinony patri- 
 mony of the wild, uncullivated red man. And 
 however other races may prefer Ihe haunts of 
 tlufir childhood, the well-fenced domniii and tho 
 stall-pampered beast — still, even they ennnot fail 
 lo perceive the same fitness of things in the beau- 
 tiful adaplalion of these eondilions of nature to 
 the wants and pleasures of her uncullivated lords. 
 We iiiadi^ ir> miles on the Ist of .Inly. The 
 blulVs along the river began to be striped with 
 strata of lime and Hand-stone. No trees that 
 could claim the denomiiuilioii of timber appeared 
 in sight. Willows of various kinas, a cotton- 
 wood tree at intervals of miles, wnc all. And 
 so utterly sterile was the whole country, that, us 
 night apiiroaclied, wo were obliged carefully to 
 
 of HlJ 
 
 eam|| 
 ll< 
 
 ipi iril 
 
 CMIII|I 
 
 mlerJ 
 111111111 
 mi-oil 
 mcnj 
 
 IMf 
 llie 
 llieiiil 
 III III 
 servi 
 
 lot 
 
 b'.lil.l 
 saw 
 that 1 
 II ho 
 I'luiil 
 the 
 "h. 
 ibiiM 
 llie 1 
 of ol 
 
 ly trsad upon the verge of tho bank, ut timei ulmost |i learch along tho rivcr'i bendi for a plat of graii 
 
in Ihe RocJei/ Mounluins, the Ortgon Terrilnrij, ffc. 
 
 2t 
 
 IR. |mwrii!», full. 
 a flir riirlli wilh 
 
 > krrp (JDU'ti llir 
 l.V longer, tliry 
 I'l lliiilldrr, iinil 
 ■il< m Willi ilicii 
 V "I'liniviTv |iir. 
 
 ■ idl IIIKJ COIirilirc 
 "•'', llll'NC llllllll. 
 
 ir the inii'k <>l n 
 "li'iiil their liliH. 
 iilyiiPloiill Hiieli 
 in(l (iiir lent III 
 11" liiiilicr iiriir. 
 I'll "■!■ jrnllicret! 
 'imiU lire. 
 
 "ciirlril Smilli 
 np lind reHloreil 
 I, that our anx 
 Ill's \v:iH iniieli 
 
 too iiiinMi' mill 
 ij.''!!*'!!'! Iniidrr. 
 iliiilr— n Morin. 
 tprririiced. 1 1 
 (• pcvcrilin* oi 
 "• llniiider WiiK 
 
 lirill^r (rro.-lll ol 
 ly Kivcre. It 
 liirjr,. drops of 
 IBS of our lent, 
 
 >vcly ninniinjr. 
 
 liiity plains 
 
 ' Were doomed 
 draiifihlstakn 
 lliat irathorH 
 
 I' lines of the 
 
 I'erence in thii 
 •lionnof thew! 
 of the rv- 
 
 iL'i, and Hniifr 
 none of the 
 the Atlantir, 
 idiistry to the 
 ' of thcBweol 
 I raee. But 
 hlinjr molten 
 <T». arrewted, 
 1(1 in eleriKiI 
 ■re, iind blca. 
 has rendered 
 ' Iheit^ thou. 
 
 vriadH of thi! 
 imony i)atri. 
 man. And 
 
 ic liamitH of 
 lain and the, 
 
 >' cannot fail 
 
 I in the bean. 
 [if nature to 
 ivalcd lords. 
 •Inly. 'I'he 
 striped with 
 
 > trees that 
 tier ajipcared 
 s, II cotton, 
 •c all. And 
 fry, tlmt, us 
 carefully to 
 >lBt of grui 
 
 of miirinriit Ki/.e to feed our aniinnln. Our en. 
 •'ainpmeni was \'i iiiilrs above ('hotiaii's Nlulid. 
 Here wan rcpealecl, Icir the tweiilielli tune, llir 
 •pi irrel alHiiil llie relative moral nlentfi of the 
 company 'I'll is \\;\* always a i|iie«lion of deep 
 iliterepl uilli tlir imilmeerM ; and in inv were Ihe 
 aiiiUHiiiLr arirmiieiilsaildiiied and iimiHled upon as 
 ini'onli'Hlihle, Id prove llieniHelves (rriat men, purr 
 men, and salntii. Iliil as Ihrre was minli ilitlir- 
 em'e of opinion on maiiv |hiiiiIh inlrodiieeil into 
 ■ he ilehale, the aiillior will not lie ev|>i'elei! lo re- 
 member all the iiii|i"rlanl lud^emcnls rendered 
 HI Hie prniiisi H. Il, linwever, my rreolleelioii 
 serves nie, i| was ad|iidire(l, on the aiilliorily of a 
 ipiol ilion from .""li lUspeaie, tli 'tour <lislin'_'iiished 
 leaiiri- was llir "Illy mall ninoii;; us that ever 
 saw the plains or moiinlaiiis — the only one of us 
 (hat iver dniM- an o\.vvai;"n up Hie I'latH — stole 
 a horse anil rille Iniiii his employirs — opeiud anil 
 plundered a " eai'lii'" of (;rH)dM — and r.in baek lo 
 the .States Willi well.foumleil preleusioiis to an 
 "honest eliar.ieter." Matters of this kind In^in^' 
 thus Halisrailijiily settled, we nave ourwlves lo 
 the musipiitiM s lor the nii;ht. 'I'hese eomp mioiis 
 of our Hliepmir hours were iiiiieh ultaehed to us — 
 an amiable ipnlily that " rims m the bhsxl ;" and 
 not unlike tlie liirtlirn;hl virtues of aonthiT rate 
 111 its elVecl upon our liappmeMK. 
 
 I I can srareely l)i' imparl lu;; information lo niv 
 leaili'is to say that We pasw'il .isleepliss nielli. Hiit 
 il is due 111 llie Lmards cMilside Hie Iciii. to remark, 
 that eaeh and every of them, maiiil'ested the must 
 priiiHiwoilhv viyilaiiee, watehliihii'ss, and iniliis. 
 try, dmiiii; the entire mi,dil. So kern a sense of 
 duty dill imiHipiil'i beaks impart. 
 
 '('be 111 At day we traveled I'J miles, and fell 
 ill with a liaiid of hiiU'do. 'I'liere lieinir a cpian- 
 lity of wood near at, hand wherewithal to (!iire 
 meat, wi' d(leriiiiii''il to dry, in this place, wh it 
 miifht be niediil, till wc should fall in with hutKi. 
 lo a^aiii biyniid Ihe liimtiii'i-ifidunds of the 
 Messrs. Iteiil'-.. ."^oiiie of the nii ii, lor this pur- 
 pose, filed oil' to the gaiiir, while the remainder 
 formed the eu • inipnieiil. Tile eliase was spirit- 
 ed and loii'f. They sin'ei edid. however, in hriu'.'- 
 iiii; down two noble bullocks ; and led their horwes 
 in, loaded with Hie ehoieest meat. 
 
 III prepnriii;^ and jerkin;; our meal, our man 
 of the slob 11 rifle here nhsmiied extraordinary 
 jsiwers in Ihe man i);enient of allairs. Like otli. 
 cr braves, arm in hand, he reeoiinled the exploits 
 of his past life, consislin;; of the i ntert limnenl 
 of HcrioilK iiilriiliiiiin lu b ive killed some of the 
 men that had left, h id they remained wiHi us ; 
 and, also, of /loic ilinifriron.s hix irnttit wiiild 
 linre hern in the settlements and el.sewnere. had 
 any indii;nily been otl'ercd to his honor able per- 
 son, or hispiantalion ; of which latter be held the 
 fee simple title of a "sipialler." On this point 
 " let any man, or (.iovernincnt even." said he. 
 " attempt to deprive nie of my inl)oni rii;lils, and 
 my rille shall be the jiidije lietwceii us." " (joy- 
 crnment and laws ! what arc tlicy but im]Wsition8 
 upon Ibo freeman." With this ebullition of wrath 
 ut the possibility that the institutions of society 
 inijrht demand of him a rillc. or the tiovernnicnt 
 a price of u portion of the public lands in his |)08. 
 session ' J appeared satisfied that be had convinced 
 us of bis moral acumen, and sat himself down, 
 with hii woU-fed (uiil corpulent coadjutor, to ilico 
 
 the iiirat lor drying'. U'liilc IIiiih enira'.;id, lin 
 
 ai;iiiii raisi'd the voier of wisdom. " 'I'hrse ile. 
 
 moeralie parlies lor Ihe pi unn 1 I wh it are they ' 
 
 what IS eipialily any where ' A OiiIkc." " (Jno 
 
 iiMisI rule; tbn rest olsy, and no (,'rnmblini;, by 
 
 (i**I" The imitinecrH were vastly edilied by 
 
 these timely iiihtnietions ; and the man of part* 
 
 eeasini; 'o spciik, direeted his atleiitii i ; , iilyin({ 
 
 the meat. Ili', however, whiii broke lorth a|r, in, 
 
 toiiiid laiilt Willi every arran<rement that had hi en 
 
 made — anil with his ow n mighty arm w roui;lit 
 
 Ihe chiuii,'es be desired, (iod, angels, and devils 
 
 wen- alternately invoked liir aid to keep his pa. 
 
 , tieiiie up 111 llie trials ol his "resjioiisible stalioii.'' 
 
 j Me inwhile be was rousing' the lire, aire idy biirn- 
 
 I iiii; lierei ly, to more activity and still more, till 
 
 ] the droppiiiir jrre.ise bl.ized, anil our seall'old of 
 
 I nieat w.is wrapped in llamcH. " 'I'ake that meat 
 
 ill'" roared the man of |Miwer. ,\o one obeyed, 
 
 mil His (ircatness slood still. " Take that meat 
 
 itV." he cried a;;ain. with the emphasis and mien 
 
 I of an Kmpcror ; not dei;;iiin;; liiniM If lo soil IiIm 
 
 j runs, by obeyiii!; bis iiw n comin and. No one 
 
 obeyiil. 'I'lii' meat liiirniil rapidly. His ire wa.vd 
 
 I'll hit;h ; bis ti elli iiromid U|hiii each other; yet, 
 
 I'stranu'c to record, no mortal was so niueli frijjli'. 
 
 ' < lied as lo li> e<l his eomni.ind. .\t leii'.Mh bis 
 
 sublime l.irhc irancc h id an end. The (jicit man 
 
 seized the blazini; iiicil. in the spirit in which 
 
 .Napoleon S( i/.ed the liriil;;e of liOili, d.islii-d it up. 
 
 on Ihe ^I'liund. raisi-d Hie temperalure of his liir 
 
 : ners lo the blislerin;; point, and rested from his 
 
 labors. 
 I The moral sense is said lo have l)ern coeval 
 I and coextensive with the liumaii race. Indeed, 
 there are niaiiy facts to sii]i|Hirt this opiiiiou. Hut 
 I a doubt is Honietinies thrown over the exihlence 
 ' of this siibslratiim of liiimaii ris|ionsibilil y. by the 
 pre|Hiniler.itin!j inlliienee of the baser passions 
 I over all the hallowed impulses of the social atl'ee. 
 lions, and the desire to be just. When the bandit 
 enters the eavc of the lonely forest, (llled wilh 
 the tiiiils of bis crimes, or the pirate treads the 
 I (.'oiy deck of his vessel far at sea, doi'S not the so. 
 ; cial priiieiple. the senlimcnt of ri{;ht, of liumuni. 
 ty. wither, if it ever existed lliere, beliirc the oft. 
 eii-hi'ated fuinaciMif habiln d vice ' .Nor is thf 
 case chaii'^ed in the arid plains of the Wesl.- 
 I The mind that his trloated itself on dishones 
 j acts, has wrenched Iroiii the widow and orphan 
 the pill.mic of comlort that the L'raye has spared 
 '. tliem. has rioti'd ii])on the corpse of every virtue 
 thai adorns oin" nature, finds no allev'ation of its 
 ■ liab fill propensities, when nothin^r but desolation 
 and the fearful artillery of the skies op|)OBe their 
 ' manifestation. Hut still, when reason controls, 
 j who does not believe that in the coinimsitioii of 
 our mental lain;;, there is a sentiment of moral 
 titncss. .\nd, iiideid, in my little band there 
 were some in whose Ixisonis its saitred tires burned 
 britrhtly under the most liarrassinij ditliculties, 
 and 1 believe will continue to adorn their charac- 
 ters with its holy suhduiufj ligbt under the dark- 
 est sky that malevolence and misfortune will cvpr 
 cast over Hieii). Nor would I be understood to 
 confine iIuh tribute of my aft'ection and jrood will 
 to those that penetrated the mountains with me, 
 and endured hardshipB, hunger, and thirst with 
 nie, unioiii; its desolate vallies. There were oth- 
 en who left the company for the Platte, Santa Fi, 
 
22 
 
 Travels in the Great Weslcrn Prairies, 
 
 ami tlic Sntrs, v.lin deserve the liiL'lusl pruise for 
 their grneroiiH sinlininita, ;iiid patient anil manly 
 endurance of tiillirinj;. 
 
 Three dayn nioie liiliuuin;; travel aloni; the 
 bank of the ArktinsiH 1 rnu.'hl ns to the tradin'j- 
 post of the !\Iei--srH. I!enls. It was about H o'clock 
 in tile afternoon of the ."jlh of Jnly. when we came 
 in tiiijbt of ilK noble hatllcnienls, and NirueU onr 
 e.iinivan into a lively pace down the swell of Ihi^ 
 nei^diborinu plain. The stray nudes that we nad 
 in eliarfre lielonijin!; to the Ifi nts. sccntcci their 
 old (irazin'r ground, and irallopped cliecrfMlly on. 
 ward. And onr hearts, relieved from the anxie- 
 ties that liad nia<lc onr camp, for weeks ])ast. a 
 travclin'x babel, l<'a)ied for joy as the i;ates of the 
 fort were thrown ~pen ; aiiil " welcome to Tort 
 William" — the hearty wi'leonie of fellow-eoim- 
 tryinrn in the wild wilderness — greeted ns. I'eaee 
 again — roofs atjain — safely again from the winged 
 ari-ows of the savage — relief again from the de- 
 pravi'd suggestions of iiihninanily — bread, ah I 
 bread again — and a prospeei of a delighlfnl tramp 
 over the snowv highls between me and ( Iregon. 
 with a few men of trne anil generoii;- s|iuits, were 
 home of the many sources of pleasure that slrng- 
 jfled with my shiridwrs on the first niirhl's tarry 
 among the hospitalities of '• Fort William.'' 
 
 i\Iy coiii|)any was to disband hen — the proper, 
 lylield in common to be divided-.aiid I'a.h individ. 
 nal to be left to his own resources. .\nd while 
 these and other things are being done, the read( r 
 will allow nie to inlrodiice him to the (ireat I'rai. 
 rie '.Vilderiiess. and the In'ings and millers I here- 
 in contained. 
 
 CIlAi'TKU HI. 
 
 Thk Great Prairif Wililerm'ss— iis Kivers anfl Soil— iu 
 Peoplp and Iheir Terriittrics— Clinc.iaw.'*— (;hirka.'>aws— 
 Ch»'nikf*c«— (Jreeks — SJcaccis anti Mia-.vnees— Seiiilrn!es 
 — P'ttlawoniiiies— Wra>4 — [*i'>rtkn>ha.s — Peniias ami Kas- 
 ka»kia<< — t>Ilowas — Sliawnefsor.*^h^wannis — Delavvairs — 
 KHosan^— Km kapoos— Sauks and l'\ixr.',— I(>w;i*— Otoes — 
 Onit^has— Pntk;alis— Pawners, rfnii ant.- — Cariiiikanag — 
 tnnianche, rrniriains— Kriittinaux— .Naudow is-efl or Hioux 
 — *:hipp^way<, and llinir tradiliuie.. 
 
 'I'liK tract of eoiinlrv to which I have thought 
 il titling to apply l!ie name of the " (Ircal I'laiiie 
 Wilderness," embraces the terrilory lying bidwccn 
 the . "States of Iioiiisiana, .Arkansas, and Missouri, 
 and the I'pper Mississippi on the east, and the 
 lllack Hills, and the e.i-itern ranire ol' the Rocky 
 and the Cordilleras moimlaiiis on the west. < lie 
 thousand miles of loiiLriliide, and two llions iiid 
 miles of latitude, •J.OIill, 111)11 sipiare miles, cipial to 
 1 ,:2'<(l,ll(ll),lll»l) acres of an almost mibroken jilaini I 
 The sublime Prairie Wilderness ! I 
 
 The |H)rtion of Ibis vast region UDII miles in 
 wiilth, along the coast of Te.\as and the frontier of 
 the States of liouisianii, .\rkansas, and Missonri. 
 and that lying within the same disiaine of the l']). 
 per .Alississiiipi in the Iowa Terrilory, |Kissess a 
 rich, deep, allnvial soil, capable of prodiic-iii'_r ilie 
 most abundant crops of the grains, vegelablis iVe. 
 thai grow in such latitudes. 
 
 Another [Kirtion lying west of the irregular 
 wesleni line; of that just descrilxil, "illO miles in 
 width, extending from the month of SI. Peters 
 Hivcr to the Kio Del Xorto, is an idmosi nnbro. 
 ken plain, dcstiliiti! of trees, save here and Ihere 
 one scattered at inlcrvals for many miles along 
 the banks of tlu^ sIreamK. The soil, except the 
 intcrvaUul' iiontu of llic Kiverri, is coinjioscd of 
 
 coarse sand and clay so thin .and liaril that it is 
 diHiciilt for lrav( lers to ])enelrati- it with the 
 stakes Ibey carry with them wherewithal to fas. 
 ten their animals or spread their tents. Never. 
 Ilieli ss il is covered thickly with an extremely 
 ; nutritious grass peiniliar lo this region of country, 
 the blades of which arc wiry 'ind almiit '2 inches 
 I in bight. 
 
 ( The remair.dcr of this (Ireat Wilderi'.ss lyiiif; 
 
 I three lie.ndred miles in width along the Kastern 
 
 ! Radices of the Itlack Hills and that part of the 
 
 Rocky mountains between the I'lalleand the Ar. 
 
 kansas, and the Cordilleras range east of the Rio 
 
 Del \orle, is the arid waste iisiiallv called the 
 
 , ' (Ireat American Deser'.' Its soil is composed 
 
 of dark gravel ini.ved with the sand. .Some small 
 
 : |K)rlions of it, on the banks of the slreimis, are 
 
 covered with tall Prairie and bunch grass ; others, 
 
 with w Id wormwood ; but even these kinds of 
 
 vi-geta.ion decrease and finally disappear as you 
 
 apjmii'ch Ihe mountains. A scene of desolation 
 
 scarce y cipialed on Ihe eonliiient is this, when 
 
 ; viewed in the dearth of mid-summer from the 
 
 I bases < f the Mills. .Miove you rise in snbliinc 
 
 ' confusion, mass upon mass, of shattered clills 
 
 ; through which are sirugirling the dark foilage of 
 
 ,| stinted shrub-cedars ; while below yon spreads 
 
 ! far and wide the liMrul and arid desert, whose >-o\. 
 
 'I emn silence is seldom broken by Ihe tread of any 
 
 ' other animal than the wolf or Ihe starved and 
 
 ■ thirsly horse that hears the traveller across its 
 .: wastes. 
 
 'I"be principal streams that inlersect the (Jreat 
 , Prairie wilderness are the Colorado, the Urasos, 
 i Trinity, Red, .Arkansas, (Jreat Platte and the 
 l' Missonri. The latter is in many respects a no. 
 ble slream. Not so miicb so indeed for the in. 
 tcnvairse it opens between the Stales and tla^ 
 plains, as the the; 're of iigricullure and the 
 : other [)nrsults of a densely populated and distant 
 ' inli'riiir ; for these ]ilains are loo barren lor gener. 
 al I'ullivalion. liiil as a ehaniH I for the trans, 
 portation of heavy arlilliTy, inllilary ;-tori's, troops, 
 iVc, lo posts that miisl ullini.ately bi' established 
 along onr northern frontier, it will be of the high- 
 est n.se. In the months t)f April, M^iv, .md .lime 
 il is navigable for sti .in. boats to the (ileal Kails; 
 but the scarcity of Water during the remainder 
 of the year, as well as the searei'y of wood and 
 coal alonu: its banks, its steailily r.ipid enrreni, its 
 tortnons course, its falling banks, timber imbed- 
 lied in till' mud of its eliani:el, and ils constantly 
 shifting sand bars, will ever prevent Its waters 
 from being exienslvely naviealed. how gieat so- 
 ' ever may may be the d'lnaud for it. In that 
 p.irt of il which lies above the mouth of the l,il. 
 lie Missouri and the trilinlaries tlowiini into it on 
 either side, are said to be many eb.irmipg and 
 productive vallies. separated from each other by 
 secondary rocky ridges sptirsely eoyered with cv. 
 ergreen trees; and high over all, far in the .South 
 Wist, Wist, and North West, tower into view, 
 the ridges of the Rocky Moimlaiiis, whose iiicx- 
 ' lianslihie magazines of ico and snow have from 
 ' age to age supplied these valleys with refri'shing 
 
 ■ springs — and the Missonri — liie (ireat Platte — 
 ,: the Colnmbia — and Western Colorado rivers with 
 
 their tribute to the Seas. 
 j Lewis and Clark, on tlieir way to Oregon in 
 I 1SU5, iiwdo the Portu;;e at the iireut l'"«lls, Id 
 
iu the Rochj Mountains, the Oregon Territory, Sft 
 
 23 
 
 linnl tliat it ig 
 Ir- it with tlin 
 'U-illial to las. 
 tents. Never- 
 an exlrrniely 
 ion of conntry, 
 [ilKiut i2 ineliea 
 
 ilderiN'SS Iviitjj 
 \<X tlu' Kasteni 
 at part of the 
 le and tlie Ar- 
 ast of the Uio 
 illy railed llie 
 il is eoniposed 
 il. Some small 
 e streams, are 
 grass ; others, 
 these kindii of 
 <a|)pear as you 
 ' of desolation 
 
 is this, when 
 mer from the 
 si> in suhlime 
 ihattererl elills 
 'ark I'dilaije of 
 
 yon spreads 
 ert, whose sol- 
 e fead of any 
 e starved and 
 Her aeroas its 
 
 seet the fireat 
 
 0, the rinisos, 
 altc and the 
 respeets a no. 
 ed for the in- 
 tales and tla^ 
 lure and the 
 d and dislant 
 ■ren for gener- 
 I'or the trans. 
 
 :-fores, troops, 
 he eslahlished 
 !• of the high, 
 lav, .mil ,hme 
 ■('Jreat Falls; 
 tiii^ remaimh'r 
 of \\ ood and 
 lid enrreni, its 
 liinher Nuhed. 
 its eonslantly 
 nt its waters 
 low pi cat so- 
 r it. In that 
 Ih of the l,i|. 
 •iii!r into it on 
 •harniiii'j and 
 eaeh other hy 
 ered with ev. 
 • in tlie ."^outli 
 er into view, 
 
 1, whose iiiex- 
 )W have from 
 illi refreshing 
 Ireat IMalte— 
 do rivers with 
 
 to Oregon in 
 cut iulLs, la 
 
 miles. In this distance, the water deseends 3fi3 '! 
 feet. The lirst great pite.li is 1)8 feet, the second 
 1!), the tliird \^, the fourth 26. Smaller rapids 
 make up the remaininder of the descent, .\lter 
 passin<j over the I'ortagc with their lioats and 
 baggage, tlicy again entrusted themselves to 
 tlic turbulent stream — entered the chasms of the 
 Kocky mountaina 71 miles alwve the upper rapids i 
 of the Falls, penetrated them 180 miles, with the 
 mere force of their oars, against the enrreut, to ' 
 (tallatiii, Madison ami JetVerson's Forks — and 
 ill tlie same manner ascended .lefTerson's IJivor i 
 248 miles to the e.xtreine liead of navigation, ma. ; 
 king from Oie inouth of the Missouri whence they '■ 
 started HUDli miles ; — 429 of which lay among 
 tlie suhlime crags and clifls of the Mountains. 
 
 The (>reut Platte has a course hy its Northern i 
 Fork of about ITiOO miles ; — and by its i^onthem 
 Fork somewhat more than that distance ; from 
 its entrance into the .Missouri to th(^ junction of 
 these Forks aliout 40(1 miles. The North Fork 
 rises in Wind River Mountain — north of the 
 (ireat Pass through liOng's rang<' of the Kock^' 
 Mountains, in Latitude 42° North. The South 
 Fork riwB 100 miles We.it of .lames Peak and 
 within 1.5 miles of the jioiiit where the .Vrkansiis 
 escapes from the chasms of the Mountains, in 
 liatitude ,39° North. This river is not navigable 
 for Btcamlioats at any season of the year. In the 
 spring floods, tlie Battaux of the .American Fur 
 traders descend it from the T'orls on its Forks. — 
 But even this is so liazardous that they are begin- ' 
 ning to prefer taking down their furs in wag</ns 
 hy way of the Konsas Riverto Westporl, Missouri, 
 thence by steam-lioat to St. Louis- During the ' 
 summer and autumn months its waters arc tfio 
 shallow to noatai:anoe. In the winter it is hound 
 in ice. Useless as it for purposes of navigaation, 
 it is destined to be of grc;>t valuft in another rc- 
 sjieet. 
 
 The overland iravel from the .Sfate.-i to Oregon 
 and ("alifoniia will find its great highway along 
 its b.anks. l*o that in years to come when 
 the Federal Governmen' shall taki' possession of 
 its Territory Wvst of the Mountains, the hanks 
 of this stream will he studded with fortified posts 
 for the protection of countless caravans of.Vmer- 
 icaii citizens emigrating thitlier to establish their 
 alKide ; or of those that are willing to endure or 
 destroy tlic jictty tyranny of theCalifornian tiov- 
 ernmeiit, for a residene(^ in that most beautiful, 
 (iroductive country. ICven now loaded wagon? 
 can pass without serious interruption from the 
 mouth of the Platte to navigable waters on the 
 Columbia River in Oregon, and the Bay of , Sim 
 Francisco, in Calilbrnia. .And as it may interest 
 my readers to peruse a description of these routes 
 given mi' hy difTerent individuals who had often 
 traveled them, I will insert it. " Land on the 
 north side of the mouth of the Platte ; follow up 
 that stream to the Forks, 400 miles ; in this dis- 
 tance only one stream where a raft will he needed, 
 and that near the Missouri ; all the rest fordible. 
 At the Forks, take the north side of the North 
 one ; 14 days travel to the tlie Black Hills; thence 
 leaving the river's hank, strike oft' in a North 
 West dircelion to the ywcet-water branch, at " In- 
 de;,eiidctice Rock," (a large rock in the plain on 
 whicli tlie old trajipers many years ago carved the 
 word " Indepcndciico" uiitl tlioirowu namciii oval 
 
 in form ;) follow up the Sweetwater ,3 days ; cross 
 it and go to its head; eight or ten day's travel 
 Ibis ; then cross over westward to the head waters 
 of a small creek nmning Southwardly into the 
 Platte, thence westward to Big .Sandy creek 2 
 days, (this creek is a la;ge sliaam coming from 
 Wind river Moimtiiins mi the North ;) thence 1 
 da_v to Little Sandy ireek — thence westward over 
 '1 or 4 creeks to (ireen River, {\\•\^ ii name 
 .^heetsUadee,) strike it at the niouliirif Horse 
 creek — follow it down .3 days to I'ilot Bute; 
 theiice strike westward one day to Hams Fork 
 of lireen River — 2 davs up Hams Fork — thenco 
 West one day to iMiiddy Branch of Orcat Bear 
 River — down it one day to (Jriat Bear River — 
 down this 4 days to Soda Springs; turn (o the 
 right up a v.illey a quarter of a mile helow the 
 Soda .Springs ; follow it uj> in a North West di- 
 rection 2 days to its head ; there take the left hand 
 vallev leading over the dividing ridge ; 1 day over 
 to the waters of Snake River at I'ort Hall ; thence, 
 down snake River 20 days to the junction of the 
 Lewis and Clark River.s — or 20 days travel west- 
 wardly by the .Mary's River — llii nee through a 
 natunil and easy jiassage in the California .Moun- 
 tains to the navigable waters of the San .loiquiii 
 — a iiohle stream emptving into the Bav of San 
 Francisco." Tlie Platte therefore when consider- 
 ed in relation to our iiitercomsc with the habita- 
 ble eoiintrion on the Western Ocean assmnes an 
 imeipialed imporlancc among Ilii! streams of the 
 (Jreat Prairie Wilderness 1 But for it, it would 
 be ini)iossihle for man or beast to travel those arid 
 jilains, destitute alike, of wood, water and grass, 
 save what of each is found along its course. Up- 
 on the head watel. of its North Fork too is the 
 omIv way or opening in the Rocky ^lounlains at 
 all praciicable for a c, rriage road throngli Ijieiii. 
 That traversed by Lew !;• and v 'lark is covered 
 with ])erpetual snow ; that near tlu delMiuchurc of 
 (he .Smith liirk of the river is over liigd, and near. 
 ly impassable precipices ; tliat traveled hy myself 
 farther south, is, and ever will be impassable for 
 wheel carriages, lint thi' (ireat (Jap, nearly on 
 a right line lirtwciu (he mouth of Alissoiiri and 
 I'ort Hall on Clark's River— the )inin( where the 
 trails to California and Oregon diverge — seems 
 designed hv nature as the great gateway between 
 the nations on (lie Atlantic and Pai'ific seas. 
 
 The Reil River has a course of about l.,VMI 
 miles. 1 1 derives its name from a rediiisli color 
 of its water, proilueed hy a rich red earth or marl 
 in its banks, far up in the Prairie Wilderness. So 
 ahimdantly is this mingled with its waters during 
 the spr'.ig I'reshets. that as the tloods retire they 
 leave upon ilie lands they have overfiowed a de- 
 posit of half an inch in thieklies.'.. Three hundred 
 miles from its mouth eommence.-- what is called 
 " The Raft," a covering lormed by drift-wood, 
 which coneials the whole river lor an extent of 
 ahoul 40 miles. .\ml so dee|>ly is (his immense 
 bridge covered with the stdimcnl of (he stream, 
 (bat all kinds of vegetable eominon in its neigh- 
 Iniriiood, even trees of a considerable size, aro 
 growing iipoB i(. The annual iiiundationN arc 
 said to he cutting a new channel near the bills. 
 Stcambxits ascend the river to the Rait, and might 
 go fidv leagues above, if thai ohstruction witc re- 
 moved Above this latter point the river is said 
 to be cl)lburral^Bcd by many ruiiidB, i>ituUowH, fullMt 
 
24 
 
 Travels in the Great Western Prairies, 
 
 iind saiidburH. Indord, for 70(1 inilcR its broad bed 
 is rrprcacntcd to bo iui rxtonsivc and |M'rfpct Knnd 
 bar ; or rallicr a wrics of sand bars ; anionsj wliich 
 during Ibo suniinrr nionlhs, the water stands in 
 jionds. As you approach tbi" nioiinlaiiiK, however, 
 it boconics contrurtrd within narrow hinits over 
 a gravelly bottom, and a swift, clear, and abund. 
 ant stream. The waters of the Kid |{iver are so 
 bnekisb when low, as to be unfit for common use. I 
 
 The Trinity River, the Firazos, and Ibc Rio 
 Colorado, liavc each a course of alniul IliDII miles, 
 risini; in the plains and mountains on the North 
 and Northwest side of Texas, and runninj^ South 
 Southeast into the (Juif of Mexico. 
 
 The Rio Hravo del Norte boimds the Circat 
 Prairie WiUlcrness on the South and South-west. 
 It is lt),")l) miles loni;. The extent of its uavifta. 
 tion is bltlo known. Lieutenant I'ike remarks in 
 regard to it, that "for the extent of four or live 
 liundrcd miles before vou arrive near tli<' moun- 
 tuins, the bed of the river is extensive and a per. 
 feet Band l)ar, which at a certain season is dry, at 
 least the waters stand in pomis, not ittbrding suf. 
 lieieut to jiroeure a runnini; cou^.c. NV'lien yon 
 come nearer the mountains, you tind the river 
 contracted, a gravelly IkjIIoui and a deep naviga- 
 ble stream. From these circuinstaiK'cs it is evi- 
 dent tiiat the sandy soil imbiliis all the waters 
 wliieh the sources pro'tict I'roni the mounttiins, and 
 rcnderr the river in diy seasons /r.v,s' imriirnlilf tirr 
 hnitilnd mill's, than 'JUO from ils source." Per. 
 haps wc should undeisland the lienUinnt to mean 
 that .')()<) • iles of sand bar and li'W milcss innne- 
 diately 1- ,w its source being taki ii from its whole 
 course, tne reiiiaindir, !l.)0 miles, wonld be the 
 leu'ithof its navigable waters. 
 
 The Arkansas, ul'ti-r ihc Alissoun, is the most 
 considerable river of the "ouutry under considera- 
 tion. It takes ils rise in that e!'"<ler of secondary 
 iiiounlains which lie at the caste! bascof the .\ii. 
 ahuac Kidge. iu latilude II'- iS'orlh — SO or 1)0 miles 
 North-west of .lames Peak. It runs .about 'JilO 
 miles — first iu a southerly and tleii in a south- 
 easterly dircclion among tlnse mountain ; at one 
 time along the most eh irmiiig valleys and at an-i 1 uded to prove that their proximity to the whitcH 
 
 condition, manners and customs, &c. I will give 
 a brief account. And it would wcni natural lo 
 commence with those tribes which reside in what 
 is called " The Ii.dian Territory ;" a tract of coun- 
 try lK>unded south by the Red River, cist by the 
 States of Arkans,iB and Missouri — on the north- 
 cast and north by the Missouri and Punch Rivers, 
 and west by the western limit of habitable country 
 on this side of the Rocky .Mountains. This the 
 National Govenunent has purchased of the indi. 
 gcnons tribes at specific prices ; and under treaty 
 stipulations lo pay them certain annuities in cash, 
 and certain others in facilities for lea"niug the use- 
 ful arts, and for acquiring that knowledge of all 
 kinds of truth which will, as is supposed, in the 
 end excite the wants — create the industry — and 
 confer njion thciii the happiness of the civilized 
 state. 
 
 These benevolent intentions of Government, 
 however, have a still wider reach. .Soon aiter tlia 
 lOnglish |Hjwer had been extinguished here, the cu. 
 lightened men who had raised over its ruins the 
 temples of equal justice, began to make etrorts to 
 restore to the Indians within the colonies the few 
 remaining rights that Uritish injustice had left 
 within their power to return; and so to exchange 
 property with llicin, as to secure to the several 
 .•States the right of sovereignty within their several 
 
 ' limits, and to the Indians, the fnuctionsofa sovc. 
 
 I reign [lower, restricted in this, that the tribes shovdd 
 
 I not sell their lands to other person or liody cor|X)r. 
 
 ; ate, or civil authority, beside the (iovcrmnent of 
 the (Jnited .States; and in some other reRl>eclsre. 
 stricted, SI) as to pres<'r\-e peace among the tribes, 
 prevent tyranny, and lead them to the greatest 
 iiappiness they arc capable of enjoying. 
 
 And various iiiid nimieroiis were the etlbrts 
 in ide to raise and ainelioralc their condition in 
 iheir old haunts within the precincts of the .States. 
 IJut a total or partial ftiilure followed them all. In 
 a lew eases, indeed, thi'rc seemed a certain pros- 
 pect of final success, if the authorities of the States 
 in which Ihey resided had permitted them to re- 
 
 1 iM nil wlicr" they were. Rut as all experience 
 
 other through 1 be most awful ebasms— till it nish- 
 <'S from theiji with a foainiug curri'Ul in l.ililude 
 39'^ .North. Kroiu the pl.ice of ils delioiichure toils 
 (iitr.anee into llie Mississippi is a dislauee oi'lilSl 
 miles; its total length 'IW.i miles. .Miout TiO 
 miles below, a tribiilary of this sireaiii. (-alleil the 
 (irand Saline, a series of sand-bars comiuenee aii<l 
 run down the river several bimdred luiles. Among 
 them, during the dry season, Ihe water slaiidsiii 
 isolated ]hjo1s, with no apparent current. Hut such 
 
 induced among them more vice than virtue; and 
 as the (Jeiieral GoverumenI, before any attempts 
 had !>■ en niidc lo elevate them, had become obli- 
 gated lo remove them from many of the Slates in 
 111 which they resided, both the welfare of the In. 
 diaiis, and the dulv of the (Jovcrnmcnt, urged 
 I heir colonization in a portion of the western do. 
 main, where, freeil Ironi all iinestions of confiictinff 
 sovereignties, and under the protection of the 
 I'liion, and Iheir own municipal regulations, they 
 
 is thi' (|n iiilily of water sent down fioiu llie moun- '' iiiighl find a refuge from those intlueiices whicli 
 tains by this noble stream in the lime o! Ihe an-' llircatened the annihilation of their race. 
 
 nual frchhcls, that there is siillieient deplli even 
 upon these bars, to lloat large and heavy boats ; 
 
 The " Indian Territory " lias been selected for 
 this purpose. And assuri'dly if an iuexhauslible 
 and having once passed these obstructions, they '[ soil, producing all tlii^ necessaries of life in greater 
 eim be taken up to llie plac-e where the river es- ,j abundance, and with a third less labor than they 
 capes from Ihe crags of the mountains. IJoals in. j are prod iced in the .\tlantic Slates, with excellent 
 tended lo ascend the river, should start from tliei! water, fi legrovesoftimlicrgrowiug by the streams, 
 mouth alKiut the \s\ of i''cbru iry. The .Vrkansasj rocky d.fls rising at convenient distunces for use 
 will hp iwl'ul in conveying munitions of war lol among the deep alluvial plains, luines of iron and 
 
 our southern frontier. In the dry season, flie wa- 
 ters of this river are strongly iinpregn.ited with 
 salt and nitre. 
 
 There arc alwml Kt,"),000 Indians inhabiting the 
 Groat Pn ui9 WddnrncH, of whoaa .locial nnd civil 
 
 had ore and coal, lakes and springs and streams of 
 salt water, and innumerable quantities of butTalo 
 ranging throngh their lands, arc sullieient iiidicu. 
 tiona that this country is a suitable dwelling-place 
 for a raccof nicit which is pauiiiK from tliu iavag* 
 
 
in the Rucky Mountains, the Oregon Territory, S^v. 
 
 2S 
 
 tc. I will (jive 
 ni niitiiral to 
 rrsirio in uluit 
 tract of coun. 
 cr, cist by the 
 "'1 lliR north, 
 'iinrh Rivers, 
 itahlp nountry 
 «• 'I'his the 
 I of tlie ineli. 
 'indiT treaty 
 iilicH in cisli, 
 iiiiiarlhciiHo. 
 "lediro of all 
 x"*'''!, in thn 
 idustry — and 
 the civilized 
 
 Government, 
 >ooii niit-r tho 
 hfre, the en- 
 its ruins the 
 ike efForta to 
 "lies the few 
 IPC had left 
 to exchunffe 
 tlie several 
 their He veral 
 nsof a 80VC. 
 tribes should 
 Mdy (^orjjor- 
 'eninient of 
 respects re. 
 ■r the tribes, 
 the greatest 
 
 i the ellbrls 
 condition in 
 " the States, 
 leuiall. In 
 'rtaiu proH- 
 )f the States 
 heiM to re. 
 e.«|ierii>nec 
 ) the nhitcM 
 .'irtue; and 
 >y attempts 
 econie ubli. 
 le Slates in 
 of the In. 
 eut, urged 
 vcHtcra do. 
 eon(lictin}r 
 ion of the- 
 tions, they 
 lees which 
 
 elected for 
 xhauHlible 
 ill greater 
 than they 
 excellent 
 e streams, 
 J"* for use 
 ' iron and 
 itrea?ns of 
 of I'litlalo 
 lit iiidicu. 
 iiiff-placo 
 11) lavage 
 
 f 
 
 'o the civilized condition, tho Indian Territory has 
 l)eirn well eliosen as the home of tlies<^ uiilorlunite 
 people. 'I'liither the (Government, for the last thirty 
 years, has been eudeavorins; to iii(bic<' tho.se within 
 the jurisdiction of tho Slates to emiirrate. 
 
 'i'he (Joveniment punOiast^ the land wliieli the 
 emifrratinjj tribes leave — ),'iviu(j I hem others within 
 the Territory ; transport them to their new alnxie; 
 erect a ixirtioii of their dwelling's ; ploim^li and 
 fence a portion of their fiebls; Cuniisli them teach- 
 ers of aifriculture, and implemints of husbaiuhy, 
 horses, ealtb <.Vc. ; erect school houses, and sup. 
 port te^ichers m thein the y'""' ioiin<l; mihe pro- 
 vision for the siibsistcnci' ol' Iho.se who, by reiison 
 of their recent emiffratiou, are unable to subsist 
 theuiselvis ; and do every other act of bcnevoli 'ice 
 ncei'ssary to put within their ability to enjoy, 
 not only all the jihvsieal comforts that they left 
 iKliind them, but also every reipiisiti; facility and 
 eneourafjeinent to become a r<'asf)nini;, cullivatcil, 
 and happy (leople. 
 
 Nor does thissjiirit of libeialitv stop here. The 
 great doctrine that (lovernmenl is formed to coll- 
 ier U])Oii its subjects a greater (legrce ol' happiness 
 than they could <iijoy in the natural stale, Ins sug- 
 gested that the system of hereditary chicftaneics, 
 and its depeiidaut evils among the tribes, should 
 yield, as circumstance s may permit, to the ordina- 
 tion of nature, the Huiiremacy of intcllert aiul vir-' 
 tiic. Accordingly it is contemplated to ns<' tlii' ' 
 most ctficient means to abolish them — making the 
 rulcrsclectivc-establishiiiga form of government in 
 each tribe, siinilar in department and diitiis to our 
 State tiovcrnmcnts, and uniting the tribes under a : 
 (Jencral (iovcniment, like in jjowers and functions 
 to that at VVashington. j 
 
 And it is encouraging to know that some of the i 
 tribes have adopted this system; and that the Go. ■ 
 vcrnmeni of the Union has been so far encouraged 
 to hope for its ailoptioii by all those in the Indian I 
 Territory, that in 1H.17 orders were i.ssued from 
 the Department of Indian atJairs, to the .Superin- 
 tendent of Sur\'cys, toseU'ct ami rejiort a suitabi' 
 place for the Ceulral (iovcmmenl. A selection 
 was accordingly made of a charming and valua- 
 ble tract of land cm the (Isage river, abfuit 7 miles 
 squ.irc ; Mhich, on account of its cfpial distance 
 from the northern and southern line of the Territorv, 
 and the beauty and excellence of the surrounding 
 country, appears in every waj' adapted to its con- 
 templated use. It is a little ovir Hi miles from the 
 western line of Missouri. Any member of those 
 tribes lliat come into the confederation, may own 
 property in the district, and no other. 
 
 The indigenous, or native tribes of the Indian 
 Territory, ari'^the Osages, alKiul .'i,.">lll; the 
 Kanzaus or Caws, 1,7'20; the Omilias, 1,11)11; 
 theOtoeanil Missouri, I, tiOO ; the Pawnee, 10,111111; 
 Pimcaii, 800; tjiiapaw, OOO— making •JI,C-liO.— 
 The tribes that hive emigrated tliitln r from the 
 States, an'— the Choctaw, l.'i.tiOO. Thisestimite 
 includes 900 while men, married to Choctaw wo- 
 men, and GOO negro slaves. The Chickasaws, 
 r>,:)00 ; the Cherokccs, 29,000. This estimate in- 
 cludes 1 ,'900 negro slaves, owned by them. 'Phe 
 Cherokecfl (including !hlO slaves) ' 99,000; the 
 Creeks (including 303 n.-gro slaves) 99,r)00 ; the 
 Scnecas aiidShawnces.Kil ; (he .'Vminoirs, l,riO0; 
 the Potlawatamies, 1,(!,">0; the VVeas, 'JOi; ; Ih" 
 PiankashuB, 157; tiic Pwrias uiid Ivusk;\skius' 
 
 M2; thcOltowaH, 2(n; the Sh.awnceK, S33 ; tho 
 
 Delawa.es, 091 ; the Kiekajioos, 100; the Sanks, 
 (100; the lowas, 1,000. It is to be nn<lerst(H)d 
 that (he numbers assiirned to the emigrant trilie-s 
 represent only Iho.'.e portions of tluiii that lia-.e 
 actually rinioved to the Territory. Large num. 
 hers of .several tribes arc still within the liordersof 
 the .Slates. It appears from the alKjve tabb s, then, 
 tint 79,')00 have li:n! lands assiguid them ; and, 
 abating the relalls ■ ert'cets of births and deaths 
 among lliiin in increa^ang or diminishing their 
 numbers, are a<'tuilly residing in the Territory. — 
 'i'liese, adiliil to '91,1101)01 the indigenous .-ibes, 
 amniint to 1) l,SI)l) imdir the fostering cire of the 
 Ki'dcral (loveninieiit, in a fertile and delightful 
 country, (iOI) miles in lenglli frnm north to south, 
 and east iud west I'roni the froiilicrof the Uepub. 
 lie to i..e deserts of the moun'.aiiis. 
 
 'i'lie Choctaw country lies in the exiren.e Houth 
 of the 'I'errilory. Its boundaries are: on the 
 south, the Red Kivcr, which separates it from the 
 Kepnblic of 'I'exas ; on the west, by that line run. 
 ning from the Red River to the Arkansas River, 
 whii'b separates the Indian American Territory 
 from that of .Mixio; on the north, by the Ar. 
 kaiisas and the Canailian Rivers ; and on the 
 east, by the Slate of .\rkansas. 'I'his tract is ca- 
 pable of prodiK'ing the most abundant crops of 
 the small grains, Indian corn, flax, he;iip, tobacco, 
 cotton, &e. The western portion of it is poorly 
 supplied with timber ; but all the distance from 
 the -Arkans'is frontier westward, '900 miles, and 
 extending UiO miles from its northern to its south- 
 ern boundary, the country is cap.iblc of sup|xirt- 
 ing a jiopniatioii as deusi; as that of England. — 
 19,900,000 acres of soil suitable for immediate 
 settlement, and a third as much more to the west, 
 ward tl at \i'oiild produce the black locust in ten 
 years after planting, of siiHicient size for fencing 
 the very eonsidei.dile part of it which iu rich 
 enough for agricullural purposct will, dimbtlcsf, 
 sustain any inercasid population oi this tribe that 
 can reasonably be looked for during the next .500 
 years. 
 
 Tiiey have sullercd much from sickness inci. 
 dent to settlers in a new country. But there 
 appear to bi' no nit oral causes existing, which, 
 in the known order ol things, will renrler their 
 location perm inenllv uiihi'althy. On the other 
 bald, since they have become somewhat imirej 
 to IIk- change of eliiu;ile, they are ipiile as healthy 
 as the whiles near thiiii ; and arc improving in 
 civilization and coinlort ; have many large f.\rins ; 
 much live stock, such as hfirses, mules, cattle, 
 sheep, and swine ; three flouring. mills, two cot- 
 ton-gins, eii^bty-cight looms, and two hundred 
 and twiiitv spinning-wheels ; carls, wagons, and 
 other farmiu!; utensils. Three or four thousand 
 Choelaws have not yet settled on the lands as. 
 signed to them. A jiart of these are in Texas, 
 between the rivers IJrazo.s and Trinit)', 300 in 
 number, who located tliemsolv-;s there in tho 
 time of the general emigration ; and others in 
 divers places in Texas, who emigrated thither at 
 various times, twenty, thirty, and forty years 
 ago. Still another band continues to reside east 
 of the Misissippi. 
 
 The Choctaw \ation, as the tribe denominates 
 itself, has adopted a written constitution of Gov- 
 ernment, similar to the Constitution of the Uai- 
 
26 
 
 Travels in the Great Western Prairies, 
 
 ted States. Their Deelarution (if Ri-rlils hc jurcs j] tlie Pri'siilent of the Unitod Slates, for the term of 
 to all ranks and wrts eijiiul ri;;lils, liluTly of 1: "JD years. Also, (ho sum of )j!:i,,")00 is to lie i\|i. 
 
 conscience, and triai hy jury, ite. It may be 
 altered or amended by the National Council. 
 They have divided their country into four judi- 
 cial districts. Three of them annually elect nine, 
 and the otlier tliirteen, members of the National 
 Assembly. They nie(!t on Ihc first Monday in 
 October annually ; or(rani7.i' by the election of a 
 S|)eaker, the necessary clerks, a li(jlit-liorseman, 
 (stTjjeant-at.arms,) and do<ir.keeper ; adopt by- 
 laws, or rules for their governance, wliile in ses- 
 sion ; and make other reifulations requisite for 
 the systematic transaction of business. The jour, 
 nals are kv'pt in tli<^ Enirlish langua};e ; but in 
 the proifress of business are read otV in Choc, 
 taw. 'I'he iii'climinary of a law is, " He it en- 
 acted by the General Council of the Choctaw 
 Nation." 
 
 By the Constitution, the Government is com- 
 posed of four (le|iartments, viz : Iiejrislative, E.\. 
 eeutive, J\idicial, and Military. 'I'hree judges \\ 
 ore elected hi each district by jxipular vote, who [ 
 hold inferior and sujierinr courts within their res- i! 
 pcctive districts. 'J'en liffbt-borsc men in each ■ 
 district perform tlie duties of shiritls. .\n act has ■• 
 been passed for the orpfauization of the militia, i 
 Within each judicial district an otticer is elected 
 denominate i a chief, who holds bis ollice for the 
 term of four years. These cbiefs have honorary 1 
 seats in the National Council. Their sijjniit'ires | 
 are necessary to the passage of a law. If lliey ' 
 veto an act, it may become a law by the concur- 
 rence of two-thirds of the Council. Thus have 
 the influences of our iiislitulions began to tame 
 and change the savages of the western wilder- 
 ness. 
 
 At tlie time when the lights of religion and sci. 
 cncu had scarcely begun to dawn u|Hm them — , 
 when tliev had scarcely discoviTcd llie clouds of! 
 ignorance that had walled (very avenue to ration- 
 al life — even while the diisl ot ;iiiti(iuuted liarbar- 
 ism was still banging uikiii tlui}' giinjients — and 
 the niglil of ages of slotli and sin hi Id thein in its 
 cold embraces — the fires on the towers of this 
 great temple of eivil freedom arrested their slum- 
 liering faculties — mid they read on all the holy ; 
 baltliinenls, written with beams ol living light, 
 " All men are, and of right ought to be, free and ' 
 equal." This teaching leads tliem. It was a i 
 pillar of fire moving over the sili nt grave of the | 
 past — <'iilightening the vista of coming years — 
 and, by its winning brightness, inviting them to 
 rear in the (Jreal-I'rairii' wilderness, a saiicluaiy ' 
 of republican lilierly — oleipial laws— in which to 
 de|K)site the ark of their own future well being. 
 
 The (,'hiekasaws have become -iierged in the 
 Choctaws. ^VIlen they sold to the Governmenl 
 their lands cast of the .Vlississippi, tliey agreed to 
 furnish themselves with a hoini'. This they have 
 done in the wcslem part ol the Choctaw country, 
 for the sum of fr)3(),()00. It is called the Chick- 
 asaw district ; and constitutes an integral part of 
 the Choctaw body iwlitic in every respect, e.\cept 
 that the Cliickasaws, like the Choctaws, receive 
 and invest for their own sole use, the annuities 
 and other moneys ])rocee(lirig from the sale of 
 their lands east of tlii^ Misjissippi, 
 
 The treaty of 1831) provides for keeping 40 
 Choctaw youths aX school, under the direction of 
 
 plied to the sup|K)rt of three teachers of schools 
 among them for the same length of time. There 
 is, also, an ime.xpci ded ' ■•.lance of former annui- 
 ties, amounting to aUmt )<j!25,IM)0, which is to be 
 applied to tlu! sup|iort of schools, at twelve difl'er. 
 cut )ilaces. Sclifsjl-houses have bei'll erected for 
 this purjxise, and iiaid for, out of this fund. Also, 
 by the treaty of 1825, they are entitled to an an- 
 imity of ,$(i,(l(ll), for the sujijiort of schools within 
 the Choctaw District. 
 
 The treaty of the 'Jlth of May, 1834, provides 
 that !»!3,l)()l( annually, for fifteen yeara, shall be 
 applied, under the <lirection of the Secretary of 
 i \Var, to the education of the Cliickasaws. These 
 i pco]ile have become very wealthy, by the cession 
 ' of their lands east of the Mississippi ii, the I'nited 
 I States. They htive a large fund applicable to va- 
 il rions objects of civilization ; .*(l(l,llll()of whii'h is, 
 i for the presi'iil, applied to puqiosesof education. 
 j The country assigned to the Cherokces is 
 n boundeil as HilJows : beginning on the north bank 
 [! of -Arkansas Uiver, where tlii^ Western line, of 
 • the State of Arkansas crosses the Uiver : thence 
 ' North 7^ 3,-,' West, along the line of the State of 
 , Arkansas, 77 ,|,il,.s to the South West comer of 
 the State ol Miss<iuri ; llienee North along the 
 line of Alissonri, eight miles to Seiu'ca River ; 
 1 thence ^"esl along the Southern boundary of the 
 1 Senecas to Neosho Uiver; thence up said River 
 ' to the ()s;ige I, mils ; thence West with the South 
 boundiiryoT the Osage lands, ■Jpf J miles; thence 
 South to the Crick lands, and East along the 
 North line ol the Creeks, to a point about 1.1 
 miles West of the State ol Arkansas, ani' iJ 
 niilcs North of -Vrkans.is Uiver; tlieiii'e Soiilli 
 , tci Venlii;ris River, tlienee down Verdigris to Ar- 
 kimsus Uiver ; llience down Arkansas River tn 
 ! the miiiilb of Neoslio Uiver; tlienee South .'13^ 
 1 Wet one mile; tin nee South In^ 19' Wot 33 
 miles ; theiiee South 1 miles, to the junction of 
 the North Eork and Canadian Rivers; thence 
 down the bitter to the Arkansas ; and thence 
 down the Aik.-insas, to the place of bei;iiming. 
 
 They also ou 11 a tract, described, by beginning 
 at the Soiilh K:ist corner of the Osage lands, and 
 rimiiing iN'orlh with the Osage line, ;'>l)m'"s; 
 thence Ivisl L'.'i miles to the West line of .Missiiu. 
 ri ; ihenee West '2'> miles, to the place of begin- 
 ning. 
 
 They own ninnerous Salt Springs, three ol 
 which are worked by Cherokces. The amount of 
 Salt in. inr.lai lured is pmbably alKiut 1110 bushels 
 pir (lay. They also own two Lead .Muies, — 
 Their Salt Works and Lead .Mines are in the 
 Eastern portion of their country. All the set- 
 tleinents yet formed are there also. It embra- 
 ces about 2,.'iO(l,()IIU acres. Tlicy own about 
 ai),OIIII head of cattle, 3,11(1(1 hors<s, ir),f|()() hogs, 
 G(l(l shirep, 110 wagons, often several ploughs to 
 one farm, several himdrcd spinning wheels, and 
 i 100 looms. Their lielils are enclosed with rail 
 fences. They have erected for theinsi Ives good 
 I log dwellin'is, with stone chimneys and plank 
 , lloors. Their houses are furnished with plain ta. 
 hies, chairs, and licdstcads, and with table and 
 kitchen furniture, nearly or quite equal to the 
 dwellings of white people in new countries. — 
 They have aeven native merchants, and one rcgu- 
 
 4 
 
in the Rochj Mountains, the- Oregon Territory, Sfc. 
 
 27 
 
 l"nP till' t.riil <,f 
 00 JH to lif n|<. 
 ITN of Kcliools 
 
 time. 'I'),,.,-,, 
 rornicr aiiniii. 
 "•hicli JH to !)(' 
 
 twelve (lirtiT. 
 <ii ereeled li.r 
 s fund. Also, 
 led to an an- 
 icIiooIn williiii 
 
 ^'•''■1, l)rovideM 
 •( aix, shall l)o 
 
 Seeretary of 
 isaws. 'J'licRe 
 >y tlie r( ssion 
 1'' llie I'liited 
 ilioal)le to va- 
 Oof which is, 
 r eduialion. 
 'hcrokeiH is 
 e north hank 
 'Stem lini; of 
 iver : Ihenee 
 
 the State of 
 I'st comer of 
 
 ll alollir Ih,; 
 
 ncca IJiver ; 
 ndary ol the 
 |i said l{iver 
 111 the South 
 iles ; Iheiioe 
 St alonjr ilip 
 It ahout 1.1 
 sas, nnii i^ 
 euee South 
 ili^rris to Ar. 
 las Uivir to 
 
 South Ti.T^ 
 )■ \Ve>t :).•) 
 
 junction ol 
 ers ; thence 
 and thtnec 
 'uinninir. 
 y hefjiiininif 
 ■ l.mds, and 
 , .")() iii''s; 
 of .Miswiu- 
 e of bc-riu- 
 
 s, three of 
 amount of 
 0(1 luLshels 
 
 .Mines — 
 are in the 
 II the Hit. 
 It cnihra. 
 mil ahout 
 i/lOO ho^rs, 
 ploughs to 
 heels, and 
 
 with rail 
 Ives (rood 
 nd plank 
 1 plain ta. 
 table and 
 liil to the 
 iintrips. — 
 one regu- 
 
 lar physician, beside R'veral " (piueks." Houses 
 of entertaiunieiil, with neat and coniforlalile ac- 
 copuiiiodutions, an> I'ouud anion:; llieni. 
 
 'J'lieir wtllenienls are divideil into lour districts ; 
 eaeli of which elects lor th(^ term of two years, 
 two menihers of the Nalioiial Couucil — thi^ title 
 of which is, " The (iencral ('oiiiicil of the Cher- 
 okee Nation." liy law, il meets ainiually on the 
 lirst .Monday in ( Jclolxr. They have llirei' chiefs, 
 which till lately, have he< n chosen liy llie (ieiKTal 
 t'ouncil. Ilcrcarier, Iheyare to be eledi'd by the 
 pco|ile. The upprov.il oi IlieChiels is necessary 
 to the |)ass,i^:e ol a l.iw ; hut an act ujiou which 
 
 tlicy have li.xcd their veto, may hcco a 
 
 law by a vote of two thirds of the Council. — 
 TIk' Council eoiisisls of two hiaiicla'S. The 
 'ower, is deiioininalcd the ('iniiiiiillvr, and the 
 iipjicr, the ('i)iiiiri!. The ccjiieurrence of lH)th 
 is necessary to tin' ) :issaj;e ol a law. 'I'lie Cliiels 
 iiiav call a Counc'i at pleasure. In this, and in 
 several other r. .-.pects, they retain in some dcjirec 
 the aulliorily coniinon to hercditarv Chiefs. 'I'wo 
 .lud^fes heloii:; to each dislrici, who hold courts 
 when tie<'essary. 'I'wo ollicers, dcuomiii ited 
 l/i!;lit-liorscrncu, ill each district pcrlorui the du- 
 ties of .Sheritl's. A company of sl.v orscven l.i^jhl. 
 h'.rseinen, the leader of whom is styled Captain, 
 constitute a Nalional Corps of He^rnlatois, to pre- 
 vent inlraetions ol the l.iw, and to brin;jr oll'cnders 
 to jiisliee. 
 
 it is stipulated in (lie Irealy ol the (ith ol' Alav, 
 ly-iH, that Ihc 1 nilcd Stales" wil pay .>ii-J,li:iil ail- 
 nil, illy to the Cherokees for 1(1 years, lo be expend- 
 ed under the direction of tia.' I'lesidcnl of the 
 United Slates, in the eilucatiou ol their eliildrcn, 
 ill l/ieir iiir/i roiiiilri/. ill lellcrsaiul mechanic arts. 
 -\l3o 3l,0i)!l toward the purchase of a priutiii!;- 
 press and tyjics. JJy the Irealy of Deecinher :J1), 
 Ib3,'), the sum of .•Sil.'tO,(l:)t( is proviileil for the 
 support of enmnion schools, and such a literary 
 institution of a hi;rher order as may be established 
 in the Indian country. The aUive sum is to be 
 added to an education luud of .'i>(.')(l,()OII that pre- 
 viously existed, makinif the sum of .'ij|-JlMI,(M)(), 
 wliich is to remain a perniauent school lund,onlv 
 the interest of which is to be consumed. Tin' 
 application of this money is to he directed by the 
 CMierokec Nation under the supervision of the 
 Tresideiit of the I'nited St itcs. The interest ol 
 it will be Hullicienl constantly to keep in a Ixiard- 
 innr si^hool two hundred children ; or ci(;lit liiui- 
 drcd, if b(jarded by their parenls. 
 
 The country of the ( 'reeks joins C.Tjiadian Riv- 
 er and the lands of the Choctaws on liie South, 
 and the Cherokei- lands i>ii the l-iasl and North. 
 Their Kastern limit is about (ii miles from North 
 to South. Their Western limit the Mexican 
 boundary. 
 
 Their country is fertile, and e.xiiiliils a healthy 
 ap|K'arance; but of tlu' latter Creek Kmiifiaiits 
 wlio reached .Arkansas in the Winter and .Sprini; 
 of 18,'t7, alKiut :il)l) died on the ro.id ; and before 
 tlic tirsl of October succeidiieT the arrival, about 
 3,r)UI) more fell victims lo bilious fev(^rs. In the 
 B;iinc year, 3,)0 of the earlier emigrants died. — 
 Tliey own Sail Spriiiirs, cultivate com, vegetables. 
 &.C., spin, weave and sew, and follow other pur- 
 Huits of eivili/.ed people. .Many of them h ivc 
 iarfre sb)cka of cattle, llefore the crops of lc>37 
 hud l)ccii gatliured, tlioy hud Bold cum to the 
 
 amount of upwards of .3311, (1(10 ; and vast quaii 
 iticssliU remained unsold. Even the l'hui;;rantH 
 who arrived in their eounlry duruii; the w'iuter 
 and s|)riii;^, jircviou.s to the croppin;; season of 
 l^-'tT, broke the turf, bnced their fields, raised 
 their crops for the first time on the soil, and sold 
 their sm|ilus of corn for §1(1,(100. 'I'liey have 
 two native m'^rchints. 
 
 The civil nfiverumcnt ol this tribe 's less per- 
 fect than that ol the Chciokccs. There are two 
 bands; the one nn.Ier .Mi'lnlcr.h, theotb-r under 
 I. idle IJoclor. Tliat leil by ihe former, brought 
 willi them lioni llieir old home wrillen laws which 
 Ihiy I iilbrcc- as the laws ol llieir band. Tlial 
 uiidir till.' filler made writlen laws alter their ar 
 rival. Each parly holds a (oncr.il Conncil. The 
 memliers of each are berchtary chiels, and a 
 class of men called < 'ouiieilo.s. Ivicli of tlieuc 
 jjrcat b.inds are divided iiilo lesser ones ; which 
 severally may hold courts, try civil and criniinal 
 causes, sentence, and execute, iVc. Laws, how- 
 ever, are made by the (oiicr.il Councils only. — 
 and il is beconiin:r eustom.uy to entertain trials 
 oi eases beli)re these hollies, and to detail soiiieol 
 their niembeis lor executioners. The I.e;i;islalive, 
 Judicial, and K.xecutive departineiits of their 
 (iovernniclil are thus liecnmin;; .ilranjfcly umtid 
 in one. 
 
 The treaty of the (itli .March, IS!)'], stiimlates 
 that :iii .•innuily of .'«!3,0'l!l shall be expended by 
 ihe I'liited J^lates, under the direction of the 
 I'rcsidi III, lor the term of twenty yeais, in the 
 iducaliou of their children. Another .'ji 1,000 by 
 the treaty ol the 1 Ith ol February, i^33, is to 
 be annually expended dnriii;.; the pleasure ol' Con- 
 irress, li)r the same object, under the direction of 
 the I'residcnt. 
 
 Ill location and irovernniciil, the .Seininolcs are 
 incr'^ed in tlie Creeks, in the sprin;r of 183li, 
 aUjut 100 of them emi;rratcil from the I'lasI, and 
 settled on Ihe North lork of Canadian Kiver. In 
 October, 1^37, they were reduced by sickness 
 nearly one. hall. Uuriii^r these awful times of 
 mort.ihly aiiionir them, some of the de.id were 
 de|)osited ill the hollows of the slaiidin:; and fallen 
 trees, and others, lor want of these, were placed in 
 a temporary eiic|r)snrc of iMj.irds, on the ojien plains, 
 (inns and other articles of property were often 
 buried with Ihe ile.id, accordui;; to ancient cus- 
 tom. .And so fircal is said (o have luvii the ter- 
 ror of the time, th ll, h iviu^r abandoned them- 
 selves awhile lo their wjdiii;;s around the burial 
 places of their friends, lliey tied to the Western 
 deserts, I ill the |>cstileiicc subsided. Oi the lJ,(W3 
 emiirralils who li.id reached llieir new homes prior 
 to Octolier lo3',', not nioie thin 1,(100 remained 
 alive. 
 
 The Senecas consist of tliree bands, to wil: 
 Senecas -111), Senecas and .'■^liawaiioes i!l 1, .Mu- 
 li.iwks 50 ; in all Kil. 'i'lic finds ol tiie Senecas 
 proper adjoin those of i he Cherokees on the South, 
 ami, abultiiij^ on the .Missouri iKirder, the distance 
 of 13 miles, extend Norlii to Neosho Kivcr. The 
 lands of the mixed baud of .Senecas and Sliawa- 
 iioes, e.xlend .North between the .State of .Missouri 
 ar.l Nroslio Uiver, so far as to in hide G0,000 
 acres. 
 
 These people, also, are in some me.isure civil- 
 ized. .'\lo.st of them sjie.dt Ihiirlish. They have 
 tields enclosed with rail fences, ami raise com and 
 
23 
 
 Teari'h in the Great Wcsit m Prdirie.i, 
 
 vcffctahlis siifTicinit fcirtlu'ii' own use. 'I'lii'v own I 
 about 800 horses, l-JllO rnlllc, 13 vnkc of'oxcn, 
 iJOO liogs, C> Wiii£oMs, iind liT ploiiijlis — cKvoll in 
 lic:it, hewed loaf o;i!iins erected liy llieniselves, .■iiid 
 furnislird with hcdsleiids, ehiilrs, t;dp|es, \e., of 
 their own inuMnrieliire ; and own inw urist nnil 
 B.'iw-nnll, ere<'ted id the ex|)ens(' cjI' the I'niti d 
 Slates. ^ 
 
 'I'lie eonidry of Ihi' Osifres hen Xorth (d' tlie 
 Western [Hirtion oftlie ( 'herokee l:in<l-;, eolninene- 
 iii^ 'J.'i nnles West o|' the St de ol' Missonri, nod 
 thence, in a wiilth ol ."lO rndisi vtends westward :is 
 lar as the country '•■>» hi' iidialiteil. In 1S|7, 
 they nnmhered lO.'illO. W'ari willi the Siouv, 
 ami other I'ausis, have Irl't only r>,r)00. Alionl hall' 
 the tribe riside on the cistern portion of their 
 lands ; the residue in the ( 'herokee eoimlry, in two 
 villaires r)n Verdii;ris iJiver. 
 
 This tribe? Ii is made scarcely any iiii|)roveinent. 
 Their lields are siiiall and h idiv t'enced. Their 
 hillH arc constructed ol |i(des inserted in llic L'roiiml, 
 bent toijethcr at the top, and coverid with bark, 
 mats, iVc, and some of them with biilliilo and 
 ilk skins. The tire is placed in the ceiiire, ami 
 the smoke escapes throiinb an a|>ertme at tlie top. 
 These huts are liiiilt in villajfcs, ami crowded to. 
 (Tcther without oriler or arrauuement, and destitute 
 nl' liiruitiire ol' any kind, evcept a plairorm raised 
 about two I'eet upon stakes set in the ijrouml. 
 This e.xtemis aUm^r the side ol' till' but, and may 
 serve lor a scat, a table, or a Itcdstcad. The j 
 leirjjiu'^s, and moccasins lor the feet, are si'ldom 
 worn, except in cold weather, or when they are 
 travelinir in the (;rass. TIksc, with a leinporary 
 (Tarmcnl rastened alioiil the loins, and exicndini; 
 downward, and a bnH'ilo robe or blanket thrown 
 loosely around them, constitiile the sole waril- 
 robe of the males anil married females. The un- 
 in;\rricd females wi'ar also a strip of pkiiii cloth 
 fiilbt or nine inches wide, which they throw over 
 (mc sboidder, draw it over the breasts, and fasten 
 under the op]Kisite arm. 
 
 The Osaire, were, when the whites first knew 
 tlicm, brave, warlike, and in the Indian sense of 
 the term, in ufllucnt circumstances. They wi-re 
 the hardiest and fiercest enemies of the terrible 
 •Sionx. Hut their independent spirit is jrone; 
 and they have dcjrencrated into the miserable 
 rondition of insolent, starving thieves. The 
 (iovcrnnicnl has been, ami is makiii'i the most 
 treneroils ertiirts to elevate them. The treaty of 
 \H2'> provides, "that the President of the I'nited! 
 States shall employ such iicrsons loaid the Osaijes 
 in their ajrricultural pursuits, as to him may seem i 
 expedient." I'ndcr this stipulation, !ij!l,'JOO an- : 
 niiallv have been expended, lor the last fifteen 
 years. This Ixinnlvof the (iovernmeni, however, 
 has not been of any permanent benefit to the 
 tribe. The same treaty of IS-J."), leipiired lifty- 
 lour sections of land to be laid idV and solrl under ', 
 the direction <d' the l'rcsi<lcnl of the United 
 States, ami the proceeds to be applied to the edii- ; 
 cation of Osajre children. Karly in tln' year 
 1838, Government made an arranttement by ; 
 whicll they were to he paid .$".? per acre, for the 
 whole tract of fifly-linir sections, .'( ti.StiO acres. ■ 
 This eouunulaliou has secured to the Osajre ^ 
 trib*', the sum of ljjiti!t,li!!l for oducation ; a princely 
 fund for S.rilO individuals. Govtrninent hcred. 
 jtary chivft«incicB.J 
 
 The band of t^uapaws, was orijrlnallv con- 
 nected with the OsiircR. Their lands lie inmic- 
 diately north of the Senecas and Shawaiioes, and 
 extend north between the State of INlissouri on 
 the east, and .N'cosho IJivcr on the west, so far as 
 to include ill),l)tll) acres. Their country is south- 
 east of, and near to the I'oiinlrv of the Osaj^es. 
 Their habits are somewhat more improved, and 
 their cireumstancis more comlortahle, than those 
 of the List iiiiU'd trihi'. Tbev subsist bv industry 
 at home, cnllivate lields enclosed with rail tences, 
 and about three. toiirtlis ol them hive erected lor 
 llieniselves small lo^r dwelbnirs with chinmevs. 
 I 'nfortiin itely liir the l^uipaws, Ihcv settled on 
 the lands of the Senecas and Shawaiioes, Irom 
 wliicli tbev must soon riaiiove to their own. .\ 
 small hand of llicin, I'orly or llftv in nmiiher, have 
 settled in Texas ; and about thirty others live 
 amon^' the ( 'boclaws. 
 
 The I'ottawalaniies. in cmiifriiliinj to the West, 
 have imfortmiatelv be^'ii divideil into two liaiids. 
 One tlioiisanil or litteeii lumdreil have located 
 themselves on the ■Northeast side ol the Missouri 
 Uiver, villi miles fioiii the comitr\ d.siirnated by 
 (lovermnent as their permanent nsidence. Ne. 
 LOitiatioiis have been had to ell'eet their removal 
 to their own lauds, hut wiibout success. AlHiiit 
 tilteen himdied olbeis have sillied near the .Saiiks, 
 on the Mississippi, and manilest a desire to re- 
 main there. 'I'be eomilry desiv.nated tor them 
 lii's on the sources of the ()sa;;e and Neosho riv- 
 ers. It commences sixteen miles and lour chains 
 West of the State of Missouri — and in a width 
 of twenty-tour miles extiinls West two hundred 
 miles. Ity the treaty of \!^'X), they arc allowed 
 the sum of ,'jliTO,tltlO for purposes of <'ducalion 
 and the encourairemeut of the useful arts. Also 
 hv the same treaty, is secured to them the sum of 
 .■iji I, 'ill, 01)11, to be 'applied to tli(^ erci'tion of mills, 
 farm-houses, Indian houses, and blacksmiths' 
 shops ; to the pnrcba.se of a;rriciiltural implements, 
 and live stock, and for the support of physicians, 
 millers, farmers, and blaeksinillis, which the Pre- 
 sident of the rnilcd Stales shall think proper to 
 ap|K)int to their service. 
 
 The Weas and Piankasli-.is arc bands of Miamis. 
 Their country lies north of the Pottawatamies, ad- 
 joins the State of Missouri on the east, the Shawa- 
 iioes on the north, and the Peorias and Kaskaskias 
 on the West — lti(),OIIO acres. These peo|ile own a 
 li'W cattle and swine. .Miout one-lialf of their 
 dwelliiiirs are conslriK^ted of loirs ; the remainder 
 of bark, in the old native style. Their fields arc 
 enclosed with rails; and they cultivate corn and 
 veiret allies suHicieiit for a comfortable subsistence. 
 The Piankasha band is less improved than the 
 Weas. The former liiive a field of about ')0 acres, 
 made by the (ioverment. The latter have made 
 their own improvements. 
 
 The Peorias and Kaskaskias arc also bands of 
 the Miamis. 'I'licir land lies imiuediately west of 
 the Weas; adjoins the Shawaiioes on the north, 
 and the Ottowas on the west. They own (Itl.OOO 
 acres. They are iinprovini;, live in loir-bouses, 
 have small fields (renerally enclosed with rail- 
 f<!nc,es, and own consider ibli: uuiiibcrs ol cattle 
 and Bwine. 
 
 The hinds of the dttowas lie immediately west 
 of the Peorias and Kaskaskias, and south of the 
 tshawaiwe*. The tiiut band of emigrants received 
 
 ^ 
 
 3f.l 
 inl 
 
 cH 
 
 fr 
 
 hal 
 
 in 
 lb I 
 sc'l 
 off 
 
 (-'■' 
 111' 
 
 npl 
 di; 
 
in the liock}! Mountains, the Oref^on Territory, ffV.. 
 
 29 
 
 liirilllllly con. 
 
 "ids lie iiDiiif- 
 liaw.iiiDcs, ;ifi(l 
 f AliHsoiiri on 
 "■I'st, so far tiH 
 iMtry is Koiilli- 
 r (Ik' OwiircH. 
 •'ii|'i""Vr(l, and 
 'li'. tliun tliosc 
 '' l>y inilnslry 
 III l':iii I'rnrcs, 
 1 11 iiiil liir 
 
 nil •■liiiinii'vs. 
 
 ii'.v Hiltlcd on 
 
 nv.iriiic's, Ironi 
 ii' own. A 
 iiiiiiilii T, liavi" 
 
 V olliiT.H live 
 
 to llic West, 
 I'l •"■o l)iin(lH. 
 Iiavi- lo(M|,.(l 
 I III' MiHwmri 
 
 l;sisfii:iicd l)v 
 i'lrni'c. i\,'.. 
 
 flirir ivinoval 
 ■'s«. .Alwiiit 
 ii'lli<'S:iuks, 
 
 ilKMO lo IC- 
 
 ''■'I for tlicni 
 N<ok|io liv- 
 I liiiir rhiiins 
 ill 11 width 
 Iwo liiindi'cil 
 uir uliowrd 
 111 riluciilion 
 ' 11 lis. .'VIbo 
 I till' Sinn (i( 
 i"ii of mills, 
 liliicksniillis' 
 iiiiplrincnlK, 
 I'liVsioimiH, 
 ii'li lilt.' Vrv. 
 ik (iropcr lo 
 
 !"(' Miann'H. 
 itiiinicM, iid- 
 llii'Sliawa. 
 KaskiiskiuH 
 'o|)li' own 11 
 ilr of tlirir 
 
 iciuaindcr 
 " tiild.s ari' 
 «' I'orn and 
 iilisiKtcnor. 
 
 Iji.in the 
 t CM iirrrs, 
 avc niadi! 
 
 liandH of 
 ly svvHt of 
 111' norlli, 
 1-11 itIi.OOO 
 nr-lion»cs, 
 villi rail, 
 of cattle 
 
 tely wpst 
 li of the 
 
 recuvtsd 
 
 'I 
 
 3fi,n00 acroB, and one which arrived snliscfiurntl- , 
 ■lO.OnO aorre, adjoininR the first. Thry all live in 
 (Tood lop.cabin.'i, Invn ficldH onrlnscd with mil- 
 fcnrrs, raise a conifortablr supply of rorn and 
 (Tirdi'ti vri;rtal)lrs, ari' lu'iiinninil lo raiw whral, 
 liiiv"' horses, catllc and swine, a small jfrist-niill 
 ill operalion, and many olliei convenii'iiees of life 
 Ih il iiidieale an i'lereasiii'^ desire anion;; llieiii lo 
 s<ek from Ihe soil, rather than llie chase, the means 
 of life. Alioiil r.,OI)ll Oltowas, residing; in Mielii- 
 fran, are s<miii to he removed lo their hrethien in 
 th'' 'I'errilory. 'I'lie eoiiiilry of IlieOllowas lies 
 upon Hie wi'Hlern veru'e of Ihe eoiilemplaled In- 
 dian srllleinenl, and eonscipieiilly opens an 
 niilimiled rani;r !o Ihe westward. Their (Jov- 
 rrnnient is hased on Ihe old Hyslem id' Jiidian 
 Cliieflaineies. 
 
 Iininediately on Ihe north of llic Weas and 
 Piankashas, the 1'oorias and Kask.iskias and 
 Oltowas, lies Ihe eoimlry of Ihe Shawiieis, or 
 Shawalioes. It e.xtends aloni; Ihe line of Ihe 
 Stale of Missouri north '^f* miles lo the Missouri 
 Kiver at its jniietion with the Konzas, llienee lo 
 11 |Kiiiil 111) miles on a direel conrse to the lands of 
 Ihe Kanzans, Ihenee south on Ihe Kanzans line li 
 niileH ; and from these lines, with a hreadlh of 
 about t'J miles lo a north anil south line, I'ill 
 niilcK west of llie Slate of .Missouri, eoiitainin;; 
 1,1)011,111)11 aeres. Their prineipal settlements are 
 on the iiorlh-easlem corner of their eoiinlry, he- 
 Iween the Missouri lM)rder and Ihe Kon/.as IJiver. 
 iMostof them live in neat-hewed lo^.ealiins.i'reeled 
 hy themselves, and partially supplied with liiniiliire 
 oflheirown inaiinlactiirc. Their fields are inclosed 
 with rail-l'cnces, and snlUeienlly larjie to yield plen- 
 litnlsnpplicsid'corn and culinary ve[rilal)|eH. 'I'hi'y 
 keep cattle and swine, work oxen, and use horses for 
 draught, and own s<inie plonudis, waj;ons and carts. 
 They lia.'o a saw and ^risl-niill, erected hv < Govern- 
 ment at an expense ol' aUint .'ii(.'^,IMHI. 'I'his, like 
 maiiv other cmiirranl tribes, is much S'-allired. 
 Hesid<s the two bands on the Neosho, already nicii- 
 tioncd, there is one on Trinity IJiver, in Ti \as, and 
 others in divers places. 
 
 I 'nder the snperiiiteiidi'iicc of Missionarii's of va- 
 rious dcnomiiiatioiis, these people are m.ikin<.r con- 
 nidcrable progress in lOduealion and Ihe .Mechanic 
 Arts. Tliey have a rrinling-l'iess anioii'; them, 
 from which is issued a niontlily periodical, enti- 
 tled the " Shanwawnone Kesanlliwan "— Sliawa. 
 noi' Sun. 
 
 'I'lie lands of tlic Dclawares lie north of the 
 ShawanocH, in the forks of the Kon/.is and .Mis. 
 souri Hiveis; cxIcndiM;; up the liirmer lo the 
 Kan/. Ills lands, Ihenee north ".' 1 miles, lo ihc iiorlh- 
 c ist corner of the Kau/ans survey, up tin' Missouri 
 'JH miles in .1 direct course to t 'antounient Leaven- 
 worth, thence with a line westward lo a point ID 
 miles iiorlh of the north-east corner ol the Kaiizaiis 
 survey, and then in a slip not more than II) miles 
 wide, it extends wislwardly aloiiir the northern 
 Ixiimdary of the Kuuzaiis, liiO miles from the Stale 
 of Missouri. 
 
 Thevlive in the eastern portion of their eoiinlrv, 
 near the junction of the Konzas and .Missouri 
 Rivers ; htivc good hewn log-honses, and sonic 
 furniture in them ; inclose their lields with rail- 
 fences ; keep cattle and hogs ; apply horses lo 
 draught; nse oxen andploiiglm; oiillivalo corn 
 luid garden ve({etableM «uHicieiit for use ; jiave 
 
 eommenced Ihe ciiltiirp of wheat ; and own a 
 j grist and saw-mill, ercrtrd hy the I'nitrd Stntro. 
 Some of these people remain in the Ijakr ronnlry; 
 a few are in Texas; about ! 1)1) reside on the f 'hoc. 
 law lands ne.ir .\rkansas Uiver, 1'2() miles west of 
 Ihe ."^tatc of .\rkansas. These Intter have aeipiired 
 Ihc languages of the ('uniaiieli(s, Keawa.s, I'aw- 
 . CCS, &■•; and are extensively employed as inler- 
 piclers bv traders from the Indian Territorv. The 
 Treaty of Septenihcr, \»i>[), provides ;hat'Hti tier, 
 tionsofthe liinl I 111(1 within the district at that time 
 ci'di'd to till riiiled States, In' selected anil sold, and 
 Ihe proceeds apjiiii d lo the snpiMirt of .-^choolH for 
 the ediiealion ol DelaUMre children. In the year 
 If^.'l^, Ihe Dclawiiris agreed lo . I conimulation of 
 >^'l per acre, which secures to them an lOdiication 
 riiud of-Slfl,!)!)!). 
 
 The country of the Kanzans lies on the Konzas 
 River. 1 1 commeni'cs til) miles wesi fd' the Slate 
 of Missouri, and Ihenee, in a width of ."10 miles, 
 exieiids westward as far as the plains can be in. 
 habited. It is well watered and limheied ; and, 
 in every respect, delightful. They are a lawless, 
 dissolute race, roriiicrly they comiiiitted many 
 depredations ii|hiu their own traders, and other 
 persons asieniling Ihi' .Mi.ssoiiri Kiver. j5iil, 
 being latterly restrained in this regard hv lh(^ 
 t'nilcd .States, they have turned llieir predatory 
 operations upon their red ncighlMirs. In lan- 
 giiage, habits and eondit in in life, they are, in 
 elVeet, the same as the ( ) ages. In mailers of 
 I'caec and War Ihc two tribes an^ blended. 
 They are virtually one I'eoplc. 
 
 Iiikc the O.sages, Ihe K.iiizans arc ignorant and 
 wrclclied in Ihe exireme; UMeomnionlv servile, 
 .and easily managed by the white men who reside 
 among them, .\liiiost all ol lliein live in villages 
 of straw, bark, Hag ,iud earth lints. These latter 
 are in the form of a cone; wall two feet hi thick- 
 ness, siippirled hy wooden pillars within, liikn 
 the other huts, these have no floor except the 
 
 earth. 'I'iic lire is built in III litre of the iii- 
 
 Icrior area. 'I'lic smoke escapes at an opening in 
 the ap'X of the cone. The door is a mere hole, 
 I through which they crawl, closed by the skin of 
 some animal suspended Ihcriiu. They cnltivaln 
 ] small patches of corn, beans and melons. They 
 dig Ihc groinid with hoes and sticks. Tlicu' ticlds 
 gciiirally are not fi need. 'I'licy have tine, how- 
 ever, of .'t(l') acres, wliii'h the I'liitid Stales six 
 years ago ploughed and fenced for them. The 
 principal Chiefs have log-houses built by the tiov- 
 crniiient .\gent. 
 
 It is eneoiiragiiig, however, to know that tlirse. 
 miserahle creatures are beginning to yield lo Ihe 
 elevating indnciK es around llicm. .A Missionary 
 has indneed some of tin in lo leave the villages, 
 make separate settle iiienls, build log. houses, \<'. 
 The linited Slates have liniiished them with four 
 j yokes of oxen, one waL'on, and other ineaim of 
 I cnllivating the soil. They have succeeded in 
 I stealing a large number of horses anil mules ; 
 i own a very few hogs; no stn"k cattle. Hy a 
 }; treaty formed with llieiii in IHrJ.'i, Dli sections, or 
 :2!t,ll II) acres, of good land wire to be selected and 
 sold to edniale Kaiiz tus children within their Ter- 
 ritory. Hut proper care not having l«'en taken in 
 making the selection. '.I.OIIII acres only have lieeii 
 sold. 'I'he remaining II, 1)11) acres of the tract, 
 I il is Slid, will Kcarcely sell at any price, eo utterly 
 
30 
 
 Travels in the Great Western Prairies, 
 
 T 
 
 wortlilcRR iF it. Urticr only •$! 1,250 liavc been 
 realized from thin iiiiiiiifit;ent apprnprljilion. Hy 
 the RuniP trenty.pmviHinii \\m» made Inr the appli- 
 cation of J^tiflli per annniii, to aid tlirni in .\;;ri. 
 cnlturi'. 
 
 Till' Kifka|Mio lands lii' on tiie north of lln' 
 l>rla\vari»; rxli nd up the Missonri river ;tll 
 iniU'H (lirtcl, thence \vrt;t\vard aliiMit I,') miles, and 
 thenee Honth ~'> niilcK to the Ihluware line, em- 
 hraeini; 7()H,()(I(I acTcs. 
 
 They live on the M'litheastcrn extremity of tiirir 
 landH, near Cantoninrnl Leavenworth. In regard 
 to eiviliv.ation, their eninliiion is hiinilar to th.-it of i 
 the Peorias. 'I'hey ;iie niipinjj n Kurplns of the [ 
 
 (rraioH, \e. — hav dlle and \\ojth — ,<jj7(lll worth ; 
 
 of tho latter, and .'lit) iiead of the former from the 
 United .States, in ohedienee to treaty Kli|inlatioii» ; ' 
 have alHPiit .'ID yoke of oxi n — 1 1 yoke of them pnr- 
 ehawd chietly with the prochiee of their farms; 
 have a saw and (rrist mill, erected hy the I'niled 
 States. Nearly one. half of the Irihc. are unsettled 
 and scattered — some in Texas, others with the | 
 Houtherii trihes, and still others ran^insr the moini- ' 
 tauis. The treaty of ( )etoher lil, liilt'i, |)rovides , 
 that the United .sVilis shall pay §.')l)0 per annum 
 for II) Rueeessive years, for the support of a school, ' 
 purchase of hooks, \.c. for theheneht of the Kieka- j 
 |)0o tnln,' on their own lamls. A schnol-house and : 
 teacher have henn furnished in eonforniily with 
 this stipulation. The same treaty provides JJil,IIUU 
 for labor and improvements on the Kickapoo | 
 lands. 
 
 The Saukfi, and Keynards or Foxes, speak the ' 
 suiie lanjruajre, and are so perfictly consolidated 
 hy intermarriaj{e« and other tii s of interest, as, in • 
 fact, to he one nation. They formerly owned the 
 northwestern half of the State of Illinois, !ind a . 
 large p.irt of the State of Missouri. N'o Indian 
 tribe, except the .Sioux, has shown such darin'j in- 
 trepidity and such imidacable hatred towards 
 other tribes. Their enmity, when once excited, was 
 never known to be appeased, till the arrow and 
 tomahawk had for ever prostrated their foes. For 
 centuries the prairies of Illinois and Iowa were tiie 
 theatre of their exterminatiiiL^ prowess; and to 
 them is to be attributed the almost entire destruc- 
 tion of the Missouris, the Illinois, Cahokias, Kas. 
 kaskias, and Peorias. 'I'hey \yere, however, steady 
 and sincere in their friendship to the whites ; and 
 many is the honest old settler on the Ixirders of 
 their old (k)niinlon, who mentions with the warm- 
 est feeliiiirs, the resjieethil treatment he has re- 
 ceived from lliem, while he cut tin' loj;sforhis 
 cabin, and plou^fhed his " potato patch" on that 
 lonely and iin|)ioteeled frontier. 
 
 Like all the tribes, however, this also dwindles 
 away at the approach of the whites. A sadden, 
 iujj fact. The Indians' bones must enrich the soil, 
 iM'fore the plougli of civilized man r;m ojieii it. — ' 
 The noble lieart, educated by the lempesl to endure 
 the last pann of departing; life without a erinije of 
 a imiiiele ; that heart, educated by his condition 
 to love with all the powers of hein;,', and to hati' 
 H ith the exasperated mali(.rnity of a demon ; that 
 heart, educated by the voii'e of its own existence 
 — the sweet whisperings of the streame — the holy 
 flowers of spring — to trust in, and ndorc the Cireat 
 producing and Bustaining Cause of itself, and the 
 broad world and the lights of the upper skies, must 
 fatten the corii-iiills of u more civilized race I The 
 
 sturdy plant of the \viUlrrnc»a droops under the 
 enervaling culture of the garden. The Indian is 
 buried with his arrows and Ikiw. 
 
 In IH3:2 their friendly relations withtlieir wliitc 
 neighlKirs were, I believe, lor the first time, scrioni- 
 oiisly interriipled. A treaty had been formed be. 
 tween the chiefs of the tribe and eominissioners, 
 representing the United States, contiiiiiing, among 
 other stipulations, the sale of their lands north ol 
 the Kock Uiver, ite., in the State of Illinois. — 
 This tract of country contained the old villages 
 and burial places of the trilii'. It was, indeed, the 
 saiieluary of all that was yeiierabhr and sacred 
 among liiem. They winlireil and summorcd there 
 long before the date of their historical legends. 
 And on these flowering plains the sjioilsof war — 
 the loves of early years — every thing that delights 
 man to remember of the past, clung closely to the 
 tribe, ind made Ih :ii disRatislied with the sale. 
 I!l;ick-Ilawk was the. principal chief. He, too, 
 was unwilling to leave his village in u charming 
 glen, at the month of Kock IJiver, and increased 
 the dissatisfaction ol' his p((iple by declaring that 
 ■'the white chiefs had deceived himself and the 
 other contraetiii'r chiefs" in this, " that he had 
 never, and the other chiefs had never eonsenled to 
 such a sale as the while chiefs had written, and 
 I were attempting to enforce upon them." They 
 dug up the painted tomahawk with great enthusi- 
 ! asm, and fought bravely by their noble old chief for 
 their beaiitifnl home. lint, in the order of nature, 
 ' the plough must bury tlie hunter. And so it was 
 with this truly great chief and his brave tribe. — 
 They were driven over the Mississippi to make 
 room for the niarshalled host of veteran husband- 
 nien, whose strong blows had leveled the forests of 
 I the .'Vtlantic Stales; and yet unwearied with 
 planting the rose on the brow of the wilderness, 
 dcinanded that tlie Prairies also should yield frjod 
 to their hungry sickles. 
 
 I The country assigned them as their permanent 
 
 ; residence, adjoins the southern boundary of the 
 
 the Kiekapoos, and on the north and noitheast the 
 
 Missouri river. They are but little improved. — 
 
 ; I'uder treaty slipuliitions, they have some few 
 
 houses and tields made for them by the United 
 
 States, and are entitled to more. Some live stock 
 
 ; has been given them, and more is to be furnished. 
 
 The main Imdy of the Saiiks, usually denominated 
 
 the .Sauks and Foxes, (sliinated at 1,11(10 .sonis, re. 
 
 I side on the Iowa river, in Iowa Territory. They 
 
 I will ultimately be removed to iniappropriated lands 
 
 ; adjoining those already occupied by their kindred 
 
 j within the Indian Territory. Ilolh these bands 
 
 I number 13,100. Hy the" treaty of Prairie dn 
 
 liChien of 1^:10, the Sauks arc entitled to ,«i,')00 a 
 
 jyear for the pnrptises of education. Hy treaty of 
 
 li Seiitember, l^i|)ti, they are entitled to a school- 
 
 ! master, a farmer, and blaidisniith, as long as the 
 
 I United States shall deem jiroper. Three com. 
 
 ! .brtable houses arc to be erected for them ; 'MM 
 
 '• acres of prairie land fenced and ploughed ; such 
 
 ! agricultural im|deineiits furnished as they may 
 
 need for tlve years ; one ferry-boat ; "JOS head of 
 
 I cattle; lOU stock hogs; and a flouring mill. — 
 
 ' These benefits they arc receiving ; but are making 
 
 I an improyident use of them, 
 
 I The country of the lowasctmtains 128,000 acres 
 
 i: adjoining the northeastern lionndariesof the Sauks, 
 
 with the Missouri river on the northeast, and the 
 
 greal| 
 tioii 
 wbiel 
 the <| 
 
 to till 
 lilW:| 
 
 t[ 
 
 withl 
 
 latter 
 
 a IK I 
 
 sourl 
 
 of 11 
 
 tlieil 
 
 the 
 
 ulxii 
 
 rxtti 
 
 audi 
 
 em r 
 
 HOUl 
 
 of t| 
 
 as i 
 
 tra' 
 
 froi 
 
 leu; 
 
 wii 
 
in the Roeky Mountains, the Oregon Territory, \<: 
 
 31 
 
 "ps imrler tlip 
 ''"I"' IiKliun JH 
 
 Ih llicir wliilc 
 tunc, Hcrifjiii. 
 ■" I'ormcd lic- 
 "iiinissioiiciH, 
 I'li'iJ,', niiiruitr 
 iiiiIh north ol 
 "<■ llUnm 
 
 "l<l VlllajrcH 
 
 inclfcd, (He 
 "I'd Kucri'd 
 I'inored llim; 
 ■'cnl Ivirvmin. 
 >"rlao('ttiir 
 
 "lilt dclifrlilH 
 
 loHcly lo Ihc 
 ■|lll tin; siilr. 
 '■ il'\ too, 
 11 fhiirniinjj 
 ikI incrciiscd 
 r'-'l-uiiiK tlint 
 'Sill' nnd till! 
 ' I'lat he had 
 t-'onwnUul (o 
 written, and 
 'I'licy 
 •■"■"t enthusi- 
 old ell ief for 
 tr of nalnre, 
 lid KG it uaH 
 
 "ivc Irihe 
 
 'I'i to make 
 III husband, 
 'lie forests i.r 
 •aried Willi 
 wilrlerness, 
 '' yield food 
 
 permanent 
 lary of the 
 >itheast the 
 iij)roved 
 
 .'■■oiiic f,.„. 
 
 •I"' I'liiird 
 ' live stock 
 
 t'lirnislied. 
 iiiiiiinatcd 
 I' souls, re. 
 ry- They 
 ated lands 
 r kindred 
 fsc bands 
 'rairie du 
 o .'SSOOa 
 
 treaty of 
 
 a school. 
 ■Iff as the 
 i'<'e coiii- 
 
 i?d; such 
 ipy may 
 
 head of 
 : mill.— 
 
 inakiiijT 
 
 "JO acres 
 e Sauks, 
 and the 
 
 lliey unit 
 
 iv the Sal 
 
 great Neinalm river on l)ie north. Their nondi- ! is to ho furnished them for the snmfi lcn(jtli of 
 tion is similar to that of the Sauks. The aid lime. Another treaty obligates the I'nited Sintcii 
 wliieh they have received, and are lo receive from to ploupli and fence one hundred acres of land 
 the (Jovernmcnt, is alKiiit the name in iiroportion for tliem, and to expend for the term of ten years, 
 to their iiuiuIkts. The villa^re of the S.iiiks and !$50n annually, in educatiii!; (/•maha children, 
 lovvas, are within two miles of each other. The T'lmealis or I'onsnrs, are the remnant of a 
 
 The Otoes, arcllKMlescendaiMsof llie Missouris, ' nation of respectahh^ iniportimce, formerly living 
 with whom lliey uniteil iller the rediulion of the U|H)n Red river, of Lake Winnipeg. IIavin(r 
 
 been nearly deslroyed by the Sioux, tliev removed 
 to the west side of the Missouri riv(T, where they 
 built a forlifiid villa<;e, and remained sonu^ years; 
 but beinj; piirKiied by their ancient enemies, the 
 Sioux, ami reduced liy continual wars, they joined 
 the Omalias, and so far lost their ori|rinul 
 character, as to be undiHliniruishablc from them. 
 They however, after a while, resumed ii separate, 
 cxislence, which they continue to maintain. They 
 n side in the nnrtliein extremity of the Indian 
 Terrilorv. Tbiir circumstances are similar tu 
 those of the Pawiiei"^. 
 
 TIk' r.iwnees own an extensive, counli-j-, lying 
 west of the OloiS and Omahas, on Ihi' (ileal 
 I'lalle river. Tliiir villa;ris are upon this stream, 
 and its lower trilnilarieii. They are said to liavi^ 
 iiboul .•}.')l)(l warriors, .\nionir them are still to 
 be found every custom of old Indian life. The 
 earth hut — the sealpiii;; Unite — the tomahawk — 
 and the scalps of their foes, danj;liiii.j from the 
 posts in their smoky (hvcllinys— the wild war. 
 erii 8 — the venerated medicine baj;, with the ralu. 
 uinet of peace — the sacred wampmn, that records 
 their treaties — the feasts and dances of peace, and 
 of war — those of m;irria(;e, and of sacriliee — the 
 moccasins, and leir;iiiis, and war.caps, and horrid 
 paintiii^rs — the moons of the year, as March, the 
 worm moon,' .\])ril the ' iikkhi of plants,' .May 
 
 latter tribe by t[ie Sauks ami Koxes. They claim 
 a isirlioil of liiid Ivin;; i'l the fork between Mis. 
 souri and (Ireat I'Fatle rivers. 'I'he (iovernmeiil 
 of the I'nited States undcistaiid, however, that 
 their lands extend southward from the i'lalle down 
 Ihe .Missouri to Little Nemaha river, a distance of 
 alKiul forty miles ; thenee their southeni iHPundary 
 extends westward up Litlb^ Nemaha lo its source, 
 and thence duo West. Their western and north, 
 erii boundarii s are not particularly defined. Their 
 soullier Ixiuiidary isalKiut twenty. live miles N'orlli 
 of Ihe lowa'shmd. lly treaty, such of their tribe 
 as an; related lo Ihc whiles, have an iulerest in a 
 lra"t adjoinin;f the ^Missouri liver, and exiendini; 
 IVoiii till! Iiillle .N'emalia lo Hie (ireut Xemalia, a 
 leu^rth of alHiul Iwenly-ei^lil miks, and ten miles 
 wide. N^o IndiallH reside fin this tract. 
 
 The condition of this people is similar lo that ol' 
 the Osajreii and Ivair/.aus. The Uniled Stales 
 (ioveniment has I'eneed and ploughed for theiii 
 Kin acres of land. In IhilJS, they cultivated ;tO(l 
 acres of corn. Thev own six plom^lis, furnished 
 by (iovcrnmeiit. '1 heir pro^enitoib, l!ie Mi«sou. 
 ris, were, when the French first knew the country, 
 the most numerous tribe in the vicinity of S.iiiil 
 IjOuIs. And the (jrcat stream, on whose banks 
 they reside, and Ihe .St.ilr which has risen upon 
 their huntin;; ({rounds when the race is extinct, 
 will bear their name to the [jcneratioiis of coming the ' moon of flowers,' .luiie the ' hot moon,' July 
 
 time. They are said to have been an ener;;etic 
 and thrifty race, Indore they were visited b}' the 
 iinallpox an<l the destroyiii}; veuffeanee of the 
 Sauks aixl Fo.xcs. Tlie site of their ancient vil. 
 laj^e is to be seen on the north bank of the river, 
 honored with their name, just below where (iraud 
 river now enters it. 'J'lieir territory embraced the 
 fertile country lying a considerable distince alons; 
 the .Missouri, II tjove their villaije — and down lo 
 the mouth of the ()s;i;;c, and tlienc-e to the Mis. 
 sissippi. The O.sages consiiier theiii their inferiors, 
 and treat them oftentimes with (rreat iiidi;rnity- 
 The Omahas own Ihe country north of the 
 inoiith of the (Jreat Flalte. The .Missouri river 
 
 the ' buck moon,' Aui.;ust the ' sturi^eoii moon,' 
 Seplemlier Ihe ' corn moon, October the ' travelinpr 
 moon,' NovcihImt the 'Ix'avcr moon,' December 
 the ' liuiilini; moon,' January the ' cold moon,' 
 February the 'snow moon ;' and in reference toils 
 phrases, the " dead moon," and " live moon j" 
 and days arc counti'd by ' sleeps,' and their years 
 by ' snows.' In a word, the Pawnees ere as yet 
 uiiclianiied by the enliijhtcnini; influences of 
 knowledjje and reiijjion. The pliilanlliropy of 
 Ihe United Slates (ioverimient, however, is put. 
 tinU within their reach every inducement to iiu- 
 provi ineiil. l!y treaty, .Sii.tHtl) worth of agricul. 
 lural implements are to Ih: furnished them annu. 
 
 is considered its northeaslerii limit ; the northern ally, for the term of five years or lonp;er, at the 
 
 and westfrn lHum<lary are undefined. This tribe discretion of the President of the I'nited States; 
 
 was formerly the terror of their neiijhiiors. They also, !$ 1, 1)00 worth of live slock, whenever the 
 
 had, in early times, about one thousand warriors, President shall believe them jircpared to profit 
 
 and a proportionate number of women, and I'liil. thereby ; also )jJ^,(IO(l annually, to 1m> ex]Kndcdin 
 
 dren. IJul the small-iKix visited them in the year supporlinw two sinitheries, with two smiths in 
 
 1H02, and reduced the tribe to about three liiiii- each; for su]>plvin}r iron, steel, &c., for the term 
 
 dred souls. This so dislie.irtcned those that siir. of ten years; also four prist mills, propelled by 
 
 vived, that they burnt their vilUiffe and Ixcame a horse |K)wer; also four farmers durinir the term of 
 
 wandcriii); pco])Ie. They have at last taken pos. five years. Also, the sum of §1,000 annually, 
 
 session ajrain of their country, and built a villajje for ten years, is to be allowed for the 8up|X)rt of 
 
 on the southwest bank of the Missouri, at a |ilace schools ainontj them. 
 
 chosen for them by the I'nited States. Their These are the einiirrant and native Indians with, 
 
 huts arc constructed of earth, like those of the in the ' Indian Territory," and their several con. 
 
 Otoes. A treaty made with them in July, 183!), ditions and circumstances, so far as I have l)cen 
 
 lirovides that an annuity of !j!5(IO shall be paid lo able to learn them. The other Indians in the Great 
 
 them in agricultural nnplements, for ten years Prairie Wilderness will bo briefly noticed under 
 
 thereafter, and longer if the President of the Uiii- two division.s — those living South, nnd those liv- 
 tcd fc>t»tc8 thinks proper. A blacksmith also, J ing North of the Great Platte river. 
 
»e 
 
 Travels in the (Ureal Western Prairie*, 
 
 Tlitrr iirr living on tlic liriul uiilcrH nl' |{((l riv- ' 
 cr, and l)rt\viTn (Imt rivtr ami llji' Rio llravo drl 
 Nortr, Ihc. rcin.iinB of twelve (litlerriil Irilirs — ten [ 
 of wliieli have tin nveru(,'e populiitioiinf twolnm- 
 (Ircd houIb; none of tlieni nninlier morn llinii four I 
 hundred. The CaninkouiiK and Tetans or Cii. | 
 jnanrheN, arc more ninnercMis. Thi' fornier live 
 iib'iut the Bay of St. Ilernar<l. They were always 
 ininiiciil to the Mexieant* and Spaniards; never | 
 would Huccuinb to their aulliority, or reeeive their j 
 rolijriouH tenejiers. And many hard Ipatlles were I 
 fought in muintainin;; their inile|iendenei' in these 
 reepeetH. In \!il'i, they amonnlid to alioiil three 
 thousand individuals ; ni wliieli six hundred were 
 warriors. 
 
 'riieCumaneliPsaresupposed to lie Iwcrily llion- 
 sandhtroiiK. 'I'lii'v are ii hrave, vaprant tribe, and 
 never reside hut .. few days in a place; hut travel 
 north with the ludValo in the .sunnner. and as win. 
 tcr eomcH on, return willi them to the plains west 
 of Te.xas. They traverse Ihe, inmunse nyial-v 
 of eountry exteiuinii; from the 'I'rimty and Urazoti 
 to the Ued IJiver, and Ihe liead waters of the .\r. 
 kansas, uud Colorado o( Ihe west, lo the I'aeilic 
 Oer III, und llience (o the head streams of the 
 Missouri, und tlienei- Ui their winter hainils. They 
 liHve tents, made of ni'ally dret.srd skins, in the 
 form of cones. Tliese, « hen ll.i y stop, are pitched 
 BO as to forn" streets and squares. They pilch 
 nnd strike these tents in an aslonishincly short 
 ispaee <d time. To every ten! is attached two 
 paek.horscs, the one to carry Ihe tint, and the 
 other the (Kjlishcd cedar poles, with which it is 
 spread. Tlicse loaded in u tricf — the saddle lioisi s 
 Iiarnesscd in still less time — twenty thousand sav- 
 ages— men, women, children, warriors and chiefs — 
 st.irlat a signal whoop, travel the day, again raise 
 tlieir eity of tents to rest and feed themselves anil 
 animals, for another march. 
 
 Thus passes life with the ( 'umanehes. Their 
 plains are covered with hulValo, elk, deer, and wild i 
 horses. It is said that they drink the hlood of tin 
 bufl'alo warm from the veins. 'I'hey also cat the I 
 liver in its raw state, using the gall as sauce. The 
 drcBS of the women is a long loose robe that icaelies i 
 from the chin to the ground, made of deer skin ' 
 dressed very neatly, and painlid with tigiires of 
 difl'erent colors and signilicatioiis. The dress of 
 the men is close pautakions, and a himting.sliirt or j 
 frock made of the sami^ heaulil'iil uiatirial. 'I'hey I 
 are a warhkc and hrave riiee, and stand in the rela- 
 tion of con<|uerors amoiig the trihes in the south. ; 
 The ."Spaniards ( Xew .Me.\ieo are all ai'(iuainled ], 
 with the strength of their enemy, and their power | 
 to punish those whom they hale. I'or many are ! 
 the sculps and death dances among these lu<iians, | 
 that testify of waisaiul tomahawks which have dug [ 
 tombs for that |)oor apology of European extrne- II 
 tion. 'I'hey are cvcceciinidy fondof stcalingllie oh- I 
 jccts of their eniinies' atieeti. >n. J'emale children ''. 
 are sought with the greatest a'-idily, and adopted i, 
 or married. " Alxiiit sixty years a ;o," as the tale | 
 runs, "the danghter of the (ioveriior-lM'iicral at: 
 Chihuahua, wasalolen liy them. The father imme- ['■ 
 diately pursued, and hy an agent after sonic weeks |: 
 liad elapsed, purchased her laiiv' 'in. I!ut shcrehised | 
 to return to her parents, anil si iit them these words : 
 ' That the Indians had tat looed her face according 
 to their style of beauty — had given her to Ix- the 
 wife of a yoiuig man by whom bIic believed herself J 
 
 eiiciente— that her husband treated her well, and 
 rccouc-iled her to his mode of life — that she would 
 be iiinde more unhappy by returning to lirr father 
 under these eircuiiiBtances, than by remniniriK 
 wlirre she was.' !^he continued to live with li(T 
 hiiihand in the nation, and raised a family of 
 ehildicn." 
 
 There arc the reniuins of fifteen or twenty tribe* 
 in that part of the (Jreat I'rairie VVilderiiesH north 
 of the (ireat Platte, and north .ind west of thn 
 Indian Territory. They average aliout HOO each. 
 The Sioux and the Biiiall-pox have reduced them 
 thus. 
 i The Kiiistcneau cliieny reside in the Drilinh 
 |K)s,sessions along the norlhcrn shorcKof Lake Sn- 
 jicrior. .'■iome hands of them have established 
 themselves south of latitude l!l degrees Norlh, 
 near the head waters of these branches of Ked 
 Kiver of Ijake Winnipeg, which rise wmtli of thn 
 sources of the IMississippi. They are niodorato 
 in stature, well proportioned, and of great ai^tivily. 
 ' .Alaeken/.ic remarks that their i^ounlenanees arc 
 frank and agrceahle — that the females are well- 
 formed — and their features are more regular and 
 comely than those of any other trilw! In' saw n|X)n 
 Ihcconlinent. Tiny are warlike— iimnber al>out 
 .■|,IMI(I ; hut the Sioux are annihilating them. 
 
 'I'he Sioux claim u country eipial in extent to 
 some of the most powerful cin|)ires of l')nro|M'.— 
 Tliiir iKinndaricB " coiiimenee at Ihe I'rairie dcR 
 Chillis, and ascend the .Mississippi on l)oth sides 
 lo the river iJeCorbeaii, and up that to its source; 
 from thence to the sources of the .St. Peters, thence 
 to the ' .Montaigne de la Prairie,' thence lo flic 
 ,Mis,-«)nri, and down that river to the Oinahas, 
 thence to the sources of the river Des MoinB, and 
 thence to the place of beginning." They also 
 claim a large tenilory south of the Missouri. 
 
 The country from Kinii liiver to the River de. 
 (■orlH'au is claimed by them and Ihe CliipjiewayB, 
 and has been the source of many bloody encoun- 
 ters for the past "MM years. ThcBe Indians have 
 coin|uered and destroyed immense nuinberH of 
 their race. They have swept the banks of Ihe 
 .Mis.wnri from the (Jreat Falls to the ninnlh of 
 (jre.it Platte and the plains that lie north of the 
 latter streaiii, helwecn the Itlack Hills and the 
 Mississippi. They are divided intonix bands, viz, ; 
 the .'\lenowa Koulong, which resides around thn 
 falls of .St. Anthony, and Ihe lower jKirtion of St. 
 Peter's Kiver; the Washpetoiig, still higher on 
 thai stream; the .Susselong, on its head waters 
 and those of Red River, of Lake Winnipeg; the 
 Yaiiklons of the North, who rove over the plains 
 on the Imrdrrs of the .Missoiiii valley south of the 
 sources of the St. Peter's; the Vonktons .Ahnah, 
 who live on the Missouri near the entrance of 
 .lames River; the Telons Itniles ; Tetons Okan- 
 (landau ; Telons IMinnekincazzo, aiul Tetons Sa- 
 hoiie, who reside along the banks of the .MiKsouri 
 from the tircat lleml northward lo the villages of 
 the Riccarees. 'J'hcirs is the country from which 
 is derivi'd the coloring matter of that river. The 
 |)laiiis are strongly imiiregnati (1 with GlaulKT B"lts, 
 alum, copperas, and sulphur. In the sprii ; of 
 the year immense bhill's fall in the stream; and 
 these, together with the leacliings from these medi- 
 cated prairiex, give to the waters their mud color, 
 and purgative qualities. 
 
 Tlicse bajids comprise about 28,000 souls. They 
 
in the RorJcy Mountnina, the (htfron Territory, i^. 
 
 88 
 
 Wfll, (ind 
 
 hrr lather 
 (MiinininjT 
 • with licr 
 faiiiily of 
 
 •nlytrilwB 
 i< SH north 
 I'Ht of thii 
 HOOrach. 
 |'<(I llirni 
 
 rnhniKl iip(m btifTHlo inn' nnil Ihr will! friiiln of 
 thrir forrnls. Thr form i is prcpiircd for winter, 
 nnd for travHini; iiRe, in the follnwinfj innnner: — 
 The Irnn pnrtp < ' 'he bntFnlo nre rut into Ihiii 
 pheeo, dried over a slow tire, in the Hun, or by ex- 
 )w>aing it to frost — |Kpmided fine, and then, with a 
 |«irtion of berricH, mixed with an iipial ipiantity 
 of fill from the hnmpH and brihldt, or willr mar- 
 row, in a iNiihntr Htale, mid sowed up tightly in 
 HaekH of yreen hid«, or paeked elowly in liankels 
 of wieker work. This " |«'miciiii," an they rail 
 it, will keep for wvoral years. 'I'liey also use 
 iniieh ofihe wild liee — avena fatiia — which (;rows 
 ill preat almndanee on the St. I'eterV, and anion:; 
 the lakes and head slreamH of t{ed Kiver, ol 
 \Viiinipeir, and in other |>artH of their territory. 
 It crows in water from four to seven feel deep wiih 
 a muddy iHittoni. The plant rises from four to 
 eight feet alHive the surface of the water, iilmul 
 the si/.eof the red eatie of Tennessee, full of jomls, 
 and of the color and texture of hullriislicH ; the 
 Blalks alHivc the water, iind the hraiiehes which 
 bear the (Traill, resemble oats. To these slraiiL'c 
 grain fields the wild duck nnd geese ritiort for fond 
 in the Fiimnier. And to prevent it from iH'ing de- 
 voured ))y them, the Indians tie it, when the ker. 
 ncl is in the milky state, just IkMow the head, into 
 large biiiiehes. This arr.ingemeiit. prevents these 
 birds from pressing the heads down within their 
 reacli. When ripe, thi^ Indians pass among it with 
 eanops lined with lilankets, into whi<'li they lieiid 
 thestalks, and whipofflhe grain with sticks; and 
 so abundant is it, Ihatan expert sipiaw will soon fill 
 ii canoe. After being galliered, it is dried and put 
 into skins or baskets for use. Thcv Iniil or parch 
 it, and eat it in the winter season with their peiiii- 
 can. 'i'liis plant is found no farllier south than 
 Illinois, no farther east than .S.mdusky liay, and 
 north nearly to Iliidt^n's Itay. The rivers and 
 lakes of the .Sioux and Cliippeway coiinlrvaie said 
 to prodilie annually several million bushels of 
 it. It is equally asniitrilioiis and jiiilatable .is the 
 Carolina rice. I'arverulso says that the St. I'eters 
 flows through a country producing s|)oiitaneiiiislv 
 all the neeessaries of life in the greulesi abumi. 
 aiiee. llesides Hie wild rice, he inforiiis us that 
 every part of the valley of that river " is filled 
 with trees bending under their loads of plums, 
 grapes, anil apples — the meadows with hops, and 
 many wrls of vegetables — while the ground ,is 
 stored with edible roots, and covered with such 
 amazing ipiantities of siigar-inaple, that llicv 
 would produce sugar enough for any number of 
 inhabitants." 
 
 jMr. Carver seems to have been, to say the least, 
 rather an iiithusiastie admirer of n.itiire; aiidal. 
 ♦ hough later travelers in the eoimlrv of the Naii- 
 dowessies (Sioiixl have not l« i ii abli- to Hud 
 grouped within it all the fruits and fiowersof an 
 I'jden ; yet that their lands Iving on the Missis. 
 sippi, the .St. Peters, imd the Ued Rivera, pioduee 
 ii luxuriant vegetation, groves of fine timber sepa. 
 rated bj' open plains of the rich wild grasses, and 
 by lakes and streams of pure water well stored 
 with fish ; and that tliere are many valuable edible 
 roots lluTe ; and the wliorlleberry, blackberry, 
 wild pnmb and crab.appic ; other and later trav- 
 elers have seen and declared ; so that no doubt 
 can be entertained that this talented and victori. 
 ous tribe posscsH a very dciirublo and beautiful 
 
 country. .\ revolted band of tiir Sioux enlled 
 Osini|)oillcH, live near the Kocky .'Nloiintnins u|ion 
 the .SnBcatehiwine River, n pleas.Tnt ''liampaign 
 country, alioimding in game. Tliry subsist by 
 by the cliase, and the spoils of war. Their num. 
 ber is estimated to be H.llllll. Their dwellings arn 
 neat conieal tents of tanned liiilValo skins. 
 
 The Chippewyaiisor( 'liippeWiivs,weresiip|iosi d 
 by Iicwis and Clark to inhabit liie country lying 
 between the (iOHi and ILIth parallels of north lati- 
 tude, and 10(1 and I Ml degrees of west longiliiile. 
 < tiller aiilhorities, and I believe the more eorieel, 
 assert that tlev also occupy the head walcrs oftlic 
 >lississi|ipi, Oilcrtail and l/cacli, I)e Corbciiii and 
 Red Rivers, and Winnipeg lake. They are ii 
 niimeious tribe, speak a copious language, are 
 linioioiis, v.ignint,and sellisli ; stature rather low ; 
 features coarse ; hair lank, and not iiifreipiently 
 a siiiiburnt brown ; women more agreeable (and 
 who can doubt the fact^ than llie men; but have 
 .III awkward siile-ala-time gait ; which proceeils 
 from their Iniiig aceusloineil, nine months in the. 
 year, to wear snow-shoes, and ilrag sledges of a 
 weight from SJMII to 100 pounds. They are en- 
 tirely submissive to their hiisbands; and for very 
 trilling causes are treated with such cruelty as to 
 produce death. These people iK^troth their eliil- 
 dreii when ipiite voiing ; and when they arrive at 
 jiiiberty the eeremony of marriage is perfoim^d ; 
 that is, the bridcgriMim |>ays the market price for 
 his bride, and lakes lier to his lodge, not " for 
 belter or for worse," but to put her away and lake 
 another when he pleases. I'liiralily of wives is 
 eiisloniaiy among llicni. Tliey generally wear 
 the hair long. The braves (aimetiines clip it in 
 faiilaslii' forms. The womi ii always wear it of 
 great lenglli, braided in two queues, and dang- 
 ling diiwii llie back, .lealous husbands sonietimes 
 des|Miil llieiii of these tresses. Itoth se.xe.s make 
 from one to four bars of lines upon the lorehead 
 or cheeks, by drawing a thread dipped in thi' proper 
 color beneath the skill of tlmsi' parts. 
 
 No people all' more attentive loeomforl in dress 
 lliati llie Chippeways. It is eoiii|>osed of decrand 
 fawn skill;", ilressed with the hair on, for the win- 
 ter, and without the hair for summer wear. Tli» 
 male wardrobi^ consists of shoes, l< ggins, frock 
 and ciip, \c. The shoes are madi' in the usual 
 moccasin I'orni, save that they sometimes use the 
 green instead of the tanned hide. The leggina 
 are madi' like Ihe legs of pantaloons unconnected 
 by a w.iistban 1. They reach to the waist ; and 
 are siipjKirlcd Ipv a bell. I'nder the Islt a small 
 piiee of leather is drawn, which serves as an 
 apron iHl'ore and behind. The shoes and leggins 
 arc .u'wed together. In the former are [iiil quan- 
 tities of moose and reindeer hair ; and addition. d 
 pieces III leather as socks. The frock or hunt, 
 iiigshirl is in the form of a peasant's frock. 
 When girded aioiind the waist it reaches to the 
 middle of the lliigh. The niilti lis are sewed to 
 the sleeves, or sus|iended by strings from the 
 shoulders. A kind of tippet surrounds the neck. 
 The skin of the deer's head furnishes a curious 
 covering to the head ; and a robe made of several 
 deer or fawn skins sewed together, covers the 
 whole. This dress is worn single or double, as 
 circumstances suggest ; but in winter the hair 
 side of the undersiiit is worn next the person, and 
 that of the outer one without. Thus arrayed, 
 
34 
 
 Travels in the Great Western Prairies, 
 
 ihr f'hl|iprw.iy will hy liiiiiscU' down im tlio icr, ]. 
 Ill llic iiiiildK' ol' a l;ikc, uiiil rr|Mw in conirort; 
 :in(l wlun rolcd, nml dim ncuinlxrcd of llic miiow- 
 driflH III It li.ivr idviri'd liiiii wliilc ll^l(•l•|>, lid 
 iiKiiinlH liin niiow-nIioi'h, mid tnivilx on witlioiil 
 Tear ol' IroslH or utoriii. 'I'lir iUvhh of tlm women 
 dillirs fiiiiii tliiit of null. 'I'lliir lc,rjriiin urr tird 
 lirlow llic kiii'i' : iiikI tlirlr I'roi'U or I'liniilHc r.\- 
 li ndN ilcuvii lo llii! aiiklr. MhIIiith iiiiilii' tlirno 
 (,MiiiirMlH lurijr inoii({li uIhuiI (lie slioiildiTH lo hold 
 nil iiilUiit; and wlun tnivcliii^; r.arry llicir litlUi 
 oiH'H ii|><iii llicir l>ai'U» iikxl llie skin. 
 
 'I'liclr iiriiiH and (loincntii' ii|i|iiiriiliiN, in iiddilion 
 lo i;iiiis, &,!■., ol)t;iiiiiil from llic wliilr.i, arc Imiwk 
 and arrow.!, rifliin^,'-n('lH, and lines iiiiidi' <d' ijireii 
 di'cr Hkin iIioii^h. and luUof llir Hiiinc niatiri.d lor 
 cati'liin^ till' ln'uvrr, iih lie cNCapCH from liis lodnc 
 into llir Wilier; and Hled;ieH and hiiow-sIioih, 'I'he 
 Hiiow-filioeH are o( very Hii|i<'rior workininisliii). 
 'I'he iniu r part of the liaine is Hlraiylit ; tin: outer 
 one IH eiirvdl; the ends are hro\ijr|it to a poinl, 
 and in front turned up. 'This frame done, they 
 are neatly plaeed wdli li!clil lhon;,rH of deer skin. 
 'I'luir 8ledi;es arc made of red lir.trec Iwards, 
 neatly polished and turned np in front. 'I'he 
 iiRiiiiH of Biistainiiif; life in the eouiitry claimed 
 liy tlu'se Indians arc aliimilaiit ; and if snUk-ieiit 
 loretlioii^'ht were used in layni;^ in food for win- 
 ler, tli'V minlil live in eonipurative (oinforl. The 
 W(Hldle^s hills arc Co V' red with a moss that sus- 
 taiii-i tin: deer and moose and reindeer; and when 
 lioiled. lorniH a (XelatinouH suhslanec ipiito ac. ■ 
 
 I :plalilc to the human palate. Their streams and 
 lakes are stored with the (rrealest uliundance of 
 valuible lisli. [tut although more provident than 
 any other Indians on Ihe contiiicni, they often 
 snll'er severely in llic dead of winter, when, lo 
 prevent dculli from rold, Ihey lire fioin their 
 lisliiiijf Flations to their scanty woods. 
 
 'I'liey are siipcr.stilious in the c.vlreme. Almost 
 cv( rv aelioii of their lives is iiithunccd by sonic 
 "himsiral iiolion. 'I'hey hclievc in the c.xislcnei- 
 '.: .1 (rood and evil spirit, Ihil ruli' in their several 
 dc]' nimeiils over the fortunes of men ; and in a 
 si.ilc of lulurc rewards and punishiru'iils. 'I'hey 
 
 II ive an older of priists who administer the riles 
 of their religion— <dl'er sucriliees at their solemn 
 leasts, i.'ce. They have conjurois who cure dis- 
 eases—as rheimialism, tlu.\ and eoiisinnplion. 
 
 '• The notion which these people cntcrlain of the 
 crc.ition is of a very siinjular nature. They hclicvp 
 that al lirsl llieearih was one vast and entire ocean, 
 inhaliileil liy no liviiii; creature e.\e.cpt a iiiifjhly 
 Hird, wliosi' eves were lire, wlios.' jrlaiices were 
 lij,'hlninj;, and the llappini; of whose winjjs was 
 lliunilir. On his dcseeiil to the ocean, and touch- 
 in;; it, the eurlli instanlly arose, and remained on 
 the surface of the waters. This omnipotent Itird 
 then called forth all the variety of animals from 
 the earth except lli(> ('hippewavs, who were pro- 
 duced from a do(j. And this eircunistanee occa- 
 sions their avi'ruion to the llesli of that animal, as 
 well as the people who cat it. This extraordinary 
 tradition proceeds lo relate that the (jreal, liird, 
 havinir iinishcd his work, iiuidc un arrow, which 
 was to be preserved w'illi great care and to re- 
 main untouched ; but that the C'hippewuys were 
 so devoid of understniidini; as to carry it away; 
 and the sacrilcfrc 8f) curugcd the great liird that 
 he huB never since apiwareU." 
 
 " They have nl«o a Iriidilioii nnioni; llicm thai 
 tlioy oriifiually came from anollnT country, in. 
 hibiled by very wicked people, and hail travermil 
 a i;reat hike, which was narrow, shallow and lull 
 of islaiida, where lliey hail sntVcred i;real misery — 
 it heini; always winter, with ice and diep snow. 
 At the ('opperniine liiver, where they had made 
 the first laiiil, the ground was cnvereil with cop- 
 per, over which a body of earth had silicic been 
 collecled to the ileplli of a man's lii);lit. They 
 believe, also, that in ancient limes, their ancosloiH 
 lived till their feel were worn out with walkiuc 
 and their Ihni.its with caliii;;. They descrilie a 
 delu[;e when Ihe waters spread over the whole 
 earth, e.iicept the lii(;liest momitains, on the lops 
 of which Ihey preserved thcmsilvos. They be- 
 licv(^ lliat immediately after their death they pass 
 into another world, where Ihey arrive at a lur({e 
 river, on which Ihey enibark in n stone canoe; 
 and that a gentle enrreiit bears lliem on to an 
 exlcnsivc lake, in the ei litre of which Ih u most 
 beautihd island ; and that in view id' this deli|rht. 
 ful abode they receive that pid^jenient for their 
 eondnet durin>; lili: which deterniines their final 
 slate and undlerablc allotment. If their good 
 actions are declared to predominate, thoy are 
 I laiiilod U|inii the island, where tlmrc is to bn no 
 end to their happinesH ; which, however, to their 
 notion, eonsints in an elernal enjoyment of sensual 
 i pleasure iwul carnal (rralificatiou. Itut if there be 
 I bud actions to wei)rli down the balance, the st«ne 
 ' canoe sinks at once, and leaves them np to their 
 ; chins in water, to behold and regret the reward 
 enjoyed by Ihe good, and clcrnally struggling, but 
 I with unavailing endciivors, to reaeli the blissful 
 island from which Ihey are excluded for ever." 
 
 It would be interesting, in closing IhiB notice of 
 the (ircat I'rairie wilderness, lo give an account of 
 Ihe devoted ^lissionaries of the various denomina- 
 tions who arc laUirmg to cullivatc the Indian in 
 I a manner which nl once licspeukH their goo^i senHC 
 and honest intentions. Hut as it would requite 
 more space and lime than can be devoted lo it 
 merely to jircscnt a skeleton view of their mulli- 
 f.irions doings, I shall only remark, in passing, 
 ! that llicy appetir lo have ailopicd, in their plan of 
 operations, the principle that lo civilize these peo- 
 |de, one of the first slejis is lo create and gratify 
 those physical wants peculiar to the civilized 
 state; and also, that the most successful meauB 
 of civilizing their mental st.ite, is lo teach them 
 a language which is filled with the learning and 
 pcienees and the religion which have civdized 
 lOurope, that Ihey may enter at once and with 
 : the fuUest vigor into the inimense liarvcsts of 
 knowledge and virtue which past ages and su[h'- 
 rior races have prepared for tlicni. 
 
 rilAI'TER IV. 
 
 four Wn.i.iAM— its Sirumue, Owiien, People, AnImiiU, 
 
 I Buf^inrhs. Ailventurrk, and llu/.^rilii — A Oivhion — A Mdrcl) 
 
 i —Fori El Puelilu— Trappers ami WUiskey— A (jenius— 
 
 A'l AilvfiilunJUs Trnriuois— A Keiilurkinn— llnr^e* bijiI 
 
 SiTVaut— A Trnile— A Start— Arkflil.iitti anil Country— 
 
 Wnlfiiiin Mow liiliit,— Creek*— Kco Waliaitn — A I'iugue i» f 
 
 I Kurpt— t'wrditi'lHS— J.iiil's'ji IV»k— PikeV Peak— A HhUi 
 
 — riie Piison 1)1 ilie Arkansas— Kutraiie of ibe Rocky 
 
 MouDiaini, — A Vale. 
 
 j FoiiT WiLi.iA.M or Bent's Fortoii (lie north side 
 I of the Arkansas 8(1 miles north by east from Taos 
 i| in the Mexican dominions, and iilmut IliU miles 
 ;i from the inuiuiiuins, wus erected by gentlemen 
 
 ill 
 
 owners in IM-3, for pnr 
 
 Spaniards of Santa I'c a 
 
 Clirymic and < 'unianelii 
 
 ,,raparallelogr.im,lhcn< 
 
 of which are nUml l.'d 
 
 western llltl led in li ng 
 
 s( veil feel ill thickness a 
 
 or cighlicn feci in liigl 
 
 Ihroiigh a large g.itew: 
 
 which swing a pair of ii 
 
 the iiorth-wiHl and soul 
 
 cylindrical baslioiis, alKi 
 
 :H feet in higbt. The 
 
 for the use of llic eanii 
 
 command the fort and I 
 
 iiili Tior area is divided 
 
 and the l.irger of them 
 
 |Mirtiou. It is nearly a 
 
 story bouses, the well, 
 
 are on the north side; i 
 
 ranircs of oiic-Hlory liou 
 
 Hiuillishop, llii'gale, at 
 
 Ihe place of business. 
 
 hcrvants have their sli 
 
 meiils, and here arc lb 
 
 the IndiaiiH in Iheseasi 
 
 numbers and barter, an 
 
 guardianship of the i 
 
 loaded with grape, and 
 
 this area a passage lea 
 
 wall and tlieone.slory 
 
 yard, which occupies 
 
 within the walls. 'I'll 
 
 mules, tVe. to reiK)sc i 
 
 dationa at night, lb' 
 
 ami adjoining the wal 
 
 strongly built, and la 
 
 I,") of those large vehi 
 
 vcying Ihe licltrics 
 
 thence to the post. 
 
 mcr renders it necess, 
 
 sun. 
 
 The walla of the f( 
 
 arc conBtrueled ol ai 
 
 nienled together with 
 
 lloors of the bnildin 
 
 moislcned andlieali'i 
 
 lets ; the upper tlooi> 
 
 the roofs of all are n 
 
 the same material, f 
 
 transverse timbers ci 
 
 of Ihe houses beiiiL' 
 
 tine priimeii'ide in lli 
 
 charming climate. 
 
 in the business of ll 
 
 III be alK)Ut (ill. I'" 
 
 charge of one of the 
 
 ing lo market tln' I 
 
 gathered at Ihe fori 
 
 them new slocks o 
 
 Another parly is d 
 
 meal in Ihe neiglilx 
 
 in gnarding the a 
 
 daily food on tliebai 
 
 parly still, under 
 
 trader, goes into s- 
 
 trade, t'nc or mo 
 
 onolhcr of these par 
 
 post defend it and 
 
 eomjmny, &c. Kt 
 
in the Rorky Mountains, the Ortgon Territory, ffi: 
 
 8S 
 
 nwnen in 1839, (br piir|inM-fi «{ trailr with tlir :! 
 
 SpnriiiirdK of Snnin I'f iiiiil 'I'aoH, iiml llir Kiil.iw, 
 ( licvcmir lUid ('iliiiiiiK'lii' lull: iiiH. It ik jii IIii' riinii 
 III II |iai'allrliii;r.iiii, llir iiorthrru iinil Hiiiitlirni nIiIcn 
 iir\\liirli arc nli'iiil l.'id lirt. iiml tlirraxtcrii ami 
 wrslrrri Mill li'cl m |riii;tli. 'I'lic walls arr nix or 
 Hrvc?i I'lrl ill tllirkliiHH at llic lian', and si vriitn ii 
 or ciiilitriii lift ill liii;lit. 'I'lir lort in intend 
 lliiKiiL'li a laryr (rali'way mi llir iMHlcrn sidr, in 
 wliirll Hwiiii; a Jiaii' id' ininirliHi' plaiiU diMirn. At 
 till' niirtli-wrsl and NUitlirisl rnrnrrn Htaniltu'ii 
 rvliiiilriral liaHliniiH, alHiiit III I'rrl m iliaiiii'trr and 
 ;t'l fict III liiillit. 'I'ln'Hc arc |prii|)(rlv pi rloralcd 
 liir the use nl' tlii^ raiiiinn and Hiiiall arnis : ami 
 I'Miiiniand tin' Inrl and thr pliiinsarnund it. 'I'lii' 
 inti 'iiir .111 II in divided inlu two parts. 'I'lie one 
 and the Inner of llieni oeciipiiH tlie iiorlli-e.mtorn 
 |H)rlioii. It in nearly u mpiare. A raii^'e ol' two 
 Htnry liiiilKeH, tile well, and tlie lilaeksniitli shop 
 ale on the iiiirlh Hide; on \\ir west and xoiitli are 
 ran','eH ot oiie.Htory lionses ; on the c ii^t the hluek- 
 sniilli Hliop, the ({ale, and the outer wall. This is 
 the place ol' ImsinesH. IIi lo the ."Wnefs and their 
 servants have (heir sleepintr ami cookiiii; aparl- 
 nienls, and here ale the stnrelnaiM. In this are 
 the IndiaiiH in theseaKon of trade (r,,ther in larjre 
 nninhers and harter, and trade, and liny, under the 
 ;;iiariliansliip of the (■arinnades of the ha^tioiis 
 III ided with lifape, and liiiikin'4 upon lliein. From 
 this area a passaj^e leads lielwein the eastern outer 
 wall and theone-slory houses, to the ear.il or e. ivy- 
 yard, whieli neeupies the reinaimler of the spaee 
 within the walls. 'I'liis is the place tor the horses, 
 iniileB, iVe. to re|K)se in salcty Iroin Indian depre. 
 datioiin at iiijjht. lieyond the earal to the wist 
 and adjoinintj the wall, is the w.iitoii. house. It is 
 Ktron^rly huilt, and hir(;e eiion<;li to shelter l'^ or 
 ITiof those lari;e vehicles which are ns<'d in eon- 
 veyinff the pellricH to .St. Ijoiiis, and gcKids 
 Ihcneo to the post. 'I'lie loni; ilroiiijht of snni. 
 nier renders it necessary to jirotect tin in from the 
 sun. 
 
 The walls of the I'oit. its haslions and houses, 
 are eoiiBlnicteil of adohirs or nnlmrnt hrieks, ee- 
 iiKiiled tDfiellier with a mortar nfelay. The lower 
 IliMirs of the Iviiildiirj are in iilc of clay a little ; 
 iiioistene<l and hrateii liaril with larf^'e wooden mal- 
 lets ; the iipper floors of the two.story houses and 
 the roofs of all are made in the same way and of 
 the same material, and are supported hv heavy 
 transverse timbers covered \iithlinish. 'I'lie tops 
 of the hon.ses heiii'i' tlat and (rn-velcd, fuinish a 
 tine proniinade in tlii' inooiiliifht eveii'.iifjs of that 
 ehiirininK climate. The ninnlxrof men employed 
 in the hiisiness of this eslahlishment is supposed 
 to he alK)Ut (ill. Filteen or twenty <d" them in 
 ehar(r(! of one of the owners, are employed in tak- 
 inj; to ninrket the Unlliilo rohes, &:e. which are 
 !,ratliered (it the lort, and in hrinirini; hack with 
 them new stocks of (joods for liitnre purchases. 
 Another iiarty is employed in linntinir Imtlalo 
 meal in the iieijfhlHirinf; plains; and still another 
 in I'uardinir the animals while they cut their 
 daily food on the hanks ol the river. And another 
 ])arty still, under eommand of im experienced 
 trader, (roes into some distant Indian camp to 
 trade. Due or more of the owners, ami one or 
 onother of these parties that chances to lie at the 
 post defend it and trade, keep the liooks of the 
 comi)any, &c. Ench of these parties encounters 
 
 (lanKerit -'iiil Imrdsliipii from whir.li peiMoni within 
 
 the Uiriler^of civili/.iition would shrink. 
 
 The country in which the liirt is sitimted is in a 
 nniiucr the common liiid of several trilMS iinfriend. 
 ly alike toone anotherand the whiles. The Kiltaws 
 and ('Iwyeimcs of (lie moimtaiiiH near ."»iiiita !''(■, 
 and (I, i'awnecH of the (ireat I'latle, eonie to the 
 L'|>|'er .Arkansas (onieet tin ImlValoin their annual 
 miirrations to the north; ami on the trail ol these 
 animals lollow up the ( 'innanelii's. And thus 
 in the iiionlhs of June, An(;nst and SeptcmlMT, 
 I here are in the ueiirhliorlKKid of these traders from 
 liftei II to tw( nty thous.ind sava(»es ready iiiid pant. 
 liii(,' for plunder and hlooil. Il they cn(;a[;e in l)al_ 
 llini; out old causes of conti iition aiiioui; them. 
 si'lvit", the .Messrs. Ilents feel eonip.iratively sain 
 in their solitiiry fortress. Hut if they spare each 
 other's properly and lives, there are (rri'al anxieties 
 at I'ort William ; evi'ry hour of day and iii(,'ht is 
 preirii.int with (laii(;er. These iintamealile sava. 
 jjes may drive heyonil naili the liulllilo on wliieli 
 the (rarrison suhsisls ; may he;;irl the fort with their 
 Icjjions and cut ott' supplies; may prevent thcni 
 from Ici'din;; their animals iijion the plains ; may 
 lirini; u|Mm them slurvatioii and the knawinjj their 
 own iKsh at the door of death 1 All these are ex. 
 peetations which as yel the iijnorance alone of the 
 Imliansof the weakin SHof the I'ost, lirevents Ijom 
 liecoming realities, lint at what momeiil some, 
 cliieflain or white desperado may (jive them the re- 
 ipiisite knowli'dire, an uncertainty around which 
 are assemhled at I'orl William many v ell (rroundcd 
 fears for life aiiiUmiperly. 
 
 Instances of ffle dariii'^ intrepidity of the Cu. 
 niamlies thai occnncd just before and after my 
 arrival here, will scrvi to show the ha/, irds and 
 dangers of which I have s()okcn. Alsiut iln 
 middle of June, 18311, a hand of sixty of them uji. 
 der cover of ni(;lit crossed the river and concealed 
 tliemsi Ivi samonir the bushes that j;row thickly on 
 the hank near the place where the animals of the 
 eslalilisliment Iced dnrini; the day. i\o sentinel 
 iH'injr on duty al the time, their pres<'ncc was im. 
 observed ; and when inorniiif; eanie the Mexican 
 hors(!-i;uard nionnted his horse, and with thenoiso 
 and shoutings usual with that class of servants 
 when so em])li)yeil, drove his eliar(;e out of the, 
 lort ; and ridini; rajiidlv from side to side of th-; 
 rear of the baud, nijri d them on and sisiii had them 
 iiil)bliii(j the short dry (;rass in a little vale within 
 ijrape shot distance of the (;uii8 of the bastions. It 
 is customary for ii (fuard of animals alnml these 
 tradiiiK-posts to lake his station beyond bis eh iri;e ; 
 and it they stray from each other, or attempt to 
 stroll too far, to drive tlicin toi;ether, and thus keep 
 tlieiii in the best [lossihle situation to be hurried 
 hastily to the earal, should the Indians, or other 
 evil persfins, sw<k>|) down n|)on them. And as 
 there is constant daiijjer of this, liis horse is held 
 by a lon(f rope, and (;ra/,es around him, thai he 
 may be in'i':;!le<l quickly at the first alarm for a re. 
 treat withi.: ihe walls. The faithful guard at Bent's 
 on the inorniiijj of the disaster I uin relating, had 
 dismounted after drivin(( out his animals, and sat 
 n|K)n the ground watching with the greatest fidelity 
 for every call of duty ; when these M or Ul) Imlians 
 sprang from their hiding-places, ran upon the nni- 
 , mals, yelling hombly, and att,.'mpted to drive them 
 across the riv(T. 'riio guard, however, nothing 
 I (luuntod, mounted quickly, and drove liis horse ut 
 
36 
 
 Travels in the Great Wcslern Prairies, 
 
 fiill speed nmoiiif them. The niuleR and horsep | 
 hearing his voice amidst the rrighlniniT yells of the : 
 savages, immediately Flatted at a lively pnre lor i 
 the fort ; but the Indians were on p11 sides, and he- ' 
 wildered them. The guard ctill pressed llieni on- ' 
 ward, and called for help; and on they rnslicd, 
 despite the eft'nrts of the Indians to the contiMry. 
 The battlements were covered with men. They i 
 shouted encouragement lo thi^ brave guard — " On. j 
 ward, onward," and the injunction was oheycd. 
 He spurred his horse lo his greatest speed lioin 
 side to side, and whijiped the hinderinost of Ihi' 
 band with his leading rope, lie bad saved every 
 animal : he was within :J0 yanls of Ihe open irah' ; 
 he fell: Ibree arrows from Ihe Ihiws of Ihc Cu- 
 mancbes had cloven his heart. And relieved of 
 him, tlie lords of the fpiiver galhered their l)rey- 
 and drfive Iheni lo Ihe lK)rders of Texas, wilhout 
 injury to life or limb. I saw Ibis faithful guard's 
 grave. He had lieen buried a few d.iys. The ' 
 wolves liad been iligsing into it. Thus IK or .'ill 1 
 nndes "nd horses, and their hesi servant's lili', were 
 lost lo Ihe Alcssrs. IJenIs in a single daj'. 1 have 
 heei informed also that those horses and uuiles. ; 
 which mv eompanv had taken great pleas'iie in re. ' 
 covering for them m the plains, were :iiso stocn ui i 
 a similar manner soon afler my 'ieparlure li>in 
 the |)osl ; and that genllemen owners were in 
 hourly cciioclation of un attack ui)on the fort , 
 itself. I 
 
 The same liabililv to the loss ei life and jirop. ! 
 eriy attends llic^ trailing e.vpeditions to Ihe en- 
 campmenls of the Irllies. > 1 
 
 An anecdote of Ibis ;.^rvii'e v/as related lo me. 
 An old trappc" wasseni from Ibis fort lo Ihe laitaw i 
 eump, wilh a well assorted slock of [foods, and a 
 Imdy of men to guard tbeni. Afler a tedious ma rib 
 among llii^ snows and swollen sireanisand dceliv- 
 ilies of the mountains, be <-ame in siubl oi (!ie vil- 
 lage. It was situated in a sniiken valley .■uiiong 
 the hideously' dark clifl's of IIk' Kulaw nioiml.iius. , 
 And so small was il, and .so deep, liiat Ihi' over- 
 banging liigbis not onlv proleclcd il from Ibe ' 
 blasts of approaching wuilcr. but drew lo llieir 
 frozen embrace Ibe falling snows, and left lliisviil. 
 ley ils grasses ami llowers, wliili' Ibeir own a'vliil 
 beads were gliilering wilh perpclual IVosls. 'I'be 
 lrade,-s encamped upon a sm.ill s, ell of land Ihat 
 overl(H)ked Ibe smoking wigwaui;-. ami i^cnl a ile- 
 pulalion to Ihe cbi. ' lo parley for Ihe privilege of 
 opening a trade will. Ihe tribe. 'I'bey wr'rc re. 
 ceived wilb great h.iughtiness by lliose mouarelis 
 of Ibe wilderness, and were askeil •* why lliey had 
 dared euler the Kutaw moniilains wilhoul Ibeir 
 pcMinissioTi." licinir answered Ibal Ibcy "bail 
 traveled from Ihe lorl In Ibal place in order lo ask 
 their biglmesscs permission lo trade wilh llw 
 fcelaWH ; ' the principal cbief leplied. thai no |ier. 
 missioii had been i;ivi ;i to Ihcm lo cuuie Ihcrc nor 
 to remaii;. Theinlervicw einleil ; and the traders 
 r.innied to llieir camp wilh no very pleas.iul .in- 
 lieipations an lo Ibe result of their expedition. — 
 Their baggage was placed alH)Ul for breastworks ; 
 their animals drawn in nearer, and lied tirinly to 
 dtakei' ; and a patrol guard slationcd, as theevin. 
 ing shut in. I'very |ircparation li)r Ihe attack. 
 winch apr>eared determined upon on Ihe part of 
 the Indians, being made, they waited lf)r the tJrst 
 rav of day--thal sign.il of drcadlnl havoc among 
 alf the tribes — with tho dctoriiuncd anxiety which 
 
 fdls the iHisom, sharpens the sight, nerves Ihc arm, 
 and opens Ibe ear, lo Ibe slightest rustle of a leaf, 
 so remarkably, among the grave, self.ptissesscd, 
 and brave traders of Ihe Great Prairie and .Moun. 
 tain Wilderness. inuring the first part of tho 
 night. Ihe Indians hurrying to and fro througl. 'he 
 village — their war speeches and war danci-s - 
 and Ihe painting their faces wilh red and Mack, in 
 .illenuite stripes, and an occasional scout wanly 
 approaeliiug the camp of the whites imlieatcd nn 
 appclile for a coufiiet thai appeared lo (ix with 
 prophetic eert.iinty Ibe fate of Ibe traders. Kighl 
 
 I himdrcd Indiant* In fitty whiles, was fearful odds. 
 
 : The morning light streamed faintly up Ihc Kasl 
 at last. The traders held their riHes wilh Ihe grasp 
 of dying men. Another and anolhcr iH'ani kin- 
 dled on Ihc dark blue vault, an i (me by one 
 (]nenclicd Ihe sliirs. The silence i.rii,,. lond. rested 
 on the world. 'I'hcy brealbed heavily, with teeth 
 .sti in terrible rcs'ilulinn. The hour — the ■noment 
 — had arrived. Itchind a pro|eeling ledge the 
 dusky forms of three or four inmilrcJ Kulaws un. 
 didated near the irround. like herds of bears intent 
 on their prey. Tlicy approached the h'dge. and 
 for an instant lay flat on their faces, iind motion- 
 less. Two or three of them gently raised their 
 heads high enough to look over n|K)ii the camp of 
 Ibe whiles. The dav bad broken over half Ihe 
 lirmaincnt ; the rilles of the traders were leveled 
 ii-'iu bcliiud the I'.iggag", and glistened faintly ; 
 a crack — a wb''.op — a sbi.ul — a rout 1 The scalp 
 of one of Ihe peepers over the ledge bad been Ixired 
 by the whistling lead lioiii one of Ihe the rilles — 
 
 : Ihechief warrior had fallen. The Indians retreated 
 to their camp, and the uliites retained their [Hisi- 
 tion ; each watcbiuir Uu' other's movemculs. The 
 position of the traders was such as to eommaud 
 the country within long rille-shot on all sides. — 
 
 •■ The Indians, tbereliirc, deeliucd an attack. The 
 iiuuiIk-is of their foes, and perhaps some pruden- 
 tial consideration as to liavini< an advantagcon.i 
 location, prevenlcil the traders from making an 
 assault. Well would it have been lor Ihcm had 
 Ihcy conlinned to be careful. AUint !• o'clock, the 
 warlike appearances gave place lo signs of peace. 
 Thirty or liirly unarmed Indians, dcnuiied of 
 clothing and of paint, came towards the caiiip of 
 the traders singing, and dancing, and bearing the 
 Sacred Calumci, or (■real I'iiic of reaee. A chief 
 bore it who bad a-ted as lieutenant lollic warrior 
 that bad been shot. Ils red marble IkiwI, ils stem 
 broad and long, and carved into bierologlyphicH 
 of various colors and sigiiilieclions, and adorned 
 wilh Icalbers of licaiitiliil birds, wi soon recog- 
 ni/.cil by the traders, and seemed Ihe bearer and 
 his allendauts a n-ccption iiilo Ibeir camp. Itolli 
 parties seated lliemsclves in a great circle; the 
 pipi' was lilleil with lohaceo and herbs from Ibe 
 venerated mediciiie bag; the well-kiiiilled coal 
 was rcvcrcnlly placed uism Ihe bowl ; its sacred 
 stem was then liirned towards Ihe bcavcnsto invite 
 Ihe (ill it .Sic'il lo ihc solemn asscinbly, and to 
 implore bis aid ; it was ilicn tiuned towards the 
 earth, to ivert the intlucnce of malicious demons ; 
 it wasllun Ikpiiic in a borizonlal position, till it 
 completed a circle, lo call to their help in the great 
 
 : smok", the bcnehcenl, invisible agents which live 
 on the earth, in the waters, and the iijiper air : the 
 chief look two whitlii, and blew the smoke first fo. 
 
 i, wards licuvcn, und then roiuid U|wii ilic groiuid : 
 

 in the RocJ:>i Mountains, tlie Oregon Territory, etc.. 
 
 3r 
 
 and so did othrrii, until nil had inliaird the smoke l| 
 — llic Imiilh ol Indian tidrlity — and blown it to tlir 
 earth and heaven loadcil wllh the pionsvows, that 
 art- supposed to niiiijile with it while il eurlnanion;r 
 tlielnni;» near the heart. 'I"he (Inef then rose and 
 said, ill the Spanish laiiifiiaire, whieli Ihe I'aitaws 
 east of the inoniilaiiis speak well, " Ihat he was 
 anxious that peaei^ niiijlit he restored iietween the 
 parlies ; that hiniseJCand people were desirous that 
 the Iriders shoidd rriuaiii with them: and that it 
 presents were made to him to the small ainoimt ol 
 >!!70ll. no ohjeelion wonlrl remain to Ihe proposid 
 proeee(lini;s ul' the whit's; hill on no aeeoniil 
 eonid Ihev enter the lOnlaw eoinilrv willioni pay- 1, 
 iiiir Irihiile in some I'orni. 'I'hi'V '■' ere in the I'ailaw !' 
 connlrv — the Irihiile was due— (liev had killed ii 
 Kntaw eliiel'. anil the IiIihiiI ol'a eliiet was line ; hut 
 that the taller eoiihl he eoinpnimised liy a piompi 
 I'onipliaiiee wllh his proposilion in regard In the j 
 presents." Till ehiel liader was e.vplieil in his I 
 reply. "That hi had eoiiir inlo Ihe eoimtiy to 
 sell griHiils, not ti){j;ive Iheiii awav \ thai no trilinte 
 eoidd he paid to him or to inv oilier lailaw ; and 
 llial if liifhlinij were a desideralimi willi Ihe ehiel 
 and his people, he would do his pari lo make il 
 siillieienlly lively to h" iiileresliii!^.'' 'I'he eoimeil 
 liroke lip Inmiiltiioiisl y. The Indians carried Uiek 
 Ihe wnmpiim hells to their eaiiip —held war eoiin- 
 eds — and whippid and ilaiiecd aroimd posts 
 piinted red, and reeoiml> d Ihiir deeds of valor — 
 iiid showed hi irh in air, as thev hapeil in the' 
 .'ren/.y of niimie warfare, the store of sealps Ihal 
 Itarmshed the doors of the family lod'fes. And 
 aroinid their eamp-lires, the liillowin;; niirlit, wen 
 seen leatnres dislorted with the most {.dia'liy 
 wrath. Indeed, the savages appealed resoK d to 
 destroy the whites. And as they we .e alile liy 
 their sii|H'rior mmihers to do so, i' wasiiei'ined ad- 
 visalile to );et heyond their reach willi all piaeli- 
 riihle liasti'. At inidniirhl, Iherefore, when the 
 iires had smoiihlered low, Ihe trailer.-: saddled in 
 silent iuisle — iMiiind their hales upon Iheir pack- 
 mules — and departed while the wolves were howl- 
 inif the hour , and sneeeded by the dawn of day 
 'H reaehiiii; a ijiirirc wlie ,• they had suspeeled Ihe 
 Indians — if they had discovered their departure in 
 Beas.)ii lo reach il— would oppose their retreat. — 
 On reeonnoiteriiii.', however, il was Ii I clear; 
 and with joy did lliey eiiler the delile, and luliold 
 from its eastern opcMiiny^, the wide cold plains, and 
 the sun risiiiir, red and cheerful, on the dislani 
 outline of the moriiiii(r sky. V few days alter. Ihey 
 leaehed Ihe poal — not a lillle sjlad that their llesh 
 was not rotting with many wii.j had hecii less siie- 
 e.essfnl than themselves, iii esrapinji death at the 
 hands of Ihe I'taws. Thus rniis Ihe tfile. liut 
 lor the insults, i'ohl)eri,'S, and murders, committed 
 liy this and oilier liihes, the tradeiv Henls have 
 soiisrht opporl unities lo lake well-measured veil- 
 (fcaiiee ; and liherally and hravely have Ihey oflen 
 
 dealt il out. Itiil lli nseipicnce seems lo have 
 
 hieii the exeitinir of Ihe hilli rest eiimily lulween 
 Ihe parlies: which resiihs in a Irille more ineon- 
 venienee lo the Inn'. is than to Ihe Indians. For 
 Ihe latter, to jrratily their propensity to theft, and 
 their hatred to the liiriner, make an iiniiual levy 
 u|Kin the eavy-yard of the fortress, which, as il con- 
 tains iiBiially from r-*!! lo UK) horses, mules, &c., 
 furnishes to the men of the loniahawk a very eom- 
 Ibrtublu and tmliatuctory retribution tor tUc iiihibi- ^ 
 
 lion of the owners of Ihein upon their iinmenmrial 
 rlylil to roll and muriler, in niamier and form um 
 as preserihed hy the customs of their race. 
 
 'i'he business within Ihe walls of the post, is 
 done by elerks and traders. The former of theoc 
 are more commonly yoiin;; );eiilleuien from the 
 cities of "heSl.iles: their duly islo keep the Iniokn 
 of the eslahlishmenl. The iradeis are [fenerally 
 seleeled from anionir those ilarinit individuals who 
 have traversed Ihe I'lairie and ^louiilain Wilder- 
 ness willi sroods or trap-, and understand the best 
 mode ol dialini; wilh lie Indians. Their duty is 
 lo wi i;rh siijT.ir, coHie, powder, iS;e., in a ('omiie,. 
 licnl pml-ciip; and me.isiiiv red bai/e, beads, 
 ite., and speak the several Indiini I iinjil iifes that 
 have a name for beaver skins, bnlValo robes, and 
 money. They are line fellinvs as can any where 
 be found. 
 
 Kort William is owned hv Ihreehrolhers. by ihe 
 name of HenI, from Si. l/iiiis. Two of iheiii 
 were at the post when we arrived. They seemeil 
 lo he llioroin;lily iniliated inlo Indian life ; dressed 
 like eliiefs— ill moecasins IhoroiiLdily fjaruishiil 
 with heads and poieiipiiie ipiills ; in Irowsers of 
 deer skin, wilh lonir IVinuos 'if the same exteiidiu){ 
 aloiiu the outer se.iiii from the ancle .o the hip; 
 in the splendid liiiiilni!i-shirl of Ihe seme iiiato- 
 rial, wilh sleeves IVini;ed on the elUiW se.ini from 
 the wrisi lo the shoulder, and ornainenled with 
 lliriires of [Kirciipih.' ipiills of various colors, and 
 lealhern fringe around the lower edL;eof lluliody. 
 .Vnd ehiels Ihey were in Ihe autlmnly exercised 
 in Iheir wild and lonely fortress. 
 
 A Iradinir esliiblishmenl lo be known iiiiisl \v. 
 seen. A solitary alnide of men. Me'ckiiiir Wi'altli in 
 the teeth of dan'^crand hardship, reariiii; ils lowers 
 over the imcullivated wastes of nature, likeanold 
 baronial easlle Ihat has willislood the wars and des. 
 olalions of eentaries; Indian woiiien Irippiiiff 
 around its hutllciiients in their filitteriii!; moeeasiiiH 
 and loiiir deer skin wrappers; Iheir children, with 
 most perfect forms, and the canialion of the Sa.iioii 
 cheek strujrulinir tliroui;li the shadiiii; of the In- 
 dian, and 'hatteriii!; now liidii'ii, and now Spanish 
 or Knijlish ; the urave owners and their elerks and 
 traders, seated in the shade of the piazza smokiiiii,' 
 the liiiiifnalivc pipe, )iassiiiii it from one to another, 
 drauinii ihe precious smoke inlo the limits hy short 
 hyslerieal sucks till tilled, and then ejeetinir it 
 throoirh Ihe no-ilrils ; or it may ije, seated around 
 their rude table, spread with cotl'ee or tea, jerked 
 hutlalo me.it, and bre.td made of iinliolled wheateil 
 meal from Taos; or, after eatinir, laid eomfoiiahly 
 upon their palhls of straw and .Spanish blankets, 
 and dreamliii; lo the sweet Holes ofatlntr; the 
 ■ (I trappers withered with <'X|H)sure to the leudiiif; 
 elements, the half-tallied Indian, and hall civilized 
 .Mexican servants, sealed on the (rroiind around a 
 larirc tin pan of drv meat, and a lankard of water, 
 their only rations, rclalini; ailvenliires aliont the 
 shores of llndsiin's Hay, on the rivers ("olumbia 
 and .MacUenzii', in the (Jreal I'lairie Wilderness, 
 and eii' iir Ihe snowy liijjhl- of the mountains; 
 and di I • riiifT sa(ie opinions alKiiil the destination 
 of eerlam hands of hulValo ; of Ihe distance lo the 
 Ulaekliiot connlrv. and whether my wounded inaii 
 was burl as badly as Bill tin mule was, when the 
 '• meal parly" was tired iiiKin by the I'limaiiehes; 
 pri sent a tolerable idea of every tliinir within its 
 wallH, And it' wv I'dd, tlie opnin^ of tliu gutc« 
 
38 
 
 Travels in (he Great Western Prairies, 
 
 iif n winter's iiuiiiiiMi; — tlifriuilioiis slldlnjr in and 
 out of tlir Iniliiiiis wliosc tents slanil iiround tlie 
 i'ort, till the whole area is tilled six leet deep willi 
 their \mvi liiiiiTin'^ hiaek loeks. and dark watelil'iil 
 rtushinn; eyes ; and traders aiul elerUs hiisv at their 
 work; and the patrols walking the haltli'nienls ^ 
 with loaded muskets; and the (juirds in the 
 bastions standinir with hurninjj niitelics hv the 
 earrouades; and when the sun sets, the Indians 
 retirin'^f ajrain to tlieir eanip outside, to talk ov<'r 
 their newly pun-h ist'd hlankels and heads, and to 
 sinij anil drink and d.niee ; and the niijlit sentinel 
 on the I'ort that treads his wearv w iteli awav; we 
 shall present a tiilettd)le vii'w ol' this post ii. the 
 season of hnsiness. 
 
 It was e:isy suunner liiue with ni\n and beast i! 
 when 1 WIS there. The line davs spi lit in the en- 
 jovment of its hospitalities were ot [jreat servl<'e 
 to ourselves, and in reeruitiu';' our jaded iiiiinv i 
 '1 tie man, too, who had been wounded on 1. 
 Santa V^ trade, reeovered asiolli^■hinl;l3•. 
 
 'I'ho nuiliiH'crs, on tbi' lldi ol' .liilv, started Tor;! 
 Henfs Fori, on the I'latle ; and invseH'. with tliree ' 
 sound and LTood men. and one wounded and bad', 
 ((111 , strode our auinials and look lr.i',1 i jr.iin for; 
 t!ie mountains and (Jri'jrciu 'l'(Tritor\ . I'' ve miles 
 aliove Korl William we e ihie to Koi't V,. I'm-lil i. 
 It is eonstriieted ot adobiis. and eonsisis ol'a si ries 
 of one-slors' hiiiifrs built around a (|u:idr:uiLrle, in 
 the ffcneral style of thf.s'' at Fort Williani. It 
 lielon^fs to ii company ol' Viiwriean and Mixieaii 
 trappers, who. wearied with the serviia', have re. 
 tired to this spot to spend the remainder ol their 
 <lays in raisin;; ;rrain, ve;ret ibles. horses, imdes, 
 &,c. for the various trailiie; eslahlisliinents in 
 llii'se rei;ions. And as the .Arkansas, some lour 
 miles aliove tli" post, ean be turned from its 
 course over larj^e Iraets ol' rieb land, these indi. 
 vidiials miijiil realize Ih' hi|ipiesl results from 
 their industry ; — for, as it is impossible, from the 
 looseness of the soil and the seareity of rain, to 
 raise any thin;' tbereahoul v.illioiit irrijfalion ; 
 and, as this is the only spot, for a loiiLr dislaiiee 
 lip and down the Arkansas, wlii're any eonsider- 
 ahlo tracts oi' land ean be wati r, lliey I'ouldsupidy 
 the in-ii-K^t with these artiides without any fear of 
 ron 'c'ition. 
 
 Liu these, like the resiiltsof m my li'inest intcn- i 
 tions. are wholly crippled hy ;i p iiieily of money and , 
 a Kuper.dmndance of whisky. The |)roprietor.> are 
 poor, and when thekei;- isoti tap. die im away their 
 e.vistence under its dani;eious tascinations. Hence 
 it is that thesi' men. destitute of the meaiin to carry 
 on! their ib'si[rns in regard to larmiiiiT, have found 
 ihemselves not wholly uni'iiiploved in reeliu'j;, roll- 
 inn; and voiiiiliiei- ; a substitute wliieh many indi- 
 dividuals of undrliiable taste have before been 
 known to jin I'er. 'I'liey h ive, lioweyer, a small 
 stock, oonsistinir of horses and mules, cattle, 
 sheep and jroats; and still maintain tluir oriijinal 
 intention of irriiratin;; and ciillivatinf; the land in 
 the vicinity of their eslahlisliincnt. 
 
 \Ve arrived here about I o'clock in the after, 
 noon ; and, being desirous of purchasing a imrse 
 ;'or one of the men, and uiaking ■.«,\;.f iartlicr ur. 
 rangements for \i.\ Jou; i 'y- i eon. 'vili-d to Blop 
 for the night. At tliie place I found .. .< nber of 
 independent trappers, nl.o, aftel lie pii..;r-hunt. 
 had come down from the mountains, taken rooms 
 free of reut, etorcd their fur, and opened a trade for ;, 
 
 whisky. One skin, valued at !$ t, buys in that 
 market one pint of whisky ; no more, no less ; 
 unless, indeed, some theorists, in tlir vanity of 
 their dogmas, may consider it less, when plenl.- 
 i'lilly molliliial with water — a process that in- 
 creases ill value, as the lancet falters in the en- 
 ei"gy of its action. For the seller knows that if 
 the pare liipiid should ,so mollify the whisky as to 
 delay the lio|)es of merriment too long, another 
 heaver-skin will be taken Irom the jolly trap|)er"s 
 pack, and another <piaiitity of the joytiil mixlu.'e 
 obtained. And thus matters will proceed until 
 the stores of furs, the hardships of the hunt, the 
 toils and exposures of trapping, the icy streams 
 of the wilderness, the bloody light, foot to fiHit, 
 with the knife and tomahawk, and the long days 
 and .ightsof fhirsl and starvation, ar" satisfac. 
 t( '■. cii'iia led in the dreamy felicity tli.il whisky, 
 n, : brandy and ijiccacuinlia, if pro|)erly ad- 
 
 .: d, are iiccuslomei' to produce. 
 
 Uneol these trappers was from -Vcw-Ilaiipshire: 
 he Iiad b; en eduealed at l)iUtnioii!li ('iil!eg(>, and 
 was, 'dlogether. on<' of the most .■em.i"'-.able men I 
 eye^ knew. A splendid gentliiiian. a liiiisheil schol- 
 ar, a critic or F.uglishand Hoiiian lileratiire, a po. 
 lilic. 'ii. .a irapper. an Indian 1 Mis s!atiir>' was 
 something more than six feet ; his shoulders and 
 eliesl were hiviad, and his arms and lower liiiihs 
 well formed and veiy imiscniar- His l(;reliead 
 was high and expansive; Causality, Comparison. 
 I'Jventuality. and all thi^ perceplive organs, to iise 
 a ])!irenological description, remarkably large ; 
 Locality was, however, larger than any other 
 organ in the I'miital region ; llenevobnee. Won- 
 der, Ideality, l^eereliyeness, Destriietiveness and 
 .Adhesiveness, Combat iveness, .Self-Fsteem and 
 Hope were very high. Tbc^ remaining org.ins 
 were low. Ills head ivas clotheil with hair as 
 black as jet, "il feu in k'ng'b, smoothly combed 
 li.) back. He w.is dressed 
 iii-ings and moccasins; not 
 I; - person. On my first in- 
 aldivssed me with the still', 
 ■ C' scions of liis own iiii- 
 I a iiier that he thought 
 1 the movement of every 
 muscle of my face am. , . y word that I nitereil. 
 -Vnd when any thing was siid of political events 
 .1 ''• ' States or l')nro|)e, he gave silent and intense 
 att 't..'!i I left him without any very g.tod im- 
 p. e f his cir.ir.icler ; iiir I i' rd imhici'd him 
 to open ..IS compressed momh ImiI oiiei', and then 
 to make the no very agreeable inipiiries — ■' When 
 do you st.art ? " and ■• What ■•' .ile do you take .' '' 
 \{ my second interview, he was inure familiar. 
 Having ascertained tint hi' was proud of his 
 li~ari>ing, I approaela d liiiii through that me- 
 dium, ii "penied pleased at this compliment to 
 his supen.i!;l,y over thise around him, and at 
 once bee'er., 'Msy anil talkative. His " .Mina 
 .M.ter" ,,■ !■ -.ei-, 'cd and redcscrihed ; all the 
 fields and w.ilks anil rivulets, the beautitui Con- 
 nccticiit, the evergreen primitive ridges lying 
 along its banks, which, ia' said, '• had smiled for 
 a thousand ages on the inarch of decay"; were 
 successive themes of his gigantic imagination. 
 Ills descriptions wv]^' minute and exipiisite. lie 
 s.tw in every thing all that Si'ience sees, together 
 with all that his capaeiouH Intellect, instrncted 
 and imbued with the wild funcyiiigs and legends 
 
 1 b.angii'g (le 
 in a dcer-SKin ' i. ;•. . 
 a shred of e' ,. ■•: 
 teryiew wi'l; . . 
 cohl lorma; ,., 
 portance ; a. ., le 
 unobserved, scrulio. 
 

 in the Rocky Mountains, the Oregon Territory, etc. 
 
 f)f liis rare, could wo. I inquired tlui rrasoii of 
 his Icaviiii; ("ivili/od lift; for ii |inc;irious livcliliood 
 in llir wildorncss. " For reasons I'ound in (lie nii- 
 ture of my nine," lie replied. " The Indicin's eye 
 euniiot be siilisfied willi it description of thinirs, 
 how Ix'uutifiil soever iiiiiy he the style, or the har- 
 monies of verse in wliieli it is eoiive^-ed. For 
 neither the p'Tiods of burniii); eloipienee. nor the 
 niifflily find beautiful ereiilioiis of the iinaf.-ini- 
 tion, ean lUlliosoin llie treasures and reulilies as 
 tlieyhvo in their own native niaffiiilie.inee on the 
 eternal nioiintaiiis. and in the secret, untrodden 
 vale. 
 
 As so<jn as you tliriist the plouirhsli ire uiiiler 
 tlie earth, it teems with woiiiis and useless 
 weeds. It increases popiilalioii to an unnatural 
 extent — creates ilu' necessity of |«'iial enact- 
 ments— builds the jail erects the gallows 
 
 spreads over the hiiniaii face a masli of dcreplion 
 and selfislmess — and substitiiles villaiiy, love of 
 wealth, a!id power, and ttie slaughter ol millions 
 for the ffratitication of some royal cnt-throat, in 
 the place of the siu;,de. minded honesty, the liospi- 
 talit}-. the honor and the purit)-orili<> natural state. 
 Hence, wherever .Vjfricullure appears, tlu' iiiercaso 
 of moral and physical wretehe(lii(>ss induces the 
 tlioiisaiids of necessities, as tir v are termed, (or 
 al)ri(bj;ing liumaii liberty; lor fettering down the 
 mind to the principles o( ri',dit. dciived. not IVoni 
 nature, but froiu a restrained and 1' iced condition 
 o'' existence. .\uil hence my ra- e. with mental 
 and physical Inhits as free as ibe waters lliat 
 (low from the hills, become nstitV under the 
 rules of eivili/.cd life ; dwindle to tluir graves 
 under the control of laws, and eustoins, and 
 forms, which have grown out of the endless 
 vices, and the fictitious virtues of anotlicr race, 
 lied men olten acipiire and love the .'^cii uces. 
 Hut with the nature which the (Jreat Spirit has 
 given them, what are all their tnitlis to llicni ' 
 Would an Indian ever measure the liiglit of a 
 mounlaiii that he could (!ii:'ib ' No. never. The 
 legends of his irilic tell him nothing aliont <pi id- 
 rants, and h;iso lines unil angles. Their old braves, 
 however, have f/rages watched j'lnni the eliHs the 
 greiMl lile in tlie spring, and the yellow death in 
 the autumr., of tlicv holy forests. Why should he 
 ever calculate an eclipse ,' lie always Uncw such 
 occurrence.'; to lie the doings ol the (Jrcat .Spirit. 
 Science, it is true, ean tell the times and sc:isons 
 of their coming; but the Indian, win n they do 
 occur, looks through .Vature, without the aii! of 
 Science, up to itsCausc. Of what use is a Famar 
 tr him .' Ills swift canoe bai. the green emliow- 
 ered shores, and wi ll-knowii headlands, to guide 
 its course. In line, what arc the arts of IVacc, 
 »if War, of Agriculture, or any thing civili/ed, to 
 him ! His nature and its elements, like tlii' pine 
 which hIkkIows its wigwam, are too mighty, too 
 (jraiid, of too strong a fibre, to lorm a stock on 
 wliieli to engrail the rose or the violet of |Kilisheil 
 life. No. I must r.inge the hills ; I must always 
 Im- able to oiil-travel my horse ; I must iilwa3-s he 
 able to strip my own wardrobe t'roin the backs of 
 the deer and buiralo ; and to feed upon their rich 
 loins ; I must alwiiys be able to punish my enemy 
 with my own hand, or I am no longer an Indian. 
 And if I ,un nny thing else, I am a mere imitation, 
 nn a;.!'." The enthusiasm with which these sen- 
 timci)tB were uttered, iinprtBHcd lue with an awe 1 
 
 Imd never previously felt for tiie imliorrowed dig- 
 nity and indepeiKlcnee of the genuine, original 
 charaeter of the .American Indians. Knlcclilcd, 
 and reduced to a slate of dcpi ndeiic" by dise.ise 
 and the crovdiiig hosts of ci llizcd n."i, we liiid 
 among tlicin still, too much of their nvn, to adopt 
 the cliaraet"r of another race ; too much bravery 
 to feel like a eoiirpiered |>eoplc ; and a preference 
 of aiiuihilalion to the abandonment of that course 
 of life consecrated by a thousand generations of 
 venerated .inci stors. 
 
 'I'liis Indian Ins been trapping among the 
 Kocliy Mouulaiiis for seventeen years. During 
 that time, he has been often employed as an e.v 
 lircss to carry news (rom one trading-|K)sl to ano- 
 tlicr, and from tin' mountains to Missouri. In 
 these journeys he has been remarkable for the di- 
 rectness ol his courses, and the cxccediHgly short 
 spaces of time leipiired to accomplish them. — 
 Mountains that neither Indian nor white man 
 ilared attempt to scale, if opposing bis rightdine 
 trick, be has crossed. .\i!,'rv streams, heavy 
 and cold from the snows, and plimgiiig and roar- 
 ing among the girding caverns of the hills, he 
 has swim ; he has met the tempest as it groaned 
 over ..ic ]ilains. .md hung upon the Irembrmg 
 towers of the everlasting hills ; and without a 
 horse, or even a dog, traversed olten the terrible 
 aiiil boiindliss wastes of nioinitaius, and plains ; 
 and desert v.dlevs. through whiidi I Mil tr.iveiiiig : 
 and the ruder the blast, the larger the bolts, and 
 the loudi'r the pcils of the dreadlul tempest, wli.n 
 tb.''.,irtli and the sky s( em joined by a moving 
 "■.it.uact of tlood and tlame driven by the wind, 
 the more was it like himself a trie, unuiarred 
 manil'estatiou of the sublime energies of .Nature. 
 He says that he never intinds again to visit the 
 .Stales, or any other part of the rartli •' which has 
 been torn and spoiled hy the si ivcs of agricnl- 
 ture." " I shall live." says he, " and die in the 
 wilderi'ess." .\nd assuredly he slionid thus live 
 and die. The music of the nisliing waters tboiild 
 be his reipiiem, and the (Ireal Wilderness bis 
 tomb. 
 
 Another of these peculi.ir men was .m Iroipmis 
 from Canada ; a stout, old man, with a flat no.fc, 
 broad face, small twinkling black eyes, a sw.ir- 
 tliy, dirty eninplexion. a mouth that laughed from 
 car to ear. and always rcl iliiig soiik' wonil'rliil 
 tale of a (rapper's life. He was paiticnlarly loud 
 of describing his escapes (rom (Iw Sioux, and 
 Itlaekfeel. while in the scrvici' of (lie Hudson's 
 Hay <'oni|iauy. On one eccasiiai he had Bejia- 
 rated from his fellow-tr.iiipi .s and traveled lar up 
 , the .Missouri into a |)articularly beautiful valley. 
 It was the verv spot he had sought in all his wan- 
 diriiigs, for a retreat lor liim.-ielf and his sipiaw to 
 ' live in till they sliould die. It appeared I.) him 
 like the gatcwiiy to the Isles of the IMest. The 
 lower mountaiiis were covered with (all pines ; 
 : and alMive and aroimil, e\.-,pt in the east, where 
 the morning sun sent in bis rays, the bright glit- 
 tering ridges rose high against tin sky, deidtcd in 
 the garniture of perpetual frosts. .Mougthe valley 
 \ lay a clear, pure lake, ill the centre of which 
 ' plaveil a number of tduntains, that threw their 
 ' waiers many feet aliove its surliice. and sending 
 t tiny waves rip])liiig away to the pebbly shores, 
 I miide the monntaiiiK and groves that were rctleet- 
 |i cd from its rich bosom eecm to leap uiid clap 
 
40 
 
 Travels in the Great Wester a Pnuries, 
 
 their liamis for joy, at the sacred quiet that reigned 
 aiiionjj thciii. 
 
 The old liuhan pitched his skin tent on Iho 
 shore, in a little copse of hcinloek, and sit his 
 traps. Havinir done this, he cxplort^d carefully 
 every part of the nfi}rhl><)rinir mountains ior in. 
 };ress and ejjress, " sii^ns," &e. His oliject in 
 this was toaseerliiiu if the valley were Imiuenled 
 hy Innnan heinpfs ; and if there were places of es. 
 cape, if it should h(^ enlen-d hy hostile persons 
 tliroui;h the pass that led hiiusilf to il. lie lound 
 no other pass, e.\e( j>t one lor the waters of the 
 lake throuirh a dn p eliasin of the niotnilain ; and 
 this was sueli thai no one eould diseend il alive lo 
 the lower valleys. l''or as he waded anil swam hy ; 
 turns ilinvn its still waters, he soon louinl hiinseif 
 drawn hy an inereasinr; eurnnl, wliieh sulliiicnt- 
 ly indicated lo him thr cause of the deep roar 
 that resounded I'rom the caverns lieyond. lie ae- 
 cordini^'ly made the shore, ami elind>ed alonij 
 anionjf the projeetiiiir rocks till he overlooked an ! 
 uhyss of fallen rocks, into which Ihe stre.im poured 
 and foamed and was losi in Ihe mist. He re. 
 turned to his eamji satisliid. He had lound an 
 undiscovered valley, stored with he;iviraml troul. 
 and grasses lor his horses, where he could trap 
 and tlsh and dream awhde in safely. And every ■ 
 morning, lor three deliirliilid weiks, did he draw I 
 the ijeaver from the deep pools mto which they | 
 had pluiiired when the ipiick trap liad seized ; 
 them ; anil strinniici, them two and two tosjcllicr i 
 over his pack-horse, Ixae them to his camp ; and 
 
 Huch Btuir, lie said he had l>eeii ao lonaf away from 
 j civilization that he could never ajjain enjoy it. 
 ' As Ion;; as he could jret friHid huftalo cows to oat, 
 the tine water of the snowy hills to drink, and 
 (rood huckskins to wear, he was satisfied. 'I'hc 
 mountaineers were free ; he could go and come 
 when he chose, with oidy his own will for l.iw. 
 !My inlercoursc with him. however, led mc after- 
 wards lo assign another cansi' for his ahandon- 
 mini of home. There were times when we were 
 encamped at niirht on the cold mountains alK)ut 
 a hlazinir fire, that he related anecdotes of his 
 younirer days with an inlensily of iVcliufr which 
 discovered that a deep fountain of emolioii was 
 still 0))en in his lx)si)m, never to he sealed till he 
 shuidiers under the sands of the desert. 
 
 We pas-si'd the nijrht of the 1 1 III of .(uly at tlie 
 I'uilila One of my companions who had, jjre. 
 viously to the division of my company, used 
 horses helonfjim^r to an individual who left ns for 
 Santa Fc, and tlu' excellent .Mr. Blair, were 
 without ridiiii; animals. It hecanie, therefore, an 
 '■(lit for them lo purehasi.' here; and Ihe more 
 . IS there would he no other opportunity to do 
 so for some hundreds of miles. Hut tliesi^ indi- 
 viduals had no money nor froi)ds that the owners 
 of tlic liorsi'S would receive hi c.\cliaii)ri'. They 
 wanted clothing or cash. And as 1 had a sur- 
 plus quantity of linen, I hc};an to harjfain for one 
 of Ihe animals. The first price charijed was enor- 
 mous. A little lianlerinjr, liowevcr, brought the 
 o\vnir lo his proper senses; and the articles of 
 
 with his lonn side-kiiife stripped otF the skins of |i payment were overhauled. In doing this, my 
 
 fur, pinned them lo the ground lo dry, and in his 
 camp kettle cooked the much prized tails for his 
 midday repast. " Was it not aline limit that V 
 asked he, '• heaver as Ihiek as nmsipiitoes, trout 
 us plenty as water." '• Hut the ungnilly Ulack- 
 feetl" The sun liad thrown a lew hrlght rays 
 n|X)n Ihe rim of the eastern lirmamenl, wlien the 
 Hlackfeet war-whoop rang iiround his teni — a 
 direful '• whoop-ah hooh." ending willi a yell, 
 piercing harsh and shrill, through the clenched 
 teeth. He h id tml one means of escape — the 
 lake. Into it lie plunged heneatli a shower of 
 poisoned arrows — plunged deeply- -and swiim un- 
 der while he could endure the ahsenee of air ; he 
 rose ; !ie was in the midst of his foes swimming 
 and shouting around him ; down again ; up to 
 breathe ; and on he swam with king and power- 
 ful sweeps. Tne pursuit was long ; hut at last 
 our man entered the chasm he had explored, 
 plunged along Ihe cascade as near as he dared, 
 clung lo a shrub that grew from the crevice of the 
 rock, and lay under water for the apjiroach of his 
 pursuers. (Jn they came, they p;iisid, they shrieked 
 and plunged for ever into the abyss of mist 
 
 whole wardrobe was ex|M)scd, and the vender of 
 horses breame extremelj' enamored of my dress 
 coal, the only one remaining not out at theclliows. 
 This he dell rniined to have. I assured liini il 
 was impo.ssible for me to part with it ; the only 
 one I |K)ssesscd. Hut he with quite as much cool- 
 ness, assured me that it would then lie impossible 
 for him to part with his horse. These two impos- 
 sibilitics having met, all prospects of a trade wcrt' 
 sus|)ended, tilt one or the other of them should 
 yield. After a little, the idea of walking cast 
 such evident dissatisfaction over the countenances 
 of my friends, that the coat was yielded, and then 
 the pants and overoat, and all my shirts savo 
 four, and various other articles to Ihe value of 
 three such animals in the .States. The horse was 
 then transferred to our keeping. .\nd such a 
 liorse 1 The biography of her mischief, would it 
 not fill a volume ' And tiiat of the vexations 
 arising therefrom to us poor mortals — would it not 
 fill two volumes of '• Pencilings hy thi' Way,' 
 who.-ic oidy deficiency would lie the want of a love 
 incident ' Another horse was still necessary ; 
 
 but in this, as the other case, a coat was a ' sine 
 
 these! veteran trappers i qua nun.' And theri; being no other article of 
 
 a blaeksmilh by trade,: the kind to dis|K>s<M>f among us, no bargain could 
 
 He left his native .State about |; be made. The night euine on amidst these our 
 
 ittle jireparations. The owners of the horses 
 mil mules iMlonging to El i'uebla, drove their 
 inimals into the court or quadrangle, around 
 whieh their houses were built. We gathered our 
 goods and chattels into a pile, in u corner of the 
 
 Another individual 
 was my guide, Kelly 
 from Kentucky 
 
 twelve years ago, and enlircd the si'rviee of thi 
 America Fur Company. Since that time, he has 
 been in the .Stales hut once, and that for a few 
 weeks only. In bis opinion, every thing was an 
 dull and tiresome that lie was compelled lo flee 
 
 to the mountains again. The food, too, had well I most comfortable rtMun we could obtain, and so 
 nigh killed him ; "The villainous pies and cake, ' arranged our blankets and bodies, that it would be 
 bacon and beef, and Ihe nicknaeks that one is i diirieult for any one to make depredations U|>on 
 obliged to eal among cousins, would destroy the j them during the night, without awaking us. And 
 constitution o( ua ostricli,'' And if ho <;oulil eat ij after cgnvvrniiig witlj my DwttnoutU friend con- 
 
mil away from 
 
 main enjoy it. 
 
 'o cowH (o oat, 
 
 Id drink, and 
 
 iiliHiicd. Tlio 
 
 i;o un<l ooiui! 
 
 will for law. 
 
 , lid nir iiftcr- 
 
 r Ills ali;indon- 
 
 wliin \vr wcri! 
 
 jiiiilaiiis alMxit 
 
 ii'f.dotts ol IiIh 
 
 liclinf; wliicli 
 
 I rniotion was 
 
 scaled till lie 
 
 sert. 
 
 of .Fnly at the 
 wlio hud, |)r«. 
 onipany, uwd 
 «lio li'lt us for 
 r. lilair, were 
 llirn fori', un 
 ; and I lie nioro 
 jortnnity to do 
 {ut these iiidi- 
 liat (he owners 
 ;han(;e. Thoy 
 as 1 had a siir- 
 )ar|faiu for one 
 irged was enor- 
 ir, broiijrlit the 
 the articles of 
 loin}; this, my 
 ■ e vender of 
 Id of my drcHH 
 It at the cll)owH. 
 ap.sured liini it 
 til it ; the only 
 ■ us niiicli cool- 
 n he iinpossihle 
 use two ini|K)S- 
 of a trade wore 
 f them should 
 f wulkiii}( cast 
 le I'ountenances 
 elded, and then 
 iiy shins suvo 
 
 the value of 
 'l"he horse wus 
 
 And such a 
 scliief, would it 
 F the vexations 
 < — would it not 
 liy the Way,' 
 want of a love 
 itill necessary ; 
 >ut was a ' sine 
 itlicr article of 
 
 1 haifruin could 
 nidsl these our 
 
 of the horses 
 )la, drove their 
 •an(;lc, around 
 c gathered our 
 . corner of the 
 obtain, and so 
 hat it would be 
 redations ujHjn 
 akinj; us. And 
 uth irieud con- 
 
 in the Rocky Mounl'.aiiis, the Oregon Territory, etc 
 
 41 
 
 ci-rnin'j the niountainnus roiuitry through which 
 we were to travel, and the incidents of frustinf; 
 and biiltle lliut hafl befallen him durinij his trap. 
 liiniT cveursions, we rclircd lo our couches.. 
 
 At 8 o'clock on Ihc l;!lh, we were hnrnessed 
 and on route ugain lor the mountains. I'l was a 
 tine mellow morning. The snowy peak s of the 
 W'alfano mountains, 170 miles lo the southwest, 
 rose hiixh un<l clear in view. The almo-^pliere 
 was bland like that ol the Indian simimcr in .V( w 
 Krigland. Five miles travel brou'^bt us lo the 
 cue inipinent of Kelly's servant, wiio had Ihcm 
 Hcnl abroad tin: night berore lo (ind gran.< for his 
 horses. Here atiolber horse was purchased of .t 
 Wexiean, who had followed us from I'liebla. Ibit 
 on adjiisling our bagg.igi', it appeared thai Ihri e 
 animals witc reqiiiied lor Iransporling it over the 
 broken connlrv which lay Inloie us. Messrs. 
 Hlair and Wood would, lliercriire, still have but a 
 single saddle-hoise lor their joint use. This wasi! general dearth 
 fell lo be a great misrortiine, lH)tli on account of |j a gravish blue. 
 
 I art. Embattlcmcnts raised by the ccmniotions of 
 j warring clcmeiiis — by Ihc storms (hut have galli- 
 I cred anil marshalled Ihcir armies on tin; higlits in 
 I view, and poured iheir desolating power over 
 , these devoted plains 1 
 
 I The Arkansas smce we loft Foit William had 
 I preserved a medium width of a rpiarlcr of a mile, 
 ; the water still turbid ; its general i-oursc cast south- 
 east ; sf)il on cither sill; as far as the rye could 
 reach, light sand, and clayey loam, almost dcati- 
 Illtc of vegelalion. 
 
 On the l.')lh Iraveleil aUiut 18 miles overa s/iil 
 
 ! so light Ibat our animals sunk over Iheir lellocks 
 
 I at every slep. During Ihc Ibrenoon we kept along 
 
 j the lH)llom lands of llie river. An oecasioual 
 
 willow or col Ion-wood tree, ragged and gn:y with 
 
 j age, lira willow bush trembling, it almost si'cmcd, 
 
 I at ihc tale of desolation thai the winds told in 
 
 I passing, were the only relieving features of Ihc 
 
 The usual color of Ihc soil was 
 
 At \'i o'clock we slopped on a 
 
 the hardships of .such a journey on Iih)I, as well ii plat of low ground which the waters of Ihc river 
 au the delay it would necessarily cause hi the Ij moistened by filtration Ihrougli the sand, and 
 proseculion of it. Hut these men felt no such L baited our horses. Here were forty or fifty de- 
 obstacle lo be insurmoimtable, and declared that \' crepidold willows, so [Kjor and shriveled thai one 
 while the plain and the mountains were before |l felt, after en|oyiiig their shade in the heal of that 
 them, and they could walk, I hey would conquer il siillrv day, like bestowing alms upon them. At 
 every dilViculty that lay between them and j 1 "2 o'clock we mounled and struck out across Ibn 
 ( )regon. ,\ftcr we h;id eaten, Kelly's horses were '; plain to avoid a sontliward bend in the river of 30 
 rigged, and we moved on four or five miles up the " miles in length. Near the centre of Ibis Ix'nd is 
 liver, where we halted for ihe niglil. Our pro. jthe monlli of the river FontcquelKinir, which Ihc 
 visions consisted of a small quantity of wheat jl trappers who have traversed it for beaver say rises 
 
 meal, a little salt and jicppcr, and a few pounds i 
 of sugar and cofl'cc. I''i)r meat we di'pended on | 
 our rifles. Hut as no game appeared during the ' 
 day, we spent Ihe evening in atlempting to take ' 
 cat-fish from the Arkansas, line weighing a 
 ])Oun(l, after niiicb practical angling, was caught — 1 
 a small consolation surely to the keen uppclilesof 
 seven men. Hut lliis, and porridge made of wlicit 
 
 in .iaincs's Peak 80 miles to the northwest by north. 
 V>'p. came ui)on Ihe banks of this stream at sun. 
 set. Kelly had informed nstluit we might e.vpcct 
 lo find deer in the groves which border its bankp. 
 .\nd. like a true hunter, as soon as we hailed at 
 the place of encampment, he sought them before 
 they should lie.ar or scent us. He traver.sed the 
 groves, however, in ain. The beautiful inno. 
 
 meal and water, constiiiited our snpiK'r that night, cents had, as it afterwards appeared, been lately 
 
 hunted by a parly of Delaware trappers; and in 
 consideration of the ill usage received from these 
 gentlemen in red. had forsaken their old retreat 
 for a less desirable but .safer one among the distant 
 hills in the north. .So that our e.xpectutiong of 
 iranic and meat subsided in a snjiper of ' tole' — 
 plain water porridge. .\s our appetites were keen, 
 it relished well with all. except the Mexican ser- 
 vant, who declared upon his veracity that ' tolc 
 was no biieno.' Our guiiie was. if possible, as 
 happy a' our evening fire as .some one else was 
 whcii he • shouldered his crutch and told how 
 batllcs were won ;" and very much for the same, 
 reasons. For, (hiring Ihe afternoon's tramp, much 
 of his old hunting ground had loomed insight. — 
 Pikes and James's peaks showed their bald, cold, 
 shining heads as the sim wl. And the mniuitaiiin 
 on each side of the upper river began to show the 
 irregularities of their surfaces, f'o that as we rodo 
 along ga/.ing nt these stupendous piles of rocks 
 and earth and ice. be would often direct his atten- 
 lion to the outlines of chasms, faintly traced on the 
 shadings of the clitTs, Ihrongh which various 
 streams on which he had trapped, tumbled into the 
 plains. I Was particularly intcrcHted in his ac. 
 count of Rio Wulfano, a branch of tlic .Arkatisw 
 on the ;\Ioxicttn side ; the mouth of which is lli 
 nvlof Iwlow that ol' the Fontcqnobouir. It has 
 
 ml brcakfa.st next moming. 
 .luly l.'l, l.'i miles along the banks of the Ar- 
 kansas ; the soil composed of siiid slightly inter- 
 mixed with clay, too limse to rela>u moisture, and 
 too little impregnated with the niilritive salts lo 
 produce any Ihnig save a sjiarsc and stinted 
 growth of bunch grass and sun-flowers. Occa. 
 iiional blufl's of sand and limestone bordered the 
 valley of Ihe stream. In the alternoon the ran ire 
 of low mountains that lie at Ihc eastern base of 
 the Ureal rordiUeras and Long's ranges became 
 visible ; and even these, though pigmies in the 
 mountain race, were, in inid-sninmer. partially 
 covered wilh snow. Pike's peak in tin: south- 
 
 west, and .luines's peak in the norlliwest, at sun- 
 set showed their hoary heads above the clouds 
 
 which hung around them. 
 
 On Ihe Mill, made "Jll miles. Kelly relieved 
 
 his servant by surrendering to him bis riding horse 
 
 for short distauecs ; and others relieved Hlair .ind 
 
 Wood in a similar manner. 'I'lie face of the plain 
 
 Iwcaiue more broken as we a])proached Ihe moun- 
 tains. The waters descending from the lower 
 
 hills, have cut what was once a plain into isolated 
 
 bluff's 300 or 400 feet in higlil surmounted and 
 
 surrounded with eolmnnar and pyramidal rocks. 
 
 la the dislnnce they resemble immenso fortreBses, 
 
 with towers and bastintis an skillfully arranged as „ 
 
 lUeycoiUd have been by the Iwnt (iugjcutions ofX iwo jirmoipal UanohM. '4'ha ono orJitKWW ii» 
 
*2 
 
 Travels in the Great Western Prairies, 
 
 Pike's pTiilt, 70 or 80 miles in the Koutli ; tlio otlior 
 riKcs far in tlic west amonj; the Eutaw nuiiintain!!, 
 and has a course of about 200 miles, nearly paral- 
 lei willi the Arkansas. 
 
 Vi'c traveled 28 miles on the IGth over broken 
 barren liillH sparsely covered with shrub cedars and 
 pines. 'I'he foliage of llies<> trees is a very dark 
 treen. 'I'hey cover, more or less, all the low hills 
 that lie alonfT the roots of the iiioiuiIainH from the 
 Arkansas north to the .'Missdiui. Ilencc the nanu; 
 " FJlack Hills" is piven lo that |Mirtion of them 
 whieh lie between the Swuctwater and the nioiilh 
 of the Little Mis.souri. The soil of our track to. 
 day was a. (;ray barren loam, gravel knolls, and 
 blurt's of sand and limestone. 
 
 Alx)ul 1 o'clock, P. M., wc met an miheard of 
 annoyance, ^\'e were crossing a small plain of red 
 sand, (fazinj; at the mountains as they opened th<ir 
 outlines of rock and .^now, when, in an instant, we 
 were enveloped in.a cloud of Hyinj; a nts with (,'ray. 
 ish winpfsand dark bodies. 'I'hey lit upon our horses' 
 heads, necks, and shoulders, in such lunubers as 
 to cover them as bees do tlu! sides of a hive when 
 alwut to swarm. They ficw aroimd our own heads 
 too, and covered our hats and faces. t)ur eyes 
 seemed special objects of their attention. \\'e 
 tried to wipe them ofT; hut while the band was 
 passing from one side of the face to the other, the 
 part that was left bare was instantly covered as 
 thickly as before with these creeping, hovering, 
 nauseous insects. Our animals were so nnieh an- 
 noyed by their jjcrtinacily, that they sto])jied in 
 their tracks; and (indiug it impossible to urge 
 them along, guide them and keej) our faces clear 
 of the insects at the same time, we dismounted 
 and led them. Having by this means the free use 
 of our hands and feet, we were able in tlie course 
 of half an hoiu to pasr the infested sands, and once 
 more sih: and breathe like (Christians. 
 
 We dined at the mouth of Kelly's ("reek, another 
 stream that has its sourei: in .lumes's peak. l'"n- 
 eamped at the mouth of ( (ukley's ereeU. auolher 
 branch of the Arkansas. It rises in the hills llial lie 
 35 miles to the north, llisaclear, cool little brook, 
 with a pebbly Iwttom, and banks clothed with shrub 
 cedars and pines. Wc had a pleasant evening here, 
 a cloudless sky, a cold breeze from the snow-elad 
 mountains, a blazing cedar-wood fire, a song from 
 oiu' merry Joe, a dish of 'tole' and a due couch of 
 Hand. Uho wants more comforts tlian wc en- 
 joyed ? My debilitated system had begun to thrive 
 mider the bracing influence of the mountain air; 
 my companions were well and liappy ; our horses 
 uTid mules were grazing u|>on a plat of rich grass ; 
 we were almost within touch of those stupendous 
 ridges of rock and snow which stay or send forth 
 the tempest in its course, and gather in their rug. 
 gcd embrace the noblest rivers of the world. 
 
 July 17. Wc made 20 miles to.day among the 
 deep gullies and natural fortresses of this great 
 gateway to the mountains. All aromid gave evi. 
 dencc that the agents of nature have struggled 
 here in their mightiest wrath, not the volcano, 
 but the floods of ages. Ravines hundreds of feet 
 in depth ; vast insular mounds of earth towering 
 in all directions, sometimes sunnoiinted by frag- 
 ments of mountains ; at others with stratified rocks; 
 the whole range of vision was a flowcrless, blade, 
 lees desolation ! Our encampment for the night 
 was at the mouth of Wood's creek, 5 miles from 
 
 the debouchure of the Arkansas from the moun- 
 tains. The ridges on the south of the river, as 
 viewed from this place, prcaenled an embankment 
 of congregated hUls, piled one aliovc another to the 
 region of snow, and scored into deep and irregular 
 chasms, frowning precipice s, tottering rocks, and 
 black glistening strata, whose recent fractures in- 
 dicated that they were continually sending upon 
 the humble hills IkIow weighty testimony of their 
 own superior bight and might. Nothmg could 
 be more perfeetly wild. The sunuuils were 
 capped with ice. The ravines which radiated 
 from their aj)iees were /illrd with snow far (jown 
 their course; and so utterly rough was the whole 
 mass, that there did not apjicarto be afoot of plain 
 surface upon it. Eternal, sublime confusion I 
 
 This range runs down the Arkansas, bearing m 
 little south of a parallel with it, the distance of 
 alHHil .'')(1 miles, and then turning southward Inars 
 olV to Taos ai.d .Santa Fe. Hack of this ri<l^r( t'> 
 lh(! westward, and i;oiiiieclC(l with it, there is said 
 to b<> a viry extensive tract of mountains which 
 embrace the sources ol the liio liravo del Norte, 
 the Wolfano, and other branches of the Arkansas; 
 and a numbir of streams that fall into Klo 
 ('olorado of the West, and the (iulf of Caiifornia. 
 Among these bights live the East .iiid West 
 hands of the Kutaws. The valleys in which thrv 
 reside are said to be overlooked hy mountains of 
 shining i;laciers, and in every other respect to re. 
 semblc the valleys of Switzerland. I'hey are a 
 brave, treacherous race, anil said to number alKiut 
 8.000 souls. They raise mules, horses, and sheep, 
 and cultivate corn and beans — trap the beaver — 
 manufacture woolen blankets with u darniuL'^- 
 needlo — and intermarry witli the Mexican !Spa. 
 niards. 
 
 Sixty miles east of these monntain.s, and .'iO 
 south of the Arkansas, stands, isolated on the 
 plain. Pike's Peak, and the lesser ones that clus- 
 ter around it. This Peak is covered with perpi'- 
 lual snow and ice <lown one-lhird its hight. The 
 sulmrdinatc ones rise near to the line of perpetual 
 congelation, and stand out upon the sky like giant 
 watchmen, as if to (iroteet the vestal snows alK)v(! 
 them from the |)olluting tread of man. On the 
 north side of tli(! river a range of mountains, or 
 hills, as they have been called by tho.sc who are 
 in the habit of looking on the Great Main 
 Hidges, rise almut 2,000 feet above the plain. — 
 They resemble, in their general characteriBticn, 
 those on the south. Like them, they are dark 
 and broken — like them, sparsely covered on their 
 sides with shrub pines and cedars. They diverge 
 also from the river as they descend : and after 
 descending it 40 miles, turn to the north and Ios<; 
 themselves in ths bights which congregate around 
 James's Peak. 
 
 On the morning of the 18th we rose early, 
 made our simple repast of tole, and prepared to 
 enter the mountains. A joyfid occasion this, — 
 Tho storms, the nnni, the swollen streams, the 
 bleakness and barrenness of the Great Prairio 
 Wilderness, in an hour's ride, would be behind 
 us ; and the deep, rich vales, the cool streams and 
 breezes, and transparent atmosphere of tlic more 
 elevated regions, were to be entered. Wood's 
 crc(;k, on whieh wc had passed the night, is a 
 cold, heavy torrent, from the nortliem hills. At 
 tlitt ford, it was about tltrcc feet deep ai^d Bcvcn 
 
in the Rochj Mountains, the Oregon Territory, etc. 
 
 43 
 
 II 
 
 yards wide. Hut the current was bo slronir as to 
 brar away two of ot"- saddk'-liorws. One of 
 thriir was my I'uebla animal. She entered llie ' 
 Ktreani willi all the eautiiui neertiwary lor tli<^ re. 
 unit. Stepiimt; alternately l>aek, forward, and 
 Hidcwise, and examining the eirect of every lollinji 
 filonc upon the lawn of her own ;.'ravily> she final- 
 ly (fathered her ii^'ly lonn u|H)n one of Hull'icient 
 size and moliility to phmpe liers'lf and rider into 
 the Ktreain. She Hoateil down u tew yards, and. 
 eonlrary to my in'*t fervent de-siie, eanie upon 
 her feel ajjain, and made the land. Hy dint of 
 ■wadini;, and partially drowninij, and oiIht like 
 a^rrei'ahlc ablutions, we found ourselves nt last on 
 the ri'^ht tide of the water : and hiivini; bestowed 
 upon it Kundry connnendatory epithels of lonjr 
 and approved nsi- under like eireunistanees, we 
 remounted ; and shiverinir in the Ireeziu'^' winds 
 from the n<i^bl)orinir snows, trotte<l on at a piee 
 BO merry and fast, that thiee.cpiarters of an liour 
 brought us to the buttress of the elitls, where the 
 Arkansas leaps foaminfr from them. 
 
 This liver runs 'illO miles anions; the moiin- 
 taiiis. 'J'hc first halt of the distanee is auionij a 
 series of eliarminij vallies, stf)eked with an endless 
 number of deer and elk, wliieli, in the sununer, 
 livi' ui)()U the nutritious wild ;rrass of the vales, 
 
 ArkansaB, to tlio dividing ridge l)otwccn the wa. 
 lers of that river and those of the southern head- 
 waters of (lie south fork of the lireat Platte. 
 
 About midway its liiiglh, the trail or Indian 
 Iraek divides : the one hraneh makes a eireuit 
 among the bights to the westward, terminates in 
 till' great valley of the South I'ork of the Platte, 
 within th(^ mountains, eonmionly e.illid " Hoyou 
 Salaile ;"' and the other anil shorter bads north- 
 wardly up the gorge to the same point. Our 
 guide earefidly ex.iuiined both trails at the di- 
 verging point ; :ind lluding the more western one 
 most traveled, and believing, lor this reason, the 
 eastward one least likely to be oeeupii'd by the 
 Indians, he led us up it to the foot of the niouu- 
 tain wliieli separates it from the vales beyond. — 
 We arrived at a littU' open spot at the base of the 
 bight about 1:3 o'eloek. 'I'lie slerpest \>;iTl of the. 
 trail up the declivity was a loose, moving surface 
 of sand and pel)bles, eoustanlly falling under its 
 own weight. Other jtortions were j)recipitf>'.is, 
 lying along overhanging elitls and the '■ i.uis of 
 deep ravines strewn with fallen rock.. To as- 
 cend it seemed impossible ; but our old iteiituck- 
 
 ian w.is of a difl'eieul opinion. 
 
 In his hunting e.\peditions be had often as- 
 
 •euded and descended worse steeps with jiacks of 
 
 and in the winter, ujion the buds and twigs and j beaver, traps, &,c. .Vnd after a descrijition of 
 
 bark of trees. The Hit) miles of its course ue.vt 
 below is among jicrpendieular clilFs rising' on both 
 sides hundicds, and sometimes thousands of fiet 
 in bight. Through this dismal ehunnel, uilh a 
 rapid ciu'reul down lolly pieei|)iees. and through 
 compressed passes, it pluiigi'S anil roars to this 
 point, where it escapes nnhly and irlei'lully, as if 
 glad for iiaving tied some fe.irful eiliel of nature, 
 consigning it to j)erpetual im|>risoniMent in those 
 dismal caverns. 
 
 Here we entered the Uocky ]Mouulains tlirough 
 u dee]> gorge at the right, Ibrmeil by the waters 
 of a little br(M)k whii.h eonus down from the 
 north. It is a sweet stream. It b ilibles so -.Ic- 
 lightfully upon the car, like those that flowed by 
 one's home, when youth w.is dreaming of the 
 lioi)es of coming years in the sinile of the hendock 
 by the family spring. On its banks grew the 
 dandelion, the angelica, the elder, the alder and 
 birch, ami the mount ain-tla.v. The pebbles, too, 
 seemed old aciiuaintancis, they were sf> like 
 those whieli I had often g itliered with a lovely 
 sister long since dead, who would teach me how 
 to select the prettiest and best. The verj' moun- 
 tains were dark aiul mighty, ami overhanging 
 and striped with the departing snows, like those 
 that I viewed in the first years of remembraiu'c 
 as 1 frolicked with my liiotlK is on the mossy 
 rocks. We soon lost sight of the Arkansas among 
 the small pines and cedars of the valley, and this 
 wo were sorry to do. The good old stream had 
 given us many a fine cat-fish, and many a bum- 
 per of delicious water while we traveli'd wearily 
 along its parched banks. It was like parting 
 with an old companion that had ministered to 
 our wants, and stood with us in anxious, danger 
 ous times. And it was, therefore, ])leasant to 
 hear its voice come uj) fro.u the caverns like a 
 sacred farewell while we wound our way up the 
 valley. 
 
 This gorge or valley runs about ton miles in a 
 nortiiwardly diroclion from the d' bouchitfc uf the 
 
 others of a much more diflieult nature, which he 
 ' had made with worse animals and heavier packs, 
 j through storms of bail and heaps of snow ; and 
 j alter the assuraneclh.it theKutaw village of tents, 
 I and women and ehildieii, had passed this not 
 j many moons ago, we lelt nettled at our own ig- 
 i noranee oljiossibilities in these regions, and drove 
 oil' to till' task. Our worthy guide led the way 
 with his saddle-horse following iiim ; the pack 
 animals, each under the c.icouraging guardian- 
 j ship of a vigorous goad, and the men and myself 
 ; leadiuL' our riding animals, brought up the rear. 
 Now for a long puil and a slr-'iig pull and a pull, 
 I not .dtogelhcr, but carb leg on its own account. 
 ; Five or six rods of a zigzag claiiiberuig and sli]i- 
 ping and gathering am! tiigguig, advanced us one 
 I oil the ascent ; and then a hall for brealh and 
 stniigtli for a new etVort. And tlie puffing and 
 j blowing over, a general shout, "go on, go on," 
 started the cavalcade again. The pack animals, 
 i with each 1.51) pounds weight, struggled and 
 I floundered, as step alter step gave way in the 
 I .<liding sand ; but they labored madly, and ad. 
 vaneed al intervals of a few yards end resting, 
 and on again, till they arrived at the rocky sur- 
 face about midway theascent. Here a short pause 
 n]Km the declivity was interrupted by a call of 
 " onward" from our guide ; and again we climbed. 
 The track wound around a beetling clilV, which 
 crowded the animals upon the edge of a frightful 
 precipice. In the most dangerous part of it my 
 I'uebla marc ran her pack against a projecting 
 rock, and for an instiuit reeled over an abyss .Kit) 
 feel in depth. Hut her fortune favored ; she 
 blundered away from her grave, and lived to 
 make a deeper |ilungc farther along the journey. 
 The up])er half, though less steep, proved to Ix! 
 the worst part of the ascent. It was a bed of 
 rocks, at one place small and rolling, at another 
 large and fixed, with deep openings between 
 thcni. So that our animals were alnioBt con- 
 Btautly falling, and l^ itwiiig uixjn the brink of 
 
44 
 
 Trnvch in the Great Western Prnincs, 
 
 the clifTK, as tlipy rose nj;aui and made (hrir way 
 nmonR Ihcni. An hour and a hall' of tliis most 
 danfjcrouB and lirrsonic chiinhrrinjj drpotiilrd up 
 in a (jrove of yrllow pincK nrar thr smnniil. f)Mr 
 aniinalK wrrc covcrrd wllh sweat and dirl, and 
 trrnd)lc'd as if at tlial instant fn>ni (he riicc. track. 
 Ni>r were tlirir masters free from ivery ill of 
 weariness. Our knees smote each oilier with fa- 
 tijine, as Helshazzar's did willi fear. 
 
 Many of the pines on this ridije were two feel 
 in diameter, and a hmxlred feet lii{;li. with small 
 chisters id' limhs aronnd the lops. Others were 
 low, and elollied with slronfj limhs tpiile near Ihe 
 yromul. I'lider a mnnhir of these latter we li:id 
 spated onrwives, holding the reins of our riding; 
 horses, when a slorm arose with the rapidity of a 
 whirlwind, and poured upon us hail and rain and 
 Hnow with all iinai;inal)li' liheralily. A most re- 
 niarkalile lempfsl was this. I'niike those who^e 
 monotonous jj;roans are hoard amon;; tludni'n 
 Mountains for days hefore (hey assendile their lii- 
 ry arounil you, it i-auie in its slreni;th at once, 
 and roeked the stately pines to their most distani 
 roots. Uidike those Ion;; " hlows,'' whieh, gene- J 
 rated in Ihe frozen zone of Ihe Atlantic seas, |1 
 brini; down Ihe frosly hiasts of (iroenland upon 
 the warmer climes of Ihe Slates, il was Ihe meet, 
 intr of dilVerent eurreiils of Ihe aiirial seas, lashiil 
 and lorn hy Ihe live lhund<r, amonj; Ihe soumlini; 
 mountains. I'idike any Ihiiiir hut itself, one 
 portion of it ha<l jjathered its elcelrieily and mist 
 around .lames's I'eak in Ihe east ; another amoni: 
 the while hiyhls norlhwest ; and a third amouji 
 Ihe snow V pyramids of the Kutaws in Ihe soulh- 
 wcHl ; anri, marshallinir their hosts, met over Ihis 
 coiuiectinij ridfje helwccu the eastern and central 
 ranges, as if hv fxciaral haltle to sellle a vexed 
 question as to the heller liirht lo the I'ass ; and il 
 was sublimely fonchl. 'I'lie opposini; storms met 
 i»v\rly at Ihe zenilh. an<l fiercely rolled tojrether 
 their aUjiry masses. And as if In carry mil the 
 simile I liave here aUcmpli'd, at the monienl of 
 their junelion, Ihe elec ricity of each leaped upon 
 its aniajronist transversely across Ihe lieavi ns, 
 and in some instances fell ill imiuense holts upon 
 the Iremblinu dill's ; and Iheii instantly c.ime a 
 volley of hail as lartje as irrape-shol, suHieienl lo 
 whiten all the towers of this horrid war. It last- 
 ed an hour. I never hefore, not even on Ihe 
 pluiiiH, Haw siieh a moveiiK'nl of Ihe eli'iiients. — 
 And if anythin!^ had heeu wauling lo eslahlish 
 Iho theory, this cxhihilinn suHiced lo eonvince 
 thoKc who saw its movtmeiils and fell its |H)wer, 
 that these mountains arc Ihe ureal lahoralory of 
 mist and wind and electricity, which, formed 
 into Ktorins, are sent in such awful fury upon tlu' 
 great plains or prairies llial slrcteh away from 
 their bases to the Slates ; and that Ihii^ alone may 
 be witnessed the e.vtronie i>ower ol the warring el- 
 snients. 
 
 After the violence of the tempest iiad abated, 
 we traveled up the remainder of Ihe ascent and 
 halted a few minutes on Ihe summit lo view the 
 scene around us. Hehinil was the valley up 
 which we had lravele<l, covcreil with evcrjrrc( n 
 shrubH. On the east of this, rose a preciiiitous 
 wall of stratified rock, 2,00(1 or .•J.OOO feet hi^r],, 
 Etrctchinjr ofT towards llio Arkansas, and doited 
 I'.eirt and there with the ninall shrub pine strug^lin^f 
 (I'oio th« orevioei ul' tho rocki, ■ ■•■. tlio Notiiiiwciit, 
 
 the monnlains, less preeipilons, rose one nhnve 
 another in the dislanee till their blue tops faded 
 into the semblance of Ihe sky. To Ihe east of 
 eur iwisilion, there was nothing in si);ht but piles 
 of mountains, whose d.irk and rajjijed masses in- 
 creased in liighl and magnilude till they lowered 
 in naked graiiik iir around .lames's reali. From 
 that frozen bight ran uU'lo IIk' north that seiond- 
 ary ra.igc of monnlains lliat lie bclwcen Hie 
 hc",i(l-walers of Ihe Soulh h'ork of Ihe I'lallc and 
 Ihe plains. 'I'his is a range of lirown, barren, anil 
 hiokeu ridges, dcstilule alike of eai'lh and shruh, 
 with an average bight of HODII feel above the 
 plain. On Ihe weslern side of il. and north of 
 Ihe |il,ice where we were viewing Ihein, hills of a 
 conslaully decreasing highl fall oir for M miles lo 
 Ihe noilhwcsl, till liny sink in Ihe bcaiiliful val- 
 lev of Itoyoii Sal.iile, and then rising again lower 
 higher .lud higher in Ihe west iinlil lost in the 
 haze about Ihe base of the ,\nahuac range ; a. 
 vast waste of midusled rocks; wilhoiil a Ihnver 
 or leaf Id adoiii il, save Ihose Ihal hide their 
 sweelness from ilH elenial winters in the glens 
 down which we v ere to travel. 
 
 'I'he Analmai- ridiic of the snowy range was vis- 
 ible for at least 1 1 10 miles of latitude ; and Ihe near- 
 est point was so f'Vilisliinl Ihal Ihe, dip of Ihe hori- 
 zon concealed all that portion of il below Ihe line of 
 periieliial congelation. The whole mass was purely 
 white. The principal irregularity perceptible was a 
 slight undulation on the upper edge. There was, 
 however, perccplible shading on Ihe lower edge, pro- 
 ilueeil. perhaps, by great laleral swells protruding 
 from Ihe general outline, liiil Ihe mass, at least 
 0(1 miles dislani. as white as milk, Ihe home of 
 Ihe frosts of :.ll e!_res, slrelching away lo Ihe north 
 by wesi full a hundred miles, unsealed by anv 
 living Ihiin;. e.ieept perhaps by the bold bird of 
 our national ar'}i:> ; 
 
 ** Branil, hifjli, etprmil ami subliinr. 
 Tlie niOi:k otrtiies, anil Ihe twin o( lime." 
 
 is an objeel of amazing gramleur, unequalcd pto. 
 
 i bably on the f'ai e of Ihe i;l(ibe. 
 
 We left this inlercstiuir pniorania and traveled 
 down five miles to Ihesiile of a lillle si;vam run. 
 ning norlh. ami eiieaui|ied. AVe were wel from 
 head lo fool, and shiveriii'i' with cold. The day 
 
 i had inde'il been one of nmcli diseomfort ; yet we 
 had been well repaid for all this bv Ihe absorbing 
 
 ! freshness and sublimilv Ihal liuilg around us. 'I'he 
 lightning bounding on the crags; the thnnder 
 breaking Ihe slumber of the mountains ; a cooler 
 eliinate. and Ihe noble jiine again ; a view of the 
 (ireat .Main snowv range of the " Uoekv, " 
 " Stone " or ". 'Shining" inountains, soulh of the 
 Cereal (iap. from a bight never before trodilen by 
 a civilized lourisl, Ihe. sight of the endless assem- 
 blage of rocky peaks, among which our weary feet 
 were yet to tread along unexplored waters, were 
 Ihe delights which lay upon the track of Ihe day, 
 and made us liajipy at our evening lire. Our sup- 
 per of water porridge being eaten, we tried lo slec]). 
 But the cold wind from Ihe snow soon drove us 
 from oiir blankets to our fire, where we turned 
 onrselveslike( 'hrislinns lurkics till morniiUj. The 
 mountain (lax grew around our encampment. 
 lOvery stidk was stiircned hy the frosts of the 
 night ; ajid the waters of the brooks were barred 
 with ice. This is the birlh-iduce of the Platte. 
 
 Fruiu thcw gorge* iii iloodii receive oxintencci 
 
in Hic Roekii Monnlaint, llie Oreffon Tcrrilori/, etc. 
 
 45 
 
 nimvr 
 fndrd 
 
 P.IRl of 
 
 piliH 
 
 iSl'K ill. 
 
 )W(ri(l 
 
 I'Vom 
 
 rioiid. 
 
 tlir 
 
 Itc anil 
 
 II, mill 
 
 Klinili, 
 
 the 
 
 Mill of 
 
 lis (if II 
 
 lilcH III 
 
 "ill Vill- 
 
 towrr 
 
 till 
 
 " (In' " 
 
 nmnng llic sturdy solcnm pines nnd niirsip;^ I"-,!!. |j 
 pcstn, 12 iniirs liorlli of the ArkaiisaK's dcmiirlir. | 
 mpnl from the nioimlaiiis, mid '10 miles due west 1 
 from James's Peak. 
 
 Oil the inili we tnivelrd in n norlliward eoiirse ! 
 down the little Hlreanis hiirsliiiL.' from the hills and t' 
 balililiiij; ainollj,' the liiishes. W'c were U|hiii an ' 
 Indian trail full ot sharp uravel that aniioved our | 
 iinimals exreedin^rly. 'I'ji,., pines were niten dif- '' 
 lleiilt to pass, SI) tliiek were they, lint the rii.'hl : 
 emirse was easily diseiivi red aninir^f them, even ' 
 vv hen the soil was m hard as tii have rereived no 
 impression frniii previous traveling, hy t^inall | 
 stones wliieh the I'liil.iws had plaeed ammi); the , 
 liraiiehes. .Mmiil mid-day we saw seatleriiit; spears 
 ef the wild lla.v ajfain, and a few smiill slirnhs of I 
 the hiaek liireli near the w.iter emirses. 'I'lie | 
 r nilless elimhini; and deseeiidin;,'iir liills prevented 
 I'lir makini; miieli pmijress. At 'i ii'i'lnili we' 
 indjred ourselves lint ID miles IVom the last niirht's 
 1 iieampmi-nt. A eloiid of hiil then liey;inniiis 
 to pelt and ehill iis, we took shelter in a small I' 
 (M-ove of pines. Hut as the hail had fallen twoj 
 iiie!ies in depth over the whole adjuliiinir eoimtrv, 
 every movement of tlw atmosphere was like a i 
 lilasi of Deeeniher. 'I'lio eold to sleep ; we there- ] 
 t'lre liiiilt fires and dried our jiaeks, \e. till the' 
 howl ot the wolves [raviMiotiee of the approaeh of 
 moriiinij. 'J'ole for lireakfast. It had Ihiii our 
 only food for nine days. It seemed slranyie that 
 we should have traveled lf<!l miles in a eoimtry ] 
 like that we had passed thronirh siiiee leaving I''ort 
 \\ illiam, without killiiip; an animal. Hut it eeused 
 til appear so, when our worthy ijuide informed us 
 that no iiiiliviiliial had ever eoiiie from the Ar- ' 
 kaiisas, in the refrion of the I-'ort, to the iiioiin- , 
 tains, with as little siilVeriii'.' as we had. " It is," 
 said lie, "a Htarvintj; eouiiliy; never any came i 
 found in it. 'I'ho hiiHalo come into these valley i 
 from the north thioujjh the Itiill Peii ; and ^o out 
 tliiTe when the Ktornis of the autumn warn Ihern ' 
 to llei ;■! the south fur warm winter ipiarters. I!ut ! 
 that valley oti' iliere, (pointiiii; to a low smooth ''. 
 vpot in the horizon) looks niii;hly like Moyou ."^a- '' 
 lade, my old sl.-inipiiur (rrouiid. It it should lie, ' 
 we will have meat before the sun is liehiud the 
 snow."' We were well pleased with thi.-; prospeet. 
 ( )ur .Mexieaii servant eried at the top of iiis voice 
 " I'Ista miiy hiieno, Senor Kelly, si, muy hueiio, | 
 esle Uoyou i^alade ; mueho earne por nusotros." j 
 And the poor fellow had some reasons for this e.x- | 
 prission of joy ; for the tole reijimen had hecn to ' 
 iiim what tie- wat( r j;niel of the miidfniir work-' 
 house was to Oliver 'I'wist, e\eepl that its exeel- 
 leut ll.ivor had never indueed the .Mexiean " to | 
 ai^k tor more." He had, on iirevioiisoeeasions, in I 
 I'onipany with Kelly, gnawed the rihs of many a , 
 fat eow in Hovou Salade ; and the instinels of his ^ 
 sloinaeh put him in such a tren/.y at the recol. i 
 leelion, that althoujrh he eoiild only imdirstand 
 till' words " linyoii Salade," these were sutlieieiit 
 to iiiduec him to cross himself from the forest ep to 
 the ahdomen, and to swear h)- Santa (taudaloupc 
 that tole was not food for a Christian mouth. 
 
 On theSDtli we were earl}- on our way. The I 
 small prairie wolf that had howled us losleep every 1 
 eveninjr, and howled is awake every morning i 
 «'1CP. wo left Indepcndcnee, was continually 
 greeting UH with un ill-natured growl, as uc rodo 
 ftlong among hiu hidiug plucov. 'i'ho iUcaiiiB tlitkt | 
 
 wvrv mere rivulets 2(1 miles hack, Imviilg received 
 a thousand (riliutaries, were now heavy and deep 
 tern iits. The peaks and niountain swells were 
 clad with hail and snow. I'lVery tiling, even our. 
 selvi s, shlveriiii; in our hlaiikels, (jave evidence 
 that we were Iraversinu' the realms of winter. Still 
 many of the crasses and tlowers that usually 
 llourish in hi;;h latitudes and elevated places were 
 tfpiu iiej; aloni; the radices of the lulls, and aided 
 mill h ill );ivin;; the whole scene an unusuidlv sin- 
 ijiilar a!-pec(. We were in line spirits, and in the 
 iiijoynient of a voracious appetite. < hir expect i- 
 tiouii of haviii;; a shot soon at a ImfTilo, were pcr- 
 liap- .111 accessory cause of this last, liiit he th.it 
 as it may, we dodifcd aloii^ anioii;; the pines and 
 spruce and hemlock and lirs alHnit Id miles, and 
 ro^:covrr a swell ol land covcied with siiiail trees 
 in tiillviewofa i|uict little hand of liutl'ilo. Ye 
 diiliis who presided of old over the trencher and 
 (fi.h'ct, did not our palates leap (or a tender loin ' 
 A halt — the crecpinir away of our famous old Iven- 
 tii'kian around a copse of wood — the crack of his 
 de lOly rille--(lie \\rilliin;f of the hiitl'do '. lie lays 
 hill'.-' If trenlly down ; all is silent, intense anxiety 
 if If will rise airaiii and run, us they often do un- 
 der till' smart of a wound, hcvoud our reach ainonjj 
 the liills. Nol he curls his tail as in the last 
 a(_'ni:v ; he voiiiils hlooil and elioaks ; he is ours I 
 III' 1: oursl 1 Our knives are quiiddy hauled from 
 th'ir sheaths — he is lulled upon his brisket — his 
 liidi is slit alonir the s|iiue. and pealed down mid 
 rib; line siile of it is cut olV and spread upmi the 
 sand to receive the meat ; the flesh on e;ich siric of 
 the spine is parreil otV; the moiiili is npened, and 
 till l.piii.'Ue wrenched from his jaws; the axe is laid 
 to his rib ; the cavitv opens : the heart — the (at — 
 llii' (cnder loins — the te|>id blood— the intestines, 
 of ;;lorious savorv sausafe nicniory, are lorn out — 
 his lejrs are ritlcil of their jrcneroiis marrow l)one.< ; 
 all wrapped in the irnru hide, and loaded on ani- 
 mals, .mil olVio camp in a charniini; }rrovcot while 
 pine hv a cold slie.un of water under a woody hill I 
 Ah 1 yes I Who that had seen us stirring our 
 fires that niirhl in the starlight of bright skes 
 ainom; llie mountain forests ; who that had seen 
 the liutV.dll ribs propped up before the eracklill^; 
 i blaze- -the brisket iKiilinj; in our cami). kettles; 
 ' who thai had seen us with open counlcnanees yield 
 to these well cooked and drippini; invitations to 
 I " drive dull care away," will not believe that we 
 aecepted tlieiii. and chewed and swallowed against 
 tiiiie, and liuii[,'er. and tole > Yes. we ate that 
 blessed nit;lil till there was a reiisonable ])resmiip- 
 tionthitwe had caleii enough. .\iid when we 
 bad s]iciit a half hour in this delightful einploy- 
 j nicnl. tli;it presumption was supported by a pil.' of 
 tjiiawcd bones, that if put together by Uul'jii in 
 bis best style, would have supported not only that 
 ; but another presmiiptioii to the like etreei. Hut 
 our hearty old Kciituckian was at home, and wc 
 ; were his iniesls. He sat at the head of his own 
 I board, and claimed to dictate the number of course 
 with which we should be served. " No, no," said 
 he. as Kv rolled away iVoiii the bare ribs strewn 
 around us, to our couches of pine leaves, '"no, no, 
 I have eaten with you, fared well, and now you 
 must put courage u|) while you cat with nie ; no, 
 no, not done yet ; mighty good eating to come. 
 Take a rest upon it if you Ukc, wliile I cook un. 
 other turn ; but I'll \n»wc you to «at till da/ pQO\)t, 
 
46 
 
 Travels in the Ortat Western Prairies, 
 
 Our mini licrc- in llic inouiitaiiis iirvfr painH one. 
 Nolliiii'.; iKirniB liorc but pills ami Irad ; iniiiiy> 
 the tiinc llial I li.ivo starved six and ciglil days; 
 ami wlirii I liavr found moat, ate nil nijjiil: 
 that's llio cntilnm of the. romitry. Wr never Imr- 
 r<i\v troidile from linnger or thirst, and when we 
 liave a plenty, we eat the best pieees first, for fear 
 of beinjr killed by some brat of an Indian lielori' 
 we have enjoyeil lliem. You may eat as much as 
 yon ean ; my word for it, this wild meat never 
 liurtH one. Hut your ehickens an<l bacon. iVe. in 
 the s<'ttleineiilH, it eaine rifjhl near Hhovini,' me 
 into llie Keny.m when I was down there Inst.'" 
 While the (xei'lle.-it man was^jiviii;; vent to lliet.e 
 kind feelinjis, he was busy makini; preparations 
 for anothiT eourse. The marrow l)ones were un. 
 derpoinjj a sovrrc llajrellalion ; the blows of the 
 old hunter's hatiliel were er.iekinj; Iheni in pieees. 
 and liiyinj; bare the rolls of " trapper's bnller" 
 within them. A pound of marrow was thus e.\- 
 Irucled, and pill into a jjallon of water healed 
 nearly lotlie boiliiii; point. The blood wliiili hi' 
 had (lipped from the cavity of the lintlido was then 
 Btirred in till the mass beeame of the consistency 
 of rice soup. A little salt and black pcp))cr liuislicil 
 the preparation. It was a (hie liisli ; too rich, 
 perhaps, for some of my esteemed aeipiaintaiii'es, 
 whose dijfcslive ort;ans partake of llic jrcncral lazi- 
 ness of their habits ; but to us who liad so Ion;; dc. 
 sired a healthful portion of luiilily excieise in that 
 (pnrter, it was the very marrow .iihI life-blood oI — 
 not Grahamism, for our frieixl (.inli iin 1 think 
 does not Inlieve in marrow and fatness — the miir. 
 row and fatness and life-blood ol whalsocvcr is 
 (rood and wli(desomc for famished earnivirons ani- 
 mals like ourselves. It was excellent, most excel- 
 lent. It was lictler than our father's foamint; ale. 
 l''or while it loosed our tongues and warmidoiir 
 hearts towards one another, it had the additional 
 erteet of Aaron's oil ; it made our faces to .'^liine 
 with (Tie isc and ijladncss. Hut the rcmeiubrance 
 of the palate pleasnresof the next course, will not 
 allow me to dwell lonjier n|)on this. Tlie crown- 
 injr deliirht was yet in store for us. 
 
 While enjoyin;; the soup, which I have just 
 described, wi' believed the bumper of our pleas- 
 ures to be sparkliinf to the brim ; and if our ex- 
 cellent old trapper had not been there, we never 
 should have desired more. Hut how true is that 
 philosophy which tc.iclies, that to be Ciipable of 
 liappiness, we must be coiKscious of wants ! Oi.r 
 friend Kelly was in this a practical as well as tlieo- 
 relioal Epicurean. " No givin<r up the beaver 
 so," said lie ; " another bait and we will sleep." 
 .Sayinj; tliis, he sei/,ed the intestines of the Imf. 
 falo, which had Ircu properly chancd for the 
 jiurjiose, turned them inside out, and as he pro. 
 ceeded stuffed them with strips of well sailed and 
 ])ep|M'rcd tenderloin. t>nr " boiidies" thus made, 
 were stuck u|K)n sticks before the (ire, and roastod 
 till they were thoronghly cooked and bro«ncd. 
 The sticks were then taken from their roastiir^r i>o. 
 Bition and stuck in position for eatinj;. That is to 
 say, each of us with as fine an appetite as ever 
 blessed a New-l'hijrlanil boy at his (jrandsire's 
 Thanksgivinff Dinner, seized u stick spit, stuck it 
 in tlie earth near our couches, and sitting upon 
 our haunches ate our last course — the desert of our 
 mountain host's entertainment. These wilderness 
 situsagcB would have gratiiiud the appetite of tlioso 
 
 who had been deprived of meat a less time than we 
 had been. The envelopes preserve the jiiiees of 
 with which while cookinii, the ndlieriuK fat, turned 
 wilhin, ininirlcsand Ibrnis a pravy of the liiust fla- 
 vor, .'^nch is a feasi in the inoimtains. 
 
 Since Isaviiif; I'ort William wc had been occa. 
 sioiially erossini; the trails of the I'litaw war par- 
 ties, and had fell some solieiliide for the safety of 
 our little band. An overwhelming number of 
 them mi(;ht fall ii|Hin ns at nifrht i:nil aimihilalu 
 us at a blow, lint we had thus far selected such 
 encanipmenls, am! liad such conlidenee in our 
 rides and in our dofj, who never lailid to f;ivc us 
 notice of the least niovenient of a wolf or pan- 
 ther at niirlil, that we had not stationed a Kuard 
 since leavinj; that post, (hir pnideloo Bnnclioned 
 this course; alw.ays saying; when llie subject 
 was inlroilueed that the dawn of day was 
 the time lor Indian allacUs, and that they 
 would rise early lo find his eyes slilit after 
 the howl of the wolf on the hills had nnnouneid 
 the approach of li^lit. We however look the 
 preeaulion to eneaniji at nijjhl in a deep woody 
 irlin, whicii conceali'd the h(;lil of our fins, and 
 slept with our etpiipments upon ns, and our well 
 primed rifles across our breisls. 
 
 On the moniinK of the 'Jlst wt were awakened 
 at sunrise, by our servant who had Ihuseaily been 
 in .search of our aniinalv. Tlie sun rose ovi r 
 the eastern niounlaiiis brillianlly and jrave prom- 
 ise of a fine day. Our route lay amonu vast 
 swelliiiL' hills, the sides of wliie'i weri' eovcred 
 with en VI s of the larjrc yellow pine and asj)en. 
 These \\\' r trees exclude every othi r from Ihi ir 
 society . "iiy stand sf) idosily that not the half of 
 their number live nnlil they are five inches in di- 
 ameter. Those also that <;row on the lM)rders of 
 the ifroves are |;eni rally destroyed, beinij deprived 
 of tiieir bark seven or eiirlit lei t uji, by tlie elk 
 which resort to tliein yearly lo rnb oil' the annu- 
 al i;rowlh of their boms. The .miow on the tops 
 of the hills was mrltinff, and almii; the lower 
 edge of it, where the grass was green and tender, 
 herds of builalo were gr izing. So far distant 
 were they from the vales Ibrongh which we trav- 
 ilid, that Ihey appeared a vast colleelion of dark 
 sjiecks on the line of the sky. Hy the side of the 
 |iebbly brooks, many beautiful plants grew. A 
 sjiecics of eonvolviilons and honeysuckle, two 
 species of wild hops and the mountain flax, were, 
 among them. Fruits were also beginning to ap- 
 pear ; as wild |)liini8, currants, yellow and black; 
 the latter like those of llie same color in the gar- 
 dens, the former larger than either the red or 
 black, but of an unph'asant astringent flavor. — 
 We liad not, since entering the mountains, seen 
 any indication of volcanic action. The roeky 
 strata and the soil appeared to be of primary form- 
 ation. We made 15 miles to-day in a general 
 course of north by west. 
 
 On the 2".Jd we traveled 8 miles through a coun- 
 try similar to that passed the day before. WV. 
 were still on the waters of the Platte ; but seldom 
 in sight of the main stream. Nnmerous noisy 
 brooks ran among the rolling hills over wliieh wc 
 rode. During the early part of the morning buf- 
 falo bulls were often seen crossing our path : they 
 were however so poor and undesirable that wc 
 shot none of them. About 10 o'clock we came 
 upon a. fresh trail, diBtinctly marked by hoofs and 
 
in the Roehj Mountains, the Orei;on Territory, etc. 
 
 47 
 
 draRjflnj; lor^r. polcd. Kclloy judjifil i\\cm "nlgiiH" 
 to be nut more timn 'J'l lioiirH oM, and \n Imvr 
 brcii mnclc by ii parly of EutaWB which hud piiBHid 
 into Ilaynu Snhtdc U) himt thr hiitralo. Iloxlili; 
 liidiatm in our immediate nci){ldKirhoorl was by no 
 ineaiis an ai;riTahle circuniHtancr lo us. We 
 roiild not contrnd with any hope ol'sncceBU ajfaiiiHt 
 l.'>ll lomahiiwltfi and an rqnal iiimdicr of niUHkcts 
 and Ikiwh and airows. 'I'hcy wuuld alwj frighten 
 the hiilFalo hark to llie Bull pin and llint pirvcnt 
 iiH from layinjj in a htmk of meal f.irther alon;; lo 
 Hup|N)rl us iierciss Ihr desert in advance 'if us. We 
 therefore drtermined to kill the next hidl that wi- 
 should meet, lurelhe best pieeis lor paekini;, and 
 lliuM prepare oiuselveB for a wicj^'e or a retreat, as 
 eireums'anires nii(rht dietale ; or if the Indians 
 Hliould ,)revent our obtaining other and better 
 meat anil y' not interrupt us by any lioHtili- de. 
 niotislralioi , in purHuini; "ur journry, we nui;hl, 
 by an eruiHomiial use of what we could pack from 
 tliiH point, be able lo reach, before we tihould perish 
 with huiijrcr, llic (fauK! which we hoped to fmil 
 on tributaries of (jnuid F{iver. We thcreliire 
 moved on with (;r«at c-aution ; and at alKiul "J 
 o'lloek killed a lincyounK bull, lie fell in a (jlcn 
 Ihrouirh which a lilllc brook munnured alon;j lo a 
 copw just ImIow. 'I'lic bulls in considerable num- 
 ber were lielehiiii; their sur|)luH wrath on llie other 
 Hide of the liltU^ wood with us much ajiparent com- 
 placency as certain aniinalfl with fewer le);s and 
 iioriiK often do, when there is not likely to l)e any 
 Ihin^ in l)artieular to opjMiBe tin oi. Hut fortu- 
 nutely for the rejiiitiition of their j>relentiuiis, as 
 "fionietimcs iLipjieiis to I heir biped hn'thern, a eir. 
 ennislancc chanced to occur, when their eouniye 
 seemed waxiiif; to the burstiii}; slalis on which it 
 could exjiend its enerjjies. 'I'hc blood of their 
 Blaughtcred eoinjianion scented the breeze, and on 
 thry came, 2(1 or more, tail in air, to take proper 
 vengeance. We dropjicd our butcher knives, 
 mounted (juiekly, and wore about to acconiniodate 
 tlicni with the contents of our rifles, when, like 
 many )ier))eiidieular bi'llowcrs, as certain dinger 
 comes, lliey tied as bravely as they hud approachid. 
 Away they racked, for butl'alo never trot, ovirthe 
 brown barren hills in the northeast, lookinj; neither 
 to the ri;,'ht nor left, for the lonnr hair around the 
 head does not |)ernii t nuch aberrations of their 
 optics ; but onward (jloriously did they roll their 
 massive bulks — now sinking in the vales ndliow 
 blowing U|) the ascents ; stopping not an i.isiant 
 in the career of their indomitul>le eoiirse until 
 they l<X)ked like crecpinif insects on the brow of 
 the distant mountain. Having tlms vanquished 
 by the most consinnmate generalship and a stern 
 patriotism in the raidis never surpassed by Jew or 
 Gentile, these "abandoned rebels," we butchered 
 our meat, and as oni' of the works of returning 
 peace, loaded it ujmn our atiiinals, and traveled 
 in search of (|uukinj;sap wood wherewithal to dry 
 it. 'I'hc traders and tra])pers always prefer this 
 wood for such purposes, l)ccau8c it is, when dry, 
 more inodorous than any other; and consequently 
 docs not BO sensibly change the flavor of the meal 
 dried over a fire made of it. Half an hour's ride 
 brought us to a grove of this timber, where we 
 encamped for the night — dried our meat, and 
 Eutaws near or far, slept soundly. In f Jiis remark 
 I should except, perhaps, the largest piece of hu- 
 man nature among us, who had, aa iiis custom 
 
 l| was, curle<l down hard-by our brave old guide 
 1 and slept at intervals, only an eye at a tini4', for 
 fear of Indians. 
 
 2.'ld. Eightcrn miles to-day among rough pri . 
 I cipices, overhanging crags, and roaring lorrerls. 
 There were, however, Iv-tween the declivities and 
 I among the copses of cotton-WooH, ipiakingnsp and 
 I Kr, and yellow pine, some open gladi-<i ,-uiil Isauti- 
 i fill valleys of green verdme, WiiKred by the rivu- 
 lets gusliing from the stony hills, and spark- 
 \ \'nvx with be;uitil'ul llowers. i'ive or six miles from 
 lour hisl encanipiiient we came iqifin thi^ brow ol a 
 1 woody hill thai overlooked tlu viilley, where llie 
 |Watei.s on which we were traveling unite willi 
 I others that come down from the mounlains in the 
 norlli, and from what is projierly c.illi'd the South 
 ; Fork of the (Jreat l'litl<'. within the niouiilains. 
 Here we I'oimd fresh Indian tricks; and on lliiil 
 uceoiml deemed it prudent lo take to the timlii red 
 higlils Ixirdering the valley on the west, in ordi r 
 :|to iiRccrlaiil the iHisilimi of the Indiaiis, Iheir 
 nmulu IS, &ir.. before venliirinu within their reach. 
 I We aecordinuly li>r Ihrfe hours wound our way 
 in silince among fidleii timber and thick-set eot- 
 1 ton. wood — climbed every neighboring height unci 
 j examined the depressions in the plain which could 
 not be seen from the lower hills. I Living searched 
 n the valley tboniiiL'lily in this miiinier, onil per. 
 ('.living from llie peaceable and ('areless beuriii:,' 
 j of the small bunds of bntliilo around its liorders, 
 I that if there were Indians within it they were at 
 |! some distance from our tr.iil, we descended from 
 jitlie heighlH and struck lhron;;h a deep ravine 
 l|ni ro.<.s it, to the jimclionofthe norlhern and soiith- 
 lern walcr^ of tiieslream. 
 
 We found the river at Ibis place 150 yards wide, 
 j and of an average depth of alxml b i'ei't, with a 
 I current of five miles the hour. Its course henee 
 lis E. N. E. about IIIO miles, where its rushes 
 Ij through a magnifiient keiiyon or chasm in the 
 jieaslejii range of the IJoeky .Mountains to the 
 I plains of llu^ Ci'rcal I'rairie Wildemes.s. This val- 
 i icy is a congeries or eollcction of valleys. That 
 i!is, along the banks of the main anil tributary 
 streems a vali^ extends a few rods or miles, and is 
 'neuily or quite se]iarated from a similar one be- 
 yond, by a rocky ridge or buleor a rounded hill 
 covered with grass or timber, whiih pn)tru(lcs from 
 the height towards th(! stream. Tliis is a buirs 
 eye view of Hoyou Sulade — so named from the 
 circumstencc that native rock salt is found in some 
 parts of it. We were in the central |K)rtion of it. 
 To the north and south and west its isolated plains 
 risti one above another, always beautiful and cov- 
 ered with verdure during the inontha of spring and 
 summer. But when the storms of autumn and 
 winter come, they arc the receptieles of vast liodles 
 of snow which fall or arc drifted there from the 
 Anahnac Ridge, on its western horizon. A sweet 
 spot this, lor the romance of the future as well as 
 tiic present and past. The Imffulo have for ages 
 resorted here about the last days of July, from the 
 arid plains of the Arkansas and the Platte ; and 
 thither the Eutaws and Chcyennes from the moun- 
 tains around tlio Santa F6, and the tshoshonies 
 or Snakes and Arrapahocs from the west, and tho 
 Blaekfeet, Crows and Sioux from the north, have 
 for ages met and hunted and fought and loved. — 
 And when tlieir battles and hunts were interrupt- 
 ed by tlto chdls and snows of November, they 
 
48 
 
 TiifcLs in lilt (JrciU Western Pruirici, 
 
 Unvi: nrp.TMlod fur llii'ir Mvcriil wiiili r rc.JirlN. — 
 lliiw wild iiiid Ik iiilitid Ihi |i:iMt iih il ciiiiirM up 
 llr(1i;ril Willi till' |iliim:iw rd llii; iiimuinilifiii I — 
 'I'lichr viili'H hliiddiil Willi II lliciiiHniid villiifrrs nf 
 I'iMiii'.-il xkiii wii^wiiins, willi llirir lliniiNiinds of 
 (iriH lili/iiii; on llir nlan y linnv id niylil 1 I we 
 llir dusky fiiriuh crfiucliiii',' iinmiid tln' i;l<(«inx 
 pill's id' i;;nil('il Idl"*. in liiiiiily frioups wliis|MTiiii; 
 lllf drr iiiiN id' llii'H' liidf liivi' ; nr l^l(lll■r^ll iiniiiud 
 llir Ml. iKv. Ill riuiii id H'liii' iioldr rliii'l III tlir liniir 
 id' iiiiiliii'.;lil, liHli'iiiii!,' In llii' li.ir:iiii;iii' iil' vi'iiu'r- 
 lUirc iir llir wliiKip 111 vv.ir lliiil is In r;inl llir do.idly 
 iirrinv willi llii rn>il jM'' i"' "' 'i""'""!!! In.'lil. "r 
 liiny vvi' mil Ml' lli'iii i;iilliri'i'il. :i riirlrid Ihmvi's 
 aiiiillid ill! iii;ril Irri', -ill iniMidcilrirli liy tin' lllilsly 
 triipliii'N III hid! II rriiliiry'K iI.hmi!; drnl.-i. 'I'lir 
 ('l(lr.<l mid rirlii'sl in Hi'iilps risr.s Iniiii llir rriilirid 
 llir rill!I lIMll Hllvillirrs In llli llir. Ilrir llilll. — 
 " J'd'lv WIlllriN iiirii, wlirii llir hrvriilli iiuhiii'h i'ust 
 linrii liimj; nvcr llir (;irrii Imr.sls nf llir l^iil.iw 
 hills, liiysrir mill (ivr iilliriurn rlril ii Inil^'r („r |||(. 
 (ilrill .'^piril oil 111" MHiWK ol llir Wllllr illilr.mid 
 rariird llirlcnur waiiipiliii and i. kins mid llir liidr 
 III II wllllr liullili). VN I' lillii^ lliriil ill llir (iiral 
 Spilil's |iid;;i' mid sralril iiiirMlvrs ill silriir.r lill 
 till' nioipii liad dr;iri iidril llir wislrni ninuiil'iin, 
 and lliiiii<;lit ii< llir lilimd id iiur lalliris llial Hie 
 I'linimullrs ll id killril uliril tlir liinoil was liiuiul 
 and lay on llir raslriii plain. My iiwn l.illirr wa;i 
 I'i'alpril, and llir liillirrs id Tur olliriti wrir sralprd, 
 and llirir hlnoily lu-ads wiTr (ruawril liy llir wullC. 
 W'r roiild Mill livr wliilr mir I'allirr's lodirrs wvrv. 
 ciiiplv anil tlir si ilps id' llirir iniirdrrors wrrr iinl 
 111 llir liiil,rrs III' Diir iiinlli'Ts. t )urlit-ails lold us to 
 niakr tliisr idlrridixs lo llir jrrral npiril wdio hid 
 fiislrrrd lliriii on llir iiionnlaiiis; and wlirii Ihr 
 iiioDU was ilowii and llir shulows ol ihr Whilr 
 Itntr wvtf as dark as llic Ilrir ol' a hrar, wi; said 
 to the <Jrrat .Spirit, ' .No man ran war with the 
 arrows rroiii llir ipiivrr of lliy Hlornis; no man's 
 word r.iii hr heard w lirii thy voirr is anion); the 
 i'IoiiiIh ; no iniin's hand is slioiiir wlini thy hand 
 lots liwsr its winds. 'I'hr wolI'Mrnawrd Ihr lirads 
 ol our lalhrrs miil tin- sralps of llirir innrdrrris 
 hanj; not in Ihr lodiri's of uiir luolhrrs. (iirat fa. 
 Ilirr spirit, sriid iiol Ihiiir ainxrr out ; hold in thy 
 liiuiil llir winds; Irl iiol thy irrral viiirr ihiiwii 
 tlir (k'atli yrll whilr wr hunt Ihr ninrilrrrrs of our 
 lathrrK.' [ and Ihr rivr otlirrs thru liuill in Ihr 
 niiddir of Ihr lodirr a lirr, and in its hritjiil lichl 
 Ihr (irrat .Spirit saw Ihrwanipiim and Ihr skins 
 and Ihc wliitr hnll'alo lililr. l''ivr days and niiihls 
 I and llir livr nllirrs danml and smokril Ihr Mcili- 
 ciii and lioiit tlir Ujard willi stirks and rhinntril 
 iiway till' powrr of llir [rrral rdiriii .Mini u that 
 they nii^xlit not hr ovil to us and liriiiif sirknrss into 
 our Ixim'H. 'I'lirn wlirii llir slurs wnr shlninsr in 
 the rlcar sky wr sworr, (I luusl iiol Irll wdial, lor 
 it was in tlir car of ihr (iirat Spirit,) mid wrnl 
 out of the lodirr willi our l)osi)m.-< full of miirrr 
 against llir innrdrrris ofonr fatlirrs, whosr, hours 
 WIMP in till' jaws of I Iit3 wolf ; and wrnl for llirir 
 scalps to hill!; thrill in llir liiil;;rs of our iiiollirrs." 
 Scr liiin strike thr aired trrc with his war rliib, 
 a(;ain, aj;ain, iiiiir tinirs. " .So iiiuiiy Cuinanclirs 
 did 1 slay, llir inurdrrs of my father, heforc the 
 moon wan round iii;ain and la" U|X)ii the eaHlrrn 
 plain." This is not merely an iinu){ined scene of 
 former timeB in J3uyou Sulado. All ihn ewtntiul 
 incidaati Klfttcd, huppviKii) y«arly u\ tk^l Art4 
 
 olhi r hnnliirr ^'roniids, win iirvir tlio old liravrii 
 
 assriiililed to la leliratr the valorous dmlH (if their 
 
 1 yiiuii);i'r days. When tlirsr rxnliiiK M'lalions 
 
 wirr linifihril, Ihr yoiiiii; iiirii of llie Irilw, who 
 
 ' had not yet di»tiiii;uiNlii d IheniwIvrH, werr ex. 
 
 Iiorlid lo srrk L'lorv III a iniilar way. And won 
 
 ' to liini who p.issrd lii^: luinh'iod » ilhout ornainent. 
 
 I 111'; Ihr door of Ilis |i)d;;e with the sealps of Iuh 
 
 ' rnemirs. 
 
 I 'I'liis valli'v is slill firipiriilril hy soiilr id llirsn 
 
 Irilirs as a siiiiinirr haniil wlini ihr liril id the 
 
 plains rriidri's llinii iinrnmlorlalilr. 'I'lii l')iilawi 
 
 . Wrrr srouriii'.; il when WI- passrd, Wr Iherrforr 
 
 I rniNwil Ihr rivrr to ils iiorlhrrn lunk and followi d 
 
 up ilM norlhrni hrmirli riijlil iiiiirs, with rvrry eye 
 
 ' kenily srareliiii:; for Ihr appr iranrr of furs; and 
 
 ni.idr our enranipnirnl for Ihr ni>rht in a dnp 
 
 ' ill asm ovrrhiiiii; hv Ihr loiii; liranelirs of a i;rovi' 
 
 ' of whilr pini s. \\r hiull our lirr in Ihr dry IkiI 
 
 ofa luoiiiilam lorrrnt, sliaili (I liy IhisIiih on llirsidr 
 
 Inward Ihr vallry, and alHivr, hy a dense iiia.^H 
 
 of Imiiirhs, mi rUrrlu.dly, as not only lo eoiieral 
 
 Ihr hla/.r from .my oiir in tlir vallry, liiil also to 
 
 pirvriit Ihr lelleel imi from i;uililiii:; loo lii(;li the 
 
 j eoiispienoiis fiiilii);e of Ihe nriirhlKirini; Irres. — 
 
 t .Ml mr horHis had frd tliniiselves we lied them 
 
 j e' our eoiielii s, that thry iiiit;ht Iiol, in ease. 
 
 I < ii'k, hr drivrii aw.iy helorr we had aii 
 
 ' f y of (l( feiidiii'; lliriii, and wlirii we re. 
 
 i lirrii, thrrw wiiler upon our lire that il inii;lit not 
 
 ; i;uiile the Indians ill a seaieh for us ; put new 
 
 j raps upon our anus, and Iriisliiii; to our doi; nnd 
 
 ninlr, Ihe latlrr in sin h rawH always Ihr most 
 
 skilful, lo scent their approarli, tried to sleep. — 
 
 Hut wr wrrr too iirar Ihe snows. Chilliiii; winds 
 
 ; Slicked down Ihr, valr and drove us from our 
 
 hhiiikris to a sliiveriu;; watidi during Ihr remain. 
 
 der of Ihe night. Not a rap however, was hurst. 
 
 -Vlas for our hravc inleiituins, they ended in an 
 
 agile lit. 
 
 Our guide informed us that the Euluws reside 
 on IhiIIi sides of the liliitaw or Aiiahiiae ninuntansj 
 thai lliry arr eonlinually migrating from oiicsidi! 
 lo the oilier; thai lliey s[)eak Ihe Spanish lan- 
 guage; lliat some few half lireeds haveemhraecd 
 Ihr ( 'alholic failli ; that Ihr remainder yet hold 
 Ihe simple and siihlime faith of their forefathers, 
 in Ihe r.vistrncr of our great creating and sustain- 
 iiig caiisj, mingled with a helief in the ghoslly 
 visitrxlinns of thrir deerasrd .VIrdirin nien.or di. 
 : viners : that thry iinniln'r KIDtl fainilirs. He also 
 stated lliat Ihr Chiyrimes are a hand nf renega- 
 docs from Ihe. Kiitaws andCiimaneheH ; that they 
 are less hrave and more Ihirvish than any other 
 trihe living in the. plains south of .Vrkansas. 
 We started at 7 o'clock on the mnrning of the 
 I ^llli, traveled b miU'siii a north by west (lircclion, 
 : killed another hulValo und wild into camp to jerk 
 the meat. Again wr were among the frosts nnd 
 snows and storms of anntlier dividing ridge. t)iir 
 camp was on the height of land heteween the 
 waters of the I'latte and those of Grand River, 
 1 Ihe liirgrst Hoiithern hraneli of the C'olerado of 
 ,; the West. From this eminence wc had a fine 
 1 view of IJoyou Salade, and also of the Anahnac 
 !i range, which wr had heforc seen from the ridge 
 !i between the Arkansas and the southern waters of 
 J the Platte. 160 miles lo the Bouth east towered 
 ;i tlie bald liead of Jumcs Peak, to iho cunt KH) 
 ;{ milvii iltnttiut, w«r« tha brolr.cn uitd frownini; olitfi 
 
in the Rocky Mountaint, the Oregon Territory, ifc. 
 
 49 
 
 thrnuKh wliicli t]i<^ Wmth Tcrk i>r tlir Pliiltp, nftcr 
 havii>K (rntliiTKil nil iIh tiiouiituin trihiitnrii'H, lor. 
 ro* iti rnnrini;, (■ai*i,'udr coiirw to tin: plains. To 
 till! iiortli, the low, tiiiilxTiyl 1111(1 KrniwyhillH, Hoiiir 
 li|>|M-<l with Hiiow iind olIicTM crowned with tol'ty 
 puiiti, r.uli'd into u miiooth, dim and ri'Kiilur lion- 
 vm. 
 
 CIIAl'TLU V. 
 
 An Aicent— A Miilcrtunc— A D.'illi— Ttic MiiuaUiu o( the 
 llbiT ('r<M«— Lmpiiie Pinra— Killini; « BuAtli>— Aaw* itn't 
 Tyranu— i'anllirr, Co. — ()«n(r«nliy— HomiMliinr «l)OUl 
 Dckcpn'liiii' <hi Cnl<truil<t dI (lie Wfnt— Divuiioif KIiIki^k— 
 A Sc«n)>— Tunili rUHU l'«rk— A Wnr WUiiop— Mffliiiu nl 
 Oil) ITrllciw i'rippi-rii— A Ndtalilf Tr.iinp— My Marr— 
 The KiKiortleol Uir Muuiiulni— Kelly '■ nlj Camp, Ur 
 —A Urrut Heart- Liule Bear Illwr— Vvifl'lil'i and 
 Hitterii-14-Tw'i Willie Men a Hquaw and Ohilil— A 
 Deail nhm— What It Tadelul— Trappini;— HUrkrool ami 
 Hlou«— A Blmirty Inciileiit— A Ca»e— Hdl Mprinr— The 
 (Ujuntry~A Hurprme - Aiuerii*aii and ('nnailiau Trappers 
 The eirand Itirer— Old Para — Ueiili Befiiie q»— $!■ u— 
 Oetpalr-Bear Hum— Sulphur Puddia— The Hi»er— 
 Wiif»et and Ihelr Kare— Dti< Katiiii;— 1. ti|> Naake Kiver 
 -Tulmi— U"iertii_Mnunt«iiii— Muuu>aln Hmientou— 
 Browii'a Mule— Kort l>avhi Cmckeil— Vil^ndiliip — "tub 
 lime and Beiiuiiiul— Trail Winierandiu llllariiii'k— 
 l<o»e— The way in if.'t i W|l«— A Reaiiiiimendaiinn to 
 (^iffilii>*d PniiplH--T*ie Cntiiradu (if the Wati — riah in. 
 dlan» — Tlie HMoiihnnle^— An Indian Teiiiperanre N<ict«iy 
 —The Cr.iwt-Tae Hlickleel-700 •4lielei..».— Tlie Arra. 
 pahnei, aa4 Oliiianihip aninn); ihein— War Pariie>— 
 l/>di;c ni the Great H >irii -Itelii^laua Cerrinimiej — The 
 VowiiiidaM Incident— The tint Staoahunie who mw a 
 White Man. 
 
 The ascent to thiH higlit wits not kr laburiotig 
 as tliP onfi near the .Vrkiinwia. It lay ii|i the fuee 
 of n niountniii timt Ibrnied ;i liirger iiiigle with 
 pinne of the horizon than did the other. But it 
 waa clothed with a dense forcHt of pines, h species 
 of double leaved hemlock, and spruce and fir 
 trees, which prevented our animals from fallinij 
 over the precipieen, and enabled us to make loni; 
 sweeps in a zigingf course Uiat inucli relieved the 
 fatigue of the ascent. We however met hero a 
 misfortune of a more serious n;tture to us, than 
 tlic Htonn that pelted us on the other ridge. One 
 of the horRcH belonging; to our puidc sickened just 
 before arriviiij; at the summit and refusing to 
 bear farther the burden which ho iiad theretofore 
 borne with case and apparent pride, sunk under it. 
 We roused him — he rose upon his legs and made 
 a wilUng attempt to do liis duty — but the ))oor 
 animal failed in liis generous effort. We f bereforo 
 took off his pack, put it upon luy saddle horse, 
 and drove him lieforc us to the sunmiit, from 
 whence we, enjoyed the Iteautil'ul prospect I have 
 juit described. But we felt little interest in the 
 expanse of sublimity before us ; olir eyos and 
 ■yinpatliiofi too, were turned to the noble nniinal 
 which was now suffering great pain. He had 
 Wen reared in the niountains ; and it seemed to 
 be his highest pleasure to tread along tlieir 
 giddy brinks. Every morning at his post, with 
 the other horse Iwlonging to his master, he would 
 ktand without lieing fastened and receive his bur- 
 den ; and with every demonstration of willing- 
 ness, bear it over the mountaijis and through tor. 
 rents till his task wait ended in the night citcani|)- 
 inent. Such a horse in the desolate regions we 
 were traversing, the bearer of our wearing apparel 
 and food, the leader of our band of animals, the 
 property of our k id old Kcntiickian, the one- 
 third of all his worldly estat- waa no mean ob. 
 
 jcct of interest. After noticing him awltiln, w« 
 |N'reeivcd syniptoiiis of his Uiing iKiinoned, ad- 
 ministered whatever mediciiicH we [KMWvuHt'd iiiilcd 
 to the case, and let\ liiiii to his fate for the night. 
 Kaiii during the day, frost during the night ; icA 
 in our camp kettU'S an inch in Ihicknciw. 
 
 Wu were out early on the moniingof the2,5tli, 
 and found our guide's liorst- living. VN e arcording. 
 ly Hitddled, jiacked and started liowii the valley of 
 a linall head stream of (irand Kiver. The sick 
 honv! was driven slowly along for alsiiil five milcii 
 when he refused to go fartlier. It now became 
 evident that he had Ix'cn eating the wild pars, 
 nips at our last eni'ampment on the other bide of 
 lh(^ ndge. That he must (Uc iMu'aine, therefore, 
 certain, and we unpacked to see the breath from 
 his lK)dy lieforc he sho'.ild Ijc left to the inercilews 
 wolves, lie died near daylight down, and as thu 
 patli liefore us was rough and bushy, we concluded 
 to remain on the s|Kit for the night. Our anxiety 
 for the life of this excellent aniniid had well nigli 
 led us to pass uiiol>s(;rved one of the most singular 
 eiirtioHities in nature — a erossof erystalized quartz 
 in the eastern face of a conical motuitain ! 
 
 There were, on the western side of the stream 
 which we were following down, a (uilleetion of 
 biites or conical |>eaks clustered around one, whose 
 top was somewhat in the fonn of the gable end of 
 an auciciit church. This cluster was flanked on 
 each side by vast rolls or swells of earth and rouk, 
 which rose so high as to l>o capped with snow. In 
 the distance to the West, were seen through the 
 openings between the hutes, a nirniWr of spiral 
 peaks tiiat imagination could have said formed 
 the western front of a vast holy edifice of the eter. 
 nal hills. On the eastern face of the gable bute 
 there were two transverse scams of what appeared 
 to be erystalized qu irtz. The upright was about 
 GO feet m length ; the cross scam about 20 feet, 
 thrown athwart the upright near its top and \ying 
 parallel to the plane of the horizon. I viewed it be 
 the sun rose over the eastern moimtains and fell 
 upon the glittering crystals of this emblem of the 
 i$aviour°s suffering ; built with the foundations and 
 treasured in the bosom of these granite solitude*. 
 A cross in a church, however fallen we may sup. 
 pose it to be from the original purity of wor»hip, 
 excites, as it should, in the minds of all reasonablo 
 men, a sacred awe arising from the remembrance 
 of the scene in Judea which spread darkness like 
 the night over the earth and the sun. But how 
 much more impressive was this cross of living 
 rock — on the temple of nature where priest ne\'er 
 trod ; the symbol of redeeming love, engraven 
 when Eden was unscathed with sin, by God's own 
 hand on the brow of his everlasting mountains, — 
 The trappers have reverently named this peak the 
 " Moimtain of the Holy Cross." It is about 500 
 feet in hight above the level of the little brook, 
 which runs a few rods from its base. The upper 
 end of the cross is adout 100 feet below the sum- 
 mit. There are many dark aud stately groves of 
 pine and balsam fir in the vicinity. About the 
 brooks grow the black alder and the laurel ; tha 
 honeysuckle and a great variety of wild flowers 
 adoni the crevices of the rocks. The virgin snows 
 of ages wliiten the lofty sumn'its around; th« 
 voice of the low murmiuing rivulets trembles in 
 the sacred silence : " O soUtude, thou art here," 
 tlie lip moves to speak. " Fray, kneel, adore," on« 
 
60 
 
 Travels in the Cheat Western Prairies, 
 
 Bcems to hear softly breathed in every breeze. „ It 
 i» holy ground. ' 
 
 2Ctli. On march at 6 o'clock and traveled down 
 the small strear.i which had accompanied us on 
 the 24th and 25th. As we advanced the vallies 
 opened, and the trees, pine, ftir, white oak, cotton 
 wood, quukinjrasp, &c. became larger and taller. 
 The wild flowers and jrrass became more luxuri- 
 ant. As we were on an Indian trail, our course 
 Was as nearly a right line as the eye of that race 
 could trace ai.iong the lower hills. Hence wo 
 often left the stream and crossed the woody 
 swells ; not hilis ; not mountains ; l)ut vast kwoII. 
 ing iracts of land that rise among tliese vales like 
 half-buried spheres, on whicli, frequently for miles 
 about us, pine and fir trees of the largest size had 
 been prostrated by the winds. To leap our ani- 
 mals over these, and among them, and into them, 
 and out of them, and still among them, flounder, 
 ing, tearing packs and riders — runjiing against 
 knots and tumbling upon N]ilintery stubs and 
 rocks, were among the amusements of getting 
 througli 'hem. The groves of small quaking.isp, 
 too, having been killed by the elk, in some places, 
 had fallen across our track so thickly that it Ix'. 
 came necessary to raise yie foot over one at al. 
 most every step. Here my Puebhi mare performed 
 mrny a feat of " high and lofty tumbling." She 
 could leap the large pines, one at a time, with 
 satisfaction to lierself; that was wortliy of lier 
 blood. But tu I tep, merely step, over one small 
 tree and then over another, seemed to be too muili 
 condeHCeiision. Accordingly she t<)f>k a firm uu. 
 alterable stand upon her rcnerveil rights, from 
 which njither ptdling nor whipping seemed iikciv 
 to move her. At length she yielded, as great mrn 
 Hometimes do. her owi. opinion of '.■onstitutiunid 
 duty to the will of the people, and Uai>ed amoiiii 
 them with a desperation that ought to have an. 
 nihilatcd a square mile of such obstacles. But 
 instead thereof, slie turned a summerset into about 
 the same quantity of them, and there lay "alone 
 in her glory," till she was tumbled out and set u|) 
 again. i 
 
 The valley during the dey's journey had aj). i 
 peared five miles in width. On its lK)rders huiiir 
 dark mountains of rork, some of wliieh. lying 
 weslwiird, were tipped with shining iee. Far be- 
 yond these aj)peareil the Analiuae lidge. .Snow 
 m the south w.is yet in sight — none seen in the 
 east and north. The valley ilsi U was nuu.li 
 broken, with minor roeky declivities, bursting up 
 between the "swells," and with fields of large 
 loose Bloni'S laid bare by the torrents. 'I'lie bul. 
 falo were seen grazing in siuidl detached herds 
 on the slopes of the mountains near the lower 
 line of snow, those grein fields of Ihe skies. — 
 Many "elk signs," treks, &e. were met; but 
 none of these animals w ere seen. Our guide in- ' 
 formed me that the habit ol them is to "follow! 
 the snow." In other words, that as the snow in 
 Bummer melts away from Ihe lowlands, lliey foli 
 low its retiring banks into the mountains. And 
 when it begins in autumn to descend again, they 
 descend with it, and pass the winter in Ihe val- 
 ley. He also accounted for the absence of the; 
 male deer in a similar way ; and added that the 
 do"B, when they bring forth their yoimg, forsake 
 their male compunionB until the kids are four or 
 five months old ; and this for ttiu reason that the 
 
 unnatural male is disposf 1 to destroy his ofTspring 
 I during the ])criod of its helplessness. Some rain 
 I fell to.day. 
 
 j 27th. Wc commenced our march this morning 
 
 I at 6 o'clock, traveled as our custom usually was, 
 
 Ij tdl the liour of 11, and then halted to breakfast , 
 
 ,| on the bank of the streaui. The face of the 
 
 ;| country along the morning's trail was much the 
 
 ii same as that passed over the day iH^fore ; often 
 
 : be.u liful but ofteuer sublime. Vast sphirical svcHs 
 
 1 covered witli bufiido, and wild flowering glen.s 
 
 M echoing the voi.;es of a thousand cascades, and 
 
 ,: coimtlesg nund)ers of lofty peaks crowding the 
 
 :| sky, will give perhaps a Tamt idea of it. As the 
 
 I stream that we had been following bore to the 
 
 westward of our course, wc in the afternoon 
 
 struck across a range of low hills to anol'ie-- 
 
 I branch of it that came down fro.ni thi' eastirn 
 
 /' mountains, and encamped n\mn its biinks. Tlu s(^ 
 
 : hills wc!re composed of hard gravel, ciyered with 
 
 ; two or three inches of black loaii.. In the deep 
 
 I vales the mountain torrents had swcj t away the 
 
 '■ soil and left the strata bare for miles along their 
 
 I courses. The mountain flax and the large thistU^ 
 
 ' flourished everywhere- The timber wa ; flic same 
 
 ]t in kind as we had passed the three last days. 
 
 ' The groves were principally coi.i'ned i.o the lower 
 
 portions of the ravines whieli s'--, pt down from 
 
 Ihe snowy bights. The A!»ahoiic range in the 
 
 ] west appeared to dip 'l.eper in the horizon, and 
 
 recede i'arlher Inim us. ( ''le half only of its alti- 
 
 tiide as seen tmiii the (i, iding ridges was now 
 
 visible. We were doubtU a lessening our own 
 
 altitude m:iterially. but the dilference in the up. 
 
 liareiit liiirht of this ridge was in part [irodiiced 
 
 liy its increased distance. It had evidently begun 
 
 to tend rapidly towards the f'acific. 
 
 An agi'd knight of the order of horns strode iieross 
 our path near 1 o'clock, and by hisi)rineely lic;iriiig 
 invited our old trapper to a tilt. His Kentucky 
 blood could nut be eh.dlenged with impunity. He 
 ! dropped upon one knee — drew a close sight — 
 clove the bull's lieart in twain and s( lit him groan- 
 ing upon the sand. He was very poor, but as we 
 I had riMson to tear that we were leaving the Imf- 
 faln " beat," it was deemed iirudent to increase 
 Ihe weight of our packs with the better portion of 
 his flesh. Aceiirdingly the tongue, heart, leaf fat 
 I and the " fleece " were taken, and were Ix iii^T 
 lashed M|«jn our mule, when an attack of liillidus 
 lir.-iveiy seized our giunt in the extri niities, ami 
 he began to kick .■iiid be;it his horse for presimi- 
 in:r to stand on lour leet, or sonic finiilar act, 
 witfiout his permission, in such gallant style, that 
 our mule on which Hie meal was placed leaped 
 I artVightcd from us and droppiil it on the sand. 
 I Wc were all exiremdy vexed at this, and I be. 
 i lievc made some disparaging comparisons be- 
 I tween the intellects of asses and tyrants. Whctlar 
 I lur mule or .^mith felt most aggrieved thereby 
 ! we wire never inlbrmed. Hut the matter was 
 j very pleasaiitly disposed of by our benevolent old 
 ! guide. He luined thi' moat with his foot and 
 kicked it good naturcdly from him, and said in 
 his hiandist manner, '• iSo dirt in the moiuiting 
 but sand — the te( lb can't go that ; " anil mounted 
 his horse for the march, we traveled 2U miles 
 and encamped. 
 
 28th. 18 miles down the small valleys between 
 the slinrp and rugged hills ; crossed a number of 
 
in the Roclcy Mountains, the Oregon Territory, dj-r. 
 
 51 
 
 small streams runiiiiis westward. The moun- 
 tains nlons our \v:\y ililTrred in rhnructrr from 
 any wo liiul lierrlol'ore passed. Some, of tli'-in 
 were composed entirely of earth, and semi .'lipti- 
 cal in form ; nlliers endjraced tlionsaiids of aeres 
 of wh.it seemed to he mere elevations of fine 
 brown pravel, rising swell ahovi! swell and sweep. 
 iufT away to tlie hijrlit of 201)0 feel ; destitute of 
 timber save a few slender strips which frrew alon^r 
 the rills that triekled at long intervals down their 
 sides. We eneamped a^'ain on the hank of the 
 main stream. It was 1(11) yards in width ; water 
 1 i feet deep, current (i miles the lionr. 
 
 diJth. To-day we struek (Irand River, (the 
 [treat southern braneli of thi^ Colorado of the 
 Wrsl,) 20 miles from our Inst ni(;ht"s encamp, 
 ment. Ft is lierr 300 yards wide, eiirri'nt (I miles 
 the hour; water from (i to lOfict in depth — 
 transparent, hut lik(? the utmosph j of nui'di 
 liigher temperature than we had met wUli since 
 leaving the Arkansas. The vallies th.it lie iipon 
 this stream and some of its tributaries, are called 
 by the Imnters "'I'heOld I'ark" If the quah- 
 fyini( term were omitted, they would be well d.- 
 seribed by their name. M.xtensive meadows run- 
 ninpr up the v.illevs of the streims, woodlands 
 skirling the mouutain bases anil dividiu'.' the 
 plains, over which the antelope, bliek and white 
 taih'd deir, the IOiij;lisli hare, the big horn oi- 
 mountain slice]), the griv'y, grey, ri'd and black 
 bears, and thebutl'alo and elk, r.uige, — a splendid 
 Park iniieeil ; not old, but new as in the tirst 
 fresh morning of the creation. Here also are 
 found the prairie an<l the large grcv wolf, the 
 American jianthcr, beaver, pole cat, and land ot- 
 ter. The grisly bear is the largest and most fcro. 
 r'ous — with hair f a dirt}- brown color, sparsely 
 mi.ved with those of a yellowish white. The 
 males not unfre<pienlly weigh ;") or II hundred 
 pounds. The grey bear is less in size, hair nearlv 
 black, interspersed along the shoulocrs and hips 
 with white. The red is still less, s.ay the tra|)pcrs, 
 an<l of the e»>lor indicated liy the ii ime. 'J"he 
 black bear is the same in all rcspecis as ili.').--c in. 
 habiting the States. 'I'he prairie <log is also IoiukI 
 here, a singular animal parh;dly dL:cril)ed in a 
 previous page ; but as they niav be lietir' known 
 from liieutcuint Pike's disenplion of them, 1 
 shall here introduce it. " 'I'iiev live in towns and 
 villages, having .an r\'' ''it police established in 
 their eonnuunitics. 'l"l • sites of these towns are 
 generally on the br n. of a hill, near some creek 
 or pond, ill order t' oe convenient to water and 
 to be e.\emjit Ironi iinnulatlon. Their resilience 
 is in burrows, which descend in a spiral lorm." 
 The Lieutenant caused 1 10 ketlles of water to he 
 poured into one of tlieir IioIc.h iii order to drive 
 out the occupant, but failed. " Thev ii< ver travel 
 more than iialf a mile from tlieir homes, and 
 readily associate with rattle snak s. They arc of 
 a dark brown color, e.vccpt their bellies, which 
 are red. They are something larger than a grcv 
 squirrel, and very fat ; siippcwed to be graminivo- 
 rous. Tlieir villages sometimi's e.\lciii'. over t«o 
 or three miles square, in which then' must be in- 
 numerable hosts of thei.i, as tliere is generallv a 
 burrow every ten steps. \s you approach the ir 
 to'vne, you arc saluted m all sides by the cry ot 
 " v iaiiloiiu'ish," uttered in a shrill piercing man- 
 nur." Tlie birds of these regions arc tlic spurrow, | 
 
 
 hawk, the Jiiekilaw, a species of grouse, of the 
 size of the I'.nglisb grouse ; color brown, a tufted 
 bead, and limbs feathered to the feet ; the raven, 
 very fM;;e, turkey, turkey-bnzzards, geese, all the 
 varieties of ducks known in sneli latitudes, the 
 bald and grey eagle, mctidow l.irk and robin red 
 breast. (.)f reptiles, the small striped lizard, horned 
 frog and garter snake, are the most common. 
 Uattli' snakes arc said to be found among the 
 (■litis, but I saw none. 
 
 \\'c forded (Jrand River, and encamped in the 
 willows on the uorlhcrn shore. The mountains 
 ill the west, on which the snow was lying, were 
 still in sight. The view to Ihe e ist and south 
 w.is shut in by the neighboring hills ; to Ihe north 
 and north-east, it was o|)eii, and in the distance 
 ajipeared the Wind River and other mountains, in 
 till' vicinity of the ' threat (iap.' During the eve- 
 ning, while the men were angling for trout, Kellv 
 give me some account of (Jr.iiid River and the 
 Colorado of the West, (iraiid River, he Hiid, is 
 a briinch of the Colorado, it rises far in the cast 
 among the pn ci|)itous liights of the eastern range 
 of the Rock^' .Mountains, about midw.iy from thc> 
 (ireat (Jap and the Keiiyon ol' the .'■Miuth Kork of 
 theT'lalte. It interlocks the distance of 111) miles 
 with the walers of Ihe (In at I'latte ; its course 
 to llie |)oint where we enisscd, is nearly due west. 
 I'rom thence it eouliimes in a west hy mirth coiirse 
 lliO miles, where it breaks through the Anahiia-, 
 Ridge. The elills of this Ki nyon are said lo Iv 
 many hundred I'eet high, and overlianging; williin 
 them is a series of cascades, which roar like 
 Niagara when the river is swollen bv Ihe freshets 
 in .lime. Alter jiassing this K'enyon. it is said to 
 move with a dashing, loaming cnrrcnl in a west- 
 erly direclion TiO mill s. where it unites with Green 
 River, or .'^licetskadee. and forms the Colorado of 
 Ihe West, i'rom the junction of these branches 
 the Colorado has a general eonrse from the north- 
 east to the south-west, of TOO ■"•''■s lo the head of 
 the (Jull of Calilornia. Kour nnndred of this 700 
 miles is an almost imbroken chasm of kenyon — 
 with perpciuiiciilar sides Imndicdsof feel in liigbt, 
 at the iKittoni of which the waters rush over con- 
 limioiis cascades. This kenvon terminales .10 
 miles above the (iiilf. To this jxiini the river is 
 navigable. The country on each side ol its whole 
 course is a rolling desert of brown Ioobc earth, on 
 which the rains and dews never fall. 
 
 -\ few years since, two Catholic ^lissionariesand 
 their servants, on their way from the mountains !o 
 Caliiornia. atteni])ted lo desee:id Ihe Color,- i_. >. 
 They have never been seen since Ihe morning lliev 
 eomnienced their fatal undertaking. A party of 
 iLijipcrs and others made a strong boat and manned 
 it well, with Ihe di Icrminalion ot tloaling down the 
 river to laki the beaver that they supposed lived 
 along its banks. IJut tiny found themselves in 
 such d.inger alter entering the kenyon. that with 
 might anil main they thrust their trembling boat 
 ashore and sueeecded in leajiing upon the crags 
 and lightening it helore it was swallowed in the 
 dashing torrent. Jiul the dealli which they had 
 eseajicd in the stream, still tbrcalened them on 
 the crags. I'cqieiidicniar and overhanging rocks 
 frowned above them ; these they could not ascend ; 
 they could not cross the river; they could not as- 
 ceiid the river, and the I6:unmg cascades below 
 furUadu the thought of coianutting thcmsclvca 
 
Hi 
 
 Pavels in the (^reat Weitem Prairies, 
 
 Bjrain to tlirir lioat. Nicht cnnie on, and flic 
 (lifficiill y of kpopinji Ihoir l)oat lioiii Ixiiicf biokrn 
 to pit'ccs on tlu' rocks, inrroascd tlio anxiotirs of 
 tluir situation. Tliej' must have |)asscd a liorri. 
 ble night, — so full of fearful cxpcctalions, of Ihf 
 rrrtainty of Btarvation on the rrags, or drowniu;; 
 in the Ptrrani. In the iiioniinij, however, they 
 examined the roeks a^aiM, and I'ound a small pro. 
 jeeting crap, some 2(1 feet aliove Ihem, over which, 
 after many eflbrlH, they threw their small hoat-rope 
 and drew the noose tau^rht. One of the nuniher 
 then climlx'd to explori'. lie found a p'atform 
 above the crag, of sullieirnt size to contain his six 
 companions, and a narrow chasm in the over- 
 hanging wall, through which it appeared possible 
 to pass to the upper surface. Having all reached 
 the platform, they indooscd their lassoo, and, 
 bracing themselves as well as they could, with 
 their rilles in the moving, dry earth benealh tlii'ir 
 feet, Ihc)' undertook the iisccut. It was so sleep 
 that thev were ofUii in danger of being plunged 
 togetiier in the abyss bclriw. Hut by digging 
 steps in the rocks, where tliey could be dug with 
 their rifle-barrels, and by making use of their 
 lassf)0 where it could be used, they reached the 
 upper surface near simsil, anii made their way 
 back to the place of depart\ire. The .above is a 
 mnnntaiii-legend, interesting indeed, but 
 
 " I cannot Icll lin*' tlip Irulli mny I)p, 
 J tell till' talc an 't wa-. loKl to nie." 
 
 At day-light, on the 'fOlii, oiu' cavalcade was 
 moving across the woody ridges and verdant val- 
 leys between the crossings of (irand River anil its 
 great north fork. \Vi' struck that stream alxjut 
 JO o'clock. Its water was beautil'ully clear, — 
 average depth 'J feet, and current 4 miles the 
 hour. It is said to take its rise in the moimtains, 
 near the south side of the '(Ircat 0;ip,' and to 
 flow, in a soulb-westerly course, through a country 
 td' broken and barren plains, into (Jraiul River, i2d 
 miles lielow the crossings. We ascended rapidly 
 all the day. 'I'here was no tiiil to guide ns ; but 
 our worthy guide knew every moimtain-top in 
 Bight. Itee lines through immens'- fields of wild 
 Hage and wormwood, and over gravelly plains — a 
 short halt for a short breakfast — a constant spur- 
 ring, and trotting, and driving, deposited tis at 
 sunset at the loot of a lofty inoimtain, clothed 
 with heavy timber. It was the dividing ridgi 
 bclween the waters of (irand and (Jreen Rivers. 
 \\'e must crops it. We therefore turned out the 
 animals to feed — ate a scanty morsel of dried 
 meat, and went to our couches, for the strength 
 re<|\iisite for the task. .\l)out the middle of the 
 night the panthers on the mountain gave ns a 
 spccinion of their growling capacities. It was a 
 liideouB noise : lUrp and broken by the most im. 
 earthly Bcreamsl They were gathering for prey; 
 for our horses and ourst Ives. We drove up the 
 animals, however, tied them near the camp, built 
 II large ami bright (ire, and slept till daylight. 
 
 At simrise, on the inorning of the ,'tlsl, we stood 
 on thcBuniniitof Ihemounlain, at the base of which 
 we had slept the previous night. It was the very 
 place from which I wished to view the outline (if 
 the valley of (irand River, and the snoWy ridge of 
 the Analiuac. And it was as favorable an hour 
 for my piiriHise -.s I eoidd have seleeteil from the 
 whole day. Thu biut liad just risen over the eoBtem 
 
 bights, sufficiently to give the valley of the Grand 
 Uiver to the south-east of me, those strong con- 
 trasts of light and shade which painters know bo 
 well how to i;se when sketching a mountain, 
 scene at early morning, or wlien the Bim is half 
 hiildcn at night. The peaks were bright, the, 
 deep shadows sprang <dl" from the western sides, 
 above faintly, and deeixning as they dcBcended to 
 the bases, \yhere the <leep brown of the roeks and 
 earth gave the vales the semblance of uudisturiM d 
 night. The depression of the valley, as I have 
 termed it, was in truth a depression of a vast tract 
 of mountains ; nol unto a plain or vale ; but a great 
 ravine of bules and ridgi'S, decreasing in bight from 
 the limitof vision in Ihe north-east, eastand south— 
 and falling one below another toward the stream, 
 into Ihe diniimitivc bluflfi on its banks. The val- 
 ley below the crossing was less distinctly seen. Its 
 general course only could be dislinguished among 
 the bare hills upon its borders. Rut Ihe grt^at main 
 chain, or Aualuiae range, came sweeping up from 
 the -Arkansas more sublime, if possible, in its aspcci 
 than will Ti viewed from Ihe bights farther south. 
 It was aliout 100 miles dislant, the length of the 
 section in view about Hill ; not a speck on all ils 
 vast outline. It did nol show as glaciers do; but 
 like a drift of newly-falk ii snow heaped (/ii moun- 
 tains — by some mighty eni)rlsof the elements ; piled 
 from age to age ; and from day to day widening and 
 highlening ils untold diineusiims. Its \yi(llh, ils 
 bight, its cubic milis, its mass of rock, of earth, of 
 snow, of ice, of waters ascending in clouds to 
 shower the lowl.inds or renew its own robes of 
 frosts, of waters sent rushing to the seas, are some 
 of the vast ilenis of this sublimity of existence. 
 The light of the rising sun falling upon it through 
 the reniarkably trans])arent atmosphere of these re- 
 gions, madi' Ihe view exceedingly distinct. The 
 inlerveuing space was thickly tlottcti with lesser 
 peaks, which, in the lengthened distance, melted 
 into an apparent plain. Itiit the elevation of the 
 great .Vnahuac ridge, iircsenting its broad, while 
 side to Ihe morning light in that dry, clear, upper 
 air, seemed as dislinctly se< n as the tree at my 
 side. An immensity leaning on the vault of 
 heaven ! In the north-west it manifestly trended 
 toward the north did of the Great Salt Lake. 
 Hut I must leave this absorbing scene for the 
 journey of the ilay. The asci nt of the dividing 
 ridge, from which I look this extensive survey of all 
 this vast, iinknown,iinexplored portion of the moim- 
 tains, was comparatively easy. We threaded, in. 
 deed, some half-dozen |)reci|)ices in going up, within 
 an inch of graves TiOO feet deep. Yet, as none of 
 us lost our brains on the rocks below, these nar- 
 row and slippery jialbs caimot be remembered in 
 connection with incidents either remarkable or sad. 
 With this notice of mountain tunipikes, I will 
 lie obliged to my readers to step along with me 
 over the Inild smmnit and look at the descent, 
 yes, the drurfiil, my friends. It is ii lH>ld one : 
 one of the men saicf " four miles of perpendicu- 
 lar ;" and so it was. Or if it was not. it ought 
 to have been, for many very good reasons of 
 mathematical propriely that "are as ditficult to 
 write us to eomprelicnd. It was partially 
 covered with bushes and t.ecB, and a soft vegeta- 
 ble mould that yielded to our horses" Itet, but we, by 
 dint of holding, bracing, and sliding, arrived safe, 
 ly at the bottom, and joggcU on merrily lix or 
 
in the RocJcy Mountains, the Oregon Territory, S^r. 
 
 53 
 
 KCvcn miles over barren rirfircs, rich plains, nnd 
 woody hills to the head of 'riiinlilcton park. Wc 
 had turned out our animals to rat, hung our 
 camp-kettle over the fire to Iwil some hits of (jris- 
 ly meat tliat we had found anionfr the ruhl)ish of 
 our packs, and wero resting our wearied frames 
 in the shade of the willows, conversiiiaf about the 
 tracks which wc had seen five miles back ; one 
 BUi)poBiii;r that they were made by Indians, the 
 Arrapuhoes or the IShoshonieH, while our old jjnidc 
 insisted that they were mai'o by while men's hor- 
 ses ; and assigned as a reason for this opinion, 
 that no Indians could be traveling in that direc- 
 tion, and that one of the horses had shoes on its 
 fore feet ; when tlic Arrai)ahoe war-whoop and 
 tlio clattering of liooft U|wn the side hill alwne, 
 brought us to our feet, rifle in liand, for a conflict. 
 Kelley swmed for a moment be in doubt !.s to his 
 own coneluHions relative to the tracks, and as to 
 the color of those unceremonious visiters. Hut as 
 they dashed up, he leaped tlie brook, and seized 
 the hands of three old fellow-trappers. It was a 
 joyful meeting. They hail often stood side by 
 side ,1 battle; and among the solemn mountains 
 dug the lonely grave of some slaughtered com- 
 panion ; and together sent the avenging lead into 
 the hearts of the Hlackfeet. 'I'Ik y were more 
 than brothers, and so they met. \\\: shared with 
 them our last scraps of nu'at. 
 
 They ijiformed \ib that they had fallen in with 
 our trail, and followed us umler a Ixlicf that we 
 were certain friends whom they were ex|>ecting 
 from St. Louis with goods Im llir post at Hrown's 
 Hole ; that the Arrapahocs uin> lain iiuig on l.ii). 
 falo in the Bull Pen. on the north fork of the 
 Platte ; (hat the Imiiiesor Snakes were starv- 
 
 ing on roots on ( Hear River ; that the Blaek- 
 
 fc"' and Sioux wir. ni the iieighliorhiMiil ; that 
 there was no game m the iiiountaiiii t xeipt on 
 the head-waters of Snake Kiver; ;i!i.| that them, 
 selves were a [jortion of a parly •■ >iliile men, In- 
 dians, and squaws, on their way to B' iifs Fort 
 (m the Arkansas, to meet Mr. Thomps'i, uilh the 
 goodf iK'fore named ; that we might reasou:ibly 
 anticipate starvation and the arrows oftheSiou.x. 
 nnd other kindred comforts along our journey to 
 Brown's Hole. Air. Craig, tbe cliiel ol the party, 
 and i)art ownier with Mr. Thompson, assured iV* 
 that the grass on the ( 'oluiuhia was already dr\ 
 and scarce ; and if there should prove to be ciiougli 
 to sustain our horses on the way down, that the 
 snows on the Blue Mountains would prevent us 
 from reaching Vancouver Idl the .spring, uiul 
 kindly invited us to j)ass the wuiter at bis Post. 
 After two hours' tarry with us he and his party 
 returned to their cain|(. 
 
 Tuinbletoirn I'ark is a beautiful savannah, 
 Htrelching norllnveslerly from our camp in an ir- 
 regular manner aiiiong groves of pine, spruce, fir, 
 and oak. Three bundri'd yards from us rose 
 Tumblcton's Koek, one of those singular spir<'s 
 found in the valley of the mountains, called 
 Uutes. It was alniut HI) feet in bight, iii) in di- 
 ameter at the Ikisc. and terminatiMl at the toj) in 
 a pohit. Soon after our new ae()uaintaui'es ha<l 
 left us, we " caught up" .and struck across the 
 hills in a north-easlerly course toward ibe north 
 fork of Little Hear River. 'I'he traveling was 
 very rough, now among fields of loose stones and 
 bittUca, und now among Uenec I'orcBtH ; no truU to 
 
 aid us in finding the way ; new ground even to 
 our guide. But he was infallible. Two hours' 
 riding had brought us upon an Indian trail th.at 
 he had heard of ten years before ; and on we rushed, 
 reader, among the fallen pines, two feet, three 
 feet in diameter, raised, as you see. one foot, two 
 feet from the ground. The horses and mules are 
 testing their leaping powers. Over they go, nnd 
 tip ofF riders and packs, A,c., &,c. A merry tinu) 
 this. There goes my Puebla mare, bead, heels, 
 and neck, into an acre of cravy logs. Ho, halt ! 
 Puebla's down, mortally wounib'd \vith w.mt of 
 strength I She 's unpacked, and out in a trico ; 
 we move again. Ho I whistle that mule into the 
 track! he'll be ofT that ledge there. Move them 
 on I move I cut down that sapling by the low part 
 of that fallen tree ! drive over Puebla ! Thcro 
 she goes ! long legs a benefit in bestriding forests. 
 Hold ! hold ! hold I that paek-horsc yonder has 
 anchored upon a pine ! Dismount ! back her out I 
 she has hung one side of herself and pack upon 
 that knot I away I ho ! But silence ! a deer 
 si)i"ing8 up in yonder thicket I Kelly creeps forward 
 —halt! hush! Iiii— ! Ah! tbe varlet! he is 
 gone ; a murrain on his fat loins ! a poor sui)per 
 we 'II have to-night ! no meat left, reader, not a 
 particle ; nor eolTee, tea, nor salt ! custom of socie- 
 ty here to starve ! suppose you will conform ! 
 .Stay, here "s trouble! but they move I one goes 
 down well ! another, another, and another ! .My 
 PiK'bla mare, reader, that si.x foot frame standing 
 there, hesitating lo desi-end that narrow track 
 around the precipice! she goes over it! bravely 
 done ! A ten feet Iea|) ! and pack and all stuck 
 in the mud. That mule, uls<i, is down in tho 
 (luagmin- ! a lift at the pack there, man I the ae. 
 tive, tireless creature ! he 's up and oil'. (Jiiide, 
 this forest is . mill > ! sha' n't get out to-night. But 
 here we go nrr I y onward ! It is dark eu' igli 
 lor the lro;;~ "f Kgypt ! Halt I halt I ho I I'uc. 
 hie down again — laid out among th>' logs ! Pull 
 .aw I upon that pack there, man 1 In l|> tbe sinner 
 to hi I teet again lor aiiolber attempt to kill herself, 
 lii'autilul pirns, tirs, and bemlocks. 'luse. reader; 
 but a sa-1 '<i hurrieanis has In en let lfH)B(! 
 among iIki . U'li lung siiu'c. The prostrate shiii- 
 ;lc timber, "h ' 'I would cover a ro(jf over the city 
 il London ; and make a railroad to run the. 
 Thames into Holland. H.ilt ! halt! unpack! 
 we e:niip hi re lo-nigbt. .\ litlle prairie Ibis, eiii- 
 biisomiil, nesUi'd. ktc, among the swert evergreen 
 wiK)dlanils. \\ ait a little now, reader, till we 
 turn In ■• animals loose to feed, aiul we "11 strike 
 UM n- when withal to dry your wet garments, 
 .iisperst^ a portion of Ibis darkness. It is dif- 
 ii'iill kindling this wil bark. Jnsepli, sing a 
 song! titiil a hollow tree! get some dry leaves ! 
 Thai horse is making into the forest ' better 
 tie him to a bough ! That 's it; .losepli ! that's a 
 yoillhful bla/e I give it slii'iiglli ! fied it oxygen ! 
 it grows ! Now for our guest. Seat yourself, sir, 
 on that log ! rather damp eniufort ! the best we 
 have I homespun fare! the ton of the eountry ! 
 We're in the iiriineval stale, sir, where the wjul 
 goes back to its elemeiit-ary impulses — to the re- 
 pos<' of tirst priiieiples. We regret our inability 
 lo furnish you food, sir. But as we have not. for 
 the la.st lew days, indulged much in that merely 
 animal gralillcation, we beg you, sir, to aceom. 
 niodato yuuriulf with a disli of xransccndeiUal- 
 
ism ; and wltli us nwait palionlly a liroilcd steak, I 
 a lew days aloinj ilic track of time to conic. j, 
 
 It was 1(1 o'clock at niglit wlicn wc arrived at : 
 this cnnanipniont. It had been raining in tor. \, 
 rents ever since nij,rlit.lall. The rippiinfr of a j, 
 small stream had fiuided us after the darkness I 
 shut in. Drenched with rain, shivering with , 
 cold, destitute of lijo<l, aiul with the appetite of 
 wolves, we availed oursi Ives of the only comforts ij 
 within our reach — a cheering pinc-knot lire, and 
 such slee]) as wc could gel under the open hea- 
 vens in a pelting slorni. The general face of the ' 
 country through which the afternoon's travel had 
 carried us, was much broken ; hut the incquali- 
 licH or hills and valley", to n very considerahleex- (; 
 lent, were covered with a rich vegetable loam, '\ 
 supporting a heavy growth of pine, spruce, (jua. li 
 king-asp, vVc. The gliiden that iutervened were 
 more beautiful than I had seen. i\I any were cov- [' 
 ercd with a heavy growth of timothy or herds 
 grass, and red to|> in blos.'^om. Large tracts in i; 
 the skirts of the tindjcr were thickly set with 
 .^weet-sicily. The mountain tiax, was very abun- 
 dant- I had previously seen it in small patches 
 only ; but here it covered acres as densely as it 
 \isually stands in liilds, and presented the beauti- 
 ful sheet of blue blossoms so grateful to the lords 
 of the plough. I had noticed some days previous, 
 a few blades of the grasses just named, standing 
 in a clump of bushes; but we were riding rapidly, 
 and coidd not slop to examine them and I was 
 disposcd^o think that my sight had deceived me. , 
 What ! the tame grasses of Kuro|)e, all that are j 
 valuable for stock, the best and most sought by >j 
 every intelligent farmer in Christciulom ; these ; 
 indigenous to '.!ic vales of the Uocky mountains .' . 
 It was even so. 
 
 August 1st. As oiu' horses had found little to 
 eat during the pa.st night, and seemed nmeh worn 
 by the exceeding fatigues of the previous day, we. 
 at early dawn, drew them around our camp, loaded 
 the strongest of ihcJU with our packs, and led and 
 <lrove the poor animals tlirongli thr< c miles more 
 of standing and fallen lind>er, to tin opening 
 on Little Bear River, and turned them loose to 
 feed upon the first good grass that we l'o\nnl. It 
 chanced to be in one of Kelly's old ini'ampmenls ; 
 where he had, some years before, I'ortitied himself: 
 with logs, and remained 7 days with a sick fellow' 
 trapper. At that lime, the valley was alive with 
 hostile Indians ; but the groal man valued the hf)- 
 ly jirinciples of humanity more than his life, and 
 readily put it at hazard lo save that of his com- 
 |>anion. "A fearful time that," said he "the; 
 redskij'S saw every tuni olour heads during those 
 seven days mnl nights. liut I bailed our horses : 
 within reach of my .lifle during the day, and put 
 them in thai pen at night ; so that tin y could not ; 
 rush them otr, without losing their brains. The|! 
 buft'alo were j)lenty In !■ then. The mountains 
 were then r h. Why, s.r, the bulla were so bold 
 that they would come ilnso to the fc nee there at 
 night, and bellow and roar tdl I eased tlnin of i 
 their blood by ;i pill of lead in the liver. So you I 
 Bcc I did not go tar ler meat. Now, the moun- ■ 
 tains arc so |K)or ImiI one would stand aright 
 pood chance of sl.iring if he were obliged to 
 hang up here for seven days. The game is all 
 driven out. No plaee'here for u white num now. 
 Too poor, too poor. \N'hat little wc get, you sec 
 
 is bull beef, Forni(!rly, wc ate notliing but cows, 
 fat and young. ]\Iore danger then to be sure ; 
 but more beaver too ; and plenty of grease about 
 the bufl'alo ribs. Ah I those were good times ; 
 but a white m.-ui has now no more business lierc." 
 
 Our general course since entering the moun- 
 tains at the Arkansas, had been north by west. — 
 It now changed to northwest by north. 
 
 Our horses and nmles, having eaten to their Bat- 
 isfaction the rich gras,s about our guide's old en- 
 canijjinent, we moved on down laltle TivM River. 
 The country, as we descended, became more and 
 more barren. The hills wi'rc destitute of timber 
 and the grasses; thejilains bore nothing but prick- 
 ly pear and wild wormwood. The latter is u 
 slirub growing from 2 to (> feet in hight. It 
 branches in all directions from the root. Tiie 
 main stem is from 'J to 4 inches in diameter at 
 the ground, the bark rough, of a light greyish col 
 or and very thin. The wood is firm, fine grained, 
 and difiicillt to break. The leaves arc larger, but 
 resemble in form and color those of the common 
 woriiuvof>d of the g.irdens. The flavor is that of 
 a compound of garden wormwood and sage : 
 hence it has received the names of " wild worm, 
 wood and " wild sage.'' Its stiff and knotty 
 branches are peculiarly unpleasant to the traveler 
 among them. It stands so thickly over thousands 
 of acres of the mountain vallics that it is well 
 nigh impossible to urge a horse through it ; and 
 the individual who is rash enough to attempt 
 it, will 'umself. be likely to be deprived of his 
 moccasins, and his horse of his natural covering 
 of his legs. There are two species of the prickly 
 pear (cactus) here. The one is Ihc plant of low 
 growth, thick eliptical leaves armed with thorns, 
 the same as is foi.nd in the gardens of certain cu- 
 rious people in the .States. 'I'hc other is of higher 
 growth, olten reaching .3 feet. The color is a 
 deep green. Il is a coluumar plant without a leaf; 
 .he surface of Ihc stalk is checked into diamondB 
 of the most perfect proijort ions, swelling regularly 
 from the side« to the centre. At the comers of 
 these figures grr>w stnaig thorns from an inch to 
 an inch and a ' df in length. Six inches 
 from the grotin ., branches shoot irom the 
 parent st.dk in all directions, making an angle 
 with it, of about l.") degrees, and growing shorter 
 as the point of union with the central st.alk in- 
 creases in height. The coiisislency of the whole 
 plant is .dternalcly puljiy and fibrous. We were 
 making our tedious way among these tiioniy com- 
 panioiis, nmsing upon our emply stomachs, when 
 we were overtaken by two men, a scpiaw and 
 child, fro|i ("raig'sjparty. They made their camp 
 with us at higlil. .N'olhiug to eat, sturviiig and 
 weak, wc followed the example of the s(piaw, in 
 eating the inner portion of large thistle stalks. 
 
 L'd. A\e ros(! at daybreak, sonunvhat refreshed 
 by sleep, but weak, weak, h.iving eaten but little 
 for four days. The longings of appetite — they 
 are horrible 1 Our guide was use<l to long fasts, 
 and was, Iherefore. little incommoded. He, how- 
 ever, had b( 1 u out with his rille, since the peep of 
 day, and as wc were lifting the i)ackB upon our 
 mules, it cracked in the direction of the trail we 
 Were about to travel. We h stened away to him 
 with the eagerness of starving men, and found 
 bini resting uueoucernedly upon his rille, wailing 
 lor us to enjoy witli liiui tlic roasted loins of an 
 
iu the Rocky Mountains, the Oregon Territory, Sfv. 
 
 5S 
 
 elk, which had tumblod from a ncighborinij cliff, 
 ill obedience to hisimorriiiff aim. Lrivinfj his sud- 
 dlc-lioise to pack the meat on, our little eavnlcade 
 pissed aloiifj a m'le, and encani|ii;d among the 
 willows on the bank of Little Bear Iliv-r. 'l"he 
 first work, alter turninjj lof)se our animals, was to 
 Iniild a fire to cook meat. Our squaw companion 
 thou'^ht otherwiRc. She selected a place for her 
 camp beneath the willows, cleared a spot wide 
 enough lor her bed, formed an arch of the Imuijlis 
 overhead, covered it with apiece of bufTa.o tent 
 leather, unloosed her infant from its prison, and 
 laid it upon skins in the shade she had formed. 
 After this, the horses of herself and husband were 
 unharnessed and turned loose to feed. .She 'vas a 
 pood, cleanly, afTectionate body, equall3- devoted 
 lo the happiness of her child, husband, and horses ; 
 and seemed disposed lo initiate us into every little 
 piece of knowleilu'C that would enable us to dis- 
 cover the wild edible roots of the country, the best 
 method of taking fish, hoppling horses, Iving 
 knols in ropes, repairincr saddles. &c., which e.v- 
 jierience had taught her. Our lire had just began 
 to burn brightly, when our guide arrived with Ihe 
 elk. It was very much ' ruised by it.s fall from 
 the cliir when shot. Yet it was meat ; it was 
 broiled ; it was eaten ; it w.is sweet. \o bread, 
 or vegetables, or salt, to the contrary, it was deli. 
 ciouB. Four days' fasting is confessed to be an 
 excellent panacea for a bad appetite ; and as all 
 good and wholesome rules work lK)th ways, it is, 
 without doubt, a tii.itefiil addition to bad fofjd. I 
 must, however, bear my humbl(> testimony to the 
 fact that meat alone, unqualitied with gravy, un. 
 sprinkled with salt or pepper, unaided by any veg. 
 etablc or farinacious aceompaniment. is excellent 
 food for men. It neither makes them tigtrsnor 
 crocodiles. On the contrary, it prevents starva. 
 lion when nothing else can be had, and cultivates 
 industry, the parent of virtue. In all the multiplied 
 departments of the gastric svstcm. 
 
 3d. IJemained in camp all dav to refresh our 
 animals, to eat, and hear yanis of mountain life. 
 During these conversations, the great dangers of 
 u residence among the mountains was often re. 
 verted to. One class of them, was sai<l to arise 
 from the increasing scarcity of buffalo and beaver 
 among them. This cireuinstaace compelled the 
 trappers to rove over a wider range of country, 
 and, by consequence, multiplied the chances of 
 of falling in witli th.' !Siou.\ and Hlackfeet, their 
 deadliest enemies — enemies on whom no de))en- 
 dinee could be placed other than this, that they 
 always fight well whenever and wherever met. 
 Our new friends related, in this connexion, the 
 death of one of their old compajiions, a brave old 
 trapi)er by the name of Redman. This man, and 
 anolher called MarkhCad, weic (rapping on the 
 head-waters of (Jreen River, when tliey were dis. 
 covered by a war party of youiif; S'ouv, and 
 robbed of their horses. 'I'liis was a grea' annoy, 
 anee to tliem. The loss of the value of llnir ani- 
 mals was inconvenient for the pior men ; but the 
 loss of their services iu transporting tluir traps 
 and furs, and " pos.sibles. " (clothing, cooking 
 niensils, 4c.,) was Bovereiy felt. They must re- 
 cover them or " rarhe ,•" that is, burv iii some se. 
 eret place in the dry sanil their remauiing proper- 
 ty ; forsake their hunt, and abandon all their 
 prospects of gain for the season. Redman had 
 
 \r. 
 
 lived with the Sioux, and relying on their fonncr 
 friendshi]) for him in their village, dotcnnlncd to 
 go with Markhcad and attempt to reason a Sioux 
 war party into a surrender of their plunder. They 
 approached them rifle in hand, and held n parley 
 near the Pilot Hutc. The ri^sult was, that the In. 
 dians demanded and obtained their rifl^-s, dis. 
 charged them at their owners, killed Redman in. 
 stantly, and severely wounded lilfi companion. — 
 This occurred in the S))ringof 1831). 
 
 •1th. We were early on route this morning, 
 down the banks of Little Bear River ; course 
 northwest. Our track lay so low, that the moun- 
 tains were seldom seen. A portion of the Anahu. 
 ac ridge in the southwest, was the only hight con- 
 stantly in view. The plains, as they arc called, on 
 either side of the river, were cut into vast ravines 
 and bluffs. In their side sometimes appeared a 
 i thin stratum of slate. Few other rocky strat.i 
 were seen during a march of l.'i miles. .\l)out 12 
 o'clock, W(^ came upon a cave formed by the lime- 
 .stonc and sulphur deposit of a small stream that 
 burst from a hill, hard by. The water had, by con- 
 stanjt deposit ions, formed an elevated channel some 
 five rods down the face of the hillside ; at (he ter- 
 mination of which, it spread itself over a circid.ar 
 sirfaee of 1,50 or 2UI) feet in circumference. In 
 the centre of this, was an orifice, down which tlie 
 water trickled into the cave below. \a little of 
 the cave could be .seen from the ground alwve, my. 
 self and two others attempted to explore it. Wc 
 found the roof hung with bcaiitifidly chrystalizcd 
 sulphur, and the bottom strown with largo quanti- 
 ties of the same material in a pulverized state. — 
 The odor was so offensive, however, that wc were 
 glad to retreat before w- had formed a very perfect 
 es(ima(e of its extent r.ad contents. It was about 
 six rods long, eight feet wide, and four feet high. 
 Near it were a number of warn; springs. On the 
 bluff, a few rods .above it, was a small tract of fused 
 rocks. In all the circle of vi.fion, however, there 
 were no elevations that indicate any powerful vol- 
 canic .action in former times ; nor any from which 
 these rocks could have Mimbled or been thrown. 
 The warm springs, however, in the vicinity may, 
 perhaps, indicate their origin. 
 
 The l^ace of the country passed to-day, was dry 
 and barren. A single quaking asp tree here and 
 there, on the sterile bottom lauds, and small strips 
 of cotton-wood, whose tops jiejred from the deep 
 gorges just aliove the level of the wonuwood plainu, 
 and a few withered patches of the wild grasses 
 among the patched bluffs, present its whole as- 
 pect. 
 
 The SUP had nearly set before we arrived .at the 
 d( sired place of eneainpment, the junction of the 
 (wo principal forks of Little Bear River. When 
 within half a 'uile of it, one of the trappers who ha J 
 joined us suddenly starti ,'. his horse into a ijuick 
 gallop in advance of the n si of tli.r party. We 
 were surprised by this sudden movement, and has. 
 tened after bini. As we rose a sharp knoll, our 
 surjirise was changed to pleasure, on seeing him 
 in friendly converse with a white face, a fellow, 
 trapper, (me of the " white men" of the mountains. 
 He was a French Canadian, fourteen days from 
 Brown's Hole. We were soon across the river, 
 and in bis camp among the cotton. wood. Here 
 we found thre<' others to w<'lcome us and give us 
 information ofthc movements of the Indian».— 
 
They had been attacked by a Sioux war party, a 
 few days before, on Little Snake River, but bad en. 
 caped with no oilier Iobb than that of a hat and fa. 
 vorite dog. Their opinion wbb, that we should 
 have the plrasuru of niprting them on their way to 
 Brown's Hole. This pro»|)cct was extremely grat- 
 ifying to our noble old Kentucky guide. " D — n 
 their eyes," said he, " I'll try to pick up one of the 
 rasciUf. Rcd)nan was aa fino a fellow as ever 
 came to the mountains, and they sliot liiin with his 
 own rifle. He was a fool to U'X them tiavc it, he 
 ought to have shot one of them, d — n 'em, un<l then 
 died, if he must." 
 
 Our elk meat was dimiiuslmg fast, under the 
 kind administration of our own and our friend's 
 appetit«B. And the certain prospect that we should 
 obtain no more for 8 days, was a source of no in- 
 considerable imeasiness to us. And yet we gave 
 Ward, Burns, tlic squaw, and the four French 
 trappers, being destitute of food, as freely as they 
 would have given to us imder similar circumstan- 
 ces, the best piece and as much as tliey would eat 
 for supper and breakfast. These solitary French- 
 men were apparently very happy. Neither hunger 
 nor thirst annoys tliem, so long as they have 
 •trcngtlj to travel and trap and sing. Their camps 
 are always merry, and they cheer themselves along 
 the weary march in the wilderness with the wild 
 border songs of " Old Canada."' The American 
 trappers present a different phase of character. — 
 Habitual watchfulness destroys ever' frivolity of 
 mind and action. They seldom sr Je ; the ex- 
 ptcssion of their countenances is watchful, solcnm 
 and determined. They ride and walk, like men 
 whose breasts have so long been cxpoued to the 
 bullet and arrow, that fear finds within them no 
 resting place. If a horse is descried iji the dis. 
 tance, they put spurs to their animals, and arc at 
 his side at once, as the result may be, for death or 
 life. No delay, no second thought, no cringing in 
 their stirrups ; but erect, firm, and with a strong 
 arm, they seize and overcome every danger " or 
 perish," say tliey, " as white men should," fight, 
 ing promptly and bravely. 
 
 5tli. This moming'we were to part with Burns 
 and Ward, and the French trappers. The latter 
 pursued their way to the " Old Park," as they 
 called the valley of Grand River, in iiursuit of 
 beaver; the former \%cnt into the bights in the 
 nouthwest, for the same object, and the additional 
 one of waiting there, the departure of the Sioux 
 and Blackfeet. These Americans had interested 
 us in tllemselves by their frankness and kindness ; 
 and before leaving them, it was pleasant to know 
 that we could testify our regard for them, by in- 
 orea/ring their scanty stock of ammunition. But 
 for evory little kindness of this descriiition, they 
 ■ought to remunerate us ten fold by giving us 
 moccasins, dressed deer and elk skins, &.c. Every 
 tiling, even their hunting shirts upon their backs, 
 were at our service ; — lilways kindly remarking 
 when they made an offer of such tilings, tliat "the 
 country was filled with skins, and they could get a 
 eupply when they should need them." About 10 
 o'clock, wo bade these fearless and generous fel- 
 lows a farewell, as hearty and honest as any that 
 wa« ever uttered j wishing them a long and happy 
 life in their mountain home, and they us a plea- 
 •ant and prosperous journey, and took up our 
 marcli again, down little Bear River for Brown's 
 
 Hole. It was six or eight " c^inps" or day's travel 
 ahead of us ; the way Infested with hostile Indians 
 — destitute of game and grass ; a horrid journey ! 
 We might oscai>c the Sioux ; we might kill one 
 of our horses and so escape death by starvation ! 
 But these few chances of saving our lives worn 
 enough. Dangers of these kinds were not so ap- 
 palling to us then, as they would liave lieen when 
 leaving the frontier. AVe had been (iO odd days 
 among the fresh trails of hostile tribes, in hourly 
 expectation of licaring the war whoop raised 
 around us ; and certain, that if attacked by a war. 
 party of the ordinary number, we should be dcs. 
 troycd. We had however crept upon every bight 
 which we had crossed, with so much caution, and 
 examined the plains below with ho much care ; and 
 when danger apjieared near, wound our way 
 among the timber and bights till we had passed 
 it, with so mucli success, that our sens); of danger 
 was blmitcil to that degree, and our confidence in 
 our ability to avoid it ho great, that I verily be- 
 lieve we thought as little of Indians as we did of 
 the li/ards along our track. 
 
 We still clung to the stream. It was generally 
 about 50 yards wide, a rapid current 6 inches deep, 
 rushing over a bed of loose rocks and gravel, and 
 falling at the rate of about 'JOG feet to the mile. — 
 During the day a grisly bear and three cubs and 
 an elk shov.ed theniselves. One of the men gave 
 chase to the hears with the intention of killing one 
 of them for food. But they eluded his pur- 
 suit by running uilo brusli through which a horso 
 coulu not penetrate with sufficient speed to over. 
 take them. The man in pursuit however, found a 
 charming prize among the brush — a mule — an ex- 
 cellent pack mule,that would doubtless be worth to 
 him, at Brown's Hole, $100. It was feeding 
 qu etly, and so tame as to jiennit liLm to approach 
 wiil;ln ten yards, without even raising its head 
 over the liazle bushes that partly concealed it. — 
 A double prize it was, and so accidental ; obtained 
 at so little expense ; ton minutes time only — ten 
 dollars a minute ! 1 But alas for the ^100": Ho 
 was preparing to grasp it, and tlio muJc most sub. 
 dcnJy — most won(lerfully — most cruelly metamor- 
 phosed itself into an elk 1 — fat as marrow itself, 
 and Hullicient in weight to have fed our company 
 for 12 days — and fled away before our " maid and 
 and her milk jiail" companion could shake his 
 astonished locks, and send a little lead after it by 
 way of entreaty to supply iih Htarviiig wretches 
 with a morsel of meat. After this incident liad 
 imparted its comfort to oiu' disappointed appetites 
 we passtd on, over, around, in and among deep 
 ravines, and parched, sterile and flinty plains, lor 
 the remainder of our ten miles' march, and en- 
 camped on the bunk of the river. The last of our 
 meat was licre cooked and eaten. A sad prospect. 
 No game ahead, no provisions in iiossession I Wn 
 caught 3 or 4 small trout from the river for break, 
 fast, and slept. I was much debilitated by want 
 of food and the fatigues of the joiuncy. I had 
 appropriated my saddle horse to bear the packs 
 that had been borne by Kelley's before its death ; 
 and had, consequently, been on foot ever since that 
 event, save when >y guide could relieve ine with 
 thcuscoflu3 sadulc beast. But as our Spanish 
 servant, the owner and myself, had only his horwi'n 
 services to bear us along, the iiortion to each 
 wai f tr from satisfying to our exceeding wcari. 
 
in the Rocky Mounlains, the Oregon Territory, ^. 
 
 sr 
 
 MM. Dlair and Wood alm>, Imd liad only one 
 hoMe from El Pcubla. Wo were, therefore in an 
 ill condition to endure a journey of 7 days — over a 
 thirety country, under a burning dim — and with- 
 out food. 
 
 Gth. 18 milcB to-day over the barren intervales 
 of the river. The wild wormwood and prickly 
 pear were nlmont the only evidences of veijetative 
 iwwcrB which the soil presented. A rugged deeo- 
 latio* of loam and sand blufl's, barren vales of red 
 earth, and an occasional solitary boulder of granite. 
 No mountains even, to relieve the dreary mo. 
 notony of the sickening sight. About 1'2 o'clock 
 it was pleasant to sec a small band of antelope 
 pjiow thcmBclves on the brink of a bluff. \Vc 
 halted, and attempted to approach them ; but they 
 had been liujited a few days before by tlie I'rcnch 
 trappers whom we had met, and by no means 
 relished our companionship. Away they ran like 
 the wind. Our liopes of finding game were at an 
 end ; the French trajiperB had seen on all their 
 way out, no other game than tliis band of antelope 
 Our faithful grey hound could Ix- eaten as a Inst 
 recourse, and wc traveled on. 0\\r excellent 
 guide insinfed upon walking nearly all the way 
 that I miglit ride. Tliis was inestimably kind in 
 him. But the act flowed from his own goodness. 
 For, during our long jowmry togethcr,lic had nc\er 
 failed to take every opportunity to make me com- 
 fortable. We arranged our camj) to-niglit with 
 imuKual care, The Siou.x xvere among the hills 
 on the right, and every preparation was therefore 
 made to receive an attack icom them. But like 
 many otiicr expectations of the kind, this vanished 
 as the beautiful mountain mom dawned upon the 
 silent desert. 
 
 7th. To-day wc traveled across a great south- 
 ward l)end in the river ; — face of the country a 
 desert — neither tree nor shrub, nor grass, nor wa- 
 tcr in sight. During the afternoon wc fell in 
 with an old grisly bear and two culw. It was a 
 dangerous business, but starvation knows no fear. 
 Kelly and Smith, havmg horses that could run, 
 determined to give chase and shoot one cub, 
 while the grey hound should have the lionor of a 
 battle with the other. Under this arrangement 
 tlie chase commenced. The old bear, unfaithful 
 to her young, ran alieari of them in her fright, 
 and showed no other atToction for thcni llian to 
 stop occasionally, raise herself on her hind feet, 
 and utter a most i)iteouH screani. Thi horses soon 
 ran down one cub, and the grey hound the other, 
 so that in half an hour wc were oti thn route 
 again with the certaiji prospect of a supper when 
 wc should encamp. Had wc foimd water and 
 wood where wo killed our meat wc should have 
 believed it impossible to have proceeded further 
 without food. But as necessity ncldoin deals in 
 mercy, she compelled us in this case, to travel till 
 dark before wc found wood enough to cook our 
 food, and water enough to quench our parching 
 thirst. At last turning from our track and fol- 
 lowing down a de*p ravine that ran toward the 
 river, wo came up<m a filthy, oozing sulphurous 
 puddle which our horses, though they had had no 
 water the entire day. refused to drink. There was 
 no alternative however between drinking tliis and 
 tliirsting still, and wo submitted to the l>>8scr of two 
 evils. We drank it ; and tlio aid of dry worm- 
 wood for fuel, boi.'.. i our meat in it- These cubs 
 
 were each of almut 12 pounds weight. The liv- 
 ers, lieiU'tB, heads, and the fore quarters of one of 
 them, made us a filthy supper. It however served 
 the purpose of better food as it prevented starva. 
 tion. Wc had traveled 18 miles. 
 
 8th. The morning being clear and excessively 
 warm, we thought it pnidcnt to ne<'k the river 
 again, that we might obtain water for ourselves 
 and animals. They had had no grass for the last 
 24 hours ; and the prospect of finding some for 
 the poor animals upon the intervales, w.ts an ad- 
 ditional inducement to adopt this course. We 
 accordingly wound down the ravine two or three 
 miles, struck the river at a point where its 
 banks were producti'i-e, and unpacked to feed 
 them, and treat ourselves to a breakfast of cub 
 meat. Boiled or roasted, it was miserable food. 
 To eat it however, or not to cat at all, wns tlie al. 
 temative. Furthermore, in a region wlierc liz- 
 ards grow poor, and wolves te4m against sand 
 banks to howl, cub soup, without salt, pepper, iic, 
 must be acknowleged to be quite in stvle. 
 
 Having iM'Coine somewhat comfortable by feast- 
 ing thus, we traveh'd on dowii this river of de. 
 sertH xJO miles, and encamped again on its banks. 
 At this encampment we ate the last of oiv meat ; 
 and broke the Ixmcs with our hatchet for the oily 
 marr'HV in them. The prospect of Kuft'ering from 
 hunger before wc could arrive at Brown's Hole, 
 iH'canie every hour more and more <-ertain. The 
 country l)etween us and lliat point was known to 
 be St) sterile, that not even a grisly licar was to be 
 hopc'd for in it. It was a (lesert of black flint, 
 sand and marl, rendered barren by perpetual 
 drought. 
 
 9th. Traveled 23 miles along the river — nothing 
 to cat, not even a thistle stalk. At night wc tried 
 to take some f.:;li : the stream proved as ungener- 
 ous as the soil on its banks. 
 
 10th. .Made 15 miles to-day ; country covered 
 with wild wormwood ; al intervals a little bimch 
 grass — dry and dead ; face of the country for- 
 merly a plain, now waslied into hills. Our dog 
 was frantic with Inmger ; and although he had 
 treated us to a cub, and servid us with all the fi- 
 delity of his race, wc determined. in full council 
 to-night, if our hooks took no fisli, to breakfast 
 on his faithful heart in tlic morning. A horrid 
 night we passed ; IS hours without a morsel of 
 f(X)d ! Our camp was 8 niilef alx)ve the jmiction 
 of Little Bear and Little Snake Rivers. 
 
 lltli. This morning wc tried our utmost skill 
 at fishing. Tatieiice often cried ' hold,' but the 
 npiH-arance of our [joor dog would admonish us 
 to continue our etTorts to obtain a breakfast from 
 the stream. Thus we fished and fasted till eight 
 o'clock. A small fisli or two were caught — three 
 or four ounces of food for 7 starving men 1 Our 
 guide <lrclared the noble dog must die ! He was 
 accordingly shot, his hair burnt oft', and his fore 
 qua ters Ujiled and eaten 1 1 Some of the men 
 declared that dogs made excellent mutton ; but 
 im tliis |K)hit, there existed among us what politi- 
 cians term an lionest difference of opinion. To 
 me, it tasted like the Jleah of a dog, a sinffed 
 tliig ; and ajjpetite keen though it was, and edged 
 by a fast of filty hours, could not but be sensibly 
 alive to the fa lat, whether cooked or barking, 
 a dog is still a do i, i very where. Alter our repast 
 was finished, w saddled up and rode over the 
 
58 
 
 Travels in the Cheat Western Prairies, 
 
 pliiinn in a northerly direction for Brown's Hole. | 
 Wc had been trnvclin;; tlie hist five dajs, in ii wen- 1 
 trrly coiirw. : and as the river eontiniird in that ■ 
 direction, we h-tt it toseo it no more, I would liuin- , 
 biy hiipe, till tln^ dews of Heaven shall cause its ; 
 deserts lo blossom and ri|H>ii into something; more ■ 
 nutritive than wild wormwoixl and tfravel. | 
 
 Wo crossi'd Little Snake Uiver about I II o'clock. | 
 This stream is similar in size to that we had ' 
 
 considerable distance inn westerly course — tcrmi. 
 nates in its own lake. On the banks of this river 
 there is said to be some vejjetation, as ijrasses, 
 trees and edible roots. Here live the " Piutes " 
 and " Land I'itehes," the most degraded nnd 
 least iiilellfctual Indians known to the trappers. 
 Thev wear no elothinij; of any description — build 
 no sliclters. They eat roots, lizards and snaUs. 
 Their (lersons arc morr disjiusling thiui those of 
 
 just left. The water was clear and warm, the i\ the Hottentots. Their heads are white with tlm 
 ehaiuiel rocky and lM)rdered by barren blutVs. — 1: i;erms of cr.iwliug fdth I They provide notliinjj 
 No trees grew upon its banks where wc struck it ; '; lor future wants. And when the lizard and snail 
 but I was informed that higher np, it was skirted |i riiid wild roots are buried in the snows of winter, 
 with pretty groves of cotton wood. Hut as the , they are said to retire to the vicinity of timber, 
 JSiou.x war party which had attacked the I dig holes in the form of ovens in the steep sides 
 French trappers in this neighlxirhood, were proba. i of the sand hills, and, having heated them to a 
 biynotfar from our trail, perhaps on it, and near ' certain degree, dcposite themselves in them, and 
 
 us, we spent little time in examining either groves 
 or deserts. For we were vain cuotigli to su|)pose 
 that the mere incident of being scalped here would 
 not be as interesting, to ourselves at least, as would 
 be our speedy arrival at t'raig and Thomson's post 
 — where wc might cat christian food and rest from 
 the fatigues of our journey. For these, nnd sever, 
 al other palpable reasons, wc drove on spccdilv and 
 silently, with every eye watchful, every gini well 
 primed, every animal close to his fellows, till ten 
 o'clock at night. We then halted near a place 
 where wc had been totd by the French trappers, 
 we could find a spring of water. The day harl 
 been excessively wann, and oiir thirst was well 
 nigh insuHernble. Hence the long search for the 
 cooling spring to slake its burnings. It was in 
 vain. Near midnight therefore it was abandoned 
 by all, and wc wrap|ted ourselves in onr blankets, ; 
 hungry, thirsty, and wenry, and sunk to rest u|M)n 
 the sand. Another dreadful night ! Thirst, bum- 
 ing thirst 1 The glands cease to moisten the 
 mouth, the throat becomes dry and feverish, the 
 lungs cease to he satisfied with the air they inhale, 
 the heart is sick and faint ; and the nerves prcter- 
 naturally active, do violence to every vital organ. ' 
 It is an incipient throe of death. \ 
 
 'Jlth. We arose at break of day, nnd pursued' 
 our journey over the gray, barren wastes. This ' 
 legion is doomed to perjietual sterility. In many 
 portions of it there appears to bo a line soil. But 
 the trappers say that very little rain or snow falls 
 upon it ; hence its unproductiveness. And thus 
 it is said to lie with the whole eountrv lying to the 
 di.staiice of hundreds of miles on each side of the 
 whole course of the Colorado of the West. Vast 
 plateaux of desolation, yielding only llic wild 
 wormwood and prickly pear. .So barren, st) hot, 
 so destitute is it of water, that can be obtained 
 and drunk, that the niouutain sheep and hare 
 even, animals which drink less than any others i 
 that inhabit these regions, do not venture there. ' 
 TraveU'rs along that stream are said to be com- 1 
 
 sleep and fast till the weather permits them to go 
 
 abroad again for food. Persons who have visited 
 
 ! their haunts after a severe winter, have found the 
 
 ground around these family ovens strown with 
 
 the uubiiried Imdies of the dead, and others crawl- 
 
 ing among them, who had various degrees of 
 
 strength, from a bare sufticieni'y to gasp in death, 
 
 , to those that crawled upon their hands and feet, 
 
 : eating grass like cattle. It is said that they have 
 
 no we.i|)onBof defence except the club, and that in 
 
 the use of that they are very unskilful. These 
 
 poor creatures are hunted in the spring of the 
 
 year, when weak and helpless, by a certain class 
 
 of men, and when taken, are fattened, carried to 
 
 I .Santa Fe and sold as slaves during their minority. 
 
 " A likely girl " in her teens brings oftentimes 
 
 ■SSfH) or 8 ion. The males are valued less. 
 
 At alKiiit II o'clock, we came lo a stream of 
 good water and halted to slake our thirst, and cook 
 the remainder of our <log mutton. Our animals' 
 sufl'crings had nearly equalled our own. And 
 while wc ate and rested under the shade of a tree, 
 , it added much to our eiijoyment to see the fain- 
 ' islicd beasts regale Ihcnisclves njxm n plat of short 
 wiry grass beside the stream. Some marks of 
 dragging lodge |)oliii along the now well defined 
 trail, imhcatcd to us that a (Kirtion of the Sho- 
 shoiiic or Snake trils' had lately left Urown's 
 Hole. From this circumstance wc liegaii to fear 
 what afterwards proved true, that our hopes of 
 finding the .Snakes at that post a;id of getting 
 meat from them would prove fallacious. Our 
 filthy meal being finished, we gathered up our lit- 
 tle caravan and moved forward at a round pace 
 for tlu-ee hours, when tlii^ bliift's o|)ened before us 
 the lieautiful plain of Brown's Hole. As wo en- 
 tered it we crossed two cool streams that tumbled 
 down from the stratified clill's near at hand on the 
 right ; and a few rods beyond, the whole area 
 became visible. The Fort, as it is called, jicered 
 up in the centre, upon the winding bank of the 
 Sheetskadee. The dark inonntains roso around 
 
 pellcd to carry it long distances upon animals, ! it sublimely, and the green fields swept .away into 
 and draw it where it is jiossible so to do, with a ; the deep precipitous gorges more beautifully than 
 rope and skin bucket from the th;ism of the ji I can describe. 
 
 stream. And yet tli animals frequently die of ] How glad is mnn to sec hia home again after a 
 thirst and hunger ; and men often save their lives P weary absence ! F.vcry ste]i becomes quicker ua 
 hy eating the carcasses of the dead, and by il he approaches its sacred [mrtals ; and kind smiles 
 drinking the blood which thev from time to time |l greet him; and leaping hearts beat uiion his, and 
 draw from the veins of the living. Between this || warm lips press his own. Tt is the holy sacrament 
 river and the (Jreat Salt Lake, there is a stream ]! of friendship. Yet there is another class of tlicst! 
 called Severe River, which rises in the high iila- il emotions that appears to be not less lioly. They 
 touiix to the S. E. of the lake, and running some || arise wlten, after liaving been long cut off from 
 
in Ihe Rocky Mountains, the Oregon Territory, Sfc. 
 
 59 
 
 every iiabit and synipalliy of civilized life, lone 
 wiindcring amoiij; the deep and silent tiinplcB of 
 (he r-tcrnal mountains, lonj^ undliom'ly exposed to 
 llio Bculping liiiife of siivagis and the ajfonies of 
 starvation, one beholds llio dwrllinj; of eivilized 
 men — kindred of the (dd Patriot Idood, rearing 
 their hospitable roofs ainoiit; tliose hijfhts, invitin;; 
 the houseless, wayworn wanderer forest"; to relax 
 tlie tension of his enerfjies, elose his long watehini; 
 eyes, and repose the heart awhile auionjj (jeni'r. 
 cms spirits of liis own race. Is not the hand that 
 jirasps your's then, an honest hand ? And does it 
 not distil by its saered warinlh and hearty eni- 
 hraee, some of the dearest emotions of wliieh tlio 
 soul is capable ; friendship unallo\ ed, warm, holy 
 and heavenly ? Tims it seemed to me, at all 
 events, as w(' rode into the hollow scpiare and re- 
 eeivcd from St. Clair, the person in charjrc, the 
 hearty welcome of an old hunter to " Fort David 
 Crockett." A room was appropriated innnedi- 
 atcly for our reception, our horses were piven to 
 the care of his hoise jruard, iuid every otl.er ar- 
 rangenirnt within his means, was made, to make 
 us feel, that wiihin that little nest of fertility, 
 amid the barrenness of the jjreat .Stony IJanjie; 
 far from the institutions of law and religion ; .ar 
 from the sweet ties of Ihe family relations, and all 
 those nameless endearing iiillueiiees that shed 
 their rich fraijrance over human nature in its cul. 
 tivated abiding places; — that there even eould he 
 (fiven us the fruits of the sincercst friendship. 
 .Such kindness, can be appreciated fully by those 
 only, who have enjoyed it in such places ; who 
 have seen it manifested in its own way; by those 
 only, who have starved and thirsted in these de. 
 Berts and been welcomed, and made thriee wel- 
 come, after months of weary wandering, to " Fort 
 Jlavid Crockett." 
 
 After partaking of t'le hospitality of ]\Ir. .St. 
 Clair, I strolled out to cvamine more minutely Ibis 
 wonderful little valley. It is situated in or about 
 latitude M degrees north ; 100 miles wmtli of Wind 
 Uiver moimtaiiiH, on the Sheelskadee (Prairie 
 Cock) River. lis elevation is something more 
 than 8,001) feet above the level of the sea. It ap. 
 peared to be about six miles in diameter ; shut in, 
 in all directions, by dark frowning mountains, 
 rising 1,.')00 feet above Ihe jiliiin. The Slieetska- 
 dee, or Cireen Uiver runs tlirongli it, sweeping in a 
 beautiful curve from Ihe north-west to the soulli- 
 wost part of it, where it breaks its way through the 
 encircling mouiilaiiis, between elift's 1 ,000 feet in 
 higlit, broken and hanging as if poised on Ihe air. 
 The area of the plain is thickly set with Ihe rich 
 mountain grasses, and dotted willi little eopscs of 
 cotton wood and willow trees. The soil is allu- 
 vial and ea])al)le of producing abmidantly all kinds 
 of small grains, vegetable. &.e. that an' raised in 
 the northern .States. Its eliinule is very riinarka- 
 ble. Although in all Ihe country within 100 miles 
 of it, the winter nionlhs bring snows and the .se- 
 VI re cold that we should expect in such alatiludo, 
 and at such an elevation above the level of the 
 wa, yet hi this little iifiok, the grass grows all the 
 winter. .So that, wliili; the storm rages on the 
 mountains in siglit, and the drilling snows mingle 
 in the blasts of December, Ihe old hunters here, 
 heed it not. Their horses arc cropping the green 
 grass on the banks of the Sheelskadee, while they, 
 tlicinsclves, are roasting the fat loins of tlio inouii- 
 
 I' tain slieep, and laughing at the merry tale and 
 
 i song. 
 
 r The Fort is a hollow square of one story log 
 
 1 cabins, with roofs and lloors of mud, constructed 
 
 ' in Hie same manner as those of Fort William. 
 
 i .Around thest- W(^ found the conical skin lodges of 
 
 Ihe S(pMWsof(he while trappers who were away 
 
 on their " fall bunt," and also the lodges of a few 
 
 I .'>in:ike Indians, who had preeceded their tribe to 
 
 this, their winter haunt. Here also were the lodges 
 
 of Mr. Robinson, a trader, who usually stations 
 
 hiinsell here to tratlie with Ihe Indians and white 
 
 trappers. Mis skin lodge was his warehouse ; and 
 
 butliilo robes spread U|W)n the ground, his counter, 
 
 on which he displayed his butcher knives, hatehelB, 
 
 j powder, lead, fish-hooks and whiskey. In ex- 
 
 j ehiinge for these articles, he receives beaver skinii 
 
 j from trappi'rs, money from travelers, and horses 
 
 I from Ihe Indians. Thus, as one would lielievc, 
 
 il y\r. Robinson drives a very snug little business. 
 
 j .\nd indeed when all Ihe " iiideprndent trappers" 
 
 j are driven by aiiproaehing winter into this delight- 
 
 ' 111! retreat; ami the whole Snake village, 2 or 
 
 3,000 strong, impelled by the same necessity, pitch 
 
 I tliiir lodgef. around Ihe Fort, and the dances and 
 
 merry makinirs of a long winter are thoroughly 
 
 coiimienerd, there is no want of customers. 
 
 Tliese winters in Urown's Hole are somewhat 
 
 : like winters among the mountains of New-Eiig- 
 
 ] land, in the efl'eets they produce on the rise and 
 
 I progress of the art of all arts — the art of love. 
 
 For as among the good old hills of my native 
 
 elinie, (piiltings, and singiiig.schools, and iwening 
 
 dunces, when the stars arc shining brightly on the 
 
 snow crust, do sollen the heart of the mountain 
 
 j lad and lassie, and cau.se Ihe sigh and blush to 
 
 j triumph overall the counsels of maiden aunts and 
 
 j. fortune tellers ; so here in this beautiful valley and 
 
 I; in the skin lodge villai;. of the .Snakes, there arc 
 
 \. bright evenings, be.uniiig stare and mellow moons, 
 
 and social circles for singing the wild ditties of 
 
 ' their tribe, and for sewing with the sinews of the 
 
 deer, their leggins, moccasins and butt'alo robes, 
 
 I and for being bewitched with the tender jiassion. 
 
 i The dance, too, inlivens the village. The musi- 
 
 eian chants the wild song and marks the lime by 
 
 regular healings with a stick upon a sounding 
 
 ; lK)ard. And light heels, and sturdy forms, and 
 
 bii.xom forms respond to his call. To these and 
 
 ! oilier gallierings, the young go, to see who are the 
 
 ; fairest and best and most loved of the throng. Our 
 
 j friend Ci.pid goes there too. Yes, Cu|)id at an 
 
 j Indiiin dance 1 And there measuring how and 
 
 i: arrow with thee who invented them, he often lays 
 
 at his fell, I am told, the proudest hawk's feather 
 
 thtit adorns thiMirow of Chief or Chiefess. For, 
 
 on the moniiug after the dance it not unircquently 
 
 ; happens that he of the Ixard is compelled by force 
 
 I of certain une;isy sensations about the heart, to 
 
 ; iip|)ly to some beardless one for the balm of sweet 
 
 j smiles for his relief. He does not wait lor the calm 
 
 hour of a .Sunday night. Nor docs he delay put- 
 
 ; ting the qui stioii by |H)etleal allusions to the violet 
 
 ii and lirmamenl. No ! calm hours and the [Mctry 
 
 I' of nature have no charms tor him. He wants 
 
 j none of these. Our fiiend Cupid has east an arrow 
 
 I; into his heart, bearded with the stings of irrcsisti. 
 
 bic emotion; and he seeks that mischievous fair 
 
 one, her alone, who selected the arrow and the 
 
 victim J her ulono who was a " purticeps criaiinis" 
 
60 
 
 7\-avels '.n the Oreal Wettern Prairitt, 
 
 in Ihn loss of that (jront rrntrnl orpnn of his life 
 c:\llcd in tlic niiniilB of CliriHtian rouMtrirB, " the 
 hrnrt." " No I liis I'ourw i« vanlly inorr pliilo. 
 Kophical nnd Hinglo minded (I nicnn no otrcncr to 
 my coiintryinpn, nonn to you, yc Dritons over tlic 
 wntcm,) tlmn tlie (jingrr.brcad Huenr-onndy court, 
 ships of ('hriittinn people, lie firHt pnys hin nd. 
 droswH lo Ilia band of liorsoB ; boIccIs the nioM 
 kcautifid and vuluablt; of tliPiii all, and (hen i;orH 
 with liiH rhoBcn liorBc to the lodge of liin eliuHcii 
 Kirl'u father or niotlier, or if Imth tliene be dead, 
 to the lodije of her eldent nister, ties the animal to 
 the tent pole, and goes away. After his depitrl. 
 urc the inniateH of the lodge isBiie from it, and in 
 due form examine the hnrw ; and if it niijiefirB to 
 be. worth as nineh ns the pirl whom the owner 
 weks, an interview iB had, tlin liorsi! taken by 
 the parents or Bister as the ease may be, and the 
 lover takes the girl. A fair businetis transaetion, 
 you ])ereeive, my rendcra — " u (|uid pro quo" — a 
 eompenflnlion in kind. The girl reeeived in ex- 
 change for Ihe horse becomes the absolute per- 
 wmal pro|)crty of the <namored jockey, subject lo 
 be resold whenewr Ihe state of the market and 
 liis own affection will allow. But if those, whose 
 right it is to judge in the matter, arc of o|)inion 
 that the girl is worth more than the horse, another 
 \» brouglxt ; and if these are not enough, lie of 
 the heard nniy bring another or get Cupid to shoot 
 liiB heart in another direction. 'I'here are many 
 benefits in this mode ofobtaining that description of 
 legal chatties called a wife, over the mode usually 
 adopted iunnng us. Ab for example ; Uy lliis 
 mode tllere is a price given for a valuable article. 
 Now to my apprehension, this is an improvement 
 uiK)n our plan. For it removes entirely from ccr- 
 tain old daddies, the necessity of disiK)Bing of their 
 daughters by gift, to certain worthless, portionless 
 young men, who are merely virtuous, talented, hon- 
 est and indnstrioUB. An evil of no sniiill magin. 
 tude, as may \h' learned by inquiry in the jjrojier 
 quarter. Hut the Indian system of matrimoMy 
 extirpates it. Wealth measures oti" affection and 
 pro|>erty by the peck, yard or dollar's worth, as 
 circumstances require; and no young lady of real 
 gcruiinc property, res|)ectal>ilily and standing, and 
 family, will think of jilacing her atli^clions upon 
 a talented, virtuous and industrious, promlaing 
 and pros|)erous coxcomb of fKiverty ; nor, vice 
 versa, will a young man of these vulgar qualities. 
 have the unfathomable barefaccdncss to projiose 
 himself to a young lady of real genuine properly 
 rcBpcctf.bility, projierty form, pro])crly face, pro. 
 perty virtue, property modesty, and property in- 
 telligence. No, blees the day ! such impudence 
 will cease to interfere with the legitimate preten- 
 tions of those who are able — while they declare 
 their passion mighty, unalterable and pur<', — to 
 place in the hands from which tlicy receive the 
 dear object of their property love, the last (|uoted 
 prices of the family stock. But I [)ass to the con- 
 Bideration of iinotlier view of this matter that I 
 deem, if possible, of still greater imjmrtanee. As, 
 if in disposing of yomig ladies in marriage, a valua- 
 tion in money shoidd he made of their pro])crtv 
 beauty, property modesty, property intelligence, 
 &.C., and rcquirc;d to be paid before marriage,, the 
 false opinion that honesty, probity, intelligence, 
 integrity, virtue and respectability can exist with- 
 out a property basis, would gradually fade '\yia.y 
 
 before the influence of our rich daddies' dnugh- 
 ters, Oh the age that would then bIcBS our earth '. 
 The piety of the church would fan itself in the 
 property Jtew. The forum of jurisprinlencc woidd 
 then echo to the lofty straiim of property eloquence. 
 The pravcB of Acndemus would brenthe the wis- 
 dom of property philosophy. The easel of the 
 artist woidd cast \\\n\\ the caiwnss the inspirntions 
 of pro|ierty genius. And nuisic. and sculpture, 
 and poetry, liorn in gam ts, would give place to 
 another race of these arts— a prr)))erty race, that 
 could be kept in oiU''s apartments without compel- 
 ling one to blush for their origin. We should llieii 
 have a property fitncsB of things, that would place 
 our property selves in .t state of exalted property 
 beatitude. It is hoped that the I/Cgislators of the 
 world will iK'Stow u|«m this matter their most 
 serious attention, and from lime to time pass 
 such laws as will aid mankind in attaining thin 
 splendid and brilliant exultation of our nature, 
 when the precious metals shall be n univerflal mea- 
 sure of value. 
 
 This is diverging. But after my reader is in- 
 formed that the only distinct aim I projKjsed to 
 myself in writing my journal, was to keep the day 
 of the month correctly, and in other res|)ect» 
 " keep a blotter," the transition from this Blrain of 
 true philos<iphy, to a notice of the white men and 
 their scpuiws, will be thought easy and natural. 
 
 If then a w bite man is disimsed to take imlo 
 himself a squaw among the i^nakes, he nmsl con. 
 form to the laws and customs of the trilic, that 
 have been or<lained and established for the regula- 
 tion of all such matlcrB. .'Vnd, whether the color 
 in any individual case be of black or white, doeit 
 not seem to be a (|ue«tion ever raisctl to take it out 
 of the rules. The only diflerence is, that the pro. 
 perty, beauty, \c. of Ihe whiles frequently gives 
 (hem the preference on 'change, and enables them 
 to obtain the Ixst squaws of the nation. These 
 connections lx(wccn the white trappers ^oid sepiaws 
 I nin told, are (he cause of so m;;:., of tiic former 
 remaining during life in these valleys of blood. — 
 They seem to love (hem as ardendy as they would 
 females of (heir own color. 
 
 A trader is living there with a young F.utaw 
 squaw, for whose charms he has forsaken friends, 
 wealth and ease, and eivilizalion, for an Indian 
 lodge among all (lie dangers and wan(s of a wilder- 
 ness. This gendcman is said (o have a standing 
 offer of iJiTOd for his dear one, whenever, in the 
 course of a limited time, he will sell her graces. 
 But it is believed that his heart has so much to do 
 with his estimation other value, that no eonsidera. 
 tion eoulil induce him vohmtarily to deprive liiiii. 
 self other society. 
 
 The almvc anecdotes, iVc. were related \r me 
 dm-ing the first evening I •■■p'-it at Fori JXuid 
 CrockcK. It was a bright ethcrial iMglit. The 
 Fort stood in (he shade of (he wild and dark cliffs, 
 while the light of the moon shone on the wef'ern 
 peaks, and east a dcipcr <larknes8 into tlu^ inacces. 
 sible gorges on the face of the mountains. The 
 Shcclskadee flowed silently am' .ig (he alders — the 
 fires in the Indian lodges wpic smoiddering ; sleep 
 had gathered every .miniate thing in its embrace. 
 It was a night of awful solitude — the grimdeur of 
 an innnensity of silence I I enjoyed the lovely 
 scene till near midnight in company with Mr. 8t. 
 Clair ; and when ut last its exciteiucnts and tlie 
 
in the Roeky Mountains, the Oregon Ttnitery, i(e. 
 
 61 
 
 tlirilliii|r plonBurc of boinff rcliovcd from tlio prod. ] 
 ppcl ol'ildilh Irnm liiiii({<"r ullowcd me to Hlunilirr, 
 lliiit (jeiitlriimii condurlrd iiir to Iiin own rfM)m iind 
 bed, und IkkIc mo nccupy Ik>|Ii wlidi! I Hhuulit r<'. 
 iiiulii with liiiM. lie cxprtwfiod rcirrrt tliiit lie lind 
 w) liltio proviHioiiH in llic F(irt ; — ii Kinnll .jimnlity 
 of old jerked meal ; ii little ten iirid tiii(;ur. "Hut," 
 N lid he, " Hhiiro it with mc as lori^r uh it IuhIh ; I 
 'lave huMt(!r« nut ; they will he here in ten or twelve 
 (layH ; yon have iK'eu utarviiig ; eat while there in 
 any Ihiiij; lelt -and when all is ),'one we'll have a 
 moiiiitaiii nheep, or a dot; to keep olV Htarvntion till 
 the liiinlerH eome in." .My eoiiipanionH and (juide 
 Were Ichh lortunate. We purchaRed all tlie meat 
 that either money or (joodHeoiild iiuhiee the Indinns 
 to sell. It nmoiintod to one day'n Hiipgdy for the 
 eompany. And »r there was Kiip]H)sed to he no 
 l^aine within a. eirenit of UK) miles, it heeanio 
 matter of serioiw ie.ipnry whether we nhoidd seek 
 il in the direetion of I'ort llall, or on the head w». 
 ters of Liltif Snake Kiver, 100 miles otl' our pro- 
 ])ir naite toOreijon. In the latter place there were 
 plenty of llni', lat hutl'alo ; hut on the way to 
 till! other |Mjint llieri' was nothinj; but antelope, 
 dillieult to kill, and |V)or. A collateral eircmn- 
 Ftanee turned the scale of our delilHratioiifl. 'I'hat 
 eireuuiRlance was dog meal. We could get a 
 supply of lhe«! delectable animalH from the Indians; 
 they would k<'ep life in ni till we could reach Tort 
 llall; and by aid thereof we could immediately 
 proceed on our journey, cross the IJlue Mountains 
 before the snow Bhonid render thcni impassable, 
 and reach Vancouver on tlu; lower Columbia dur. 
 in({ the autumn. On the contrary, if we soujrht 
 meat on the waters of Little ^Snake Kiver, it would 
 be BO late before wc should be prepared to rcBumc 
 our journey, that we could not pass those inoun- 
 lains until May or June of the following spring. — 
 The (k)gB, therefore, were purchased ; and pre. 
 paratioiiB were made; for our departure to I'ort 
 JIall, as W)on as ourselves and imr animals were 
 Burtieiently recruited for the undertakuig. Mean- 
 wliile my companions ate upon our stock of bark, 
 ing mutton. And thus we spent 7 days — dehght- 
 ful days. l'"or nllhough our fan; was humble and 
 Bcant}-, yet the tlesh began to creep upon our 
 skeletons, our minds to resume their usual vivacity, 
 and our hearts to v.'arm again with the ordinary 
 emotions of human existence. 
 
 'I'he trials of a journey in the Wffltem wilder, 
 neus can never be detailed in words. To be un- 
 derstood, they nmst Iw endured. Their etrcels 
 nimn the physicil and mental system are erpially 
 prostrating. The desolation of one kind und 
 another which meets the eye every wliere ; the 
 sense of vaslness associated with dearth and bar. 
 renness, and of sublimity connected with ■..■tcrnal, 
 killing frosts ; and of lonclincBS coupled with a 
 thousand natural causes of one's destruction ; 
 perpetual journeyings over endless declivities — 
 among tempests — throtigh freezing torrents ; one 
 half the time on foot, with nothing but mocca. 
 sins to protect the feet from the (linty gravel and 
 the thorns of the prickly pear along the unl)caten 
 way ; and the starvings und thirstings wilt the 
 muscles, send preternatural activity into the 
 nervous system, and through the whole animal 
 and mental economy a feebleness and irritability 
 altogether indescribable. But at Fort David 
 Crockett tlicrc wero rest, and food, and safety ; 
 
 and old Fatlior Time, an li« mowed away the 
 passing moments and gathered them into the 
 great garner of the Past, cast up<m the Futun- a 
 fc w blosBoms of hojK', and sweetened the hours 
 now and then willi a bit of information alioul 
 this (Mirtion of his ancient dnininion, I heard 
 from various persons, more or less acipiaintcd 
 with the Cokirado of the West, a confirmalion of 
 the account of that river given in the jounials of 
 previous days ; und also that there resides at the 
 lower end ol its grcut kenyon a band of the Club 
 Indians — very many of whom are seven feet in 
 bight, and well pro|K)rtioned ; that these Indians 
 raise large quantities of bln<'k beans U|M)n the 
 sandy intervals on the stream ; that the oval-leaf 
 prickly. pear grows there from filteen to twenty 
 feet in bight; that these Indians make molasses 
 from its fruit ; that their principal wea|Kin of war- 
 fare is th(; club, which they wield with ama/.ing 
 dexterity and lorci> ; that they inhabit a wide ex- 
 tent of country north-west and south-east of the 
 lower part of this river ; that they have never 
 lx.cn subdued by the Spiuiinrds, and are inimieil 
 to all while people. Subseipient inquiry in Cali- 
 fornia satisfied me that this river is navigable only 
 'M\ or 10 miles from its mouth, und that ine In- 
 dians who live iiiHjn its barren banks near thu 
 (iulf are such as 1 have described. 
 
 'I'he Snakes, or Shoshonies, arc a wandering 
 tribe of Indians who inhabit that part of the 
 Hocky Mountains which lies on the Grand and 
 <.;reeii River branches of the Colorado of tiie 
 West, the valley of tJrcat Hear Uiver, the habit- 
 able shores of the Great Salt Luke, a considerable 
 portion of I'ounlry on Snake River almve and be. 
 low Fort llall, and ii tract extending two or three 
 hundred miles to the west of that post. Those 
 who reside in'the place last named, are said tc 
 subsist principally on roots ; they howev;'r kill a 
 few deer, and clothe themselves with their skins. 
 The band living on Snake River subBist on the 
 fish ol the stream, buffalo, deer and other game. 
 Those residing on the branches of the Colorado 
 live on roots, buffalo, elk, deci, the mountain- 
 sheep, und antelope. The Snakes own many 
 horses. These, with their thousands of dogg, 
 constitute all the domestic animals among them. 
 They have conical skin-lodges, a few caiiip- 
 kettles, butcher-knives und gmis. Many of 
 them, however, still use the lx)w and arrow. In 
 dress, they follow the universal Indiaii costume — 
 moccasins, leggingH, und the hunting.shirt. 
 Nothing but the hair elvers the head ; and this, 
 indeed, would seem ButFicient, if certain state, 
 ments made in rel.ition to it be true ; as '.hat it 
 frequently grows four and five feet in lengtli, and 
 in on(! case eleven feet. In these instiuices, it ia 
 braided and wound aroimd the head in the form 
 of a Turkish turban. If only two or three feet in 
 length, it is braided on the female head in two 
 queues, which hang down the back : on the 
 male it is only combed behind the cars, und lays 
 disheveled around the shoulders. The female 
 dress lUffers from that of the male in no other re- 
 spect than this : the shirt or chemise of tho former 
 extends down to the feet. Beaver, otter, bear and 
 buffulo skins, and horses are exchanged by them 
 with the ArrapuhocB, and the American and Brit. 
 ish traders, for some few articles of wearing ap- 
 parel ; Bticli as woolen blankets and hats. But as 
 
69 
 
 Travtlt in the Great Western Prairies, 
 
 thrir iitock of dkinH in nlwnvR vory I niitnl, tliry 
 fiiul il nr('(8K;iry I" 1iiih1i;iii(1 it wilh ii ili'li care to 
 ohiuiii Ihrrrwilli ii (iiipply (if tobacco, uniiH ami 
 iiMiiiiiiniliiiii. 
 
 I'niiii llir llrKt nrf|iiaiiiliin(.'0 of llir wIiiIcb wil'i 
 tlii'Mi, IIhw pcoiilo liiivc liciii rrmailcililr liii ilirir 
 
 UVd'Hioll to Wlir, liiwl lllOHC <-lll('llil'H Rl C''"''"'' V 
 
 pr'iiclircd liy llicir riicf. tf |i('iiiiill((l to live In 
 jicai't' aiiiori|r their iiioiiiitMiiiN. and allowid to limit 
 llir Imllalo — tliat wamliriii^j patrimony of all (lie 
 IriliOH — will ir luTcKHily r('(|iiirtH, tlicy inaUi' war 
 n|Hin noiii', ami Inni none limi^rrv away from tlirir 
 limiililc alioilrH. lint IIkkc pcarcalili' dis|H>silioii!< 
 in the wildiriHsH, wlirrc m< n arc li It to the pro. 
 tcction ol tlicir impiilHcs ami |ilivNical ciicriricf. 
 have yicl<lcd tin ni litllc proliclion. Tlic Hlaclt. 
 feci, Crows, Sion.v and laitaws have allciiialcly 
 I'oiillht thini for the hettir riLdit to the (Mil Park, 
 and |Mirlioiis ol their Tcrrilory, wilh varied sue. 
 CCKH ; ami, at the prewnt lime, do those Irihcs 
 yearly hi iid predatory parliet- iiilo their horderH to 
 rob them of their liorNS. I ti it as the passi sllironi;h 
 which they (liter the Snake eoimtrv are liceomiiii; 
 more and more dcHlilnte of eiinie on which to mih. 
 hIbI, their visilH arc Icch freipieni, and their mmiher 
 IcHH formidahle. !^o thai, for Kcveral years, they 
 liavc hecn ill a Kreal miasnrc reli( ved In mi tin He 
 aniioyaniM H. 
 
 From the time tlicy met r.ewis ami Clark on the 
 head. waters of the .Missouri to the present day, the 
 Snakes linvc opened their lodjres to whites,' with 
 the most friendly h elintrs. And many are the 
 citizens of the States, and the siihjcels df Hritain, 
 who li.ive soii(.'ht their villairi s. and hy their lios- 
 pitalily hcen saved from death anion;.' those awful 
 solitudes. \ truest anioii!,' lliem is a sacred de- 
 
 I the lipBof n navaijp — (<rii(lB to our rarB tlio start. 
 
 [ linu rchiike — '■ .Make not, vend not, jjivi^ not to 
 
 I lis the nlriiiiu' )riilrr. Il prostrates your superior 
 
 i knowlciliic — your eiilari;eil capacities for liappi. 
 
 ' iiesH — your eiillivatcd iindcrstandin(,'H. It breaks 
 \iMir strong' laws; il rols down your stroiuj 
 houses ; il bnrii s yon in the tilthicst ditch of Hin. 
 
 ; »Jend it not to IIS ; we would rather die by the 
 
 : arrows of the lllaekfcel." 
 
 I 'i'he ( 'rows are a wandering' tribe that is usual- 
 ly loiind in the upper plains around llie head-wa- 
 tcTB of the north fork of (Jrcat I'lallc, .Snake, and 
 ^'ellowatoiic rivers. 'I'lii ir nunibcr is estimated to 
 be about .'),lllll). '''hey are represented as the most 
 arrant rascals aim. i ' ilie mountains. The traders 
 Hay of tlieiii that " tlicy have never been known In 
 keep a promise or do an honorable act." iNo while 
 
 manor Indian trusts them. .Murdenind robbeiy 
 are their principal employniciils. .Much of their 
 comilry is well watered, timbered, and capable of 
 yieldinir an abundant reward to llii' huKbandniaii. 
 The Hlack:eet Indians reside on the Marias ami 
 other braliehes of the .Missouri above the (ireat 
 l''allH. In 1>JH they u'l nbercd about •J..'il)l) lod^'es 
 or familes. Diirini; that year, llicy stole a blaii 
 ke'. iron' the American h'lir Company's steamboat 
 on the \'ellowsmiie, which had belonircd Ion man 
 who hail did ol Hi sniall.po.\ on tlii^ passage 
 lip Ihe .Mis.toiiri. The iiifecteil article beinK car- 
 ried to their encai.ijrii n upon the "hit hand liak 
 of the .Missouri.'' sjircad the dreadliil infection 
 anionj,' the whole tribe. They were am.i/.ed at 
 the appearance of the disease. The red bloleli, 
 the bile, cont'cslion of the lnni,'H, liver, and brain, 
 were all new to lliiir mcdiein.mcn ; and the rot- 
 ten corpse fallim; in pieces while they buried it. 
 
 |>OBil(' of the (Ileal .Spirit. His |nnperty, when! struck horror inlii every heart. In their phicnzy 
 once arrived within their Ciunp, is iimler the pro. i' and ignorance, Ihey increased the number »( llieir 
 lection ol' tin ir honor and religions principle, sweat ovens upon the banks of the strea:o, and 
 And should want, cupidity, or any other motive, ! whether the burning lever or the want ol nervous 
 t(;mpt any individual to disrc.'anf Ihesi 
 
 laws ol 
 llORpitalily, the property wliii h may have In in 
 stolen, or its e(pnvaleiil. is returned, and llie 
 ofTendcr punished. The Snakes are a very iiilel- 
 li(;cnt race. This appears in the eomrorts of their 
 homes, their well-conslnicled lodjres, Ihe elcn^anee 
 and useful form of their wardrobe, their horse. 
 gear. iJtc. lint more especially do(S il exhibit 
 itself in their views of Sdisual excesses and other 
 inimoralilies. These are inhibited by immemo. 
 rial usages of the tribe. j\or (lo(s their code ol 
 customs ojieratc upon those wroiit^ doincB only 
 whic 11 originate amoiiu' a savajre people. A\'liat- 
 evrr indecency is otl'cred llieni by their intereourse 
 with the whites, they avoid. Civilized vice is quite 
 as ofl'eiisivc as that which (rrows up in their owr 
 untrained natures. The noii.usc ol inlo.xieating 
 li(|lior is an example of this kind. They abjured 
 it from the commence inint of its inlroduclion 
 among them. And they fx'wc llic best of reasons 
 for this custom : — " It unmans us for the hunt, 
 and for dcfcndinjr omsclyes against our enemies : 
 it causes umi.ilural dissensions among ourselves : 
 it makes the Ciiicf less than his Indian ; and by 
 its use, imbecility and ruin would conic upon the 
 Slioshonie tribe." Whatever ditlerence of opinion 
 may exist ,iinong civilized men on this matter, 
 these Indians certainly reason well lor tlieni- 
 selveB, and, I am inclined to think, for all others. 
 A voice from llie depths of the mounlains~-from 
 
 aclion prevailed ; whrlher frantic with pain, or 
 loltcriii!^ in death, they were placed In them, 
 sweated profusely and plunged into the snowy wa- 
 ters of the river. The mortality wliii li followed 
 this treatment w.is a paralh I of the plague in Lon- 
 don. They endeavored lor a time lo bury the 
 dead, but these were soon more mimerons than 
 the living. The evil. minded niediciii-men of all 
 aues had eoine in a Isxly from the world of splr. 
 Its, li.id entered into them, and were working the 
 annihilation of the Dlaekioot race. The tireat 
 .•Spirit also had placed the Hoods of his displeasure 
 bcUvccn liimscll and llieiii ; He had cast a mist 
 over the eyes of their conjiirors, that they might 
 not know the remedial incautalion. Tin ir hunts 
 vvcre ended ; their bows were broken; the lire in 
 the Great Pipe was extinguished lorcver ; their 
 graves called for them ; and the call was now 
 answered by a thousand dyinL' groans. Mad with 
 superstition and fear, brother for.sook sister ; father 
 his son ; and mother her sucking child ; and Hcd 
 lo the elevated vales among the western liights, 
 where the iiil!uciiees of the climate, operating 
 upon the already wcll.spcut energies of the dis. 
 I ease, restored the remainder of the tribe again to 
 I health. Of the 2,M\) families existing at the tlnio 
 j the pestilence coinnienced, one or more members 
 [ of bOO only survived its ravages. And even to 
 I tliis hour do the Ijoncs of 7,000 or 8,000 Black- 
 I feci, lie, unburied among tlie decaying lodges of 
 
j'« llic liorky Mounlaini, the Oregon Territory, i\c. 
 
 (Jn 
 
 tlicir diiiMrtcd villu(j(', on tliclmtikHof llin Yellow, 
 ntori)'. Hut IIiIh iiijllctidii liaK in no wlur liiiinnn- 
 izrd their IiIihkI thirdly n.iliirc. Ah rvrr before, 
 they w«i{e exleriiiiimliii;{ war uimim the truderN 
 iiiKl trupper 1, iiiil the Oregon liichiinH. 
 
 The Arriii)ahr)e« riHidc Hoiilli oT the Sn:ikc». — 
 They wander In the winter waKon over the eoun- 
 try aUiiit th< head ol' tht (ireat Kenyon of the 
 Colorado of the Wist, and to a eoiiHiderahle diH- 
 tance down that river ; and in sunnner hnnt the 
 hnfl'alo ni the New Park, or " Itnll Pen," in the 
 " ( Hd I'ark" on (Jraixl Uiver, and in " Itayoii Sa- 
 lade," on the Hontli fork of tin; I'latte. 'I'heir 
 nnniher ix not well aNci rtained. Some extiniate 
 it lit 3,00(1, otIierH more, and others Htill lewi. — 
 They are Haid to he a hiave — learleBH, thrifty, 
 iligenioiiH, and |ioK|>it;diie |ii(i|>le. They owiihir(;e 
 pnMiherH of liorHeH, nnilcs, iIol'S, anil hIii'|'|i. Tlie 
 do(;s they fatten undent, lliiiie the name Ar. 
 rapahiKt) — dojr ral(.r». They Miainifaeture the 
 wof)l of their Hheep into hianki Ih of a very Buperi- 
 or ipiulity. I Huw many ol till in ; |hikni hhciI one ; 
 nnd believe Ihrni to In made with winietliiii); in 
 the form of a darniin;. needle. They appeared to 
 he wroiip;hl, in the hrst plaee, like a tisliinfj-nel ; 
 nnd on this, aR a loimdalion, ilarni d so denHcly 
 that the rain will not pinetratr them. They are 
 imnally Ktiipi d or eheeked with yellow and red. 
 
 Tliere is in lliih tribe a very eurioiis law of nal. 
 uralizution ; it is based upon pro|)erly. .\ny one, 
 whether red or while, may avail liimsi If of it. 
 One horde, wliieh ean run ■ ■' . t'lllieii iit sjiced tu 
 overtake a bnllalo eow, and another horse or mule, 
 eapable of hearing; a paik of ^dU pounds, must 
 be |)osK<ssed by the appliealit. 
 
 'I'liew beiny delivered to the pi-iiiei|)al clilif of 
 the tribe, and bis intentions bi in}r iiiaili' known, 
 I e is driland ii eiliz.en of the Arrapaboe tribe, 
 and entitled to a wife and other bi^jb jirivileges 
 thereunto uppertaininjr. Thus reeojriiiy.ed, he en- 
 ters Ujion a lib: ol savajre indepelidiiiee. His 
 wife takes eare of his horses, niaiiiifaetnreH his 
 saddles and bridles, and leash ro|MK and whips, 
 his moeeasins, lejf)riiij;s, and lmntin(,'-sliirts, from 
 leather and olhir materials prijiared by her own 
 hands ; beats with a woodi n adz ebisbutlalorolK'H, 
 till they are W)lt and pleasant for bin couch ; tans 
 jiides lor bis tent eovi linjf, and drajjs from the dis- 
 tant hills the clean white.pine poliH to support it; 
 cooks his daily food and places it be!ore him. — 
 And shoul.. sickness overtake him, and death rap 
 at the door of his lodi;e, his sipiaw walebes kind- 
 ly the lust yearniiiffsot the ill partini; spirit. His 
 sole duty, as her lord in lili , and as a citizen of 
 the .\rrapahiie tribe, is to ride the horse which 
 she. saddles and brinfrs to Ins lent, kill the game 
 which she dresses and cures ; sit and slumber on 
 the couch which she spreads ; and light the ene. 
 mics of the tribe. Their languajre is said to be 
 esKentially the same as that spoken by the .'^nakes 
 und Cumaneh(R. 
 
 'I'his, and other t.ihcB in die mountains, and in 
 tlie upper plains, have a custom, the same in its 
 objects as was the ceremony of the "toga virdis" 
 among the Koinans. AVben ripened into nuin- 
 hood, every young man of the tribes is expected 
 to do some act of bravery that will give promise 
 of his disposition and ability to defend the rights 
 of lus tribe and lainiiy. Nor can this expectation 
 bo disregarded. So, in the spring of the year, those 
 
 of the age alluded to, iiMoriatc thcmitelveK tO or 
 
 W in n band, and devote IbemselviH to Ibe ilulieH 
 of man's estate in (he following manm r : They 
 take leave of their friends, and depart to some se. 
 eret plaei' near the woodlanilH ; collect jhiIcs '.ill or 
 .311 feet in length, and raise ihcni in the form of a 
 cone; and cover the structure so thickly with 
 leaves and Isnigbs as to secure the inli rior from 
 the gaze of peisiinH outside. They tin ii hang a 
 fresh Imllido head inside, — near the top of the 
 lodge where the poles meet ; and In low this, 
 around the sides, sinpi ml eamp-kettlcs, scalps, 
 and blanki'ls, and the skin of a white biiir.do, as 
 od'erings to the (Jreat Spirit. Alter the lodge is 
 thus arranged, they enter it withinuch solemnity, 
 nnd commence the ceremonies which are to con- 
 secrate themselves to war, and the destruction of 
 their own enemies, and those of Ihetribe. Tim 
 first act, is to seal tbcmKclvi s in a circle around a 
 fire built in the centre of the lodge, and ''make 
 medicin ;" that is, — invoke thi presence and 
 aid of protecting syirils, by smoking the (ireat 
 Mystic I'i|)e. One of the/r nnmlier tills it with 
 tobacco and herbs, places upon Ibe Isnvl a bright 
 coal from the lire within the lodge, dra«s the 
 smoke into bis lungs, and blows it hence through 
 his nostrils, He then si izis the stem with bulb 
 hands, and leaning forward, touches the ground 
 Ix'tween his feet with the lower |)art of the bowl, 
 and smokes again as before. The feel, und arms, 
 and breast, are successively touched in ;i similar 
 way ; and alter each touching, the sacred smoke 
 is inhaled as before. 'I'be pipe is then passed to 
 the one on his right, who sniokmushis fellow had 
 done. And thus the (ireat Pipe goes round, and 
 the smoke rises and mingles with Ibe voliycotler. 
 ings to the (ireat .Spirit that air suspended i'bove 
 their heads. Immediately alter this smoking, is 
 believed to be a favored ume forolTi ring jiriiyir to 
 the (ireat Spirit. They jiray for courage, miiiI 
 victory over their foes in the camjiaign they are 
 aU)Ul to undertake ; and that tliev may In pro. 
 teeteil I'loni the spirits of evil.miniled medicin 
 men. They then make a sok nin and irrevocable 
 vow, that if these medicin men do not make tin in 
 sick- — do not enter into tlieii bosoms and ilislroy 
 their strength and courage, they will never again 
 see their relatives and Inbe, unless Ihcy do so in 
 garments stained with the blood of their eiiemifs. 
 Having paRsed through lliesc eeiemonies, they 
 ris<: and dance to the music of war cbanis, till 
 they are exhausted and swoon. In this stale of 
 insi nsibility, they imagine that Ibe spirits of the 
 brave dead visit them and teach tb< m their duly, 
 and inform them of the events' that will trans|iiir 
 during the campaign. Thrie days and nights 
 are passed in performing these eeiemonies ; dur- 
 ing which time, they neither eat nor drink, nor 
 leave the lodge. .Vt early dawn of the fourth day 
 they select u leader from their number, appoint n 
 distant plaee of meeting ; and emerging lioiii the 
 lodge, each walks away from it alinc to tbejilacc 
 of rendezvous. Having arrived ti.cre, they de. 
 terinine whose horses are to he stolen, whose scalps 
 taken ; and commence their march. They al- 
 ways go out on fool, wholly dejicndent upon their 
 own energirs for food and every other necessary. 
 Among other things, it is considered a great dis. 
 grace to be long without Jiiiut and the mcunii of 
 riding. 
 
 <■ 
 
64 
 
 Travels in Oie Great Western Prairiet, 
 
 It somctiiMes liapjjPnB that tlii-sc parties are un- 
 able to satisfy tho conditions of their consecra- 
 tion durinfr th-; first season ; and therefore are 
 coni|)clled to resort to some infjenioiis aiid satis- 
 fttc'ory evasion of tlic obUgations of tlicir vow, or 
 to po into winter quarters till another opening 
 spriiij; allows them to prosecute tlieir designs. — 
 Tiie trappers relate a ease of this kind, wiiieh led 
 to !i i-urious incident. A war party of HIackfect 
 had spent the se;iflon in Siekiiip; for tlieir enemies 
 witliout HuceesH. The Htoriiis of approaehiiif; win- 
 ter had hegiui to howl around, and a '.i-ish to re. 
 turn to the lofj fires and IjulValo meat, and liilari- 
 ti""-, uiid frididships of the eamp of the tribe in the 
 high vales of the Upper ^lissouri, had become ar- 
 dent, wlien a lorlorn, solitary trapper, who had 
 long resided among them, entered their camp. — 
 Affectionate and sincere greetings passed at the 
 moment of meeting. The trapper, as is the ens- 
 torn, was invited to cat ; and all appeared friend, 
 ly and glad. Hut soon the Indians became re- 
 Bcrv .1, and whispered ominously among Ihem- 
 sclves. At length came to the ear of the trapper 
 liigh word" of debate in regard to his life. They 
 all agreed that his white skin indubitably indi- 
 cated t\at lie ..elonged to tlie " (ireat Tribe of 
 iheir .atural enemies, and that wilh the blood 
 ef !• white upon thoir garments, they would 'have 
 fuI.MIed the terms of their vow, and could return 
 (o their fi lends .-ind tribe. Rut a i)art of them se- 
 riously questioned whether the sacred names of 
 f-:^;'daiid i)rotlicr, which they had for years ap- 
 plied 'o lum, lei'J not so changed his natural rela- 
 tionship <o ihem, that the tJreat Spirit, to whom 
 they had made their vow, had sent him among 
 them in the character wliieh they themselves had 
 given him — as a friend and brother. If so, they 
 reasoned that the sacrifice of his life would only 
 anger Him, and by no means reheve them from 
 the obligations of their vow. Another party 
 reasoned that the (jrcat Spirit had sent this vie. 
 till! amorg them to test their fidchty to Him. — 
 \lv had indeed been their friend ; they had called | 
 him brother; but he was hIho tin u natural ene- i 
 my ; and that the (Jreat One to whom they had ! 
 made their vow, would not release them at all 
 from its obligations, if tliey allowed this facti- 
 tious relation of Iriendslup to interfere with obe- 
 dience to Himsflf. The other party rejoined, 
 that although the trapix.'r was their natural ene- 
 my, he was not one within the meaning of their 
 vov that the takiiv "f his life woidd he an 
 rvas,. 11 of its saeicd obligations — a blot upon their 
 ootirage — and an outrage upon the laws of friend- 
 ship ; that they could find other victims, but that 
 their friend could not find another life. The 
 other party rebutted, that the trapper was con- 
 fessedly their natural enemy ; that the conditiims 
 of their vow required the blood of their natural 
 enemy ; and that the (ireat Spirit had sufficient- 
 ly shown His views of the relativa obligations of 
 friendship and obedience to Himself in s nding 
 the trapper to their camp. The trapper's friends 
 perceiving that the obstinacy of their opponents 
 was unlikely to yield to reason, proposed as a com- 
 proinisc, that, since, if they should adjudge the 
 trapper their enemy within the reqturcments of 
 their vow, his blood only would be needed to stain 
 their garments, lliey woidd agree to take from liini 
 DO much M might be neccwttry for that purpote ; 
 
 and that in consideration of being a brother, he 
 should retain enough to keep his heart aliv(\ — 
 As their return to their trilte would be secured by 
 this measure, little objection was raised to if. — 
 The flint lancet was applied to the veins of the 
 white man ; their garments were died wilh his 
 blood ; they departed for their nation's villagt!, 
 and the poor trapper for the beaver among the 
 hills. 
 
 My worthy old guide, Kelly, Iiad often seen 
 these mediein lodges. He informed me that many 
 of his votive offerings U'fort^ mentioned are pi'r- 
 niitted to decay with the lodge' in which they are 
 hung ; that the penalty to any mortal who should 
 dare appropriate them to his use was death. A 
 certain white man, however, who had been roblxid 
 of his blanket at the sotting in of winter, came 
 upt)n one of these sacred lodges erected by the 
 young Arrapahoes, which contained, among other 
 things, a blanket that seemed well cidculated to 
 shield him from the cold. He spread it over liis 
 shivering frame, and very unadvisciUy went into 
 the Ariapahoe village. The Indians knew the 
 sacred dei)ositc, held a council, called the culprit 
 before them, and demanded why he had stolen 
 from the Cireat Spirit .' In exculpation, he stated 
 that he had been robbed ; that the Great Spirit 
 saw him naked in the wintry wind ; pitied him ; 
 showed him the aaered lodge, and bade him take 
 the blanket. " That seems to l)e well," said the 
 principal chief, to his fellow. counsellors, " the 
 (ireat .Spirit has an luidouhtcd right to give away 
 his own projierty ;" and the trader was released. 
 
 Among the several personages whom i chanced 
 to meet at Urown's Hole, was an old Snake In- 
 dian, who saw Messrs. Lewis and Clark on the 
 head waters of the Missouri in 1805. He is the 
 individual of his tribe, who first saw the explorers' 
 cavalcade. He appears to have Ijecn galloping 
 from place to place in the oltice of sentinel to the 
 ShoBonic <'anii), when he suddenly found liimself 
 in the very presence of the whites. Astonishment 
 iixci\ him to the spot. Men with faces pale as 
 ashes, had never been seen by himself or nation. 
 " The head rose high and round, the top flat ; it 
 jutted over the eyes in a thin rim ; their skin was 
 loose and flowing, and of various colors." His 
 fears at length overcoming his curiosity, he fled in 
 the direction of the Indian encampment. Hut 
 being stM'ii by the whites, they pursued and brought 
 him to their camp ; exhibited to liim the effects of 
 their fire-anns — loaded him with presents, and let 
 him go. Having arrived among his own people, 
 he told them he had seen men with faces pale i* 
 ashes, who were makers of thunder, lightning, 
 &c. This informajion astounded the whole tribe. 
 They had lived many years, and their ancestors 
 had lived many more, and there were many le- 
 gends which spoke of many wonderful things; 
 but a talc like this they never had heard. A 
 council was therefore assembled to consider the 
 matter. The man of strange words was Blun- 
 moned U^fore it ; and he rehearsed, in substance, 
 what he had before told to others ; hut was not 
 believed. " All men were red, and tlierefore he 
 could not have seen men as pale as ashes." "Tho 
 (ireat Spirit made the thunder and the lightning ; 
 he therefore could not has seen men of any color 
 that eo\dd produce it. He had secnlnolhing ; ''• 
 had lied to his chief, and should die." At tliia 
 
 
in the Rocky Mountains, the Oregon Tirritory, ifc. 
 
 65 
 
 stago of the procccdiniTB, the culprit produced some ' fleas ; tliat tlic Cohiinhia river was unlit for nau. 
 of the presents whicli he had received from (lie (ration— fit oidy for an Indian fisli-pond. Such a 
 pule men. Thcsi- beinfj quite as new to thcin us j dcseriiHion of Orcfron— tlie part of the American 
 pale faces were, it wasdeterinincd "tliiit he should I domain repre'^ented by traders, trappers, and 
 have the privilege of IcP-ding his jiidKCS to the | travellers, u^- most delightful, beautiful, and pro- 
 place where he declared he had seen these strange : ductive— was astonishing, unlooked for, and dis- 
 people j and if such were found there, he should '| eouraging. And did I not recollect that Mr. 
 be exculpated ; if not, these liieseiits were to be ' Hichardson had reasons for desiring to increase 
 considered as conclusive evidence against liiiii, that 'i the strength of his party through the dangerous 
 he dealt with evil spirits, and that he was worthy jl plains towards the States, I should, after having 
 of death by the arrows of his kinlolks." The i)ale I seen f)regon, be at a loss to divine the purpose of 
 men— the thuiider.inakers— w( re loiii.;l, and were ij sueli a representation of it. 
 witnesses of the ixw.r fellow's story. He was re. ■\ If^tli. Mr. RichardsfMi's ae.scriptions of Oregon 
 leased ; and has ever since been niueli honored and ;'. had the effect to draw off two of my eonipam(,ns. 
 loved by his tribe, and every white man in the 
 mountains. He is now about 81) years old, and 
 poor. But as he is always about Fort David 
 Crockett, he is never permitted to want. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 An Arrival from Knrl Hall — An Account from Oregon— Re* 
 lurn of two of my Co.npanions loilie Siauv— \ Slarlling: 
 (Jonrliiion— An Indian tiuide— A Karcwfll — How a 
 Ilorsp .Stofiies Geolojfs'— .A Camp— Dotf Matinn super- 
 ercedett — A Scene— Slipelsli nipt — Kule^ — Dp&ulation — 
 IMidnigtit Srenp in \\\i\ IMouiitaini— In('ian .lim and tin* 
 Buffalo — Hunfjry .^^I'tmaclis — A t'^at Sli'H— Pine Eyesighl 
 — An Old 'I'rappfr i*icked Up — Bwauiilul Dhshti— "Ho-, 
 H»s"— Mecli llie Bear Killpr— A ^- d 1 Vile — /imniprnian 
 WriiiuKs «l. as lliey rnluencnd a Sia-'viiijf Horsp — 
 
 *'U fi[ti ugh" — Sleanihoal .Sprinif — Natural St)da 
 
 Fountains — \piKhlKirii!}^ Land^Cflpp— A Hard Drivp— 
 Valley of (Jh-ism — Nature's Vaie— a Heavy March— 
 Passing the Mountains — Maligniiy — A (ItiarnimK Gorgw 
 — Entrance iitto Oregon— rii,f South Brancti of the Co- 
 lumbia— l''ori Halt and iis Ho.pitnlities. 
 
 17th. An event of Great interest oeenrred this 
 day. Ft was the arrival of Paul Uiehardson and 
 three of his companions from I'oit lliill. Tlilsold 
 Yankee wooilsnian had been upon one of liis fa.' 
 Vf)rite suminer trips IVoin St. l/ouis to the borders 
 of Oregon. He had acted as guide and hunter to 
 a party of missionarirs to the Oregon Indians. — 
 Several other pi^rsons from the \v<'stc'rn .'States had 
 aeeonipanicd them ; One with the lofty intention 
 of eouiini.'ring Caliloriiia ; and otliirs with the in- 
 tention of trading. iMrining, &(!., on the lower 
 Cohnnbia ; anil olhrrs to (-x])lore the Roeky 
 .Mountains, anil the wiiiidirs oi-Xattire along the 
 shores of the Paeifie. The events of their tour 
 were freely ilisensscd. They hat' storms of hail 
 and Innnaii wrath. The eoni|ueri)r of California 
 had been disposed to iiet the general before he had 
 received his epaulettes ; had provei', to be so trou- 
 blisome that he uas expelled froi.i camp a siiort 
 distance from the frontier; ae.il obliged to ride, 
 sleep, and eat, at a eoinfortiiile dislanec from his 
 companions, during ;lv- lemainder uf the jonrnev. 
 The missionaries, too, Messrs. .Monger and Grit'- 
 fith, and their ladies, had had eauses of irritability. 
 .So thitt, between all the eonflieting feelings and 
 opinions of the parly, their little camp, it was 
 said, was frei|Liently lidl of trouble. Oregon also 
 came under diseiission. Mr Rieliardson had 
 traveled over the territory; knew it wi'U ; it was 
 not as prodiietive as New Knglanil ; 15 bushels 
 of wheat to the iicre was an extraiprdinary crop ; 
 corn and potatoes did ii it yield thi; seed planted ; 
 rain fell ineessaiitlv live months of the year; the 
 remainiler was ui, ksseil even with diw ; that the 
 Indians and white: residing there, had the fever 
 and ague, or bilious fever, the year about; that 
 
 They had no evidence to oppose to his account ; 
 he had resided two years in the Territory, and on 
 the knowledge acquired by that meann, had repre- 
 ■-ented it to be in no sense a desirable place of 
 abode. They tlierel'ore forsook the chase after a 
 desert, and joined him for the green glades of tlio 
 valley States. On the morning of the 18th, they 
 left me. It was the most disheartening event 
 which had befi'Uen me on the journey. Oakley 
 and V.'ood had stood by me in the trials and storms 
 of the plains — had evinced a firmness of ptir|x)sc 
 equal to every emergency that had occurred — 
 were men on whom reliance could be placed — hu- 
 mane men — always ready to do their duty prompt- 
 ly and cheerfully. It was painful, therefore, to 
 l)art with them at a lime when their services were 
 most needed. .Mone in the heart of the Rocky 
 .Mountains — a traveler through the range of the 
 Blackfoot jwar-parties— in bad health — no men 
 save poor old Ulair, and the worse than useless 
 \ agabond Smith, alias Carroll, to aid me in resist- 
 ing these savages. I felt alone. I was indeed kind- 
 vl otTi red quarters for the winter at Brown's Hole. 
 But if I accepted them, I should find it impostblc 
 to return to the States the next year. I deter, 
 mined therefore to reach the Columbia river that 
 season, iie the risk and manner what it might. — . 
 -Veeorclinglv I engaged a .Snake Indian, whom the 
 whites called ''.Iiiii,"ti) pilot me to Fort Hall — 
 march to eo'n'H'nce on the morning of the 19tl', 
 — distance iiOO miles — compensation .^)0 loads of 
 ammunition, and three bimehes of beads. 
 
 There is in this valley, and in some other parts 
 of 'he mountains, a friiit called bullberry. It is 
 the most delightful acid in the vegetable king- 
 dom ; of the size of the common red currant, 
 with larger seeds than arc found in that fruit ; 
 color deej) red ; grows npon bushes 8 or 10 feet 
 high, which in general appearance resemble a 
 young beech tree. Of these berries I obtauicd a 
 small quiuitily, had a dog butchered, took a j oimd 
 or two of dried buffalo meat which Mr. St. Clair 
 kindly gave me, purchased a horse of Mr. R jbin- 
 son for the use of Blair, and on the moniing of 
 the lillh of Augu.st left the hospitalities of V'ort 
 David Crockett for the dreary wastes and starv'ncf 
 plains between it and I'ort Hall. Blair, Smu ; 
 and my guide Jim, eonstitnted my whole force. 
 .\uinerous war parlies of Blaekfeet and Sioux 
 were hovering over my trail. If discovered by 
 them, death w.as certain ; if not, and starvation 
 did not assail us, we might reach the waters of 
 \ Snake River. At all events the trial was to Im; 
 \ le de ; and at 10 o'clock A. M. we wcrc winding 
 
 what little of himan life was lelt by these causes our way up the Shcet.-ikadec. 
 of destruction, wkh consumed by im'.squitocs and '\ Of the regrets ut leaving this beautiful little val- 
 r 
 
Travels in the Cheat Western Prairies, 
 
 ey, tlinre was no one that I remember morn vividly 
 than that of parting with niy old (fuide. Killy was 
 a man of many r.xcollcnt qualities, llewas brave 
 'vithout ostentation, kind without makinp; vou feel 
 uij obligation ; and preferred on all occaHions the 
 liappinepsofotherB to his own ease or safety- The 
 river during the twelve miles travel of the day, ap- 
 ])care(l to be alx)iit 101) yards wide, a rapid eur. 
 rent two feet deep, water limpid. The mountains 
 on either side ros(^ half a mile from the. river in 
 dark stratified masses, 1,000 feet above the level of 
 the stream, (hi their sides were a few shrub cc. 
 dars. Tho lower hills were eovcred with the hated | 
 wild wormw(X)d and priekly pear. The banks 
 were of white clay, alternated with the loose light 
 colored sandy soil of the mountain districts. The • 
 rocks were quartz, red sand stone and lime stone ! 
 Our camp was pitched at night on the high bank '. 
 of the stream among the bushes ; and a supper of; 
 stewed dgg me.'jt prepared us for sleep. I 
 
 20th. At 7 o'clock in the morning we had 
 breakfasted and were on our way. AVc traveled 
 three miles up the east bank of the river and came ■ 
 to a mountain through which it broke its way with 
 n noise that indicated the fall to be great, and the 
 channel to be a deep rugged chasm. Xear the : 
 place where it leaves the chasm, wo turned to the 
 right and followed up a rough, ueep gorge, the (lis. 
 lance of tivo miles, and emerged into a plain. This 
 gorge had been formed by the action of u tributary , 
 of Green IJivcr upon the soft red sand stone tha't 
 formed the i)rcei|)ice8 around. It winds in the 
 distance of live miha to every point of compass. ; 
 Along nnich of its course alsothe elifli* hang over ,, 
 the stream in such manner as to render it impossi- j, 
 ble to travel the water side. Hence tho necessitv, 
 in ascending tho gorge of clambering over in'i- 
 H'enso precipices, along brinks of yawning rav- 
 e-ns, on paths twelve or fourteen inches in width, 
 with not a bush to cling to in the event of n false ■' 
 step. And yet our Indian horses were so well usdl 
 to passL.i of the kind, that Ihey traveled llie m with- 
 out (ear or accident till the worst were behind us. 
 
 How delusive the past as a test of the future ? 
 I was felicitating myself upon our good fortun(! as : 
 the caravan wound its way slowly over a sharp 
 elifV before me, when the shout from the men 
 in advance, " well done I'uibla,"' hi'.stcncd mc to 
 the top of the ridge, My Pmbla murwhadlifl the 
 track. Instead of fillowing a wide, wcll-beaten 
 way down the monntnin. she in her wisdom had 
 chosen to thread the shelf of a chlf, which, wide \ 
 at the place where it H]irnng from tin' pathway, i 
 gradually became narrower till it was lost in the! 
 |)erpcndieular face of the .Mountain. She was un- : 
 der a high bulky back at the time, and before she 
 had qiute explored the nethermost inch of the in- i 
 teresting stratum she hpi rjied dis|)oscd to trace to its 
 lowest dip, the centre of gravity was suddeidv 
 thrown without liie base : and over she reeled, anil 
 Tcil ten or twelve leet among broken rocks, and 
 rolled and tumbled (illO feet more of short periten- 
 dicular descents and inclined plains into Ihe "(ream 
 below. On descending and axaminingher. 1 found 
 her horribly mangled — the blood rinuiing from the 
 nostrils, cars and oilier parts of the iHidy. As it , 
 was apj)arent she would sijin die. I stripped her of i; 
 '-'r packs and gear, drove her to a jjlat of grass * 
 where she could IiikI food, should kIio need il, and i 
 left Jier to ber fate. i 
 
 ': This accident being disposed of we emerged from 
 this gorge, traveled over barren gravelly plains dot. 
 ' ted with pyramidal hillsof the same material, whose, 
 sides were belted with strata of coarso gray sand 
 stone. About ■! o'clock P. M., Jim halted beside a 
 : little brook, and pointing ahead said " wat, ugh, 
 u — gh;" by which I understood thatthe next water 
 on our way was too far distant to be reached that 
 : night ; and we encami)ed. The scenery to the west 
 I was very beautiful. An hundred rods from our camp 
 in that direction rost; an apparently perfect pyra- 
 I mid of regular stratified black rocks, alwut 601) feet 
 in bight, with a basilar diameter of about 800 feel, 
 and partially covered with bushes. Beyond it 
 some ■")()0 yards, crept away a circling ridge of 
 ; the same kind of rocks, leaving a beautiful lawn 
 ; between. And still beyond, GO miles to tho south- 
 west, through a break in the hills that lay in clus. 
 . tcrs over the intervenuig country, a [Kjrtion of the 
 I Anahuac Kangc was seen, B\i'eeping away in the 
 direction of the (ireat Salt Lake. 
 
 Jim had turned his horse looso as soon as he saw 
 we were di.^posed to encamp according to hi.s 
 ■ wishes, and was away with his rifle to the hills. 
 In an instant he was on their higlits, creeping 
 stealthily among the bushes and rocks, and tho 
 crack of his rifle and the tumbling of somo kind 
 of game over th(^ elift's immediately succeeded. 
 More nimble and sure of step than the mountain 
 goat, ho sprang down again from clill" to clifl' 
 reached the plain, and the next moment was in 
 camp crying " hos, ugh, yes." I seiTt my horse 
 and b.'-ought in his gauK — a noble buck antelope 
 of about forty ])ounds weight. In consequence 
 of this windfall our dog meat was thrown among 
 the willows for the behoof of the wolves. My 
 guide, poor fellow had eaten nothing since wo left 
 the Fort. His tribe have a superstition of somo 
 kind which forbids them the use of such meat. 
 A " dog eater'' is a term of reproach among them. 
 If one of their number incurs the displeasure of 
 another, he is called "Arrapahoe," the name of 
 the tribe I)l■eviou^ly described, who fatten these 
 a ninials for some great annual feast. Jim's 
 creed, however, raised no objections to the ilesh 
 of his antelope. He ate enormously — washed 
 himself neatly — combe<l his long dark hair — 
 pulled out his beard with right thumb and left 
 fore finger nails, and "turned in." 
 
 2i«t. Twenty miles to-day. The ride of the 
 forenoon wasover plains and hills of coarse gravel, 
 destiliu. of grass, timber, or brush, the every 
 wheii.: present wild wonnwo<id excepted. That 
 of the alternoon was among broken liills, alter- 
 nately of gravel and brov.n sand, ben: and there 
 dotted with a tuft of bunch grass. From some 
 few of the hills protruded strata of beautiful slate. 
 The Imltom lands of the river even, were as bar. 
 Ten as Sahara. The only living things seen, were 
 the small prairie wolf and flocks of magpie. This 
 bird inhaiiits the moat dreary portions of the 
 mountains, and seems to delight in making tho 
 parched and sil<nt deserts more lonely by its 
 oruinons eroiik of welcome to its desolate habita. 
 tion. Tlie raven, indeed, was alioiil us throwing 
 liis funereal wing u|)on the light of the setting 
 sun. In fine, lo.day, as often belbre, I tbuntl 
 nothing in nature from which to derive a singlo 
 pulse of pleasure, save the vnstncss of dosolate 
 wastes, the tombs of tho waslungs of I lie Flood I 
 
in the RocTcy Mountains, the Oregon Territory, 9^c. 
 
 6t 
 
 
 Near night, howrvfr, wc were gratified to fiud a 
 few dfcrppid old cotton-wood trees on the bank of 
 the Shertskadco among which to encamp. Onr 
 horncF having liad Htlle food for the last 48 hours, 
 devoured with eager appetite Iho dry grass along 
 the banks. Since leaving Brown's Hole, our course 
 had been nearly due north. 
 
 M<1. 'I'raveied u)) (Jrcen River about three 
 miles, crossed it three times an<l took to the hills 
 on its western side. The course of the river as 
 fur as seen in this vail, y, is nearly wiiilli ; the hot- 
 torn and banks generally of gravel ; the face of 
 the country a dry, hiirren, imdidating plain. Our 
 course, after leaving the river, was northwest by 
 north. Alwut 2 o'clock we struck Ham's Fork, 
 a tributary of (ireen River, anil encamped near 
 the water side. This stream probably |)ours down 
 immenso Imdies of water wlien the snow niella 
 upon the neiglil)orin(r highlands ; for its channel, 
 at the place where we struck it, was half a mile 
 in width and iiOO feet deep. Very little water is 
 said to run in it in July, August and Sej)teniber. 
 The current was three or four inches in depth, 
 a rod wide and sluggish. Tliree bules appeared 
 in the northeast, about \'i o'clock, 15 miles dis. 
 tant. One of them resembled a vast churi'li, sur. 
 mounted by a perp( iKhciiliir sliafl of rock, jiroba- 
 bly 3U0 feet in bight. The swelling base ri'sein. 
 bled in color the sands of this region. The rock 
 shaft was dark, i)robably Imsalt. Wy the side of 
 this, springing immediately from the ])l:iin, rose 
 anolbcr shaft of rock, about KIO feet high, of 
 regular outline and aliout lo fiet in diameter. — 
 Seven or eight miles to the north rose another bute, 
 a perpendicular shaft bW or fiO feet in bight, rest- 
 ing uiHJii a base of hills which rise alK)ut .300 feet 
 above the jilain. lieyond tluse biites to the east, 
 the country sccincd to lie an open plain. To the 
 south of Ihi'in extends a range of dark mountains 
 reaching far into the dimly-disceruCTl neighbor- 
 hood of lAiiig's I'eak. The whole circle of vis- 
 ion presented no other nn-iins of life for man or 
 beast than a few siiuill ]ialeb(sof dry grass, and 
 the water of the stream. .'\I;my of the sandy blull's 
 wire covered with the prickly pear and wild" worm- 
 wood. Generally, liowivcr, nothing green, noth- 
 ing but the burnt unproduclive waste ajipeared, 
 which no art of man can reclaim. Vet far in the 
 north, the snowy peaks of ^\'ind Hivcr .Moun- 
 tains, and to the southwest a porlion of the Ami- 
 huae. ridge, indicated that it might be possible lo 
 tiiid along the borders of tbis great grave of veg. 
 elation, green vales ami purling brooks lo allevi- 
 ate the desolation of the scene. 
 
 Wc traveled I'l miles to-day and enenmpod 
 npim the bank of the stream ; cooked supper 
 and wrapping ourselves in our bl:mk<ls, with 
 saddles lor pillows, and cuit,'iiu''d by the 
 starry firmament, slept sweetly among tbi^ over- 
 hanging willows. i\ear midnight the light of 
 the moon arousid me. It was a lovdv iiighl. 
 The stars se<ined smaller than tiny do in 
 less elevated situations, but not less iHiiulifid. 
 For, although ihey are not so brilliant, they burn 
 Hieadijy, brightly on the hours of night in thi>se 
 magnillcent w;istes. I( was miilnighl. The 
 wolves are correct time-kee|s-rs. I bad scarcely 
 viewed the delightful scene iiroimd me, when 
 tbes<' sleepless sentinelH of the deserts raised their 
 midnight liow . It rung along the chambers of 
 
 ' the mountains, was at intervals taken up by ken- 
 nel after kennel, till, in the deep and distant vales 
 it yielded again to the all-pervadins; silence of 
 night. This is one of the habits that instinct has 
 taught their race. As soon as the first light of 
 morning apjiears in the east, they raise a rcveilli' 
 ■ howl in the prairies of the Western States, which, 
 keeping company with the hours, swells along the 
 vast plains from Te.\as to the sources of the IMis. 
 sis.-,ippi, and from Missouri to the depths of tlic 
 lioeky Mountain.:. All day they lurk in silence. 
 .\t imdnight anetl 'r howl awakens the sleeping 
 wilderness— more horrible anil prolonged ; and ii 
 is remarkable with what exactness tliey hit the 
 hour. 
 
 23d. We were u|) this morning before the light ; 
 and while the sun rose in the (irnat Gap, mounted 
 our jadc'l horses for the d.ays' ride. As we moved 
 onwa- ijion the elevated blntT"s which l)order the 
 rive., the light of the morning showed the biites 
 clearly on the eastcm horizon. Jim paid little 
 regard to the course of the stream to-day ; but 
 struck a bee live for sonii^ object, unseen by ii«, 
 across the hills — at times among wild wormwood, 
 at others among sliaqi, flinty stones, bo tliickly 
 laid over the ground that none but an Indian 
 horse would travel over them. We occasionally 
 approacbi'd the stream, and were gratified with the 
 appearance of a few solitary old cotton-wood 
 trees on its banks. A |ioor, stinted shrub willow, 
 too, made great efliat here and there lo prolong 
 existence, but with little success. Even in one 
 little no(jk the wild rose, currant and bulllicrry 
 bushes had the ctVronlcry to bear leaves. About 
 •1 o'clock, P. .M., small patches of dry grass wore 
 seen in the ravines. On one of these were five 
 buft'alo ; but they proved to us mcro delightful 
 to the sight than to anv other sense ; since I was 
 unable to induce mv guide to halt a' id hunt them. 
 Tbis apparentiv unpardonable slul bormiess was 
 afterward explained. lie had tli > only animal 
 which could. run fast enough to ipproach thein 
 — he al'ine cfiuld ride him — and I aviiig lost bis 
 right tbmnb, pretested that he coul I not discharge 
 his |)iece from a iMinmig horse, hut liaving no 
 inle;-|neter with us t" render his furious protesta- 
 tions intelligible, I atl'-ibuted bis unwillingness to 
 lay in a supply of good meat hereto mere mali- 
 cious indiflerence. .\' 5 o'clock we came upon 
 a pl.it of excellent gra'S around a clump of yellow 
 pines. Near tbis, v-cary and hungry, wo made 
 onr camp lor the night ; ale the half of Ilia 
 meat in our jiossesH.on — a mere mite — and gorged 
 ourselves with wild 'urrants, which grew plentiful- 
 ly among the pines, u itil the darkness bade us cease. 
 Course as ycsteribn ; the hutes out of sight dur- 
 ing the aften>' ,11. We siijilKised we had trav- 
 eled 20 mil' s ; wpiither exceedingly warm. 
 
 21lli. Uodeon a fast Irol tillalioiit ."! o'clock, I*. 
 >r. sialic almut 2.') miles. Our route lay over 
 sar dy and gravelly swells, and the bottom lands 
 of Ham's Fork; the latter, like the former, were 
 well nigh destitute of vegetation. \\'hen alxmt 
 to encamp we had the excellent fortune to espy 
 an antelope on a blull'hard by. He fell before the 
 well-levcleil rillc of our one-thumbeil guide. .\ 
 fat one he was loo ; just such an one an the ini- 
 aginalioufl of our hungry slomacln hail, all the 
 day, licen figuring to themselves would aff'ord a 
 plcusttnl variety in the matter of starvation. The 
 
68 
 
 Travels in the Great Western Prairies, 
 
 circle of vision, tlie last day "r two, had biTii 
 very niuch rir('u:iis('rlbed by llio liirrfasini; sizo 
 o, the umliiUitiiii; liluIVs, anioiiir which our way 
 usually ran. And from thtir tops, whenever we 
 chanced to (JO over them, neither (he Mind Kiv- 
 er Mountains nor tlie Anahuae Kaiifre were visi- 
 ble. In all direelioMS, lo the limit of siirht, rolled 
 away the dead, lealUess. thirdly swells. Wolves 
 and ravens live anionir iluin ; lint whenc' they 
 dcr'vc subsistence is a diHieuK |ir(jblem even for 
 themselves to solve. Tlieir houlinifs and iToak- 
 ings evidently came from famished mouths. 
 
 !25th. Fifleen miles to-day alon;; tlie river; 
 course as on the 2ltli, X. W. by W.. .imonu the 
 bluffs that border the stream. ( >r if that were tor- 
 tous, we traveled from bend lo bend over Ibe table 
 lands on either side. In the valley of the stre;.m 
 small groves of yoimir and tlirilty eotton-wood 
 trees, currant bushes, and Ibe hIaeU alder, irave us 
 hopes of soon seeini;; Ibe grasses and tlouers, and 
 the cool springs of Ihe highlands, between us and 
 the Great Beaver River. The day, iiowevi r, was 
 sultry ; scarcely a breath of wind moved ; the dust 
 that rose from our track lay on the air as the 
 smoke of a village does on a still May morning. — 
 So that these occasion.d apiiearanees of vegetable 
 life imparted less pleainire than they would have 
 done if we had been able to see them through ano- 
 ther medimn than the dripping mud, manufactured 
 from dust and ])ers]iiralion. Xear mid-day. we 
 crossed Ibe river Irom its northern to its southern 
 side, and were emergiuir from the bushes whieb 
 entangled our egress, when Jim, uttering a shrill 
 whoop, pointing to a solitary horseman urLnni; bis 
 horse up tlu' bluff an half mile belowus. Meekon- 
 inghimtons, we dismounted to allow our ja<led 
 animals to feed until be should arrive. In the 
 style of a true mountaineer, he dashed ii]) 'o us on 
 a rapi<l galloj), greeted us with as lie;n'ty .; fX ake of 
 the hand as be could have bestowed iijmn i bro- 
 ther, and asked our names and destinition ; said 
 his name was " Madison (Jordon, an iiide[)eiident 
 drappcr, that he was bound lo UroWn's lie le for 
 his Hijuaw and ' possililrs.' and was glad to sc ns," 
 in less time than is usually <niployed in saying half 
 as much; and accepting an invitation to encamp 
 with us. he continued to express bis pleasure at 
 seeing us till our attention was diverted from him 
 by a halt for the nii;ht. 
 
 These remnants of the gical lrappiii!r parties 
 of Ihe American Fur Company, eommoidv inaki' 
 Hrown's Hole their winter <juarters. Indeed I be- 
 lieve the owners of that post to be old Irappirs of 
 the Company, who, having lost all Ibeir relish lor 
 former habits of life, bv a loni; 'esidencc' in ihc 
 mountains, have eslabhshed themselves there in 
 order to bring around them, not only the means 
 of subsistence according to their tastes, but their 
 merry old eoinpauions with their tales, jests, and 
 songs, and honest ami brave hearts. (Jordon.like 
 all other trappers whom 1 saw in the mountains, 
 was convinced that tbere were so few beaver, so 
 little meat, and so many dangers ami iig lliein, 
 that '• a white man bad'no business there." He 
 therefore w.is going for bis s(|Uawand " possibb'S," 
 pri'paratoi'v to dc siaiidinix llie Cnhimbia lo open a 
 iarm in the valley ol Ih. Willamette. He said 
 that was also the mtenlion of nearly all his IVIlow 
 trappers. They pio|)<jsed to take with them their 
 Indian wives and chiklrcn, settle in one nciglibor- 
 
 liood and cultivate the earlli or hunt, as inclination 
 or neeessilv might suggest, and thus |)ass the even- 
 ing of their days among the wild pleasures of that 
 delightful wilderness. 
 
 ytilh. Course northwest; distance :JI) miles; 
 some times on the banks of the river, and again 
 over the swells to avoid its windings. The' eouii- 
 Iry tbrongh which we passed to-daj-, was in some 
 respects more interesting Ib.aii any we had seen 
 siuc<' leaving liiinvn's Hole. Instead of plateaux, 
 baked and lliuly, or hills of loose nn))roduetive 
 lf>am and sand, shorn by perpetual drongbl of 
 tlower. shrub and tree, a journey of 'JO miles over 
 whieh would hardly cross grass enough to feed a 
 do/.di horses a single day, Ihe slopes of alhousand 
 spherical bills, as green as Ihe fields of the Slates 
 in .May, sent I'orth the sweet fragrance of teeming 
 ve(retation; littli' stn'ams ran away among tin' 
 black, white iiiid oninge pebbles; and the dande- 
 lion, anemone, and other flowers rejoiced in the 
 spring day breezes which cre|)t over them. It was 
 .May indeed here. The snow had 1 ilily disap. 
 peared, and Ibe r.iins had still later been falling as 
 tlu'v do in April in other places. The insects were 
 pipini; Ihe note of an opening year. It wastlic 
 dividing rid^fi' between !!''• tributaries of the ."^beet- 
 skadee and llnat Hear Rive. ; and yet not a ridge. 
 When viewed from its hii^best points, it .appeared 
 an elevated |)lateau of slightly conical swells, so 
 raised above the vast deserts on Ihe east of it, as to 
 
 I attract moisture trom the clouds. The soil of Ibis 
 
 ' region is however poor, not sullleient to bear tim- 
 ber. The grasses (rrow rankly over most of its sur- 
 face ; and those jiarts which are barren, are cover- 
 ed with red or white sand, thai contrasts beauti- 
 hillv with the matted green ofother ])ortious. In 
 
 I a word it was one (jf those places among the moun- 
 tains, where all i.^ pure. There Ibe air is dense — 
 
 'the water cold — the vegetation fresh; there Ihi: 
 snow lies nine months of the year, and when it 
 
 'evenluallv flees before the warm suns of ,lune 
 
 ■ and .lulv, the earth is clothed with vegetation al- 
 inost in a dav. Alioul sunset we deseendi'd a 
 
 ' sharp declivity of broken rocks, and encamped on 
 a small steam running north. My indefatigabb' 
 
 j.lim Shosbonie killed an antelope tor our suppers. 
 
 ; An unexpected favor this. l'"or, from tlie repre- 
 sentatious given me of this part of my route, 1 ex- 
 
 ' pei'ted to commence here, a long consuming fist, 
 which would not he broken till I reached Fort Hall 
 
 j or my grave. 
 
 t!7lli. Our last niglifs encampment proved to 
 have been on a branch of Ihe Great Bear River — 
 the principal, if not the only feeder of the Great 
 Salt Lake. AVe started down alomj' its verdant 
 li'ile valley about 7 o'clock 'ii the loining. and 
 reaehid Ihe main river al)ou* 2 .tl. It was 211 
 vards wide — water two feet ( " and transparent, 
 enrrmt four miles ])er hour, ' m of brown sand 
 and gravel. .V Iter feeding our;': als we descended 
 the river till 1 o'ckick. and ha' on its banks for 
 the nii;lit. We had traveleil ..() niibs. 'I'lie 
 mountains which beinmed ill the valli y weii' 
 generally of a conical form, prill itive, and oflen 
 verdant. Their height varied from ;")I10 to 2,")ll(l 
 feet above the level of the stream. The Imtloin 
 lands were from one lo three miles wide, of a loose, 
 dry, gravelly soil, covered with withered bunch 
 grass. By the waler-side grew various kinds of 
 trees, as quakingasp, black biieh and willows; 
 
in the Rocky Mounlains, the Oregon Territory, c^r. 
 
 69 
 
 ;ilao shrubs oi' various kinds, as llio black alder, I 
 small willow, wild wormwood, liliirk (Mirraiit and 
 service biTi-y. In the ravines of the inoMiituins 
 gloves of trees sometijues a|i]ieared peering up 
 luxuriantly aiuougthe blaek projef'liui; elill's. 
 
 i28tli. An early risinir, a luirried meal, and a 
 rapid sadillinf; and paekin<r of horses, started us 
 I'roui eamp at (i o'i'loc'k. While };ir(lin|r our sad- 
 die animals — the last act iloue in breakiuir up 
 eamp in mountain life — Jim's eajrle eye diseerned 
 in the distanee down the river, '• bos, hos." Indian 
 like, for We had bet^ome sueh in our habits, we put 
 new eapsoii our rifles, inoinited ipiieklv, and eir. 
 < led out behind a barricade of brush-wood in order 
 to ascertain the number, color and purpose of such 
 unoen^nionionsintrndt^rs ii|K)n the territories of onr 
 solitude, .lim ])eercd Ihrou^rh the leaves with the 
 utmost intensity of an Indian's vision. It was the 
 [dace for war-parlies of Crows, Sioux and Black- 
 Ic'-t ; and Ibis early a[i|iearanee of individuals ' 
 a])proaebin;r our camp, was a circumstance that 
 scented stroti^dy of bows and arrows. Hut sus- 
 pense became certainty, a pleasant certainty, as . 
 .lini reined his horse from concealment and <;al. 
 loped away to the slranjrer, now within rille shot 
 of us. 
 
 A si ron|r and warm shake of the band and vari- 
 ous conlortionsof the face and uncouth ifcslnresof 
 reco;rnition between IIkui, eompleti'd their inter- 
 view, anil the swarthy old trapper apjiroaebed my- 
 self and na'ii. fie was no less a personayje than the 
 bear killir. Meek, who li(p;nres in the St. Ijouis 
 .Museum, with Ihepawsof iin innuense ^rrislev hear 
 upon his shoulders in front, the liny:ersand thumb of 
 bis left hand bitten otV, while with bis ri^dit hand 
 he holds the hunti'r's knife, plun;;cd deeply in the 
 .■uiimal's juijul.il vein. He accosted me with 
 " (iood niornintf, how are ye 7 stran^jer in the 
 mountains, (h :'" And before I eould make a 
 inonosyllibie reply he continued " Have you any 
 meat .' ( 'nine, I've got the shoulder oi' a <;oat, 
 (anteloi)i'.) let ns go back to your eamp and cook 
 and cat, and talk awhile." \Ve were biuiiessed 
 for the day's ride, and felt unwilling to lose the 
 cool hours of the morning ; and much more so, to 
 eonsumo l]\r generous man's last |)omid of meat. 
 'I'hanking him therefore for bis honest kindniss, 
 we Silislied him witii our refusal by the assurance 
 that we had meat, and had already" breakfasted. — 
 <>n hearing that we wer.' traveling to the Colum- 
 bia river, be informed us that we might probably 
 go down with the Xe/ierees Indians, who. be 
 slated, were encamped at the lime on Salmon river, 
 one day's journey from Fort Hall. He was on his 
 way to Rrowai's Hole for his sipiaw and "possi- 
 bles," with IIk' design of joining their camp. — 
 These Indimis would leave their hunting grounds 
 for Iheir liomis about ten days from that date.— 
 
 This was is another renm int of the American 
 I'ur Company's trapping parties. Ileeame to the 
 mountains inanv years ago — and has so long asso- 
 eiiited with Indians, Ih.at bis manners nnieh re. 
 sembb' theirs. The same wild, unsettled, watch- 
 ful expression of the eyes ; the same unnatural 
 gesticulation in eojivirs ition, the same unwil- 
 lingness to use words wlion a sign, a contortion of 
 the face lu- body or movmnent of the hand will 
 manifest tbonc;;.:; in standipig, walking, riding — 
 in all but eo;nplexion be was an Inchan. Uidding 
 us good morning and wheeling away to tiic day'n 
 
 ride, ho said, " Keep your eye Bliining for the 
 ' Blackfoet. They are about the 'Beer Springs;' 
 ; and slay, my while lioi.sc tired, one camp down 
 the river; was obliged to 'ciirlic' my pack and 
 leave him : use bim if you can, and take him on 
 to the Fort; and look here, I have told you I am 
 , .Meek, the bear killer, and so I am. Bui I think 
 the Iwys at the museum in St. Iiouis might have 
 done me up as it really was. The beast only 
 'jumped on my back ami stri|)ped oil' my blanket ; 
 scratched sijme, hut diiln't pull my sbouldcr blade 
 1 ofl". Well, after be had robbed mo of my blanket, 
 , I shoved my rille against bim and blew out his 
 heart. Thai's all — no fingers bitten off, no knillng ; 
 I merely drove a little lead into his palpitator."— 
 So saying he spurred his weary animal to a trot, 
 and was soon I'.idden among the uiuicrbrnsh of the 
 intia-vales. Aleek was evidently very poor. He 
 bad scarcely elotbing enough to cover his body. 
 ', .\nd while talking with us the frosty winds which 
 ' sucked up the vally. madehimshiver likean aspen 
 leaf. He reverted to his destitute situation, and 
 .i complained of the injustice of his former employ- 
 ers ; the little remuneration he bad received for 
 till! toils and dangers he had endured on their ac- 
 , count, &.C. ; a compliint which I bad heard from 
 every trapper whom I had met on my journey. — 
 The valley opened wider as we pursiu'd our way 
 along its northern side; the soil, the water and 
 vegetation much the same inquantitj' and (piality 
 . as those which we had passed on the dTth. The 
 '' mountains on cillier hand spread into rocky pre- 
 eiliitous ridges, piled confusedly one above another 
 in dark threatening masses. .Vmong them hung, 
 in beautiful wildness from the crevices of the 
 cliUs, numerous shrub cedars. The mountain flax 
 was very abundant, and ripe. The root resem- 
 bled that of perennial plants — the llbrea that of 
 the annual hluebowl of the States, the flower the 
 same, the seed vessels the same ; but the seed« 
 themselves were much smaller, and of a very dark 
 brown color. This valley is the grain fiidd and 
 ' root garden of the Shoshonie Indians ; for there 
 grow in it a niunber of kinds of edible roots, whieb 
 Ibey dig in August, and dry for winter use. There 
 is also here a kind of grass bearing a seed of half 
 the size of the eonnnon rye, and similar in form. 
 This they also gather and pareli and store away 
 
 I in leather sacks, for the season of want. These 
 Indians had been gathering in Iheir roots, &.C. a 
 
 ' few days ])revioiis to our arrival. I was informed, 
 however, thai the crop was barely snllicient to 
 subsist them while harvesting it. But in order 
 to prevent iheir ( neniies from finding whatevi r 
 might have escaped their own search, they had 
 burned over large sections of the most productive 
 part. This day's ride was estimated at 30 miles. 
 (.)iir camp at nighl w as in a dense copse of black 
 alders by the water.slde. -Vte our last meat 
 for supper. No prospect of getting more until we 
 should arrive at Fort Hall, four days ride. 
 
 20lli. Fp with the .Sim and on mareh. .\flcr 
 an hour's ride we came upon Meek's while horse. 
 He came to ns on as fast a gallop, and wilb as 
 noisy a" neighing, as if /.immerman had never 
 dipt bis (piill in solitude, and wrote the laws for 
 
 ; destroying nature lor nature's good. .lini now 
 put spur to bis noble animal with the regularity of 
 
 .\ the march of the tread.nhll. .\ud by w.ay of 
 
 II aijology for Ilia liaste pointed to the ground, and 
 
70 
 
 Travels in the Great Western Prairies, 
 
 laying his liead on nnf ehoulder and Bnoring, mid 
 "u — gh, ugh;" wliich being intcrprete<I? mo.int 
 that our next snoring plac^ was a very, very loisg 
 
 Ulissomi, would of theniRolvfs intprr*t all who aie 
 witnrssing thf irrfoistible movements of civiliza- 
 tion upon the Amrrican rontinent. Put thisfpot 
 
 day's journey away. And our acquainted with I has otherobjects of interent : Itsticolopy and its 
 Indian firmness, would have rr;.d in his coimte. I Mineralogy, and I might well say the Chemistry 
 nance while making this eonuuunieation, a detci. j nf it, for thire arc labcriloricfl and gases hero in 
 
 mination to reach it before night-fall, whatever 
 might be the consequences. And so wc did. At 
 Bunset our camp kettle was bubbling over the bones ; 
 of a pelican at the " Steamboat spring." The | 
 part of tlio valley seen to-day was generally covered ■ 
 with a stout coat of bunch grass. This and other ! 
 indications led me to suppose it fiTtile. And yet I 
 it appeared questionable if it world yielil the or- [ 
 dinary fruits of agriculture without being irriga- ' 
 ted. I noticed however during tlic day's ride a : 
 number of points at which the waters of the river 
 might be conducted over very large tracts of ex. ; 
 cellent soil. The scarcity of fencing limber ap- ; 
 |)eured an 'obstacle, certainly, but other than this 
 tliare seemed to me no considerable eauso of doubt 
 that the valley of tlic Great Bear River will, in the 
 course of time, become one oi the most prosperous 
 abodes of cultivated life. Its situation, so remote 
 from either ocean, only mcrcases our expectation 
 of such an event, when it is recollected that the 
 most practicable wagon route Ix'twcen the .States 
 and Oregon Territory and the Californias, runs 
 through It. ' 
 
 The north end of the the Grt.it Salt Lake is 30 
 miles from our present oncampment, and the luouu- 
 tains on the Iwrdcrs of the valley are more abrupt 
 and craggy, the water of the stream more abund- 
 ant, and the soil more productive, than in the part 
 already described. A number of creeks also entering 
 the main stream from the a East, open up among 
 
 the greatest profusion will hcrcaflcr occupy the at- 
 tention of the lovers of these sciences. Tlio So- 
 da Springs, called by the fur traders Ueer Springs, 
 are the most remarkable objects of the kind within 
 my knowledge. They are situated on thc'north- 
 w(,'flt side of the river, a few rods below a grove of 
 shrub cedars, am. altoul iiOO yards from the shore. 
 There are six j^roups of them; or in other wordn, 
 there are si-x small hollows sunken almut 2 feet be. 
 low the ground around, of circidar form 7 or 8 
 feet in diameter, in which there .area number of 
 foun'aina sending up large quantities of gas and 
 water, and emitting a noise resembling the Iwiling 
 of ij.uneuse cauldrons. Tlu^se (kjoIs arc usually 
 clear, with a gravelly bottom. In some of them 
 however, grow Iwgsor hassocks of coarse grass, 
 amor g which areiuany little wells, where the wa- 
 ter bubbled so merrily that I was teniptcdlto drink 
 at one of them. But as I ])roc(feded to do so, tlu^ 
 ButVociiing properties of the gas instantly drove 
 me from my purj^ise. After this rebuffhowever, 1 
 nuule .mother attempt at a more (.pen fountain, and 
 ('••anic with little ditViculty. The waters appeared 
 to bo more highly impregnated with soda and acid 
 than those of .Surotoga ; were extremely pleasant 
 to the taste, and fumed from thestomaeh like the 
 soda water of tlie shops. Someof them threw oft' at 
 least 1 gallons of gas a second. And although they 
 cast \\\i large masses of water continually, for which 
 there appeared no outlet, yet at diflcrcnt times of 
 
 tlie black hights a numlx-r of lesser and channing ! observation I could perceive no iiu-reaseor dinumi- 
 
 vales; and around the union of the river with tho 
 Lake there arc excellent water, soil and limber, un- 
 der skies of perpetual spring. (.)f the Lake itself 
 I heard much from diflcrcnt individuals who had 
 visited diflcrcnt portions of its coast. The sub. 
 stance of their stat«ments, in which they all agree, 
 is that itis about 200 miles long, 81) or 100 wide ; 
 the water exceedingly heavy ; and so salt, say they 
 in their simple way, that pieces of wood dipped in 
 it and dried in the huu are thickly frosted with pure 
 white salt; that its coasts are generally com|)osed 
 of swells of s.and and barren brown loam, on whic'li 
 sufllcient moisture does not fall to susi ain any other 
 vegetation than tho wild wormwood and jirickly 
 pear ; that all attempts to go around it in canoes 
 have, after a day or two of trial, been abandoned 
 for tho want of fresh water; that the (ireat Bear 
 River is the (july considerable slreani putting into 
 it ; that high land is seen near the centre of it ; — 
 but whether this be an island or a long peninsula 
 there was a difl'erence of opinion among my infor- 
 mants. The valleys of the (Jreat Bear River and 
 its Iributariee, as well as the northern portion of the 
 Lake, arc Bup[)oscd to be within the territory of the 
 States. 
 
 The immediate neighborhood of our encamp- 
 ment is one of the UKist remarkable in the Rocky 
 Mountains. The facts that the trail to Oregon and 
 ("California will forever of necessity, pass within 
 300 yards of the place where our camp fire is 
 hurmng ; that near this spot nmst be ercctcrl a rest- 
 ing place for the long lines of caravans between 
 thoWborsof the Pacific aud tha waters of the 
 
 lion of the quantity visil)le. Thereare fivcor nix 
 other springs in the bank of the river just below, 
 I wliosi' waters resemble those I have described. One 
 ' of them discharges alx>ut 111 gallons a minute. 
 I One fourth of a mile down stream from the So- 
 I da Spring, is what is called " The Steamboat 
 1 spring."' The orifice from which it casts its wa- 
 ] ler is in the face of a perpendicular rock on the 
 i brink of the stream, which seems to have l)een 
 tri-uod by the depositions of the fountain. It is 
 8 mches in diameter. .Six feet from this, and on 
 the horieuntal plane of tho rock, is another orifice 
 in the cavern below Onajiproaching the spring, 
 a deej) gurgling, hissing sound is heard under- 
 I ground. It apiKam to he |)roduced by the gener- 
 1 at ing of gas in a cavernous receiver. This, when 
 ' the chamlier is filled, bursts through another cav- 
 j ern filled with water, which it thrusts frcithing and 
 j foaming into the stream. In passing the suiallcr 
 I orifice, the pent gas escapes with very much Ibr- 
 i sanu' sound as steam makes in the escape-pipe of 
 I a steamboat. Hence the name. The periods of 
 I discharge an- very irregular. At times, they oc- 
 ' cur once in two. at others, once in three, four or 
 five minutes. The force of its action also, is sub- 
 ject to great variation. Those who have visited 
 jj it often, say that its noise has been heard to echo 
 far among the hills. When I visited it I could 
 not hear it at the dislaiice of 200 yards. Then' 
 is also said to be a difl'erence at diflcrcnt times in 
 the truiperature of the water. When I examm- 
 ed it, it was a little al)ove blood heat. Others have 
 Been it nuicii higher. 
 
in the Rocky Mountains, the Oregm Territory, etc. 
 
 71 
 
 The most rsmarkablo phenomenon connected 
 with those nprings, remains vet to bo noticed. — 
 Tlic whole river, from the ifitoambont spring to 
 the Soda npringB, a distance of more than a fourth 
 of a mile, is a sheet of Hprings, thousiinds in 
 number, which burst ing throujrh two foot of su- 
 perincumbent running water, throw thoir foaming 
 jets, some six inclies, and whuoIoks, above the sur- 
 face. The water is mueli the same in its con- 
 Htitucnt qualities, as that of the Soda Hpritigs. 
 
 There arc in the iimuediato vicinity of the 
 Steamboat spring, and on t)ie opposite side of the 
 river nunierouH rockH with orifices in their centres, 
 and other evidences of having been formed by in- 
 tennittant springs that jiavc long ago ceased to 
 act. 
 
 The scenery around these wonderful fountains, 
 is very wild. To the east northeast, opens uji the 
 upper valley of Cirerit Bear River, walled in on 
 either side by dark primitive mountains, beetling 
 over the vale, and towering on the sky. To the 
 south southwoet sweeps away the lower valley. — 
 On either side of it, rise lofty niountainsof naked 
 rocks, whose wild sublimity contrasts strikingly 
 with the sweet beauty of the stream and vale 
 below. 
 
 And although statemcnt.'i in regard to what 
 shall transpire in the future, arc always a work 
 more befittmg a seer than a joumabst, yet 1 can. 
 not forbear expressing the belief that the hcalthi. 
 ness and beauty of tlicir locality — the magnifi- 
 cence of the scenery on the best routes to them 
 from the States ami from the Pacific, the mani- 
 fest suporioritv of these waters over any others, 
 will cause •' The Soda Springs" to he thronged 
 with the gay and fashionable of Imth sides of the 
 continent. 
 
 30th. Our sleep had been interrupted at mid- 
 night by the blazing fires of an Indian encamp- 
 ment on a neighboring hill. Andonce awakened 
 by such a cause, the tracks of a war party, prob- 
 al)ly of Blackfeet, which we had crossed during 
 the day, were sufficient to put us on duty the re. 
 mainder of the night- At early dawn, we sad. 
 died and moved in silence a few Inmdrcd yards 
 down the river turned to the right around the 
 Bute in the roar of the Steamboat spring, entered 
 the " Valley of chasms," and soon brought the 
 moiuitaiuH on its northern border between us and 
 our suspicious nrighlx)r8. 
 
 This valley derives its name from the numerous 
 cracks or chasms in the vulcanic rocks on which 
 it refits. They arc so wide and deep that the na- 
 tives, for many miles at the lower part of it, have 
 been obliged to run their trail over the lower 
 swells of the hills on its norlhwoRteni side. I'p 
 tills trail Jim rode on a brisk trot, beckoning us 
 in an ominous manner tn follow, mid keep in a 
 body near him. The " cut rook" and scoriir lay 
 evsry where, and crippled the [loor anitiiala at al- 
 most every step. Onward he led us, with all the 
 speed which the severest inllietions of spur and 
 whip could produce, till the shutting in of night 
 depoiifcd us among the willows on the stream of 
 the valley 40 miles from our last night's encamp- 
 ment. The rapidity of our traveling to-day, al- 
 lowed me little time to examine this singular val. 
 ley. I noticed merely that it was, like the inter. 
 vales of Bear liivcr, covered with bunch grass 
 which the thirsty «uns of eummcr had dried to i 
 
 hay. A curious gas spring also attracted my at- 
 tention al)out !) o'clock in the morning. Its bub- 
 bling and its beautiful reservoir appeared to arouse 
 the admiration even of my dogged guide Jim : 
 he halted to look at it. V'rs, It was even so. — 
 Jim, for the first time since I had had the honor 
 of his acquaintance, absolutely slojiped to look at 
 and admire a portion of the earth. It was u fine 
 specimen of Nature's masonry. Tin; basin was 
 alx)ut six feet in diameter; the bottom a circular 
 horizontal plane ; around the edge rose a rim or 
 flanclie, eight inches in hight ; all one solid rock. 
 In the centre of the liottom, arose the gas and 
 water: the latter was six inches deep, limpid, and 
 slightly acid. This fountain was situated a few 
 rods to the right of the trail. 
 
 31st. We took to our saddles, and in throe 
 hours reached the fool of the mountains which 
 divid« the " Valley of chasms" troin Snake 
 River. There is a wide depression through the 
 hights hereof so gentle a declination, tJiat loaded 
 wagons can pass from one valley to the other 
 without difficulty. I'p this we turned. It was 
 covered with green grass and shrubs and trees ; 
 among wliieh a little brook was whispering to the 
 solitude. The small birds, too, were chirping 
 among the bright flowers and bending Ixjuglis; 
 and on either hand, as if to guard so much lovo- 
 linoes from the winds of surrounding desolation, 
 the black crags rose and frowned 1,500 feet in 
 air. But himgcrl ! Every bud was fed ; every 
 bird had its nourishment ; the lizards oven weru 
 not starving. AVo wore. AVhen alxmt half way 
 up the gorge, one of Smith's horses tired and re- 
 fused to go farther. The lellow's wound, received 
 in the plains, had healed; and with strength from 
 time to time, his petty tyranny towards his animals 
 increased till being entirely recovered, hesoomedto 
 h^ve resumed a degree of malignity toward them 
 whenever they did not obance to comprehend his 
 wishes or were unable to comply witli them, that 
 would be incredible if described. In this case, 
 he cut a strong gad ; and following the slow steps 
 of the worn-out animal, struck her lengthwise 
 over the almost denuded ribs as frequently and a? 
 long as he had strength to do it ; and then would 
 rest and strike again with renewed vengeance, 
 until his boast dropped her heed and received his 
 blows without a movement. Remonstrance, and 
 the astouishod gazing of my savage guide, only 
 increased his severity. And thus he continued to 
 beat the poor animal, till, being convinced against 
 bis will, that he even coiild not make a dying 
 horse heed his command, he bestowed upon her a 
 farewell kick and curse and left her. 
 
 .\l)Out four o'clock wc stoorl on the high ground 
 which divides the waters of the little biiKik which 
 wc had followed up, from a small head stroaiii 
 of I'orlnouf. 'J'lie valiuy of the groat southern 
 branch of tlie Coluinl)ia, was spread out before us. 
 •Slaking our thirst at a cool spring, we traveled 
 five miles down the mountain, and encamped in 
 sight of tlie Trois Hutos. When we halted, I 
 was too much exhausted with hunger and fatigue 
 to unsaddle my horse. We bad been on short 
 allowance most of the time since leaving Fort 
 David Crocket. The day on which we arrived 
 at the Soda .Springs, I ate the eighth |)art of a 
 pelican ; the two last jiast days, nothing. But 1 
 sutlergd le«i» iivm tltc gimwings ul hunger than I 
 
72 
 
 Travels in the Great Weslern Prairies, 
 
 had on the previous iiiRht. A deadly stuiwr per- 
 viidcd the gastrin and nin-ous systeniH ; a slug- 
 gish iielion of till; heart, a dimness ol' vision and 
 l)ainful prostration of every energy of lifi: were 
 creeping upon me. Alter a little rest, however, I 
 crept to the bushes, and altera long search, found 
 two red rose-buds ! These I gladly ate, and wrnt 
 to my conch to dream of feasts. 
 
 The Isl of September wan a tine day. The 
 tiun was bright and unclouded, as he came in his 
 strength over the eastern mountains, and awak- 
 ened us from our shnnbers among the alders on 
 the bank of Portneuf. [lunger, indeed, was still 
 gnawing at our vitals, lint sleep had banished 
 weariness, and added something to the small stock 
 of on- remaining strength ; iuid the recollection 
 of past perils — peril. i of Hoods, of tempests, of In- 
 dian foes — deatli threatened at every step during 
 a joumey of three months in the plains and 
 mountains — the inspiring view of the vale of the 
 great southern branch of the Columbia, so long 
 ;)romised us in hope along our wcarv way — the 
 fact that we were in Oregon, unmoored the mind 
 from its an-victies, and shed over us a gladness 
 that can only be compreheuded by those who, 
 having sulTered as we bad, have viewed as wo 
 did, from some bright bight, their sulTerings ended, 
 in the rich, ripe possession of the objects so ar- 
 dently sought. We were in Oregon. Fort Hall 
 lay in the plain before us. Its hosi)italities would 
 be enjoyed ere sunset. Our wardrobes were over- 
 hauled, onr razors jint on duty, our sun-burnt 
 frames bathed in the Portneuf; and equipped in 
 our best, our hearts beat joyfully back the r.qnti 
 clattering of our horses' hoofs on the pavements 
 of the inoimtains, as we rushed to the jdains. An 
 hour among the sands and wild wormwood — an 
 hour among the oozing si)rings, and green grass 
 around them — an hour along the banks of iSap- 
 tin River — and we jiassed a line of timber spring- 
 ing at right angles into the plain : and belbrc us 
 rose the white battlements of Fort Hall ! Aa 
 we emerged from this wood, Jim intimated that 
 W'C should discharge our rifles ; and as we did so, 
 a single armed horseman issued from the gate of 
 the Fort, approached us warilv, and skulking 
 among the copses, scanned us in the most inquisi- 
 tive manner. Having satisfied himself at last 
 that our skins were originally intended to be 
 white, he came alongside ; and learning that we 
 were from the States ; tliat we bad no hostile in- 
 tentions : that we knew Mr. Walker to be in the 
 Fort, and would be glad to have our compliments 
 conveyed to him, he returned ; and IVIr. Walker 
 immediately appeared. A friendly salutation was 
 followed by an invitation to enter the Fort; and 
 a " welcome to Fort Hall," was given in a man- 
 ner so khid and obliging, that iiothiiig seemed 
 wanting to make ns feel that we were at home. A 
 generous flagon of Old Jamaica, wheaten bread, 
 and butter newly ehurned, and bull'alo tongues 
 fresh from the neighboring mountains, made their 
 appearance as soon as wc had rid ourselves of the 
 e(|uipage and dust of jomncying, and allayed the 
 dreadful sense of starvation. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 TliH Rocl»y Mountains and llit-ir .Spurs— (Seograpliy of ilie 
 Miiuntiilii Ucifion — Wyelli— PippaiaiKiHS Mailc — Tlir 
 (tuUci— Tlif Bi-nvrrCaiclii-rs Briili — Trni« B Ics— Adrli. 
 linn liom a Minaalery— Orihouf— A Mfrry Mnuntam 
 Trapprr— Kiwt Dignf tk— EcKinuons Sprinj;*— Volcanic 
 HpariliM and <;im»in-.— Carho— An olil Clilei— A BinfT— 
 Boi~ai» Uivcr— Incidrnt of Trade— The Bonalis— Tlir 
 Dpail Wai!— Furl Boisais, lis f^almon, Bultcrand Urarly 
 Cliepr— Mnn« Paydlf— Curinsliy— Depariurc— I'a-slnij 
 Ihi- BluH Mnaalains— Tlie Uranilenr of Tlicni— Tliclr 
 ForPMs, Fiiiwprs and Torrenu— Decent ot tlje Mountains 
 —Plain, n (Uirisllan Cranr— Aniv.il at Dr. Wlilirnan'4 
 Mi!.iii m— Wailawalla — Pcoplr— Firm— Mill— Lriirnini; 
 TIioukIii— UrIiKion— Mr. KrniiiinKir— Blair— Nez Prrces 
 — K:icine;— lijilian Ilorie Training— !<al>batli and itujnys 
 in llie Wilderness. 
 
 It will not be uninteresting while pausing here, 
 and making jireparations to descend Snake, Lew- 
 is, or Sa()tin river, to lead my readers back over 
 that portion cif my journey wdiich lay among the 
 mountains. I do not design to retrace my steps 
 here, however, in order again to attempt a des- 
 cription of siifl'erings which can never be dea- 
 eribed. They arc pasi ; and let their remem- 
 brance die. But a sneeint account of the region 
 lying west of the -Vnaliuac ridge, and between 
 latitudes 3!) and -12 degrees north — its mountains, 
 its|)lalns, its rivers, See, will, I persuade myself, 
 be new, and not without interest to the reader. 
 
 James's Peak, Pike's Peak, and Ixmg's Peak, 
 may be called the outposts of a lofty range of 
 rocky mountains, which, for convenience in des. 
 cription, I have called Long's Range, c.xteniling 
 nearly due north from the Arkansas, in latitude 
 30 degrees, to the Great (iap in latitude 42 de- 
 grees north. 
 
 This range is uncomieeted with any other. — 
 It is separated from the Wind River Alountains 
 by the (jreat Gap or Great Southern Pass, and 
 from the (Jreat Anahuae Range by the U])|)er val- 
 leys of llie Arkansas, those of the South Fork of 
 the Platte, and those of Green and Grand Rivers. 
 Two spurs spring oft' from it to the west : the one 
 from James's Peak, the other from Long's Peak. 
 . These spurs, as they proceeil westward, dip low- 
 I er and lower till they terminate — the hist in the 
 rough cliH's around the upper waters of the Ar- 
 kansas, and the latter in spherical sand-hills around 
 the lower waters of Grand River. The Anahu- 
 ae Mountains were seen from about latitude 39 
 degrees to 42 degrees north. This range lies 
 about 200 miles west of Long's Range, and be 
 tween latitude 30 and 40 degrees, has a 
 general course of north northwest. It appeared 
 an unbroken ridge of ice and snow, rising in some 
 points, I think, more than 10,000 feet above the 
 level of the sea. From latitude 41 degrees it 
 tends to the northwest by west, past the north- 
 eastern shore of the Great Salt I,ak<' to the north- 
 ern I'ud of it ; and thence westwardly to a 
 point south of Portneuf, where it unites with the 
 range of the Snowy Mountains. 
 
 The Snowy Mountains are a transverse range 
 or spur of the llocky Mountains, whieh rim from 
 the Wind River Mountains latitude 42 degrees 
 i north, in nearly a right line to Cape Mendocino, 
 I latitude 40 degrees, in Upper California. Many 
 I portions of this range, east as well as west of Fort 
 I Hall, arc very lofty, and covered with perpetual 
 1 snow. About 100 miles from the coast of the 
 j Pacific it intersects that range of snowy peaks 
 I called the President's Range, vvliich comes down 
 
in the Rocky Mounlaint, the Oregon Territory, etc. 
 
 73 
 
 Irom ruRPt'd sonn'l, nnd trrniinaIcK in (lie arid ' 
 pliiind nbout tlio moiilli of tlio ( ^olor.vdo of thi^ 
 WfhI. 
 
 The Wind Rivor MountninH iirr n spur which 
 Bhools from tho ({real iiorllKTu I'hairi, roniinonly 
 called the RiM'l\y i\Ioiinlain!<, in laliliidc lU do- 
 l^reeH and odd niiniilcH north; and rinniiu!; in a 
 wnilheaHterly threction inlo the (iroal Prairie Wil. 
 dcrnoHs, forniH the nnrllicrn wall of lUi: (Jrcat (iop 
 or (iroat Soiilliern Pans. 
 
 On tlic norlliern Hide id' the Win<l River Peaks, 
 lire the BonrcPH of .lefleraon, Madison, and (ialla- 
 tin Rivers' on the Honlhcaslern nide riwH the 
 Sweetwater, the nortliweatennnoHl branch of the 
 North Fork of tlie'ireat Platte ; on the southern 
 Hide the Slicctskade<', or (Jrecn River, tlic north, 
 em hruneh of the Colorado of the West ; on the 
 northwcalerii side and north of the Snowy Moun- 
 tainn, aprinj; the Saptin, Snake, or LewiH River, 
 the (jrcat southern hraneh of the Columbia. 
 
 On the western side of Long's Ranfrc, rises the 
 Grand River, the prineijial branch of the Colora. 
 do of the West. It furniphes lour times tlic quan- 
 tity of water that Green River does. Further 
 south, in the vicinity of James's Peak, and on 
 the west side of this range, rises the South Fork 
 of the Great Platte. 
 
 Close under tlic eastern bi\se of the Anahnac ' 
 or Great iMain Range, and ncjirly in latitude 39i i 
 degrees nortli, arc the sources of tlic Arkansas. | 
 
 The immense parallelogram lying within these ; 
 ranges of mountains, may be dcscribeil by saj'ing! 
 that it is a desert of arid plains and minor moun- 1 
 tains. And if this general appellation be cpiali- 1 
 fied by the accounts given (m previous pages of: 
 Uoyou Salado — Old Park, &c., very small por- 
 lions of the whole area — the dcscrii)tion will bo 
 complete. 
 
 Fort Hidl was built by Captain Wyetli, of Hob. 
 ton, in 1H32, for the purposes of trade with the 
 Indians in its vicinity. lie had taken goods into 
 the lower part of the Territory, to exchange for 
 salmon. Hut competition soon drove him from 
 his fiBheries to this remote siKit, where he hoped 
 to be perinitted to purchase furs of the ludiana 
 witlioiit being molested by tlie Hudson Ray Com- 
 pany, wliosc nearest post was seven hundred 
 miles away. 
 
 In this lie was disapixiinted. In pursuance 
 of the avowed doctrine of thai comjiiuiy, that no 
 others have a right to trade in I'urs west of the 
 Rocky Mountains, while the use of capital and 
 their incomparable skill and perseverance can i)re- 
 vent it, they established a fort near him, preceded 
 him, followed him, surrounded him every where, 
 and cut the throat of his pros|)crily with such 
 kindness and [lolileiiess, tliat VVyelh was induced 
 to sell his wlioh: interest, existent .and prospeciive, 
 in Oregon, to his generous but too indefatigable, 
 bkilful, and powerful antagonists. 
 
 From what 1 saw and lieard of Wyeth's man- 
 agement in Oregon, I was impressed with the 
 belief that he was, beyond eoniparisoii, the most 
 talented business-man from tlu! States that ever 
 established himself in llie Territory. 
 
 The busine.''» of this post consists in exchang- 
 ing blankets, ammunition, guns, tobacco, &c., 
 with the neighlioriiig Indians, for the skins of 
 the licaver and land otter ; and in furnisliijn; 
 wiiilc men with traps, liorgcs, Buddies, bridles, 
 n 
 
 provisions, &.c., to enable them to hunt these ani. 
 inals for the Iwnefit and sole use <d the owners — 
 the Hudson Itay Company. In such cases, th« 
 horses arc loaned witiiout price ; the otiier arti- 
 cles of the "oiillit" sold on credit till the termina- 
 tion cd' the liiinl. And the only seeurity which 
 the company requires (or the return of their ani- 
 mals, is l\u: pledge of honor to that cH'ect, and 
 that the furs taken shall be appropriati'd at a stip- 
 ulated price to the payment of arrearages. 
 
 Goods are sold at this establishment .'iO per 
 cent, lower than at (lie American posts. NVhilo 
 trap|M'rs arc paid a higher jiriee for their furs than 
 is paid the Iiiilians ; are charged less for the goods 
 which lliey receive in exchangi' ; and arc treated 
 in every respect by this shrewd company witli 
 such uniform justice, that the American trappers 
 even are fast leaving the service of their country- 
 men, for the larger profits and better treatment of 
 British ciiii>lijyinent. There is also a company of 
 men connected with this Fort, under the com- 
 mand of an American mountaineer, who, follow- 
 ing various tribes in their migratory cxpeihtions 
 in the adjacent American and Mexican domain, 
 collect whatever furs may chance to be among 
 them. 
 
 Ity these means, and various others subsidiary 
 to them, the gentlemen in charge of this trading 
 establishment, collected, in the summer of 183t>, 
 more tiian thirty packs of the best beaver of the 
 mountains. 
 
 We spent the 2d and .3d most agreeably with 
 Mr. Walker, in his hospitable adobie castle — ex- 
 changed with him our wearied horses for fresh 
 ones ; and obtained dried butKalo meat, sugar, co- 
 coa, tea, and corn meal, a guide, and every other 
 necessary within that gentleman's power to fur- 
 nish for our journey to Wallawalla. And at 10 
 o'clock, A. ^I., of the Itli of September, wc bade 
 adieu to our very obliging countryman, and took 
 to our saddles un the trail down the desert banks 
 of the Saptin. As we left the Fort, we passed 
 over the ground of an allray, which originated in 
 love anil terminated in death, ^es, love on the. 
 western di cdivity of the Rocky Mountains I and 
 love of a white man for a murky Indian dainc ! 
 It appeari^d, trom the relation 1 had of it, that a. 
 certain white trapjur had taken to himself a cer- 
 tain bronze damsel of the wilderness to be liis 
 slave-wilV, with all tlic^ solemn ceremonies of pur- 
 chase and payment for the same in sundry horses, 
 dogs, aiiil loads of aminuiiilion, as required by 
 the custom in such alVaiis governing; and that 
 by his business of trajiping for beaver, ite., ho 
 was, soon after the b.iniiK were proclaimed, sepa. 
 rated fro ii his belovi'd one, for the term of three 
 months and upwards, much ag.imst his tender in- 
 eliiiatiiiii and interest, as the lollowing showeth : 
 For during the term of his said ab.scncc, another 
 white man, with intent to iiijure, iVc, spoke cer- 
 tain leiulcr words unto the said trapjicr's slave- 
 wife, whiih had the elleet to alienate from him 
 the piiridiased ;iiid riglilfully possessed atrecUions 
 of his slave-spouse, in t'avor of lier seducer. In 
 this said condition did the beaver-catcher find his 
 bride when he came in from the hunt. He loaded 
 his rifle, and killed the robber of his heart. Thr 
 grave of the victim is there, a warning to all who 
 would trillr with the vested rights of an Ainericau 
 trapper in the love of an Indian beauty. 
 
n 
 
 Travels in the Oreat Wcslern Prairies, 
 
 W« made rV)ut Ion milcii, and Imltcd for the 
 night. Our guido disolaycd himsrif ii fivo fent 
 nine inch ^Inut Walluwnllii. JIc had hrcn in the 
 ecrvico of the IIikIboh Uuy Company many years, 
 and win, conneqiiently, nHHiduoiw nnd dutiful. — 
 Yen. consequrnlly bo. For nritlier liidiiui nor 
 white man is long in their tcrviep without Iciirn. 
 ing hiB phicc, luul heconiuig active nnd fuithlulin 
 doing liiH (hit)'. Ab Boon us wo entered camp, 
 our pack-horscs were Btripjied of their Imrdcns, 
 mid turned loose to teed; wood was gathered, and 
 « fire blazing lUiiler the kettles, and " all out 
 door»" uumedialuly rendered hh comfortable tons, 
 ai skies ipatigled with stars, and earth strewn 
 with snowy sand could he made. WalUiwalla 
 was a jolly oddity of a mortal. 'J'lio frontal re. 
 jfion of his head had been pressed in infancy most 
 mrigtneralically into tho form of tho (ierinan idi. 
 ots ; hia »y*B w*r* forctd out upon the corners of 
 lh» htad; nii nose bugged the liico closely like a 
 Ijuiich of atreciioiiato leeches ; hai." black as a ra. 
 vcn, and fl(/ ■ • over ii pair of herculean slioid- 
 ders; and fc but who can describe that which 
 has not its like under the skies. .Such was ( 'ar- 
 l)o, our I'tdiiiuriu over tlie burnt plains of Snake 
 River. 
 
 The abort rido of tho day, had shown us tho 
 ■western limit of tho |)artial fertility alK)Ut I'Virt 
 Hall. The earth iiad begiui to be nd, burnt, and 
 barren; grass sparse and dry ; the shrubs and cot- 
 ton woods stinted and shrivelled. 
 
 The ])laiii of the 'I'rois Uutes is situated between 
 the Snowy niomitain range on the soulh, and an. 
 other ridge which, diverging from it al)ovu the 
 «ourccB of 8aptin llivcr, follows that stream down 
 to tho Uluo Mountains near Wallawalla. 'Ibis 
 plain, by experiment, is found to be 8,000 feet 
 above the level of the sea. In the vicinity of 
 the post, there is an abundance of gra.^s for tho 
 eubsistiiicc of many thousands of animals. The 
 soil in various parts of it, idso, appears well 
 adapted to tho eultivatioTi "i the small grains and 
 esculent roots. Hut the tact that frosts occur a|. 
 most every month of the year, shows the extent 
 to which the arable sections can be ren<lcred 
 available for such purjwscs. 
 
 The Trois Butcs riso on tlie plain 1.') or 20 
 miles cast of tho Fort. They are pyramidal 
 peaks, probably of volcanic origin, of i.',IIOO feet 
 in bight alwve tlic plain — and l'j,000 feet above 
 the level of the sea. Around their dark bases 
 grow evergreen trees; from their sides burst small 
 brooks, rendering verdant strips of the jdain which 
 radiate beautifully in all directions from them ; 
 and over all, during most of the year, bang their 
 crests of glittering snows I East of the Butes 
 vegetation continually decreases till it ceases in 
 tbc black crags which embosom the head streams 
 of the river. 
 
 On the 0th traveled 30 miles down the western 
 bank of the river ; soil sandy and volcanic, l)ear 
 ing wdd wormwood — in fact a desert ; crossed a 
 number of small streams putting into the Sajitin; 
 on these a little bimcb of grass and a few alders 
 and willows tried to grow, ^\'hile biuting sit 
 noon, we were agreeably Burj)rised with un addi. 
 tion to our company, of n young .Swiss trajiper, 
 eight years in the mountains ; he Iciuned the silver 
 smith business when in youth ; afterward entered 
 a monastery and studied Latin &.c. for the order 
 
 of Priests; ran away from the monastery, entered 
 I the French army, deserted, eauu to Ametira; 
 j sickened, was visited by n Roman priest who had 
 I been a classmate with him at the monastery; and 
 having had a more niunerouH fanuly than was re. 
 quired by the canons of bis order, had tied to 
 j America where his orisons would not be disturbed 
 by tlic cries of infants. On Ins entering our 
 I trapper's cbamlxT they mutuilly recognized each 
 other ; nnd horror immediately seized the pious 
 jiriest at the rccollrelion of the lrnp|ier's sinful- 
 ness: aim particularly the sin of lorsaking thr 
 holy places of the niotlur church ; of taking car- 
 nal weajKins in hands that had been einiiloyed in 
 making crosses in the sacred jirecinets of tbc 
 cloister, 'i'lie trapper bad contracted the danger, 
 ous habit of thinking for himself, and replied to 
 the godly man in a sharp and retaliatory manner; 
 and among other things drew a very ungracious 
 comimrison between escaping from prayers nnd 
 chants, and fleeing from an unlawful lainily. — 
 This reference to former delin(|uencies in a eoun. 
 try to which he had tied to escape the remem- 
 brance of them, aroused the holy indignation of 
 the jiricst to such an extent, that he iimnediately 
 consigned the witness of his fault to worms, and 
 nnd his sjiul to an apprenticeship at tire eating in 
 purgatory. Hut our liapper had become a here, 
 tic 1 la the blindness of iiis heart he had forgot- 
 ten that the iwwcr to save and destroy the soul of 
 man, had been committed to an order of men 
 chosen and set apart as the repositories of that 
 portion of OmnijHiteiice ; and that whatever er- 
 rors of conduct may occur in the life of tliese 
 men, the elHciency of the anatheniutizing and 
 saving (!onimisBion is not thereby annulled ; and 
 be rose from his bed and burled at the jiriest sun- 
 dry counter anathemas in the form of chairs and 
 shovel and longs ; and he of the consecrated 
 gown left him without the benefits of his [mtent 
 absolution. I could perceive in him no rctuniing 
 belief in the (Jmnipotenl key of the " Itoman 
 Citbolic n|)ostolical mother church." Instead of 
 Siiying bis prayers and counting the beads of bis 
 rosary, be talked of the stirring scenes of a trap- 
 per's hfe, and recounted the wild adventures of 
 the moimtains. Instead of the sublime 'J'e Deuni, 
 he sang the thrilhng martial airs of his native 
 land. Instead of the crosier, he bore the faithful 
 rifle. Instead of the robes of sacred oflice, be 
 wore the fringed deer skin frock of the children 
 of the wilderness. He was a trapper — a merry 
 mountain trapper. 
 
 Gtli. Twenty-five miles to-day ; face of the 
 country, black, hard and barren swells ; encamped 
 on a small tributary of the Snptin , very little 
 grass for the animals ; found here a family of the 
 Root Digger Indians ; the man half clad, child- 
 ren naked, all filthy ; dirt lay in nodules on the 
 woman's face and ears, .she was clad in a 
 wrapper of mountain sheep skin. 
 
 7th. Twenty miles. About mid day heard a 
 loud roaring of waters ; descended the cliaBm of 
 the ri\(r and discovered two enormous springs 
 bursting from the basaltic clifls of the opposite 
 shoie. Their roaring was heard three miles. The 
 lower one discharged water enough to turn the; 
 machinery of 20 ordinary manufactories. I'lic 
 water I'oamed and rushed down inclined plains of 
 rocks the distance of SOO feet. The ooiuitry, an 
 
in lite Ttoilnj Mountains, the Oreqon Territory, etc. 
 
 75 
 
 uii(liiliitln({. bnrrfii, volciinic plnin ; ncur tin: rivrr 
 cut into IiIuIIh; lava ivrry wliiTi" ; wild woriii- 
 wiHiil HiHJ iinntlirr Hliriililwo feet in hitflil hiiiriii},' 
 a yrlloiv liloHHom, tlic only wihmI hcoii ; niduiipcd 
 on n mn;ill Btrcani iilxiul lliron iiiilrii from llir 
 rivcT, I'oiiikI here Ww. only (;''•'*'" olwcrvt'd dur. 
 inp llif (lay. 
 
 Will. Still on llic wiHlcrn Imiik ti( tlio Knptin ; 
 river oMi-roiirth of a niilo wide; wairr cxtrcincly 
 cloar; current fivu nulcH the hour; dcptli of wa- 
 ter ahoul. four ficl. On tliiMiiHtirn nidi', the Koil 
 a[>()(arfd a dark miiihh of iinhcddid fused rock, 
 Ntri'tchinK in brnkeii iiiidulatiunH to llic^ diutunt 
 higldnntlN. In that dircelion )lt) iiiileii, lay n 
 run^eiif nioniitainH like an irrejruhir line of dark- 
 ncHH on the horizon. ICvery thin;; tonehed hy 
 our horK(~M feet elaimed a voleuiio for itn hirtli- 
 plaee. Thirty niiU's to-day. 
 
 !)tli. l*'aee of the eountry the same aH that 
 passed over on the t^th — soareely fjrass enoujih to 
 feed our aninialH, and that dried to liay. The 
 mountams on the west side of the river gradually 
 neuring il. No tinilier since we left the iinine. 
 iliale vicinity of Fort Hall. \Vc eorjkeil our food 
 with the willow hushes which the Indians liad 
 killed and rendered dry for such purposes. All 
 the rocks more or less fused ; many lar(fr tractH of 
 lava; u inimher of clear little hrisiks lnd)lilin); 
 over llic cinders of this }{reat hearll- of Xalun^'s 
 tire. Made 10 miles. 
 
 I lltli. l''illecn miles over " cut rock" and worm. 
 W' "id deserts ; and at mid-day dcscciulcd about 
 GOO Icet in the chasm of the Saptin, and traveled 
 alonf the brink of the river u short distance, 
 crossed at a place called " The Islands," to the 
 eastern shore. 
 
 The river has been dipj)in); deeper in tlic plain 
 the last tlirce days. A bird's eye view of it for 
 sixty miles almvc the Islands would present a tor- 
 tuous chasm, walle<l liv ba.salt, trap, &c.,audsui>l'. 
 aloiiR the centre ol the valley, from 100 to b ji; ] 
 feel deep, a black ehasm, destitute of timber and | 
 other evidcucesol fertility, from acpiarter to half a 
 mile in width. In the ernlrc ol the bottom rushes ' 
 the Saptin ; over rocks and (jra vel a clear, pure, ' 
 htroufj stream, with a current of five miles to the ' 
 hour: water three and iour feet in dcjilli. Trav- i| 
 eled seven or eiffht miles from the lord .-md fell in L 
 with ciifht or tcnspriuffsol limpid water, l)id)blin;; ', 
 thronKh the llmty crust of ihe plain. 'I'lie sun 
 was pourinj^r upon ii.s liis fiercest rays, and our, 
 thirst was excessive. A haltinj;, dismonntiii^'and i 
 riisliini; to the water, the application of onry^iant's r 
 lips to the li(|ui<l — a paralysis olhisthirstproduccil ' 
 by Ihe boiling; hot sensation whiidi it im|)arted to |! 
 liis swearing- iij)i)anitus. prepitrc<l \is to resume our ' 
 ride. Hot spring's, lH)ilinir jiot — no apparent min- 1 
 oral properties. I 
 
 I I til. Traveled to-day .').') miles over an irri'^n- i 
 lar, rou;;li, imscemly desert ; volcanic stones ! 
 strewn every where on a black, impenetralile, , 
 baked surface ; soil too poor lo hear the worm- | 
 wood — trail t(H> far iMsl lo see the river. At 10 i 
 o'clock met a jietly eliief of the .Snake Hoot Mifj- 
 jrers and his son on horsehaek, from Jtoisais river. I 
 He was dressed in a hlankct coat. <lccr skin pants, | 
 and moccasins (raruished with cutplass heads and 
 Btrips of red llaimel ; the boy entirely naked. — I 
 Carbo having learned from him the situation of i 
 his tribe, a. few bits of Indian scandal, that wc | 
 
 could reacli Doisais river the noxt day, llml wc 
 could prohably obtain fiisli liors<-8 there, hid copper, 
 colored highnesH was Icit to pursue his way to Fort 
 Hall to (ret his (rims repaired, and we continued 
 oumlo the lower Coluinhin, togct outof thimfravo 
 of dcHol ition. I had not Rccn an acre of land since 
 leaving l-'ort Hall capable of producing the grains 
 or vegelnblcB. Kncaniped on a small brook run- 
 ning westwardly towards the Sa|)lin. 
 
 l^th. On route at (I o'clock of the morning ; 
 liorscH weary and cripplini' pitifully on the "cut 
 rock;" face of the eomitryaliBolute sterility ; our 
 trail near the mountains, aliout !JIIO iiiiles east of 
 the Saptin. At '.) o'clock caiiK^ lo the bhifl'over- 
 liMiking lloisais river. Here the valley is sunken 
 six or seven hundred feet; the wh<ile of it below, 
 to Ihe limit of sight, appears to have suhsidcd 
 nearly to a level with the waters of the Saptin. — 
 Lines of timber ran along lla^ lloisais, the plutk of 
 green grass and slirubH doited its banks. Tlic 
 mountains, whence the river came, rose in dark 
 stratified ridges. Where the stream escaped from 
 them there was an immenst! chasm, with perpcii 
 dicular sides, which seemed to open into llii'ir 
 most distant bases. Horrid crags Ix-etlcd over iln 
 dismal depths. I^ifty, rocky ridges extended far 
 into the north. In the west and northwest towered 
 the nine .Mountains. We descended the bluff, 
 followed down the lioisais three or four miles, and 
 crossed the river into an encampment of Snako 
 fishermen. They were emjiloyed in laying in their 
 winter store of salmon. .Many liorw's were feed- 
 ing on the plain. We turned "urs loose ulso for a 
 bit( I the fresh grass, while we liought finh, &.C., 
 and made other arrangements lo improve digestion 
 and our speed in travelling. Ami our businens 
 was transacted as follows : For ono large fish- 
 hook wc bought one salmon ; for one paper of vcr- 
 million, six biiinhesof spawn; for one butclicr 
 knife, one leatlu rii fish rope. Curbo cxclianged 
 horses ; <lis])oscd of one worth five shilhngs for one 
 worth three, iiiid gave a blanket and ten loads of 
 ammuiiilion as l«)ot. He was vastly pleased with 
 his bargain, ami endeavored to show himself so, by 
 trying to grin like a white man ; but he was not 
 skilled in the science of manufacturing laughter, 
 iind made a deplorable failure of it. One of my 
 own horses, whose feet were worn and tender, was 
 (xchaiiged with like profit to the shrewd jockies. 
 
 These Indians arc more filthy than the Hotten- 
 tots. They eat the vermin from each other's 
 heads I Uotli sexes were nearly naked. Their 
 shelters were made with rush mats wrapped aromid 
 cones of poles. 
 
 Having finished our trading, wc traveled aliout 
 ten miles <Iowm the stream and cncamiicd upon its 
 hank. The plains were well covered with grass; 
 many (lortions seemed susceptible of cultivation. 
 The bed of the river presented the usual charac- 
 teristics of a mountain torrent ; broad, shallow, 
 with extensive bars of coar.se gravel crossing the 
 channel in all directions. The water limpid; and 
 its quantity might be expressed by saying that tho 
 average depth was six inclus — width ten yards — 
 rale of current three miles an hour. In the month 
 of June, however, it is said to hring from its ma- 
 ternal mountains iiiimense Hoods. 
 
 I3tli. A hreakliist of iKiilcd spawn, and on 
 trail at sunrise ; traveled rajiidly down the grassy 
 intervales of Boisais ; passed many email groves 
 
76 
 
 TraveU in the Oreal Western Prairici, 
 
 of liiiilMT. Many Inriiund cinpldyrd in drying I' Swinn Irupiicr wan llic vrry ninn U> (frapplo tho 
 
 nalninn, nearly iinkrd, iijid dirty, and niiwralilr, 
 ran iiflcr iik (nr tnliaccd, and to Iradc linrKrf. All 
 IndlaiiK have a mania liir lini'tcr. They will Irndc 
 liir i;>Mid nr ill lo tlirniKclvrn, at rvi ly opportunity. 
 Ilriclhry licHtl iiH on cvrry Hide. And il'al any 
 nioijK lit «•<• lM|;an to I'rliritatcoiirHclviHon liavinn 
 at list, cKcapcd lioni tliiir atnioying prtllioiiB lor 
 '- xlnnokc" and " Ihih," tiic next iiiMincnl (he air; 
 woiilil rcHonntI vvilli wliipH and lioofH, and 
 "tiliinokp," " Hliiiiok<'," " lioH," I'roni linlladozcn 
 
 dilriiuna. Ilr lirilird tlinr |roo<' ^id niid th«ir 
 Fair rnndiict to the I'nrt. Vwr or six of llicm 
 ipiirkly scir.cd liorBrfi, and, nioimlimj wit'.ont 
 daddlc or hriillr, lr<l tlir way. Wliih tlicHi- 
 lhini,'H were htinj; done, horrid wniln ca'iio lioni 
 their hiitx ainoni; t'"' hnnlirH. .\nd t!iow! who 
 were with uh reH|Hiiidotl lo tlieni. The only 
 word iiltiri d was one whieli wmnded like ' yap.' 
 ThiH they »poke at firiit in n low, plaintive key, 
 and hIowIv ; and tlien, on a higher note and 
 
 new appllcanln more lrniililenoine than their pre. rapidly, as if under Blron(;er eniotionH id (jrief ; 
 dcccHKorH. No .l( w with old elothen ami a piiieli. ' and tlien fill away n|»ain to the low plaint of 
 beck wali-h lo Hell, ever pressed eiiHlonierH with | deHponding donow. I notieed, iih we rodii aloiij;, 
 more iiBHidiiity than did tlieBc savn(;.'S. Ilul when that the tiiilh of many of tlieir liorBcH were Bliorii 
 we had traveled nliout Ml) mile« from our niirhl of the hair in the nioNl mieouth manner. 'I'lin 
 ramp lliey all middeidy disappeared ; and neither ; nianen aim were nuKeralily haj;(Tled, Tlio mm 
 hut nor ShoHlionie were Men more. Tlieydarennt wlio rode them \.ept, and at intervalH waded. I 
 pasH the houndary lielwren theniBelveH and the ] was afterward informed Ihat their tribe wan mourn, 
 nonaks. 'I iiig the death of wime of their mniiber who had 
 
 Soon after bein^; relieved from tliene pests, our i lately died ; and that it is ii custom with them 
 i;iii(U',t'arlKi, inlitnatfd that it would be aee<ird. , and other weBlern tribes, on the death of friends, 
 in(r to tlieruleBof eti(pietlcin thaleountry for him . in war or by disease, for all the siirvivini; rela. 
 to leave us, unae(|uamlcd though we were with lives to shear the manes and lailH of their liorseH 
 
 llieri;;ht trail amoint the 10,111111 that ernsised the 
 eoiintry in every diieelion, and pi<ieeed to Furt 
 lloisais to make the important aimnuneoment tliat 
 lour white fiu'cs were apjirnaehinff the (Kint. I 
 remonstrated. IJul remonslrancc was mere air in 
 eomparison with the importanee of doinjr his ihity 
 
 to the skin — kill all the animals of tlif deceased — 
 pile all his pirsonal property around his burial, 
 place, and mourn, in the manner I have deserilH'd, 
 for wvcrnl days. Tlieir camp was eiphi miles 
 south of Tort Itoisais. We rode the distance in 
 ihree-iiuarters of an hour. Other flonak horse. 
 
 n the most apjiroved style ; and away he shot like men joined us along the way. I'ach one, as ho 
 
 ovr.r;,|„l4 iiB^ uttered the wail ; and then one and 
 
 iMKiiier took it uji and bore it idoug the scattered 
 line of the cavalcade. It was not very dark — 
 but it was iiijfht — and all its air was tilled with 
 these expressions of savajje (jricf. Tears flowed, 
 
 ail arrow from the Imjws of his trilx', over hillock 
 anil through the streams and ctijises till lost from 
 view. Itwasalsmtl o'clock. The trails were 
 BonumeidiiH that we found it uscle.is to continue 
 on any of them. Tor if we selected any single 
 
 one, that one branched into many every half mile. 1 and sobs arrested, oftentimes, the wail half s|Hpkeii. 
 .S) that \\v deemed it bi kI to ' take our cuuise' aH The sympathy of the poor creatnics for each other 
 the mariner would say, and disregard them alto- 1. apjiearcd very sinccrf, and afliirded stronir induc.e- 
 gcllier. In followiiij;; thisdelermination we crossed '; nieiitH to doubt the correctniBS of the usually re- 
 the Itoisais ajjain and again ; lloundcrcd in ipiag. ceiveil opinion that the American Indians |xjsscss 
 mires and dodged along among whip|)ing iKiughs little of the social atU'Clions. Tiiey ccrtaiidy 
 and imdcibnish ; and, when unimpeded by Biieh | maiiil'esled enough on this oecasiou to render the 
 oliBtacles, pelted the dusty jdaiii with as sturdy a hour I passed with them more op|)rcssively pain, 
 trot as ever echoed there, till llu' sun went down I'ul than I hope ever again lo experience. 
 
 and his twilight had left the sky. No Kort yet 1 
 Nor had we yet seen the Saptin. We halted, held 
 a eoimeil, determined to " hold our course'' west, 
 ward; listened, heard nothing but the nmttering 
 lioisais, and traveled on. in half an hour came to 
 us a frightful, mournful yell, which brought us to 
 an instantaneous halt. W'c were within fifty 
 yardsof the llou.ik Indians — .mil were discovered 1 
 This is a tierce, warlike and athletic tribe, in. 
 habiting the banks of that part of Saptin or .Snake 
 Hiver which lies between the mouth of lioisais or 
 iteed's Kivcraiid the Dluc .Monntaius. They make 
 war upon the Ulackletl and Crows ; and lor that '■ 
 purpose (dten cross the Aliiuiilaius thidngli a gap 
 between the track of Livvis and Clarke and the 
 ' Great (iap.' I!y these wars their number has 
 been much reduced. They are said to sjicak n 
 language peculiar lo themselves; and are re 
 gnrded by the whites as a ticacherons and dan- 
 gerous race. We had aipproaehcd sf) near ilicir ' 
 "'amp that whatever might be their disposition 
 towiird us it was impossible to retreat. IJark- 
 
 .Mr. I'ayette, the person in charge nt lioisais, 
 received us with every mark of kindness ; gave, 
 our horses lo the care of his servants, and intro- 
 duced us immediately to the chairs, tabic and 
 edibles of his apartments. He is a French Cana- 
 dian ; has been in the service of the II. li. Com- 
 pany more than ".'0 years, and holds the rank of 
 Clerk ; is a merry, fat old gentleman of .'iti, who, 
 allliongh in the wilderness all the best years of his 
 life, has retained that manner of benevolence in 
 trilles, in his mode of address, of seating yon and 
 serving you at table, of directing your attention 
 continually to some little matter of interest, of 
 making you .«peak the French language ' prrfiiit. 
 iitnit' whether you arc able to do so or not, n> 
 strikingly agreeable in that mercurial ])Cople. 
 The 1 1th and loth were sj)ent very jdeasantly 
 with this gentleman. During that lime he 
 I'caKlcd us with excellent bread, and butter made 
 from an American cow, obtained from some of 
 the Missionaries ; with baked, boiled, fried and 
 broiled salmon — .mil, at my request, with some 
 
 ness concealed the surrounding country — hid the | of his adventures in the wilileiness. 
 
 river and the trails. We could not escape ;j Fort lioisais was CBlablished in 1833, as the 
 
 without their permission and aid. Our yoiwg I, post wliciice to oppoBc Wyeth's oj)ciatioiiB at 
 
in the Rock}) Mountains, the Ortgon Territory, <fjr. 
 
 7V 
 
 Fort Ilnll. Troin it, tlxi Iludnon Hiiy ('ompniiy 
 
 Mi'iil lliiir Iriiiliii)/ |)Brti( < over llir I'oiiiiliy muIIi, 
 ill advniii'f iiml rmv :iliii aiDiiuil cvi ry iiinvtinriil 
 III U'yclli. And liy iihiii,' lil)fr:illy tin liiiicl hud 
 liy iimiiiiilly for llml iiiirix^', liny iimlcrnold liir 
 Amrriciiii lill lie wan lorr ■(! Iimiii iIip coiinlry. 
 Oil ihn part oniir II. II, Co ii|i:iiiy, I wr nolliin;; 
 hlraii)r(' or iiniiianly in lliiB (■(■.. iiirt, if looked nt 
 MH a liiiHiiii'KN trniiHarliiiii. I'ropli' jiaviiii; (((iiul 
 ri^lilH ill Iniili', UhHiiiiic iirriKharily llii' rclalivc 
 IHwilioiiH wliirli llirir Nkill anil riijiilHl cnii coiii- 
 inaiid. TliiH iH till' |ioHili(iii ol Aiiiirii'iiiiM and 
 llritoiiH ill Orr^oii. liy ii piiKilhiiiiiii'iiiN jinliuy 
 nil Ilii: iiai't ol llic AniiriiMii (iiivirniiii'nl, ur 
 liavc (,ivrn Mrilisli huli|rclH an ('(|iial riylil willi 
 oiir own cili/.iiiH lo Irii'ic in all llial , art of. the 
 I'lililio Dnniain lyniu \vi hi of llir ItorUy Moun- 
 tains. In till' cxiniHC of till' rii;litH iIiiih grunted, 
 the il. II. I'ompaiiy i niploy tlirir iiicoinparablt' 
 in^rrnuity and iiiiiimiih: wrallli in driviii<; every 
 Anierieaii liader Iroiii tlic roanlx of tlie Nortii 
 I'aeiiie. .Vnd who in lo he lilained for lliiH ? 
 The (Joveniinriit of the I'liited Slal<H, that lian, 
 tliroiiirli want of windoin or riniiiieHK or jiistiee, 
 permitted thi'Ke iin|Hirtaiit ii);hlH of ilH eilizeiiH to 
 he inoiiopoli/.ed hy liirei<{n eapit.di:<i.< for tlie l.-ml 
 
 111) V'^lfH' 
 
 'I'IiIh l''ort Htund't on the caHtcrn hunk of the 
 Saptin, eight inilPH nortli of the inoiith of Hoinuis 
 or lieeil'B Kivor. It eon 'xts of a paralleloirrani 
 almul lull leet Hquuie, Kiirroiuded hy a ntoekude !| 
 of jioltH alxmt l.'i feel in hi({lil. It waH filtered [! 
 on the west nide. A''roHH the a'ea north and !j 
 Honth ruiiH tlic ]>riii('ipal hnildini;. It iu con- |j 
 Ktructed of 1oj;h, and eontaiim u la.'ge dining- 
 room, a hieepiiiu iipartincnt and kitehcn. On 
 the north Hide of tlie area, in front of this, is the 
 ■tore ; on the Houth Hide, tlie dweliiiifjH of !he 
 scrvantH ; hack of the main hiiilchnif, ai> oiit-(lo<ir i 
 oven ; and in the north-east corner of the stockade ] 
 iH tlie haation. ThiH was Fort lloiBain in IS.'W. 
 Monfi. Payette was ercctini; a neat adohic wall 
 nronnd it. He expected soon to 1m' able to tear 
 away tlio old stockade, and, hcfore this, liaa 
 donhtless done so. 
 
 Amoiiji the curiosities of nis estahlishinent 
 were the fore wheels, axletree and thills of a one- 
 horse wapm, said to have been run hy the Amcri- 
 nun MisBionuriea from tJie .Stale of Connecticut 
 through tlic mountains thus far toward the mouth 
 of the Coluinhia. It was lilt here under the be. 
 lief tliat it could not be taken through the Blue 
 Mountains. But fortunately for the iie.xt that 
 hIiuU attcmiit to cross the continent, a safe and 
 easy jiasBage has lately lH>en discovered hy wliich 
 vehicles of tliu kind may be drawn through to 
 Wallawalla. 
 
 At 10 o'clock on the Ititli wc found ourselves 
 Hufticicntly rested to recommence our journey. 
 Our jiaeks nnd ourselves were sent across the 
 Saptin in a canoe ; and our liorws Iiavinu swam 
 it, nnd having been packed and saddled firmly 
 for a rapid march, and a ' lion Jour' having been 
 returned by Mons. Payette, with the additional 
 kind wish of a ' io» voyage' to us, over the 
 mountains, wc left the old gentleman to hin soli- 
 tary dominion. He usually collects, during a 
 twelvemonth, twelve or fifteen packs of beaver, 
 and employs himself in the salmon Bens<m in 
 curing large quantities of that fish for the supply I 
 
 of other |)oi,t». Our course was down the west 
 hank of the river. 'I'he soil whs saiul iird clay 
 mi.ved ill marlv eipi.il projuirlionf'. Il" cciiii|hi. 
 hilinii IH siirh as lo rcnilir it liiiillMl ; but the iib- 
 sence of dews nnd rains lorbicls the e.x|Hetalioii 
 that il will ever be so. Vegrtalion, biiiicb-grasH 
 and V'ild worniwisid. 'I'ravelid l.'i miles and 
 eneaniped near a small hiile, at the lisit ol winch 
 ran a little tributary of tlir Saptin. i'roin thi' 
 Hoiuh bank of this siream near our cani|i burst a 
 great nnniber of hot springs— wa'er inipn !,'iiati"l 
 with sulphur — tenipcraliire at tlii' iMiibng (loiiil. 
 
 17th. Soil as on the tracii of ibe llilh, save 
 that the hills U'caiin' higliir and mo r gravelly. — 
 In the forenoon eroKsed a brook piiinig inlo the 
 Saptin. .\t mid-rlay toiiehed the Saptin and left 
 il again for the hills. .Miil-afleriinon slrncK an- 
 other small stream and followed up its valUy till 
 night. I'lstimateiloiir day's |o«rn(v at JtO miles. 
 
 IKlh. The hills higher and more rocky- Those 
 in the dislaneelo th(! west and north wei'i partially 
 covered with pines and cedaiH. Those iiimiedi- 
 ately around our track thickly clothed with dry 
 hunch grass. Some of them bad hci'ii burned 
 over by the, Indians. Many heaiiliful little valleys 
 wiTc seen among the highlands. Black birch, 
 rcse and willow shrubs, and ipiaking-asp Irees on 
 the banks of the little briKiks. I'liicaini""! 'iiider 
 tlie elill's of a liiite. The moon «as in the llrst 
 quarter. Its cold beams barnioiii/.ed well with 
 the cliilling win<lH of the mountains. The al- 
 mospliere ,ill the Jlay sinokv, as in Indian summer- 
 time in the highlaiids of"Ne„- Knglaiid. Ksti- 
 inated distance travelled, '2^y miles. 
 
 lOlh. Forenoon over gently rising conical hillH 
 clothed with hunch grass; soil in the valleyH 
 sand and clay. t'(K)ked dinner at L'Arbor seul, 
 a lonely pine in an extinsive plain. Kncamped 
 at night on a strei/in coming from tlie Blue Moiiii- 
 tains in the north west. Distance to-day .'tD 
 miles. 
 
 20th. Track up the valley in which we en- 
 camjicd the preceding night, over gently undula 
 ling hills ; high broken mountains on either siih'. 
 Alsmt lii o'clock came to a very steep dtsrent, a 
 mile in length. The up|>cr part of it was so pre. 
 eipitouH th.it the animals with packs were obliged 
 to make a zigzag track of a mile, lo descend the 
 half that ilislance. The lower i)art was less pre 
 cipitous, hut covered with loose vohanie. rocks.- 
 .\mong these the horses plunged and liruistd 
 theinsclves badly ; hut fortunately none were se 
 riously injured. Some rich soil in the valleys ; 
 heavy groves of yellow pine, spruce and hemlock; 
 (piaking-asp on thostieami and in the raviries. — 
 From high swells over wliich ran the trail, we 
 sa'v an extensive valley, deei)ly sunken among 
 the lofty mountains in the north east. il aji- 
 pearcd to lie thickly coated with grass ; some 
 iwrtions dry, others green. The meadow lark 
 made its appearance to-day. Toward night wo 
 came again into the valley which we had entered 
 at mid.day, and encamiied under a majestic yeU 
 low pine. Freezing breezes swept down fiom 
 the woody mountain around us, and made our 
 fire, blazing high under the dark groaning boughs, 
 xtremely agreeable. Traveled 25 miles. 
 
 21st. A day of severe traveling. In the fore- 
 noon the trail ran over a scries of mountains 
 swelling one above another in long and gentle 
 
re 
 
 Travels in the Great Western Prairies, 
 
 ascontH, covered with nolilc forests of yellow pine, l! 
 fir niul linnlock. Aiihiujt tlifHc wcri' finiuciil ■; 
 glndfn of rifli pa!<tiirc land; irrass yrcrii — ami i 
 nuirr '■oils hiooks of ]>iii(' water lrai)in!T from tlie 
 clifl's, or iiuininiriniT amnni.; the sliruhhef. 'I'hi 
 Bnow.hall, the wax plant, the yellow and hiaek 
 currant — a speeies ol wliortlcberrv — the nerviee , 
 beny — ehokc eherry — the elder — the slirnh maple f 
 — and all the heantiful lloweni that (feni a nioini- li 
 tain landscape duriiw^r \[n Bliort KUuimerH, elolhcd 
 the ground. At l^J n'elnek we entered a deep ra- 
 vine, at thelx)tlr)in ol which ran a Imjok of sweet 
 clear water, and dined on its haidi. A dish of 
 rich cocoa, mush .■ind sii'_rar, and dried hntValo 
 tongue, on the fresh grass iiv a cool rivulet on tli<' 
 wild mountains of Oregon 1 Nature slrelehed her 
 bare and mighty arms around us 1 'I'he moun- 
 tains hid the lower sky and walled out the lower, 
 world I We looked upon the licautilul bights of i 
 the nine Mountains and ale jiniong its spring ; 
 blossoms, its singing iiim s and lujly baltlcmenls. 
 10,000 feet almve the seas. In the alternocjii wv 
 continued to ascend ; vast rolls litfed thenisclvi s 
 over one anoth.^r in a northerly direction hiL'her 
 and higher, till in the distance their tops niing- , 
 led with the blue of the sky. ' 
 
 Wo followed this grassy ridge till near •! o'clock, 
 when wc commenced descending. .V mile over 
 slowly dcclinhig hills and the descent became 
 frightful. It appeared to stand 1.')' to the plane 
 of the horizon. The horses when they turned at 
 the angles of the zigzag trail, often I'ound the 
 greatest dilhculty to keep <in tlieir feet. Two 
 miles of such descent, of hi. icing with miirht and 
 main, deposited us in a ravine of gn at depth, and 
 hung far and near with e'ifls and abrupt earthy 
 bord(rB, partially covered with pines. At the 
 l)ott jm a brook miming in a northerly direction, 
 str igglcd and roared an)ong the fallen rocks. Wc 
 Hide our way with nuieli ditiiculty down '•» 
 banks a short distanee, crossed it and proceeding 
 in a northwesterly direction to another s ream 
 flowing eastward, encanijied among the pines. — : 
 These valleys were tided with cold wiiuls whieli 
 rushed through them in irregular gusts, (hilling , 
 every thing tliey touched, liut we set tire lo large 
 piies of dry pine logs in camp, spread our couches, 
 and Wfiyworn as men ever were, ensconced our- 
 selves in them for npose. ( 'arlx) did not retire ; 
 but went whistling almiit among the horses — un- 
 tied liis wallet ol provisions a".' ate a second 
 limp — punched the tires and looked at the eastiTn 
 sky with evident interest. The vales below had 
 been set on lire liy Indians; and I more than 
 half supposed that he expee'cd to see some of his 
 tribe at our (p\arlers. Hut my .upposition was 
 untrue. 
 
 As soon as the moon peeped over the east- 
 ern hights he roused me to hear in broken 
 French that our horses had nothing to eat in the 
 place where they were; and that we being rested 
 must climb the umuntain to llnd fooil tor them. — 
 No proposition, and the facts brought to urge .s 
 adoption, could have been more unfortunately ri'a- 
 sonable and true — at that particular time. .My 
 first impulse was :<> order him to his eouci ; but 
 a hungry whiiiney l.om mv roan pony br-wsing 
 near me, awakened me fullv to the j)ro[ /iely of 
 the measure proposed. 1 tlierei6resuniin(,iicdiny 
 weary limbs mid feet, bruised and idc nud, lo 
 
 their best cfTorts, and at 12 o'clock of the night 
 we were on niareii. 
 
 Awhile we led our animals through the langlcil 
 wood, and then along a steep gravelly sideol the 
 (diasni. where thi' loolliohi slid .at every step; 
 then awhile among rolling stones so thickly 
 strewn upon tin; ground, that the liorses touched 
 it only when their weight drove their I'cet down 
 between them ; and again awhile we seemed to 
 haiiLf on the (litis, and ])ause between advancing 
 and lollowing the laws of grtivilation to the bed 
 of the torrent thai battled its way in the cav- 
 erns far below ; and tlu n '.n the desperati(jn of a 
 last etVorl, climbed the bank loa ph'-e of safely. 
 .\t lenirth we arrived at a large indentation in the 
 lace ot the mountain, up the encircling rim of 
 which the trail for half a* mile was of compara- 
 livelv easv ascent. At llie end of this distance, 
 anotiier dillieidty was superadded to all we had 
 yet experieneed. The sleeps were covered to the 
 depth of several feet with " cut rock" — dark shi- 
 ning cubes Ironi (me lo three inches in (hameier. 
 with sharp corners and edges. It was well nigh 
 impossible to force our horses on them. The most 
 obedient one, however, was at length led and 
 scourged upon them; and by re|pealing the same 
 inflictions, ihe remainder were linally induced lo 
 follow. All walked e.xeept Smith. lli-i iiorse 
 was " a d — d brute, and was made to eairy him 
 or die.'' The poor animals would slip, and ^^ather, 
 and cri|)ple ; and when unable kmger to i^'idurc 
 the cutting smni' under liieir feet, would suddenly 
 drop on tlieir liiiees ; but the pain caused by that 
 position would soon lorce them to rise again, and 
 struiTcrlr u|) the ascent. An half hour of mch 
 traveling passed us over this stony surface to the 
 smooth gras.-'. swells, the surfa(-e of whie'i was 
 earthy and [ileasanl to the lacerated feet jf our 
 horses. The green grass grew thickly all around : 
 the moon iioiired her bright beams through the 
 frosty air on the slumbering bight."! ; in the deep 
 pinc'clad vales, burned dimly the Indian fires ; 
 from mountain to mountain sounded the deep 
 bass of a thous.and cascades. 
 
 We encamped in a grove of pines that crowned 
 Ihe mountain at .'1 o'clock in the morning. 
 » i!d. We saddled early, and aseen(hng for two 
 hours a line of gentle gra.ssy elevations, came to 
 the besinniii'l of the northwestern declivities of 
 llie Blue .Mountains. Thi^ trail ran down the ra- 
 vines of small lirooks llowin;.' nortliwcst, and oc- 
 easionallv over high swells which stretched down 
 the plaiii, that lii^s about the south western 
 branches of the Wallawalla Uivcr, and halted to 
 dine. In the atteriKMin we struck otl' iiorthwest- 
 lerlv over the rolling plain. The soil in the de- 
 
 , pressions was a light and loose compound of sand 
 and clay, and sparsely covered with bunch grass. 
 The swells were of gravel, and generally barren ; 
 trees on the brooks only, and these few, small, 
 and of little value. AImiuI 3 o'clock we came 
 into the camp of a middle-aged Skyusc Indian, 
 who was on iiis onward march Iroiii the bufi'alo 
 hu'.l in the niounlain vallies east and norlheust 
 of Fort Hall. He was a sjiare man of live feet 
 eight inelies. dressed in a green camlet frock 
 coat, a black vest, striped colloii shirt, leather 
 pants, moccasins, and a white felt hat. They 
 had two children, toys, neatly <dad in deerskin. 
 
 ,. His camp eiiuipage was very conifortablc — four 
 
in the Pocky Mountains, the Oregon Territory, SfV. 
 
 79 
 
 or five cnin,).kctt!ri with tin rnvprfl, a number of 
 puils with covers, a leathern tent, and an assort- 
 ment of fine hutr.ilo robes. He had had a very 
 successful hunt. Of tlio 17 lior.'^i-s in his cara- 
 van, six were loaded with the best flesh of the 
 buflfalo cow, cured in the best manner ; two othcrn 
 bore his tent, utensils, clDthini;, robes, &e. ; four 
 others were ridden by liiinself and family ; the 
 five remainins; were used to relieve those that, 
 from ti-ie to time, mifrht tire. These were 
 splendi ^ ..iinials, as larjfe us the l.cst horses of 
 the State.-., well knit, deej) and wide at the shoul- 
 ders, a broad loin, and very iimali lower limbs 
 nri'd lect ; of extreme activity and capacity for 
 endurance. 
 
 Learninc: '''''t this Indian was going to Dr. 
 Whitman's mission establishment, where a con- 
 niderable number of his tribe had iiitehcd their 
 tents for the approachiugr winter, I deterniiued to 
 leave the cavalcade and aceompan)- him there. 
 My fjuide Carbo, therefore, haviuL'' explained my 
 intentions to my new acquaintance, departed 
 with the remainder of his charijc for Fort Walla- 
 walla, t-'rickie, I'in English " poor crane, "i was 
 a very kind man. (nnncdiately after the depar- 
 ture of Carbo and company, he turned my worn- 
 out animals loose, and loaded my packs upon his 
 own, gave me a splendid saddle-horse to ride, and 
 intimated by signilieant gestures that we would 
 go a short distance that afternoon, in order to ar- 
 rive at the mission early the next day. I gave 
 my assent, and ww were soon on the way. Our 
 course was northeasterly over sharp swells, among 
 which ran many (dear .and beautit'ul brooks; soil 
 gravel, loam, sand, and clay, and well covered 
 with dry bunch gr;i8s, incapable of producing the 
 grains without irrigation. The swells and streams 
 run northwesterly from the Blue .Mountains. Our 
 course was diagonally across them. Having 
 made about 10 miles at sunset, we encamped for 
 the night. I noticed, during tlw drive, a degree 
 of forbearance towards the animals whenever they 
 erred, and of ufleetion and benevolence towards 
 each other, in this family of savag(M which I had 
 never before ob.scrved iii that race. When we 
 lialted for the night the two boys were Ix'hind. 
 They had been frolicking with tlieir horw » -mil 
 as the darkness came on, Icjsl the trail. It t»ts a 
 half-hour before they maili lb. ir appeariJlee, .<nd 
 during this time, the worthy p>if<*itn exlubit-.l the 
 most atV(<:tionate solicitude lor thim One o/ 
 them was but thre(^ years old, and waf lashed to 
 the horse he rode ; the otii. ' only seven years of 
 age. Young pilots m '•■ «ildern(*s .it night 1 
 Hut the elder, true to ti- .lifacity of Ins race, 
 had taken his course, and .-itruf k the brook on 
 which we had encainjied, wi\h^ three htmdred 
 yards of us. The pride of ttw [larcnts at this 
 feat, and tlieir ardent atta(dim(iil to tin r cliil- 
 dren, were perceptible iji the pli'usurc witii which 
 they recLived tiiem at their eVMung lire, and 
 heard the relation of their childish adventure. 
 
 The wiather vas so pleasant that no tent was 
 pitched. The willows were bent, and buiialo 
 robes spread over them, rnderneath were laid 
 other robes, on which my Indian host seated IniD- 
 aelf with his wife and children on one side, and 
 myself on the other. A (ire burned brightly in 
 front. Water was brought, and the evening ab- 
 lutions having lx;eu pcrforincd, the wiie presciilcd , 
 
 a dish of meat to her husband, and -.no to myself. 
 There w.is a pause. The wo nan seated li(\roelf 
 between her children. The Indian then oowed 
 his head and prayed to (Jod 1 A wandering M. 
 vage in Oregon calling upon Jehovah in the name 
 of .lesus (^hrist ! .\fter the pruyer, he gave meat 
 to his children, .and pasfcd the dish to his wife. 
 
 While eating, the frequent repetition of vhc 
 words .Jehovah and .lesus Christ, in tha moit ro- 
 verential manner, led me to suppose they worn 
 conversing on religi( us topics; and thus they 
 passed an hour. .Meanwhile, the exeeeduig wea- 
 riness of a long day"s travel admonished me to 
 seek rest. 
 
 I had slumljcred, I know not how long, when 
 a strain of music awoke me, I w.as about rising 
 to ascertain whether the sweet notes of Tall** '» 
 
 ; Chant came to these solitudes from earth or *ky, 
 
 : when a full reeoilection of my situation, \nd of 
 
 ■ the religious h;d)ils of inv host, easily sieved thn 
 rising inquiry, and induci'd me to observe iii»t»vn| 
 of disturbing. Thi' Indian family was ouit^:^! 
 
 ' in its evening devotions. They were kh^w^^N* a 
 hymn in the Ncz I'erces langua^'. U vmg 
 
 ; iinislud it, they all knelt and Iwnveii their faces 
 upon the burt'alo rol)es, and Cricku* prayed long 
 and fervently. .Vfterwards llwy King another 
 
 i hunn and retired. This wa* XK« first b- -ithing 
 of religious feeUngs that I Ivvl .seen sine* leaving 
 the .*>tates. A pleasant evidence that the Oregon 
 
 ; wildcrne.ss was beginniiis; to bear the rose of (iiia- 
 ron on its thousand hilln, and that on the barren 
 soil of th(^ .SkyuHi- heart was licginniiig to bud 
 
 ; and blossom and ripen the golden fruits of faith 
 
 , ill .lehovah, and hope in an after stale. 
 
 ' 'XUl. We were on our way belbrc the sun rose. 
 The dawn on an Oregon skv, the rich dIuo em- 
 bankment of niountamsover whi<'h the great day. 
 
 ' star rais<>d his glowing rim, the blandnesi of th» 
 air, the velv ambling of the carav.in towani the 
 nciglilK>ring abode of my countryman, imparted 
 to my i'liiid and Ividy a most agreealilo exhilara- 
 
 I U'm. I rickio and his wife and children als<,>, ap- 
 
 ' pf«>n>«; to enjoy llio atmosphere and seenery of 
 t' I -lative valley ; and we went on together mer. 
 r;i, over till swelling plains and murmuring 
 streams till .iiiout eight o'clock, when Criekio 
 spurred his horse in advance of the cavalcade, 
 and motioned me to follow him. 
 
 Wo rode very rapidly ibr alwul three hours 
 over a country gently undulating, well set with 
 bunch grass, and intersected with small streams 
 flowiiii'. northwest The dust had risen in dark 
 <louds during our ride, and rendered it necessary 
 to bathe belbre presenting ourselves at the niii. 
 sioii. We therelbre halted on the b.ank of a little 
 brook overhung with \\ illows, and proceeded to 
 make our toilet. Crickie's paraphernalia w.is am- 
 pie for the pur|X)sc, and showed that among his 
 
 ' other excellencies, eleaiiliuess held a prominent 
 place. A small mirror, pocket-comb, soap and a 
 towel, were immediately produced; and the dust 
 
 ; was taken from his jiersoii and wardrob* with a. 
 nicely Uiat wuidd have satisticd an e.xqmsitu on 
 pavements. 
 
 A ride of five nnlcs afterward brought us i;i 
 
 i sight of the groves around the inissiou. The 
 plains far and near were dry and brown. Evsry 
 ionii of vegetation was dead save the forest trees, 
 whose roots drank deeply of the waters of tha 
 
8CI 
 
 Travels in the Great Western Prairies, 
 
 - li ^W •i^ ,! U.-J-. 
 
 iitrcnni. Wo ciosM'd llic rivor, paf^sfd the Tndiiin 
 (lU'iiinpniiTit linrd l)y,tind wcri' at tlic giilc of tlio 
 mission firlds ill prrseiircol Dr. Wliitiniiii. Ilr 
 w;iB s|)r;ikiii!,f Skj-nso at tlir lop ol' liis voicr to 
 fioitic l.izy Indians who were drivinj; llicir rattle 
 from liii tjardin ; and ^rivinn orders In nlliors lo 
 yoke Ihriroxcn, jjcl tlii' axis, and fjo inio the I'or- 
 rsl liir Iho lower sleeperH of llie new niissioii lionse. 
 iMr. Hall, printer at llie Saiidwieii Islands, s<Min 
 appeared in workini; rlress. willi an axe on his 
 pjionlder; next eame Mr. Monirer, pidlinsr the 
 pine shavings from his li.rrplarie, .Ml sicmed de. 
 Hiron»to ask me liow long a halloon hne had hrcn 
 rimning helween the Slates and the l"acilip hy 
 which single individuals crossed the eonliiienl. — 
 Tlicoxen, however, were yoked, and icXch glislen. 
 ini5 in the smi. ancl there was no lime to spend, if 
 thev would relnrn from their lalwir helore nightfall. 
 So Ihat the wherjcc and wherefore of my Midden 
 a|)pear!mre among Ihem, were left for an atter 
 explanalion. TIk^ doctor inlro<liiee<l me to his 
 rxei'lleni la<ly, and departed lohis lulK)r. 
 
 The ufteriiixm was sjient in listless rest 
 from the toils of my jonniey. ,\1 sunset, how. 
 ever, 1 slrolled out anil .ook a liird'n-eye view of 
 the plantation and plain of the \\'allawalla. The 
 old mission-lionse stands on the northeasl bank of 
 tjie liver, alnjut four rods from the water-side, at 
 the northeast corner of an eiKdosnre eoulaiiiing 
 nl«)iit ~oU acres ; ;2I)(I of which arc under good 
 rultivalion. The soil is a thin stratum of clay, 
 mixed with sand and a small proporlajn of vege. 
 tahle mould, icsting on a base of coarse gravel. — 
 Through this gravel, water from the Wnllawalla 
 filtrates, and hy eapillarv allraelion is raised lo 
 the roots of vegetation in Ihe inenmhenl earth- — j 
 The products are wheat, Indian cMirn, onions, tur- I 
 nijis, rula haga, water, musk and nutmeg melons, 
 Hquaslus, asparagus, tomatoes, ciicmiihcrs, ])eas, 
 \-e. in the garden — all of good (pialily, and uhun- 
 (Unit crops. 
 
 The Wallawalla is a pr.'tty stream. Its rliaii. 
 nrl is )>aved with gravel and sand, and al«ail 
 three rods in width ; water two feet deep ninning 
 live or six miles the hour, and is limpid and cool 
 Ihrongh the year. A hundred vards helow the 
 house, it makes a heautiful hend to llic southwest 
 for a short distance, and then resumes its general 
 direction of northwest hy norlli, along Ihe lM)riler 
 of Ihe |)laiilation. ( >n the o|iposite hank is a line 
 of tiinher am" underwood, interlaced with llow'.r. 
 iiig hramhles. Other small groves occur alMive 
 anil hclow along the hanks. The jdain almut 
 the waters of this river is alionl 30 milpK fii|inre. 
 A great jiart of this siirfaer is more or less cov- 
 ered v.'itli hunch grass. The hranehes of the 
 river arc dislriliulcd over it in such manner that 
 most of it ran he grazed. I'lil from what came 
 under my own ohservalion, and tiie inforinaliou 
 received from res])eetahle American citizens, who 
 had examined it more minnUly than I had time 
 III do, I sup|Misc there to hi^ scarcely !i,(IOII acres 
 of this vast e.vlent of surface, wliieh can ever he 
 made available for the purposes of eiiltivalioii. — 
 The absence of rains and dews in the season of 
 crops, and the ini|)ossil)ility of irrigating inueli ol 
 t on account of the hight of Ihe jjeneral surface 
 above the streams, will uUiird suflicifnt reasons fur 
 entertaining this opinion. 
 
 The doctor returned near night with his tim- 
 
 her — one elm and a number of <iiiaking-asp slicks ; 
 and appeared gralillid that lie had been alile to 
 find Ihe rer|uisile number of sulVieienl size to sup- 
 port his floor. Tea came on, anil passed away in 
 earnest conversation ahoiil native land and friends 
 left lliert — of Ihe |)leasiire lliey derived from their 
 present oecupatinu — and Ihe trials thai hefel them 
 while' eonuueneiug Ihe mission and afterward.— 
 Among Ihe latter, was inenlioned Ihc drowning 
 of their chilli in the Wallawalla Ihe year before — 
 a liille girl two years old. She fell into llie river 
 al Ihe place where they took water for family use. 
 The inolher was in Ihe house, the fallier a short 
 distance away on the preiin.st s. The alarm was 
 conveyed to iheiii almost insl.inlly, and they and 
 ollicrs nishi'd lo Ihe slreani, and sought for il 'ir 
 child with franlie eageriiessi. Hut the strcig 
 heavy enrrenl had carried it down and lodged it 
 in a clump of hush, s under the hank on which 
 they stood. They passed the spot where it lay, 
 hut found it tmi late. Thus tin «e devoted ))eople 
 were herefl, in Ihe most afilieling manner, of their 
 only child — left alone in the wilderness. 
 
 'I'he mori.iij r if Ihe 'Mlh ojiened in the loveliest 
 hues of the >' > . Siill none of Ihe bcaiily of the 
 harvest field — none of the fragrance of the ripened 
 fruits of antiimn were there. The wild horses 
 were frolicking on the plains; but the plains 
 smoked with dust and dearlli. The green woods 
 iuk' the streams sent up their liarinonies with the 
 breeze; but it was like a dirge over the remains 
 of the deparlcd glories of the year. And yet 
 when the sinoking vegetables, the hissing steak, 
 bread white as snow, and the ncwly.cliurncd 
 golden butter graced the breakfast table, and the 
 happy coimlenanccs of counlrymen and country- 
 women Klione around, I could with dill'ieully 1 c- 
 licve myself in a eoimtry so far dislant from, and 
 so unlike iiiv native land, in all its features. Bnt 
 during brcakfi^l. this iileasant illusion was dis. 
 jiellcd by one of the causes wliii'h induced it. — 
 Our steak was of horse-tlesh 1 On such meat 
 this |Kior family subsist most of the time. They 
 I (k) not complain. It enables them lo exist to ilo 
 the Indian good; and thus satisfies them. Bnt 
 can it satisfy those who give money for the sup. 
 i jiort of inissioiiaricH, that the allowance made by 
 ! their iigenis for the support of those who abandon 
 ' l>arents and freedom ami home, and surrender not 
 only till niselves lo Ihe mercy <d the s.ivagcs, but 
 t''cir olVspriiig also, should be so meagre, ns to 
 eo.iipel them lo cat horscficsh ! This necessify 
 : existed in iH.'J'.lat Ihe mission on the Wallawalla, 
 ; and I doubt not exists in lb!.'?. 
 
 The breakfast being oyer, the doelor invited 
 
 . me to a slroU over liis iiremises. The trarden 
 
 , was first examined ; ils location, on the curving 
 
 I bank of the Wallawalla ; Ihe aiiple trees, growing 
 
 thriflily on ils weslern bordir ; the hcaulifnl to. 
 
 mato and other vegetables, hiirdeniiig Ihe groundH. 
 
 Xext to the fields. The doctor's views of Ihe 
 
 ; soil, and its mode of receiving moislure from Ihe 
 
 I river, weri^ such as 1 have previously expressed. 
 " For," said he " in those places where you per- 
 ceivo the stratum of jfravel to be raised so a.i to 
 
 |: intcrru|(t the cajiillary attraction of the sujierin- 
 ^ cumbenl carlh, the crop failed." Then to the 
 ■ new house. The .ulobic walls had been erected 
 :l a year. It was about ID feel by iiU, um\ o.ie and 
 
 II a. hall btories liigh. Tho intciior area consisted 
 
in the Rocky Mountains, the Oregon Territory, etc. 
 
 81 
 
 of two parlorn of the ordinary kIzc, Hcparatcd by || 
 •in ailnhii' |iortioii. The oiilir door opniiil into , 
 one of tlinn; and from this n door in the parti- 
 tion Ird to tlip other. Aliovc wcrt' to hi' tilrrpiiip ' 
 aparlnicMtH. To llic main hiiildini; wm atlaclit'd 
 another (if cfpial liijflit designed for a kiti'lien, 
 with I'liamhcrs alMiVf for ht'rvanls. Mr. Moiijjer 
 and a Sandwi< li Islander were hiyin;; the il(H)rs, j 
 nmkiuir the doorn, i.S;r. The hnnher iis( d was a { 
 very >-iiperior ipiahty of yi'llow pine phmk, which j 
 Dr. \\'hilman liad cnt with a whip wiw among; 
 tht lihie Monnt.iins, I.") miles distant. Ni-\t to 
 the " e.ira' " \ fine yoke of o.\in, iwo eowis an : 
 .'Vnicriean mil, and the heginnini; of a sloid; of j; 
 lioys were ti.ereahont. And last to the urist.mill j' 
 on liio other side of the river. It consisted of a j; 
 spherical wroni^'ht iron hnrr four or live inches in | 
 diameter, surronnded hy a connterlmrred surf ice \\ 
 of the same material. The si>herieal hnrr was |! 
 permant ntly attached to the shaft ol a horizontal 
 water-wheel. The snr- /undin;; hiirrcd surfac( 
 was (irmly fastened to innhers, ni Buch a position : 
 tliut when the waler-whc<l was put in motion, the 
 oijoralion of the mill was snuilar to that of a , 
 coflicnnll. It was a crazy thin;!;, hnl for it the : 
 doctor was ^rralelul. It would, with the help of i 
 himself and :vi Indian, grind enough in a da^' to 
 feed his larnily a week, and tlia>. was hetter than to 
 heat it \Mth a pestle and mortar. It ajjpeared to 
 me (pule remarkahle that the doctor could liav<' 
 niade so many improvements since tlie year 1S,'M. ' 
 Hut the industry which crowded everv hour of the ' 
 day, his untiring energy of character, and the I 
 very ellicient aid of his wife iu relieving him in a \ 
 great degree from the laljors of the school, are, '• 
 jierhaps, circumstancen wliich will render possi. 
 liility probahlc, that in five years one .nun without 
 funds for such purposes, without other aid in that ' 
 business than tliat of a fellow missionary at short ; 
 intervals, should fence, plougli, build, plant an : 
 orchard, and do all the other laliorious acts of; 
 o|)ening a plantation on tlic faic of that distant i 
 wildernexs; learn an Indion hmguage, and do the 
 duties, meanwhile, of a i)byfi(!ian to the associate 
 stations on the Clear Water and Spokan. 
 
 In the afternoon, Dr. \V. ai'.d his lady assembled 
 the Indians for inslruction iu reading. Forty or 
 fifty cinldreu between the ages of 7 and Ibi, and 
 Fcveral older people ijat.hcr on the sliady side of; 
 the new mission-house at the ringmg ol a hand, ij 
 bell, and seated themselves in an orderly manner | 
 on ranges of wooi'en henelKs. The doctor thcnf 
 wrote monoHyllnblcK, words, and instructive sen- 1 
 tcnces iu the Nez Ferees language, on a large 
 hlaeklmard suspended on the wall, and iiroeeeded 
 first to teach the nature and jxiwer of llu! 
 lettcfH in representing tiic simple sounds of the '!; 
 hingiiagc, and then the eonslruelion of words 
 niul their uses in forming sentences expressive of! 
 thought. The .sentences written during these 
 ojierations w<rc at last read, syllable by Hyllabic, ■ 
 and word after woril, and e.vjilaiiied until the sen- . 
 timents eontaiiied in them were comprehcndod. : 
 And it was delightful to notice the undisguised, 
 avidity with which these people would devour a I' 
 new idea. 
 
 It seemed t<i produce ii thrill of deliglit 
 that kindled up the eoimtenanee and anima- ! 
 ted the whole frame. A hymn in the Nez I; 
 PeiecB Iniiguaijc, learned by role frym^llicu: teuch- ,, 
 
 ers, was then sung, and the o.xerciBes closed with 
 prayer by Dr. \V. iutlie Baine tongue. 
 
 :i,')lh. I was awakened at early dawn by the 
 inerr3' sounds of clapping boards, the hammer, 
 the a.vc and the plane; t le sweet melodies of the 
 parent of virtue, at this cradle M' civilization. 
 When I rose every thing wasiii inoiion. Dr. VV.'s 
 little herd was lowing in Ihi^ riv.r; the wild horses 
 were neighing at the morniiig breeze ; the birds 
 were <'aroliiig in the groves. I sanl every thing 
 was alive. iNav, 'lOt so. The .'^kyuse village 
 Was ui the deepest sliimher, save a few solitary in- 
 dividuals who were stalking with slow and stately 
 tread up a neigblKirlng bute, to descry the retreat 
 of their animals. Their conical skin lodges dot- 
 led the valli y above the mission, and imparted lo 
 the morning landscape a peculiar wildness. .As 
 the Sim rose, the imuales began to emerge from 
 them. It was a chilly hour ; and their biitlido 
 lolies were drawn over tlu'ir shoulders, with the 
 hair side ne.\t the Ixidy. The snow white llesli 
 side was fringed with the dark fur thai crept in 
 sight around the edges, and their own l"lig black 
 glistening tresses li'll over it far down the .laek 
 The chililren were out in all the biiovancy of 
 young life, shouting to the ]iraneing steed, or bet. 
 ting gravel .stones that th" arrows ui>on their little 
 bows woulil be the (irsl to clip the sturdv thisllo 
 head upon which they were waging niiniic war. 
 Tlie women were Inisy at their tires, weaving 
 mats from the flag ; or sewing mocctisins, leg. 
 giugs or hunting shirts. Criekie was giving meat 
 to liis friends, who the past winter had fed him 
 and taken care of him ivhile lying sick. 
 
 'I'liis is the imperial tribe of Oregon. They 
 formerly claimed a prescriptive right to exercise 
 jurisdiction over the country down the ( 'olumbia 
 to its mouth ; and up the North and Senith Forks 
 to their sources. In the reign of the late high 
 Chief, the brother of him who now holds that sta- 
 tion, this claim was acceded to by all the trilM;s 
 within those districts. But that taleiitedand brave 
 man left at his death hut one son, wlio, after re. 
 eeiving a thorough education at the Selkirk set. 
 tlenu nt, on Red River of Lake \\'iime])e<g, also 
 died — and with him the imjicrial dignity of the 
 Skyiisc tribe. The person in charge at Fort 
 WuUawalla, indeed (kessed the present incum- 
 bent in better style than his fellows; proclaimed 
 him high chief, and by tri'ating him with the 
 forinalii usually tendered to his deceased brother, 
 has obtained for liim tlie name, but not the re. 
 siH-ct and influence belonging to the otlicc. lie 
 is a man of considerable mental power, but has 
 none of the fire and energy attri'.iuled to his pre- 
 decessor. The Wallawallas and Tpjicr I'henooks 
 ,ire the only trilies that continue to recognize the 
 Skyiise supremacy. 
 
 The Skyiise are also a. tribe of merchants. Be- 
 fore the establishment of Forts Hall and lioisais, 
 they were in the habit of rendezvousing at " Lu 
 (irande Hounde," an extensive valley in the Rhic 
 .Mountains, with the Shoshonie* and other Indians 
 from the valley of the Saptin, and exchanging 
 with them their horses for furs, butValo robes, skin 
 tents, iSi,c. Rut since the building of these jiosts, 
 that portion of their trade is nearly destroyed. In 
 the winter season, a band of tliein usually dcs. 
 eends to the Dalles, barters with the Cliinnoks for 
 salmon, uiut holds cuuiicils over that inciin and 
 
82 
 
 Teavels in the Great Western Prairies, 
 
 miserable build to ascertain their misdemcanorB, 
 and |iunish tliciu tliorrfor by wliippiiiir. TIio Wal- 
 lawallae, liowevcr, arc tlicir most iiimicrniis and 
 profitable customnrs. They nia)- well be termed 
 the tisliermeii of the Skyiise eamp. Tliey liv{:on 
 lx)tli baaUo of the Columbia, from llie Ubie Moim- 
 tains to the Dalles, and eni|)lcv 'lieniselves prin- 
 cipally in takinfj Halmon. I'or tlu <e, tlieir betters, 
 who consider tishini;- a menial bnsii 'sh, give them 
 hoixee. Tliey own larjre nnnibersof these animals. 
 A fikj'use is thouifht to be poor who has but Id or 
 '■iO of them. They jrenendly have many more. 
 One fat, hearty old fellow, owns somellnni( over 
 S},000 ; i\'' '.ild e.veept so many as he needs Ionise 
 or sale. 
 
 To these reports of the Indians, Doctor Whit- 
 man ^'ave little credence; so at variance were 
 Konif of the facts related, with what he presumed 
 the Hudson's Bay Company woidd jiermit to be 
 done by any one m their employment, or under 
 their patronajjc — tin; abuse of American citizens, 
 and the inifientlemanly interference with their 
 charactiTS and callinfr. 
 
 On the niorninjr of the 27th, the arrival of 
 ;\Ir. Ermelinsrer, the senior clerk at l-'ort Mall 
 from I'ort Wallawalla, created (juite a sen- 
 sation. IJis uniform kindness to the missionary 
 has endeared him to them. .Mv eonii)anion, Uk r, 
 accompanied him. The poor old man had becon. - 
 lonely and discouraged, and as I had encouiaged 
 him to e.xj)ect any assistance from me which his 
 circumstances mifrlil demand, it afVorded me the 
 greatest pleasure to make his merits known to the 
 missionaries, who needed an artisan to construct 
 a mill at the station on the Clear Water. Dr. 
 Whitman contracted with him for his services, 
 and Blair was happy. 1 sincerely hope he may 
 forever be so. 
 
 I attended the Indian sciiool to-day. Mrs. 
 Whitman is an indefaligabh; instructress. The 
 clnldren read in monosyllables from a primer 
 lately published at the ('lear ^\'ater station. 
 After reading, they repealed a number of hymns 
 in the Nez I'erces, composed by Mr. Smith, of 
 the Spokan sUition. 'J'hese were afterward sung. 
 They learn nmsic readily. At nightfall 1 visited 
 the Indian lodges in company with Dr. Whit- 
 man. In one of them we saw a young woman 
 who imagined that the spirit of a Mi'dicin man, 
 or conjuror, had entered into her system, and \\ as 
 wasting her life. She w;ih resorting to the native 
 reu.' "_ '"•' «ueh evils — singing wdd incantations 
 and wt ping loudly. 'I'lis tribe, lik.- all others 
 west of tlie mountains, believe in wilchcr.it under 
 various forms — practice i;le\glil.of-luind,tire-ear.ng, 
 «tc. They mscrt rough slicks into their throats 
 and draw them up and do\,n till the i)lood Hows 
 freely, to make them long-winded <in march. 
 They flatten the head, and |)erforate the se|(tum 
 or uarlition of the nose. In this orifice they wear 
 various ornaments. The more common one tliat 
 I noticed was a wolf's tooth. 
 
 The .Skyuse have two distinct languages : the 
 one used in ordinary intercourse, the other on ex- 
 traordinary occasions ; as in war.councils, &,c. 
 Both are said to be copious and expri'ssive. They 
 also speak the Ne/. I'ercea and Wallawalla. 
 
 On the 28th, , Mr. Krmitinger started for Fort 
 Hall, and Blair for the t le.ir Water. Early in the 
 ilay the Indians brought in large numbers of their 
 
 There is every variety of color amon;^ them, from 
 the shining coal-black to the milk-wliite. Some 
 
 horses to try their speed. These are a fine rac? of 
 animals ; as large and of better form and more 
 ctivily than most of the horses in the States. 
 ■iety of col 
 ack to th( 
 of them are jiied very singularly ; as a rof.n body 
 with bay ears, and white mane and tail. Some 
 are spotted with white on a roan, or bay, or 
 sorrel ground, with tail and ears tipped with 
 black. They are belter trained to the saddle 
 than those of civilized countries. When an In- 
 dian wishes an increase of his serving animals, 
 he mounts a fleet horse, and, lassoo in hand, 
 rushes into liis band of wdd animals, throws it 
 upon the neck of a chosen one, and chokes liim 
 down ; and while in a state of insensibility, ties 
 the hind and fore fee I lirrnly ti/gether. When 
 consciousness returns, the animal struggles, vio- 
 lently and in vain, to get Um.sc. Ilis fear is then 
 attacked by throwing bear-skins, wolf-skins and 
 blankets at his head, till he becomes quiet. He 
 is then loosened from the cord, and rears and 
 plunges furiously at the end of a long rope, and 
 receives another introduction to bear-skins, &,c. 
 After this, he is approached and handled ; or, if 
 still too timid, he is again beset with blankets 
 and bear.skins as before, until he is docile. Then 
 come the saddling and riding. During this train, 
 ing they uniformly treat him tenderiy when near, 
 and rudely when he pulls at the end of the halter. 
 And thus they make of their wild steeds the 
 most fearless and pleasant riding-animals I ever 
 mounted. 
 
 The course pursued by Mr. Whitman, and 
 other Presbyterian .Missionaries, to improve the 
 Indians, is to teach them the Nez I'erces Ian- 
 guage, according to fixed grammatical rules, for 
 the purjKisc of opening to them the Arts and Re- 
 ligion of civilized xNations through the medium 
 of lx)oks. They also teach them jiractical Agri. 
 culture and the useful Arts, for the purjiose of 
 civilizing their physical condition. By these 
 means, they hope to make them a better and 
 hapjiier people. Perhaps it would be an easier 
 way to the same result, if li.ey would teach them 
 the" English language, and thus epcn to them at 
 once the treasures which ctntiirles of toil by a 
 superior race have dug from the mines of Intelli- 
 gence and Truth. 
 
 This was the evening before the Sabbath, and 
 Dr. Whitman, as his custom was, invited one of 
 the most intelligent Indians to his .Study, trans- 
 lated to him the text of Scripture from which he 
 intended to leach the tribe on the morrow, ex- 
 plained to him its doctrines, and reiiiiircd of him 
 to explain m turn. This was repeated again and 
 again, until the Indian obtained a clear under- 
 standing of its doctrines. 
 
 The '2!)th was the Sabbath, and I had an oppor- 
 tunity of noticing its observance by the Skyuse. I 
 rose liefore the i>un. The stars were waxing dim 
 on the morning sky — the most charming dawn I 
 ever witnessed. Every possible circumstance of 
 Bubbmity conspired to make it so. There was 
 the pure atmosphere ; not a wisp of cloud on all 
 its transparent depths. The lij^ht [wured over the 
 Blue Mountains like a cataract of gold ; first on 
 the upper sky, and deepening lis course through 
 the lower air, it gilded the plain with a flood 
 of brightncBS, mellow, beautiful brightness ; the 
 
in the Rocky Mountains, the Oregon Territory, S)V. 
 
 83 
 
 i-harms of inornino; lifjlit, on llio lirown, Ixjund- 
 loss w)litii<l('s of Oi('t;oii. Tlii' liriczt! scarcoly 
 nistlcil till) leaves of tlio (lyiiifT llourrs ; the 
 flriiinniinij nl Ihr wninlpcckcr on tlir distant tree, 
 noiiridi-'d a iiiiinliil diH(i>rd ; so ^raiid, so iiwiiil, 
 and yrl. so swnt, wen' tlii; imiittcird symplionits 
 of the suliliiiii' fjiiirl of tlic \\ ildiiiu'ss. 
 
 At 111 o'clock the Skyusc asscmlilcd for worsliip 
 in the o|)cn iiir. Tlic cxcrcisiH ucrc accordin;; to 
 the I'rcsliytciian foiiji ; llic invocation, the liynm, 
 till- |)raycr, llicliyinn, (licsiTMii>n,a jiraycr, ahyiiin, 
 and till" hicssinif ; all in the .Nc/. I'crcis loni;tic. 
 'I'Ir' jirinripal pccnliarity alxmt tliu services was 
 the mode of delivering; the discourse. When Dr. 
 Whitman arose and aiinoiiiiccd the text, the. In- 
 ilian who had tmn instnicled on the ])rev'oiis 
 iiii;lit, rose and repealed it ; and as the address 
 proceeded, repeated it also hy sentence or ]iura. 
 ■.'lapli till it was linishcd. 'I'liis is the cusloiii of 
 the Skyiise in all their pnhlic s|jeakin;;. And the 
 henellt rcsiiUin',f I'roni it in this ease, apparently 
 was, the [rivini;- the doetrmcs which the Doctor 
 desire.l to incnicatc, a clearer expression in the 
 jiropcr idiom of the lan!;na;;e. IJuriiifj the re- 
 cess, the children were asseiiililed in Salihalh 
 School. In the afternoon, the service was simi- 
 lar to that of the moniini;. Kvery tliinrr was 
 conducted with much solemnity. After wor- 
 Blii|), the Indians (rathcrcd in their lod(res, and 
 conversed tosr,,.ilicr (toncerninj; what they had 
 heard. If donht arose as to a;,y jioint, il wan 
 solved hy the instructed ImUaii. Thus p.isse<l 
 the Salihath amoni; the Skyiise. The day itself 
 was one ol' suhlimity ; that day on which the re- 
 ligious allections of the race go up to their source, 
 the iiieom|iichensiljle origin of the world. 
 
 t)n the •-'IMli 1 hired (rickie to take me to the 
 Dalles ; and, .Mrs. Whitman having tilled my <iacks 
 with hread, corn-meal anil other cdihles, I lashed 
 my packs once more for the lower (.'ohimhia. 
 
 ClIAPTKH VIII. 
 
 r«fliiig W'Mi Frlf mill— Wall iwnlla Vallny— Fort Wallmalla 
 —.Mr, Ptthihrui.— TiipCsluinhlii— Counlrv clown lisbankt 
 
 — What was Sfun <il Riirli Kartb— Wood, Fire ind WaliT— 
 Daiazcr, 4ic. Irnni the Ilnifjlib— Fdllini; M lunlain— iMorr.- 
 in^ Jlyiiin to Hod — W. a iu*s Causeway— A View ot the Fro- 
 ZHii Subliirt- — Soniewliat ttf Oiikip ami oilier Mnitrrs — 
 'Tuin Tuni Uriel' an I appurU'iliince^— Dalle'* — Methodist 
 Kpis opal Mi^sion -Mr. and Mrs Perkins— .Mr. Lee- Mis- 
 i.iim rieiiiifBi— (lifiyptian ryiaiiiids- Indian — 11 iw Filly 
 Iiidian^can'FitrlilOnr Busloii— The llrsuUiif a War— Uc- 
 =CPiit ol the Colmntiia in a Canoe — A Nif^lil on tin* River 
 — The Poelry of uic WllderneMi- The Cascod''^- Pt.stiii;e 
 
 — Dr. .Mcl.auiji.ln— Indian Tomhs— Death— -V I{«ce— The 
 Uiver and lis Banks— Ni^'hl Airaiii— M'lUnH Wasliinuiim 
 and JelVersou— Arrival— Fort Vaucouver— British Ho.'pi* 
 lilily. 
 
 SiHIi. ',cft the kind peopleof the mission, at ID 
 o'clock, li r I'ort Wallawalla. 'I'lavi led 13 miles; 
 face of the country dry, harrcn, swelling plains; 
 not an acre capahle of cultivation : soino hunch 
 grasp, and a generous supply of wild wonnwo<id. 
 I'lncampcd on the, northern hraneli of the Walla- 
 walla Uivcr. 
 
 t^ctoher I. .\t 10 o'clock, to-day, I was kind- 
 ly received hy .Mr. Painhrun at Fort Wallawalla. 
 This gentleman is a half-pay ulhcer in the British 
 army. His rank in the Hudson Hay Company is 
 that of " clerk in charge" of this post. He is of 
 [•'rencli extraction, a native of Canada. I hreak- 
 fasted with him and his family. His wife, a half- 
 hreed of the country, has a immhor of heauliful 
 children. The hreukfast being over, Mr. I'ain. 
 
 I hriin invited me to view the preinisco. The fort 
 I is a plank stockade, with a numher of hnildings 
 i within, appropri.itcd to the several uses of a store, 
 j hlacksmilh-shop, dwellings, &c. It has a has. 
 : tion in the norlheast corner, inounlcd with can- 
 I noil. The eoimlry around .about has sometimes 
 j been represented as fruitl'iil and beautiful. I am 
 I obliged to deny so foul an imputation upon tho 
 I fair fame of dame Naturi'. It is an ugly desert ; 
 designed to be such ; made such, and is such. — 
 .\boiit seven miles up the Wallawalla River arc 
 two or three acres of givjiind feneed with brush, 
 j cajiable of bearing an inferior species of Yankee 
 pumpkin; and another s|«)l, somewhere, of the 
 fourlli of an acre, capable of producing any thing 
 I that grows in the richest kind of unmoistened 
 ; simd. I!ut aside fmiii these distiiigiiL«hed e.xeep. 
 ; tioiis, the vicinity of Fort Wallawalla is a desert. 
 'J'liere is, indeed, some beauty and sulilimil y in 
 sight, but no fertility. The wild Coluinbia sweeps 
 aloi:g under its northern wall. In the east, roll 
 , up to heaven dark lofty ridges of mountains ; in 
 the norlliwesi, arc the ruins of extinct and terri- 
 ble volcanic action ; in the west, a half mile, is 
 ' the entrance of the river into the vast chasm of 
 its lower course, abutted on either side by splen- 
 didly castellated rocks — a magnificent gateway 
 for its floods. 
 I Hut this is all. DesPrt describes it as well as 
 ' il docs the wastes of .\rabia. I tarried only two 
 hours with the hospitable Mr. I'anibrun. But as 
 if determined that 1 should remeinbcrthat I would 
 I have been a welcome guest a much longer titne, 
 1 ho put Sfime tea and sugar and bread into my 
 ! packs, and kindly expressed regrets that our mil- 
 tual achniralion of Napoleon should be thus 
 [ crowded into the eliit-eliat of hours instead of 
 weeks. A fine eompanioiialile fellow ; I hope he 
 J will command Fort Wallawalla as long as Brit- 
 ons occupy it, and live a hundred years afterward. 
 Traveled down the south bank ol the Columbia 
 , along the watcr.side ; the river half a mile in 
 '. width. with a deep strong current ; water very clear. 
 ■\ \ short distance from its brink, on both sides, 
 rose the cml'.ankments of the cliasm it has worn 
 ' for itself, m the lajisc of ;iges — a noble gorge, 
 worthy of its mighty waters. The northern one 
 might properly be termed a mountain running 
 continuou-.lv alont; the water's edge, 700 or 80(1 
 ' feet in hijvt, iihii U, shining, and sliriibiess. The 
 southern o'k- consisted of earthy bluft's. a'terimt- 
 iiig with ^lifl's fn.iu 100 to 100 feet above the 
 stream, tiirretcd with basaltic shafts, some twen. 
 ly others 100 feel alxive the subjacent hills. — 
 Passe, I a few horst-s traveling industriously from 
 one 'visp of dry bunch grass to another. Kvery 
 thing unnatural, dry, brown, and detolate. — 
 C'limlM'd the bights liear sunset, and had an ex- 
 tens, ve view of the country south of the river. It 
 ' was a treclciis, brown expanse of (iearth, vast roll- 
 : ing swells of sand and clay too dry to iH'arworm- 
 wood. No inountaijis seen in thai direction. On 
 the north they rose precipitously from the river, 
 and hid from view the country beyond. The 
 Wallawalla Indians brought un drift-wood and 
 fresh salmon, lor which they desired " shmoke," 
 tobai'co. 
 
 'i. Continued to descend the river. Karlyinthe 
 day, basalt disappeared from the blutls ; and the 
 country north and isouth opened to view live or 
 
84 
 
 Travels in the Cheat Western Prairies, 
 
 ax niilca from llii: stream. It was partially cov- 
 rrcd with dry Imnrh graiss; (jrnups of Indian 
 horsos ocrasionally appeared. Hut I was ini. 
 pressed witli tlie belief thai the jonriieyinKH from 
 one qiiic' of jrraRs to another, and from these to 
 water, were sullieient to enfeeule the eoiislitutioM 
 of the befit horse in Chrislendoni. The wihl 
 wornnvood, of " blessed memory," greeted my 
 eyes and nose, wlicrever its Herayseould find sand 
 to nourish them. 
 
 During the day 1 w.is jrratilied with tlu^ Hii;lit 
 of five or six trees, and these a larife species of 
 willow, themselves Hjnall anil Ih)W(uI witliai;e; 
 stones and rocks more or less fused. .\ stroni; 
 westerly wind hutl'tled nie ; and nnieli of the 
 time tilled the air with driltini; sand. W f en- 
 eamped at the water side about thnc o'cloeU. I 
 had thus a tine opportunity of aseendini; the 
 liights to view the sonthern plain. 'I'he slopas 
 were well covered with i;rass, and s(,eiued easy of 
 atieent ; but on trial proved e.\trcmil3' lalNirious. 
 1 however climbed slowly and patiently the long 
 sweeps, for two hours, and gaineil nothing. Nay, 
 1 could see the uohle river, like a l'>ng line of 
 liipiid fire blazing with the light of the western 
 Hun; and the rusli wigwams of the Wnllawallas, 
 dotting the sands of the op]K)sile shore ; and the 
 barren bUiH's and rocks beyond them )iiled away 
 into space. 15ut to the se.itli my vision was 
 hemmed in by the constantly rising swells. No 
 extensive view could be obtained from any of the 
 bights. The sun was fast sinking, and the bills 
 rose as I advanced. I was so weary that I ef)uld 
 go little further. But taking a. careful view of 
 the peaks which would guide me back to my 
 camj), I determined to travel on till it should be. 
 come too dark to see what might open before inc. 
 I eUmbcd slowly and tediously thi! seemingly end- 
 less Bwells, lifluig themselves over and Injyond 
 each other in beautiful, hut to my wearied limbs 
 and longing eyes in most vexatious contimiity, 
 till the sun dipped his lower rim Ijcneath the hori- 
 zon. A volcano hurst the hills, thought I ; and 
 on I trudged with the Uttle strength tliat a large 
 (piantity of vexation gave nic. Fires blister your 
 beautiful brows, 1 half ottered, as I dragued my- 
 iu'lf up the eiw»« ning ejumenee, an<l saw the pla- 
 teau duclimng in im-gular undulations far into 
 the southwest — a stordc waste, clothed in the glo. 
 rics of the last niys of a splendid sunset. The 
 crests of the distant swells were fringed with 
 hunch grass ; not a shrub or a tn e on all the 
 field of vision; and evidently no water ncirer 
 than the (^ilnmbia. Those cattle which arc, in 
 the opinion r)f certain travelers, to depasture these 
 plains in future lime, nuist he of sound wind and 
 limb to gather food and water the sinie day. I 
 found myself so wearied on attaining this goal of 
 my wishes, that, notwithstanding the laleiuss of 
 the hour. I was literally compelled to seek some 
 rest tvUirc atlem])ting to descend. I therefore 
 HCiitod myself, and in the lu.\ury of re[H)se per- 
 iintud darkness to commence creeping over the 
 landscape, before I coidd rouse myself to the ef. 
 fort of moving. And w hen I did start, my style 
 ol locomotion was extremely varied, and withal 
 Rometinies not the most pleasa U to everv portion 
 of the mortal coil. My teel w* f. i" iintaqucnt- 
 ly twi.-e or thriee the length of tt« d measure in 
 advance of my body. But the rv-adcr must not 
 
 suppose that this eircmnstanee diminished my 
 speed. No, I continued to slide down the 
 hills, using as vehicles the small ;;b:irp stones be. 
 ueatli me, until an opportunity olVered to put my 
 nether e\lrriuili("s uuiler me aguLii. Once I bad 
 nearly plunged headlong from a iirecipicc somi^ 
 .'ill led high, and saved )nyscll' by catching a 
 wormwood bush standing within three feet of the 
 brink, rinally, without any serious mishap, I 
 arrived in camp, so completely e.vbaiisteil, that, 
 without tasting food, I threw myself on my couch 
 for the night. 
 
 .'Id. Thei^arlby hlufi's continued to bind the 
 chasm of the riv'rr till mid day, when biittri'SHes 
 of basalt took their place. A little bunch grass 
 grew among the wild wormwood. Turki^ys, 
 grouse, and :i spedies of large hare frequently 
 appeared ; many ducks in the stream. For three 
 hours before sniisct the trail was rugged and pre- 
 cipitous, often overhanging the rivi'r, and so nar 
 row that a mis-step of four inches would have 
 plunged horse and rider humlreds k( feet into the 
 Iwiling IliMid. lint as Skyuse horses never make 
 such (lisagreeable mistakes, we rode the steeps in 
 safely. Fncaniped in a small grove id' willows 
 The "river along the day's march was hemmed in 
 by lofty and rugged" mountains. The roek» 
 showed indubitable evideneesol ii volcanic origin. 
 .\s the sun went down, the Wallawalla village 
 on the opposite shore san;: a hymn in their own 
 language, to a tune which I have often heard 
 sung in Catholic, churches, before the image of 
 the Virgin. The country in the soulli, as seen 
 from the bights, was broken and barren ; view 
 limited in all directions, by the unevenness of the 
 surface. 
 
 •Itli. -Vwakcncd this morning by ihe fall of an 
 hundred tons of rock from the face of the moun- 
 tain near us. The earth trembled as if the slum- 
 bering volcanoes were wrestling in its bowels. 
 We were brought to our feet, and oiieued and 
 rubbed our eyes with every mark of despatch. 
 My " jioor crane " and his hopeful .son condts- 
 ceniled to appear shocked ; an event in an In- 
 dian's life that occurs as seldom as his birth. I 
 had stationed myself near the fallen rocks as the 
 sun's first rays awoke the morning hymn of the 
 Indian viir.ifi. [I was a sHiet Wild tune that 
 they sung to (iod among the dark mountains ol 
 the Columbia. And sweeter, ])erhaps. in such a 
 ])lace, where every motion of the heart is a moni- 
 tion that one is alone, and every thought brings 
 with it the remembrance that the social affections 
 are separated from the objects of their fondness, 
 and where every moral sensibility is chilled by a 
 sense of desolation and danger, calling into exer- 
 cise the resisting and extenninating propensities, 
 and where the holy memories of home find uo re- 
 ."jionBC but in some loved star in the unchanging 
 heavens. In such a i)laco how far sweeter than 
 anything beside is the evidence of the religious 
 principle — the first teaching of a mother's lovo, 
 rising over Ihe wastes of nature from the altar of 
 a pure heait^tbe incen.se of love going up to the 
 heaveidy presence. At S o'clock wo were on 
 route ; at 9 o'clock approached the bend in the 
 river, where it changes from a southwest to a 
 northwest course. .\t this place the clitT's which 
 overhang the southern bank presented a fine eol- 
 lection of basaltic coluiuns. Along the margin of 
 
in the jRock'j Mountains, the Oregon Terrilory, tfc. 
 
 85 
 
 the rivfr Iny hillockB of Hroria", piled loprlhor in 
 iivrry iinapiniiblc form of confusion. Among 
 ♦ hrivi grew connidrrnlilp qnanlitiff of bnnch grass, I 
 on which a hand of Wallawalla liorscs w<r(' feed. ' 
 iiig. Siind-hillH on the opposite shori; ron- KKIO 
 feet in the air. Ifasall occurred at iiilervals, in a 
 more or li'tw perfect ntate of fonualioii, till the 
 hour of noon, wlien Uic trail led to the liahc of a 
 ficricH of cohinniM extending Ihree-fourlliH of a mile 
 down Ihf! haitU. These were more perfectly 
 formed than any previously seen. They swelled 
 from a large curve of the mouiitaia side, like the 
 IwBlioilH of ancient castles; and oik^ Beries of lofty 
 columns lowered alK)ve another, till the last was 
 surmounted hy a crowning tower, a little alK)vc 
 the level of the plain Ix'yon J. And their penta- 
 gonal lorin, longiiiidinul sections, dark shining 
 Iracture, and iinmciiKe mas-ses strown along my 
 way. hetokened me if not in the very im'sencc of 
 the (Jianl's t 'ausewny, yet on a B|HJt where the 
 Hame mighty energies had exerted themselves 
 which huildcd that rare, heaulihil wonder of the 
 Kmerald Isle. The river very tortuous, and shut 
 Ml hy high dykcH of hasall and sand hills the- re- 
 inaiiKlcr of the day ; saw three small rapids in the 
 ('oluinl)ia; encamped at sunset; l(X) weary to 
 climl) the hiplils. 
 
 r>lh. Aros(^ at hrcnk of day, and ordering my 
 guide to make arrangements for starting as soon 
 n» I should rctuni, I ascended the iieighljoring 
 lieights. (irassy undulating plains in all <lirec- 
 tions south of the river. Far in the norllu'ast 
 towered the frozen i)eak of Mount Washington, a 
 perfect pyramid, clothed with eternal snow.s. The 
 view in the north was heiimicd in hy luoimtainH 
 which rose higher than the jilac.e of ohscrvation. 
 On descending, my guide I'rikic complained of 
 ill-heallli ; and assigned that circumstance as a 
 rciison why he shoidd not jiroeeed with nie to the 
 Dalles. I was much vexed with him at the lime, 
 for this unseasonable (Userlion, and hilicvcd that 
 the real inducement to his course was the danger 
 to he ap|)rehcnded from the Indians at the Sliutes. 
 Hut I uas sorry to learn from Dr. Whitman af- 
 terwards that the [Kior fellow was actually sick, 
 and that he sullen il imn'h at the sand hank en- 
 lamjnnent, where 1 left him. After paying C'ri. 
 kie fur Ins l.nllihil services thus far along, and 
 giviii;; him lour days' provision for him.self and 
 Imy, a VV;dlawalla Indian who had encamped 
 with us the previous m;_rhl, 'ook charge of t'rikie's 
 horses, hearing niyscll and jiacks, and led the 
 way down the river. The " \»n>r crane '" was an 
 honest, honoralile man ; and I can never think of 
 all his kind acts to me. Ironi the time I met him 
 in the plains heyond the Wallawalla mission, till 
 I left liiiii sick on the hank of thi' Cohimhi.i. with- 
 out wishing an Mppdrtnmlv to tcsiifv my sense of 
 iii-i moral woiili and goodness of heart in some 
 way which shall yield linn a suhslantial rewar<l 
 for all he sulVered in my service. 'l"wo hour.';" 
 ride hrought t'l inv ears the music of the "turn 
 Inmorler;"' the iTiilian-l'higlish lor the " thun- 
 dering waters" of the Shiites. These arc the 
 only perpendicular lalls uf the » oUmiliia, in its 
 course from the jimctiun of its great northern and 
 southern hianelies. to the ocean. And th<y do 
 indeed thunder. A stratum ol hlack rock lorm- 
 ing till' l)ed of the river aliove, hy preservuig its 
 horizoiitut poititioii, rincH at tlus place above the 
 
 n.atural surface of the slream, and forms an nb. 
 rupt precipice, hanging 60 lift in bight over 
 the bed l)rlow. The river, when I passed 
 w«« unfortim.itcly at its lowest stage — still the 
 .Sliules were terribly granil. The main body id" 
 the «Mler swept around near its southern bank, 
 and being there compressed into a narrow rough 
 channi 1, ehafid its angry way to the brink, 
 where, bending a massive curve, as if licHilalilig 
 to risk the leaji, it plunged into a narmw cavern 
 tiO feet deep, with a force and volume which 
 made the earth tremble. The noise was prodi- 
 gious, ileafcihng, and echoed in awful tumult 
 among the barren mountains. Further towards 
 the other .shore, smaller jets were rushing from 
 the iinprisoni'd rocks which elnslercd near the 
 brow of the elift", into other caverns; and close 
 under the north hank, and farther down the 
 stream, thundered another, nearly equal in gran- 
 deur to the one first described. 
 
 On the jiorlions of the rocky stratum left by 
 the ehathig waters, in we. ring out nnmcrouH 
 channels below the present situation of thcShulcH, 
 were the llag huts of 100 Wallawalla fishermen. 
 They were taking salmon with nvm)\t nets and 
 lione iiointed spears. These people were filthy 
 and naked. Some eat by fires swallowing roaiitcd 
 salmon ; otin rs greasing; themselves witli the oil 
 of that fish ; others were dressing and drying 
 them I others stood down on the projections in the 
 chasms, sweeping their nets in the foaming wa- 
 ters ; others, mothers, w ere devouring the vermin 
 from the heads of their children ; imtaiight, un- 
 elevated, least intelligent, least improvable liiunan 
 nature 1 It was not deemed safe to remain long 
 among these savages, wlio had begun to examine 
 my packs with more interest than strictly honest 
 intentions towards them seeincd to require, and I 
 took to the trail again on a fast trot. Some of 
 them endeavored to follow on loot, demanding a 
 tribute of '■ Kinoke" for the ]irivilege of jiassing 
 their dominions. Ihit having none at hand 1 
 PJishcd on, without regarding their suit, over sand 
 iiills, beds of volcanic stones, and hanging de 
 clivities, till rounding a basaltic buttress, 1 came 
 in view of the little plain on the senlh western 
 shore of the Dalle? The " Dalles," a French 
 term for " llat stones," is applied to a |)ortion of 
 the river here, where, hy a process similar to that 
 going on at ^Niagara, the w.'tcrs have cut chan- 
 nels through an immense slrjtnm of blaek rock, 
 over which they used to iVdl as at the iShutes. — 
 At low stages these arc of sufiicii iit capacity to 
 pa.'s all the waters. Hut the annual ll<Mjds over- 
 How the •' llat stones," and produce a lashing an<l 
 leaping, and whirling of waters, too grand fortlie 
 imagiudtion to conceive. These " Dalh s" arc 
 covcrcil with the huts of the (lieiiookH. a small 
 band ol a tribe of the same name, which iiiliab. 
 its the b.inkii of Columbia from this place to its 
 moulh. Tlii'v llatten their heads and perforate 
 the .-.cptiim ol the nose, as do the Wallawallas, 
 Sky use and iScz Prrees. 
 
 'I'he depression of the southern embatlkment 
 i>{ the chasm of the river at the Dalles, extends 
 iS mill s alonjr the stream, and from a h'if mile 
 to a mile in width. It is broken by ledges burst- 
 ing through the surface, and in parts loaded with 
 iniincnBc lioulders of detached rocks. Along llie 
 iiQrth.wcHteni border ore groves ot' snmll wliile 
 
Travels in the Great Wesitrn Prairies, 
 
 oaks; and on llioliii;liIanilH'inllnt (lircctlnn aro for. 
 CBlH of pine, Hpnic'caiuloIlK ii'vrri;rriM'n«, dotliiii;; 
 thn wIioIp ciiiiiilry wi-Blwnrd lo tin' Piiowy |piiiksof 
 the I'n piHrnt'B Hnniri-. In the soiitliwrsi, sproUrd 
 willi rlustrrs nf liiiricli fjrassi, is an open rollin^r 
 plain, wliii.'li slivli'liis hcyoiid lliu rracli of vi«i()n. 
 In llic north rise sha . iimnntains, liiinlv (dad 
 witli I'vcrfjrct'n tri'OH . n'oiiijh an oprjnni; anioni,' 
 till' peaks (if which, apjM'arcd the Hliininj; apex of 
 Fount AdaniK. In thi- northcasi swccjis away in 
 brown barrcnncs!", naked ehlli< and siindy wastes. 
 I had taken a l)ird's-eye view of thi' l>alle» and 
 the region round alioul, when my IniMan eried 
 out " Lee liouse." And there it was, a mission 
 liouBc of the American 1'. K. Methodist Clmrch. 
 jn charge of Messrs. Lee and I'erkins. 
 
 I spent a week al the Dalles mission, ealiui; 
 salmon and prowini; f.it ; an event tliat hud not 
 lately occurred in the ri'pul)lie of the mcndiers of 
 my mortal eoidederaey. 
 
 Tlic liuiUlinirs of the mission, .'ire a (Uvelliiifj- 
 houHC, a house for worshi]/ and for seiiool purposes, 
 and a wcushop, &.e. The first is a lof; strneturt; 
 31) hy UO feet, one and a half stories hij,'h. shimrle 
 roof, and lloors made id ]ilank cut with a whip 
 Haw from th(' jiiues of the hills. 'I'he lower storv 
 is divi(Utd into two rooms — the one a ilininjj.room, 
 tliP other the family apartment of >Ir. Perkins and 
 lady. These are lined overhca<l and al the sides 
 witli heautifnl rush mats mannfaetnred liy the In. 
 diaiis. The upper slory is partitiimed into six dor. 
 mitorirs, and a school. room for Indian children ; 
 all neatly lined with jnats. Un<lerneatli is -.m ex. 
 cellent cellar. The huildinjj desifjued for a house 
 of worship, was beinij huilt when I arrived. Its 
 architecture is a cmiosity. The frame is made in 
 the usual form, save that instead of four main 
 posts at the corners, and others at considerahle 
 distiuices, for the support of lateral [;irders, there 
 were eleven on each side, and six on each end, hi', 
 bide the corner posts — all eipial in size and leuijth. 
 Uetwcen these hdlels of wood were driven trans. 
 ver6ely,on which as lalhiuf,', mortar made of clay 
 sand and straw was laid to a level with llicir ex. 
 teriorand interior faces. There is so little fallini,' 
 wealher here, that this mode of building was con- 
 sidered sulViciently substantial. 
 
 Messrs. Lee and I'erkins were formerly connee. 
 ted with the mission on the Willamette. Kijrli. 
 teen months before I had the hap])iness of enjov- 
 injT their hospitality, they came to Miis spot with 
 axes on their siioulders, felled trees, plou!;heil, 
 fenced, and planted 20 acres of land wilh their 
 own hands, and creeled these habitations of civi- 
 ligation and ehrisliauily on the bo.som of the howl, 
 ini; wilderness. 'J'hcir iiremiscs are situated on 
 olrvated ground, al)out a mile southwest from the 
 river. Innnc'dnlcly back is u ^rrove of suiall 
 v.'hitc oaks and yellow pines: a liltle north, is a 
 sweet spring bnrstuijr from a ledireof rocks whirh 
 supplies water for house use, and moistens aliont 
 an acre of rich soil. About a mile to the south, 
 are two or three hundred ;icres of tine land, with 
 grove.^ of oaks around, and an ab\inilan , snjiply 
 of excellent water. Here it was the intention of 
 the mission to open a farm under the care of a 
 layman from the .States. A mile and a Inilf lo the 
 north, is a tract of about two hundred aces. su.s. 
 ceptibic of beiuji ))lculifully irrigated by a number 
 of large btreaiiia that pour down upon it licnn the 
 
 western mountains. Here, too, (hoy inieinled lo 
 locate laymen to open farms, ami exirael from the 
 idle earth the means of feeding themselvc*, the 
 Indians, and the way-worn while m:m from tlie 
 bunit soliludes of the mouulains. .No location, 
 not even the sacred precincis of St. licinard, on 
 the snows of the Alps, could be heller chosen for 
 the operations of a holy beuevoleuec. 'I'he In- 
 dians from many ipiarlers Hock lo the Dalles and 
 Ihe .Shnlcs m thi' spring, and aidumn, and winter 
 to purchase salmon; the conuncrcial movements 
 liclwccn Ihe Stales and the I'acilic, will passthrir 
 door ; and therein allcr days, the slurilv emigrants 
 from the Slates will slop, as did the pilgrims on 
 riyiiionlh rock, lo give grateful praise to lliin 
 who stood forlli in Iheiraid, not indeed while strng. 
 glingon the foamy billow, but on the burning 
 plain and Ihe icy elil!', and in the deadly turmoil 
 of Indian bailies on the way, and seek food and 
 rest for their emaciated frames, before entering the 
 
 1 woody glens and llowering evergliules of I/iwer 
 Oregon. 
 
 -V saw.mill, a grist-mill, and other maehiiiery 
 necessary to eiirry out a liberid plan of operations, 
 arc in eonlemjilalioii. 'i'he fruit of Ihe o;ik, it is 
 supposed, will su|(porl 1,(111(1 hogs from ihe middle 
 of August to the midillc of April, The products 
 of Ihe arable V'"' will siiHice lo make llial num. 
 
 ' her into marlieiaoie jiork. And as the grass and 
 other vegetation grow there during the winter 
 
 I months, twenty-live or Ihirly sipiare miles of pas- 
 turage around about, will enable them lo raise, at 
 a trilling expense, immense numbers of sheep, 
 horses and cattle. I''ive acres of ground culti- 
 vated in If^^til, produced 'J.') bushels of the small 
 grains, 7,"> bushels of potatoes, and considerable 
 ipiautilies of other vegelables. This was an ex. 
 perimeiit only eu soil not irrigated. (Miillemen 
 siip|iose it capable of producing double that 
 amount, if irrigated. The .season, too, was unu. 
 sually dry. 
 
 Around about Ihe mission are clusters of friable 
 
 I sandstone rocks of remarkable, form. Their 
 bight varies from 10 to 30 feel; their basilar di. 
 amcters from 3 lo 10 feel ; their shajic generally 
 resembles that of Ihe obelisk. These, I.") or UO 
 in number, slandiiig among the oaks and pines, 
 often in cluslers, and sometimes solitary, give u 
 slrange interest of antiipiily to the sjiot. .\nd 
 this illu>icm is increased by a rock of anolhcr 
 form, an immense boulder resting upon a short, 
 sk'iider pedestal, and strikingly resembling the 
 Lgyptian .'ipliyiix. The Indian tradition in re. 
 gard to Ihem is, that they were formerly men, 
 who, fer some sin against the (ileal Spirit, were 
 changed lo sloiic 
 
 ! ^ At the Dalles is the upper village of the ("he- 
 nooks. .Vt the .Sliiites, live miles .iImivc, is the 
 lower village of the W'allawallas. Accordingly 
 
 I one of the missionaries, Mr. Lee, learns the Che- 
 nook language, and Ihe other. .Air. I'erkins, the 
 Wallawalla. And llicir custom is lo repair, ou 
 
 ' .'^abbath days, each to his own people, and teach 
 
 i them the Cliristian religion. Tlie I'lienooks Hat. 
 
 (ten their heads more, and arc more stupid than 
 
 i any other tribe on the Columbia, There was one 
 
 : among the Dalles bami, who, it was said, resisted 
 so iibstinalcly the kind elliirts of bis parents lo 
 crush his skull iiilo the aristocratic shape, that 
 
 I they abandoned liuu lo the cuic of iiulure in this 
 
in the Rocky Mountains, the Oregon Terrilor;/, ^. 
 
 67 
 
 regard; and miirli to tlin Hcnndnl of IiIh fnniilj*, 
 hiH liriid (jrcw in tlio imliiral loriii. 1 Haw liini 
 every (lay while I l-.irrii'd llicrc. Ho wnn t\'\. 
 dt'iitly Ihc most intcUignit nno of the hand. His 
 name iB UobIou ; ho eallcd, hctauw. Ilii lorm of 
 his head rcwmhlrH that of AmcricaiiH, ivImjmi ihr 
 JndiunH eull •' llontoti," in order lo diHtin(fiiisli 
 tlicm from " Kinjj (irorjje'a nun," — the HikIh n 
 Hay C'oini)any (jcnlleiniri. HoHlon, nllhoii(;li of 
 nic'un origin, hun, on aiconnt of liin 8U|i(.rior cn- 
 fTjiy and inttlli^jcncc, hucume the war chief of 
 th('|UulU'H. 
 
 On the inorninf; of the Mill, F overhauled my 
 hajffrafro preparalory to deHcendinjj the river. In 
 doinjf Ko, I waB miieli vexed to lind that the In- 
 dians ha<l, in some manner, drawn my sa<ldle to 
 the window of the work-shop in which it was 
 depoHiled, and stripped it of Btirrn|is, Blirru|). 
 Htraps, surcin(;le, (rirths, and crnpper. 'I'lii y had 
 also stolen my bridle. 'I'he loss of these arlieles 
 in a region where th(^ like eoidd iiol. he piinhuHed 
 — articles .so necessary lo me in earryin;; out my 
 <leBip;nH of travel inn over the lower eonntry, 
 roused in niethe hitterent determination to reijaln 
 I hem at all ha/.anlH. And without relleetinj; for 
 a moment nj>on thedisjiarilv of mnnhershetwecn 
 my Mingle yelf and 10 or iM) ahle.hodied Indians, 
 1 armed myself eom])lelely, and marched my 
 solitary hattalion lo the camp of the principal 
 chief, and entered il. lie was away. I ex- 
 plained lo some persona there by Hijfns and a few 
 words, the ohjcet of my search, and inarched my 
 army to an elevalcd position and halted. I had 
 been atationed but a short lime, when the Indians 
 began to collect in their chiefs lodge, and whis. 
 per earnestly. Ten minutes tiassed thus, and In- 
 dians were constantly arriving and euleriint. I 
 was Hupported in the rear by a lusty oak, and so 
 far as I remendier, was ready lo exclaim with 
 Ihc renowned antagonist of Roderick Ohn, 
 
 " Come oaa, come all," Si.( ; 
 but never having been a hero before or since, I 
 uni not (piite certain that I thought any such 
 tiling. i\ly wrath, however, was extreme. To 
 be robbed for the first time by Indians, and that 
 by Buch cowardly wretches as these Chcnooks 
 were — the tiltliiest scales of linman nature ; and 
 robbed too of my moans of <xploring (Jrcgon, 
 when on the very threshold of the most charniing 
 part of it, was an ignominy and an inconven. 
 icnce wortli a battle lo remove. .Inst at the mo- 
 ment of this lofty conclusion, 3H or 10 Indians 
 rushed around me ; eight or ten loaded muskets 
 were leveled at my chest, within ten feet of me, 
 and the old chief stood within live feet with a 
 duelling pistol loaded, cocked, and pf)inled at my 
 heart. While this niovcmcnl was being made, 1 
 brought my ride lo bear up"n the old cliiei's vital 
 organs. Thus both armies stood for the space of 
 five minutes, without the movement of tongue or 
 muscle. Then one of the brave,* intimated that 
 it was "not good" for mc to be out with arms; 
 and that I must immediately accommodate my- 
 self within doors. Hut to this proposition the 
 bravery of my army woiMd not sidimil. 1 accor- 
 dingly informed liiiii io that ed'ect. Whereupon 
 the opposing army n < nt into a furious rage. At 
 this juncture of alVairs, Mr. Lee came iiji, and 
 acted as inlcrpreter. He inquired into the difli- 
 culty, and was told that the " whole Clienook 
 
 tribe was threatened with invamon, and nil the 
 horrors of a gi ueral war, ind on what account 
 Ihcy knew not.'' Tlie commander rif my army 
 reported that they had ri'libcd him, and deserved 
 such treatment ; ami Ih.il he had taken arms to 
 annihilate the tribe, uiiIcbs they restored to him 
 what they had stolen. I was then told that 
 " it was not good for me to appear in arms, that 
 il was good lor me lo go into the linuse." To 
 this, iiiy army with one voice replii d, " nay, 
 never, nevir leave the gromul or 111,' Chcnooks 
 alive, tribe or cliii f, if llie stolen properly be not 
 restored;" and wheeling my baltiliop, drove liiil 
 cine Hank and then the ollnr of the opposing 
 liosts, Till viirds into the deplli" of the forests. — 
 During this movemenl, worthy of the best days 
 of .Spartan valor, the old chief stood amazed to 
 sec his followers with guns loaded and cocked, 
 lice before such infrrioi numbers, .\fler cll'ect- 
 ing the eom|ilcte route of llu! opposing infantry, 
 the army under my command took up the old 
 position without the loss of a single man. But 
 the old chief was still there iis dogged and sullen 
 as Indian ever was. (.>n approaching him, he 
 presented his pistol again near my ehcBt, where- 
 upon my rilli' was instanlly in a jiosilion to r<'a<'li 
 his. And thus the renowned leaders of Ihcfc 
 mighty Hosts stood for the space of an hour, with- 
 out bioodshed. Perhaps tiie, likc> of that chief 
 was never seen ; such unbh'nching coolness — ex- 
 cepting always the heat which was thrown olt' in 
 a healllifid and profuse pers])iration — and such 
 perfect undaimlediu ss, e.vf'cpt an imi)li'aBant 
 knocking of the knees together, produced proba- 
 Illy by the anticipaled blasts of IJeecmber. Hut 
 wiiile these exhibitions of valor were being en- 
 acted, one stirrup was thrown at my feet, and 
 then the other, and then the straps, the crupjicr, 
 &c. \c., until all the most valuable articles lost, 
 were piled before me. The compicst was com. 
 picte, and will doubtless shed inunortal lustre 
 upon the gallant band, who, in the heart of the 
 wilderness, dared to assert and maintain, against 
 the encroachmenls of a nunierous and weil-dia. 
 cipiined foe, the "elite" of the C'licnixik army, the 
 rights and high jirerogative of brave freemen and 
 soldiers. The nimiber of killed and wounded of the 
 enemy had not been ascertained, when the troops 
 under my coimnand departed for the lower country. 
 
 In the evening which succeeded this day of 
 carnag<', the old chief assembled his surviving fol- 
 lowers, and made war speeches untd midnight. — 
 His wrath was inimeasurable. On the following 
 morning, Ihc Indians in thecmploy of theniisBion 
 left their work. 
 
 Almut Id o'clock one of tlic tribe ap|x:arcd with 
 a pack-horse lo convey Mr. Lee's and my own 
 packs to the water side. The old chief also ap- 
 jicared, and bade him desist. He stood armed be- 
 fore the house an hour, 'making many threats 
 against the Hostons, individually and collectively ; 
 and finally retired. As soon as he had entered 
 his lodge, the horse of his disobedient subject was 
 loaded, and rushed to the river. An efi'ort was 
 made lojgct oarsmen for our canoe, but the old 
 hero of a legion oi devils told them " the high Hos- 
 ton woidd kill them all, and that they must not 
 go with liiiii." Mr. Lee, however, did not dcs- 
 (lair. We followed the baggajre towards the river. 
 W hen within a quarter of a inilc of it, two Ainc- 
 
88 
 
 Traveli in the Great Western Prairies, 
 
 ftbanSi nioiiibriH nf Ricliiinlwin'R p.irty, Mr. Ijti 
 and nn liidiin or two, llinl tlir olil I'liirl' lind not 
 Micrrrdcd in iViiililr'niiiir, |(H)k iIk^ raiiop from llic' 
 IiiihIick, iiiid iMirr il liillir ri\tT on lluir HlioiildcrM. 
 'I'll! iiilivrs wcrr Htiiljorird licyoiid rillcdliol ii|iom 
 Ilic rocliB on rillirr nldc ol' tin' wi'v. Iiowk loid nr- 
 niw'H, iind ;riii>s lit liaiid. Iildiilii llonloii UaH in 
 ••ojMiniind. Ili^ Htooil on (he lollirHl rock (iriiid. 
 inu his Itclh, iind (;rowlin}f lilir a lilood-lioinid, 
 " Kodtoiis iiL'li ; " iiiiil H|iriM!;iiii; ii|pon liiH Ihiw, 
 ilrovi' luH iirroHH into Ilic (rrmmd willi dctiioniuc 
 inadnrHs. 1 Hlopjird, iiiut dri'W my rillc Ici my 
 liiri', wlicroiijHiii llicrc uMK a grand rrlrrat licliind 
 Ihc rockn. Aly army marched nlowly and niajcH- ' 
 tioally oii,aH hccamc thi' ilijrnilvol vcl<'rim viclorH. 
 The women and children tlr<l I'roni the wiffwanm 
 hy thi' way 1 and the lenr of the annihilation of 
 (he whole Irihe only alialod when my wrath wan, 
 to liieir nnderKlandmif, appeased liy the inlerfe- 
 reiiec of Mr. Iac. 'I'lniH Ihetrilic was waved from 
 my venjrrancc — llu' whole iimnher, llfty or »ixty 
 HlonI HavapcH, were waved! An instanei! of ele- 
 niency. a parallel to which will Hcarcely he found 
 in the hislory of past ai^cR. 
 
 Iteini; convinced at last, that my inlenlionH to. 
 ward them had liecomc more paeiCic, six oarsmen, 
 u Iniwsman. and iitcerhman were readily en};a(rc(l 
 hy Mr. Lie, andhc Bhov<(l oil' from that memora- 
 hie haltle.gromid on a voyajro to the Willamette. 
 'J'hia hand of Indians have In en notorious thievcH 
 ever since Ihry have liceii known to the whiles. 
 Their meanne.ss has heen eqnally well known. — 
 Dislilule of every manly and moral virtue, they 
 and llieir fathers havt^ linni; around the Dalles, 
 «'ntcn Salmon, anil rotted in idleness and vice ; 
 active only in mischi( f, and honest only in their 
 eronehin}; cowardice towards those lluy suppose 
 alile to punish their villainy. There is some very ; 
 curious philosophy amou'^ them : as for example,' 
 they helicve human existence to he indestruetlhle 
 hy the laws of nature ; and never diseased, uidess 
 made s<i hy th(^ Medicin men or conjurers, who 
 are helicved to entir into the system in an unseen 
 inanntr, and pull at tlu^ vitals. They also hold 
 that one i\le(liein man can cast out another. — \ 
 Aceordiuffly when one of them is called to a 
 ])alient, and does not suc-eecil in reslorintj him to 
 lieallh, he is hi lieved to he accessory to his death, 
 and is punished as such hy the relatives of the ' 
 deceased. ! 
 
 Their mode of treating patientR is to tliriiBt tlicni 
 into a sweat oven, and Ihence reiking with per.' 
 spiralicm into the cohl .streams. After this, they 
 are sirelcheil out al len;^lh on the jrronnd, wrapped 
 very warndy, and kneailed and rolled and rnlilied 
 \\' it h great sevirily. 'I'he al)dom< 11 is violently 
 pressed down to the spine, and llie forehead 
 jiressed with the mighl of the operalor ; Ihc arms 
 and limbs pinched and rulihrd, rollcii iiud hruised. 
 iMeaowhile the conjuror is ntlering most beastly 
 noises. As might be sujiposed, palienis hdioriiig 
 nnder the febrile diseases are sihiii destroyed. 1]\ 
 order, lio.vever, to keep nji their inlluence among 
 the pcop!.\ the conjurors of a trilx'. male and le. 
 male, have eabalaslio dances. After the darkness 
 of night sets in, they gather together in a wigwam, 
 build a large lire in the centre, spread the lltxir with 
 elk skins, set up on end a wide cedar board, und 
 suspend near il a stick of wood in a. horizontal 
 jwsition. An individual sciics the end of the 
 
 ■I Stic 
 
 k, nwingR tlie other end njrainiit tlic i-rdnr 
 Uiard, mill thus hc,it« noisy tiinr to a hiill moro 
 noisy chant. The dance is comrneneed Bometinirs 
 by a man alone, and often by n man and woman. 
 .•\riil various and sir.inge are Ihe bodily eonlor- 
 lions of Ihe perfoniurs. They jump up and down, 
 and swing Iheir arms with more and more vio. 
 lenec as the noise of Ihe singing and Ibumpillg 
 aecoinpamment iiK'reases, and yelp, and froth at 
 Ihe mouth, till the musician winds up with tlio 
 woril " iiali " — !i long strong gutleral gruni ; or 
 until some oni^ of Ihe dancers falls apparently 
 dead. When the laller is the case, oni- of the 
 number walks around Ihc prostrate individual, 
 and calls his or her name lou<lly nt each ear, at 
 IIk' nose, lingers, and iocs. After this eerfinony, 
 the Bujiposed dead shudders greatly, and comeKlo 
 lile. And thus they continue to sing, and thump, 
 and dance, and die, and come to life Ihrongh Ihc 
 night. They aii' said to he very expert at sleight 
 of hand. 
 
 The Chenooks, likiuill oilier Indians, believe in 
 exisli'iice ali( r dialh ; but Iheir viiws of Ihc con- 
 ditions of that exislenee, 1 lonld not learii. The 
 conjurors teach Iheni that lliey themselves shall 
 be able to visit their tribe alter Ihe iKidy shall 
 have decayed; and when approaching Ihc end of 
 their days, inform the people in what shape they 
 will manifest tliemse^lve. Some elioosi> a horse, 
 others a deer, others an elk, Slc, und when they 
 die, the image of their transmigrated state in 
 erected over their remains. 
 
 The reader ia desired to consider Mr. Lee and 
 myself gliding, arrow.like, down the deep clear 
 t'olumbia, at two o'clock in the aflernoon of 
 Ihe loth, and to interest hiniKelf in the liold 
 mountain embankments dollied with the deep, 
 living green of lofty pine and lir forests, while i 
 revert to the kind hospitalities i>( the Dalles mis. 
 sion. Yet how entirely impossible it is, to relali^ 
 all that one enjoys ii. every muscle of the body, 
 every nerve and sense, and every aU'eetion of the 
 spirit when he tlccs from the liarilBliii)s and loneli- 
 ness of deserts to the comforts of a bed, a chair, 
 and a table, and lh<' holy sympathy of hearlK 
 moulded and controlcd by the higher senliments. 
 I had taken leave of Mr. ami Mrs. Perkins, wilh 
 Ihe feelings that one experiences in eivili/ed lands, 
 when leaving long tried and congenial friends. — 
 TIk! good man urged me to return and explore 
 with him, during the rainy season in Ihe lower 
 country, some extensive and bi autiful praini'>, 
 which the Indians say lie sixty or seventy uilcM 
 in Ihe north, on l\w east side of the Presi.-I iit'i) 
 range ; and .Mrs. I', kindly projiosed to web Uiie 
 my retnrii for that object wilh a splendid stu )! 
 buckskin, to he used in my journeyings. 
 
 Hut 1 must leave my friemls, to inlrodiiee the 
 reader to the " Island of the lonibs." .Mr. Lee 
 ixiintcd to it, as the tops id" the cedar Uiard houses 
 of Ihe dead peered over the hillocks of sand and 
 rock among w/iicli they stood. We moored our 
 canoe on the western side, and climbed up a pre- 
 cipice of black shining rocks iiUO feel ; and wind- 
 ing among drifts of sand the distance of 100 yards, 
 came to the tombs. They consisted of boxes 10 
 or 1:^ feet square on the ground, W or 10 high, 
 made of cedar boards fastened to a rough frame, 
 in an upright jiosition at the sides, and hori/on- 
 tally over the top. <Jii thein iuid about lliein 
 
in the Rocky M»unluins, the Oregon Territory, ^v. 
 
 wow th« cooking (itrniiilH nnd otiipr pemonnl 
 properly of tlic (Icccii^rd. Williiii wcrr llio diiid 
 bodies, \vr:if)pod in nimiy tliirkiii«H<« ol' dcrr nnd 
 flk nkinn, tiijlilly InHlud willi Iciillicr llinncB nnd 
 liiid in n |iilr with their hciidn to thr r;isl. I'n. 
 dcrncnth Ihi- undrniyrrl lindirs were niiiny bonis 
 from which the flidh ami wrappings Iwid IHllon : in 
 Home iiiKtiinrrH ii iiMinhcrof w;i!{oii loads. Tlircr 
 or four ol' the tondis had };oni' to rninH; and the 
 BkidlH iind other hones lay strewn on the i;ronnd. 
 The sknlls were all tliitteni/d. I picked up one 
 with the intention of hrinjfirii; it to the Slales. 
 Dnt lis Mr. Ii, a.ssured tne that the hii;h venera. 
 tion of the livin;; for the deail would make the 
 nllenipl very dan({iron», I rchiolanlly returned it 
 to its reytinj; place. 
 
 \V> i;li(l<'d merrily down the river till snimet, 
 ojiil landi'il on the northern shore to snp. The 
 river hail varied from one to one and a half miles 
 in width, with rather a Blui{(,'isli current; w.iter 
 clear, ei«)l, and very deep. Various kinds of 
 ducks, ilivrrB, &.C. were U|«)n its beautiful surface, 
 'i'he hair hiuI was alinndanl. The moimtainH 
 rose nbrnptly on either side from .'iOO to li.OIIII feet, 
 in sweepinjj hiijlits, clail with evirj;recn trees. 
 ISomi? few small oaks (;rew in the nooks by the 
 waterside. .Vmonjr these were Indian wijfWiuns, 
 constructed of boards split from the rod cedar on 
 the mountains. I entered soiiie of them. They 
 were filthy in the extreme; lleas und other vit. 
 inin snlBciently nbimdaril. In one of them was 
 n sick man. A withered old female was kneading 
 and |)inchinif the devil out of him. He was 
 laborin({ under a bilious fever. But as a " Medi- 
 cin uuui " was i)idlui;^ at his gall, it was neces. 
 miry to expel him ; and the old Im^ pressed his 
 head, bruised his abdomen, Sir. with the fury and 
 groauiiip; of a bedlamite. 
 
 Xot an acre of arable land a))pcarcd along tlic 
 shores. The Indians subsist on fish, and acorns 
 of the white oak. The former they eat fresh 
 durinij the summer; but their winter stores they drv 
 and preserve in the followin;; manner : The spme of 
 the fish heinij taken out, and thefiesh beinjj slashed 
 into checks with a knife, so as to exiMJse as much 
 surface as possible, is laid on the rocks to dry. 
 After becoming thoroiiirhly li.ard, it is bruised to 
 imwder, mixed with the oil of the leaf fat of the 
 fish, and packed away in (lag sacks. Although 
 no salt is used in this preparation, it remains good 
 till May of the (bllowing yi'ar. The acorns, as 
 soon as they fall from trees, arc buried in sand 
 constantly saturated with water, where they re- 
 main till siiriiir. I'y this soaking their hitter 
 flavor is said to be destroyed. 
 
 After supper Mr. Lee ordered a launch, and 
 llie Indian [laddles were again dipping in the 
 bright waters. The stars were out on the clear 
 mght, twinkling as of old, when the lofty peaks 
 around were heaved from the depths of the vol- 
 cano. They now liKiked down on a less grand, 
 indeed, but more lovely scene. The fires of the 
 natives blazed among the woody glens, the light 
 canoe skimmed the waters near the shore, the 
 winds groaned over the inountam lops, the cas- 
 cades sang [from clifV to elill', the loon shouted 
 and dove beneath the shining wave ; it was ;<. 
 wild, almost unearthly scene, in the dee|) gorge of 
 the Columbia. The rising of the moon changed 
 its features. The profoundcst silence reigned, save 
 u 
 
 the daith of pnddlci timt echoed faintly from the 
 shored; our canoe uprang lighllv over the npplini; 
 waters, the Indian fires Bmonl'tcrcd nmong tho 
 waving pine^ ; the stars became dim, and tho 
 depths of till blue sky glowed une vast nebida nf 
 mellow light. Hut the eastern mountains hid 
 awhile the orb from sight. The south western 
 bights shone with its pale beams, nnd cant into 
 till' deeply sunken river a bewitching dancing of 
 light and shade, imeipialed by the pencil nf the 
 wilili si imagiiiatioii. 'i'he grandeur too of grove, 
 and elill', and mountain, and the miglilvColumbia 
 wrapped in the drapery of a golden miilnii'hll I 
 wns wholly loBt. It was the new and rapidly open, 
 ing piiiorama of the siilihnie wililernesH. And 
 the scene chiuigeil again when the moon wan 
 high in heaven. The cocks crew in the Indian 
 villages; the birds twittered on the Imiighs ; thn 
 wild lowls sercTiiiril, as her light gilded the chasm 
 of the river, and revealed Ihi' high rock IslaiiilH 
 with their rugged crags and mouldering tombs. 
 The winds from .Mount Adams were loaded with 
 frosts, and the poetry of the night was fist waning 
 into an ague, when .Mr. 1,. ordered the steersman 
 to moor. A crackling pine fire was soon blazing, 
 and having warmed our Hhivering frames, wo 
 spread our blankets and slept sweetly till the 
 dawn. 
 
 Ivirly*>n the morning of the Ifitli, our Indians 
 were pulling al the paddies. The sky was overcast, 
 and a dash of rain occasionally fell, — thn first I 
 had witnes.sed since leaving Hayou Salade. And 
 although the air was chilly, and the heavenii 
 gloomy, yet when the large idear drojifl ji iltered 
 on my hat, and fell in glad I'onfiision around our 
 little hark, a thrill of pleasure shot through my 
 heart. Dangers, wastes, thirst, starvation, eter- 
 nal ilearth on the etirth, and dowless heavens, 
 were matters only of painful recollection. Thn 
 present was the reality of the past engrafted on 
 the hopes of the future; the showery skies, the 
 lofty green moimt.iins, the tumbling cataracts, 
 the mighty forests, the sweet savor of teeming 
 groves — among the like of which I had breathed 
 in infancy— hung over the threshold of the lower 
 Columbia — the goal of my wayfaring. Hearken 
 to that roar of waters I see the h.iBtening of tho 
 flood I hear the sharp ri|)pling by yonder rock 1 
 The whole river sinks from view In ndvanc« of 
 lis! The I)0W,-iman dips his paditle deeply and 
 i]uicklv — the frail canoe shoots to the northern 
 shorn between a string of islands and the main 
 land — glides quickly down a narrow channel ; 
 passes a village of cedar board wigsvams on a 
 l)caulii"ul little plain to the right ; it rounds the 
 lower ii.land ; behold the Cascades 1 An immense 
 trough of boulders of rocks, down which rushes 
 the " Great River of the West 1 " The baggage 
 is ashore ; tho Indians are conveying the canoo 
 over the jwrtage, — and wlulc this is being done 
 the reader will have time to cxplori; the lower 
 falls of the ( 'olumbia, and their vicinage. 
 
 The trail of the Portage rims near the torrent, 
 along the rocky slope on its northern bank, and 
 terninates among large loose rocks, blanched by 
 the floods of ages, at tlie foot of the trough of the 
 main rapid. It is about a mile and a half io'if. 
 At its lower end voyagers reiimliark when th^ 
 river is at a low stage, and run the lower rapids. 
 But when it is swollen by the amiual freeljets, 
 
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 Sciences 
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 23 WEST MAIN STREET 
 
 WEBSTER, NY. 14S80 
 
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90 
 
 TraveU in the Great Western Prairies, 
 
 Ihcy boar Ihcir Iwate a mile ami n )mlf fiirtlicr 
 down, whtTc tlic waleT in deep and Irss tuinultii- 
 OU8. In wulkiiij; down this path, I had a near 
 virw of (ho whole Irnfrth of the main rjipids. Ah 
 I have intimated, the In'd of the river here is a 
 vast inclined trough of white rocks, sixty or eighty 
 feet deep, about -lOO yards wide at the top, and 
 diminibliing to about half that width at the Imt- 
 tom. The length of this trough is about a mile. 
 In that distance the water falls about 130 feet ; 
 in the rapids, above and U'low it, alwut iJO feel — 
 making the whoh^ descent al)OUt 1,10 feet. The 
 quantity of water which passes here is incalcula- 
 ble. Hut an approximate idea of it may be ob. 
 taincd from the fact that while the velocity is so 
 great that the eye with diflieulty follows objects 
 floating on the surface — yet such is its volume at 
 the lowest stage of the river, that it rises and 
 bends like a sea of molten glass over a channel 
 of immense rocks, without breaking its surface, 
 except near the shores ; so deep luid vast is the 
 mighty flood! In the ,lune freshets, when the 
 melted snows from tlie western declivities of 700 
 miles of the Rocky Mountains, and those on the 
 eastern sides of the President's Range, come down, 
 the Cascades nuist present a spectacle of sublimity 
 equalled only by Niagani. This Is tlie passage 
 of the river through the IVcsidrnt's Range, and 
 the mountains near it on cither side are worthy 
 of their dislinLTuished name. At a short distance 
 from the wailhcrn shore thev rise in long ridgy 
 slopes, covered with pines and olher terebinthine 
 trees of extraordinary size, over the tops of which 
 rise bold black crags, wliich, elevating themselves 
 in great grandeur one beyond another, twenty or 
 thirty miles to the southward, cluster around the 
 icy bas<^ of Mount Washington. On the other 
 side of the cascades is a similar scene. Inunense 
 and gloomy forests, tangled with fallen timber 
 and imix'netrablc underbrush, cover mountains, 
 which in the Stales, would excite the profoundcs'. 
 admiration for tlieir majesty and beauty, but 
 which dwindle into insigniticance as they arc 
 viewed in presence of the shining glaciers and 
 massive grandeur of Mount Adams, hanging over 
 them. 
 
 The river alwve the cascades runs north west, 
 wardly ; but approaching the descent it turns 
 westward — and, aOer entering the trough south 
 westwardly ; and having pas.scd this, it resumes its 
 course to the north west. Hy this bend, it leaves 
 between its shore and the northern mountains, a 
 somewhat broken plain, a mile in width, and about 
 four miles in length. At the up|)er end of the 
 rapids this plain is nearly on a level with the river : 
 so that an inconsiderable rrcshel sets the water up 
 a natural e.lianncl halfway across the bend. This 
 circumstimec, and the absence of any serious ob. 
 structions in the form of hills, iVe. led me to sup. 
 pose that n canal might be cut around the cas. 
 cades at a trifling expense, which would not only 
 oi)cn steamboat navigation to the Dalles, but fur. 
 nish at thisinteresting spot, an incalculable amount 
 of water pov.-cr. 
 
 The canoe iiad been deposited among the rocks 
 at the lower end of the trough, our cocoa and lioil. 
 ed salmon, bread, i:utter, |)otatoc8, etcetera, had 
 lieen located in their proi)er de[M)8ilories, and wc 
 were taking a parting gaze at the rushing flood, 
 when the sound of footsteps and an order given 
 
 in French to de])osite n bale of goods at the 
 water side, drew our attention to a heart 3* old gen- 
 tleman of fifty or lifly.five, whom Mr. I<eo im. 
 mediately recognized as Dr. McLaughlin. He 
 was about five feet eleven inches in bight, and 
 stoutly built, weigliing about '200 pounds, with 
 large green blueish eyes, a ruddy complexion, and 
 hair of snowy whiteness. lie was on his return 
 from London with depatches from the II. B. Com- 
 pany's Hoard in England, and wilh letters from 
 friends at home to the hundreds of Hritons in its 
 employ in the northwestern wilderness. He was 
 in higli spirits. Kvcry crag in sight was familiar 
 to him — liad witnessed the energy and zeal of 
 thirty years successful enterprise — had seen him 
 in the strength of ripened manhood — and now be. 
 held liis undiminished energies crowi\ed with the 
 frosted locks of age. We spent ten minutes with 
 the doctor, and received a kind invitation to the 
 hospitalities of his |X)st ; gav<' om' cimrM', freighted 
 with our baggage, in charge of the In<lians, to 
 take down the lower rapids; and ascended the 
 blurt" to the trail that leads to the tidewater below 
 them. Wc climbed two hundred feet among small 
 spruce, pine, lir, and hemlock trees, to the table 
 land. The track was strewn with fragments of 
 petrified frees, from three inches to two feet in 
 dianirter. and rocks, (quartz and granitc.ex loco,) 
 mingled wilh olliere. more or less fused. Soon af- 
 ter striking the path on the plain, we came to a 
 beautiful little lake, lying near the brink of the 
 hill. It was clear and dirp. And around its 
 western, norlhern, and caslcrn shores, droo|icd the 
 boughs of a thick hedge of small evergreen trees, 
 which dip])ed and rose charmingly in its waters. 
 All around stood the lofly pines, sighing and groan, 
 ing in the wind. Nothing could be seen but the 
 little lake and the girding forest ; a gem of perfect 
 beauty, reflecting the deep shades ol the unbroken 
 wilderness. A little stream creeping away from it 
 down the blurt", babbled back the roar of the Cas. 
 cades. 
 
 The trail led us among deep ravines, clad with 
 heavy frosts, the soil of which was n coarse gravel, 
 thinly covered wilh a vegetable mould. A mile 
 from the lake, wc came upon a plain level again. In 
 this place was a collection of Inilian tondjs, simi. 
 lar to those upon Ihc " Island of tombs." There 
 were six or eight in number, and contained a great 
 quantity of bones. On the boards around the sides 
 were painted the figures of death, horses, i.ojjs, 
 &c. The great destroyer bears the same grm: 
 aspect to the savage mind that he does to ours. — 
 A skull and the fleshless Iwnes of a skeleton piled 
 around, were his sjMtdM)! upon these rude resting 
 places of the departed. One of them, which our 
 Indian said crMitained the remains of a celebrated 
 " Medicin man," Imre the figure of a horse rudely 
 carved from the red cedar tree. This was the 
 form in which his piisllinninuii visits were lo 1m; 
 made to his tribe. Small brass kettles, wooden 
 pails, and baskets of curiaus workmanship, were 
 piled on the roof. 
 
 Thence onward half a mile over a stony soil, 
 sometimes open, and .\i{ain covered wilh forests, 
 brought us to our canoe by the rocky shore at the 
 fool of the rapids. Air. Lee here |)omted nic lo'a 
 strong eddjnng current on the southern shore, in 
 which Mr. Cyrus Shepard and Mrs. Doctor White 
 and child, of thu Methodist Mission on the Willa- 
 
 1 
 
 m( 
 
 to 
 
 sw 
 
 sii 
 
 ha 
 
 an 
 
 dii 
 
 an 
 
 tai 
 
in th'' Rochj Mountains, the Oregon Territory, etc. 
 
 91 
 
 • 
 
 incite, were capsized the year before, in an attempt 
 to run the lower rapids. Mr. Khepard could not 
 swim — had sunk the second time, and rose by tlie 
 side of the upturned canoe, when he seized the 
 hand of Ma . White, wlio was on th(! opposite side, 
 and thus suBtaiiied himself and her, initil some (n- 
 dians came to their relief. t)ii reachinjj tin; shore, 
 and turning up the canoe, liio child was found en- 
 tangled among the eross-bars, dead ! 
 
 Tlie current was strong where we reimtcrcd 
 our canoe, and bore us along at a lively rate. — 
 The weather, too, was very agreeable ; the sky 
 transp.irent, and glowing with a mild October 
 sun. The scenery about us was truly grand. A 
 few detached wisps of mist clung to the dark 
 ercgs of the mountains on the southern shore, 
 and numerous cascades shot out from the peaks, 
 nnd tumbling from one sheh to another, at length 
 plunged hundreds of leet among confused hcajis 
 of rocks in the vale. The crags themselves were 
 extremely picturesque; they beetled out so Ixjldly, 
 a thousand feet above the forests on the sides of 
 the mountain, and appeared to hang so easily and 
 gracefully on the air. .Some of them were basal- 
 tic. One I thought very remarkable. 'I'he 
 mountain on which it stood was alx>ut 1,200 feet 
 high. On its ^idc there was a deep rt)cky ravine. 
 In this, about 300 feet from the plain, arose a 
 column 30 or 40 feet in diameter, nnd, I judged, 
 more than aOO feet high, surmounted by a cap 
 resembling the pediment of an ancient church. — 
 Far up 'ts sides grew a number of sltfub eedar.^, 
 which {had taken root in the crevices, nnd, as 
 they grew, sunk down horizontally, and formed : 
 an irregular fringe of green around it. A short 
 distance further down was seen a beautiful eas. i 
 cade. The stream appeared to rise near the very i 
 apex of the mountain, and having run a number , 
 of rods in a dark gorge between two peaks, it i 
 suddenly shot from the brink of a clifl' into the 
 copse of evergreen trees at the base of the moun- 
 tain. The liight of the pe.pendicular fall, ap- | 
 jicared to bo alxiut GOO feet. Some of tlu; water 
 was dispersed in spray liefore reacluug the 
 ground; but a large quantity of it tell on the 
 plain, and sent among the bights a noisy and 
 thrilling echo. On the north side of the river, 
 the mouiitains were less precipitous, and covered 
 with a dense forest of ])ines, cedars, firs, &c. ! 
 
 The bottom lands of the river were alternately 
 prairies and woodlands. The former, clad with 
 a heavy growtii of t'c wild grasses, dry and 
 brown ; tlie latter, w h pine, lir, cotton. wood, 
 black ash, and vario .., kinds of shrubs. The ; 
 river varied in width from one to two miles, 
 generally deep and still, but occasionally crossed 
 by sand-bars. Ten or twelve miles Ih'Iow the 
 cascades we came upon one, that, stretching two 
 or three miles down the river, turned the current ; 
 to the southern shore. The wind blew freshly, 
 and the waves ran high in that quarter ; so it 
 was deemed expedient to lighten the canoe. To ■ 
 this end Mr. Ix.'e, the two Americans and my- j 
 self, landed on the northern shore for a walk, 
 while the Indians should paddle around to the 
 lower point of the bar. W'a traveled along the 
 Ireach. It was generally hard and gravelly. — 
 Among the pebbles, I noticed several splendid 
 specimens of the agate. The soil of the Hats was 
 u vegetable mould, ciglitccn inclics or two fuct in j 
 
 depth, resting on a stratum of sand and gravel, 
 and evidently overflown by the, annual floods of 
 ,Iune. The Hats varied from a few rods to a mile 
 in width. While enjoying this walk, the two 
 Americans started up a deer, followed it into the 
 woods, and, loth to return unsuccessful, pursued 
 it till long after our canoe was moored IhUow the 
 bar. So that Mr. Id'C nnd myself had abundant 
 time to amuse ourselves with all r.ianner of home, 
 ly wishes toward our persevering companions till 
 near sunset, when the three barges of Doctor Mc 
 Laughlin, under their Indian blanket sails and 
 saplin masts, swept gallantly by us, and added 
 the last dreg to our vexation. Mr. licc was 
 calm ; I was furious. What, for a paltry deer, 
 lose a view ol the Columbia hence to the Fort I 
 But I remember with satisfaction that no one was 
 materially injured by my wrath, nnd that my tni- 
 aut countrymen were sufficiently gratified with 
 their success to euiible them to bear with much 
 resignation three emphatic scowls, as they made 
 their appearanct! at the canoe. 
 
 The dusk of night was now creeping into tlic 
 valleys, and we had twenty miles to make. The 
 tide from the Pacific was setting up, and the 
 wind hid left us ; but oiu' Indians suggested tliat 
 the force of their paddles, stimulated by a small 
 pres(?nt of " shnioke" (tobacco,) would still carry 
 us in by 1 1 o'clock. We therefore gave our pro- 
 mises to pay the re(|uircd (juantum of the herb, 
 ensconced ourselves in blankets, and dojed to the 
 wUd music of the paddles, till a shower of iiail 
 aroused us. It was about 10 o'clock. An an- 
 gry cloud hung over us ; and the rain and hail 
 fell fast ; the wind from Mounts \Vashington and 
 Jeflerson chilled every fibre of our systems ; the 
 wooded liills, on Imth sides of the river, were 
 wrapped in cold brown clouds ; the owl nnd wolf 
 were answering each other on the bights ; enough 
 of light lay on the stream to show dimly the isl. 
 ands that divided its waters ; and the fires of the 
 wigwams disclosed the naked groups of savages 
 around them. It was a scene that the imagina- 
 tion loves. The canoe, thirty feet in length, the 
 like of which had cut those waters centuries be- 
 fore ; the Indians, kneeling two and two, and 
 rising on their |)ad(lles ; their devoted missionary 
 surveying them and the villages on the shores, 
 and rejoicing in the anticipation, that soon the 
 songs of the redeemed savage would break from 
 the dark vales of Oregon ; that those wastes of 
 mind would soon teem with a harvest of happi- 
 ness and truth, cast a breathing unutterable 
 charm over the deep hues of that green wilder- 
 ness, dimly seen on that stormy night, which 
 will give me pleasure to dwell upon while I live. 
 "On the bar," cried Mr. Lee ; nnd while our In- 
 dians leaped into the water, and dragged the ca- 
 noe to the channel, he |>ointed to the dim light of 
 the Hudson Hay Company's saw and grist mill, 
 two miles above on the northern shore. We were 
 three miles from Vancouver. The Indians knew 
 the bar, and were delighted to find themselves so 
 near the termination of their toil. They soon 
 found the channel, nnd leaping alward, j)lied their 
 their paddles with renewed energy. And if any 
 one faltered, the steersman rebuked liim with his 
 own hopes of " shinoke" and " schejotecut," (the 
 Fort) which never failed to bring tlie deUnqucnt 
 to duty. Twenty minutes ol' vigorous rowing 
 
Travels in the Or eat Western Prairies, 
 
 moored ui at the Inndini;. A few hundred ynrds 
 below floated a ship and a Blfwp, scaicoly "ocn 
 through the fog. Or. Mie shore rose a levee or 
 breastwork, along which the dusky savapres were 
 gliding with stealthy and silent tread. In the 
 distance were heard voices in English Bpeakind'of 
 home. We landed, ascended llie levee, centered a 
 lane between cidti /ated fields, walked a quarter 
 of a mile, where, undor a long line of pickets, we 
 entered Fort Vancouver — the goal of my wander, 
 ings, the destination of my weary footsteps ! 
 
 Mr. James Douglass, the gentleman who had 
 been in charge of the |iost during the absence of 
 Dr. McLiughlin, conducted us to a irioni warmed 
 by a well-fed stove; insisted that I hIiuuUI ex. 
 change my wet gamienls for dry ones, and prof, 
 fered every other net that the kindest hoHpilulily 
 could suggest to relieve nic of the diHcomforts re. 
 suiting from four months' journeying in the wil- 
 derneiM. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Depsrlure from Vanrouver— Wippnloo IstnnH— The Wit. 
 lninMliiRi'pr— lis Moutl.— Tlie Miiunlainj— Palls— River 
 abovelheKallj— *rriv*l atllie l<i«erMi"til<'mi'Bl— A Kt'n- 
 tacliinn— Mr. Johuson nntt his ('uliiii— Tboniat McKay 
 •dd hi« Mil —Dor.lor Baili-y anil Wile anil >lonii'— The 
 NelKlitwruie Parmer*— The MeUioilist Eplsci jiil Missl'in 
 anil Miiii»narle«— Their Moile« i-f Operalion-The Win- 
 item of (heir Course— Their IniprovenienU, he— Ite'iirn 
 lo Vancouver- Mr. Young— Mr. Lee's Misfonunf — De 
 •ceniofUieWillanimr— Indians— Arrival at Vancouver— 
 Oreeon— lis Mnunlaiiis, llivers ami Soil, anil Climate— 
 Hhlpiuent for the Sandwich iKlanils—Life at Vancouver— 
 Deiceit of the ColDnihia- A'lo in— On the Pacific Sea— 
 The Liut VIewof Oreeen— AcciiunI oi* Oregon, hy Lieut. 
 Wilkes, Commander uf the lale Kxploriiig E<prdilion. 
 
 On the moniinij of Uic 21st, I left tlic Fort and 
 dropped down me Columliia, five miles, lo Wap. 
 )>atoo Island. This large tract of low land is 
 boimded on the south-west, south and south-east, 
 by the mouths of the Willamette, and on the 
 north by the C'olumbia. Tin' side eontiguous to 
 the latter river is alxiut fillien miles in length ; 
 the side bounded by the eastern mnuth of the Wil- 
 lamette about seven milen, and that boinuled liy 
 the western mouth of the same river about twelve 
 miles. It derives its name from an edible root 
 Railed WappaUm, which it produces in abundance. 
 It is generally low, and, in the central parts, broken 
 with small ponds and marshes, in which the w:iter 
 rises and falls with the river. Nearly the whole 
 surface is overflown by the .Tune freshets. It is 
 covered with a heavy growth of eotton-wood, elm. 
 white-oak, black-ash, abler, and a large species of 
 laurel, and other shrubs. The Hudson May Com. 
 pany, some years ago, ])lace(l a few hogs u|K)n it, 
 whicli have sulwisted entirely uix)n nx)ts, acorns, 
 &c., and increased to many hundreds. 
 
 I found the Willamette deep enough for ordi. 
 nary steamboats, the distance of Hi) miles from 
 its western mouth. One mile below the falls are 
 rapids, on which the w.atci was too shallow lo 
 float our canoe. The tide rises at this place 
 about 14 inches. The western shore of the river, 
 from the point where its mou'hs diverge to this 
 place, consists of lofty mountains rising iiimie- 
 diatcly from the waier.side. and covered with 
 pines. On the eastern side, l)eautifid swells and 
 plains extend from the Columbia to witliin five 
 or six miles of the rapids. They are generally 
 covered with pine, white.oak, black-ash, and 
 other kinds of timber. From the point last 
 named to the rapids, wooded moimtains crowd 
 
 I ilown to the verge of the stream. Just below the 
 ; rapids a very considerable stream comes in from 
 the east. It is said to rise in a champaign 
 countrj', which commences two or three miles 
 (nun the Willamette, and extends eastward 20 
 or 30 miles lo the lower hills of the President's 
 range. This stream breaks through the inoun. 
 tain tmniiltuously, and enters the Willamctli 
 with BO strong a current, as to endanger boats 
 attempting to pass it. Here were a number of 
 Indian huts, the inmates of which were busied in 
 taking and vuring salmon. Between the rapids 
 and the falls, the country adjacent lo the river, is 
 similar to that just deseril)ed ; mountains clothed 
 with im|)enetrable forests. The river, thus far, 
 appeared to have an average width fif 400 yards ; 
 water limpid. As we approached the falls, the 
 eastern shore presented a solid wall of basalt, 30 
 feet in ]KTpendicular hight. On the top of this 
 wall was nearly an acre of level area, on which 
 the Hudson Bay ('ompany have built a log-honse. 
 This plain is three or four feet below the level of 
 the water above the falls, and protected from Iho 
 floods by the intervi ntion of a deep chasm, which 
 separates it from the rocks over which the water 
 pours. This is the best site in the country for ex- 
 tensive flouring and lumber-mills. The valley of 
 the Willamette is the only jmrtion of Oregon from 
 which grain can ever, lo any extent, lieeome an 
 article of eximrt ; and this splendid waterfall can 
 be apiiroaelied at all seasons, from above and be. 
 low. by sliMips, schooners, &c. The Hudson Bay 
 Company, aware of its importance, have com- 
 ineneed a race-way, and drawn timber on the 
 gmund, with the apparent intention of erecting 
 such works. On the op{)osite side is an acre or 
 two of broken ground, which might be similarly 
 occupied. 
 
 The falls are formed by a line of dark rock, 
 which stretches diagonally across the stream. 
 The river was low when I passed it, and all the 
 water was dischargixl at three jets. Two f these 
 were near the western shore. The other was near 
 the eastern shore, and fell into the chasm which 
 divides the rocky plain before named, from the 
 clifl's of tlie falls. At the mouth of this chasm 
 my Indians unloaded their canoe, dragged it up 
 tlie crags, and having l)orne it on their shoulders 
 eight or ten mds, launched it U|xiii a narrow neck 
 of Water by the shore ; reloaded, and rowed to the 
 I deep water above. The scene, however, was too 
 interesting to leave so soon, and I tarried a while 
 . to view it. The cataract roared loudly among the 
 , caverns, and sent a thousand foaiuing cdd'.'S into 
 ; the stream below. (Countless numlicrs of lalmon 
 were leaping and Adling U])on the fretted waters ; 
 savages alnioKt naked were around me, untrained 
 by the soothing influences of true knowledge, and 
 the lin|Hs of a |>urer world ; as rude as the rocks 
 on which they trod ; as bestial as the licar that 
 giowleil in the thicket. On cither hand was the 
 primeval wilderness, with its decaying and per- 
 ;ietually.reiiewing energies ! Nothing could be 
 more inteiiKly interesting. I li;id but a moment 
 in these jileasiint yet painful reflections, wheir my 
 Indians, becoming impatient, called me to pursiio 
 my voyage. 
 
 A mile above the falls a large creek comes in 
 from the west. It is said to rise among tlic 
 mountains near tlic Columbia, and to run soath 
 
in the Jtochj Moun(ain$, the Oregon Territory, etc. 
 
 93 
 
 nnd south.cast anel MBtwardly tlirou|rIi a Rcries of 
 fine prairim, intrmprrsrd with timlior. AIkjvi; tlio 
 fallM, the mountains riro iiiinirdiatcly from thu 
 •A-atpr's cdjfp, clothed with noblr forests of pine, 
 &e. ; hilt at the distanec of 15 miles almve, their 
 green ridges give plaeo to jjraBsy and wooded 
 swells on the west, and tinil)cred and prairie; plains 
 on the eastern side. This section of tlie river np. 
 pearcd navijrahle for any craft that could float in 
 the stream below the iulls. 
 
 It was (lark when I arrived at the level country ; 
 and emerifiiiw guddnnly in sight of a fire on tJie 
 western hanlt, my Inciians cried " Doston ! Bos. 
 ton ! " and turned the canoe ashore to pive ine 
 an opportiiiiily of speakine W'''' <^ fellow country, 
 man. He was sitting in the drizzlinj; rain, hy a 
 large lojr.fire — a stalwart six fofit Kentucky trap, 
 per. After long 8or\Mee in the American Fur 
 Companies, among the Rocky Mountains, he had 
 conic down to the Willnniette, accompanied by 
 an Indian woman and his child, selected a place 
 to build his home, made an ' improvement,' sold 
 it, nnd was now commencing another. He en. 
 ttred my cnnoe, and steered across the river to a 
 Mr. .lohnnon's. " I'm sorry I can't keep you," 
 said he, " but I reckon you '11 sleep better under 
 shingles, than this stormy sk}'. Johnson will be 
 glad to see you. lie 's got a good slumtee, and 
 something for j-ou to eat." ^Ve soon crossed the 
 sirenm, and entered the cabin of Mr. Johnson. 
 It was a lie->vn log structure, alxml 30 feet square, 
 with a mud chimney, hearth and llrc-place. Tlio 
 furniture consisted of one chair, a number of 
 wooden benches, a nidi; liudstead covered witli i 
 flag mats, and several slieet.iron kettles, earthen j 
 plates, knives and forks, tin pint cups, an Jndian I 
 wife, and a brace of brown boys. I-jiassed the ! 
 night pleasantly with Mr. .lohnson ; and in the ; 
 morning rose early to go to the Methodist Episco. 
 pal Mission, 13 miles alxive. Hut the old hunter j 
 detained me to breakfast ; and afterward insisted 
 that I should view his premises, while his Imy 
 should gather the horses to convey me on my 
 way. And a sight of fenced fields, many acres j 
 of wheat and oat-stubble, jiotato-tleldH, and gar- 
 den, vegetablea of all descriptions, and a barn well 
 Rloreil with the gathered harvest compensated me j 
 for the dt'lay. Adjoining Mr. Johnson's farm 
 were four others, on all of wliich lli-rc wi'rc from 
 fifty to a hundred acres under ei, ivation, and i 
 substantial log-houses and barns. One of these ! 
 belonged to Thomas McKay, son of McKay | 
 who figured with Mr. Astor in the doings of the 
 Pacific Fur Company. 
 
 After surveying these niarkb of civilization, I 
 found a I)r. Hailey waiting with his horses to 
 convey nic to his home. We accordingly mounted, 
 hade adieu to the old trapper of Hudson Bay and 
 other parts of the frozen north, and went to view 
 McKay's mill. A grist-mill in Oregon ! We 
 found him working at lun dam. Near by lay 
 French burrntonei, and soino [Hjrtionsof Bubstan- j 
 tial and well-fash i.oned iron work. The frame of j 
 the mill-hoiise was raised and shingled ; nnil an 
 excellent structure it was. The whole expense cf i 
 the fstablishmi-nt, when coinpleled, is expected i 
 to be #7,(100 r)r .^8,000. McKay's mother is a ! 
 ('rce or (Jhipeway Indian ; and McKay is a ' 
 Blrnnge comjKumH of the two races. The con. j 
 tour of his frame and iealurc*, is Scutch ; his 
 
 manners and intellections strongly tinctured with 
 the Indian. He has been in the service of the 
 Fur Companies all his life, save some six orieven 
 years past ; and by his daring enterprise, and 
 courage in battle, has rendered niinsclf the terror 
 of the Oregon Indians. 
 
 ' Leaving McKay's mill, wc traveled along a 
 circuitous track through a heavy forest of fir and 
 pine, and emerged into a Ix!autifu1 little prairie, at 
 the side of which stood the doctor's neat hewn 
 log cabin, sending its cheerful smoke among the 
 lofty iiine tops in its rear. We soon sat by a 
 blazing fire, and the storm that had pelted us all 
 ' the way, lost its unpleasantness in the delightful 
 i society of my worthy host and his amiable wife. 
 I passed the night with them. The doutor is a 
 S(^otchman, his wife a Yankee. The former had 
 ' seen many adventures in C'alifomia and Oregon 
 I — had his face very much slashed in a contest 
 with the Shasty Indians near the southern border 
 of Oregon. The latter had come from the States, 
 a member of the Methodist Episcopal mission, 
 and had consented to share the bliss and ills of life 
 with the adventurous Gael ; and a happy little fam- 
 ily they were. Tlic next day Mrs. Bailey kindly 
 undertook to make me a blanket coat by the time 
 I should return, and the worthy doctor and myself 
 started for the mission. About a milo on our 
 waj', we called at a farm occupied by an Aineri. 
 can, who acted as blacksmith and gunsmith for 
 the settlement. He appeared to have a good set of 
 tools for his mechanical business, and plenty of 
 custom. He had also a considerable tract of 
 land under fence, a comfortable house and out- 
 buildings. A mile or two farther on, we came 
 u|)on the cabin of a Yankee tinker: an odd fel. 
 low, he ; glad to see a fellow countryman, ready 
 to serve him in any way, and to discuss tlie mat- 
 ter of a canal across the isthmus of Darien, the 
 northern lights, English monopolies, Symmes's 
 Hole, Tom Paine, anl wooden nutmegs. Far. 
 tlier on, we came to the catholic chapel, a low 
 wooden bi'ilding, 35 or 40 feet in length ; and the 
 parson >.", a comfortable log cabin. Beyond 
 these, scattCiOi'i over five miles of country, were 
 15 or 20 farm , occupied by .\merican8, and re. 
 tired servants f the Hudson Bay Company. — 
 Twelve cr tliii.-cn miles from the doctor's, wc 
 came in r;iglit of the mission premises. They 
 consisted of three log cabins, a blacksmith shop, 
 and outbuildings, on the east bank of the Willa- 
 mette, with large and well cultivated farms roiuid 
 about ; and a farm, on which were a large frame 
 house, hospitid, bam, i&c, half a mile to the east- 
 ward. Wc alighted at the last-named es'.ablish- 
 luent, anil were kindly received by Dr.Whi.c 1 
 lady. This gentleman is the physician of the 
 n..sRion, and is thoroughly devoted to the amclio. 
 ration of the physical condition of the natives. — 
 For this object, a large hospital was being erected 
 near his dwelling, lor the reception of patients. 
 I pasKcd the night with the doctor and his family, 
 and the following day visited|thc other mission 
 families. Every one appeared happy in his be. 
 nevolcnt work — Mr. Daniel Leslie, in preaching 
 and superintending general matters ; Mr. Cyrus 
 Slicpard in teaching letters to about thirty half, 
 breed and Indian children ; Mr. J. C. Whitccomb 
 in teaehing them to cultivate the earth ; and Mr. 
 Alunsou Beers in blacksniitliiiig for the inisBion 
 
94 
 
 7\-avels in the Great Western Prairies, 
 
 and the Indiniis, and instructing a few yount; men 
 in his art. I spent four or live days with thrsp 
 people, and had a tino opportunity lo Icurn their 
 cliaracterH, tlie ohjcctR they liad in view, and (lie 
 means tliey tooit to aceomphHli thrin. Tliey he. 
 long lo that zealous class of Protei^tanlH called 
 Methodist Episcopalians. Tlieir religious feel. 
 ings are warm, an<l accompanied with a strong 
 faith and great activity. In energy and fervent 
 zeal they reminded mc of the I'lynioulli pil- 
 grims. So triK in heart, and so deeply interested 
 were they with the principles and emotions which 
 they are endeavoring to incidente upon those 
 around them. Their hospitality and fricrulBliip 
 were of the purest and most disnitercstcd che.rac. 
 ter. I shall have reason to remember long and 
 gratefully the kind and generous maimer in which 
 they supplied iny wants. 
 
 Their object in s<'ttliiig in Oregon, \ iinderst(K)d 
 lo be twofold : the one and principal, lo eivili/e 
 and christianize the Indians; the oilier and not 
 less important, the establishment of religions and 
 literary institutions for the benefit of white enii. 
 grants. Their plan of operation on th(^ Indians, 
 is to learn their various languages, forthe|)ur|ioses 
 of itinerant preaching, and of teaching the young 
 the English language. The scholars are also in. 
 structcd in agriculture, the regulations of a well, 
 managed household, reading, writinir, arillmietic 
 and geography. The principles and duties of the 
 Christian religion, form a very considerable part of 
 the systsm. They have succeeded very satisfae. 
 torily in the several parts of their undertaking. — 
 The preachers of the mission have traversed the 
 wilderness, and by their untiring devotion to their 
 work, wrought many changes in the moral con- 
 dition of thee proverbially deba"''d savages ; 
 while with their schools they have afTorded them 
 ample means for intellectual improvement. They 
 have a number of hundred acres of land under 
 the plough, and cultivated ehietly by the native 
 pupils, 'iliey have more than 100 head of horneil 
 cBttlc, 30 or 40 horses, and many swine. They 
 have granaries filled with wheat, oats, barley, and 
 peas, and cellars well stored with vegetables. 
 
 A site had already been selected on the oppo. 
 site side of the river for an academical building, 
 a court of justice had been organized by the jio- 
 pular voice; a military corps was about to be 
 formed for the protecjion ol settlers, and other 
 measures were in progress, at once showing that 
 the American, with his characteristic energy and 
 cntcrpris', and the philanthropist, with liis holy 
 aspirations for the betterment of the human con. 
 dition, had crossed the snowy barrier of the moun. 
 tain, to mingle with the iliisliing waves of the 
 Pacific seas Uic sweet music of a busy and vir. 
 tuous civilization. 
 
 During my tarry here, several American eiti. 
 zcns unconnected with the mission, called on me 
 to talk of their fatlierland, and inquire as to the 
 probability that its laws would be extended over 
 them. 1 he constantly re|)catcd inquiries were, 
 " AVhy are we left without protection in this part 
 of our country's <lomain ? Why are foreigners 
 |K3rmittcd to domineer over American citizens, 
 drive their traders from the country, and make 
 us as dependent on them for the clothes wc wear 
 as pre their own apprenticed slaves ?" I could 
 return no answer to theso questions, exculpatory 
 
 of this nutiiinal delinqueney, and, therefore, ad. 
 vist'd them to emlwdy their grievances in a peti. 
 tion, and forward it to fongrese. They had a 
 meeting for that purpoH<', and afterwards |)ut 
 into my hand, a (Htition signed by 67 " citi- 
 zens of the United States, and jiersons desirous 
 of l)eeomi">g such," the substance of which was 
 a description of the country — their unprotected 
 situation — and, in conclusion, a prayer that the 
 Federal Government wouhl extend over them tho 
 protection and institutions of the Republic. Five 
 or six of the Willamette settlers, for some rea- 
 son, had not an op|>ortunity to sign this paper. 
 The ('iitliolie priest refused to do it. 
 
 Tliise people have put fifty or sixty fme fanns 
 under cultivation in the Willamette valley, 
 amidst the most discouraging circumstances. 
 They havi' erected for themselves comfortable 
 dwellings and outbuilding'*, and have herds of 
 excellent cattle, which they have, from time to 
 time, driven up from California, at great expense 
 of property and even life. And the reader will 
 find it ditlieull to learn any sufticient reasons for 
 their being left by the Covemment without the in- 
 stitutions of civilized Foeiety. Their condition is 
 truly deplorable. They are liable to lie arrested 
 for debt or crime, and conveyed to the jails of 
 Canada ! Arrested on American territory by 
 British ofliccrs, tried by Hrilisb tribunals, impri- 
 soned in British iirisons, and hung or shot by Bri- 
 tisli I'xecutioners I They cannot trade witii the 
 Indians. For, in that case, the business of Bri- 
 tish subjects is interfered with, who, by way of 
 retaliation, will withhold the supplies of clothing, 
 household goods, &e., which the settlers have no 
 other means of obtaining. Nor is this all. The 
 civil condition of the territory being such as vir- 
 tually to prohibit the emigr.ition, to any extent, 
 of useful and desirable citizens, they have nothing 
 to anticipate from any considerable increase of their 
 numbers, nor any amelioration of their state to 
 look for, from the accession "f female society. 
 In tho dcs))eration incident to their lonely lot, 
 they take wives from the Indian tribes around 
 them. What will Uuhe ultimate consequence of 
 this unpardonable negligence on the part of the 
 tiovcrnmrnt upon the future destinies of Oregon 
 cannot be clearly predicted. But it is manifest 
 that it must be disastrous in the highest degree, 
 both as lo its claims to tl;c sovereignty of that 
 territory, e.iid the moral condition of its inha- 
 bitants. 
 
 A Mr. W. II. Wilson, su|)crintcndent of a 
 branch mission on Puget's sound, chanced to he 
 at the Willamette station, whose iwlite attentions 
 it aflords me pleasure to acknowledge. He ac- 
 companie<l me on a numlxir of excursions in the 
 valley, and to tho hights, for the purpose of 
 showing me the country. I was als<j in<lebted to 
 him for much information relative to llie ('owelitz 
 and its valley, and the region about the sound, 
 which will be found on a succeeding page. 
 
 My original intention had been lo pass the win- 
 ter in exploring Oregon, and to have returned to 
 tiie States the following summer, with the Amer. 
 ican Fur traders. But having learned from va. 
 rious creditabl(! sources, that little dependence 
 could lie placed upon meeting them at their usual 
 place of rendezvous on Green riv^r, and that tho 
 prospect of getting hack to the .States by tlial 
 
in the RocTcy Mountains, the Oregon Territory, etc. 
 
 95 
 
 route would, counoqunntly, l)e exceedingly doubt- 
 ful, I felt e-on»traincd lo ubundou the uttcmpt. 
 My next wish was to have pouc by land to Cali. 
 fornin, and thence hoine throujrh the northern 
 States of Mexico. In order, however, to accom- 
 plish this with safety, a force of twenty-five men 
 was indispensable ; and as that nunibi>r could 
 not be raised, I was compelled to |rivc up all 
 hopes of returning by (hat route. The last and 
 only practicable means then of seeking home du- 
 ring the next twelve! months, was to go to the 
 Sandwich Islands, and ship tlienoe for New York 
 or California, as o|)|x)rtimity might oU'er. One of 
 the company's vessels was then lying at Vancovrr, 
 receiving a cargo of lumber for the Island mar- 
 ket, and I determined to take passage in her. 
 Under these circumstances, it behoved me to 
 hasten my return to the C'olumbia. Accordingly, 
 on the 20th I left the mission, virfitcd Dr. Bailey 
 and lady, and went to Mr. Johnson's to take a 
 canoe flown the river. On reaching this place, I 
 found Mr. Lee, who had been to the mission es- 
 tablishment on the Willamette for the fall sup- 
 plies of wheat, pork, lard, butter, &c., for his 
 station at the " IJallcs." lie had left th'! mission 
 two days before my departure, and giving his ca. 
 noc, laden with these valuables, in charge of his 
 Indians, proceeded down to (he highlands by 
 land. He had arrived at Mr. Johnson's, when a 
 message reached him to tlie effi-ct that his canoe 
 had been upset, and its entire contents d'scharged 
 into the stream. He immediately repaired to the 
 scene of this disaster, where I found him busied 
 in attempting to save some part of his cargo. All 
 the wheat, and a part of the other supplies, toge. 
 ther with his gun and other paraphernalia, were 
 lost. I made arrangements to go down with him 
 when he should be ready, and left him to call 
 upon a Captain Young, an American ex-tradcr, 
 who was settled near. This gentleman liad for- 
 merly explored California and Oregon in quest of 
 beaver — had been plundered by the Mexican au- 
 thorities of $18,000 or f 20,000 worth of fur; 
 and, wearied at last with his ill-luck, settled nine 
 or ten ycors ago on a small tributary of the Willa- 
 mette coming in from the west. Here he has 
 erected a saw and grist mill, and opened a farm. 
 He has been a number of times to California for 
 cattle, and now owns about one hundred head, a 
 fine band of horses, swine, &c. He related to 
 mo many inciilents of his hardships, among 
 which the most surprising was, that lor a num. 
 ber of years, the Hudson Bay C'ompany refused 
 to sell him a shred of clothing. And as there were 
 no other traders in the country, ho was compelled, 
 during their pleasure, to wear skins. A false re- 
 port that he had been gtiilty of some dishonorable 
 aet in CaUfomia was the alleged cause for this 
 treatment. But, pcrhops, a better reason woidd 
 be, that Mr. Young occasionally purchased lea- 
 ver skins in the American territory. I spent the 
 night of the 12th with the excellent old captain, 
 and in the afternoon of the 13th, in company 
 with my friend Mr. Lee, descended the Willa- 
 niettc as far as the Falls. Here wc passed the 
 night, more to the apparent satisfaction of three 
 pecks of (leas than of ourselves. These creature 
 comforts abound in Oregon. But it was not these 
 alone that made our lodging at the Falls u rosy 
 circumstance for memory's wastes. The melli- 
 
 fluent odor of salmon oflal regaling our nasal sen- 
 sibilities, and till! squalling of a copper-colored 
 baby, uttered in all the sweetesl intonations of 
 such instruments, falling with the livehest iiotcH 
 n\mn the ear, made me dream of war to the knife, 
 till the sun called us to our day's travel. 
 
 Five miles bt!low the Falls, Mr. I^ee and my- 
 self left the canoe, and struck across abfiut four- 
 teen miles to an Indian village on the bank of the 
 Columbia opiiosito Vancouver. It was a collec- 
 tion of nuid and straw huts, surrounded and 
 filled with so much filth of a certain description, 
 as to l)e smelt two hunilred yords. We hired one 
 of tlies* cits to take us across the river, and at 
 sunset of the 15th, were comfortably seated by 
 thestovi! in " Bachelor's HalP'of Fort Vancouver. 
 
 The rainy season had now thoroughly set in. — 
 Traveling any considerable distance in open l)oats, 
 or among the tangled underbrush on fixit, or on 
 horseback, was quite impracticable. 1 therefore 
 determined to avail myself of whatever other 
 irirans of information were in my reach. And as 
 the gentleman in charge of the various trading. 
 i |)08ts in the Territory, had arrived at Vancouver 
 to meet the express from London. I could not have 
 had, lor this objcst, a more fovorable opportunity. 
 The information obtained from these gciulemen, 
 and from other residents in the country, I have 
 relied on as correct, and combined it with my own 
 observations in the following general account of 
 Oregon ; 
 
 Oregon Territory is Iwunded on the north by 
 the parallel of ;)4 (leg. '10 min. north latitude ; on 
 the cast by the Rocky Mountains ; on the south 
 by the parallel of 42 deg. north latitude ; and on 
 the west by the Pacific Ocean. 
 
 Mountains of Oregon. DifTcrent sections of 
 the great chain of highlands which stretches from 
 the straits of Magellan to the Arctic sea, have re- 
 ceived difTerent names — as the Andes, the Cordil- 
 leras, the Anahuac, the Rocky and the Chipe- 
 wayan Mountains. The last mentioned appella- 
 tion has been applied to that jwrtion of it which 
 lies between the 58 deg. of north latitude and the 
 Arctic .Sea. The Hudson Bay Company, in com- 
 picting the survey of the Arctic coast, have ascer- 
 tained that these mountains preserve a strongly 
 defined outline entirely to the sea, and hang in 
 towering cliffs over it ; and by other surveys have 
 discovered that they gradually increase in bight 
 from the sea southward. The section to which 
 the term Rocky Momitains has lieen applied, ex- 
 tends from latitude 58 deg. to the Great Cap, or 
 southern pass, in latitude '12 deg. north. Their 
 altitude is greater than that of any other range on 
 the northern i)art of the continent. .Mr. Thomp- 
 son, the astronomer of the Hudson B.Co., rejiorts 
 that he found |ieaks Ijctwecn latitudes 53 and 5G 
 nortli, more than 20,000 feet above the level of 
 the sea. That jiortion lying east of Oregon, an 1 
 dividing it from tbctjreat Prairie Wilderness, v 1 
 be particularly noticed. Its southern point i m 
 the Wind River cluster, latitude 42 deg. north, 
 and about 700 mil.^s from the Pacific Ocean. 
 Its northern iioint is in latitude 54 deg. 40 min., 
 about 70 miles north of Mount Browne, and about 
 400 miles from the same sea. Its general direc- 
 tion between these points is from N. N. W. to S. 
 S. E. 
 
 This range is generally covered with perjictua 1 
 
96 
 
 Travels in the Great Wettem Prairies, 
 
 mowi ; and for this and atlier cauMti i* (r<^ncr\11y 
 impaisablc for man or bonBt. There arc, however, 
 Bcvcral gaps thrnii|(h which the Indiansand othero 
 crosB to the great Prairie Wildcme™. The nortliem- 
 most in bctwern ttio peaks Browne and Hooker. 
 Thin Ib used by tlic fur trade™ in their journeys from 
 the Cohimbia to Canada. Anotlier hes U^twccn 
 the head waters of tlie Flathead and the Marias 
 rivem. Another runti from Lewis and Clarko'g ri- 
 ver to t)ie southern lieud waters of the Missouri. 
 Anotlier lies up Henry's fork of the Suptin, in a 
 northeasterly course to tiic Dig.hom branch of the 
 Yellow-stone. And still another, and most im- 
 portant of all, is situated between Wind river cliis. 
 ter and lying's mountains. 
 
 There arc several spurs or lateral branches pro. 
 trudinfr from the main chain, which arc worthy of 
 notice. The northernmost of these puts off north 
 of Fraser's river, and embraces the sources of that 
 stream. It \h a broad collection of hights, 8pars<-ly 
 covered with pines. Sonic of its tojis arc covered 
 with Know nine months of the year. A spur from 
 I hese passes far down between Fraser's imd Colum- 
 bi» rivers. 'I'his is a line of rather low elevations, 
 thickly clothed with pines, cedar, &c. The high- 
 est portions of tliem lie near the Columbia. Ano. 
 ther spur puts out on the south of Mount Hooker, 
 and lies in the bend of the Columbia, above the 
 two lakes. These are lofty and bare of vegetation. 
 Another lies between the Flatliow and Flathead 
 rivers; another between the Flathead and ijpokan 
 rivers ; another U'tween the Coos-cooskic and 
 Wu^.icakoos rivers. These spurs, which lie be. 
 twccn the head waters of the Columbia and the 
 last mentioned river, have usually been cons-dered 
 in connection with a range running off S. W. 
 from the lower part of the Saptin, and called the 
 Blue Mountains. But there are two sufficient 
 reasons why this is error. The first is, that these 
 spurs are separate and distinct from each other, 
 and ore all manifestly merely spurs of the Rocky 
 Mountains, and closely connected with them. — 
 And the second is, that no one of them is united 
 in any one point with the Blue Mountains. They 
 cannot tlicrefore be considered " part of the Blue 
 Mountain chain, and should not be known by the 
 same name. The mountains wliicli lie between 
 the Wapicakoos river and the upjicr waters of the 
 Saptin, will be described by saying that they arc a 
 vast cluster of dark naked bights, descending from 
 the average elevation of 15,(100 feet — the altitude 
 of the great western ridge — to aliout 8,000 feet — 
 the elevation of the eastern wall of the valley of 
 the Saptin. The only qualifying fact that should 
 be attached to this description is, that there are a 
 few small hollows among these mountains, called 
 " holes ;" wliicli, in general appearance, resemble 
 Brown's hole, mentioned in a previous chapter. — 
 But unlike the latter, they arc too cold to allow of 
 cultivation. 
 
 The last spur that deserves notice in this place 
 is that which is called the " Snowy Mountains." 
 It has already been described in this work ; and 
 it can only be necessary here to repeat that it 
 branches off frcm the Wind River peak in lati- 
 tude 41 degrees north, and runs in un irregular 
 broken line to Cajie Mendocino, in Upper Call- 
 fomia. 
 
 The Blue Mountains are a range of hights 
 which commence at the Saptin, about 20 miles 
 
 above its junction with the Columbia, near the 
 •Jfith liegrec of north latitude, and run south- 
 westerly aliout 200 miles, and terminate in a bar. 
 ren, rolling plain. They are separated from the 
 Rocky Mountains by the valley of the Saptin, 
 and arc unconnected with any other range. — 
 Some of their lofticHt peaks are more than 10,000 
 feet above the level of the sen. Many beautiful 
 valleys, many hills covered with bunch grass, 
 and very many exteniivfl swells covered with 
 heavy yellow pine forests, are found among them. 
 
 The President's raago is in every reRjiect the 
 most interesting in Oregon. It is a part of a 
 chain of highlands, which commences at Mount 
 St. Elias, and gently diverging from the coast, 
 terminates in the aridf hills about the head of the 
 (iulf of California. It is a line of extinct volca- 
 noes, where the fires, the evidences of whose in. 
 tense power are seen over the whole surfuco of 
 Oregon, found their principal vents. It has 12 
 lofty peaks; two of which. Mount St. Elias and 
 Mount Fuirweathor, lie near latitude 55 degrees 
 north ; and ten of which lie south of latitude 49 
 degrees north. Five of these latter have received 
 names from British navigators and traders. 
 
 The other five have received from an Amcri. 
 can traveler, Mr. Kelley, the names of deceased 
 Presidents of the Republic. Mr. Kelly, I be- 
 lieve, was the first individual who suggested a 
 name for the whole range. For convenience 
 in description I have adopted it. And altliougli 
 it is a matter in which no one can find reasons 
 for being very much interested, yet if there is any 
 propriety in adopting Mr. Kclley's name for the 
 whole chain, there might sccni to be as much in 
 following his suggestion, that all the principal 
 peaks should bear the names of those distinguished 
 men, whom the suffrages of the people that own 
 Oregon have from time to time called to admin- 
 ister their national government. I have adopted 
 this course. Mount Tyler is situated near lati- 
 tude 49 degrees north, and about 20 miles from 
 the eastern shore of those waters between Vaii- 
 couvcr'e Island and the continent. It is clad 
 with perpetual snow. Mount Harrison is situ- 
 atcd a little more than a degree south of Mount 
 Tyler, and about 30 miles east by north of Pii- 
 get's Sound. It ia covered with perpetual snow. 
 Mount Van Buren stands on the Isthmus l>e- 
 tween Piiget's Sound and the Pacific. It is a 
 lofty, wintry jieak, seen in clear weather 80 miles 
 at sea. Mount Adams lies under the parallel of 
 45 degrees, aliout 25 miles north of the cascades 
 of the Columbia. This is one of the finest peaks 
 of the chain, clad with eternal snows, 5,000 feet 
 down its sides. Mount Washington lies a little 
 north of the 44tli degree north, and about twenty 
 miles south of the Cascades. It is a perfect cone, 
 and is said to rise 17,000 or 18,000 feet above tlic 
 level of the sea. Two-thirds of its hight is cov- 
 ered with perpetual snows. Mount Jefferson is 
 an immense peak under latitude 41 J degrees 
 north. It received its name from Lewis and 
 Clark. Mount Madison is the Mount McLaugh- 
 lin of the British fur.traders. Mount Monroe in 
 in latitude 43 degrees 20 minutes north, and 
 Mount John Quincy Adams is in 42 degrees lU 
 minutes; both covered with perpetual snow. — 
 Mount Jackson is in latitude 41 degrees 10 min. 
 utes. It is the largest and loftiest pinnacle of the 
 
in the Rotky Mountains, the Oregon Territory, Sfc. 
 
 97 
 
 Preiidcnt's range. This chain of mount&ins runs 
 parallel with tho Rocky Mountains— between 300 
 and -100 miles from them. Itn average lilNtiinor 
 from the coart of the Paeifie, nouth of hititiulr II) 
 degrees, is about 100 milcH. The Kpaces bftw ron 
 the pcakN arc oceupied by elevated liightu.eovercd 
 with an enorinouH (rrowtb of the several HpeciiH 
 of pines and tirs, uiid the red cedar ; many of 
 which rise 300 feet without a limb ; nml are "five, 
 nix, seven, eight, and even nine fathonin in eir- 
 eumference at the ground. 
 
 On the south siue of the Colnmbia, at the ('as. 
 endcH, a range of low muuntains puts otF from the 
 President's range, and running down parallel to 
 the river, terminates in u point of land on whieh 
 Astoria was built. Its average bight is aUiiit 
 1500 feet aliove the river. Ni'ar the Cascadi's 
 they rise much higher : and in some instances 
 are beautifully castellated. They are generally 
 covered with dense pine and (ir forests. From 
 the north side of the Cascades, a similar range 
 runs down to the sea, and terminates in ('aix? Dis- 
 apiw>intment. This range also is covered with 
 forests. Another range runs on the brink of llic 
 i-onst, from Cajx; Mendocino in Upper California 
 to the Straits do Fuca, These are generally bare 
 of trees.; irierc maBws of dark 8tratifie<l rocks, 
 piled many hundred feet in light. They rise im- 
 mediately from the borders of the sea, and pre. 
 serve nearly a right line course, during their en. 
 tire length. The lower portion of their eastern 
 sides arc clothed with heavy pine; and spruce, lir 
 and cedar forests. 
 
 I have de8cril)ed on j)revioUK ))age8 the great 
 southern brnneh of the Cobnnliia, called .Saptin 
 by the natives who live on its banks, and the val. 
 ley of volcanic deserts tlirough which it riuis, as 
 well as the Cobunbia and its cavernous vale, from 
 itfl junction with the Saptin to Fort N'ancouver, 
 !)0 miles from lliu sea. I shall, therefore, in the 
 following notice of the rivers of Oregon, speak 
 only of those |)artK of this and other streams, and 
 their valleys alsjut them, which remain undes. 
 •ribed. 
 
 That jKjrtion of the ('olund)ia, which lies alx)ve 
 itsjmjction with the Sa|)thi, latitude l(i degrees i 
 B minutes north, is navigable for batteaux to the 
 lK)at encampment at the base of the Uoi-kj- .Moun- 
 tains, alx)Ut the 53d degree of north latitude, a 
 distune by the course of the stream, of alx)ut 
 .1110 miles. The ciurent is strong, and inlcrru))t- 
 ed by five considerable and several lesser rai)i(lH, 
 at which there are short |)ortages. The country ' 
 on both sides of the river, from its junction with 
 Uie Saptin to the mouth of the S|)okan, is a dreary 
 waste. The soil is a light yellowish eom|s)sition 
 of sand and clay, generally destitute of vegelu. 
 tion. Li u few nooks, irrigated by mountain 
 streams, there are fovnid small patches of the 
 short grass of the plains uitcrsiicrsed with another 
 species which grows in tufts or bunches four or 
 five feet in hight. A few shrubs, us the small 
 willow, the sumac, and furze, upi)ear in distant and 
 solitary groups. There arc no trees ; generally 
 noUiing green ; a mere brown drifting desert ; as 
 fur as uic Oakunagan Uiver, 208 miles, a plain, 
 whose monotonous desolation is relieved only by 
 the noble liver running through it, and an occa. 
 sional cliiV of volcunic rQcksl)ur8tiiig tlirough its 
 arid Burfacei 1 
 
 'I The river Oakanagaii is a large, fine stream, 
 ! originating in a lake of the same name situate in 
 1 the mountains, alwul 100 miles north of its mouth. 
 The soil in the neighborhood of this stream is gen- 
 erally worthless. Near its union, however, with 
 the Columbia, there arc a number of small jdains 
 tolerably well clothed with the wild grasses ; and 
 near its lake are found hills covered with small 
 timlx'r. On the point oflaiul between this stream 
 ' and the Columbia, the Pacific Fur Company, in 
 ^1811, established a trading-post. This, in 1814, 
 passed by purchase into the bands of the \. W. 
 Fur Co. of Canada, and in 1819, by the union of 
 [ that body with the Hudson Bay Company, passed 
 into the possession of the united company under 
 the name of the Hudson Bay Company. It is 
 still occupied by them under its old name of Fori 
 Oakauagan. 
 
 From this i>ost, latitude 18 deg. fi min., and 
 ' longitude 117 deg. west, along the Columbia to 
 the Spokan, the country is as devoid of wood an 
 '. that l)c!ow. The banks of the river are bold and 
 rocky, the stream is contracted within narrow 
 limits, and the current strung ami ve.vei! wilh dan- 
 gerous e(blies. 
 
 The .*^])okun Kiver rises among the spurs of 
 ' the Rocky Mountains east southeast of the mouth 
 ' of the Oakauagan, and, after a course of alwut 
 [ 50 miles, I'ornisthe Pointed Heart Lake 95 miles 
 ill lenglb, and 10 or li! in width; and running 
 thence in a noiihwesterly direction about 120 
 ; miles, emptiesi into the "Columbiti. /Miout fiO 
 j miles from its iismth, the I'licifie Fur Company 
 j erected a trading-post, which they called the 
 ' " SjKikaii House." Tlicir successors arc under. 
 , stofid to have abandoned it. .Vliovc the Pointed 
 Heart Lake, the banks of this river are usually 
 high and Ixjld miiuiitains, and sparsely covered 
 with pines and cedars of a fine si/c. Around the 
 lake there are. some grass lands, many edible 
 rrxits, and wild fruits. On all the remaining 
 courst of Ibe sireani, there arc found at intervals, 
 |iroduelive s|)Ols c.qiable of yielding moderate 
 , crops of the grains and vegetables. 'I'here is con- 
 siderable pine and cedar timlier on tb(; neighbor- 
 ing hills ; and near the ( 'oluinbia arc large forests 
 growing on sandy plains. In a word, the Spokau 
 valley can be extensively used as a grazing dis- 
 trict; but ils agricultural capabilities arc limited. 
 Mr. Spauldiiig. an American missionar}', made a 
 journey across this valley to Fort Colville, in 
 .Alarch of 1837; in relation to which, he writes 
 to ^Ir. Ia'vI ChainlMTlain of the Sandwich 
 Islands, us follows : " The third day from 
 home we came to snow, and on the fourth 
 came to what I call quicksands — j ains mixed 
 with pine trees and rocks. Tin; l)ody of snow 
 ujion the plains, was intcrsjicrsed with baresiKits 
 under the standing pines. For these, our ]K)or 
 animals would plunge whenever they came near, 
 after wallowing in tlie snow and mud until the 
 last nerve seemed about exhausted, naturally ex. 
 [lecting a rcstinjj-placc for their struggling limbs; 
 but they were no less disappointed and discour. 
 aged, doubtless, than I was astonished to sec the 
 noble animals go down by the side of a rock or 
 pine tree, till their bodies struck the surface." — 
 The same gentleman, ui speaking of this valley 
 and the country generally, lying north of the Co- 
 lunibiu, and claiincd by tho United States and 
 
08 
 
 Travels in the Oreat Western Praine$, 
 
 Great Britain, lays ; " It is |)ro1>a))ly not worth I 
 hair the nionry and time that will be spent in talk- 
 inpf about il." 
 
 The country from the Spokan to Kettle Falls, ij 
 ia broken intu hillRund niountuins thinly covered ; 
 with wood, and picturesi|UP in oiipearance; 
 among which there is supposed to Ix; no urable ! 
 land. A little below Kettle Fulls, in latitude 4ti [ 
 dcg. 37 mill, is u trading.post of the Hudson Bay 
 Company, called Fort Colville. Mr. Spaulding |' 
 thut describeii it : " Fort Colville is SdU miles >: 
 west of north from this, (his stution on the Clear i 
 AVater,) three duy's below Flatland River, one ' 
 day above .'^poii-iii, UK) miles aliovc Oakanugan, ' 
 and 3. Ill miles above Fort W.illawalla. It stands ' 
 on a small pi lin of 2,1100 or 3,000 acres, said to be !i 
 the only tillable land on the Columbia, above i 
 Vancouver. There are one or two barns, a black. | 
 smith shop, a good flouring mill, several houses 
 for laborers, and nood buildings for the gentlemen ' 
 in charge. .Mr. .McDonald raises this year (1837,) 
 about 3,500 bushels of different grains — such as j| 
 wheal, peas, barley, oats, corn, buckwheat, &c., 
 and us many potatoes ; has 8J head of cattle, and ; 
 100 hoys. This post furnishes supplies of provis. i, 
 ion* fur a great many forts north, south, and r 
 west. The country on both sides of the stream |i 
 from Kettle Fulls to within four miles of the lower i 
 Lake, is covered with dense forests of pine, jj 
 •prucc, and small birch. The northwestern shore 
 is rather low, but the southern high and rocky. — i 
 In this distance, there are several tracts of rich ! 
 bottom land, covered with u kind of creeping red , 
 clover, and the while species coinmon to the 
 states. The lower lake of the Columbia, is about ; 
 35 miles in length and four or five in breadth. — i 
 Its shores are bold, and clad with a heavy growth i 
 of pine, spruce, &.p. From these waters the voy. h 
 ager obtains the first view of the snowy bights in ] 
 the main chain of the Rocky Mountaiiifl. \\ 
 
 The Flalhcad River enters into the Columbia a | 
 short distance nl)ovp Fort Colville. It is as long 1 
 and discharges nearly as imieh water as that pari j 
 of Columbia aliove their junction. It rises near i; 
 the sources of the .Missouri and Saseatchawinc. — 1; 
 The ridges which separate them arc said to be |l 
 easy to pass. Il falls into the Columbia over a r 
 confused heap of iimiieiiBe rockw, just above the .. 
 place where the latter stream forms the Kettle ;, 
 Falls in its jiassage through a sjiur of the Rocky ' 
 Mountains. About 100 miles from its mouth, i; 
 the Flathead River forms a lake 31! miles long and 
 seven or eight wide. It is called Lake Kullers. 
 pelm. A rich and Ix-auliful country spreads off 
 from it in all directions to the bases oi' lolty iiioun- ', 
 tains covered with iierpetual snows. Forty or 
 fifty miles aliove this lake, ia the " Flalliead !; 
 House" — a trading post of the Hudson Bay Com. ij 
 pany. ' j, 
 
 McGilhvray's or Flat Bow River, rises in the li 
 Rocky Mountains, and running a tortuous west. ; 
 eriy course alxjiit 300 miles, among the snowy : 
 hights and some exieiisive and Komcwhat ])roduc- ^ 
 live vallies, enters the Columbia four miles IxOow 
 the Iiower Lake. Its banks are generally moun. 
 tainous, and in some places covered with pine for- ; 
 ests. On this stream, also, the indefatigable Brit. !: 
 ish fur traders have a jiost, " Fort Kootania"-— sit. ji 
 uated about 130 miles from its mouth. Between !' 
 the lower and upper lakes of the Columbia, are jj 
 
 " The Straits," a narrow, compreiwcd passage of 
 the river among jutting rocks. It is four or fivo 
 miles in length, and has a current swift, whirling, 
 and difficult to stem. The upper hike is of Ichs 
 dimensions than the lower ; but, if |)ouible, sur. 
 rounded by more broken and romantic scenery — 
 forests overhung by lofty tiers of wintry moun- 
 tains, from which rush a thousand torrents, fed 
 by the melting snows. 
 
 Two mile* above this lake, the Columbia runs 
 through n narrow, rocky channel. This place is 
 called the Ixiwer Dalles. The shores arc strewn 
 with immense quantities of fallen timber, among 
 which still stand heavy and impenetrable forests. 
 Thirty. five miles above is the Upper Dalles ; the 
 waters are crowded into u compreised channel, 
 among hanging and slippery rocks, foaming and 
 whirling fearfully. A few miles above this place, 
 is the head of navigation — " The Boat encamp, 
 ment," where the traders leave their batteaux, m 
 their overland journevi to Canada. The coun- 
 try from the ujiper lake to this place, is a collec- 
 tion of mountains, thickly covered with pine and 
 spruce and fir trees of very large size. Here 
 commences the " Rocky Mountam portage" to 
 the navigable waters on the other side. Its truck 
 runs leading up a wide and cheerless valley ; on 
 the north of which, tiers of mountains rise to a 
 great hight, thickly studded with immense pines 
 and cedars j while on the south, are seen towering 
 cliffs partially covered with mosses and stinted 
 pines, over which tumble, from the ices above, nu- 
 merous niid noisy cascades. Two daya' travel up 
 this desolate valley, brings the traveler to " La 
 Grande Cote," the jirincipal ridge. This they 
 climb in live hours. Around the base of this 
 ridge, the trees — pines, &.C., are of enormous size. 
 But in ascending, they decreas<" in size, till on the 
 summit they beeome little else than shrubs. 
 
 On the table land of this hight, are found two 
 lakes a few hundred yards apart ; the waters of 
 one of which, flows ilown the valley ju.st describ- 
 ed to the Columbia, and thence to the North I'a- 
 eifie ; while those of the other, forming the Rocky 
 Mountain River, run thence into the Athabasca, 
 and thence through Peace River, the (ireat Slave 
 Lake, and McKenzie's River into the Northern 
 Arctic t)cean. The scenery around these lakes 
 is highly interesting. In the north, rises .Mount 
 Browne 1U,000 feet, and in the south, Mount 
 Hooker, 15,700 feet above the level of the sea. — 
 In the west, descends a vast tract of secondary 
 mountains, bare and rocky, and noisy with 
 tumbling avalanches. In the vales arc groves of 
 the winter loving pine. In the east roll away 
 undulations of barren hights beyond the range of 
 sight. It seems to be the very citadel of desola- 
 tion ; where the god of the north wind, elaborates 
 his icy streams and frosts and blasts in every sea- 
 son oi' the year. 
 
 Frazcr's river rises between latitudes 55 degrees 
 and 5() degrees north, and after a course of about 
 150 miles nearly due south, falls into the straits dc 
 Fuca, under latitude 49 degrees north. It is so 
 much obstructed by rapids and falls, as to be of 
 little value for puriKjses of navigation. The face 
 of the country about its mouth, and for 50 miles 
 above, is mountainous and covered with dense 
 forests of white pine, eeilar and other ever-green 
 trees. The soil ia an indifferent vegetable depu 
 
in the Rocky Mountains, the Oregon Territory, tfc. 
 
 mte G or 7 inrliM in drplli, rMlin.; on n utrnliirn 
 of dinil <ir rcMfHc ijrixvi'l. TIh^ wIi'>Ip rctniuTiinij 
 jiortlnn of the Viill^y in unld to hr cut xvilli low 
 monnliiins rimnin.j iiorlliwrstwiirdly iinii wmili- 
 cimlwiirclly ; tiinoiiir wliicli nrc iininrtiHi' triiolH of 
 marshcR unil lakrH, rormnl by (-old torri'ntii lioiii 
 the litglitH tluit rncirrlii (liciii. 'I'lu' Hdil not Uiuh 
 ocrii|>ir(l, In liKi poor lor BUi;roanful cidtlviition. — 
 Mr. .Miu'gillivruy. Ilin pu-rnon in cliurijp nl I'ort 
 Alcx-indiiii, in i&i"!, hhvn : " All tlie vo^clidili'ri 
 wo plimted, iiotwilliHtnnJinfr llio ntinost cure itiid 
 precaution, nearly fiiiltd ; nnd the UbI prop of po. 
 tiilom did not violil oui>-lunrtli of llic Kcrd plant- 
 fd." 'I'lie linilior of IIiIh tvi/mii coiiHiHts of all Ilic 
 variclicR of llic tir, tlio Hprure, pini', poplar, wil- 
 low, cedar, cyprnB, hirdi, and ulilcr. 
 
 The oliniile in very pccidiar. 'I'lir spring opcrm 
 aljoiit the middle of .\pril. l''roni iIiIh time tlic 
 Wi'allier Ib delii,'litfiil till tlie end C)f .May. In 
 .Itmo till' Hontli wind blown, and brin^fl ineiHBant 
 nins. Ill July and .Xu^iist lli" licit is almost in- 
 Hupp')rtable. In .Sept(!niber, tlie whole valley is en- 
 velopcd in fogs HO dense, that olijeels lll!l y irdj dis- 
 tant cannot be seen till 10 o'clock in the day. In 
 October the It'aves I'lianj;!' their color and hejrm 
 to fall. In November, the lakes, and portioiis of 
 the rivers are frozen. The winter months briiiij 
 snow. It is seldom severely cold. The mercury 
 in Fuhrenlicil's scale sinks a few days only, as low 
 ti» 10 or I'J degrees lielow zero. 
 
 Til, it part of Oregon bounded on the north by 
 Shmillamen River, and on the east by Oakanairan 
 nnd ('ohinibia Uivers, south by the Columliia, 
 and west by the President's Uaiiire, is a broken 
 plain, partially covered with the Klmrt and biinrli 
 ({rassfs ; but so destitute of water, that a small 
 portion only of it. can ever he depastur<'d. Tlu^ 
 e 'em and middle |)orlioiis of it, are destitute of 
 timber ; — a mere siinhurnt waste. The northern 
 part has a few wooded hills and slnams, and prai. 
 rie valleys. Anion;; the lower hills of the I'resi- 
 dent's Ranije, too, there are considerable pine and 
 I'lr forests; and rather extensive prairies, watered 
 by small mountain streams. liut nine.tcntlis of 
 the whole surface of this part of Orejjon, is a 
 worlhleBS desert. 
 
 The trad Iniunded north by the Cidumbia, east 
 by the Ulue .Mountains, south by the iJd parallel 
 of north latitude, and west by tlie I'resident's 
 Uan;jp, is a plain of vast rolls or swells, of a lif;ht. 
 yellowish, sandy clay, partially covered with the 
 short and bunch (jrasses. mixed with tlii' prickly 
 pear and wild wormwood. Hut water is so very 
 scarce, that it can never be frenerally fed ; unless 
 indeed, as some travelers in their praises of this 
 region seem to Buppo3<', the animals that usually 
 live by eating and drinking, slionld be able to (lis, 
 pense with the latter, in a idimate where nine 
 months in the year, not a particle of riiii or dew 
 falls, to moisten a soil as dry and loose as a heap 
 of ashes. l)i\ the banks of the liiilion, John 
 Days, Uinatalla and Wallawalla Kivers — wliieh 
 have an average length of 3i) miles — there are. 
 without doubt, extensive tracts of grass in the 
 neighlxirhood of water. Hut it is also true that 
 not more than a filth part of the surface within 
 25 miles of these streams, bears grass or any 
 other vegetation. The |)ortion also which borders 
 the Columbia, produces some grass. Unt of a 
 Btrip (i mileii in width, and extending from the 
 
 Dallps to IliP month of the .'<nptiu, not an 
 Imndredlh part bears the grasses ; and thn aideH 
 sides of the eliasm of the rivrr are so prpripitoUB, 
 that not a fiftieth part of Ibis can be fed by nni- 
 mals which drink at that stream. In proceeding 
 Kouthward on the head waters of thn small 
 streams. John Days and I'matalla, the face of the 
 plain rises grailiially into vast irregular swelli, 
 (lestiliile of timber and water. On the lilua 
 .MoiilittiiiB are a few pine and spruce tr(H.'s of an 
 inferior growth. On tlif right, tower the whitu 
 peaks ami thickly wnided hills of the I'resiilent'ii 
 Uail^e. Thp space southeast of the llhio .Moim- 
 t tins is a barren thirNty waste, of light, sandy and 
 idayey soil — strongly uupregnated with nitre. A 
 lew small Btreims run among tin- sand hills. Uul 
 they arc W) strongly impregnated with various 
 kinds of salts. IIS to be unfit for use. These brooks 
 empty into the lakes, the waters of whi(di are Bait- 
 er than the ocean. NcMr latitude 13 degrees north, 
 the Klamet Uiver risCB and runs westerly through 
 the I'residcnt'n Kiiiige. On these waters arc a 
 few productive valleys. Hut westwardly from 
 them to the .Sajitin the country Ib dry and worth- 
 less. 
 
 The part of ( (regon lying between the ,Slrait« 
 de l''uea on the north, the I'residenls' Ranjfo 
 on till! east, the Columbia on the south, and the 
 ocean on the west, is thickly covered with pines, 
 cedars and lirs of extraordinary size ; and iH'neath 
 these, with a growth of hriisli and brambles that 
 defy the most vigorous foot to penetrate them. 
 There are indeed along the' hnnkt of the Cnluin. 
 bia, strips of prairie v,>rying from a few rods to 3 
 miles in width, and oftin several miles in length ; 
 and even .imicbt the forests are found a few open 
 s|)accs. The banks of the Cowclitz, too, are de- 
 imded' of timber for -1(1 miles; and around the 
 ■Straits de Fucaand I'ugets Sound, are large tracts 
 of open country. Hut the wliole tract lying with- 
 in tlie lioimdaries just defined, is of little valuii 
 exee|)t for its timber. The forests are so heavy 
 and so matted with branibles, as to require the 
 ; arm of a Hercules to clear a farm of 100 acres in 
 an ordinary lifetime; and the mass of timber in 
 so great tint an atteinjit to subdue it by girdling 
 would result in the production of another forest 
 before the ground could be disencumbered of 
 what was thus killed. The small prairies among 
 the woods are covered with wild grasses, and arc 
 useful iiB pastures. The soil of these, like that 
 of the timbered portions, is a vegetable mould, 8 
 or 10 inches in thickness, resting on a stratum ot 
 hard blue clay and gravel. The valley of the 
 Cowclitz is i>oof — the soil, thin, loose, and much 
 washed, can he used as pasture gromid.s for 30 
 I miles up the stream. At aliout that distance 
 some tracts of fine land occur. The prairies on 
 the banks of the Columbia would 1)3 valuable 
 land for agricultural purposes, if they were not 
 ""iierally overflown by the freshets in June — tiie 
 , . ■ > !i of all the year when crops are most injur, 
 ed by such an occurrence. -Vnd it is impusBible 
 to dyke out the w.itcr ; for the soil rests U|xin an 
 iinnieiise bed of gravel and quicksand, throujrh 
 I which it will Icaeh in spite of siieh obstructions. 
 ' The tract of the territory lying between the 
 . ('olumbia on the north, the I'residentB' range on 
 I the east, the parallel of -12 deg. of north latitude 
 |l on the uouth, and the ocean on the west, is the 
 
100 
 
 Travels in the Qrtal Weilern Prmrio, 
 
 iiUMt beautiful and vuluubln portion nt' llioOr(!|;on 
 Territory- A k'""' idea "I III" form of jtN nurfuce 
 may Im' dirivctl from a vii'W of \\n moiinliiiiiH 
 nn(l riv(TH hh laid dn'.vii on tlii' map. On llir 
 Noiilli tower tlir liiglilH of the Snowy MoimtainH; 
 on till- wi'Ht the naked pealtH of the eoant ran(fr; 
 on tlie north tiie green peiikn of the river ranms 
 and on tlio east the lofty Nliiiiini; coiich of the 
 PreHidentii' range, — around »•!• iw^ frozen hum* 
 ehiKler ii vaHt oolleetion of minor moniitainH, 
 elad with the miirhtiest pini^ an<l ecMJar forcHlH on 
 the faee of the ciirth I 'I'hr prineipal riveni are 
 the Klamct and the I'mpqna in the Hoiith wcnI, 
 and tlie Williimette in the north. 
 
 Tlie I'lnpqiia enleiH Ihew a in lalitn(«' 13 di'|r. 
 .10 min. .\. Il iN Ihree.foiirthK of a mile in width 
 at itH month ; water L>J fathomn on its liir ; the 
 tide !^ts np .'III milrn from the Kea ; itn ImidcH at 
 rteep and covered with pinew and eodarc, <.Ve. 
 Aliove tide- water thi! Htrram is broken by rapids 
 and fallM. Il ban a westerly oourse of about HID 
 miles. The face of X\\r eonnlry aliout it in wnie. 
 what broken ; in wiine pariK covered with heavy 
 |)ine anil rtdar limber, in ullic rtt with (jrnsd only ; 
 Haid to l«! a fine v^'.ley for cidlivatinn and poHliir. 
 age. The piiiewon thin river ifro'v to an enorntfais 
 size : U.'iO feet in hi|r|il — and Ironi LI lo more than 
 .SO feet in c'reiimferenoe ; !lie c.jncH or need vch. 
 Htls uro in the fonn of an e(r(j, and often tinuH 
 more than a foot in length ; the Bcedn are as large 
 as the castor bean. Farther mntli in another stream, 
 wliieh joins the ocean !J3 milen from the outlet of 
 the l'm|H|ua. .\t its moulh are niimy biiyf ; and 
 the surrounding conn try is Iihm broken iliaii the 
 valley of the I'Mipqua. 
 
 Farther south Ktill, is another Hlream called the 
 Klamct. It rises, as is said, in tla^ plain cast of 
 Mount ^(adison, and rnmiing a westerly eonrHe 
 of 150 miles, enters the ocean Id or .'id miles 
 south of the I'mpqua. The |iinc and cedar disa|i. 
 l)ear upon this stream; and instead of llietn are 
 foimd a myrtaceous tree of small size, whieli 
 when shaken by the least bi-eeze. ditfiises a deli, 
 eious fragrance through the groves. 'I'lie face of 
 the volley is g' itly undulating, and in every re- 
 spect desirable for eullivation and grazing. 
 
 The Willumetto rises in the I'residcnis" range. • 
 near the sources of the Klamet. Its general 
 course is mirth northwest. Its length is some. 
 thing more than :2dd miles. It falls into the Co. ' 
 lumbia by two mouths ; the one 8.'> and the ollu r 
 70 miles from the 8<'ii. The arable |K)rlion of the ; 
 vedleyof this river is alxiut l.")0 miles long, by (il) 
 in width. It is bounded on tin" west liy low \ 
 wooded hills of the coast range; on the south by 
 tlic highlands around the ti])per Wiiters of the 
 Umpqua ; on the east by the I'rcsidents' range ; : 
 and on the north by the mountains that run ak)ng 
 the Bouthern bank of the Columbia. Its general 
 appearance as seen from the hights, is that of a 
 rolling, open plain, intersected in every directien I 
 by ridges of low nio\mtains, and long lines of 
 evergreen timlx>r; and dotted here and there with 
 a grove of white oaks. The soil is a rich vcgeta- : 
 blc mould, two or three feet deep, resting on a j 
 stratum of coarse gravel or clay. The prairie 
 portions of it are capable of prodncitig, «'ith good 
 cultivation, from 20 to 30 bushels of wheal to the 
 acre; and other small grains in pro|>ortion. Corti 
 cannot be raised witiiout irrigation. The vcgeta- i; 
 
 blcN common to inch latitudcn yield abundantly, 
 and of the IxRl quality. The uplands have nn 
 inferior soil, and are covered with such nn rnor. 
 iitiins growth of |iiiiih, cedars and lirs, that the 
 expense of clearing Would be greatly lieytaid 
 their value. Those tracts of ihe second iMittom 
 lands, wbirh are covered willi liiiilsM', might lu- 
 worth subduing, but lorn specieHof fern growing 
 nn theiit, wliich is no dillienlt to kill as to rctider 
 thcnt iiearlv worthless for agricultural pur|ioscM. 
 
 The elimale of ihc country iM'tween the I'resi. 
 denls' range and the sea, is very tcni|>ernte. From 
 till' middle of \\m\ lo the niidiUe of October, the 
 Westerly wiiiils prevail, and Ihe weather is warm 
 iiiid dry. .Searei ly a drop of rain falls. Uiiring 
 Ihc reinainiler ol the year the southerly winds 
 blow continually, atid bring rains; snmeiimes in 
 bowers, and at others in terrible storms, that 
 continue lo pour down incessantly for n ntnnber 
 of weeks. 
 
 There is scarcely any freezing weather in this 
 section ol Oregon. Twice williin the las! fnrlv 
 years the Columbia has been frozcit over; bnl lltet 
 was eliielly caused by the iieeiimnlation of ice 
 from Ihe upper country. The grasses grow iliir- 
 ing the winter months, and wither to hay in the 
 stiniiner lime. 
 
 The mineral resources <d' Oregon have not 
 been inviHtigated. tireat ipiantities of biltiininons 
 coal have however been discovered on I'ligel's 
 Sound, and on the Willuntette. Salt springs also 
 abound; and other fountains highly impregnated 
 with snlpliiir, soda, iron. & c. are numerous. 
 
 There are tiiaiiy wild fruits in the territory that 
 woiilil be verv ilesirable for cultivation in Ihe gar. 
 dens III Ihe Slates. Among these are a very large 
 and delicious strawberry — the servier berry — a 
 kind of whortli'lterry — and a cranberry growing 
 on bushes I or .1 feet in bight. The crab apple, 
 choke cherrv, and thontls'rry arc common. Of 
 the wilil animals, ibcre are the white tailed, black 
 tailed, jiiniping and moose deer; the elk; red 
 and black and grey wolf; the black, brown, and 
 grisley bear; tlie moitnlain sheep; black, white, 
 red and tui.ved foxes ; beaver, lynxes, martin, ol. 
 lers, minks, iiitisUrals, wolvertnes, marmot, er- 
 mines. wiHidrals, and Hie small ciirleil tailed short 
 eared dog, coniiiioii among Ihc Chip|H;ways. 
 
 t)f the feathered tribe, there an^ Ihe goose, lite 
 brant, several kinds of cranes, the swan, many 
 varieties of the duck, hawks of several kinds, 
 plovers, white eagles, ravens, crows, vultures, 
 thrush, gills, wood|)eckers, pheasants, jielicuns, 
 partridges, grouse, snowbirds, &c. 
 
 In Ihe rivers and lakes arc a very superior quality 
 of salmon, brook and salmon trout, sardines, stur- 
 geon, rock cod, the hair seal, &e. ; and in the bays 
 and inlets along the coast, are the sea otter and an 
 inferior kind of oyster. 
 
 The trade of (Irejron is limited entirely to the 
 operations of the Kritish Hudson Bay Coitipany. 
 \ eoni^ise aecounl of this association is therefore 
 deemed opposite in this place. 
 
 A charter was granted by Charles S?d in K70, 
 to certain Hritisli subieets associated under the 
 name of " The Hudson's Bay ( 'ompany," in virtue 
 of which they were allowed thecvclnstve privilege 
 of establishing trading factorie., i he Hudson's 
 Bay and its tributary rivers. ' n". 'ler Ihe grant, 
 the comjiany took jwincssioii ot liic '.crritory, and 
 
in ihe Hoeloj Monnlmnt, the Oref(on Trrrilor;/, fti; 
 
 ]01 
 
 •nioyci) iu Irailc williniit ii|i|x)Hitioii till I'iH' ; 
 wlicn wnii oruBiir/.i(l 11 |H)\vtrfiil riviil uiirlor llic 
 title ol' llic " Niirtli AiiutIi'iiii Kiir ( '(iiii|i:iiiy iit 
 Cnniiilii." 'riiin coinimiiy wns cliirfly ii)Iii|ioh<'(I 
 of t'liiiuiliiiii-lHini Niili|i'<'tH — iiicii whoHc nittivc 
 i'iirr|{y iiii'l tli»r(iu|r|i iii'<|imiritiiii('i' willi the lii- 
 (liiin clmractcr, |H<('uliiirly (|Uiilllir<l tluiii I'nr (lie 
 iliiiiircrH iiMil lmr<lHlilpH ol a I'nr liiiiKr'H lil'c in llii' 
 frozen ri(;ioiiH ol' llriliHli Aiiierieu. Actcoidiinjly 
 we WHiii (iiid tlie NorlliweMlcrM oiilreiicliiiijj in en- 
 terpri/.e iind i inniereiiil iiniKirliinee tlieir if km hc. 
 tivt' neinlilK(r:.i.l Ilndnon'M ll.iy ; anil llujeiilDUHitH 
 niilnriilly uriHins; iMlwrcn |iarti(»H<i nilu iteri, Icnil. 
 ill){ to the inoHt baibiiroiiH l)attl(H, lui'l llienarkiiifi 
 unil liiimini; each ollur'M jotsIh. 'V\i\H nlale of 
 tliinfTH in IH^I, urrrKteil tlic attention nl' {'arlitu 
 nirnt. anil an net waHpaHHiil ennHoliilatiiii; llie two 
 coiii|ianii-H into one, uiuler the title of " 'I'lie lliiil- 
 koh'h Itay Company." 
 
 'I'liiM aBHoeiiition in now, nniler the operation of 
 their rliarler, in Hole poMHtKhion of all lliat Iraet c' 
 roiintry Uinnded north by the northern Arrtie 
 Oeoan ; eaxthythe Duvin' StraltK and the Atlantie 
 Dreiin; n'lntli and NontliwrMlwardly liy the north. 
 cm bonndary of the Canudax and a line liiawn 
 thron)rh ijm centre of Lake ,Sn|)erior ; thence 
 northweiitwardly to the Lake of the Wood ; 
 thence west on the 'lOth piirallel of north latitude 
 to thn Kocky MountuiiiH, and alonj; those nionn- 
 tuinH to th(! 51lh |iurallel ; thence wiMtwarilly 
 on that line to a |)oint 9 iimrinu loa(rueH from tiie 
 racifiR Ocean ; and on the west by a line eoin- 
 incncing at the laMt inentionril point, and running 
 northwardly parallel to the I'acifie eoaiit till it in- 
 tcrncct8 the HIhI parallel of lofii;ilnilc west from 
 Grecnwieh, Lng., and thenec due north to the 
 Arctic Sea. 
 
 They have also leased for :.'() yenrK, conunencinjf 
 in Marcli, 1810, all of Ru.-<Hiaii Atneriea except the 
 pout of .Sitka ; me li imc renewable at the pleasure 
 of thelLlt. C. They are also in possession of 
 Orc({on under treaty stipulation between Britain 
 and the United States. Tlius tliis [wwerfid com- 
 pany occupy and control luore than one-ninlh of 
 the soil of tlic jtIoIx'. Its stockholders are Itritish 
 capitalists, resident in Ureal Britain. From these 
 are elected a lx}ard of nianapers, who hold their 
 nieetinns and transact their business at "Tlie 
 Hudson's Bay House" in I/milon. This hoard buy 
 i;iK)d(i and ship them to their territory, si II liie furs 
 for which they are exchunfjed, and do all other busi. 
 nesM connected with the company's transactions, 
 cxcejit the execution of their own orders, the 
 actual businessofcolleetinjf furs, in their territory. 
 This duty ia entrusted lo a class of men who are 
 called partners, but who in fad receive certain 
 portions of the ammal net profits of the com- 
 pany's business, as a compensation for their ser- 
 vices. 
 
 These gentlemen are divided by their employers 
 into dirt'erent grades. The first of these is the 
 Govcrnor.tjcneral of all the company's po.sts in 
 North America. He resiiles at York Factory, on 
 the westHhorcof Hudson's Hay. The second class 
 arc chief factors; Ihe third, chief traders; the 
 fourth, traders. lielow these is another class, called 
 clerks. Tliesc are usually younger niembors »{ 
 re§peetable Scottish families. They are not ili. 
 reetly intcrcBted in the com|>any's profits, but re. 
 eeive an annual salary of JtlOO, fiMid, ."sui table | 
 
 clothing, and a iKiily servant, during an npprrn- 
 liccHliip of seven years. At the expiration of thi* 
 term tJiey are eligilile to the traderships, factor- 
 •hips, iVe. that may bi: vacateii by death or 
 retirement from (he service. While waiting for 
 ailvanceineiit they are allowed troiii X'HI) to i.'l:2l) 
 per annum. The Herva<itscm|)loyed ulmul their 
 jMists iinil in their jonnieyingH are half-breed Iro- 
 ipHiis and Canadian rrenchmen. 'I'licw! they 
 enlist lor live years, at wages varying from ijfM 
 to l{j|H|) per annum. 
 
 An aimual Council comimsed of the tiovernor. 
 (ieneral, chief factors and chief traders, is held 
 at York Factory. Ilefore this ls)dy arc brought 
 til" r I ris of the trade of each district ; pro|)osi. 
 tioiis I I, I'cw I iiterprisi's, iiiiil modilieations of old 
 o!ics; '. :tll these iitid other matters deemed iin- 
 porluut, Is'ing acted u|K)n, the pnieeedings liad 
 thcj 'U .inil the reports from the several distriits 
 i.r t'orwaiiled to the U^>.iid of Directors in Imn- 
 I il'iM, and suliiecled to its tiiiid order. 
 
 Thisilriwd company never allow their terri- 
 tory to beovirtrappeil. l\ the annual reliuii froi.i 
 any .veil ,ia|ipeil liistrict be less in any year than 
 foiiiieil\, they order a less nunilKT still to l«; 
 taken, until tlie beaver and other fur bearing ani- 
 niiils have time Ut increase. 'I'lic income of the 
 company is thus rendered iinirorm, and their bum- 
 liess peijietiuil. 
 
 The nature and annual value "f tlic Hudson 
 Hay Company's biibini'ss in the territory wllich 
 they occujiy, may be learned from the mllowijig 
 table, e.vlraeteil Iroin Hliss' work on the trade and 
 ndiistry of JJritish .\iiicrica, in IflU : 
 
 Skins. 
 
 Nil. 
 
 •HCll X,. 
 
 J H 
 
 JL. • d. 
 
 Heaver... 
 
 .l:>fi.!MI 
 
 " 1 
 
 .". (1 
 
 L")8,(i80 II 
 
 Muskral . . 
 
 ..:)7.''),7:n 
 
 " II 
 
 II <1 
 
 ;),3ys 5 ti 
 
 Fivnx 
 
 . .'■^►<,(ll(l 
 
 •• II 
 
 H II 
 
 UVMH 
 
 Wolf 
 
 . :>,\Mi 
 
 " (1 
 
 8 
 
 '-iMlH Hi 
 
 Hear 
 
 . .'LHiVi 
 
 " 1 
 
 II II 
 
 .'J.H.IO 
 
 Fox 
 
 .■^,;('m 
 
 " (1 
 
 1(1 
 
 i,:m 10 
 
 Mink 
 
 . !t,',>!l« 
 
 " (1 
 
 ^> 
 
 'J:."J Id 
 
 liaccoon.. 
 
 . ;»-'.-> 
 
 " (1 
 
 1 H 
 
 '-M 7 li 
 
 Tails 
 
 . '->,•,>»! 1 
 
 " l> 
 
 1 II 
 
 ill 10 
 
 Wolverine 
 
 . 1,711 
 
 '• n 
 
 ;i (I 
 
 •JGl 13 
 
 Deer 
 
 t!l.-> 
 
 '• (1 
 
 :i (I 
 
 KG 15 
 
 Weasel... 
 
 00 lU 
 
 x:2();t,:iii) u 
 
 Some ide.i may be lnriiied of the net profit of 
 this business, from the fails that Ihi' shares of tlic 
 company's slock, which originally cost i'lOO, arc 
 ut 1110 per cent premium, and that Ihe dividends 
 range from ten per cent u|iward, and this too 
 while lliey are creating out of the net proceeds an 
 iiiimense reserve fund, to be exi^nd'-'d in keeping 
 other pers<inB out of tlie trade. 
 
 In 180,> the .Missouri Fur Company estab- 
 lislird a trading.posi on the heud-waters of the 
 Saptiii. In IfOG the Noitli-West Fur Company 
 of Canada established one on Fru/.er's Lake, near 
 the iiortliern line of Oregon. In March, 1811, 
 the .Vmeriean Pacific^ Fur Company built Fort 
 Astoria, near the moulli of the Columbia. In 
 July of the siiiiic year, a partner of the North- 
 West Fur Company of Canada descended the 
 great uortliern branch of the Columbia lo Astoria. 
 'I'his was the first appearance of the British fur 
 trader:! in the valleys drained by this river. 
 
 On th, llltli of October, !8i;i — while war was 
 raging iHtween England and the States — the 
 
102 
 
 Jh-aveh in the Great Western Prairies, 
 
 Pacific Fur Company sold all itB Minhlislmicnts ] 
 in Oregon to fho Norlli.AVcBt Fur Company of 
 Canada. On the 1 st of Deopniber followinir, the 
 British sloop-of-war Raccoon, Captain Black com- 
 mantlins^, ontsrcd the Coluinhia — took formal pos. 
 session of Astoria — and changed its nnnic to Fort 
 George. On the 1 st of Ortol)f r, 1 H 1 8, Fort ( icorne 
 was Burrendercd by the Hritisli (Jovemmcnl to the 
 Ctovemnient of the States, according to a stipu- 
 lation in the Treaty of Cilicnt. Hy the name 
 Treaty, British suhjects were granted the same 
 rights of trude and scltlcnient in Oregon as lie- 
 longed to the citizens of the IJepnblic, for the 
 term of JO yearn; luider the condition — that as 
 both nations claimed Oregon — tlic occupancy thus 
 authorized should in no form alli'ct tlieipieslion as 
 to the title to the country. This stipulation was, 
 by treaty of london, August 6, 1827, indefinitely 
 extended ; under the condition that it should cease 
 to be in force 12 months from the date of a notice 
 of cither of the contracting powers to the other, 
 to annul and abrogate it ; jirovidcd such notice 
 ehould not be given till after the SOth of October, 
 1S28. And this is the maimer in which the Brit- 
 ish Hudson's Bay Company, after its union with 
 the North- West Fur Company of Canada, came j 
 into Oregon. " ' 
 
 They have now in the territory the following 
 trading.posts : — Fort Vancouver, on the north 
 bank of the Columbia, 91) miles from the ocean, 
 in latitude 454°, longitude 122° ,31)' ; Fort George, 
 (formerly Astoria.) near the month of the same 
 river ; Fort Nasqually, on Puget's Sound, latitude 
 47° ; Fort Langly, at the cutlet of Frascr's River, 
 latitude 4D° 2j' ; F"ort McLaughlin, on the Mill- 
 bank Soimd, latitude .')2° ; Fort Simpson, on 
 Dundas Island, latitude ,")ii°. Frazcr's Fort, 
 Fort James, McLcod's Fort. Fort Chilcolin, and 
 Fort Alexandria, on Frazer's river and its branch. 
 M between the o\A and .51i parallels of latitude ; 
 Thompson's Fort, on Thomp?on's river, a tribu- 
 rr's river, putting into it in latitude 
 1 minutes; Kootania Fort, on Flat- 
 Flathead Fort, on Fluthead river ; 
 and Boisais, on the .Saptin ; Forti 
 on the Columbia, above 
 
 50' and od 
 bow river ; 
 Forts Hall 
 Colvillo and Oakana?ai 
 
 its junction with the Sajitm ; Fort Xez I'erces or 
 Wallawalla, a few miles below the junction ; Fort 
 JIcKav, at the mouth of the Umpipia river, lati- 
 tude 43° 30', and longitude 12 1*^ west. 
 
 They also have two migratory trading and 
 trapping establishments of .'iO or GO men each. — 
 The one traps and trades in Upper California ; the 
 other in the country lying west, smith, and east 
 of Fort Hall. They al.w have a steam-vessel, 
 heavily armed, which runs along the coast, and 
 among its bays and inlets, for the twofold pur- 
 pose of trading with the natives in places where 
 they hsfve no jwst, and of outbidding and oulsell. 
 ing any .\mcriean vessel that attempts to trade 
 in those seas. They likewise have five sailing 
 vessels, mcasurini; from 100 to 500 tons burthen, 
 and armed with camion, nmskets, cutlasses, <Si.o. 
 These are employed a part of the year in 'various 
 kinds of trade aliout the coast and the inlands of 
 the North Pacific, and the remainder of the time 
 in bringing goods from london, and hearing back 
 the furs for which they arc exchanged. 
 : One of these ships arrives at Fort Vancouver 
 ill the spring of each year, laden wit'i coarse wool- 
 
 ens, cloths, baizes, and blankets ; hardware an<! 
 cutlery; cotton cloths, calicoes, and cotton hand- 
 kerchiefs ; ten, sugar, cofl'ee, and cocoa ; rice, to- 
 bacco, soap, bends, gun?, powder, lend, rum, wine, 
 brandy, gin, and playing cards ; boots, shoes, and 
 ready-made clothing, iVe. ; also, every descrip- 
 tion of sea stores, canvas, cordage, paints, oils, 
 chains and chain cables, anchors, &c. Having 
 discharged these " supplies," it takes a cargo of 
 lumber to the .Simdwicli Islands, or of Hour and 
 goods to the Russians at .Sitka or Kaniskatka ; 
 returns in .\ugust ; receives the furs collected at 
 Fort Vanc«uvcr, and sails again for England. 
 
 The value of jiellrics annually collected in Ore- 
 gon, bv the Hudson Hay Company, is about 
 ,«iI40.0"l)0 in the I/mdon or New-York market. 
 The prime cost of the goods exchanged for thcni 
 is about i§20,l)fl0. To this must be added the 
 per centagc f)f the ollicers as governors, factors, 
 &c. the wages and food of almut 400 men, the 
 expense of shipping to bring supplies of goods 
 and take bac^k tiic returns of furs, and two years' 
 interest on the inv<'Bltncnts. The Company made 
 arrangements in 183!) with the Russians at Sitka 
 and at oilier jxirts, about the sea of Kamskatka, 
 to Buppl)- them with flour and goods at fixed prices. 
 And as they are opening largo farms on the Cow- 
 elitz, the Unipqua, and in other parts of the Terri- 
 tory, for the production of wheat for that market ; 
 anil as they can aftbrd to sell goods purchased in 
 England under a contract of .50 years' standing, 
 20 or 30 per cent, cheaper than American mer- 
 chants can, there seems a certainty that the Hud. 
 son's Bay Company will engross the entire trade 
 of the ^''orth Pacific, as it has that of Oregon. 
 
 .Soon after the union of the Northwest and 
 Hudson's Hay Companies, the British Parliament 
 passed an act extending the jurisdiction of the 
 Canadian courts over the territories occupied by 
 these fur traders, whether it were " owned" or 
 "claimed by (^rcat Britain." Fnder this act, 
 certain gentlemen of the fur company were ap- 
 pointed justices of 'he peace, and empowered to 
 entertain prosecutions for minor ofFences, arrest 
 and send to Canada criminals of a higher order, 
 and try, render judgement, and grant execution 
 in civil suits where the amount in issue should 
 not exceed je200 ; and in ease of non-payment, 
 to imprison the debtor at their own forts, rr in the 
 jails of Canada. 
 
 .-Vnd thus is shown that the trade, and the civil 
 and criminal jurisdiction in Oregon are held by 
 British subjecls ; that .American citizins arc de- 
 prived of their own conmiercial rights ; that they 
 arc liable to be arreslcd on their own territory by 
 officers of British courts, tried in the American 
 domain by British judges, and imprisoned or hung 
 according to the laws of the P/iitish empire, for 
 acts done within the territorial limits of the Re- 
 public. 
 
 It has frcfiucntly been asked if Oregon will 
 hereafter nssunie great importance as a thorough- 
 fare between the States and China ? The an- 
 I Bwer is us follows : 
 
 < The Straits de Fuca and unns of the sea 
 
 , to the eastward of il furnish the only good 
 
 harbors on the Oregon coast > Those in 
 
 \ Puget's Hound oll'cr ivery requisite facility for 
 
 the most extensive commerce. Ships beat out 
 
 and into the straits with any winds of the coast, 
 
in the Rocky Mountains, the Oregon Territory, t^r. 
 
 103 
 
 and find in (lummrr and winter fine anchorage at 
 short intervals on both shores ; and among tlic is- 
 lands of the Sound, a safe harbor from the prc- 
 vailinijt storms. From Pugct's Sound eastward, 
 there is a jjoBslble route for a rail road to the nav- 
 igable waters of the Missouri ; flanked with an 
 abundanrc of fuel and other necessary materials. 
 Its lengtli would be about 600 miles. Whetlicrit 
 would answer the desired end, would depend very 
 much upon the navigation of the Missouri. As 
 however the principal weight and bulk of cargoes 
 in the Chinese trade would belong to the home, 
 ward voyage, and us the lumber us(-d in construct- 
 iiig proper boats on the upper Missouri would sell 
 in Saint I/)uis for something like the cost of con- 
 struction, it may |M'rhaps be presumed that the 
 trade between China and the States could be con- 
 ducted through such an overland communication. 
 The first day of the winter months came with 
 bright skies over the l)cautiful valleys of Oregon. 
 Mounts Washington and Jeflcrson reared their 
 vast pyramids of ice and snow among the fresh 
 green forests of the lower hills, and overl(x)ked 
 the Willamette, the lower Columbia and the dis- 
 tan» sea. The herds of California cattle were 
 lo\»..ig on the meadows, and the flocks of sheep 
 from the Downs of England were scampermg and 
 bleating around their shepherds on the plain ; and 
 the plane of llie carpenter, the adze of the cooper, 
 the hammer of the tinman, and the anvil of the 
 blacksmith within the pickets, were all awake 
 when I arose to breakfast for the last time at Fort 
 Vancouver. The beauty of the day and the busy 
 hum of life around me, accorded well with the 
 feelings of joy with which I made preparations to 
 return to my family and home. And yet when I 
 met at the table Dr. McLaughlin, Mr. Douglass, 
 and othere with whom I had passed many pleas- 
 ant hours, and from whom I had received many 
 kindnesses, a sense of sorrow mingled strongly 
 with the delight which the occasion naturally m- 
 spired. I was to leave Vancouver for the Sand- 
 wich Islands, and see Ihcm no more. And I 
 confess that it has seldom been my lot to have 
 felt BO deeply pained al parting witli those whom 
 I had known so little time. But it became me to 
 hasten my departure ; for the ship had dropped 
 down to tlie mouth of the river, and awaited the 
 arrival of Mr. Simpson, one of the company's 
 clerks, Jlr 'ohnson, an American froiTi St. Louis, 
 and myself. And while we were making the low- 
 er mouth of the Willamette, the reader will per. 
 haps be amused with the sketch of life at Fort 
 Vancouver. 
 
 Fort Vancouver is, as hai been already in- 
 timated, the depot at which are brought the furs 
 collected west of the Rocky Mountains, and from 
 which they are shipped to England ; and also the 
 place at which all the goods for the trade are land- 
 ed ; and from which they are distributed to the 
 Tarious posts of that tenitory by vessfls, battcaux 
 or pack animals, as the various routes permit. — 
 It was established by Governor Simjjson in 
 1824, as the great centre of all commerriul opera- 
 tions in Oregon ; is situated in a beautiful plain 
 on the north bank of the Columbia, 90 miles fiom 
 the sea, in latitude 45^° north, and in longitude 
 122° wtst; standi 400 yards from the waterside. 
 The noble river before it is 1070 yards wide, and 
 from 5 to 7 fathonis in depth ; tha whole surj 
 
 rounding country is covered with forests of pine, 
 cedar and fir. Sic, interspersed here and there 
 with small open spots ; all overlooked by the vast 
 snowy pyramids of the President's Uange, 35 
 miles in the east. 
 
 The fort itself is an oblong S(|Mnre 2.50 yards in 
 length, by 150 in breadth, enclosed by pickets 20 
 feet in hight. The area within is "divided into 
 two courts, around which arc arranired 35 wooden 
 buildings, used as officers' dwellings, lodging 
 apartments for clerks, storehouses lor i'urs, goods 
 and grains ; and as workshops for carpenters, 
 blacksmiths, crMpcrs, tinners, wheelwrights, &c. 
 t)ne building near the rear gate is occ\ipied as a 
 school house ; and a lirick structure us a i>owder 
 magazine. The wooden buiUlings arc constnict. 
 ed in the following manner. Posts are raised at 
 convenient intervals, with grooves in the facing 
 sides. In these grooves jjlank are inserted hon. 
 zontally ; and the walls are complete. Rafters 
 raised upon plptis in the usual way, and covered 
 with boards, form the roofs. 
 
 Si.T hundred yards lielow the fort, and on the 
 bank of the river, is a village of 53 wooden hou. 
 ses, generally constructed like those within tlie 
 pickets. In these live the company's servants. — 
 Among them is a hospital, in which those of them 
 who Iwcome disoasod arc humanely treated. — 
 Back and a little east of the fort, is a barn con. 
 taining a mammoth threshing machine ; and near 
 this arc a number of long sheds, used Tor storing 
 grain in the sheaf. And behold the Vancouver 
 farm, stretching up and down the river — 3,000 
 acres, fenced into beautiful fields — sprinkled with 
 dairy houses, and herdsmen nnd shepherds' eottau 
 jTcsI A busy place is this. The farmer on horse, 
 back at break of day, summons 100 half-breeds 
 and Iroquois Indians from their cabins to the 
 fields. Twenty or thirty ploughs tear open the 
 the generous soil; the sowers follow with their 
 seed — and ])res8ing on them come a dozen har. 
 rows to cover it. And thus thirty or forty acres 
 are planted in a day, till the immense farm is un- 
 der crop. The season passes on — teeming with 
 daily industry, until the harvest waves on all 
 these fields. And then sickle and hoe glisten in 
 ti'cless activity to gather in the rich reward of 
 Ills toil ; — the food of 700 people at this post, and 
 of thousands more at the posts on the deserts in 
 the east and north. The saw mill, too, is a scene 
 of constant toil. Thirty or forty Sandwich Is. 
 landers are felling llie pines and dragging them 
 to the mill ; sets of hands are plyi;.;; two gangs of 
 saws by night and day. Three thousand feet of 
 lumber per day — 000,000 feet per annum ; con. 
 stantly being shipped to foreign porta. 
 
 The grist mill is not idle. It must furnish 
 bread stuff for the posts, and the Russian market 
 in the northwest. And its deep music is heard 
 daily and nijlilly half the year. 
 
 But we will enter the fort. The blicksmith is 
 repairing ploughshircs, harrow tcrth, chains, and 
 mill irons ; the tinman is makinj cups for the In. 
 dians, and camp kettles. Sir. ; the wlieelright is 
 making wagons, and the wood parts of ploughs 
 and harrows; the carpenlcr is repairing housea 
 nnd budding new ones ; the cooper is making bur. 
 rels for pickling salmon and packing furs ; the 
 clerks are posting books, and j)reparing the an. 
 nual returns to tlie board in London ; the sales- 
 
104 
 
 Travels in the Cheat Wettem Prairies, 
 
 men arc rereiving beaver and dcalinff ont goods, 
 But hear t)ic voIoph of those children fVum the 
 Bchool house I Tlicy are llie half-lirecd offspring 
 of the gentlemen and servants of the cDnipany, 
 educated at tlie company's e.tpense, preparatory 
 to being apprenticed tr trades in Canada, They 
 Jcam the Englisli la.iguage, writing, aritlinietic, 
 and gcograjthy. The gardener, too, is singing 
 out his honest .satisfaction, as he Burvej-s from the 
 northern gate ten acres of apple trees laden with 
 fruit — his bowers of gra|)e vines — his beds of vo- 
 gctables and (lowers. The bell rings for dinner ; 
 we will see tlii' " Hall " and its convivialities. 
 
 The dining hall is a spacious room on the sr. 
 cond floor, ceiled with pine above and at the sides. 
 Jn the south west comer of it is a large close 
 stove, sending out sufficient caloric to make it 
 comfortable. 
 
 At the end of a table 20 feet in leri^lii stands 
 Governor McLaughlin — directing guests and <feu- 
 tlemcn IVoni neighboring posts to Iheir places; 
 and chief-traders, traders, tlic physician, clerks, 
 lUid the farmer, slide respectftdly to their places, 
 at distant^es froiri the (.iovenior corresjionding to 
 the dignity of their rank in the service. Th.-,nks 
 are given to tiod, and idl are seated. Roast beef 
 and pork, boiled nuitton, baked salmon, boiled 
 liani ; beets, carrots, turnips, cabba/je and |)ota. 
 toes, and wheaten bread, are tastefully distributed 
 over the tuble among a diimer set of elegant 
 'Queen's ware, burnished wisli glittering glasses 
 and decanters of various colored Itali.in wmes. 
 Course after course goes rouiul, and the (iovemor 
 fdls to his guests and friends ; and eaeli gentleman 
 in turn vies with liim in dill'using around tli<' 
 boaril a most generous allowance of viands, wines, 
 and warm fellow feeling. The cloth and wines 'I 
 are removed together, cigars are lighted, and a i 
 BtroUing smoke about the i)remises, enlivened iiy jl 
 ii courteous discussion of some mooted point of I 
 natural history or politics, closes the cen'^uionics '■ 
 of the dinner hour at Fort Vancouver. j| 
 
 These are some of the incidents of life at Van- !; 
 couver. But we moor on the lower i«)inl of Wap- I 
 patoo Island, to regale ourselves with food and '' 
 fire. 'I'liis istlic highest point of it, ami is said j, 
 never lobe overllnwn. A bold rocky shore, iiiid ;' 
 the water deep enough to float the largest vessels, i, 
 indicate it a site for the commercial mart of the ' 
 island. Hut the southern shore of the river, a '' 
 half mile Ixlow, is. i)asladoubt, the most impor- 
 tant point for a town site on the Colunibiu. It ii 
 lies at the lower mouth of the Willamette — the ' 
 natural outlet of the iM'st agricultural district ofj 
 Oregon. It is a hillside of gentle acclivity, eo- ■ 
 vcred with pine forests. There is a gorge in the '' 
 mountains through which a mad from it to the : 
 prairies on the south can easily lii' constructed. !; 
 At this place the H. H. Coni|)auy have erected a !' 
 liouse, anil occupy it with one of their servants. 
 
 Having euteu our cold lunch, we left Wappiilon 
 Island to the dominion of its wild hogs, and took i 
 again to our Isiat. It was a dri/.ziy, cheerless 
 day. The clouds ran fast from the sontliwesl, ; 
 and obscured the sun. The wind fell in irregidar ; 
 gusts u|)on the water, and made it thtfieult keep- ! 
 mg our Ixiat afloat. But we liad a sturdy old'; 
 Sandwich Islander at one oar, and some four or 
 five able-bodied Indians at others, and despite i. 
 winds and waves, idept that uight a dozen miles jj 
 
 below tlie Cowelitz. Thus far below Vancouver, 
 the Columbia was generally more than 1,000 yards 
 wide, girded on either side by mountains rising, 
 very generally, from the water side, .2,000 or 
 .■{,000 feet in height, and covered with dense fo. 
 rests of pine and fir. These mo<intauis are used 
 by the ("henooks as burial places. During the 
 epidemic fever of 1832, which ahnist swept this 
 portion of the Columbia valley of its inliabitants, 
 vast mnnbers of the dead were placed among 
 them. They were usually «Taj)ped in okins, 
 placed in canoes, and hung "to the lioughs of trees 
 ti or 8 fcvi from the ground. Thousands of these 
 were seen. 
 
 They hung in groups near the water side. One 
 of them had a canoe inverted over the one con- 
 taining the dead, and laphcd tightly to it. Wo 
 were often driven ck)sc to the shore by the heavy 
 wind, and alwaj's noticed that these sepulchral 
 canoes were perforated at the bottom. I was in- 
 fomied that this is always done for the twofold 
 purpose of letting out the water whieli the rains 
 may dejjositc in them, aiul of preventing their 
 ever being used again by the living. 
 
 The .3d was a blustering day. The southerly 
 winds drove in a heavy tide from the Pacific, and 
 lashed tlie C'olumbia into 'oam ; but by keeping 
 under the windward shore, we made steady pro. 
 gress till sunset, when the incre.ised expanse of 
 the river indicated that w^e were about 15 miles 
 from the sea. The wind <Ucd away, and wo 
 pushed on rapidly ; but the darkness was so great 
 that we lost our coiu^e, and grounded upon a 
 saiuli.ar three miles to the north of Tongue Point. 
 .Vfler considerable trouble, we succeeded in get. 
 ting off. steered to the northern shore, and hi half 
 an hour were again in deep water. But " the 
 shi]j — the ship," was on every tongue. Was it 
 above or below Tongue Point ! If the latter, wo 
 could not reach it tliat night, for the wind fresh- 
 ened again every instant, and tlu' waves grew an- 
 gry and fearful, and dashed into the l)oat at every 
 swe(-p of the paddles. \Vc were l)egiuning to 
 calculate our pros])ectH of another hour's breathing 
 when the shadowy outline of the ship was 
 brought between us and the open horizon of the 
 mouth of till' river, a half mile below us. The 
 oars struck fast and jrowerfully now, and the 
 frad boat shot over the whitened waves for a few 
 niinules, and lay dancing and surging under the 
 lee of the noble •' Vancouver." A rope was has- 
 tily thrown us, and we stood upon her beautiM 
 fleck, manifestly bareU' saved from a watery 
 grave. For now the sounding waves broke aw- 
 fidlv all around us. Captain Duncan received us 
 very kiiully. and introduced us unmcdiately to 
 the cordial hospitalities ef his cabin. The next 
 morniiiLr we drop|K'd down to Astoria, and an- 
 chiired 1<I0 vards from the shore. The eaptrin 
 an<l passengers landed aliont 10 o'clock ; and as 1 
 felt peculiar interesi in the spot, immortalized no 
 less hy the genius of Irving than the enterprise of 
 .lohii Jacob Astor, I spent iriy time very indus- 
 triously in exploring it. 
 
 The site of this place is thrive quarters of a mile 
 alH)ve the [sjint of land between the Columbia 
 and Clatsop Bay. It is a hillside, tbmierly co. 
 vered with a very heavy forest. The space that 
 has been cleared may amount to four acres, It is 
 rendered too wet for cultivation by numberlecs 
 
in (he Rocky Mountain*, the Oregon Territory, 8(c. 
 
 105 
 
 springB bursting from the Hurfiicc. Tlio back 
 ;rrouii(l iH Btill K forest rining over lofty hills ; in 
 the foreground is the f !olumbin, and the broken 
 |)inc hills of the op|X)sitc shore. The Pacific opens 
 in the west. 
 
 Astoria bus passed away ; nothing is left of its 
 buildings but an old batten cedar door ; nothing 
 remaining of its bastions and pickets, but a half 
 dozen of the latter, tottering among the under, 
 brush. While scrambling over the grounds, we 
 c!ame upon the trunk of an immense tree, long 
 since prostrated, which mcasurccl between six and 
 seven fathoms in circumference. No infonnation 
 could bo obtained us to the length of time it had 
 been decaying. 
 
 The Hudson's Bay Company are in possession, 
 and call the jK)st Fort Gimrgc. They have erect- 
 ed three log buildings, and occupy them with a 
 clerk, who acts as a telegraph keeper of events at 
 the moulh of the river. If a vessel arrives, or is 
 seen laying off and on, information of the fact is 
 sent to Vancouver, witli all the rapidity that can 
 \k extracted from ari.is '.nd jjaddles. 
 
 This individual also carries on a limited trade 
 with Die f'henook u id Clatsop Indians. Ard 
 such is his influenre over them, that he boi-rs 
 among the company's gentlemen the very distu). 
 guishcd title of " King of the Clienooks." He is 
 a fine, lusty, companionable fellow, and I am dis. 
 posed to believe, wears the crown with quite as 
 little injury to his subjects as to himself. 
 
 In the afternoon we bade adieu to Astoria, and 
 dro))ped down toward Cape Disapiwintmenl. — 
 The channel of the river runs from the fort in a 
 northwestern direction to the point of the Capo, 
 and thence close under it in a southwesterly 
 coiu'sc the distance of foiu' niilrs, where it crosses 
 the bar. The wind was quite bafllmg while we 
 were crossing to the nortliern side ; and we con- 
 spiiuently began to anticipate a long residence in 
 Baker's Hay. But as we near(>d the Cape, a de. 
 lightful breeze sprang up in the east, filled every 
 sail, and rushed the stately ship through the heavy 
 seas and swells most merrily. The lead is dip. 
 ping, and the sailors are chanting each measure 
 as they take it ; we approach the bar ; the sound- 
 ings decrease ; every sliout grows more and more 
 awful I the keel of the Vancouver is within fif- 
 teen inches of the bur 1 Kvery breath is suspend- 
 ed. and every eye fixed on the leads, as tliey are 
 (|uickly thrown again 1 They sink ; and the 
 I'hant for five fathoms enables us to breathe freely. 
 We have passed the bar; and Captain Piuiean 
 grasps his passengers by the band warmly, and 
 congratulates them at having escaped Ix'ing lost 
 in those wild waters, where many a noble ship 
 niul briwe heart have simk together and forever. 
 
 Ott'the mouth of the Colninbia — on the deep, 
 long swells of the Pacific seas. The rolling siir- 
 geH Ijooni along the moimtaiuons slinres I Up the 
 vale 100 mileslhe white jiyramid of .Mount Wa.sli. 
 iugton towers alxive tlic clouds, and the green lor- 
 eslB of ) lower Oregon I That scene I shall never 
 forget. It was t<K) wild, too unearthly to be des- 
 cribed. It was seen at sunset : and a night >f 
 horrid tem|>est shut in upon tliik, the author's last 
 view of Orsjon. 
 
 I The following abstract of Commander Wilkes' 
 I Report on Oregon cantc to iiand while tliis work 
 j was in press, and the author takes great pleasure 
 ■ in appending it to his work. Mr. Wilkes' statis. 
 \ tics of the Territory, it will be seen, agree in all 
 jj essential particulars with those given on previous 
 pages. There is one point only of any importance 
 that needs to I..; named, in regard to which truth 
 requires a protest ; and that is contained in the 
 commander's concluding remarks. It will he. seen 
 on reference to ihcm, that the agricultural capa- 
 bilities of Oregon arc placed 'ibove those of any 
 part of the world beyond th j tropics. This is a 
 most surprising conclusion ; at war with his own 
 aceoimt of the several sections whicli he visited, 
 and denied by every intelligent man living in the 
 territory. What I Oregon, in this respect, equal to 
 < 'alifornia, or the Valley of the Mississippi ! This 
 can never be until Oregon be blessed with a vast 
 increase of productive soil, and ('alifornia and our 
 own imeciualled Valley be greatly chaiiged. 
 
 lixlrncts from Ihi: Report of Lieu enant Witkfs 
 lu the Secretury nf the Nary, ■>/ the rxami. 
 uiiliun, by the Exploring Expedition, nf the 
 Oregon Territory. 
 
 The Territory embraced under the name of Or. 
 egon, extends from latitude 43° north to that of 
 54° 40' north, and west of the Rocky Mountains. 
 Its natural bcmndaries, were they attended to, 
 would confine it within the above gcogra]>hical 
 Ixnmdaries. 
 
 On the cast it has the range of Rocky Moun- 
 tains along its whole extent ; on the south thost; 
 of the Klamet range, running on the parallel of 
 42°, aiul dividing it from California; on the west 
 the Pacific Ocean ; and on the north the western 
 trend of the Rocky .Mountains, and the chain of 
 lakes near and along the parallels of 54'-' and 55° 
 north, dividing it from the British territory. It 
 is remarkahli' that, within these limits, all the riv- 
 ers that llow through the Territory take their 
 rise. 
 
 The Territory is divided into three natural 
 belts or sections, viz: 
 
 1st. That between the Pacific Ocean and Cas- 
 cade Mountains, ( President's range) or Western 
 section ; 
 
 :.'d. 'J'hat between the Cascade mountains au<l 
 Bine moimtain range, or middle section ; 
 
 .'td. That between the Blue and Roekj' Moun. 
 tain <-liains, or eastern section. 
 
 And (his division will equally apply to the soil, 
 climate, aiul productions. 
 
 'J'lie nionnlain ranges run, for the most pari, in 
 parallel lines with the coast, and. risinn in many 
 plaei's al«)ve the snow line, (here found to be 
 11,500 feel,) would naturally produce a ditrerenec 
 of lemperalnri" between them, and also affect 
 llieir productions. 
 
 Our snrvi ys and exjilorations w<'re l jnfincd, 
 for the most part, to the two lirst, claiming more 
 interest from being less known, and more in ae. 
 cordance with my instructions. 
 
 Moi'XTAixs. — 'riieC'aseade range, or that neir 
 
m 
 
 Travels in the Great Western Prairies, 
 
 rat the coast, ninn from the southern boundary, 
 on a parallel with the sea coast, the whole length 
 of the Territory, north and South, risinfj, in many 
 places, in hiijh peaks, from 12,000 lo 11,000 feet 
 above the level of the sen, in regular cones. — 
 Their distance from the coast lino is from 100 to 
 150 miles, and they almost interrupt the eomniu- 
 nication ImbIwccu the srctions, except where the 
 two great rivers, the Columbia and Frazer's force 
 u passage through them. 
 
 Tlicrc arc a few mountain jiasscs, but they arc 
 ditRcult, and only to be attempted late in the 
 spring and summer. 
 
 A small range (the C'liiset) lies to the north, 
 ward of the Columbia, between the coast and the 
 waters of Pugct'a Sound, and along the strait of 
 .luan de '•"uca. This has several high peaks, 
 which rise alx)ve the snow line, hut, from their 
 proximity to the sea, tliey arc not ut all times 
 covercii. 
 
 Their general direction is north and south, but 
 there are many spurs or ofTsets that cause this 
 ])ortion to be very rugged. 
 
 The Blue mountains arc irregular in their 
 course, and occasionally interrupted, but generally 
 trend from north by cast to northeast, and from 
 south to southwest. 
 
 In some parts thev may be traced as spurs or 
 offsets of the Rocky ^fountains. Near the south- 
 ern boundary they unite with the Klamet range, 
 which runs cast and weat from the Kocky Moun- 
 tains. 
 
 The Rocky Mo\m tains arc too well known to 
 need description. The different passes will, how- 
 ever, claim attention hereafter. North of 48° 
 the ranges are nearly parallel, and have the rivers , 
 (lowing between them. 
 
 Islands. — Attached to the Territory arc groupi 
 of Islands, Iwirdering its northern coast. Among 
 these are the large islands of Vancouver and 
 \Vashinj,'on or (^uecn Charlotte ; the former bo- 
 inor 2ti0 miles in length and .'iO in width, contain- 
 ing about 15,000 square miles, and the latter 1.50 
 miles in length and 30 in liroadth, containing 
 •1,000 s(iuarc miles. 
 
 Though somewhat broken in surface, their soil 
 IB said to be well adapted to agriculture. 
 
 They have mnny good hurbora, and have long 
 been the resort of those nigac:ed in the fur trade ; 
 they enjoy a mild and 8:ihil)ri<)us climate, and 
 have an abundance of fine f'sh frequent ng their 
 waters, which arc taken in I: rgc quantities by the 
 natives. Coal of good qu; lity is found, sppci- 
 mcnu of whieh I obtained. The Hudson's Bay 
 Company have mideatrialof it, but, owing to 
 its having been taken from near the surface, it 
 was not very highly spoken of. Veins of luine. 
 rals are also said to exist by those aequauited 
 with these islands. 
 
 They Imth appear to be more densely inhabited 
 than other portions of the Territory. Tlie na. 
 lives are considered a treacherous race, particu- 
 larly those in llie vicinity of .lohnson's straits, and 
 arc to be closely watched when deaUng with 
 Ihom. 
 
 At the southeast end of Vancouver's there is a 
 small archipelago of islands, through whicli the 
 canal de Arro runs. Tlicy arc for the most part 
 uninhabited, well wooded, and coin|)<>se<l of gran- 
 ite and pudding cton«, which appear to bo the i 
 
 prevailing rock to the northward of a line east 
 from the strait of Juan de Fuca. They arc gen. 
 erallj' destitute of fresh water, iiave but few an. 
 chorages, and strong currents render navigation 
 among them difficult. 
 
 The islands nearer the main land, called on 
 the maps Pitt's Banks, or the Prince Royal isl- 
 ands, are ol the ramc cliaracter, and arc only oc- 
 casionally resorted to by the Indians, for the pur- 
 pose of fishing. 
 
 The coast of thcmainland, north of the paral- 
 lel of JD^, is broken up by numerous inlets called 
 canals, having perpendicular sides, and very deep 
 water in them, affording no harljors, and but few 
 commercial inducements to frequent them. 
 
 The land is equally cut up by spurs from the 
 Cascade range, whicli here intersects the country 
 in all directions, and prevents its adaptation for 
 agriculture. 
 
 Its value is principally in its timber, and it is 
 believed that few if any countries can compare 
 with it in this respect. 
 
 There is no part on this coast where a settle- 
 ment could be formed between Frazer's river, or 
 'W north, and the northern boundary of 54° 40' 
 north, that would be able to supply its own wants. 
 
 The Hudson's Bay Company have posts within 
 this section of the country — Fort McLaughlin, in 
 Millbank sound, in latitude 52° 10' north, and 
 Fort Simpson, in latitude 54° 30' north, witliin 
 Dundas island, and at the entrance of Chatham 
 sound ; but they are only posts for the fur trade of 
 the coast, and arc suppUed twice a year with pro- 
 visions, &c. 
 
 It is believed that the company have yet no es- 
 tablishment on any of the islands ; but I under- 
 stood it was in contemplation to make one on 
 Vancouver's island, in the vicinity of Nootka 
 Sound, or tiiat of Clyoquot. 
 
 Owing to the dense fogs, the coast is extreme- 
 ly dangerous ; and they render it at all times dif. 
 ficult to approach and navigate along. The inte- 
 rior of th;s portion of the Territory is traversed 
 by the three ranges of mountains, with the scve- 
 ral rivers which take their rise in them, and is 
 probably unequalled for its ruggedness, and, from 
 all accounts, incapable of any thing like cultiva. 
 tion. 
 
 The Columbia in its trend to the westward, 
 along the parullel of 48°, cuts off the central or 
 Blue mountain range, which is not again met 
 witli until on the parallel of 45°. From 45° they 
 trend away to the southward and westward, until 
 they fall into the Klamet range. This latter por- 
 tion is but partially wooded. 
 
 Rivers. — The Columbia claims the first notice. 
 Its northern branch takes its rise in the Rocky 
 mountains in latitude 50° north, longitude 116° 
 west ; from thence it pursues a northern route to 
 near McCiillivary's Puss, in the Rocky mountains. 
 At the l)oat encampment the river is 3,600 feet 
 aliove the level of the sea, (here it receives two 
 small tributaries, the Canoe river and that from 
 the Committee's Punch Bowl ;) from thence it 
 tunii south, having some obstructions to its safa 
 navigation, aud receiving many tributaries in its 
 course to C'olviile, among which are the Koota- 
 nie, or Flat Bow, and the Flat Head or Clarke riv- 
 er from the eatt, and that of Colvillc from the 
 west. 
 
in the Rocky Mountains, the Oregon Territory, SfV. 
 
 107 
 
 This preat river is bounded tliim fnr on its 
 coirsc by n ranijc of high moiintainn, well-wood- 
 0(1, and in places rxpandu into a linr of lakes be. 
 fore it rcacheH Colville, where it id ',',0 lit feet above 
 the level of the sen, having a fall of ^.lO feet in 
 i.'30 miles. To the Foiitb of thin it trends to the 
 westward, reeeivinfj the Spoknn river from the 
 (•ast, which is not naviffable, and takes its rise in 
 the t.ake of (.'u;ur d'Alene. Thence it pursues a 
 wCHterly course for about GO miles, reccivinsf scv- 
 tral smaller streams, and at its bend to the wiutli 
 it is joined by the Okanatran, a river that has its 
 source in a luie of lakes, affordinc; canoe jnd boat 
 navigation for n considerable extent to the north- 
 ward. 
 
 The Columbia thence paHscs to the southward 
 until it reaches Wallawalla, in the latitude of •1,'')=' 
 a distance of IGfi miles, receiving; the Piscous, 
 Y'Akania, and Point de Uoise, or Entyatecwini, 
 from the west, which take their rise in the (':ih. 
 cade rani^e, and also its great southeastern branch, 
 the Sapliii or Lewis, which has its source in tlie 
 Rocky mountains, ne.ir our southern Iwiundary, 
 and brinjjs a large quantity of water to increase 
 the volume of the main stream. The Ijcwis in 
 not navigable, even for canoes, except in reaches. 
 The rapids am extensive and of frequent occur, 
 rcncc. It generally passes between the Hoeky 
 mountain spurs and the Blue mountains. It re. 
 ccives the Koos-koos.ke, Salmon, and several oth- 
 er rivers, from the east and west — ttie former from 
 the Rocky mountains, the latter from the IJhie 
 mountains — and, were it navigable, would much 
 faeilitato the intercourse with this part of the 
 eountry. Its length to its junction with the Co- 
 lumhia is ,590 n.iles, 
 
 'I'he Columbia at Wallawalla is l.aSG feet above 
 the level of the sea, and about 3,500 fwt wide ; 
 It now takes its last turn to the westward, reeeiv. 
 ing the Umatilla, yuiKncl's, John Day's, and de 
 Chute rivers from the south, and Cathlatate's 
 from the north, pursuing its rapid course of SI) 
 miles, previous to passing through the range of 
 Cascade mountains, in a series of falls and rapids 
 that obstruct its flow, and form insurmountable 
 b.irriers to the ])a8sage of boats by water during 
 the floods. These difliculties, however, arc over, 
 come by portages. 
 
 From thence there is si ill- water nnvipntion for 
 forty niiles, when its course is again obstructed 
 by rapids. 
 
 Thence to the ocean, 100 milrs, it is navigable 
 for vessels of \'J feet draught of water at the low. 
 est state of the river, though obstructed by many 
 sand-bars. 
 
 In this |)art it roTives the Willamette from 
 the south, and the ( 'owelitz from Ihc north. The 
 foniier is navigable tor small vessels OfT miles, to 
 the mouth of the Klackanms, three milca below 
 its falls; the latter cannot Im" called navigable ex- 
 cept for a small part of the year, during the 
 floods, and then oidy for canoes and barges. 
 
 The width of the Columbia, within 00 miles 
 of its mouth, is much increased, and it joiim the 
 ocean iHtwecn Cape Diyuppoinlmerit and Point 
 Adams, forming a sand-spit from each bv dr|Kis- 
 it, and causing a dangerous bar, which greatly 
 impedes its navigation and entrance. 
 
 Frazer's river next claims attention. It takes 
 its rise in the Uocky mountains, near the source 
 
 of Canoe river, taking n northwesterly course of 
 MO miles; it then turns to the southw.ard, reeeiv. 
 ing the waters of Stuart's river, which rises in a 
 chain of lakes near the northern boundary of the 
 Territory. 
 
 It then pursues a southerly course, receiving 
 the waters of the Chilcotin. Pinkslitsa, and seve- 
 red smaller streams, .""rom the west, and those of 
 Thompson's river, (iuisnell's, and other streams, 
 from I hi' cast, (these take their rise in lakes, and 
 are navigable in canoes, by making portages;) 
 and under the parallel of -1!)° it breaks through 
 the ('aseadc range in a succession of falls and 
 rapids, and, after a westerly course of 70 miles, 
 it empties into the Gulf of Georgia, in the lati. 
 tude of 11)^ 07' north. This latter |)ortion is nav- 
 igable for vessels that can pass its bar drawing 
 10 feet water; its whole length being .350 miles. 
 
 The Chikeelis is next in im|)ortance. It has 
 three sources among the range of hills that inter- 
 ;-ect the coimtry north of the Columbia river. — 
 .Mter a very tortuous course, and receiving some 
 small streams issuing from the lakes in the high 
 ground near the head- waters of Hood's canal and 
 Pugefs .Sound, it disemlwgucs in Grey's harlxjr; 
 it is not navigable except for canoes ; its current 
 i.i rapid, and the stream much obstructed. 
 
 To the south of the Columbia there are many 
 small streams, but three of which deserve the 
 name of rivers: the Umpqua, Too-too-tut-na, or 
 Kogues' river, and the Klamet, which latter emp. 
 ties into the ocean south of the parallel of 40 de- 
 grees. None of these fonn Imrlmrs capable of re- 
 ceiving a vessel of more than eight feet draught 
 
 ' of water, and tlie bars for most part of Ihc ysar 
 are impassable from the surf that sets in on the 
 coast. The character ol the great rivers is pecu- 
 liar — rapid and sunken much below the level of 
 the eountry, with perpendicular banks; indeed 
 
 - they are, as it were, in trenches, it Ix-ing extreme, 
 ly (lifHcult to get at the water in many places, 
 owing to the steep basaltic walls ; and during the 
 rise they are in many places confined by dal'cs, 
 which hack the water some distance, submerging 
 
 j i^lanJs and tractn iif low prairie, giving the ap- 
 pearance of extensive lakes. 
 
 ii Lakks.— 'I'here arc in the various sections of 
 
 I. the eountry many likes. The Dkanagan, Stu- 
 
 : art's, QuisneU'H, and Kamloop's are the largest 
 in the nnrthem section. 
 
 The Flat How.Cieur d'Alfine, and Kulluspelm, 
 in the middle section, and those forming the liead. 
 waters of the large rivers in the eastern section. 
 
 The eoimlry is well watered, and there are but 
 few places where an abundance of water, either 
 from rivers, spriiigs, or riviUets, cannot bo ob. 
 tained. 
 
 The snialler lakes add much to the picturesque 
 beauty of the couulry. They are generally at the 
 headwaters of the smaller streams. The map 
 will point out more particularly their extent Emd 
 
 • locality. 
 
 IIauuors. — .\ll the harlxirs formed by the riy. 
 ers on the sea coast are obstructed with cxtensivo 
 s:in<l bars, which make them difficult to enter. 
 The rivers bring down large quantities of sand, 
 which is deposited on meetinjj with the ocean, 
 
 , ciiusmg a gradual increase of the im|)ediment» 
 already exist Ing at their mouths. None of '.hem 
 
 I. can be deemed safe jwrts to enter. The sntrancs 
 
108 
 
 Travels in tin Great Western Prairies, 
 
 to the Columliia is impraclicalilc two.thircis of the 
 j'oar, and the difticutty of leaving in rqually groat. 
 
 The nortli sands arc rai)idly incrruKing, and ex- 
 tending further to the noutliward. In tlie memory 
 of sovcral of thoBC wlio have been longest in the 
 country, C'apc Disappointment haK l>een enoroaeli. 
 I'd upon some himdrcd feet bytlic sea, and, during 
 my short oxpcrienec, nearly half an acre; of the 
 mnhllc sanilH was washed away in a few days, 
 'I'liese Bands are known to cliange every season. 
 
 The exploration made of the (.'lalsop or South 
 channel, it i«< hclieve<l, will give more safety to 
 vessels ca])ahle of entering the river. 'I'he depth 
 of water on the bar seems not to have ebanged, 
 though the passage has become somewhat narrow. 
 
 (irey's liarlxir will admit of vessels of light 
 draught of water, (10 feet,) but there is but little 
 room in it on account of the extensive mud and 
 sand fliits. A survey was made of it, to whicli I 
 refer for particulars, 
 
 'I'his, however, is not the ease with the liarlwjis 
 formed within the straits of Juan dc Fuca, of 
 which there are many ; and no part of the world 
 affords finer iidand sounds or a greater numlxT of 
 harbors than can be found here, capable of rcceiv- 
 ing the largest class of vessels, and without a 
 danger in them that is not visible. From the rise 
 and fall of the tides, (18 feet,) all facilities are 
 atlbrdcd for the erection of works for a great 
 maritime nation. For further information, our 
 extensive surveys of these waters are referred to. 
 
 ("UM.VTK. — That of the western section is mild 
 tliroughout the year — neither experiencing the 
 cold of winter nor the heat of summer. Hy my 
 experiments, the mean temperature was found to 
 lie M° of Falirenhcit. . 
 
 'J'he prevailing winds in the sununer arc from 
 the northward and westward, and in the winter 
 from the southward and westward and southeast, 
 which arc tempestuous. The winter is supposed ■ 
 to last from Decend)er to February : rains usually 
 begin to fall in November and lust till March, but 
 they are not heavy though frequent. 
 
 Snow sometimes falls, but it seldom lies over 
 three days. The frosts are early, occurring in the 
 latter part of August ; this, howevitr, is to be ac. 
 counted for by the proximity of the mountains. 
 A mountain or easterly wind invariably causes a 
 great fall in the temperature ; these winds arc not 
 frequent. During the sununer of our ojicrations, 
 I found but l/ircc dcijs noted of easterly winds. 
 
 The nights are cold, and afl'eet the vegetation 
 so far that Indian corn will not ripen. Fruit trees 
 blossom early in April at Nisqually and Vancou- 
 ver ; and at the former place on the Itith of May 
 l)ea8Were a foot high, strawberries in full blossom, 
 and salad had already gone to seed. 
 
 The mean bight of the buronictrr during our 
 stay at Nistpially was ItD.OKi iuelies, and of the 
 thermometer ()G° .'iH. Fahrenheit. The llierniouie. 
 ler at 1 A. M. on the -1th of .Inly was at ,'ilP 
 Fahrenheit, and on the same day at ::J 1'. M, 'JU'^ 
 Fahrenheit, The lowest decree was 'M° at 1 A, 
 M. May -Jrid, and at ,5 P. M. of n.e same day the 
 temperature was 7d° of Fahrenlieit. 
 
 From June to .Septend)er. at Vancouver, the 
 mean hight of the barometer was 'M.'A'i inches, 
 and of the thermometer 00"' 3;t of Fainenheit. 
 OiUof lOfi days 7t> were fair, 1!) cloudy, and II 
 rainy. The rains are ligld ; this is evident from 
 
 the hills not hMng wttshed, and having a sward 
 to their tops, althnu^li of grriil itrrliirity. 
 
 The second or nnddle section is subject to 
 droughts. During the summer the atmosphere is 
 much drier and warmer, and the winter much 
 colder than in the western section. Its extremes 
 of heat and cold are more frequent and greater, 
 the mercury at times falling as low as minus H° 
 of Fahrenlieit in the winter, and rising lo \tf[P 
 in the shade in summer; the daily diU'errnee of 
 temperature is akiut 111° Fahrenlieit. It has, 
 however, been found J'xtremely salubrious, [los- 
 sessing a pure and healthy air. 
 
 The stations of the missionaries and |ioHts of 
 the Hudson Day Company have afforded me the 
 menus of obtaining information relative lo the 
 climate. Although full data liavc not been kept, 
 vet these observations allbrd a tolerably good 
 knowledge of tlic weather, 
 
 III summer the utinosphi're is cooled by the 
 .strong westerly breezes, which replaced the va- 
 cuum produced by the heated prairie grouuds. So 
 dews fall in this section. 
 
 The climate of the third or eastern section is 
 extremelv variable. The temperature during the 
 day, diftering from M'^ to (iO'^, renders it unfit 
 for agriculture, and there are but few places in its 
 northern part where the climate would not ertcetu- 
 ally put a stop toils ever becoiinng settled. 
 
 In each day, from the best accounts, one has 
 all the changes incident to spring, siunmer, au- 
 tumn, and winter. Theio are places where small 
 farms might be located, but they arc few in num- 
 ber. 
 
 Soil. — That of the first or western section va- 
 ries in the northern jiarts from a light brown loam 
 to a thill vegetable earth, with gravel and sand as 
 a .sub-soil ; in the middle ])arts from a rich heavy 
 ioaiii and unctuous clay to a deeji heavy black 
 loam on a trap roek; and in the southern the soil 
 is generally good, varying from a black vegetabh- 
 loam to decomposed basalt, with stiH" clay, and 
 portions of loose gravel soil. The hills are gene- 
 rally basalt, and stone, and slater 
 
 Between the Fin]>qua and the iKiundary the 
 rocks are primitive, consisting of falcon slate, 
 hornblende, and granite, which produce a gritty 
 and jHior soil ; there are, however, some places of 
 rich pruirie covered with oaks. 
 
 The soil of the leconil or nnddle .section is for 
 file most part a light sandy loam, in llie valleys 
 rich alluvial, and the hills are generally barren. 
 
 Tlie third o stern section is a rocky, broken, 
 and barren country. Stupendous mountain spurs 
 traverse it in all directions, affording httle level 
 ground; snow lies on the moimlains nearly if not 
 quite the year Ihrougli. 
 
 .Vcjiiuii.TiiiK, PuomCTioNs, fuc. — The first 
 section, for tlie most part, is a vvell-tiinbered coun- 
 try ; it is inlcrscctcd with the sjmrs or offsi'ts from 
 the Cascade mountains, which render its surface 
 much broken : these arc covered with a dense 
 forest. It is well watered, and communieation 
 between the northern, southern, and middle parts 
 is dilhcult, on aeconnt of the various rivers, spurs 
 of mountains, &c. 
 
 'I'he timber consists of pines, firs, spruce, oaks, 
 (red and white,) ash, arbutus, arlior vitie, cedar, 
 |)oplar, maple, willow, cherry, and tew, Willi a 
 close undcrgrowlh ol'hrizel, rubus, roses, &c, The 
 
in the Rocky Mountains, the Oregon Territory, ifc. 
 
 J09 
 
 richest and best soil is found on the second or mid- 
 dle! prniric, and is brHt ndaplnl for nfrriciilturc, 
 Uic high and low bring cxcoIImiI for pasture land. 
 
 Tlio line of woods runs on the cast side, and 
 near the foot of the Cascade "-aniro. Tlio climate 
 and soil are admirably ada|)tc<l for all kinds of 
 grain, wlieat, rye, oals, barley, peas, &e. Indian 
 com doert not thrive in any part of this territory 
 where it has l«^en tried. .Many fruits appear to 
 wiceeed well, particularly the apple and ])ear. — 
 Viigctubles grow exceedingly well, and yield most 
 abundantly. 
 
 'I'he surface of iIk' middle section is about one 
 thousand I'eet jibove the level of the first or west- 
 em section, and is generally a rolling prairie coun- 
 try. 'I'liat part lying to the north of the paralUl 
 of 18° is very much broken with mountain chains 
 and rivers, eontequently barren and very nigged. 
 From the great and fref|iR'iit changes in its tem- 
 perature, it is totally unfit for agricultiuc, but is 
 well supplied with game of all the kinds that ore 
 found in the country. 
 
 The mountain chains on the parallel of ■IH° are 
 rnt ofV" by the Columbia as before stated, leaving 
 lUt extensive rolliiior country in the centre of the 
 'JVrritory, which is well adapted for grazing. 
 
 'I'he southern part of this section is destitute of 
 limber or wood, unless the worm wood (artimesia) 
 may be w) called. To the northward of the par. 
 ollel of 49'^ it is covered with forests. Wheat and 
 other grains grow well in the bottoms, where they 
 can be irrigated. The soil in such places is rich, 
 and capable of producing ali.'.osl any thing. 
 
 The missionaries have succeeded ill raising g<K)d 
 crops. Stock succeeds here even better tiian in 
 the lower country. Notwilhslaiiding the severe 
 cold, the cattle are not housid, nor is provender 
 laid in for tlicm, the country being suificirntly 
 supplied with fodder in the natural hay that I's 
 abundant every where on the ]>rairie, which is 
 preferred by the cattle to the fresh gras.i at the 
 imttnins. 
 
 No attempts at agriculture have l)ecn made in 
 the third section, except at Fort .''all. The small 
 grains thrive tolerably well, togeli. <■ with vegeta- 
 bles, and a. sullicient (piantity has been obtained 
 to supply the wants of the [K)st. 
 
 'I'he ground is well adapted for grazing in the 
 prairies, and, despite its changeable climate, stock 
 is found to thrive well and endure the severity of 
 the winter without protection. 
 
 This section is exceeding dry and arid, iiMus 
 seldom falling, and but little snow. The country 
 is partially timbered, and the soil much iiii|)ieg- 
 nated with salts. The missionary station on the 
 Koos koos.ke. near the; western line of this sec- 
 tion, is thought by the missionaries to he a irrl 
 rlimute. 
 
 The soil along the river lioltoms is generally 
 alluvial, and woidd yield good crops, were it not 
 for the overflowing of the rivers, which check and 
 kdl the grain. Somr of the tuiest portions of the 
 land are thus unfitted for cultivation ; they are 
 generally covered with water before the banks are 
 overflown in consequence of the quick sands that 
 exist in them, and through which the water per- 
 colates. 
 
 Tiio rivers of this Territory alFord no fertilizing 
 properties to the soil, but, on the contrary, are des- 
 titute of uU substunccs. The temperature of the 
 
 Columbia in the latter part of May wa« 42°, and 
 in September (J8°. 
 
 The rise of the streams flowing from the Cos. 
 cade mountains takes place twice a year, in Feb. 
 riiary and November, from the rains ; that of the 
 Columbia in May and June, from the melting of 
 the snows. Sometimes the rise of the latter is 
 very sudden, if heavy rains occur at tlial period ; 
 hut usually it is gradual, and reaches its greatest 
 bight from the (ith to the l.'ith of June. Its per- 
 pcndicular rise is from 18 to 'M feet at Vancouver, 
 where a line ol embankment has been thrown up 
 to proloc-t the lower prairie ; but it has been gene- 
 rally ttoodcd, and the crops in most cases destroyed. 
 It is the intention to abandon its cultivation, and 
 devfile it to pasturage. 
 
 'i'he greatest rise in the Willamette lakes place 
 III February ; and 1 was informed that it rose 
 sonielimes lit) to 'lit feet, and quite suddenly, but 
 soon subsides. It occasionally cauw's nmcli 
 damage. 
 
 Both the Willamette and Cowclit/ are much 
 swollen by tla? backing of (heir waters during the 
 hight of the Columbia, and all their lower grounds 
 submerged, 'i'his puts an cfTectual bar to their 
 prairies Uing used for iuiy thing but pasturage, 
 which is tine throughout the year, excepting in the 
 si-awm of the floods, when the cattle are driven to 
 the high grounds. 
 
 My knowledge of the agrieiillnre of this Ter- 
 ritory, it will be well to mention, is derived from 
 visits made to the various settlements, except Fort 
 Langley and Fort Mall. 
 
 The Indians on the dill'erent islands in Puget's 
 Sound and Admiralty inlel^ciiltivate |Xjtatoes prui- 
 cipally, which are extremely tine and raised in 
 great abimdaiice, and now constitute a large (sir- 
 tion of their food. 
 
 At Nisqually the Hudson Bay Company had fine 
 crops of wheat, oats, peas, fwtatoes, &,o. |Tln! 
 wheat, it was supposed, would yield fifteen bushels 
 to the acre. The farm has been two years under 
 cultivation, and is principally intended for u graz- 
 ing and dairy farm. 'I'hey have now sevtntv 
 miUdi cows, and iiiakc butter, &,c., to supply their 
 contract with the Russians. 
 
 The Cowelitz farm is also in the western section, 
 the produce of wheat is good — about twenty 
 bushels to the acre. The ground, however, lias 
 just been brought under cultivation. The com- 
 pany have here (JOI) acres, which arc situated on 
 the Cowelilz river, about thirty miles from the 
 Columbia, and on the former are about erecting u 
 saw and grist mill. The farm is finely situated, 
 and the harvest of 1811 produced 7,000 bushels 
 of wheat. 
 
 Several ('anadiaiis arc also established here, 
 who told me that they succeeded well with but lit. 
 tie work. They have erected buildings, live com. 
 fortably, and work small farms of 50 acres, 
 
 I was told that the stock on these farms thd not 
 thrive as well as elsewhere. There arc no low 
 prairie groimds on the river, in this vicinity, and 
 it is too far for them to resort to the Kamas plains, 
 a tine grazing coimlry, but a few njilcs distant. 
 The wolves make sad depredations with the in- 
 crease of their flock, f not well watched. 
 
 The hilly |iortion of the country, although its 
 soil in many places is very good, is yet so heavily 
 timbered as to make it, in tlic present state ' f liic 
 
no 
 
 Travels in Oh Great Western Prairies, 
 
 country, vnliiclcsi ; this is also tlio casr witli many 
 fine portions of level f^round. Tlu're are, how. 
 ever, large tracts of fiiw prairie, siiilublc for cul. 
 tivation, and ready for the plough. 
 
 The Willamrtle valley is Kiipposed to ho the 
 finest portion of the country, Ihoiifjh I am of opin- 
 ion that many parts of the snulliern |)ortion of the 
 Territory will be fonnd far superior to it. 'I'he 
 largest settlement is in the northern part of the 
 valley, some 15 miles almve I lie falls. About 61) 
 families are settled there, tlm industrious of whom 
 appear to he thrivinnf. They are composed of 
 American missionaries, trappers, and Canadians, 
 who were formerly servants of tlie Hudson's Hay 
 Company. All of Ihein appeared (o he doini; well ; 
 but I was on the whole disaiipointcd, fromllie re- 
 ports that had been made to inc, not to (ind the 
 settlement in a slate of greater forwardness, eon- 
 siilerinp; the a<lvantan;c» the missionaries have h;id. 
 
 In comparison with our own eountrv, 1 would 
 Buy that the labor necessary in this 'I'eiritory to 
 acquire wealth or subsislence is in the prnportiou 
 of one to three ; or, in other words, a man nuist 
 work throufrh the year three limes as luueh in the 
 United .States, to pain the lihe compctenev. 'I'he 
 care of stock, which occupies so mn<h time with 
 us, requires no attention there, and on tbe increase 
 only a man mifjht lind support. 
 
 The wheat of this valley yields S.'i to 40 bush- 
 1.1s for one sown, or '£) to .'I'j bushels to the acre; 
 its quality is superior to that ;rrown in the United 
 Slates, and its weifjht nearly four prouiuls to the 
 bushel heavier. The above is the yield of new 
 land; but it is believed it will ixreally exceed Ibis 
 after tbe third crop, when the land has been brok. 
 in up and well tilled. 
 
 After passiiii; mto tbe middle section, tlie eli- 
 mate underfjocs a decided e,han;rt. ; in phice of tbe 
 cool and moist atmosphere, one that is dry and 
 arid is entered, and the crops suli'er from drought. 
 
 The only wood or bushseen. is the worm-wood, 
 rartimcsia,) and this only in places. .VII eidli- 
 vation has to be more or less carried on by irriga. 
 tion. 
 
 'I'he country bordering the Columbia, alxjve the 
 Dalles, to the north and soiUh of the river, is the 
 poorest in the Territory, and has no iloubt led 
 many to look upon the middle section as perfectly 
 useless to man. Twenty or thirty miles on either 
 side of the river are so ; but hiyoiid that a fine 
 prrazing country exists, and in very many places 
 there are portions of it that mi^ht be advantage- 
 ously farmed. On the banks of the W'allawalla. 
 a small stream emptying into the Columbia, about 
 25 miles from the company's [lost, a missionary is 
 established, who raises very (itie wheat on tbe low 
 bottoms, by using its waters for the purpose of ir. 
 rigation. This is also the ca.se at the mission sta- 
 tion at Lapwai, on the Loos-koos-ke, where fine 
 crops are raised ; grains, vegetables and some 
 fruits thrive remarkably well. In the northern 
 part of this section, at t'himekaine, there is ano- 
 ther missionary station. Near the Spokan, and 
 ut Colville, the country is well adapted for agri. 
 culture, and it is successfully carried on. 
 
 Colvdle supjilies all the northern posts, and the 
 missionaries in its vicinity are doing well. The 
 northern part of this .section will be able to supply 
 the whole southern part with wood. At Colville 
 the chongos of temperature are great during the 
 
 I 34 hours, but are not injurious to the small grain. 
 I The cultivation of fruit has been succcsHful. 
 
 ! FisiiEnirs. — It will be almost impossible to 
 give an idea of the extensive fisherins in the rivers 
 and on the coast. They all almund in salmon of 
 the finest flavor, which run twice a year, begin, 
 ning m May and October, and appear inexhausti- 
 ble ; the whole popidalinn live upon them. The 
 Columbia produces the largest, and probably af- 
 fords the greatest ninnbers. There are some few 
 of the branehcs of the Columbia that the spring 
 fish do not enter, but they are pleiilifuUy supplied 
 in the fall. 
 
 Till' great fishery of the ( 'oluiubia is at 'he Dal. 
 les; but all the rivi-rs are well sujiplicd. The last 
 one on the norlhern branch of llu' Columbia is 
 near Colville, at the Kettle falls ; but salmon are 
 found almve this in the river and its tnbutarics. 
 
 In Urazer's river the sahnon ari^ said to be very 
 numerous, but not large ; they are unable to get 
 above the falls some HO miles from the sea. 
 
 In the rivei's and sounds are found several kinds 
 of salmon, salmon trout, sturgeon, cod, carp sole, 
 fiounders, ray. perch, herring, lamprey icis, and a 
 kind of smelt, called '• shiiiw," in great abun- 
 , dance; also large quantities of shell fish, viz; 
 crabs, clams, oysters, rnu.seles, \-.c., wbieli arc all 
 used by the natives, and constitute tbe greater 
 proportion of their food. 
 
 AVhales in numbers .irc found along the coast, 
 and are frequenlly captured by the Indians in 
 and at the mouth of the straits o, .Imn de l''uca. 
 
 (i.\ME. — Abundance of game exists, such as 
 elk, deer, antelo|)e, bears, wolves, foxes, nniskrals, 
 martins, beavers, a few grizzly bears and silHeurs, 
 which are eaten by the Canadians. In the mid. 
 die section, or that designated as the rolling prai- 
 rie, no (rame is found. In the eastern section the 
 bulFalo is met with. The fu r-bearing animals are 
 decreasing in nundvrs yearly, particidarly soulh 
 of tbo parallel of -IH^ ; mdeed it is very doubtful 
 i whether they are sufficiently numerous to repay 
 I the expense of hunting them. 
 
 The Hudson's Hay Company have almost the ex- 
 ; elusive nionn|)oly of this business. They have 
 , decreased, owing to being bunted without regard 
 1 to season. This is not, however, the case to tbe 
 ' north ; there the company have been left to exer- 
 cise their own rule, and prevent the indiscrinii- 
 nate slaughter of either old or young, out of the 
 proper season. 
 
 In the spring and fall, the rivers are literally 
 
 covered with geese, ducks, and other water fowl. 
 
 In the eastern section, the butt'alo abound, and 
 
 are bunled by the (Oregon Indians, as well as th(^ 
 
 Black Feet. Wolves are troublesome to the set. 
 
 tiers, but they are not so rmniiTous as formerl}'. — 
 
 From the advant.iges this country po-ssesses, it 
 
 bids fair to have an extensive commerce on .ad- 
 
 , vanfageous terms with most portsof the Pacific. 
 
 It is well calculated to produce the following, 
 
 which, in a few years after its settlement, would 
 
 become its staples, viz : furs, salted l)eef and jxirk, 
 
 ; fish, grain, flour, wool, bides, tallow, lumber and 
 
 ] ])erhap8 coal. A rea<ly market for all these is now 
 
 to be found in the Pacific ; and in return for them 
 
 sugars, cofl'ec, and other tropical productions, may 
 
 lie had at the Sandwich Islands — advantages that 
 
 jl few new countries iwBseas, viz : the facility of a 
 
in ihe Rocky Mountains, the Oregon Territory, 
 
 111 
 
 market, and one that in time must become of im- 
 mense extent. 
 
 Manufacturing power. — This coimtry, it is 
 beUeved, affords as many sites for UMtcr power a* 
 any other, and in many phccs within reach of 
 navigable waters. The timber of the w-stern 
 section, to the south of '19°, is not so good as that 
 of the north. This is imputed to tlie ehmnte 
 being milder and more cnan jeablc. A great dif- 
 ference is found between tlic norlii and south 
 sides of the trees, Ihe one being of ii liard and 
 close grain, while the other is open and sponwy. 
 
 To the norlhof thepirallel of 19^, on Frizcr's 
 river, an abundnncc of fine timber, for spars of 
 any dimensions, is easily obtained. 
 
 There will always be a demand for the timl)er 
 of this country at high prices througliout the Pa- 
 cific. The oak is well adapted for ship timber, and 
 abundance of ash, cedar, cypress, and arljor vita), 
 maybe had for fuel, fencinj. Sec. ; and, although 
 the southern part of the midille section is desli- 
 tute of timber, it may be supplied from tlio eastern 
 or northern sections by water carriage. 
 
 Intercommunication would at lirst apjiear to 
 be diflicult between the dilFerent parts of the 
 country, but I take a different view of It. 
 
 Stock of all kinds thrive exceedingly well, and 
 they will in consequence always abound In 
 the Territory. The soil affords every advan- 
 tage for making good roads, and. In process of 
 time, transportation must become comparatively 
 cheap. 
 
 Settlements. — Tliey consist principally of those 
 belonging to the Hudson's Bay Company, and 
 where the missionaries have establiseed themselves. 
 They are as follows : In the western section. Fort 
 Simpson, Fort Mcl/iughlin, Fort Ijaugley, Nis- 
 quatly, Cowelitz, Fort George, Vancouver, and 
 Umpqua ; Fort iSt. James, darbine, Alexandria, 
 ('hilcothin, Kamloop's, (on Thompson's river ;) 
 Okanagan, ColvlUc, and Wallawalla, in the mid- 
 dle; and in the eastern, Kootanieand Fort Hall. 
 Fort Boise has lieen abandoned, as has also Kuima, 
 a missionary settlement on the Koos-kooske. 
 
 These arc all small settlements, surrounded by 
 pahsades, wstli bastions at their comers, enclosing 
 the houses and stores of the company, sufficient 
 to protect them against the Indians, but In no 
 way to be considered as forts. A few Indians 
 reside near them, who arc dependent for their food 
 and employment on them. 
 
 These forts, being situated for the most part 
 near the great fisheries, are frequented by the In- 
 dians, wlio bring their furs to trade for blankets, 
 &c., at the same time they come to lay in their 
 yearly supply of salmon. 
 
 Vancouver is the principal depot from wuion 
 all supplies arc furnished, and to which returns 
 arc made. 
 
 At Vancouver, tlie village Is separated from the 
 fort and nearer the river. In addition to its being 
 the depot of the Hudson's Bay Company, there Is 
 now attached to It the largest farm of the Puget 
 Sound Company, the stockholders of which arc 
 generally the officers and servants of the Hudson's 
 Bay Company. They have now farms In suc- 
 cessful operation at Vancouver, Cowelitz, Nisquul. 
 ly, Colviile, Fort Langley, and the Fualitino plains. 
 about 10 miles from Vancouver, all of which arc 
 well stocked, and supply the Russian post at >Sit. 
 
 ka, under contract, with a variety of articles 
 raised on them. They have introduced largo 
 herds and flocks Into the Territory from Califor- 
 nia, and during our stay there several thousand 
 head were im;'ortcd. They arc thus doing incal- 
 culable good to tht Territory, and rendering it 
 more valuable for fuiure settlers. At the same 
 tiific, this exerts an ii'flucnce in domcsticathig 
 the Fndions, not only b ■ changing their habits, 
 but food, and attaclnng them to a locality. 
 
 TliQ Indians of the Tei ritory arc not a wander- 
 ing race, as soiiic have asserted, but change for 
 food only, and each fiuecriisive season will ngeer- 
 
 ' ally find tliein in their old haunts, seeking it. 
 The sctllemcnts eslabllHlied by the missionaries 
 
 . are at the Will anielle falls and valley, NIsqually 
 
 ' and Clatsop, in the western section, and at the 
 Dalles, Wallawalla, J.npwtii, ami Chimekaine, on 
 the Spokan, in the'middlc. 
 
 I Those of the middle section are succeeding 
 well ; and although little progress has been made 
 in the conversion of the I adians to Christianity, 
 yet they have done much good in reforming some 
 of the vices and teaching B«inie of the useful arts, 
 particularlj- that of ngrlcultiire, and the construc- 
 tion of houses, which has h^d the effect in ainea. 
 
 ! sure to attach them to the soil. The men now 
 rear and tend their cuttle, pb.nt their potatoes and 
 corn, which latter they excha.ige for buffalo meat 
 with those who hui . The squaws attend to their 
 household, and employ themselves In knitting and 
 weaving, which they have been taught. They 
 raise on their small patches corn, potatoes, melons, 
 &,e.. Irrigating the land for that purpose. There 
 are many villages of Indians still existing, though 
 greatly reduced In numbers from former estimates. 
 Populatiiin. — It Is extremely difficult to ascer- 
 tain, with accuracy, the amount of ;">pulation in 
 the Territory. The Indians change to their dif- 
 ferent abodes as the fishing seasons come round, 
 which circumstance. If not attended to, would 
 produce very erroneous results. 
 
 The following is believed to be very nearly the 
 
 I truth ; if any thing, it is overrated : 
 
 j Vancouveror Wasliington island 5,000 
 
 I From the parallel of 50" to 51° north... . 2.000 
 
 I Penn's Cove, Wliidby's island, main land 
 
 j (Shatchet trilxO G50 
 
 Hood's canal, (Suquaniish and Toando 
 
 i tribe) 
 
 I At and about Okancgan 
 
 Aliout Colviile, SjKikan, &c 
 
 [Willamette falls and valley 
 
 j Pillar rock. Oak point, and (^olumbla 
 
 j river 
 
 I Port Discovery 150 i 
 
 i Fort Townsend 70 > Chalams 
 
 New Dungeness...200 ) 
 
 I >Vallawalla, including the Nczperces, 
 
 Snakes, &c 1,100 
 
 ; Klllamouks, north of Umpqua 400 
 
 Cape Flattery and Queen Hythe to Point 
 
 (iranvillc, (Classet tribe) 1250 
 
 Black Feet tribes that make Incursions 
 
 west of the Kocky .Mountains 1,000 
 
 : Birch bay 300 
 
 ! Frazcr's river (Neamitch tribe) 500 
 
 Chennoks 209 
 
 'Clatstops 220 
 
 i At the Cascadci 150 
 
 500 
 300 
 •150 
 275 
 
 301) 
 
 420 
 
lid 
 
 f*rave\t in the Great Western Prairiet, 
 
 AttheDallei 250 
 
 Y'Akama river 100 
 
 UeChuto rivor 185 
 
 UinpqiiaH 400 
 
 Rogcr'H rivpr 500 
 
 KlamctH 300 
 
 Shastys 500 
 
 KallupugnH GOO 
 
 Nisqimlly aOO 
 
 CliikcliH ni.il riigct'a Sound 700 
 
 Cowclitz. or KlukutackH 350 
 
 Port Orchard 150 
 
 The whole Territory may bo cslinmlrd an eon- 
 taining 20,000. Of whites, CamuliniiH and hull'. 
 breedH, tlicrr are l)ctwrpn 700 and 800, of whom 
 about 150 are Americans ; tlie rest arc fcltlors, 
 and the officers and servants of the eompuny. — 
 The Indians are rapidly decreasing in all parts ut 
 the country ; the causes an; supposed to be their 
 rude treatment of diseases, and the dissipated 
 lives they load. 
 
 The white American ijopulation, ns far as I 
 Itave been able to judge of them, are orderly, and 
 generally industrious; although tlicy are, with 
 the eice])tion of the missionaries, men who have 
 led, for the most past, dissolute lives. 
 
 The absence of spirits, as long as it contiir ;oh, 
 will probably secure them from excesses. Very 
 much to tlu'ir credit, they have abandoned the 
 use of spirituous liquors, by consent of the whole 
 community. 
 
 I cannot but view this Territory as peculiarly 
 liable to the vice of drunkenness. The ease with 
 which the wants of man arc obtained, the little 
 labor required, and cons<;<iuent opportunities for 
 idleness, will render it so. The settlers of the 
 AVillamctte vidley have, with a praiseworthy 
 spirit, engaged to prevent the estaldishment of 
 distilleries, and there are, as yet, no places where 
 spirits can be Ixiught (to my knowledge) in the 
 'I'erritory. 
 
 It is highly creditable to the Hudson's Uny ('om. 
 pany, that on a vessel arriving on the coast with 
 some spirits on lioard, in order to prevent its intro- 
 duction, they have purchased the whole cargo, 
 while, at the same time, their storehouses were 
 filled with rum. They have, with praiseworthy 
 zeal, interdicted its bemg an article of trade, be- 
 ing well satisfied that it is contrary to their in. 
 terest, and demoralizing in its effects on all the 
 tribes and people with whom they have to deal, 
 rendering tliem difficult to manage, quarrelsome 
 among themselves, and preventing their success 
 in hmiting. Endeavors have likewise been made, 
 by the ofliccrs of the company, to induce the 
 Kussians, on their side, to adopt this example, and 
 do away with it as an article of trade, but liitli- 
 erto without success. 
 
 It no doubt has been one of the causes eflecl. 
 ing the decrease of the native tribes, as it was 
 formerly almost the only article of trade. 
 
 In the event of this IVrrilory lieing taken |)o». 
 session of, the necessity of eircumscribing the 
 \iBe and sale of spirits laimot be too strongly in. 
 sisted upon by legal enaclmeiil, Ixith to preserve 
 order and avoid expenw;. 
 
 As far as the Indians have come under my no. 
 tice, they are un inoffensive race, except those in 
 the northern parts. The deoredations commilled 
 on the whites may l)c traced to injuries received, 
 or arise from superstitious motives. 
 
 MiSHioNAliiEs. — Little has yet been elleeted by 
 them in christianizing the natives. They are 
 principally engaged in the cultivation of the mis. 
 sion far.ns, and in the care of their own stock, 
 in order to obtain Hocks and herds for themselves, 
 most of them having selected lands. As far as 
 my jHTSonal observation went, in the part of the 
 coimtry where the missionaries reside, there are 
 very few Indians to engage their attetitiou ; and 
 they seemed more oceujiied with the settlement 
 of the country ami in agricultural pursuits than 
 missionary luiH)rs. 
 
 When there, I made ])arlieular inquiries wheth- 
 er laws were necessary for their prtdcetion, and I 
 feel fully satistied that they recpiire iioiu! at i)resenl, 
 besides the moral code it is their duty toiiU'uleate. 
 
 The C'atholio iiortion of the settlement, who 
 fonn a largo majority, arc kept under good con- 
 trol by their priest, who is disposed to act in mii. 
 son with the other missionaries in the pro])er pun- 
 ishment of all bad conduct. 
 
 I cannot close this report without doing justice 
 to the officers of the Hudson Bay Company's scr. 
 vice for their kind and gentlemanly treatment to 
 us while in tlic Territory, and Ix^aring testimony 
 that, during all my intercourse, and in their deal, 
 ings with others, they seemed to be guided by but 
 one nilc of conduct Iiigldy creditable to them, not 
 only as businessmen, but gentlemen. 
 
 They afforded us every assistance that was in 
 their [siwer lioth in supplies and in means to nc 
 complish our duties ; there are many persons in 
 the country whn bear testimony to the aid and 
 kindness rendered them in their outset ; and of 
 their hospitality it is needless to speak, for it has 
 become proverbial. 
 
 To conclude, few |iortions of the globe, in my 
 opinion, arc; to be found so rich in soil, so diver. 
 sified in surface, or so capable of being rendered 
 the happy abode of an industrious ami civilized 
 eomnK.nity. For beauty of scenery and salu. 
 brity of climate, it is :ot suri)as»ed. It is pccu. 
 liarly adapted for an agricultural and pastoral 
 people, and no portion of the world beyond the 
 tropics can be found that will yield so readily 
 with moderate labor, to the icanti of mini. 
 
 
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