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Show 178 JOUHN AL OF A VOYAGE o·eography of the sources of the (supposed) Red River, as I well knew the indefatigable res arches of doc. tor Hunter, Dunbar and Freeman, had left nothing unno. ticed in the extent of their voyage up said river, I determined that its upper bra11ches should be equally well explored ; as in this voyage I had already ascertained the sources of the Osage, and White Rivers, (been round the head of the Kans River) and on the head waters of the Platte. 25tb Dccembfr, Thursday.-It being stormy weather and having 1neat to dry; I concluded to lie by th~s ~ay. Ilere I must take the liberty of observing that m thts SitU· ation, the hardships and privations we underwent, were on this day brought more fully to our mind. Having ~een accustomed to smne degree of relaxation, and extra en1oy· n1ents; but here 800 miles from the frontiers of our country, in the most inclement season of the year; not one person clothed for the winter, n1any without blankets, (having been obliged to cut them up for socks, &c.) and now l:ty· ing down at night on the snow or wet ground ; one .side burning whilst the other was pierced with the cold wm~: this was in part the situation of the party whilst some were endeavoring to make a miserable substit~te. of raw buffalo hide for shoes &c. I will not speak of ,!let, as I conceive that to be beneath the ·s <:r.ious cons1· d e ra tion of a man on a voyage of such nature. We spent the. day as agreeably as could be expected from men in our situa· tion. Caught a bird of a new species, having made a trap for him. • '*This bil'd was cf a green color, almost the bizc of a quaJ' I , :Utd ha' d• a ·srrm alld • . • , · . 1t dwcre tuft on tts head ltke a pheasant, :md w..1s of the carntvorous spcctcs ' . J . ith us ,n a from ony bird we ever saw in the United States. W e lccpt 11m w 1 Arkan· small wicker cage, feeding him on meal, t1ntil I left the interpreter on t lC mt· c;aw, with whom left it. We at one time took a compan·w n of the sam~ ·r-~ c.ics, and put them m. the same cage, when the first r cst. dcnt never cc ased attm·· ing the stranger until he killed him. TO THE SOURCES OF TilE ARKANSA \V, &c. 179 26th December, Friday.-Marched at two o'clock and made 7 1-2 miles to the entrance of the mountains. On this piece of prairie the river spread considerabJ y, and funned several small Island , a large stream enter::; from the south. As my boy and some others were sick, I omitted pitching our tent in order that they n1ight have it; in consequence of which we were completely cov 'red with sn w on top, as well as that part ou which we lay. 27th December. Saturdoy.-Marched over an extreme rough road, our horses rc:eivcd frequent falls and cut themselves considerably on the rocks. Fron1 ther~.; being no roads of buffalo, or sign of horses, I am convinc~ ed that neither those animals, nor the aborigines of the c.ountry, ever take this route, to go fron1 the source of the 11ver o~t of the moun~'lins, bur that they must cross one of the chams to the right or left, and fipd a smoother tract to the lower country. Was obliged to unload our horses and carry the baggage at several places. Distance 1 ~ I .. Q miles 28th December, Sunday.-Marched over an ope~ space an.d from the appearance before us, concluded we were gomg out of the Inountains, but at night encamped at ~e entrance of the most perpendicular precipices on both Dst~es, through which the river ran and our course lay. lstance 16 miles. 29th December, Monday.-Marched but owing to the ~treme ruggedness of the road, made but five miles. aw one of a new species of animals on the mountains . ~scend~~ ~t to kill him, but did not succeed. Findino· th; unposs1bility of · 1 . b 1 d . gettmg a ong wlth the horses, made one s e ' whtch with the , f h . 1 . . load. 111cn o t 1 ee lOr!:>cs, carncs thc1r past 30th D·ce b T: d · 0 , " m er, ue.r ay.-Marched : but at half th ne 0 clock; were obliged to halt and send back tor e sled loads a th h d 1 1 . ' ' s ey a L1ro ~ ...~. n It and ccmld not proceed |
