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Show !72 JOUH~AL OF A VOYAGE alarm was their shootillg turkies. Killed two butTalo and nine turkic -. l)istance 1 S miles. Gtb Dcrember, Sat 11rday.-Sent out three difTerent par. ti0s to hunt the Spanish trace, but without success. The doctor and myself followed the ri r. into the mountain, ,~. hich was bounded on each side by the rocks of the mountain, 200 feet high, leaving a ·mall valley of 50 or 60 feet. Killed tVi'O bufblo, tv.·o deer, one turkey. / tb December, Sunday.-Vve again dispatched parties in ~carch of the trace ; one party discovered it on the other side of the river, and followed it into the valley of the rin~r at the entrance of the tnountain, where they met two parties who -vvere returning fr01n exploring the two branches of the river, in the mountains : of which they re.portcd, to have ascended until the river was merely a brook, bounded on both sides with perpendicular rocks, jmpracticablc f(1r horses ever to pass thera ; they then recrossed the riYcr to the north side, and discovered (as they ::,upposcd)' that the Spanish troops had ascended a dry valley to th~ right-on their return they found some rock salt, samples of which were brought 111 . We determined to march the morrow to the entrance of the valley ; there to examine the salt, anll the roaJ. Killed one wild cat. Stb December, Monday.-On exarnining the trace found yesterday, conceived it to have been only a reconnoitering party, dispatched fr01n the main bodv and on J ' analysing the rock salt, found it to be strongly impreg· nated with sulphur. There were some very strong sulphurated springs at its foot. Returned to caxnp ; took with me Dr. Robinson and l.Vlillcr, and descended the river, in orde. r to discover certainly, if the whole party had came by this route. Descended about seven miles on the south side. - Saw great quantities of turkies and• deer. .Killed (")ne de r. TO TIIE SOIJ RCES OF THE AHKAN S~\ \V, &c. 17S • 9tb December, T uesday.-Before we n1arched, killed a fine buck at our camp as he was passing. li'ound the Spanish camp about four 1niles below, anJ from every ob .. servation we coulJ n1ak e, conceived they had all ascended the river. Returned to camp, where we arrived about two o'clock. F ound all well; would have n1oved im ... mediately, but four n1cn were out reconnoitering. Killed three deer. IOtb December, Wednesday.-Marchcd and found the road over the 1nountain to be excellent. Encamped on a dry ravine. Obliged to n1clt snow for ourselves and horses ; and as their was nothing else for the latter to cat, gave them one pint of corn each. Killed one buffalo. 11th December, T i.Jursday.-MarcheJ at ten o'clock~ and in one mile t>truck a branch of the Arkansaw, on which the supposed Spaniards had encamped, where there was both water and grass. Kept up this branch, but was frequently embarrassed as to the trace; at three o'clock P. M. having no sign of it, halted and encamped, and went out to search it ; found it about one mile to the right. Distance 15 miles. 12th December, Friday.-Marched at 9 o'clock. Continued up the satne branch as yesterday. T'he ridges on our right and left, appeared to grow lower, but mountains appeared on our flanks, though the intervals covered with snow. Owing to the weakness of our horses, made only 12 miles. 13th December, Saturday.-Marchetl at the usual hour and passed large springs, and the (supposed) Spa ... nish camp; and at twelve o'clock, a dividing ridge, and immediate! y fell on a small branch running N. 20 ° \V. There being no appearance of wood, we left it, and the Spanish Trace to our right, and made for the hills to encamp. After the halt I took my gun and went out to see |
