OCR Text |
Show 198 JOUJ{NAL OF A VOYAGE we were on Red river, and of course in the territory claimed by the United States. We took the road to tny fort, and as they were on horseback, they travelled rather faster than myself; they were halted by the sentinel, and immediately retreated much surprised. When I came up, I took them in, and then explained to them, as well as po~~ihle, my intentions of descending the river to Natchitoches, but at the same time told them that if governor Allencaster would send out an officer with an interpreter, who spoke French or Eng· }ish, I would do 1nyself the pleasure to give his excellency every reasonable satisfaction as to my intentions in com. ing on his frontiers. They informed me that on the SC· conc.l day they would be in Santa Fe, but were careful ne· vcr to suggest an idea of my being on the Rio del Norte. As they concluded, I did not think as I spoke ; they were very anxious to ascertain our numbers, &c. ; seein~ only five n1en here, they could not believe we came without horses, &c. To this I did not think proper to give the~ any satisfaction, giving then1 to understand we were Ill many parties, &c. 17th February, Tuesday.-In the n1orning, our two Spanish visitors departed, after I had made then: some trifling presents, with which they seemed highly debgh~ed. After their departure, we comn1enced working at ou~ httle work, as I thought it probable the governor might dts.putc my right to descend the Red river, and send out Ind~ans, or some licrht party to attack us · I therefore uetennmed b , . T~ to be as much prepared to receive then1 as possible. evening the corporal and three of the men arrived, who had been sent back to the camp of the frozen lads. They informed n1e that two men would arrive the next day; one of which was Menaugh, who had been left alone on the 27th January, but that the other two, Dougherty and TO THE SOURCES OF TilE ARKANSA\V, &c. l 9!l Sparks, were unable to come. They said that th ·y had hailed them with tears of joy, and were in despair when they again left then1, with the chance of never seeing thcn1 more. They sent on to n1e some of the bones taken out of their feet, and conjured me by all that was sacr d, not to leave them to perish far frmn the civilized world. Ah! little did they know 1ny heart, if they could suspect nv' of conduct so ungenerous. No! before they shoul<.l be left, I would for months have carried the end of a litter, in order to secure then1, the happiness of once more seeing their native homes ; and being received in the bosom of a grateful country. Thus those poor lads are to be invalids for life, n1:1dc infirm at the commencement of rnanhood and in the prim~ of their course, doomed to pass the remainder of their days in mi.~ery and want ; for Wllat is the pension ? not suflident to buy a man his victuals! what man would even lose ~he smallest of his joints for such a trifling pittance. 18th February, Wednesday.-The other two boys arrived ; in the evening I ordered the sergeant and one man to prepare to march to-morrow for the Arkansaw, where we had left our interpreter, horses, &c. to conduct the1n on and on his return to bring the two lads who were still i~ ~ho mountains. 19th February, Thursday.-Sergeant William E. Meek, marched with one man, whose name was Theodore Miller,.and 1 took three other n1en to accompany him out some distance, in order to point out to him a pass iu the mountain, which I conceived n1ore eligible for horses than the one we had come. I n1ust here ren1ark the effect of habit, discipline and example in two soldiers soliciting a command of more than 180 n1ilcs over two great ridg-es of mountains covere d wi·t h snow, 1· n h abi·t cd by lands' oi · unknown ·"'a v a ges, · J • c · · 1n t 1e mtercc;t OJ. a natiOn, with whom |