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Show :\ PPENDIX TO P l\ HT II. were pt•esentecl with eight horses, the Kans who arrived two dar~ ~fter, were also presented with hor::,es. The day after, we assc mbl~d the fout· principal c hie fs to dine, after which I pre entcd the principal, with a doubled barrel'd gun, gor~et, and other articles, (this man wore the grand Spanish medal ) and to the second the small medal you furnish ed me, with other articles; and to each of the others a gorget in their turn. Those presents I conceived would have a good effect, both as to attaching them to om· govemment, "'nti in our immediate intercourse. At the council whir.h was held a day ot· two afterwards, I presented them with merchandize (which at this place should be valued at ~250) and after explainin~ their relative situation as to the Spani5h and American ~overnments, I asked on my part, if they would a.Mi.yt us •with a f e•w hoTses, a Tetau prisoner ·who sjzoke Pa~uuec, to se1·ve as an interj1reter, an e::cc/w.uge of colors; and finally, for somr of their chit:fs to accomjwny us, to be sc11t to T¥ashington . The ex· change of the colors was the only request gt·antcd at the time; ancl fo•· particul ar r easons (which licnt. \Vilkinson related) I thought prope1· to return them to the chief; and after spending- two or three anxious clays, we were given to understand, thtlt our· request!-. could not be complied with in the oth cq )(lints, and were a~ai n strong-ly urged by the head chief, to return the way we came, and not prosecute our voyage any fmthe1·; this brought on an t·xplanation as to our views towards the Spani5h government; in which the chief tlcclar· cd, thJt it was the intention of the Spauish troops to have proceeded ful'ther towards the Mis~i.;sippi, but, th at he objected to it, antltiH'y li stened to him and retUl'I'lCd ; he therefore hoped we would be cr1ually reasonable; but findin~ I still determined on proceeding, he told me in plain tet·ms (if the interpreter el'rcd not) that it was the <will of tlw Sjzaniards 'ZUe .'lhoulcl ?lOt j1r oceed; which not am'liJering, he painted innumerable dill1cultics which he snicl lay in the way; but fin <ling all his arguments had no effect, he said, " It was a pity,'' and was silent. This day I sent out several of my ~arty to purc hase horses, but know not yet how we shall succeed, ns the Kar1s have intirnatccl an idea, that the chief will prohibit his people from tr:.uling with us. The Pawnees and the Tctaus arc at war; the 1 ~1ttcr killed six of the fot·mer in August last, consequently the cfl'ccting any communi· C<\tion with the Tetaus by means of this nation is tmpo~si bl c. If Gl)c( pet·mits, we shul1 m ~u·ch from here in a few days, and M the Arki.<!Ui t\W I shall rctll<lin, uutil I build two small cunoes fo.r. APPENDIX TO PAH.l~ 11. Hcut. ,V. (whose party will con::,ist of Ballenger anu two or three men.' with thr~c (~ sng·c. ) Those canoes will be cusi ly mana~ed, «llld m case oi accHI ~;nt to ouc, the other will still be suflicient to transport their bal-;·gage. I am mformed, that in a few days he will meet French hunters and probably arrive at the villctge of the Grand Pest in a fortnig-ht~ antl as all the Osag·e nation arc apprized of his descent I conceiv~ 1 . , 1c wlllmeet with no insmmountablc difficulties.* The Tstaus arc at open war with the ~>p<mi anls, so thnt could we once obtain an iut: ·oductiot~, ~ conceive we should meet wi th a favorable reception. ): ct how 1l ts to be brought about, I am much at a loss to determill<.:, but knowir1g· that, :...t this crisis of affairs, an intimate connection with that nation, 111ig·ht uc extremely st>h iccablc to my country, l shal! procet d to jind them ; i11 hopes to find some means through the I· rcuch, Osage, and Pawuc;e l.wguages, of m al~ing ourselves understood. Ar? llllll1b~t· of men (who may reasonably be calcnlatecl on) would fllld ItO ddl!culty in marcltiug th<.: rou te we came with lntg~ ugc wag go11s, li ·ld artillery, and <dl the ttSlJ..ll appcnda~es of a small army; ancl if all the route to ~auta Fe should be of the same ~lcsc~·iption in case of wa1·, I would pledge my li fe (and what is Infinitely dearer, my honor) fo r tl1c succes!:>ful rn<ll'Ch of a reasonable uody of Hoops, into the province of ..l\;cw Mexico. I flnd the sa.v <~gcs of this country less bl'a\'e; but posscss\n~ muc~J 111ore dupllclly, and by f•11· a greater propensity to lying and stealing, than those I l~acl to pass throngh in my last voyage. I am extremely doubtful if any chief of those notious, can be in duced to prosecute the voyage with us, as their ch·ead of the Tctaus, and the objections of the Pawnees, seems to outweigh cvCI') argument, and inducement to the contrarv. 3d Octobe1·-The Pawnee chief has i;1cluced the Kans to return to their _villages, by giving them a gun and promising horses, with many ft·•ghtful pictures tlrawn if they proceeded. Th.e Osages lent me five horses, which their people who accompamcd us were to have led back, but receiving fresh ones from the Pa~vnecs, they would not be tt·oublerl with ~-hem. In fact, it was a 1o 1· t unate c1· .rcumstaucc, as l·o ur of the hol'ses I obtained of the Osage, have such bad backs, they cannot proceed and we will be obliged to leave them ; and not purchasing here with facility, r • This was erroneous, but it was my impression at the time. |