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Show 154 JOUHNAL OF A VOY1\GE we, however, concluded to search for then1 on the mar. row and if we did not succeed in finding then1, to strike the Arkansaw, where we were in hopes to discover some traces, if not cut ofF by the savages. !Stb October, Saturday.-Con1menccd our route at a croou time and about ten o'clock, discovered two men on th> orse-back' in search of us, (one n1y wai• ter ; ) t h ey I·n 1r ormc d us the party was encamped on the Arkans.aw, abo~t three miles south of where we then were : this surpnsed us very much as we had no conception ~f that :river ?ei.ng so ncar. On our arrival were n1et by lieutenant W1lkinson, '"'ho with all the party was greatly concerned for our safety. The Arkansaw, on the party's arrival, had not water in it six inches deep, and the stream was not more than 20 feet wide, but the rain of the two days covered all the botton1 of the river, which in this place is 450 yards fron1 bank to bank, which arc not more than four feet in height, bordered by a few cotton· wooJ. trees on the north side by a low swampy prairie, on the south by a sanuy sterile Jesert at a small distance. In the afternoon the doctor and myself took our horses and crossed the Arkansaw, in order to search for son1c trees which might answer the purpos to mal'c canoes ; found but one and returned at dusk. It commenced raining at l ~ o'clock at night. l9tb October, Sunday.-Finding the river rising ra· pidly, I thought it best to ~ecurc our passage over, '~c consequently ntadc it good by ten o'clock, A. M. Ram all day. l)rC'paring our tools and arms for labor and the chase on the morrow. 20tb October, Mondrzy.-CommcnceJ. our labor at two trees for canoes, but one proved too n1uch Joatccl .... Killed two buffalo and one cabrie. Discharged our guns at a mark, the best shot a prize of one tent and a pair of TO THE SOURCES OF TIIE ARKANSA, V, &c. 155 shoes. Our only dog, was standing at tho root of the tree in the grass, and one of the balls, struck him on the head and killed him. Ceased raining about 12 o'clock. 21st October, Tuesda!.-l)octor R obinson and 1nysc1f mounted our hor~c~, In order to go clown the river to the entrance of the three last creeks, we had crossed on our rout~ but n1eeting with buffalo, we killed four; also, one cabne. Returned to camp and sent for the meat. 22d October, Wednesday.-! laving sat up very late bst evening, expecting the sergeant, and party (who did not arrive) we were very anxious for them, but about 1 o o'clock Bradley arrived and inforn1ec.l us, that they could not find th~ buffalo, which we had killed on the prairie, they all arnved before noon, and in the afternoon we scaffolded some meat and nearly com pleated the frame of a skin Canoe, which we concluded to build; overhauled my in. ~truments and n:ade son1e rectifications pr paratory to takmg an observatwn &c. 2Sd October, Tbur.rday.-Dr. R obinson and mysdf . ' accompamed by one n1an, ascended the river with an inten-tion of searching the Spanish trace ; at the same tin1e w dispatched Baroney and our two hunter~ to kill some buffalo, to obtain the skins for canoes. \ v e ascended the river, about 20 tnilcs to a Jarg' branch on the right; just at dusk gave chase to a buflalo and was obli (r~d to shoot . b ~mcteen balls into him, before we killed him. Encamped m the fork. 24· October, Friday.-We assended the right branch about five miles, but could not sec any ~ign of the Spanjsh trace '· this is n o t surpn·z m· g, as tl1l ~ n•v er b('ars south west, and they no doubt h.cpt mor to th~ west frol'l the head of one branch to another. \V c returned and n. our wa r, killed son1e prairie sqnirn 1.::, or ,·i. I1 tcm wi~I H .. '~, |