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Show 174 JOC RNAL OF A VOYAGE what discovery I could n1ake, and after xnarching about two miles north, fell on a river 40 yards wide, frozen over; which after some investigation, I found run north east, this was the occasion of much surprise, as we were taught to expect to have n1et with the branches of the Red river, which should run south cast. O,....u ere. Must it not be the head waters of the river Platte? If so the Missouri n1ust run Inuch more west, than is generally represented; for the Platte is a small river by no xncans presenting an expectation of so extensive a course. Distance 18 miles. One horse gave out and was left. 14th December, Sunday.-l\·1arched. Struck the river, ascended it four miles, and encamped on the north side. The prairie being about two miles wide, was covercJ at least six miles (on the banks of the river) with horse dung and the n1arks of indian camps, which had been since the cold weather, as was evident by the fires which were in the centre of the lodges ; the sign made by their horses was astonishing, and would have taken a thousand horses some month'. As it was impossible to say which course the Spaniards pursued, amongst this n1ultiplicity of signs, we halted early, and discovered that they or the savages had ascended the river. We determined to persue them, as to the geography of the country, had turned out to be so different from our expectation ; we were some what at a loss which course to pursue, unless we attempted to cross the snow cap'd mountains, to the south cast of us which was almost impossible. Bursted one of om~ rifles, which was a great Joss, as it made three guns which had bursted, and the five which had been broken on the march, and one of my men was now armed with my sword and pistols. Killed two buffalo. l.')tiJ December, Monday.-After repairing our guns, we marched, but were obliged to leave another horse. TO TilE SOURCES OF TilE ARKANSA \V, &c. 175 Ascended the river, both sides of which were covered with old Indian camps, at which we found corn cobs; this induced us to believe that those savages although errdtic, must remain long enough in one position to cultivate this grain, or obtain it of the Spaniards ; from their sign they must have been extre1ncly numerous, and possessed vast numbers of horses. My poor fellows suffered extremely with cold, being aln1ost naked. Distance 10 miles. 16tb December, Tuesday.-Marched up the river about two miles and killed a buffalo. When finding no road up the stream, we halted and dispatched parties dif~ fcrcnt courses ; the doctor and myself ascending high enough to enable me to lay down the course of the river into the mountains. Fron1 a high ridge we reconnoitered the adjacent country, and concluded putting the Spanisb trace out of the question, and to bear our course south west, for the head of Red river. One of our party found a large camp, which had been occupied by at least 3000 Indians, with a large cross in the middle. Querc. Are those people catholics ? 17tb December, l/Vednesday.-Marchcd, and on striking a left hand fork of the river we had left, found it to be the main branch ; ascended it some distance, but finding it to bear too much to the north, we encampcJ about two miles fr01n it, for the purpose of benefitting by its water. Distance 15 miles. • 18tb December, Thursday.-Marchcd and crossed the mountain which lay south-west of us, in a distance of seven miles, arrived at a small spring; some of our lads observed, they supposed it to be Red river, to which l then gave very little credit. On entering a gap in the next mountain, came past an excellent spring which form. ed a fine creek, which we followed through narrows in the mountains for about six miles; found many evacuated |