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Show 176 JOLHN.\L OF A VOY :\C! J:. camps of indians the latest yet seen, after pointing out the ground for the encan1pn1ent, the doctor and my elf went on to tnake discoveries (as was our usual custom,) and in about four mil 's 1narch we struck (what we supposed to be Reel river) which here \vas about 25 yanls wide, ran with great r apidity and was full of roch:s. W e r eturned to the party with the news, which gave general pleasure. Determined to remain a day or two ju order to examine the source. Distance 18 miles. Snowing. 19tb December, Fridoy.-Marchcd down the creek ncar the opening of the prairie, and encamped, sent out parties hunting, &c. bu.t had no success. Still snowing and stormy, xnalcing preparations to take an observation. 20tb December, Saturday.-I-Iaving found a {i.ne place for pasture on the ri vcr sent our horses down to it with a guai d, also three parties out a hunting, all of whom returned without success. Took an observation. As there was no prospect of killing any gan1e, it was necessary that the party should leave that place, I therefore determined that the doctor and Baroney should descend the river in the n1orning ; that n1yself and two n1en would asccncl and the rest of the party descend after the doctor until they obtained provision and could wait for xnc. 21st December, Sunday.-The doctor and Baroney n1arched ; the party remained for 1ne to take a meridional observation; after which we separated. Myself and the two n1en who accompanied me (Mountjoy and lV1iller) as· cended 12 miles and encamped on the north side, the river continuing close to the north mountain and running through a narrow rocky channel and in some places not n1ore than 20 feet wide and at least 10 feet deep. Its banks bordered by yellow pine, cedars, &c. 22d De~ember, Monday.-Marchccl up thirteen miles, to a large pomt of the 1nountain fi·om \-rlu:nce we had a TO TilE SOU H.CES OF THE AH.KANSA \V, &c. 177 view at least 35 n1iles, to where the river enterrd the mountains, it being at that place not morr than ten or fifteen feet wide, and properly speaking, only a brook ; fro1n this place after taking the course, and estimating the distance we returned to our camp of last evening. Killed one turkey and a hare. 23d December, Tuesday.-Marched earl y, and at two o'clock, P. M. discover ed the trace of the party on the opposite side of the river; ford ed it, al though rxtrc:mcly cold and marched until some time in the night, when we arrived a1 the second nights encampment ot the party. Our cloathing was frozen stiff, and we ourselves were considerably benumbed. 24th December, T1Vednesday.-The party's provision extending only to the 2:.><1, and their orders being not to halt until they killed some game, anLl then wait for us : consequently they might have been considerably advanced. About 11 o'clock, n1ct doctor Robinson on a prairie, who informed me that he and Baroney had been absent from the party two days without killing any thing, (also without eating,) but that over night, they had killed four bufh lo, and that he was in search of the n1en ; and suffered the two lads with n1e to go to the camp where the meat was, as we had also been nL:arly two days without eating. The doctor and myself pursued the trace and found them encamped on the ri ver bottom. Sent out horses for the meat, shortly after Sparks arrived and informed us he had killed four cows. Thus fr01n being in a starving condition we had 8 beeves in our camp. We now again found our. elves all assembled together on Christmas Eve, and appeared generally to be content, although all the r efreshment we ha.d to celebrate that day with, was buffalo n1eat, without salt, or any other thing whatever. My little excursion up the river was 1n order to establi "h the z |
