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Show JOVHNAL OF A VOYAGE assist in the :·ear, and to carry the poor fellows provisions . at the same time kept Baroney and one n1an hunting .... : Killed three deer. 8tb January, Tbursday.-Some of the different par. ties arrived. Put one man to stocking my rifle; others sent back to assist up the rear. Killed two deer. 9th January, Friday.-The whole party was once Inore_ joined together, when we felt comparatively happy, notwithstanding the great mortifications I experienced at having been so egregiously deceived as to the Red river. I now felt at considerable loss how to proceed, as any idea of services at that time from my horses were entirely preposterous ; thus after various plans formed anu reject. ed, and the n1ost mature deliberation, I determined to builJ a small place for defence and deposit, and leave part of the baggage, horses, my interpreter and one man, and with the balance, our packs of Indian presents, ammunition, tools, &c. on our backs, cross the mountains on foot~ finJ the Red river, and then send back a party to conduct their horses and baggage by the most eligible route we could discover, by which time the horses would be sorecovered as to be able to endure the fatigues of the march. In consequence of this determination, some were put to constructing the block houses, some to hunting, some to taking care of horses, &c. &c. I, n1ysclf, made preparations to pursue a course of observations, which would enable me to ascertain the latitude and longitude of that situation, which I conceived to be an important one. Killed three deer. 10tb January, Saturday.-Killed five deer; took equal altitudes; angular distances of two stars, &c. but do not now recollect which. Killed three deer. lltb January, Sunday.-Ascertained the latitude and took the angular distances of some stars. Killed four deer. • TO THE SOUHCES OF THE AHK·ANSA " ', &c. 18~· 12th January, Monday.- Preparing the baggage for a march by separating it, &c. Observations continued. l3tb January, rTllr.rdny.-\V eighed Olll each Ulan's pack. This day I obtained the angle between sun aml moon, which I conceived the znost correct way I pos~cssed of ascertaining the longitude, as an immersion anll cmcrsion of Jupiter's satellites could not now be obtained. Killed four deer. l4tb January, JtVcdncsday.-\Vc marched our partY, consisting of 18 soldiers, the doctor anti myself, each ~f us carrying 45lb. and as znuch provision as he thought proper, which, with arms, &c. made on an average, 701bs. leaving Baroney and one man, Patrick Smith. We crossed the first ridge (leaving the main branch of the river to the north of us,) and struck on the south fork, on which we encamped, intending to pursue it thro' the mountains, as its course was n1orc southerly. The doctor killed one deer. Distance 13 miles. 15th January, Tbursday.-Followed up this branch and passed the n1ain ridgP, of what I tenn the Blue Mountains. I-Ialted early. The doctor, n1ysclf, and one hunter, went out with our guns, each killed a J eer, and brought thc1n into camp. Distance J 9 n1iles. I6tb January, Friday.-Marchcd up the creek all day. Encamped early as it was snowing. l went out to h~nt, but killed nothing. Deer on the hill; the Inountams lessening. Distance 18 miles. 17th January, Saturday.-Marched about four miles, when the great White Mountain presented itself before us, in sight of which we had been for 1norc 1 han one month, and through which we suppos d lay the long sought Red river. \V c now left the creek on the north o.f u~, and bore away n1ore cast, to a low place in the mountams. About sun-set we came to the edgr of a prairie, ~ a |
