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Show 1 ,, 'u -\PPENDIX TO PART II. were JH'cscntcd with eight horses, the Ka11s who arriv<'rt two days after, wet·e .tlso pt·cscnted with horses. The day after, we assembled the four principal chiefs to dine, after which I presented the pt·incipal, with a doubled batTel'd gun, gorg-et, and other articles, (this man wore the gt·and Spanish medal) and to the second the small medal you furnished me, with other articles; and to each of the others a gorget in their ttll'n. Those presents I conceived would have a good effect, both as to attaching· them to our govemment, anci in out· immediate intercourse. At the coimcil which was held a day or two afterwards, I presented them with merchandize t which ,tt this place should be valued at ~250) and after explaining the it· relative situation as to the Spanish and American governments, I nsked on my part, 7f they would aBsist us •with a fe'lu ho1·se8, a Tetau prisoner who b'jzoke Pawnee, to sr1·ve as an intcrjl?·ctc1·, an exch<lngc of colo1·,9; and finally, .[o1· some of lhdr chit:fs to ClCCOllljJany us, to be unt to rvashi11gton. The exchange of the colon; was the only request granted at the time; and for particular reasons (which Iieut. \Vilkinson related) I thought proper to return them to the chief; and nftet· spending two or three anxio 11'l days, we were given to understand, that our requests could not be colllpliecl with in the othet· points, and were again strongly mgcd by the head c hi ef, to return the way we came, and not prosecute our voyage any furth e r; this brought on an <'X plauation as to our views towards the Spani::,h govemmcnt; in which the chid dcclar· cd, th at it was the intcntio11 of the Spanish troops to have proceeded fmther towards t.he Mis::;i.,!-.ippi, but, that he object ·d to it, and tilLy listened to him <.llld rctumed ; he therefore hoped we would be e qually reasonable; but finding I still determined on proceeding, he told me in pluin terms (if the interpreter erred not) that it was the 'luill of the ~/Jauiards we 8hould not jn·oceed; which not ans•wcring, J1e painted innumerable dilf1culties which he said lay in the way; but 1in(1ing all his arguments had no cjj'cct, he said, "It was a pitr," and was !:>ilcnt. This uny I sent out se\·eral of my pa1·ty to purchase horses, but know not yet how we shall succeed, as the Kans have intin1ated :111 idea, that the chief will prohibit his people from trading- with us. The Pawnees and the Tetaus arc at war; the lattc~· killed six of the former in Aug-ust last, consequently the effccttng •u•y communi cation with the Tetaus by meJns of this nation is impos~iule. 1' Cod permits, we shall HH11'Ch fmm h<.:rc in a few d<~ys, and C\l the Arl~ansaw I shall rcm•tin, until I build two small cano('s lu1 APPENDIX TO PART II. 4 'J lieut. \V. (whose party will con~ist of Ballenger anu two or three men with three Osage.) Those canoes will be easily mauag-cd, a11d i'n case of acciclcut to one, the other will still be suflicicnt to transport their baggage. 1 am informed, that in a few days he will meet French hunters, and probably al'l'ive at the Yillage of tile Gmnd P est in a fortnigl~t; and as all the Us<~ge nation are apprized of his descent, l coucc1ve he will meet with no insurmountable dilliculties.* The Tetaus arc at open wur with the Sp:llliards, so that could we once ol>tain an_ in. tt·ocluc tion, I concei\'e we should mcl't with a f,worablc reccptwil. Yet how it is to be brou~ht about, I am much nt a loss to determine, but knowing that, at this crisis of aj{Ld1·s, an intimate connec-tion with that nation, might be extremely sct·viccable to my country, 1 ~hall pmcecd to .Jind them; in hopes to find ::;orne means through the French, o~a ge, · nc\ Pawnee langu~:ges, uf making ourselves understood. Any n11mbcr of men (who n1 ~y reasonably be calculated on) would f1nd uo diHkulty in murching- the route we came with bagp; age waggons, field artillery, and all the usual appendages of a small army; and if all the route to Santa Fe should be of the S<.1me description in case of war, I would pledge my life (and what is infinitely dearer, my honor) fot• the successful man:h of a reasonable body of troops, into the province of New Mexico. I find the savages of this country les::; brave; but possessing much more duplicity, and by far a greater propensity to lying and stealing, than those I had to pass through in my Jast voyage. . I am extremely doubtful if any chief of those nations, can be mduced to prosecute the voyage wit.h us, as t heir dread o.f the T ctaus, and the objections of the Pawnees, seems to outwmgh cvttT argument, and inducement to the contrary. 3d October-The Pawnee chief has induced the Kans to return to theit· villages, by giving them a gun and promising hon:;es, with many frightful pictures drawn if they proceeded. The Osages lent me five horses, which thcit· people who ac· companied us were to have led back, but receiving fresh ones from the Pawnees, they would not be troubled with them. In fact, it was a fortunate cit·cumstance, as four of the horses I obtained of the Osage, have such bad backs, they cannot proceed, and \:'~ will be obliged to leave them ; and not purchasing het·e with facility, I " This w:ts erroneous, but it was my impression at the time. |
