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f arrata
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pon A

TRAVELS

IX THE

INTERIOR PARTS OF AMERICA;

CO MMU NIC ATI NO

DISCOVERIES

MADE IN EM'LOPING

THE MISSOURI, IIKD RIVLH AND WASHITA,

CAPTAISS LEWIS AND CLARK, DOCTOR SIBLEY,

AND

Mr. DUNBAR;
WITH

A STATISTICAL ACCOUNT

OF THE

COUNTRIES ADJACENT.

AS LAID BEFORE THE SENATE,

BY THE

PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
IN FEBRUARY, 180G,

AND NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED IN GREAT BRITAIN.

LONDON:

FBINTED FOR RICHARD PHILLIPS, 6, bridgi strebt,

BLACKPRIARS,
By J. G. Barnard, 57, Snow-hUl,

1807.'

r.m^i

-a

TRAVELS

IX TUB

INTERIOR PARTS OF AMERICA.

MCSSACJE

TO TllK Sl.NATi: ANO HOUSIJ OF RKPRF.SENTATIVES

THE UNITKD STATES.

1 N pursuance of a measure proposed to congress by a mes-
sage ot" January IHth, one thousand eisht hundred ami three,
and sanctioned by tlieir appropriation for carrying it into exu-
rution, captain Meriwether Lcwii, of the Hrst regiment of
infantry, was appointed, with a party of men, to explore the
river Slissouri, from its mouth to its source, and, crossing the
highlands by the shortest portage, to seek the best water com-
munication thence to the Pacific ocean ; and lieutenant Clarke
was appointed second in command, 'j'hey were to e^nler into
conference with the Indian nations on their route, with a view to
the establishment of commerce with them. They entered the
Missouri M<iy fourteenth, one thousand eight hundred and four,
and on the first of November took up their winter quarters
^ near the Mandan towns, ifJoy miles above the mouth of the

% *) river, in latitude 47*' 21' 47" north, and longitude 99° 24' 4j"
'^ west from Greenwich. On the eighth of April, one thousand

eight hundred and five, they proceeded up the river in pursuance
of the objects prescribed to them. A letter of the preceeding
day, April seventh, from captain Lewis, is herewith communi-
cated. During his stay among the Miuidans, he had been able
to lay down the Missouri, according to courses and distances
taken on his passage up it, corrected by frequent observations of
ongitudc and latitude ; and to add to the actual survey of this portion
of the river, a general map of the country between the Mississippi
and Pacific, from the thirty-fourth to the lifty-fourlh degrees
of latitude. These additions are from inforniation collected
from Indians with whom he had opportunities of communicating,
during his journey and residence with them. Copies of this
map are now presented to both houses of congress. Wjth these
I communicate also a statistical view, procmed and forv\arded
by him, of the Indian nations inhabiting the territories of Louisi-
ana, and the countries adjacent to its northern and western bor-
ders ; of their commerce, and of other interestuig circumstances
respecting them.

TRAVrLS IN AMKRIfA.

Ill order to rtmUr the slatoment as coin))!(?l<< ns may he, *»f
the IndiaiiH iiiliabitiiig \\w cotintiy \v( st of tht; MisMnsippi, { add
doctor Sibley's account of ihosu residing in anil adjacent to the
territory of Orleans.

I comnuinicatc also, from the same person, an arconnt <»f the
Red river, according to the lu'st information he had been able to
collect.

ilaving been disappointed, after considerable preparation, in
the pnrpose of sending an ex|>loring party np that river, in the
suiniuer of one thoMsand eight hnndred and four, it >va.s thought
best to employ the autunm of that year in pM»c\iring a know-
ledge of an niteresting branch of the riv(;r called the \N ashita.
This was undei taken un«ler the direction of Mr. Dunbar, of
Natchez, a citizen of distinguished science, who hatl aidetl,
and continues to aid us, witli his disinterested and valuable ser-
vices in the prosecution «>f these enterprizes. He ascended tht*
river to the remarkable hot springs near il, in latitude M'^ 31'
4". 86, longitude !.)2" 50' 4.y' west from (Greenwich, taking its
courses and di-stances, and correclinj; them by fret|Ment celestial
observations. Isxtracts from his observations, and copies of his
map of the river, from its mouth to the hot springs, niake part
of the present communications. The examination of the Ited
river itself, is but now commencing.

February 19, 180f).

TlI..IL:iT'KliSOX.

EXTRACT OF A UTTPIIII FROM CAPTAIN M F.R I W F.THF.R
LUWIS, TO THE I'RKSlDliNT OF I 11 K UNTIED STATLS,

DATi:u

Fori Mandan, jlpril 17///, 18('J.
DEAll Sin,

EREWITH inclosed you will receive an hivoice of certain
articles, which I have forwarded to you from this place. Among
other articles you u ill observe, by reference to the invoice, 07 speci-
mens of earths, salts and minerals, and (>() specimens of plants:
these are accompanied by their respective labels, expressing the
days on which obtained, places where found, and also their vir-
tues and properties, wlu;n known. Hy means of these labels,
reference may be made to the chart of the Missouri, f(»rwarded
to the secretary of war, on which the eneam}»nn'nt of each day
has been carefully marked : thus the places at which these speci-
mens have been obtained, may be easily pointed out, or again
found should any of them prove valuable to the community on
further investigation.

ifl.V l»P, of

^>|>i, I iidd

tut to llio

Hnt of the
en able to

•ration, in
f'l, in the
s thonght
a knr>\v-
^^asllita.
nibar, <»f
i«l ai(l»'(|,
able ser-
ndj'd the

.■;r 31'

akinv its •
celestial
IS of liis
iike part
be Ked

lATLS,

180 J.

certain
Vmoni;
■speci-
'laiits :
]ii tbe
ir vir-
abeJs,
aided
b dav
ipeci-
agaiu
t> on

ijiAir. or TMK I'AK I Y. O

Vou uill aixo receive herewith inelosed, a part «»f enpl. Clarke -i
private journal; the other purl yoii will lind ineloHrd in a sepa-
lalt! tin box. 'Ibis journal will serve to i:iv<- )ou llu: dail_\ do-
tails of onr pro;;re«*s and transa< tioii-*

I shall dis|>atch a canoe with ihree, pt-ihaps fotn persons from
the exfrenie nuvi|L;able point ol \\u' Missouii , or di< p'»n:i':e be-
tween this river and the ('oUnnbia ri\er, as eilher njiiv Jir>-l luppni.
JJy tin; return of this eanoe, 1 >hall M-nd \ou iny journ;il, and
s<»n>e one uv two of the best of those k<pl l>y inv hieii. I ba\e
M'Ut a journal kept In one of the -^eri^'eants, to captain Stoddiird,
my ajrent at St. i.onis, in order as nnu h as possible to multiply
the chances of sa\iiij» sonielhin;^. N\ i ha\c' i iiciuira^nl onr men
to keep Journals^ and >even id' tli. m <!■>, to whom in this re-
.s])ert we yive every assislan«e in our power.

1 have tiaiisiiiitted to the secietmy at w;ir, <>very infornialioii
relative to the^eogiaphy of the eountiy whie.li w«' pohsess, loj^e-
ther with a siew of the Indian nalioiix, eontahiiii>i; infurmatioii
relative to them, on those points with x^bieh I <oiictived it im-
portant that the <;overnnient should be inloiniid.

J?y rifeienee to the inn-ter rolls forwarded to the war depart-
ment, you will see the statt; of the party; in addition to which
no ha\e two interpreters; one iKjj;ro misii, ^rvant to eapt.
Clarke ; one Indian woman, wife 1<» one of tin- inl< rpretcrs, and a
Maiulan man, whom we tak«' witli a vit w t<» region! peace Im»-
tweeii the Siuike Inditms, and tlio>e in llii» iiei;j;hbourhood,
tiniounting in total w ith oin.st Ives to :\", peisoiis. iJy means of
the interpreters and Indians, we shall be enabled to eonvprs«« witli
ull the Indians that we shall probably iiui t wiih ot: tlie Miss(»uri.

1 have forwarded to the secretary lit war my j)id)lir account^',
rendered up to the pit >< tit d.i\. 'liicy huv< been nuu:h longer
delayed than 1 had any idea tlie\ woiiM hav 'ii, when we de-
parted from the Illinois; bnl lhisdela\, niuK ;he eiieumstance^
which I was compelled to act, has been unavoAlable. j'he pro-
vision poroque and her crew, couKi not base been dismissed in liiue to
have returned to St. Louis last fall, wilhout evident!;, in my opi-
nion, hazarding" tin- fateof llie cnlerprt/ie in vvliicb I am eni.';a!;ed;
and 1 therefore did not hesilalc to prett.r the ceutuie lliiU 1 may
have incurred by the detrnlion of tin ^e papers, to that of riskin:^
ill any degree the suct:ess t>i llie e.vj>i ihtion. 'J'o me- the ilct«?ii-
lion of these papers has formed a senous source of l> juiet and
anviety ; and the recollection of yoin paitieulu) • uaij;e to me on
this subject, has made it still more poignant. J am fully aware
of the inconvenienee which must have arisen to tiie war dep;n t-
meiit, from the want (d" these voucliers, previous to ilie I ist .ses-
sion of congress, but how to aseit it was oat of my power to
dcvis'j

TRAVELS rN AMERTCA.

From iMsplaCP wpsliall send the Ijargennd rrvw en rlv to-morrow
mornin{;, with okIits to proceed a% rxprditiotisly as possible to
St. I/Miis; by lur \\v sMid our dispatches, which I trust will
get safe to hnnd. Her crew consists of ten able bodied men,
well armed and provided with a sufficient stock of provision to
last them to St. I^)itis. 1 have but little doubt but they will be
fired on by the Siouxs ; but they have plcdp;ed thcL -iclves to us
that they will not yield while there is a man of them livinor.
Our baggage is all embarked on board six sniull canoes, nnd two
peroqucs ; we shall set out at the same monient that we dispatch
the barge. One, or perhaps both of these peroqucs, v-e ijball
leave at the falls of the Missouri, from whence vt; intend con-
timiing our voyage in the canoes, and a peroque of skins, the
frame of which was prepared at Harper's ferry. This peroque
is now in a situation which will enable us to prepare it in the
course of a few hours. As our vessels are now small, and the
current of the river much more moderate, we calculate upon
travelling at the rate of ^JO or 'i5 miles per day, as far as the
falls of the Missouri, lieyond this point, on the iirst range of
rocky mountains, situated about ICX) miles further, any calcu-
lation with respect to our daily progress, can be little more than
bare conjecture. The circumstances of the Snake Indians pos-
sessing large quantities of horses, is much in our favour, as by
means of horses the transportation of our bagg:ige will be ren-
dered easy and expeditious over land, from the Missouri to the
Columbia river. Should this river not prove navigable where
we first meet with it, our present intention is, to continue our
inarch by land down the river, until it becomes so, or to the
Pacific ocean. The map, which has been forwarded to the
secretary of war, will give you the idea we entertain of the
connection of these rivers, which has been formed from the
corresponding testimony of a number of Indians, w ho have vi-
sited that country, and who have been separately and carefully
exannned on that subject, and we therefore think it entitled to
some degree of contidence. Since our arrival at this placc^
we have subsisted principally on meat, with which our guns
have supplied us amply, and have thus been enabled to reserve
the parched meal, portable soup, and a contiiderable proportion
of pork and tiour, which we had intended for the more difficult
parts of our voyage. 1 f 1 ndian information can be credited, the
vast quantity of game with which the country abounds through
which we arc to pass, leaver us but little to apprehend from the
want of food.

We do not calculate on completing our voyage within the
present year, but expect to reach the Pacific ocean, and return
as far as the head of the Missouri, or perhaps to this plaice.

the

EX LANATORY KErLRKNCHS. . 7

before wintf r. \oii may ihcicforc expect mc to mf ct you :it
Moiita<h«'llo ill Siptiinbtr, IS()(). On <»ur rfturii \mj sImU
probably puss down the Yrllow Stone river, wliidi, tioni Indian
iriforiiiatiuii, \\atei^ one ottlit fuiiest portions uf tliis contini nt.

I tiin <>vf no niati'i ml (u* prubuMe obstruction to our progress,
and entertain, tiien (oro, the most sanguine hopes of complete
success. As t«> invxt 11. iiuiividuully, I never enjoyed a more
perfect state of pood health than I have since we commenred
cur voyage. ^iy iiuslunable friend und companion, captain
Clarke, has also (>ujm\(.(I <;ood health g^-nerully. At this mo-
ment every iiulividual of the party is in goo<l health and excel-
lent spirits, zealously attached to the enter|)rize, and anxious to
proceed: not a whisper of discontent or iiunnuir is to be ht>ard
among duni ; but all iu luiisou act with the most perfect bar-
mony. With such men 1 have every thing to hope, and but
little to fear.

He so good as to present my most aflfcctionate regard to all
my friends, and be assured of the sincere and unalterable attach-
ment of

Your most obedient servant,

iMLlIIWETHKR LEWIS,

Captain of lit U. S. regiment of infant ry.
TR.JEFFEnsON,

Fiesidertt of the United States,

A STATISTICAL MEW

or THE

IXBIAN NATIONS

INHAOXTINC

THE TERRITORY OF LOUISIANA

AND THE

COUNTRIES ADJACENT TO ITS NORTHERN AND

WESTERN BOUNDARIES.

EXPLANATORY REFERENCES.

A. The names of the Indian nations as usually spelt and pro-

nounced in the English language.

B. Primitive Indian names of nations and tribes, English or-

thography, the syllables producing the sounds by which

I ' 1 I! \\ l.LS I \ A Ml. nil .\.

i\\i liirli;iiift tlirtii*'* Ivrs < x|>r«s« tlu' n;iiiu of lluir rc.'prr-

tWV llatlMIIM.

t'. Niik iKinirs, or tlw^f wliicli liavr <;(!)( rally olitaiiit'd niiiuii>^

the C:ili:iili:iii t titilcis
I). Th»- l:Hipu;i«:r iIm V spciik, if" |»iitiiifi\r, innrkcd uitk ;i "*

otlii r\vi<«i' il>ri\(il iVoiii, ami :i|i|M()\tiiiuliug to llic

E, Niih.Im r <>1' \illii'_'« s.

F. NiihiIm r oC lriil-» or juil^'ts of tln« rovitij; lamls.
Ci. Nmiif»«rsof' wiiirims.

11. 'Ill'- proliiiMr lliwildcr of souls.

I. 'lh»' iiv«r«iii« wliicli tiny i(»\c, or on wliicli llu'ir villjigrs

firr sifuutt'd.
J. 'Jilt' naiiH s of tlir icitloMs or (oinjuiUKs willi mIioih tluy

niaintaiti tluir piiiif ipal ciiMirnnrror |i';(iric.
K> I It*' place oil wliuli thru tcitlic i> nsimlly farricil on.
Lj. 'I'Im; amouiil ol iihk li.iiitli^r mrt »ai v lor ilitir annual (*on-

snnipllon, istiniaUcI in dollars at the St. l<onis pricrs.
M. '1 lie »'stnnatcd ainoiint in dollarn, ut liicir annual rtturns

at tlu St. Louis priii s.
N. lilt' sp( cirs ol piliric^, fins and other articles nnIuc'Ii tiioy

annually supply or furni'^li.
O. 1 lu' spitios oi ptliii(s, furs and otlirr articles which the

iKitural productions of tlx ir coiuitry would (liable thi'iii

to furnish, [>r<.>vid((l proper cncuura^einent wus given

them.
P. The places at whi* h it would he nnitnaily advan!a<?eous to

form the principal (stahli>tiinents, in order to supply thu

several Indian nations with Tncrchajidiso.
Q. The nanu s of the Indian nations w ith \\hoin they arc at war.
H. The names of the Indian nations with whom they maintain

a friendly alliance, or with wiiom they are united hy iii>

tercourse or marriagi".
S, jMibcellaneuuii remarks,

NOTATIONS.

- over n, denotes that a sf)un<ls as in canp;ht, taught, &c.

A over a, denotes that it sounds as in dart, part, &.€.

a without notation has its primitive sound as in ray, hay,
&.C. except only when it is followed by r or zc, in which
case it sounds as it.

, set underneath denotes a small pause, the word being di-
vided by it into two parts.

TllK INDIAN TRADi:. The sums stated under and
opposite " L" are the amounts of merchandise annually fur-
uniied the several nations of Indiuns, including uU iucidental e}^-

INTRKBSTING PAITICVLARS.

penscs of transportation, iic. iitnirrcd by tlio nierrtranf* wh'aU
geiirrnUy avciage>« hboiit one third uf tlu; whole ttnii>tint. 'I'lie
lucrchuiiiliBe is CHtiiiiutcMi ;«t an advaiu^oof \2S iwri'fnt. <m the
^)lerlin^ cost. It a|>p« uis to u\c tliut l\*e amount of men huiMh>u
which th«; liiriian.H have ht-rn iu the habit of lociiviii^ Humially,
is the l>r»t ftaiidant \iy %«hu:h to rrgiibtr tho quaiititii's lircchsiiry
for tiicin in the tirst instance; th<>v\Mll ni\iii\a ronsumt) »s niiicii
merchunditc as ihey can fray for, und those with whom a ri^u<
lar trade has \h-vu carried uu liavo gfuenilly received that
quantity.

The amount of their rpturns statnl iinth't nod opposite " M"
are estimatL-d by the pcitiy Htandiird of hi. I»iii<«, which is 40
centa |if r pound for ih^r ttkinst ; (i u.) aU furs and pelirir-s arc
ii,nit reduced hy their comparutite vulue to lbs. of iiu'rchaniahle
tker skins, which are tlieu estimated at 1<> rents prr M>.

These cstahhiihuicnts lue not nicnlioneii :»5 beinjij th«)ught im-
portant at present ui a govcrninentid punit of view.

A. Grand Ofcagc.

B. B'^r-har-cha.
C Grand Zu.
1). ♦

LI. Two.

G. 1.200. . , .

11. 5.000. '

1. At the three forks of the Arkansas river, uud eighty leagues
up the Osage river, on the tioutli biUe.

J. Merchant-^ of St. IjOUIs.

K. At their villages. ' . .

L. 15.000.

M. 20.000 • '

N. Principally skins of the small deer, black bear, some bea-
ver, and a few otters and racLoons.

O. Small deer skins, black bear, and a nmch larger propoiition
of beaver, otter, rackoon, and niiiakrats.

P. About the three forks of the Arkansas river, fiOO miles froni »
its junction with the M i$siM.sippi.

Q. With all their Indian neighbors, e.vcept the Little Osage, i
until the United States took posses»ion of Louisiana. i

R. With the Little Osage only. " ^

S. Claim the country within the following limits, viz. commeneinir j
at the mouth of a south branch of ihft Osage river, csdleiJ i
^eangua, and with the same to its source, tljenve south .
Lewis A.N D Clakke.] b ' '

TRAVELS IN AMERICA.

wardly to intersect the Arkansas about ime hundred miles
below tlie three forks of that river ; thence up the principal
branch of the same, to the confluence of a large north-
Nvardly branch of the same, tying a considerable distance
M'est of the Great Saline, and with that str«am nearly to
its source : thence northwardly, towards the Kansas river,
embracing the waters of the upper portion of the Osage
river, and thence obliquely approaching the same ( ^he
beginning. The climate is delightful, and the soil fertile
in the extreme. The face of the country is generally level,
and well watered ; the eastern part of the country is covere<l
with a variety of excellent timber ; the western and middle
country high prairies. It embraces within its limits four'
Halines, wlich are, in point of magnitude and excellence,
unequalled by any known in North America ; there are
also many others of less note. The principal part of
the Great Osage have always resided at their villages, on the ;
Osage river,since tbey have been known to the inhabitants of
Louisiana. About three years since, nearly one half of this
nation, headed by their chief the Big-tracky e migrated to
the three forks of the Arkansas, near 'which, and on its .
north side, they established a village, where thcy'i -^w reside.
'I'he Little Osage formerly resided on die S. \ . side of
the Missouri, near the mouth of Grand river; ut being
reduced by continual warfare with tlieir nei^hb< s, were
compelled to seek the protection of the Great O.' ge, near ,
"whom they now reside. There is no doubt but \ eir trade
will increase ; they could furnish a much larger t antity of .
beaver than they do. I think two villages^ on > - Osage '
river, might be prevailed on to remove to the Arkansas, j
and the Kansas, higher up llie Missouri, ^tid thus leave a
sufficient scope of country for the Shawnees, Dillewars,'
Miames, and Kickapoos. The Osages cultivate corn,
beans^ &c. ... . , ... "' ', " ■

A.
B.
C.
D.
E.

Little Osigc.
Ood'-zMiiu.
Petit Zo.
Osftge.
One.

• ' )
■ ■' JfeJt

r
'I

300.

i.3oo: ••••/. 84... '.'.H'^ ^,

Near the. great OsageJ.
'Merchants of St. Louis.

,7'il.

iM.; id |{t(.o;( 1. '.»'

..<s \: ,. '".

•., 'if?,r '.il

>,!):. 1 Jilt fl

ill 5j.> ' Jiii »Ii:

b .

.) .i

ir.v^.x

dtcd miles
i principal
rge iiorlh-
e distance
1 nearly to
nsas river,
ihe Osage
me t he
ioil fertile
alJy level,
is covered
vl middle
mils four
tcelience,
there are
part of
es, on the ;
bitants of
ilf of this
grated to
lid on its
w reside.
. side of
ut beinnj
s, were
ge, near
eir trade
antitjr of
^ Oitage
^rkansa:^, ,
i leave a
illewars,'
te corn.

Hf //■ ..,

.ii

f! . ',' .':(

USii.'j .i
|] t,:

INTERESTING FARTlCULAftd. H

K. At their v>)Iage.

L. 5.000.

iSI. 8.000.

JV. The same as the Great Osages.

O. The same as the Great Osages.

P. The same as the Great Osages.

Q. With all their Indian neijtlibors, except the Great Osage

K. With iho Great Osage only.

S. See page ]1, S.

A. Kanzas.

B. Kar'-sa,

C. Ki'ih.
1). OsAge.
E. One.

G. 300. ' .

II. 1.300.

1. Eighty leagues up the Kan/as river, or the north side.

J. Merchants of St. Louis.

K. On the M issouri above the mouth of the Kanzas river, not
stationary, and at their village.

L. .5.(X)0.

M.8()(X).

N. The same as the Osage, with buffaloc grease and robes.

O. The same as the Osage.

P. On the north side of the Kanzas river, atabluflfonc and
a half miles from its confluence with the Missouri.

Q. With all nations within their reach.

K. They are sometimes at peace with the Ottoes and Missouris,
with whom they are partially intermarried.

S. The limits of the country they claim is not known. The
country in which they reside, and from thence to the Mis-
souri, is a delightful one, and generally well watered and
covered with excellent timber : they hunt on the upper part of
Kanzas and Arkanzas rivers ; their trade may be expected to
increase with proper management. At present they are a
dissolute, lawless banditti ; frequently plunder their traders,
and cotnmit depredations on persons ascending and desend-
ing the Missouri river: population rather increasing.
These people, as well as *hc Great and Little Osages, are
stationary, at their villages, from about the lath of March
to the loth of May, and again from the 15th of August to
the 15th of October: the balance of the year is appro-
priated to hunting. They cultivate corn, &c.

B '2,

TBAVEXS IN AMERICA.

I !

\\\ i

I! I
ii

A. Ottocs. '.'■.'

B Wsy-dok^-lah-tah.

C I /a Z<Nto.

D. Missouri. - •

\l. Ottoes and Missouris, one.

G. 120.

II. 5(X).

1. Sonth side of the river Platte, fifteen leagues from its
mouth.

.1. Merchants of St. Louis.

K. On tl«e Missouri, below the river Platte; not stationary,
and at their villa;:os.

L. 4.CX)0, including the Missouris.

M. 8.000, including the Missuuris.

N. Principally deer skins, black bear, a greater proportion of
beaver than the Osage, some otter and rackoons.

O. Skins of the deer, black bear, beaver, otter, rackoon,
muskrats and wolves, butfaloe robes, tallow anii grease,
bear's oil, deer and elk tallow, elk ."(kins dressed and in
parchment, all in much larger quantites than they do at
present.

P. The Council Bluff, on the S W side of the Missouri,
iifty miles abovt the mouth ui the river Platte.

Q. With the Muhus, Ptui'cars, Sioux, the Great and Little
Osage, K»iuus and Loups. •

Jl. With the l^anis proper, Siuikees and Renars.

S. They have no idea ot an exclusive possession of any coim-*
try, nor do they assiu;n themselves any limitR. I do not be-
lieve that ihcy would object to the introduction of any well
disposed Indians : they treat the tradertj with respect and
hospitality, generally. In their occupations of hunting and
cultivation, they are the same with the Kansas and Obuge.
They hunt on the Saline, Nimmehaw rivers, and west of
them in the plains. The country in which they hunt lies
well ; it is cntremcly fertile and well watered ; that part of
it whiih borders on the Nimmehaw and Missouri possesses
a good portion of timber : populaticm rather increasing.
They have always resided near the place their village is
situated, and are the descendants of the Missouris.

A. Missouris-

B. New'-dar-cha.

C. Missouri.

INTEOESTlTtO PARTICULARS.

B from its

8tationaii7,

portion of

rackoon,
ivi grease,
sd and in
hey do at

Missouri,

lud Little

my conn-
o not be-
any well
spect and
»Un% and
Osage.
\ west of
innt lies
t part of
possesses
creasing,
illage is

D. ♦

K. See page 14, E.

-F.

(i. 80.

H. 300.

I. With the Ottoes.

J. iVI en liants of St. Louis

K. Same as Ottoes, seepage \b, K. .-

L. See page 15, L.

M. See page 15, M.

N. Same as the Ottoes, page 15, N.

O. Same as the Ottoes, do. O.

P. The Coinicil BUiff, on the S. W. side of the Missouri,
fifty miles above die mouth of the river Platte.

Q. With the Mahas, Poncais, Sioux, the Great and Little
O.tage, Kanzas and Loups.

R. VVidi<he Panis proper, Saukees and Renars.

S. These are the remnant of the most numi rotis nation inha-
biting the .Vlisi^uri, when tir»t known to the French.
Their ancient and most ptincipul village was situated in au
extensive and fertile plum on the norih bank of the Mis-
souri, just below the entrance of the Grand river. Re-
peated attacks of the small pox, togetiier with their war
M'ith the Saukees and Ueiiars, has reduced them to their
present state of dependence on the Ottoes, with whom they
reside, as well in their village as on their hunting excur-
gions. The Ottoes view them as their inferiors, and some-
times treat them amiss. 'I'hese people are the real pro-
])rietors of an ejftensive and fertile country lying on the
Missouri, above their ancient village for a considerable
distance, and as low as the mouth of the Osage river,
and thence tlie Mississippi.

A . Panias proper.

B. PiVnee.

C. Grand Par.
1). *

E. One.

G 400.

II. IGOO.

1. Suuth side of the river Platte, tliirty l<*agucs from its

mouth.
.1 . Merchants of St Louis.
K. On die Missouri, below the river Plutte, not statioiiary,

and at their village.

TRAVELS IN AMERICA.

U\ ■;

L. 0.400, including the Panias Republican.

M. 10.000, including the Panias Republican.

N. Fine beaver principuily, a considerable proportion of bea-
ver, some robes and a few rackoon.s.

O. Skins of the beaver, otter, rackoon, muskrats and wolves^
baftaloe robes, tallow and grease, elk skins and grease,
also a number of horses.

P. The Council Bluff, on the S.W. side of the Missouri,
fifty miles above tlie mouth of the river Platte.

Q. With the Pauia- pique, Great and Little Osage, Kanzas, La
Play, Sioux, Ricaras and Paducas.

R. With the Loups, Mulia^, Poncars, Ottoes, Missouris and
Avauwais.

S. With respect to their idea of the possession of soil, it is
similar to that of the Ottoes ; they hunt on the south side
of the river Platte, higher up and on the head of the
Kanzas. A great proportion o( this country is open plains,

' interspersed, however, with groves of timber, which arc
m(»st generally fuund in the vicinity of the water courses.
It is generally fertile and well watered ; lies level, and free
of Mtone. They have resided in the coimtry which they now
inhabit, since they were known to the whites. Their trade
is a valuable one, from the large proportion of beaver and
otter which they furnish, and it may be expected yet to in-
crease, as those animals are still abundant in their country.
The periods of their residence at their village and hunting,
are similar to the Kanzas and Osagcs. Their population
is increasing. They are friendly and hospitable to uil white
persons; pay great respect and deference to their traders,
with whom they are punctual in the payment of their debts.
. 'I'liey are, in all respects, a friendly, well disposed people,
'i'hey cultivate corn, beans, melons, &c.

A. Panl^ Rrptihlican.

B. Ar-ri'ih pa- boo',

C. Republic.

D. Pania.

K. Panias proper and Panias Republican live in the same village,

G. .300.

H. J. 400. N

L With the Panias proper, •

J. Merchants of St. Louis. ,

K. See page 17 K.

L. Sec page 17 K. *

on of beh-
ind wolvesj
nd grease,

Missouri,

Canzas, La

ssouris aud

f soil, it is
: 80iith side
cad of the
>pen plains,
which are
er courses.
\, and frre
h tliey now
rheir trade
beaver and
1 yet to in-
ir country,
id hunting,

)opiilalioti
o ail white
eir traders,

leir debts.

ed people%

ne village.

INTERESTING PARTICULARS.

t«

M. See page 17 M. < .

N. See page 17 N. • .: ' '

O. See page 17 O. ; •' ; > i

P. Seepage 17 P. . !

Q. See page 1 7 Q.

li. See page 17 H. '

S>. Are a branch of the Pania proper ; or, as they are frequently
termed, the Big Pauch. About ten years since they wiili-
drew themselves from the mother nation, and ci-tablishcd a
village on a large northwardly Jbranch of the Kanzas, to
M hich they have given name ; they afterwards subdivided
and lived in different parts of the country on the waters of
Kanzas river ; but being harassed by their turbulent neigh'
bors, the Kanzas, they rejoined the Panias proper last
spring. What has been said with respect to the Paidias pro-
per is applicable to these people, except that th»y hunt-
principally on the Republican river, which is better stocked'
with timber than that hunted by the Panias.

A. Panias Loups (or Wolves.)

B. Skec'-e-ree.

C. La Loup.

D. Pania. ■ ■■'■'■ "'•■''.' -''i

E. One.

G. 280. • '"• ■' '■'■■■' ■■ ■ ■ • '- • '

H. 1.000.

I. On the N. E. side of the Wolf river, branch of tlie river

Platte, 36 leagues frotn its mouth.
J. Merchants of St. Louis.
K. At the village of the Panias.
L. 2.400.
M.:i. 500. "^ ' '■ ' •' '^

Ul')i'. /4l'

•<. i

. i. .'

N. See page 17 N. '

O. See page 17 O. !

P. See page 17 P.

Q. With Pania-picque, Great and Little Osage, Kanzas, Le
" Plays, Sioux, Ricaras> Mahas, Poncars, Ottoes and Mis-
fiouris. •' '••■ ■; •■' ' _ • ' ■■ ;■ ■ --^ ;

R. Panias proper, and Panias Republican.

S. 'I'hese are also a branch of the Panias proper, who sepa-
rated themselves from that nation many jears since, and

< • established themselves on a north branch of the riv^r Platte,

•. to which their name was also given : these people have

likewise no idea of an exclusive right to any portion of the

'(M

Id TRAVBLt IN AMERICA.

country. They hunt on the Wolf river above thwf viWugc,
snd on the river Platte above the mouth of that river.
This country is very similar to that of the Punias proper ;
though there is an extensive body of fertile ucll timbered
land between the Wolf river below tlujir village and tlie
river Corn de Ccrf, or Eikhoiu river. They cultivate
• ' corn, beans, &c. The particulars related of the other I'a-
nias is bIko applicable to them. They are seldom visited
by any trader, and tlierefore usually bring their furs and
' peltry to the village of the Panias proper^ wliere they traliic
ivith the whites.

5 1

ti "

A.
B.
C
D.

E.
F.
G.

H.
1.

J.
K.
L.

M.
N.
O.

Mah&s. "'■ '-■''>'■•> •.••"'■ ■ -
O-m-a'-hi. J • ! - - ■

La Mar.

Osage, with different accent ; some words peculiar to them-
selves.

(

w I ,

60.

150.

6(X). . . . : '^

The river Quicurre and the head of the Wolf river..

Merchants of St. Louis. .

• • ■

At their old village, though no trade latterly.
4.000, including the Pon'c^rs. / >

7.000 including the Pon'cars. ' /;'•;.:{

See page 17) I^. '^ ' ' - '

The same as the Ottoes' and Missouris*, with the addition of
skins of the Missouri antelope, (called cabvi'^ by tbe inha-
bitants of the Illinois.) . ..j./j .. j? jy », .;•.:], .'.i
P. See page 17, P.
Q. Great and Little Osage, Kanzas, Loups, Ottoes, i^isspuri^

and all the Sioux, except the Yankton Ahn^.
R. With the Panias proper, Panias Republicans, Yankttin^
Ahna, Saukees, Renars, and Ayouwais. .t

S, They have no id«a of exclusive possession of soil. Abouf
_ ten years since, they boasted 700 warriors. They have
lived in a village, on the west nank of the Missouri, S36
miles above the mouth of the riv^r Pktte, where they eulr .
ti,vated corn> beans, and melons : tbey vere wau-like, and
the terror of their neighbours. In the yummer and autumn
of J 802, they were visited by the small->pe«, whick re-
<|^ced their numbers to somethiiig ka*' tUau SCO; lliey

'■■■S
-J

INTBREITINO PARTICULARS.

burnt their village, and have become a wandering nation,
deserted by the traders, and tlie consequent deficiency of
arms and ammunition has invited frequent aggreitsioni from
their ueigbourM, whicii have tended to reduce them still
further. They rove principitlly on the waters of the river
Quicurre, or Kupid river. The country is generally level,
high, and open : it is fertile, and tolerably well watered.
They might easily be induced to become stationary : they
are well disposed towards the whites, and are good hunters :
tlieir country abounds in beaver and otter, and their trade
will increase and become valuable, provided they become
stationary, and are at peace. The Tetons BoU( brftl^ killed
and took about Oo of them last summer.

A.
H.
C.
D.
E.

H.
J.
J.
K.
•L.
M.
N.
O.
P.
Q.
R.
S.

Poncdrs.
Poong-car.
la P«»ng,
Mkirk,

GO.
50.

'iOO.

With the Mahas.

Merchants of St. Louis.

No place of trade latterly.

See page '20, L.

See page 20, M.

See page 17, N.

See page 20, O.

See page 17, P.

See page 20, Q.

See page 2 1 , K.

The remnant of a nation once respectable in point of num-^
bers. I'hey formerly resided on a branch of the Red river
of lake Winnipic : beuig oppressed by the Sioux, they re-
moved to the west side of the Missouri, on Poncar river,
where they built and fortitied a village, and remained some
years ; but being pursued by their ancient enemies the
Sioux, and reduced by continual wars, they have joined,
and now reside wiUi tlie Mahas, whose language they
speak. ,1 .

LEWI« AND CLARKE.]

TRAVELS IN AMERIdA,

A. Ric&ris.

B. Sllr-rSlh-h^.

C. h Ree.

D. Punia, with a difTerent accent^ and a number of words pGcu<>

liar to themselves.

E. Three.
F.

G. *)00.

H. 2.000

I. On the S.W. side of the Missouri, 1.440 miles from its
mouth.

J. Merclinnts of St. Louis.

K. At their villages.

L. 2. .500.

M.fi.OOO.

N. Bultaloe robes principally, a small quantity of beaver, small
foxes and grtase.

O. BnfTaloe robes, tallow and j»rease, skins of beaver, small
and liirge foxes, wolves, anltilopes and elk in great abun-
dance : also, some otter, deer and prizzly bears.

P. About thi' mouth of the rwer Chyenne, on the Missouri, or
at the mouth of the Yellow Stone river.

Q. With Uje Crow Indians, Snake Indians, Panias Loups, As-
sinnibai.is, Nemosen, Alitan, la Plays, and Paunch In-
dians.

R. Chyrnnes, Wetepahatocs, Kiawas, Kanenavich, Staetan,
Cattako, Dotame, Custahanas, Mandans, Ah-wah-haway's,
Minetares, and partially vvith the Sioux.

S. Are the remains of ten large tribes of Panias, who have
been reduced, by the small- pox and the Sioux, to their pre-
sent number. They live in fortified villages, and hunt
immediately in their ueiglihourhood. 'I'lie country around
them, in every direction, lor several hundred miles, is en-
tirely bare? of timber, except on the water-courses and steep
declivities of lulls, where it is sheltered from the ravages of
fire. The land is tolerably well watered, and lies well for
cultivation. The remains of the villages of these people
are to be seen on many parts of the M issouri, from the
mouth of tlic 'IVtone river to the Mandans. They claim
, no land except that on which their villages stand, and the
jS'eUis which they cultivate. The Tetous claim the country
iaround thern. Though they are the oldest inhabitants,
they may properly be considered the farmers or tenants at
will of that lawless, savage and rapacious race the Sioux
Teton, who rob them of their horses, plunder their gardens

, i> .-J.

IXTERBSTiNG PARTICULARS.

rds pcGUo

from its

ver, small

iver, small
eat abun-

issouri^ or

Loups, As-
lunch In-

Staetan,
ih-haway's,

who have
> their pre-
and hunt
try around
ies, is cn-
} and steep
ravages of
es well for
tse people
from the
hey claim
, and the
he country
nhabitants,
tenants at
the Sioux

eir gardens

and fields, and somen uies murder ihem, without opposi-
tion. If these people were freed froui die oppression of
the Teious, iheir trade woidd increase rapidly, and nii.j;lit
be extended to a consideiabU amount. 'J'liey nihiiititiii u
partial trade with their oppressors tlie Toloiis, lo wlKiin
they barter horses, mules, corn, beans, and a species of to-
bucco ^hich tliey cultivate; aud reciive in return j^uiis,
ammunition, kettles, a\es, and other articles which the
Tetons obtain from the Yunktons of the M. and Sis-
satoues, who trade with Mr. Cammcron, oo the river
St. Peters. These horses and nmlei the Ricaras t)btain
from their wcjtern neighbours, w ho visit them fre^iciilly
fur the^jurpose of trafficking. ,i ^ .

A. Mandans.

•a -KM AA rMa-too-ton'-ka, 1st village.

B.Man-dan ( Koop-tar'-har, 2d vdlage. .. . .• ,,> .\

C. Mandans. * . .:/ .li

D. *, some words resembling the Osage, - , . ■ .' >

E. Two. . li U

F. . :' .'•

G. 350. .1
H. 1.250. •

I. On both sides of the Missouri, 1 6 12 miles from its month.
J. The Hudson Bay and ^ . VV. companies,' from Uieir eaita-

blishment on the Assinniboiu. .^.lu-.bn' I .-.

K. At their villages. . !, . ! 'j 'i* .• : .?.

L.. 2.000. . i;. . • ;.,;. ;,»rh-i;:!'. '' ' .'1

M.6 000. f

N. Principally the skins of the large and small wolves, and ;the
small fox, with buifaloe robes, some skins of the large. fo.\
and beaver, also corn and beans.

O. The same as the Ricars (see page 23 O.) except the grizzly
bear. They could furnish, in addition, the skins of a large
species of white hair, a very delicate lur.

P. At or near the mouth of the Yellow Stone river. • . ". i

Q. With no nation except a defensive war with the Sipux.

K. With all nations who do not wage war against them.

S. Tliese are the most friendly, well disposed Indians inhabiting
the Missouri: They are brave, humane, and hospitable.
About 25 years since they lived in six villages, about forty
miles below their present villages, on both sides of the
Missouri. Repeated visitations of the Small-pox, aided
by frequeut attacks of the Sioux, has reduced them to their

c «

TRAVELS IN AMEIlfCA.

present number. Tliey claim no particular tract of coun-
try. They live in fortified vill.iges, hunt immidiately iu
their neighbourhood, and cultivate corn, beaux, squashes,
and tobaroo, ^%hich form attklcs of traffic with their neigh-
bours the Assinnibuiu : they also bailer hcHscs with the
Assinniboins for tirnui, ammunition, axes, kettles, and other
articles of European munufucture, which these last obtain
from the British establishments on the Asivinniboin river.
The articles which they thus obtain from the Assiunibointi
and the British traders who vi«tit them, they again exchange
for horses and leather tents with the Crow Indians, Chy-
ennes, Wetepahntoes, Kiawas, Kanenavich, StactaH, and
Cataka, who visit them occasionally for tlie purpi)se of
traffic. Their trade may be much increased. Their coun-
try is similar to that of the llicuias. Pupuiatiuu increasing.

, ■/«'■

J.
K.
L.

M.
N.
O.
P.
Q.

.ci

Ahwi^hhaway.
Ah-wiih ha-way.
Gens des Soulier.
Menetarrcs.
One.

50.

200.

On the S. W. side of the Missowi^ three miles above the

Mandans.
See page <2 -I-, J. - '•' •- ' •

At the Mandan and Meuetare villages.
300.

1.000. ■- :^''^' ■' '-■ • ■ ■ - -i'

See page 24, N. ~ • '■ '•

See page «4, O. '

See page 25, P.

Defensive war with the Sioux, and offensive with the .Snake
Indians and Flathcads. ■ / i

With all who do not wage war agahist thetn, except the
Snake Indians and Flatheads.

They difter but very little, in any particular, from the Maai-
dans, their neighbours, except in the unjust war which
they, as well as the Minetares, prosecute against the de-
fenceless Snake Indians, from which, I believe, it will be
difficult to induce them to desist. They claim to have once
been a part of the Crow Indians, whom tliey still acknow-
ledge ^s relations. They have resided on the Missouri as
long as their tradition w iti enable them to inform.

1NTBBE8T1N0 PABTICCLAR9.

ft!

t of coin-
idiately in
squaslies,
heir neigh-
i uith the
and utiicr
laitt obtain
boin river,
ssiiiuiboiiiii
II exchange
lians, Chy-
actaHf and
pur)M)se of
fhcir coun-
increusing.

above the

the Snake
except the

A.
B.

J).
E.
F.
G.
H.
1.

J.
K.
L.
M.

N.
O.

P.
Q.

Minctarcs.

E.hat'.«ar, <[5[j^;

Gross Ventres.
Two.

nc-tar-re, l^t village,
ne-tar-re-iuc-le-httf-tar, 2d villa|^.

1./.

I y

600. • ' •'

a.50().

On both sides of Knife river, near the Missouri) 6 tniloi
above the Mandans.

See page 24, J. .^ • . . I.

i\t their villages and hunting camps. '

1.000. ... !

;j.OOO. ..: , .. w : ■■ ^ ■ .- ;. • , -

See page 24, N. " ♦

The same as the Mandans (see p. 24, O.) with the addition
of the white bear. • ^ >

Seep. 25, P. - "

Defensive ^var with the Sioux, and offensive with the Snak^
Indians and Flatheads.
With all, except the Snake Indians and Flatheads^ who do
not wage war against them. 1 1'.. > s,«i t < ' .- nn \,■.^
They claim no particukr country, nor (\o they adMgti 4ftcd»-
selvea any limits: their tradition rt-Uites that thtty have
always resided at their present villages. In tlvsir customs,
manners, and dispositions, they are sintilur to the JMiilidans
and Ahwahhaways. ^fhe scarcity of ^ei induces them to
reside, during the cold sipason, in large bands, in- oimps,
on different parts of the Missouri, as high up that river as
the mouth o( the river Yellow Stone, and « 6Ht of their
vilb^es, about the Turtle mountain. I believe 'that these
people, as well as the Mandans and Ahwahhaways,-niight
be prevailed on to remove to the mouth of Yellow Stone
river, provided an establishment is niude at that place.
They have as yet furntfthed - scarcely any beaver, although
the country they hunt abounds with them ; the lud!>;es of
these animals are to be seen within a mile of their rifhiges.
These people have also suffered considerably by «iie vmali-
pox; but have successfully resisted the attadu of the
Sioux. The N. W. company intend to form an establwb-
ment in the course of the next summer, and aalnmn, .aki
the Missouri, near these people, whirh, if etlecied, vvUl
most probably prevent their removal to any point \d)ich our
government may hereafter wish them to reside at.. ^-^

tf-

£«

TBAVELS IN AMERICA.

'11

:li

A. Avaiiwais.

B. Ah'-e-o-war'. ' . . •

C. Ne Perce'. , ,'.;-»*a v. .... j .;.,-/'"'

J). Missouri. . ' t? '

E. One.

F. • '
G '200.

H. 800.

I. 40 Icagnes up the river Demoin on the S. E. side.

J. Mr. Crawford, and other mercliaiits froiu Michiliniackinac»

K. At their village and hunting camps. ' >'■ > .'

L. ti.SOO. .1 :

M.fi.OOO.

N. Deer skins principally, and the skins of the black bear, bea*
ver, otter, grey fox, rackoon, muskrut, and mink.

O. Deer skins, beaver, Lhick bear, uiter, uriy fox, rarkoon,

,1. I' inuskrat> and mink ; also, elk, and deers* tallow, and bears'
oil. .. J . ,'i.J :

P. At the mouth of the Kunzas. .*' •' '*'

Q. Particularly with the Osage, Kanzai, and Chippeways, la
Fallorine, and those of Leach and Sand Lakes ; some-

ob ( timesi with the Mahas and Sioux Wahpatone, Mindawar*
carton and Wahpacoota.

Rk With the Ottues, Missourw, Siouxs, Yankton, ahnah, and all
the nations east of the Missiasippi, and south of the Chip-

.-rjK pewaya. •.' .-., ^ t ^nnui. • !;.S.;3 >i ««>•■

S. They are the descendants of the ancient Missouris, and claim

> , the country west of them to the. Missouri; but as to its
I. precise limits, or boundaries, between themselves and the
Saukees^nd Foxes, I could never learn. They are a tur-
bulent savage race, frequently abuse their traders, and com-
mit depredations on those ascending and descending the
Missouri. Their trade caunet be expected to increase
much.,

->*■»!

■, L-'I i/orq

• . t ; r

■ i; ' ■ u ♦'i'., '

A. Saukees. '-, 'y * • !:!v »? ,

B. O'saw-kee. i : .' ': ■> h.Mti.-^ o.: - ,.•; :fM.>-,! ■♦- •» i'

C. la Sauk.. ; -»:■'. '.>■. ii v'ht.t.- ■• "••»/.' .'m-I ;/. |

D. * : < . • :-•;'•»,■ tH vi(K>'|n«». i' /: ■♦ . t .t.M ''.

£. Two. • hf»»- /;.-(-- ,.ia IXO.t '^l^- > "lit 'J ■ in iV 'li :^ i

F. ' ; !^ if _'!■»'. ^ r .'^u^iO'iil, .'•- 'fl .'"M '»;.'.«''*'•' ' '•.'

G. 500. . ' ' , ■ • ■•■•H'^: 'h«. :. r, ,■..;. ^.*' ■-

H. 2.000.' • •. ^i ^- V ■ . i;;'u . . . i^.' ^. : .... •• ^^

I ..

■I

i
1

mackmac*

bear, bea-

c, rarkoon*
and bears'

)peways, la
es ; soine-
Mindawar'

loh', and all
the Chip-

and claim
ut as to its
ires and the

arc a tur-

, and com-
cending the

o increase

INTERrSTlSr, PArTICUl.ARS.

I. Oil the west suii of ihu Misnissippi, 140 leagues above St.

Loiiii
J. MtTclianls from MiclniiiMO'"H"»«* and St I.oiii^.
K. At their vil! lutsi, on llir Misai^i^ippl in suiuir) places, and at

1C» I liver uii [hv Waubasfii
Jj. .fKXi.

N. Set' p. CR, N.

O. See p. 28, O.

P. At Prairie de Chicn, (or dog plain )

Q. With ilie 0.sa:;e, Chippewa) s gtiierall), and iSioux, except

tlio Vanktuii uliii'.ih.
H. Kanzas, Ollots, Mis^uuris, Paulas, M alias. Ponrars, and
i\y:i(i\va\s, and all llic nations cuHt ot lliu Miiiiiissippi, and
south ot the CliippcwayS; also with the Yankton ahiiaha.
S. Saukces and lUiiars, or F*)xe3. Thejie nations are so per-
fc<:tly c«)ii.Holidatcd that tliey may, in tact, be considered as
one nation only. 'I'lu y speak the same lan^uaae : they
formerly resided on tlie east .side of i\ui Mississippi, and
.still cluim the land on that i>ide of the rivi.T, from lliu iitouth
of the Oisooiison to the Illinois river, and eastward toward
. lake Michigan ; but to what particular boundary, 1 am not
informed : they also claim, by conquest, the whole of the
country belonging to the ancient Missoiiris, which forms
one of the most valuable portions of Louisiana, but what
proportion of this territory they are willing to assigu to the
.Ayouway^, who also claim a part of it, i do not know, as
they are at war with the Sioux, who live N. and N. VV. of
them, except the Yankton ahnah. Their boundaries in
that quarter are also undefined : their trade would become
much more valuable if peace ^^as established between
them and the nations west of the Missouri, with whom they
are at war : their population has remained nearly the same
for many years : they raise an abundance of corn, beuns,
and melons : they sometimes hunt in the country west of
them, towards the Missouri, but their principal hunting is
on both sides of the Mississippi, from the mouth of the
Oisconsin to the mouth of the Illinois river. These peo-
ple arc extremely friendly to the whites, and seldom injure
their traders; but they are the ♦.lost implacable enemies to
the Indiali nations witii whom they are at war. To them is
justly attributable the almost entire destruction of the Mis-
souris, the Illinois, Cahokias, Kaskaskias^ and Piorias.

£4 TAAVELS l^ A31EHCA. ,

A. Foxe*. ^' '

B. Ot-u\r-g&r-me.

C. la Keiiar.

D. Saukee. '

E. One.
T.

G. SOO.

H. l.SOO.

1. Near ihe Saukees. •

J. Meichanl8 of Michiliinackinaci and St. Louis.

K. See page 29, K. .

L. 2.500.

M. 4.(X)0.

> 1. See page 28, N.

O, See page 28, O.

P. At Prairie de Cbien (or dog plain.)

Q. See page 29, Q

R. See page 29, ' ^

S. See page 29, S.

>r *

A. SIOUX'S PROPER

.. / »

-3"

INTEEBSTI^O PARTICULARS.

>ROPETt

S. WAHPATONE. Claim the countiy in \ihich they
rove on the N. VV. sitle of the river St. Peters, from their vil-
lage to the mouth of the Chippeway river, and thence north
eastvvardly towards the head of the Mi.ssi.ssippi, including the
Crow-wing river. Their lands are fertile, and generally well
timbered, lliey are only stationary while the traders are with
them, which is from the beginning of October to the last of
March. Their trade is supposed to be at its greatest extent.
They tres4t their traders with respect, and seldom attempt to lob
them. This, as well as the other Sioux bands, act. iu all re-
spects, as independently of each other as if they were a distinct
nation.

S. MINDAWARCARTON. Tis the only band of Sioux
that cultivates corn, beans, &c. and these even cannot properly
be termed a stationary people. They live in tents of dressed
leather, which they transport by means of horses and dogs, and
ramble from place to place during the greater part of
the year. They axe friendly to their own traders ; but the in-
veterate enemies to such as supply their enemies, the Chippe-
\vays, witli merchandise. They also claim the country iu which
they hunt, commencing at the entrance of the river St. Peters,
and extending upwards, on both sides of the Mississippi ri-
ver, to the mouth of the Crow-wing river. The land is fertile,
and well watered; lies level, and sufficiently timbered. Theii
trade cannot be expected to increase much.

S. VV AHPACOOTA. They rove in the country south
west of the river St. Peters, from a place called the Hardihood
to the mouth of the Yellow Medicine river ; never stationary
but when their traders are with them, and this does not happen
at any regular of fixed point. At present they treat their traders
tolerably well. Their trade cannot be expected to increase
much. A great proportion of their country is open plains, lies
level, and is tolerably fertile. They maintain a partial traffic
with the Yanktons and Tetons to the west of them ; to these
they barter the articles which ihey obtain from the trader:* on
the river St. Peters, and receive iu return horses, some robes
and leather l<*dges.

S. S.ISSATONE. They claim the country iu which they
rove, embracing the upper portions of llio Red river, of lake
Winnipie, and St. Peters : it is a level coiuitry, intersected with
many small lakes ^ the land is fertile and free of stone; the ma-
jority of it open plains. This country abounds more in the va-
luable fur animals, the beaver, otter and marten, than any portion
of Louisiana yet known. This circumstance furnibljes the Sis-
satones with the means of purchasin;:; niore merch;uulii>e, in
proportion to their number, than any nation in liiii quifrlcr.

Lewis and Clarke.] c

TTlAVEtS IN AMERICA.

<ii

■I

A great proportion of this merchandise is reserved by them
for their trade v ith the Tetons, whom they annually meet at
some point previously agreed on, upon the M'aters of James
river, m the month of May. This Indian fair is frequently at-
tended by the Yanktons of the North and Ahnah. The Sissatonei
and Yanktons of the North here supply the others with consider-
able quantities of arms, animuiution, axes, knives, kettles, cloth».
and a variety of other articles ; and receive in return principally
horses, which the others have stolen or purchased from the na-
tions on the Missouri and west of it. They are devoted to the
interests of their traders.

S. YANKTONS of the NORTH. This band, although
they purchase a much smaller quantity of merchandise than the
Sissatones, still appropriate a considerable proportion of what
they do obtain in a similar manner with that mentioned of the
Sissatones. This trade, as small as it may appear, has been
sufticicnt to render the Tetons independent of the trade of the
Missouri, iji a great measure, and has furnished them with the
means not only of dislrcssing and plundering the traders of the
Missouri, but also, of plundering and massacreing the defence-
less savages of the Missouri, from the mouth of the river
Platte to the Minetares, and west to the Rocky mountains.
The country these people inhabit is almost one entire plain,
uncovered with timber ; it is extremely level ; the soil fertile,
and generally well watered.

S. Y A N KTON S A H N AH. These are the best disposed
Sioux who rove on ll.e banks of the Missouri, and these even will
not sufiVr any trader to ascend the river, if they can possibly
avoid it : ihey have heretofore, invariably, arrested the progress
of all those they have tn<;t with, and generally compelled them to
trade at tiie pricos, ncai Iv, which they themselves think proper to
ti\ on their merrhandlye,' ; tliey seldom commit any further acts
of violence on tlie whiles. They sometimes visit the river De-
moin, wlicro a jxutiul trade has been carried on with them, for
a few years pt^st, by a Mr. Crawford. Their trade, if well
regulated, might ho rendered extremely valuable. Their country
is a very feriile one; it consi^its of a mixture of wood-lands
and prairies. The land bf)rdering on the Missouri is princi-
]>ally plains with hut hctlc tiniber

These are the vilest
miscreants of the

savage

race.

and

must ever remaui

rr/roNs ijois ukulI' .

TKrONS OKANDAXl>AS.

TKTONS MINNAKl.NEAZZO.

TKTONS SAHOM:.
pirates of t!jo Missoiui, until such measures are pursued,
l)v our governnteut, as will make them feel a dependance on its
will f(.)r their supply of merrhitiidise. Unless these people arc
itflaefd f(.) orrfor, !n cof rclv<- ni». wsure'*, 1 am roudy to pronounce

by them
^ meet at
f James
ently at-
Mssatonet
consider-
ies, cloth ^
(lincipally
in the na-
led to the

ahhough
e than the
n of what
[led of the

has been
adeof the
n with the
lers of the
le defenee-

the river
mountains,
ntire plain,
oil fertile,

st disposed
le even will
m possibly
le progress
ed them to
proper to
•urther acts
river De-
them, for
le, if well
eir country
ivood-lands
i is princi-

re the vilest
lits of the
race, and
ver remain
Ire pursued,
Jance on its
people arc
pronounce

INTERESTING PARTICULARS.

•%

ihat the citizens of the United States can n«>ver enjoy hut par-
tially the advantages which the Missouri prcients. Rtlying on
a regular supply of merchandise, through the channel of the
river St. Peters, they view willi contempt the merchants of the
Missouri, whom they never fail to plunder, when in their power.
Persuasion, ov advice, with them, is viewed as supplication,
and only tends to inspire thtm with contempt for those who
offer either. The tamencss with which the tniders of the Mis-
souri have heretofore submitted to their rapacity, has tended not
a little to inspire them with contempt for the white persotis who
visit them, through that channel. A prevalent idea among
them, and one which they make the rule of their conduct, i?,
that the more illy they treat the traders the greater quantity of
merchandise they will bring them, and that they will thus obtain
the articles they wish on better terms ; they have endeavoured to
inspire the Ricaras w ith similar sentiments, but, happily, with-
out any considerable effect. The country in which these four
bands rove is one continued plain, with scarcely a tree to be
seen, except on the water-courses, or the steep declivities of hills,
which last are but rare : the land is fertile, and lies extremely
well for cultivation ; many parts of it are but badly watered.
It is from this country that the Missouri derives most of its
colouring matter ; the earth is strongly impregnated with glaii-
ber salts, alum, copperas and sulphur, and when saturated w ith
water, immense bodies of the hills precipitate themselves into
the Missouri, and mingle with its waters. The waters of this
river have a purgative effect on those unaccustomed to use it.
1 doubt whether these people can ever be induced to become
stationary ; their trade might be made valuable if they were re-
duced to order. They claim Jointly w ith the other bands of the
Sioux, all the country lying within the following limits, viz. be-
ginning of the confluence of the river Demoin and Mississippi,
thence up the west side of the Mississippi to the mouth of the St.
Peters river, thence on both sides of the Mississippi to the mouth of
Crow-wing river, and upwards with that stream, including the waters
of the upper part of the same ; thence to include the waters of
the upper portion of Red river, of lake Winnipie, and down
the same nearly to Pembenar river, thence a south-westerly
course to intersect the Missouri at or near the Mandans, and
with that stream downwards to the entrance of the Warrecunne
creek, thence passing the Missouri it goes to include the lower
portion of the river Cliyenne, all the waters of White river and
river Teton, includes the lower portion of the river Quicurre,
and returns to the M issouri, and with that stream doxynwards to
the mouth of Waddipon river, and thence eastwardly to intersect
the Mississippi at the beginning.

c 2

TitAYELS IN AMERICA.

A. Chyennc*.

B. Sbar'-ha.

C. laChien.

D. *
E.

F. 110.

G. 300.

H. 1200.

I. About the source of t1i(^ river Chyenne, in the blick hills.

J Mr. Loiselle, & Co. of St. Louis.

K. On the river Cbyenne, not stationary, and at the Ricarai
village.

L. 1.500.

M. 2.000.

N . Buffaloe robes of best quality.

O. Buffaloe robes, tallow, grease, and dried meat, sic ins of the
bea\er, small and large foxes, small and large wolf, ante-
lope, elk and deer in great abundance ; also, elk and deers'
tallow, a few grizzly bear, skins of the white bear, and
big-horned antelopes.

P. At, or near the mouth of Chyenne river.

a. A defensive war with the Sioux, and at war M^ith no other
within my knowledge.

R. With all their neighbours except the Sioux.

S. They are the remnant of a nation ohce respectable in point
of number: formirly resided on a branch of the Red
river of Lake Winnipie, which still bears their name. Be-
ing oppressed by the Sioux, they removed to the west side
of the Missouri, about 16 miles below the mouth of
Warricunne creek, where they built and fortified a village,
but being pursued by their ancient enemies the Sioux, they
fled to the Black hills, about the head of the Chyenne ri-
Ver, where they wander in quest of the buffaloe, having
no fixed residence. They do not cultivate. They are
well disposed towards the whites, and might easily be in-
duced to settle on the Missouri, if they could be assured
of being protected from the Sioux. Their number annu-
lally diminishes. Tlieir trade may be made valutible.

_*-^

A. Wetep&ha'toes.

B. We-te-pa-ha'-to.

C. Wete-pahatoes.

D. ♦

INTERESTING ^ABTICVLACS.

«l

♦

ck hills.

P.
Q

the Ricaras

skins of the

wolf, aiite-

: and deers*

bear, and

th no other

ble in point
the Red
ame. Be-
west side
mouth of
;d a village,
SioiiK, they
Chyehne ri-
be, having
They are
asily be in-
be assured
mber annu-
^ble.

■k

F. 70, including the KlAwCis.

G. 2fK), including the Kiawas.
H. 700, including the Kiawas.

1. ()u the Paductt fork of the river Platte.
No trader.

L. M. N.
The same as the Tetons. (see first tabic) also horses.
At, or near the mouth of Chyenne rivrr.
A defensive war with the SioUx, and at war with no other
within my knowledge.
R. With all their wandering neighbours to the west, and particu-
larly with Ricnras, Mandans, Minatarcs, and Ahwahha-
ways whom they occasionally visit for the purpose of
trafficking their horses, mules, &c. for European manufac;-
tures.
S. They are a wandering nation, inhabit an open country, and
raise a great number of horses, which they barter to the
Ricaras, Mandans, &c. fur articles of European manu-
factory. They are a well disposed people, and might be
readily induced to visit the trading establishments on tlie
Missouri. From the animals their country produces, their
trade would, no doubt, become valuable. iThese people
again barter a considerable proportion of the articles they
obtain from the Menetares, Ahwahhaways, Mandans^
and Ricaras, to the Dotames and Castapanas. ,

Q
R.

fcj.

K* A A

raw as.

Ki'-a-wa. ^ •

Ki'awus.

See above, F.

See above, G. ~

See above, H.

On the Paduca, and frequently witli ttie Wctepahatoes.

No trader.
L. M. N.

S{ e page GO, O.

At, or nenr the mouth of Chyenne river.

See above, Q.

See above, U,

\V liat has been said of the Wetopahatocs is in all rcspcchi
applicable to these people also. Neither these people,
the Wctepahatoes, nor the Chycnnes have any idea of
exclusive right to the soil.

tft

TRAVELS IN AMERICA.

A. Kanenavish.

B. Kan-e-iiii'-visli.

C. Gens-des-Vaclic.

D. *

F. 150.

G. 400.
H. 1.500.

I. On the heads of the Paducas fork of the river Platte,

and S. fork of Chyenne river.
J. No trader.
K. L. M. N.
O. See page 20, O.

P. At, or near the mouth of Chyeunc river.
Q. See page 2 1, Q.
R. See page 21, R.
S. See bottom of page 21, S.

A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.

Q.
R.

Staetan.
Sta'-e-tan.

Kites.

* •

40.

100.
400.
On the head of. the Chyenne, and frequently witli the

Kanenavish.

K. L. M. N. ♦

See page 21, O. .

At, or near the mouth of Chyenne river.
See page 21, Q. _

See page 21, R. #

See bottom of page 21, S. '

I !i

Cataka.

Cat'-a-kji.

Cat'ak^.

*:.

25.

G.75.

300.

V
w

s>s

Platte,

INTERESTING PARTICULARS.

«9

I. Between the heads of the north and south forks of the

river Chyenne.
J. K. L. M. N.

O. Sec page 20, O.

P. At, or near the mouth of the Chyenne river
Q. See page 21, Q.

R. See page 21, K. /

S. Sec bottom of page 21, S. '

witli the

.^1

A. Nemousin.

B. Ne'-mo-sin.

C. Allebome.

D. *
E.

F. 15.

G. 50.
H. 200.

I. On th« head of the north fork of tlie river Chyenne.

J. No trader.

K. L. M. N.

O. See page 20, O.

P. At, or near the mouth of the Chyenne river.

Q. A defensive war with the llicaras and Sioux.

R. The same as the Wetepahatoes (see page 21, R.) except

the Ricaras.
S. These differ from the others (viz. Wetepahatoes, Kiawas,

Kanenavich, Staetan and Cataka) in as much as they never

visit the Ricaras ; in all other respects they arc tlie same,

see bottom of page 21, S.

A. Dotame.

B. Do-ta'-me.

C. Dotame.

D. *
E.

F. 10.

G. 30.
H. 120.

I. On the heads of the river Chyenne.

J. No trader.

K. L. M. N.

O. See page 20, O.

P. At, or near the mouth of the Chyenne river.

TRAVELI IN AMERICA.

Q. See page 21, Q.

R. See page 21, R.

S. The iiifurmatiun I possess, v ith respect to this fiafiori, 19
derived from Indian infortnation : they ure said to be a
¥«andering nation, inhabiting an open country, and who
raise a great number of horses and mules. Tliey are a
friendl), well disposed people, and might, from the posi-
tion of their country, be etnily induced to visit an establish-
ment on the Missouri, about the mouth of Chyenne ri-
ver. They have not, as yet, visited tlie Missouri.

A. Castahana.

B. Cas-ta-ha'-na.

C. Castahana.

D. *
E.

F. 500.

G. 1.300.
H. 5.000.

I. Between the sources of the Padoucas fork, of the rivers

Platte and Yellow Stone.
J. No trader
K. L. M. N.
O. The same as the Chyennes (see page 20, O) and the skins

of the lynx, or luuverin, and martens in addition.
P. At, or near the mouth of the river Yellow Stone, on the

Missouri.
Q. A defensive war with the Sioux and Assinniboins.
R. See page Ql, R.
S. What has been said of the Dotames is applicable to these

people, except that they trade principally with the Crow

Indians, and that they would most probably prefer visiting

an establishment on the Yellow Stone river, or at its mouth

on the Missouri.

Crow Indians.

Kee'-kat' sfi.

Gens des Corbeau.

Minetarrc.

£.

3.50.

900.

3.600.

E
F
G
I

J.
K
O
P

INTERESTING PARTICULARS.

ttiori, 19
to be a
id ^ho
ey arc »
he posi-
stablisH-
^eiine ri-

the rivers

1 the skins

ti.

le, on the

e to these

the Crow

fer visiting

; its mouth

On each side of tiie river Yellow Stone, about the mouth
of the Big-horn river.
No trader.

of the river Yellow Stone, on the

J.
K.

L. M. N.

O. See page 24, O.

P. At, or near the mouth
Missouri.

Q. Defensive with tlic Sioux and Ricarajy.

R. The same as the Welepahatocs, (Seepage 21, R.) except
the Ricaras.

S. These people are divided into four bands, called by them-
selves Ahah'-'Ai-ro'-pir-uo-pah, Noo'-ta-, Pa-re«i.s-car, and
E-liarl'-sAr. Tlity aujiually visit the Mandans, Minetares,
and Ahwahhavvavs, to ^vholn tht y barter horses, mules,
leather lodges, and many articles of Indian apparel, for
which they receive in return, guns, aninumition, axes,
kettles, awls, and other European manufactures. When
they return to their country, they are in turn visited by the
Paunch and Snake Indians, to whom they barter most of
the articles they have obtained from the nations on the Mis-
souri, for horses and muleti, of which those nations have a
greater abundance than themselves. They also obtain of the
Snake Indians, bridle-bits and blankets, and some other arti-
cles which those Indians purchase from the Spaniards. The
bridle- bits and blankets I have seen in the possession of the
Mandnns and Minctares. Their coutUry is fertile, and well
watered, and in most parts well timbered.

A. Paunch Indians.

B. Al-Ia-ka'-we-^h.

C. Gensde Pause.

D. *
E.

F. 300.

G. 800.
H. 2300.

On each side of the Yellow Stone river, near the rocky
mountains, and heads of the Big-horn river.

No trader

L. M. N.
See page 24, O.

P. At, or near the mouth of the river Yellow Stone, on the
Missouri.
Lewis and Clarke.] b

TRAVELS IN AMERICA.

Q. Defensive witli the Siuux and Ricarus.

R. The same a» the Wetepahaloes (see page 21, U.) except
the Ricaras.

S. These are said to be u peaceable, well disposed nation.
Their country is a variegated one, consisting of mountains,
valiies, plains, and wood-lands, irregularly interspersed.
They might be induced to visit the Missouri, at the mouth
of the Yellow Stone river; and from the great abundance
of valuable furred animals which their country, as well as
that of the Crow Indians, produces, their trade must be-
come extremely valuable. They are a rovhig people, and
ha^e no idea of exclusive right to the soil.

Mti-nc-lo'-pi,

Gens dcs
Cauoc.

I—"

0-se6-gAh

Gens des
Ice,

Mivh'-to,-pa-
nd-to.

Gens dcs
gra
able

grand Di-

u
■A

a
o
1)
a.

■y)

-a

" >

■A g
I-

i:.

100

200

1 00

250

11.

/•J

850

200

450

1 .0'OO

I. "

On tlic blouse
river, between liic
Assinniboin and the
Missouri.

From the ISIisouri,
about the niovith (»J
Little Missouri, to
the Assii\niboin,
■at the mouth of Ca-
[)cilc river.

On tlic Missouri,
about the mouth oi
the White Earth ri-
ver, and on the head
of Assinniboin and
Capelle rivers.

INTKRESTINC PARTICULARS.
CONTINUED.

'27

I— I

!Ma-nc-to'-j);j,

0-v,iH';-gali.

M;'ih'-to,-j)a-
iiu-tw.

-a

•■^ t

5 -3

Kitiiblishini'Mt''
oil till! Asbiiiiii-
Ijuin liver.

r.staLlislinipnts
nil tlie Absiiini-
boin and Ciipcllr
riviTS).

i.500

(i.OOO

Ditto, and occa-
sionally at the
rstablishincntsoii
the liviT Sabka-j-
liawan.

7.000

b'.AOO

8.000 S.OOO

Ruft'aloe meat
dried or pouiul-
fd, and grease;
in bladders prin-
cipally; also,
wolves, a few
Ix-avor and buf-
taluu rubes.

CONTINUED.

if.

-Ma-nc-to'-pa

=r 0-sec'-"uii.

-Muli'-to-j'A-
na-to.

rJuffaloc robes,' ^
tallow, dried and =;
pounded nicat>i
md grease, skins' Jj
ol' (lie laiue and -
small fox, small a
and large wolves, i —
antelopes, (orca- 'o
bri) and elk in
threat abundance;
also some brown,
tvliite and grissly
bear, ileer and
lynx.

Ditto, with
more bears and
bomo niiirtcn.

c
o

Reciprocally
with the Sioux ;
otiensive with
theRicaras,Cas-
taliana, Crow,
Paunch and
Snake Indians,
and all those
south-'.vest of
the Missouri,
within their
reach.

11.

With

all

their own
tribes ; Chris-
tenoes(l»ranch
of theKniste-
naus) and par-
tially witli the
Chippevvays
of Penibena,
Alponqiiins,
of I'ortajre de
Prairie, Man-
dans, Mine-
tares, and
Ahwahhuwas

TRAVELS IN AMERICA.

MANETOPA. f Are the descendants of the

OSSEKGAH. > Sioux, and partake of their turbu-

Ma II i'( )PA N A TO. \ lent and fuilldess disposition ; they
frequently plunder, and soiiietnnes niur<l(T, their own traders.
The nunie by whicli this nation is j^enerally known was borrowed
from the Chippewins, who call them .i.vsnutihoan, which, lite-
rally translated, is Stone Sioiu, hence the name of Stone
Indians, by which they are sometimes called. The country
in which they rove is almost entirely uncovered with timber;
lies extremely level, and i.s but l^adly watered in man) parts;
the land, however, is tolerably fertile and unincumbered with
stone They miu,lit be induced to trade at the river Yellow
Stone; but 1 do not think that their trade promises much. Their
numbers continue about the same. I'hese bunds, like the Sioux,
act entirely independent of each other, although they claim a
naional athnity and never makt war on each olhtr. The coun-
try inhabited bv the Mahtopanato posisesscs rather more timber
ban the odicr parts of the country. They do not cultivate.

C. D.

li.

(J.

II.

O-jib'-d-way.

400

1 .600

On an island
in asmalliakc,
called Leach
Lake, formed

N W.
Corapy.

C/5

by the Missis-

"-ippi river.

Ditto.

3
X)

Chippeway.

200

700

About the
head of the
Mississippi and
around Red

Ditto.

•

Ditto.

100

350

Lake. .

On the Red
river of Lake
Winnipie, and
about the
mouth of Pem-
banar river.

N. W.

and
X.Y.

Compa-
nies.

INTBRESTINO PARTICULARS.

£9

the
rbu-
lliey
lers.
iwed
lite-
itone
iintry
iber ;
larts ;
>wUh
ellow
Their
iioux,
liim a
coun-
,imber

Ojibuway

Ditto.

At their \i!
l:t(;c>iin(i luintinu
Camps onihi-.Mis-

At ancvtiiblish-
llK*i\t on llt>(l lake,
and HI tlioir hunt-
ing' cunip:i.

Kstabllsliinrnt
near the niniilli
ot Fonibanjir ri-
•vor, and at their
hunting camps. I

I..

2.00V 1(1 000

8.000

7.000

lO.fOO

Ikavir, ot-
ter, black
bear, rac-
koon, Idx,
niuit<*i),iiiiiik,

timber, anri
dcpr skills

Ditto, and
bark caiioi's.

10.000

Ditto, prin-
ipally, bt-a
vor and otter,
butnocanoc'N,
soniu uolvo-
rineundlyn.x.

BravtT,
otter, l)lack
bo.ir, rac-
koon, ^'rcy
t'ox, marten,
mink, Hsber,
iV <leer hkins.
Ditto, uiid
burkcano»;b.

Ditto, ex-
cept canoes,
>Mth wolve
loie lynx in
addition.

CONTINUEB.

I J.

a N w.

G,lCoTnpy.|

h
d

|s-l

helDitto.

lel
hd

N.W.

and
X.Y.

Compa

-nics.

Ojibaway.

Ditto.

On the north
Slide «)t' the Mis-
sissippi, at Sandy
Lake.

On tlie Red
Lake, near tlie
head of the Mis-
si!>^ippi.

On the Red
river of Lake
Winnipie, about
the mouth of the
Assinniboin river.

With all the
tribes of Sion.x,
Saukees, lleiiars,
and Ayouwais.

'.The Sioux only,

t The Sioux,
and partially with
the Asbiniiiboins.

AH the tribes
of Chippeways,
and the nations]
inhabiting lakes
Superior, Michi-
ijHn.and the coun-
try east of the
Mississippi.

Ditto, and^vith
the rhristen«)cs
and Algonquins.

TRAVELS IN AMERICA.

S. CHrPPEWAYS, of Leach Lake. Claim the country
on both sides of the Mississippi, from the mouth of the Crow-
wing river lo its source, and extending west of the Mississippi to
the lands claimed by the Sioux, with whom they still contend
for dominion. They claim, also, east of the Mississippi the
country extending as far as lake Superior, including the waters
of the river St. Louis. This country is thickly covered with
timber generally ; lies level, and generally fertile, though a con-
siderable proportion of it is intersected and broken up by small
lakes, morasses and swamps, particularly about the heads of the
Mississippi and river St. Louis. They do not cultivate, but
live principally on the wild rice, which they procure in great
abundance on the borders of Leach Lake and the banks of the
Mississippi. Their number has been considerably reduced by
small pox. Their trade is at its gre"test exteiit.

Of Red Lake. Claim the country about Red lake and Red
lake river, as far as the Red river of lake VV'innipie, beyond
which last river they contend with the Sioux for territory. This
is a low level country, and generally thickly covered v.ith tim-
ber, interrupted with many swamps and morasses. This, as
well as the other bands of Chippeways, are esteemed the best
hunters in the north-west country ; but from the long residence
Oi" this band in the country they now inhabit, game is becoming
scarce, therefore their trade is supposed to be at its grcatesst ex-
tent. The Chippeways are a well disjiosed people, but cxces-
{jively fond of spirituous liquor.

Of liver Pembena. The:se people formerly resided on the
east side of the Mississippi, at Sand lake, but were induced, by
the north-west company, to remove, about two years since, lo
the river Pembena. They do not claim the lands on which they
hunt. The country is level and the soil goo<l. The west side of
the river is principally prairies or open plains ; on the east side
there is a greater proportion of timber. Their trade at present
is a very valuable one, and will probably increase for some years.
They do not cultivate, but live by hunting. They are well dis-
posed towards the whiter.

■-» ,7«^"---- r- /^- •-'.-/'^- ■■••■'-■. ^-

INTERESTING PARTICULARS.

0-jib'4-\vay.

Ditto.

Algonquins.jchippeways.

\lgonquins. Chippeways.

100

■200

300

600

On the

south side
of Hain)
Lake,

N. W.

and
X.V.

Com-

Kaiuy
Lake ri-

panies

ver, and
the Luke
of the
Wood.

About the
mouth of

Ditto.

the Assin-

nib()in,on
IN'd river.

COXTIXUED.

Ojibaway.

Ditto.

Establishments on
the rivers Winnipie
and Rainy Lakeland
at their liunting
camps.

4,000

Establishments on
the Assinniboin at
Fort de Prairie.

8,000

6,000

11,000

Principally
birch bark ca-

noes.

Beaver, otter,
rackoon, bhick
bear, large fox,
mink, and a few
deer.

, »to'^7«' ■■-.•■ ■■*■.» -

-1-4. ■ ■*_.-,-^,,

' t: ''

TRAVELS IN AMERICA^

CONTINUED.

l|!#

i i

Ojibaway.

The same as
the Chippeways,

At the Red
Lake'.'Stublish-

but tn small quan-

ment.

tities, si iid canoes!.

•

(see page 129,0.)

"3 •

All the tribes

•5 5

of the Chippe-

i.l

ways, Algon-
quins, and

►J

cS '?

Christenoes.

Ditto.

Beaver, otter,

At the Red

•i" J

rackoon, black

river establish-

'. ' i ■ f

bear, large lox,
mink, deer,

ment.

1 ,

wolves and

•

niuskrats.

S. ALGONQUINS, of Bainy Lake, ^c. With the pre-
cise limits of the conn? ry ihey claim, I am not informed. They
live vcrv much deuiched, in small parties. The country they
inhahit is but an indiffi. rent one ; it has been much hunted, and
the game, of course, nearly exhausted. They are well disposed
tovsards the whites. Their nuniber is said to decrease. They
are extremely addicted to spirituous liquor, of which large
quantities are annually furnished them by the north-west traders,
b return for their bark canoes. They live wretchedly poor.

Of Fortav^e de Prairie. These people inhabit a low, flat,
marshy country, mostly covered with timber, and well stocked
with game. They are emigrants from the lake of the Woods
and the contitry east of it, who were introduced, some years
since, by llie north-west traders, in order to hunt the country on
the lower parts of Ued river, which then abounded in a variety
of animals of the fur kind. They are an orderly, well dis-
posed people, but, like their relations on Rainy lake, extremely
addicted to snivituous liquors. Their tiade is at its greatest

addicted to spni
extent.

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c
o

«f

. it

a Q<

0.'

*> J3

4) 'T*

•B »

** .5

o "a,

§^

^ ti

.a
«(«

«d

? - ** O

5 a « 1

'^ .1 - « ',

_ <rt a .3 g

■4> -a,

•01

'*Yi,001lV(l

--^■.

-HidOHd sxnois 'V

6-S

'■■(]

#■

'-?V>-

■# J

..d

J-.-l«>^^i-^.^»*■^ ^

INTERESTING PARTICULARS.

A. Christenoes or Kuistenaus.

B. Cliri8-'te-no.

C. Cree.

D. Chippeways, with a different accent, and many words pecu-

liar to themselves.
E.

F. 150.

G. 300.
H. 1,000.

I. On the heads of the Assinniboin, and thence towards the
Saskashawan.

J. Hudson's Bay, N. W. and X. Y. companies.

K. Establishments on the Assinniboin, Swan Lake river and the
Saskasbawan.

L. 15,000.

M. 15,000.

N. Beaver, otter, lynx, wolverine, marten, mink, wolf, small
fox (or kitts) dressed elk and moose deer skins.

O. The skins of the beaver, otter, lynx, wolf, wolverine, marten,
mink, small fox, brown and grizzly bear, dressed elk uud
moose-deerskins, muskrat skins, and some butiCaloe rubes,
dried meat, tallow and grease.

P. On the Missouri, at or near the mouth of the Yellow Stone
river.

Q. With the Siouxs, Fall, Blood, and Crow Indians.

li. With the Assinniboins, Algonquins, Cliippeways, Manduns,
Mmatares and Ahwahhaways.

S. They are a wanderinii^ nution ; do not cultivate, nor claim
any particular tract of country. They are woll disposed
towards the whites, and treat their traders wilh i .spect.
The country in which they love is generally open plains,
but in some parts, particularly about the head of the As-
sinniboin river, it is marshy, and tolerably well furnished
with timber, as are also the Fort Dauphin mountains, to
which they sometimes resort. From the quunfuy of
beaver in their country, they ought to furnish more of
that article than they do at present. They are not
esteemed good beaver hunters. I'hey might probably be
induced to visit an establishment on the Missouri,
at the Yellow Stone river. Their number has been re-
duced, by the small pox, since they were iirst known to
the Canadians.

A. Fall Indians.

B. A-l'^n-sr.

J-EWIS AND CLARKE.]

;!vi.
o.

TRAVELS IN AMERICA.

Fall Indians.
Minetare.

260.

660.

2.500.

On the head of the south fork of the Saskshawan river, and
some streams supposed to be branches of the Missouri.

N. W. company.

Upper establishment on the Saskashawan ; but little trade.

1 .000.

4.000.

Beaver and marten.

Skins of the beavers, brown, while and grizzly bear, large
and small foxes, muskrat, marten, mink, lynx, wolverine,
wolves, white hares, deer, elk, moose-deer, antelopes of
the Missouri, and some buffaloe.

At or near the falls of the Missouri.

Defensive war with the Christenoes.

The country these people rove in is not much known : il is
said to be a high, broken, woody country. They might
be induced to visit an establishment at the falls of the
Missouri : their trade may, no doubt, be made profitable.

A. Cattanahaws.

B. Cat-tan-a-haws.

C. Cattanahaws.

F. G. H.

Q.
R.

D.
E.
I.

Between the Saskashawan and the Missouri, on ^yaters su^y

posed to be of the Missouri.
J. No trader.
K. L. M, N.
p. See above, O.

P. At, or near the falls of the Missouri.
Q. R.
S. What has been said, of the Fall Indians is, in all respects,

applicable to this nation. They are both wandering m-t

tions.

A. Black-foot Indians.

C. Blackfoot Indians.

p. *

E. F. G. H.

ver, and
louri.

trade.

ir, large
alverine,
lopes of

vn': It is
iy might
s of the
ii table.

rs supi

aspects,
ing ua>(

INTEHESTING PARTICULARS

I. Between the Saskasliawan and the Missouri, on water sup-
posed to be of the Missouri.
J. No trader.
K. L. M. N.
O. See page 34, O.
P. At, or near the falls of the Missouri.
Q. R.
S. See page 34, S. '* t

At Blue Mud and Long Hair Indians.
«.

C. Blue Mud and Long Hair Lidtans.

D. *

E. F. G. H.

I. West of the Rocky mountains, and near the same on Nea-
ter courses supposed to be branches of the Columbia river.

J. No trader.

K. L. M. N.

O. Not known, but from the position of their country supposed
to abound in animals similar to those mentioned in page

P. Q. R.

S. Still less is known of tliese people, or their country. The
water courses on which they reside, are supposed to be
branches of the Cohunbia river. They are wandering
nations.

J.
K.
O.
P.
Q.
R.
S.

Flatheads,
Tut-see'-w^s.
Flathead Indians.

F. G. PL

On the west side of a large river, lying west of the Rocky
mountains^ and running north, supposed to be the south
fork of the Columbia river.
No trader.

L. M. N.
See above, O.

Defensive war -with the Minetar«ir.

The information I possess with respect to these people hag
been received from the Minetares, who have extended
their war excursions as far westerlv as that nation, of whom

> '1

S6 TRAVKLS IN AMERICA.

' !

tliey have made several prisoners, and brought them with

them to their vili.ij^i s on the Missouri: these prisoners

have been seen hy the Fn iichmen tesidni*; in this neighbour-

■ 1

hood. The Minttares state, that this nation resides in one

village on the west side of a large and rapid river, which

runs from south to north, ahmg the foot of the Rocky

mountains on tiieir west side ; and that this river passes at
a sniult distance from the three forks of the Missouri.

ji ..

That the country between the mountains and the river is

broken, but on the opposite side of the river it is an exten-

8 '

sive open plain, with a number of barren sandy hills, irre-

,11 :

gularly distributed over its surface as far as the eye can

\^,< '

reach. They are a timid, inoffensive, and defeocelesg

people. They are said to possess an abundance of horses. /

}

Snake Indians.

So-so-na'.
So-so-bfi,
& I'a-kir.

Gens des
Serpent.

'1
.2

Among the
Rockymountains,
on the heads ofthe

1 1

■•

Missouri, Yellow
Stone, and Platte

1 1

rivers.

^ 1 cr»

i' 1 S

Of the West.

A-li-a-tdn.

Aliatd.

•

Among the

Rocky mountains,

1 3

and in the plains

1 "^

at the heads of

•

the Platte and

■

Arkansas rivers.

La Plays.

•
c

zs
c

The mountains
on the borders of
New Mexico, and
the extensive

plains atthc heads
of the Arkansas

• 1

and Red rivers. 1

<
<

I '

with
oners
bour-
n one
\liicli
locky
les at
souri.
ver is
ixten-

irre-
e can
celesi
rses.

g the
lountains,
?ads ofthe
i, Yellow
nd Platte

g the
)untains,
le plains
leads of
te and
rivers.

3untains
rders of
CO, and
tensive
le heads
rkansas
ivers. I

INTEltESTING PARTICULARS.

CON'TIVUF.n.

<
<

Snake Indians

Of the West.

La Plays.

o
"/;

!/5

The same with thr
Fa i l,Cattaiuiha\vsun(i
IJIack Foot Indians,
I'xccpt buffaUu's ; but
they have in adtlition
immense quantities ot
horstos, mules anu
assi's.

Immense quanti>
tics of horses, mules,
iisses, bufi'uloc, deer,
elk, black bear, and
large iiares; and iu
the northern regions
of their country, bi^
horn and Missouri
intclopes,with many
animals of the fur
kind. I

Snake Indians.

:^ Ofthe West.

La Plays.

At or near the
Falls of the Mis-
souri.

On the Arkan
sas, as high up as
possible, itwould
be best that it
should be west of
the Kansas, if it
should be neces-
sary even to sup
ply it some dis-
tance by land.

Defensive war
vith the Ricaras,
Sioux.Assinniboinj:,
Christenoes, Mine-
tares, Ahwahhaways,
and all the nations
inhabiting theSask-
ashawan river.

Defensive war
with the Great and
Little Osages, Pa-
iiiapique, Kansas,
Pania Proper, Pa
nia Republican, Pa-
nia Loups, Ricaras,
and Sioux.

Mandans and
CrowIndianSf and
all those whudc
not attack them

At peace wilnE
all who do noli
wage war agains?
them.

.IB

TRWKLS IN AMmcA.

111 |i
i. f

I ''\

S. j'VLlATANS, S/i(if;r Indidus. Tlicso arc a very numer-
ous and well dispoxt il pcoplf, iiiiKihiiiii;; a >voody and uioun-
tninous country; \\\vy arc (li\id«d into three larp;e tribes*, \\l»o
wander a consid»»rable distance lioni eacli ollnr; and are called
by themselves Soso-na, So-so'hii-har, and I a-kar ; these are
again subdivided into .snudler iIi(mi<:;Ii iiidi ])< iidcnt bands, thv
names of which I have nol \ct learnt; tluyrr.isi'aninnber ol' horses
aitd mules which they triule willi iIk^ Crow Indians, or are .sto-
Je'i by the nations on the east of tlicin. 'I'hey maintain a par-
tial trade with the Sj),'.niards, tVom whom thi-y obtain many arti-
cles of cloatliin<^ and ironmon<;ery, but no warlike iin|> lements.

Of the U est. 'J'lu se people also inhabit a mountainous
country, and sonu times vculure In the plains east ol' the Uocky
inountaius, about liie hi ad of the Arkansas river. Tiiey liavc
more intercgurse with the Spaniards of New Mexico, than the
Snake Indians. 'J'hev are said to be very numerous and war-
like, but are badly armed. The Spaniards fear these pef)p.le,
and ihereforo lake the preeaullon nol to furnish them with any
varliko implements. In their present wnarnied state, ihey fre-
quently commit hoitllilics on the Spaniards. They raise a
great many horses.

L(t i'7</yr«. 'J'liesc principally inhabit the rich phiins from
the head of the Arkansas, emhrachig the licails of lied river,
and extendin;:; \\\i\\ the nioinilains and hij^h lands eastwardly as
far as il is known towaids the gtdph of Mexico. They possess
iio tire arms, but are warlike and brave. They are, as well
as tho other Aiialans, a wandering people. Their country
abounds in w ild horses, beside • great nuudjers which lluy raise
themselves. Tliese people, and the West Aliatans, mig;ht be
induced Xo trade with ns on the upper part of the Arkansas ri-
ver. I do not believe tha'^ any of the Aliatans claim a country
within any particular limits.

A. Pania Piq&e'.
Ji.

C. La Paunee Piqfie'.

D. Panai Proper.

E. r. G.

M. N. O.

II.

K. L.

S. These people have no intercourse with the inhabitants of
the Illinois ; the information, therefore, which I have been
enabled to obtain, with respecfto them, is very imperfect.
They were formerly known by the name of the IVIiite
Panias, and are of the same familv with the Panias of the

I I

INTEUKSTJNG FAUTICULA RS.

liver Phitte. 'ri><> arc siid t(» hv a well dispocd iuh.mIo,
aiul inhabit a vnv ftililr couiilry ; ccituin il is tluil llity
enjoy a clcli^litiul clnnulc.

A. Patlaciis.

I .a. Paddo.

F. G H. I. J. K. L.

i\. O. P. Q. It.
This once powerfnl nation has, appanntly, rntii( Iv di.s;ip-
peared ; every intiniry I have niadL' after th( ni has proved
inetVcctnal. In the year 1724, ihey resided in several vil-
lages on ihe heads of the Kansas river, and conid, at that
time, bring npwards of two tlionsaiid nieii into the tield (see
Mons. Dupral/ history of l^onisiania.pap;c71, and the map
attached to tliat work). The information that I have re-
ceived is, that being oppressed by the nations residinjj on the
Missouri, they removed to the upper part of the river
Platte, where they afterwards had but little intercourse with
the whites. They seem to have given name to the northern
branch of that river, which is still c.dled the Paducas fork.
'I'he n'ost probable conjecinre is, that being still further
reduced, they have divided i>ito small wandering bands,
which assumed the nanus of the subdivisions of the Padu-
cas nation, and are known to us at present under the apjiel-
lation of Wetepahatoes, Kiawas, Kauenavish, Katteka,
JDotamc, &,c. who still inhabit the country to which the
Paducas are said to have renuned. 'i'he majority of my
information led me to believe that those people spoke dif-
ferent languages, but other and subsequent iuibimation has
induced ine to doubt the fact.

II !

i '■

;jc»

HISTORICAL SKETCHES

OP THE SEVERAL

INDIAN TRIBES IN LOUISIANA,

SOUTH OF

THE ARKANSA RIVER,

AND BETWEEN

THE MISSISSIPPI AND RIPER GRjyD.

' ADDOQUES, live about 35 mile* west of the main branch
of Red river, on a bayau or creek, called by them Sodo, wliich
is navigable f >r perocjues only within about six miles of their
village, and that only hi the rainy season. Tliey are distant from
Natchitoches about 1 '20 miles, the nearest route by land, and
in nearly a north-west direction. They have lived where they
now do only five years. The first year they moved there the
small pox got amongst thcni and destroyed nearly one half of
them ; it was in the winter season, and they practised plunging
into the creek on the first appearance of the eruption, and died
in a few hours. Two years ago they had the measles, of which
several more of them died. They formerly lived on the south bank
of the river, by the course of the river 373 miles higher up, at a
beautiful prairie, which has a clear lake of good water in the
middle of it, surrounded by a pleasant and fertile country, which
had been the residence of their ancestors from time imme-
morial.

They have a traditionary tale which not only the Caddos, but
half a dozen other smaller nations believe in, who claim the ho-
nour of being descendants of the san)e family : they say, when
all the world was drowned by a Rood that inundated the whole
country, the great spirit placed on an eminence, near this lake,
one family of Caddoques, who alone were saved ; from that fa-
mily all the Indians originated.

The French, for many years before Louisiana was transferred
to Spain, had, at this place, a fort and some soldiers ; several
French families were likewise settled in the vicinity, where they
had erected a good flour mill with burr stones brought from
FVance. These FVench families continued there till about 25
years ago, when they moved down and settled at Campti, on the
Red river, about 20 miles above Natchitoches, where they now

INDIAN TRIBES IN LOUISIANA.

4i.

ANA,

iXD.

lin branch
io, Nvliich
s of their
>tant from
iund, and
liere they
there the
le half of

plunging
and died
of M'hich
luth bank

up, at a
er in the
y, which
imnie-

dos, but
the ho-
, when
whole

his lake,
that fa-

nsferred
several
ere they
it from
)out 25
on the
ey now

Jive : and the Indians i»?ft it about 14 years ago, on account of a
dreadful sickness that visited tiiem. They settled on the rivt r
nearly opposite where they now li\e, on a low plate, but
were driven thence on account of its overflowing, occa-
sioned by a jam of timber choaking the river at a point below
them.

The whole number of what they call warriors of the ancient
Caddo nation, is now reduced to about 100, who are looked
upon somewhat like knights of Malta, or some distinguished mi-
litary order. They are brave, d« .spise danger or dcatli, and boast
that they have neter shed white man's blood. Besides these,
there are of old men and strangers who live amongst them,
nearly the same number, but there arc 40 or oO move women
than men. This nation has great influence over the Yattassees,
^andakoes, Nabadaches, Inits or Yaciiios, Nagogdociies. Key-
chies, Adaize and Natchitoches, who all speak the Caddo lan-
guage, look up to them as their fathers, visit and intt;rmarry
among them, and join them in ail their wars.

The Caddoques complain of the Choctaws incroacliing upon
their country ; call them lazy, thievish, &.c. lliere has be«;n a
misunderstanding between ihem for several years, ami small
hunting parties kill one another when they meet.

The Caddos raise corn, beans, pumpkins, &c. ; but the land on
which they now live is prairie, of n white clay soil, very flat :
their crops are siibjcct to injury cither by too wet or too dry a
season. They have horses, but few cf any other domestic ani-
mal, except dogs ; most of them have guns, and some have rifles :
they, and all other Indians tliat we have any knowledge of, are at
Mar with the Osages.

The country, generally, round the Caddos is hilly, not very
rich; growth a mixture of oak, hickory, and pine, inter-
spersed with prairies, which are very rich generally, and tit
for cultivation, 'Inhere are creeks and springs of good water
freqjient.

YATTASSEES, live on Bayau Pierre (or Stony creek),
which falls into lied river, western division, about 50 miles above
K^atchitoches. Their village is in a large prairie, about half way
between the Caddoques and Natchitoches, surrounded by a set-
tlement ct French families. The Spanish government at pre-
sent exercise jurisdiction over this settlement, where they keep a
guard of a non-cymini««!cned oificer and eight soldiers.

A few months igo, the Caddo chief, with a few of his young
men, were coming to this place to trade, and came that way
which is the usual road. The Spanish oflScer of the guard
threatened to stop them from trading with the Americans, and

I^EWIS AND CLARK r:.] F

TRAVELS IN AMERICA.

l! !i

told the chief if he returned that way with the goods he should
take them from him. The chief and his party were very an<;ry,
and threatened to kill the whole guard, and told them that that
road had been {jlways theirs, and that if the Spaniards attempted
to prevent their using it as their ancestors had always done, he
would soon make it a bloody road. He came here, purchased the
j^oods he wanted, and might have returned another way and
avoided the Spanish guard, anil was advised to do so ; but he said
lie would pass by them, and let them attempt to stop him if they
dared. The guard said nothing to him as he returned.

This settlement, till some few years ago, used to belong to the
district of Natchitoches, and the rights to their lands given by
the government of Louisiana, before it was ceded to Spain. Its
now being under the government of Taxus, was only an agree-
ment between the commandant of Natchitoches and the com-
mandant of Nagogdoches. The French formerly had a station
and factory there, and another on the Sabine river, nearly one
hundred miles north-west from the Bayau Pierre settlement.
The Yuttassees now say the French used to be their people, and
now die Americans.

But of the ancient Yattassees there are but eight men remain-
ing, and t\ventv-ilve women, besides children; but a number of
men of other nations have intermarried vviih them and live toge-
ther. 1 paid a visit at their village last summer; there were
about forty men of them all together : their orignial language dif-
fers from any other, but pow all speak Caddo. They live on
rich land, raise plenty of corn, beans, pumpkins, tobacco, 8cc. ;
have horses, cattle, hogs and poultry.

NAN DAKOFilS, live on the t^abine river, HO or 70 miles to
the westward of the Yattassees, near where the F'rench formerly
had a station and factory. Their langi{age is Caddo, about 40,
men only of them remaining. A few years agi they suffered
very much by the small pox. They consider themselves the
same as Caddos, with whom they intermarry, and are, occasion-
ally, visiting one another in the greatest harmony : have the
same manners, customs, and attachments.

ADAlZE, live about 40 miles from Natchitoches, below the
Yattassees, on a lake called Lac Macdon, which communicates
wiiji t}ie division of Red river that passes by Bayau Pierre,
'i'hey live at or near where their ancestors have lived from time
immemorial. They being the nearest nation to the old Spanish
fort, or Mission of Adaize, that place was named after them,
beinj; about 20 miles from them, to the south. There are now
but -0 "len of them remaining, but more women. Their lan-

I'o ( ificrs from all other, and is so difficult to spe:ik or uuJer-

^■.

' it.

INDIAN TRIBES IN LOUISIANA.

)e, he

>w the
licatos
ierre.
tiititi
janish
them,
3 now
r hm-
iiiJer-

stand, that no nation can speak ten words of it ; but they all
speak Caddo, and most of them French, to. whom they were al-
ways attached, and joined them agains the Natchez Indians.
After tlie massacre of Natchez, in 1798, while the Spaniards
occupied the post of Adaize, their priests took much pains tt>
proselyte these Indians to the Roman Catholic religion, but, I
uni informed, were totally unsuccessful.

ALICHE (commonly pronounced Eyeish), live near Nacog-
doches, but are almost extinct, as a nation, not more than ^.5
souls of them remaining : four years ago the small pox destroyed
the greater part of them. They were, some years ago, a consi-
derable nation, and lived on a bnyau which bears their name,
which the road from Natchitoch to Nacogdoches crosses, about
12 miles west of Sabine river, on which a ft w French and Ame-
rican families are settled. Their native language is spoken by no
other nation, but they speak and understand Caddo, with whom
they are in amity, oft'^n visiting one another.

KEYES, or KEYCHIES, live on the east bank of trinity
river, a small distance above where the road from Natchitoches
to St. Antoinc crosses it. There arc of them GO men : have
their peculiar native language, but mostly now speak Caddo ,-
intermarry with them, and live together in much harmony, for-
merly having lived near them, on the head waters of the Sabine.
Thev plant corn and some other vegetables.

INIES, or TACHIES (called indifferently by both names).
From the latter name the name of the province of Tachus or
Taxus is derived. The Inies live about 26 miles west of Nat-
chitoches, on a small river a branch of Sabine, called the
Naches. They are like all their neighbours, diminishing ; but
have now 80 men. Their ancestors, for a long time, lived
w here they now do. Their language the same as that of the
Caddos, with whom they are in great amity. These Indians
have a good chuiacter, live on excellent land, and raise corn
to sell.

NABEDACHES, live on the west side of the same river,
about iifteen miles above them ; have about the same number of
nHhi; speak the same language; live on the best of land; raise
corn in plenty; have the same manners, customs and altuch-
ments.

BE DIES, are on the Trinity river, about 60 mile? to tlie
southward of Niicogdochcs ; have 100 men; are good hunt<'r.-»
for deer, vvhicli are very large and plenty about them; hlani^
and make good crops of corn; langua'jjje diiTers from all other,
but sptak Caddo; are a peaceable, quiet people, and base au
«xcel!ent cliaractf r for their honesty and puiu'tuallly.

ACCOKESAWS. Their ancient t'.>v.u iMid principal plaof

r '?.

TRAVELS IN AMERICA.

lii:

Ill

of rcsirloncp is on the west side of Col< rado or Rio Rouge, about
200 miles soiilli-west of Nacosidoihts, but often clianse their
place of I esideuee for a sctison ; b; inc near the bay, make great
use of fish, oysters, &c. kid a ureat many de( r, which are the
largest and fattest ill tlie province ; and their rounlry is univer-
sally said to be ijiferior to no part of the province in soil, provrth
of timber, g0(>«lne.ss of water, and beauty of surface; have a
languajie peculiar to themselves, but have a mode of communi-
cation by dumb signs, which they all understand; number about
80 men. Thirty or forty years ago the Spaniards had a mission
herej but broke it up, or moved it to Nacogdoches". Tiiey
talk of resettling it, and speak in the highest terms of the
country.

MAYES, live on a lar<:;c creek called St. Gabriel, on the
bay of St. Bernard, near the mouth of Guadaloupe river : are
estimated at 200 men ; never at peace with the Spaniards, to-
wards whom they are said to possess a fixed hatred, but profess
great friendship for the French, to whom they have been
strongly attached since Mons. de Salle landed in their neigh-
bourhood. The place where there is a talk of the Spaniards
opening a new port, and making a settlement, is near them ;
where the party, with the governor of St. Antoine, who were
there last fall to examine it, say they found the remains of a
French block-house ; some of the cannon now at Labahie are
said to have been brought from that place, and known by the
engravings now to be seen on them.

The French speak highly of these Indians for their extreme
Vindness and hospitality to all Frenchmen who have been amongst
them : have a language of their ow n, but speak Attakapa, which
is the language of their neighbours the Carankouas ; they have
likewise a way of conversing by signs.

CARANKOUAS, live on an island, or peninsula, in the
bay of St. Bernard, in length about ten miles, and five in
breadth ; the soil is extremely rich and pleasant ; on one side of
which there is a high bluff, or mountain of coal, which has been
on fire for many years, affording always a light at night, and a
strong, thick smoke by d.iv, by which vessels are soinetimes^e-
ceived and lost on the shoaly coiist, which shoals are said to ex-
tend nearly out of sight of land. From this burning coal there i?
emitted a gummy sulistance the Spaniards call '•/icki, which isi
thrown on the shore by the surf, and collected by them in consi-.
derable (juantities, which they are fond of chewing ; it has the
appearance and consistence of pitch, of a strong, aromatic, an(|
not disagiceable smell. These InduMis arc iirccoiicileable ene-
inies to the Spaniards, always at war with then, and kiil-them
whenever ihcvcan. The Spaniards call th-ni cannibals, but the

;•'

INDIAN TRIBES IN LOUISIANA.

French give them a different character, uho have always been
treated kindly by them since Mons. de Salle and his party were
in the neighbourhood, '1 hey are siiid to be oOO men strong,
but I have not been able to estimate their numbers from any very
accurate information ; in a short time expect to be well informed.
Tlicy speak the Attakapa lunjvuafre ; are friendly and kind to all
other Inrtinns, and, I presiuhc, are much like all others, not-
\vithstanding what the Spaniards buy of them, for nature ig every
where the same.

Last summer an old Spaniard came to me from Labaliie, a
journey of abotit 500 miles, to have a barbed arrow taken out of
his shoulder, that one of these Indians had shot in it. I found
it under his shoulder-blade, near nine itielies, anil had to ( nt a
new place to |>et at the point of it, in order to get it out the
contrary way from that in which it had entered : it was made
of a piece of an iron hoop, with wings like a fluke and au
inche.

CANCES, are a very numerous nation, consistins; of a jireat
many different tribes, occupying different {>arts of the country,
from the bay of St. Bernard, cross river Grand, towards La
Vera Cruz. " They are not friendly to the Spaniards, and gene-
rally kill them Avhen they have an opportunily. 'J iiey are at-
tached to the French; are good liunterf?, prineipaily using the
bow. They are very particular in their dress, wliich is made of
neatly dressed leather ; the women wear a long loose robe, re-
sembling that of a Franciscan friar ; nolliing biii iheir heads and
feet are to be seen. The dress of the nu n is straiiiht leather leg-
gings, resembling pantaloons, and a leather hunting shirt, or
frock. No estimate can be made of their nuuiher.

Thirty or forty years ago the Spaniards used to make slaves of
them when they could take them ; a considerable nundjer of
them were brought to Nalehitoehes aiid soid to i!ie French in-
habitants at 40 or 50 dollars a head, and a nu;:iber of them are
Ktill living here, but are now free. About 20 yours ago an oj (kr
came from the king of Spain that no more JiHlians should be
made slaves, and those that were enslaved slu>Uid be etnanci-
pated ; after which some of die w omen w ho had been servants in
good famihes, and taught spinning, sewing, &.e. as well as ma-
naging household affairs, married inaitilis of t]ie country, and
became respectable, well behaved women, and have now grow-
ing up decent families of children : h:ive a langua'/e pccuii;n- to
themselves, and are und'M-stood, by signs, l)y a!l otlieis. 'I'hey
are in amitv with all other Indians except the Hictans.

TANKAWAYS (or TANKS, as the French cail them) have
no land, nor claim the exclusive right to any, nor have any par-
ticular place of abode, but are always moving, aite:nately occu-

4(3

TRAVELS ^N AMEHICA.

pying die country watered by the Trinity, Braces and Ci)IeraJy,
towards St. a ¥6. llesemble, in their dress, the Camos aiul
Uietans, but all in one horde or tribe. Their nunibc r of nwn
is estimated at about 200 ; arc good hunters ; kill bulTaloe and
deer with the bow ; have the best breed of horses ; are alter-
nately friends and enemies of the Spaniards. An old trader
lately informed me that he had received oOOO deerskins from
them in one year, exclusive of tallow, rugs and tongues. They
plant nothing but live upon wild fruits and flesh : are strong,
athletic people, and excellent horsemen.

TAWAKENOES, or TIJUEE CANES. They are culled
by both names indifferently ; live on the west side of the Braces,
but are often, for some months at a time, lower down than their
usual place of residence, in the great prairie at the Tortuga, or
Turtle, called so from its being a hill in the prairie, which, at a
distance, appears in the form of a turtle, upon which there are
some remarkable springs of water. Their usual residence is
about '200 miles to the westward of Nacogdoches, towards St. a
Fe. They are estimated at £00 men: are good hunters ; have
guns, but hunt principally with the bow : are supplied wuh
goods from Nacogdoches, and pay for them in rugs, tongues,
tallow and skins. They speak the same language of the Pani-;,
or Towiaches, and pretend to have descended from the same

PAN IS, or TO\yi ACHES. The French call them Pauls,
and the Spaniards Towiaches ; the latter is tlic proper Indian
name. They live on the south bank of Red river ; by the course
of the river upwards of 800 miles above Natchitoches, and by
land, by the nearest path, is estimated at about 340. Tiiey
have two towns near together ; the lower town, w here the chiaf
lives, is called Niteheta, and the other is called Towaahaeii.
They call their present chief the Great Bear. They are at way
with the Spaniards, but friendly to those I'Vench and American
hunters who have lately been among them. They are likewise
at war with the Osages, as are every other nation. For many
hundreds of miles round them, the country is rich prairie, cover-
ed with luxuriant grass, which is green summer and winter, with
skirts of wood on the river bank, by the ifprings and creeks.

'1 i.ey have many horses and mules. They raise more com,
piimpkins, beans and tobacco, than they want for their own.
consumption; the surplusage they exclvango with the Ilietansfor
buffaloe, rugs, horses and mules : the pumpkins they eut round
in their shreads, and when it is in a state of dryness I'lat it is so
tough it will not bieak, but bend, they plait and work it into
large mats, in which slate they sell it to the llit;tans, who, as
they travel, cut oft' and eat it as they want it. I'lieir tobacco

"It

INDIAN TRIBES IN LOUISIANA.

Pauls,

ludiau

course

aiul by

They

e cliifsf

iialuich.

at wwv

iiericjm

ikewise

many

cover-

witii

com,
|r owo.
uis lor
round

it is so
It iiitt>
11 o, as
[bacco

tbey mnnufacture and cut as fine as tea, uhich is put into leather
bajis of a certain sizv, and is likewise an article ot" trade. They
have but few guns, and very little ammunition; what they have
thev Iviep for war, and hunt with the bow. Their meat is prin-
cipally bidl'aloe ; seldonj kill a deer, though they are so plenty
they conu' into their viliaj^es, and about their houses, like a do-
mestic animal : elk, bear, wolves, antelope and wild hogs are
hkewise plenty in heir country, and white rabbits, or hares, as
uell as the common rabbit: white bears so' 2times come dowa
amongst them, \x\\(\ wolves of all colours. The men generally
go entirely naked, and the women nearly so, only wearing a small
liap of a piece of a skin. They have a number of Spaniard:*
amongst them, of fair complexion, taken from die settlement of
St. a Fe, when they were children, who live as they do, and
have no know ledge of w here they came from. Their language
differs from that of any other nation, the Tawakenocs excepted.
Their pres<^nt number of men is estinialed at about 400. A
great number of them, four years ago, were swept off by the
hinall-pox.

HiLyrANS, or Comanches, who are likewise called by both
names, have no fixed place of residence ; have neither tow ns nor
vil!ag(\s ; divided hito so many different hordes or tribes, that
thev have scarcely anv knowleda;e of one another. T^o estimate
of then- numbers can well be made. They never remain iu the
same place more than a few days, but follow the buffaloe, the
flesh of which is dieir principal food. Some of tliein occasion-
ally purchase of the Panis, corn, beans and pumpkins ; but
they are so numerous, any quantity of ihpse articles the Panis
are able to supply them wiUi, must make but a small proportion
of their food. They have tents matle of neatly dressed skins,
fashioneil in form of a cone, suflicicnlly roomy for a family of
ten or twelve persons ; those of the chiefs will contain occasion-
ally .50 or 6o persons. When they stop, their tents are pitched
in very exact order, so as to forni regular streets and squares,
which in a few minutes has the a;)pearance of a town, r.iistd, as
it were, by inchantment : and they are equally dexterous in strik-
ing their tents and preparing for a march when the signal is given;
to every tent two horses or mules are allotted, one to carry the
tent, and another the poles or sticks, which are neatly made of
red cedar ; they all travel on hor^)eback. Their horses ihey
never turn loose to graze, but always keep them tied with a long
cabras or halter ; and every two or three days they are obliged to
iiiove on account of all the grass near them being enten up, they
liave such numbers of horses. They are good horsemen and
have good horses, most of which are bred by theniselves, antl
being accusloincd from when very voung to be handled, thev arc

THAVELS IN AMERICA.

remarkatil}' docile and gentle. They sometimes catch wild
horses, which are every wlicu" jimongst tiietn in immense droves.
They hunt down the biift'alnc on horseback, and kill them cither
with the bow or a sharp stick like a spear, which they carry iii
their hands. They are generally at war with the Spaniards, often
committing depredations upon the inhabitants of St. a Fe and St.
Antoine ; but have always been friendly and civil to any French
or Americans who have been amongst them. They are strong
and athletic, and the elderly men as fat as though they had lived
upon English beef and porter.

It is said the man who kills a bnffuloe, catches the blood and
drinks it while warm ; they likewise eat the liver raw, before it is
cold, an«I use the gaul by way of sauce. They are, for savages,
uncommonly cleanly in their persons : the dress of the women is
a long, loose robe, that reaches from their thin to the ground,
tied round with a fancy sash, or girdle, all made of neatly dressed
leather, on which they paint figures of difterent colours and signi-
fications : the dress of the men is, close leather pantaloons, and a
Iiunting shirt, or frock of the same. They never remain long
enough in the same place to plant any thing : the snjall Cayenne
pepper grows spontaneously in the country, with which and some
wild herbs and fruits, particularly a bean that grows in great
plenty on a small tree resembling a willow, called maskelo, the
women cook their bufl'aloe beef in a manner that would be grate-
ful to an English 'squire. They alternately occupy the immense
space of country from the Trinity and Braces, crossing the Ked
river, to the heads of Arkansaand Missouri, to river Grand, and
beyond it, about St. a Fe, and over the dividing ridge on the
waters of the Western ocean, where they say they have seen
large pcroques, with masts to them ; in describing which, they
make a drawing of a ship, with all its sails and rigging ; and they
describe a place where they have seen vessels ascenditig a river,
over which was a draw-bridge that opened to give them a pas-
sage. Their n;ttive language of sounds differs from the language
of any oUier nation, and none can cither speak or understand it ;
but they have a language by signs that all Indians understand,
and by which they converse much among themselves. They
have a number of Spanish men and women among them, who
are slaves, and who they made 'prisoners when youno-,

An elderly gentleman now living at Natchitoches, who, some
years ago, carried on a trade with the Hietans, a few days ago
related to me the foliovAing story ;

About 20 years ago a parly of these Indians passed over the
river Grand to Chewawa, the residence of the governor-general
of what is called the five internal provinces ; lay in ambush for
an opportunity, and made prisoner the governor's daughter, i\

yayenne
td some
n great
;to, the
e grate-
nmeiise
lie Ked
nd, and
on the
seen
they
d they
river,
pas-
nguage
lud it ;
stand,
They
, who

some
lys ago

)vcr the
general
ush tor
,hter, i\

INDIAN TRIOF.S IN LOUISIANA.

young U^ly going in \\ci- c(>»ch to mass, and broiiglit Ucr otF-
'J'he governor sent a niuvstige to him (my informant) with » thou-
HiMfJi (ioUvrst, for the pvM p^^v <4 recovering his diuighter : \\c im-
UH'diattily dispatclted a co^^<.l<i^tiuI trader, then in his employ^
with the amovMU of the lOOO dollars in uk rchandise, who r^ft
jHiircd to th« nation, found her, and pincha^ed her ransom ; hui
to hla great iiurprisp, »Ue rtfusyd to jeluru with liiin to her fa-
ther, and sent by him the following mt^ssjige : that tike Indiaiis had
disfigured her (ace by tattooing it arcor'Ung to ti»cir fancy and
ideas of hcanty, and a young niau of '' ui liad taken her for his
wife, by v.hqm .vhe believed htTself \)' ^iiaut ; that slio had be-
come reconciled to their mode of hfe^ and was well treated by
her husband ; and that ^.e .should be more un'.K^rpy by re turnuig
to her father, under tjiese ci- curtislances, thii» by remaining
where she va^. VVhicli message was conveyed to jier father,
who rpvvard^d the trader by a }uescnt of 3()U dollars njorc for
liis trouble ^uii fidtlity ; and his daughter is now livi»\g with
her Indian hu.band in the n^^t-ion^ by wlioni she has three
children.

NA rCHlTOCUES, forme. ly hved where the town of Nat-
clutoehcs it> now situated, which {o^ its name from theni. An
elderly French gentleman, lately inl^)rmed me, he remembered
when they were (JOO nien strong. I believe it is now 98 years
since U)e l'rcrK:h imt established themselves at Natchitoch ;
«n'er ^iuce, those Indinns have been their steady and failhful
fnendi^. Afler the inasaacre of the French inhabitants of Nat-
<:hez, by the Natchez Indians, in 17'28, those Indians lied from
the French, after being reinforced, and came up Ucd river, and
cam|>ed about six njiles below ijio town of Natchitoches, near
the river, by the pide «if a small lake of clear water, and erected
a mound of considerable size, where it now remains. JSIonsienr
St. J^ennie, a French Canadian, was then commandant ;U Nat-
chitoches ; tlje Indians called him the Big Foot, Mere fond of
him, for lie was a brave man. St. Dcnnie, with a few Frencli
j<oldier{>, aiui what militia he could nnistcr, joined by the Nat-
chitoches Indians, attacked the Natches in their camp, early
in the morning ; they defended tlu.mselves desperately for six
hour.s-, lsi!l were at length totally defeated by St. Dennie, and
what of duMn that were not killed in battle, were drove into the
lake, where the last of them perished, and the Natchez, as u
nation, U'came extjnd. The .lake is now called by no other name
than the Natphez lake. There are now remaining of the Nat-
chilQches, but i'2 men and *]f) women, who live in a village
about 2.5 miles by land above the tow n which bears their nanu^
near a lake, called by the French Lac de Miiiic. Tiivir origi-

LKWIS AND CLAiiKi:.] CJ

TRAVELS IN AMliUlCA.

nal language " tlie same as the Yattassce, hut speak Cuddo, and
most of thcin French.

The French inhabitants Iiavc great respect for this nation, and
^number of veiT decent famihes have a mixture of their blood in
Ipcm. Tliey claim but a .small tract of land, on which they live,
and I am informed, have the same ri«;hts to it from government,
that other inhabitants in their neighbourhood have. They are
gradually wasting away; the small-pox has been their great de-
stroyer. They still preserve their Indian dress and habits ; raise
corn and those vegetables connnon in their neighbourhood.

BOLUXAS, are emij;raMls from near Pensacola. They
came to Red river about 4'2 years ago, with some French fami-
lies, who left that country about the time Pensacola was taken
possession of by the English. They were then a considerable
numerous tribe, and have generally embraced the Roman Ca-
tholic religion, and were ever highly e8teen)cd by the French.
They settled first at Avoyall, then moved higher up to Ra-
pide Bayau, and from thence to the mouth of iligula de IJon-
dieu, a division of Red river, about 40 miles below Natchitoch,
where they now live, and are reduced to about .30 in number.
Their native language is jjeculiar to themselves, but speak Mo-
bilian, which is spoken by all the Indians from the east side of
Mississippi. They are honest, harmless and friendly people.

A PPA LACHES, are likewise emigrants from West Florida,
from oft' the river, whose name they bear ; camo over to Red
river about the same time ihe Boluxas did, and have, ever since,
lived on the river, above Bayau Rapide. No nation has been
more highly esteemed by the French inhabitants ; no complaints
against them are ever heard ; there are only 14 men remaining ;
have their own language, but speak French and Mobilian.

ALLIBAM IS, are likewise from West Florida, off the Alli-
bami river, and came to Red river about the same time of tho
Boluxas and Appalachcs. Part of tbem have lived on Red
river, about l(i miles above the Bayau Rapide, till last year,
when most of this party, of about 30 men, went up Red river,
and have settled themselves near the Caddoques, where, I am
informed, they last year made a good crop of corn. The Cad-
dos are friendly to them, and have no objection to their settling
there. They speak the Creek and Chactaw languages, and Mo-
bilian ; most of them F>ench, and some of them English.

There is another p:uty of them, whose village is on a small
creek, in Appelousa district, about 30 miles north west from the
church of Appelousa. They consist of about 40 men. They
have lived at the same place ever since they came from F'lorida ;
,'ue said to be increasing a little in numbers, for a few years past,v

!ND!AN tribes in LOUISIANA.

do, und

on, and
^lood ill
liey live,
rnnient,
L'hcy are
reat (le-
ts ; raise

3d.

. They
ch fami-
as taken
jitlerahle
man Ca-

Frencli.
I to Ru-
de 13on-
:chitocli,
number,
oak Mo-
it side of
fople.
[ Florida,

to lied

cr since,
has been

in plaints

naining ;

in.

the xMli-
of the

on Red

st year,

d liver,

le, I am

ihe Cad-
settling

laid Mo-

Ih.
a small

Ifroni the

i;hey

riorida ;

jars past,v

Hicy raise coin, have horses, hogs and cattle, and are hartnltss,
quiet people.

CON CM ATT AS, are almost the same people as the AUiba-
niis, but came over only tci years ago ; first lived on Bayau
Chico, in Appelousa district, but, four years ago, moved to i\\Q
river Sabine, settled themselves on the east bank, where they
now live> hi nearly a south direction from Natchitoch, and dis-
tant about 80 miles. They call their number of men IfiO, but
say, if they were all together, they would amount to QCM). Seve-
ral families of them live in detached settlements. They arc good
hunters, and game is plenty about where they arc. A few days
ago, a small party of them were here, consisting of 15 persons,
men, women and children, who were on their return from a bear
hunt up Sabine. They told me they had killed 1 18 ; but this
year an uncommon number of bears liave come down. One
man alone, on Sabine, during the summer and fall, hunting,
killed 400 deer, sold his skins at 40 dollars n hundred. Hic
bears this year are not so fat as common ; they usually yield from
eight to twelve gallons of oil, each of which never sells for less
than a dollar a gallon, and the skin a dollar more ; no great quan-
tity of the meat is saved; what the hunters doji't use when out,
they generally give to their dogs. The Conchattas arc frieiuliy
with all other Indians, and speak well of their neighbours the
Carankouas, who, they say, live about 80 miles south of them,
on the bay, which, 1 believe, is the nearest point to the sea from
Natchitoches. A few families of Chaetaws have lately settled
near them from Bayau Beauf. The Conchattas speak Creek,
which is their native language, and Chactaw, and several of them
English, and one or two of them can read it a little.

PACANAS, are a small tribe of about 30 men, who live on
the Quelqueshoe river, which falls into the bay between Aua-
kapa and Sabine, which heads in a prairie culled Cooko prairie,
about 40 miles south west of Natchitoches. These people are
likewise emigrants from West Florida, about 40 years ago.
Their village is about 50 miles south east of the Conchattas ; are
said to be increasing a little in number ; quiet, peaceable and
friendly people. Their own language differs from any other, but
speak Mobilian.

ATTAKAPAS. This word, I am hiformed, when transla"
ted into English, means man-eater, but is no more applicable to
them than any other Indians. The district they live in is called
after them. Their village is about 20 miles to the westward of
the Attakapa church, towards Quelqueshoe. Their number of
men is about 50, but some Tunicas and Humas, who have raar-
i-ied in their nation and live witii them, makes them altogether
about 80. They arc peaceable and friendly to every body ; la-

G 2

lie*

THAV r.l.S IN AM Fine \.

botir, orrnfKionjrHy, for tlin tshit*' hihfrf»ltflnit«» ; rinMc tlurr oMrt
rorn; Inivr cjitllr and liogs. Tl:« ir l;iiiL;tiit;(i niid ihf C.irfttt-
kofias is r\n; jwmo. 'i'hcy W(;rr, (Vv »*;tf, vNln'n* thH n<>w
live, N>liL'n Ur.rt |^i t of ihc coimcrv y\u!^ tiiM d'irfCT^VcVi-^l bv Wxd
Prtnrli.

Al*PAlX)tS.\S. It is siiW tht v^cyid J\|>^:i](tti«i. in \h<^
Indian langtiji^e, mr.tm bl^rk bi'Wri, <^ bl<nk •?k«1l. 'Hk-v rti*c
aboiH^iiiis of ill* dislvict caUt*! by ihcir ii:une. 'I'beir Villai:f' is
abant 15 )^'\ttoH N^cst from liie y\|i^>o|o«>?a chun^i ; lilivi: -abotrt
>40 nrcTi. Tfct ir nliliv<» Ihinrna^ di1fcr«« ftirMu all (Wlitf ; timliM^
5iCftiid Allhki4»n JUKI yi^onk Froiitli ; phM c6irt ; tfare taltlc ^rtrA
hogs.

'11JN<1:AS. 'rbr»!o |H»oj)to livtd f-vrmrrly o^ tb*« BuyKfi
'rumen, ;»bnve Point Cuu|>fe, On tlio Mij^^isnippi, riiist ^itft' ;
live now «t AvoytiN ; ih not at jm j^iMit ckrtvd 'J.3 ttJcf). 'ITk^i^'
unlive hn^nUgo is |iecal'iar to fhcrfts«clves, 'b<rt speak Mobiliiin ;
are cnvf^fovcd, occtisionulfy, by the inlmbittint* as b^jrt'tYiTii, &x-.
ill nmity \Vith all t>flier people, ahd ^adnally diminishing "in
iiuftibe'rs.

PASCAGOI/AS, live in a »mtiH vi^I^a^e on WeA Hvrf, 'Mutt
60 miles hth'tw Nhtcbitoches ; are 'em^t-YafitS frdti Pasriigo!{i
river, in Wtsrt Florida ; 23 men only ibf tlierti fc^nalbing ; spetik
Mohilian, but have a ihftjniftge peculiar to theniselve* ; riit/st cif
thtm f!\tctAi flud uhdcfsfwM I'rcTifch. 'llvi-'y rftwe gt^ocl vYtfps cfi'
icorn, and gin^tkii vrgetabtes ; bave cjittJe, hdi^es, and ponltry
plenty. Tlu'iv b6rSTS in'e lAircb like Ibe po6rer kind of French
mhab?t:inrs on the liver, ftrt^l appehrto liveabftntas <vcll.

TENISAWS, are li!<e'<\ij(> ewiigrmU^ from the Tcrrcsauth'^r,
thtit. falls into the bay of Mobile ; h-ave bctti tfn \\6{\ river nbmtt
40 years : are rcdnced to abont *il5 rtu^i. Tbcir viH.lge isMrtiiin
one mile ^f the Pasca»;o!afs, on the r)pi^os)h3 sitk^, but have hitely
sold their land, and have, or are about niovirrg, to Bay»u lii^aTif,
nbout 25 miles south from w'heif they httt^ly lived : all s'pe.ik
French tind Mobiliini, and live much like their uei^hboui-s the
Pascagolhs.

CtlACTOOS, live on Bnyau Bcauf, ;iboi^t 10 miles to the
SOUlht\ard of Huy»ti Hapide, on K^?d livor, toa;rrds Ajipaloirsn:
a small, honest peo[>le ; are aborigines of the totmtiS Avh jit tliet
live ; of men about 'JO ; diminishing: Imve ihcii ovn pcailiar
tongue ; J?|ieak Mobilian. The lands th(n elnini on TJuyah Bratd'
are int-erior to no part of Lowisiaua in dt^plb andrichnes-s of soil,
j!;roNvth of timber, pleasantness of sui fece and gootiuess of\vater.
Tlte Bayau Bemif falls into the ChafTieli,and tlisdiargcs, through
Apj>alou»a and Atfakapa, into Verndlion Bay.

'WAS?H AS. When the French first came into tire Mississippi,
tbis nation lived oh an isl'and to the soUtli \v<?»t of New Orleans,
called Barritaria, and were the tirift tribe of Indians they became

( I

Indian TRinr.s in Louisiana.

fr oMrt
C«rnn-
V n<>\v
by \\\b

in t1i<^

illa.iif is
irabmit

iltlc itiiA

%{ MtH';

obiliiiJi ;
ifii, &f.
ishhrg iti

J ; Hpt'tik
tixOit 6i'

vvapH cfi'
ponltry

[aa tW'^r,
Icr tibmtt
tsuhiiin
ive l-.'.tcly

ill s'pcnk
[oiu*s tht*

Is to the

haloiTsa :
]ji* tijer
jlicailiar

of soil,
if Watur.
Ithrough

[sissipjii,

>rltsans,

Ibccame

ac(|uaiut(-(l willi, and \vt re always frii>iuN. 'I'lu\v aftorwards lived
on Hayaii f .n l'\».s1i ; uiiil, ft(Au Uinu; n coii?iidi'niUe natii)n, arc
now r«(lnct(l to live |>cr«ofi« oiiK, two men and llnri' \>oin('n,
\vlio aie scatttKil in I'nneli funiilirs : have been nianv vcaj.sox-
tinet, as II imlion, mul tUeii nalivv iontniiifn' ix ^<>><t.

CM AC'rAU>». There arc a conliderwJbk* mitnber of this unc-
tion on tifc west Miie otUte MissiMi|)|)i, wlio have not Lirdi borne
for Ki'veral years. .Alnmt tv^vlve miles ai>9ve tin.* post on Oacbe-
ta, on that livit-, llM:re iji u sntaill vitiate of tkitnn of nboiit ^^
iu(>i^ who haw \\\viH tUcie for »cvoral ^oafs, und made corn;
iimi likewise on nuyau Chiro, in the niMilioni pnrit of die district
of A|>pulousa) there is MHHber \illn{;c of kbem ol' ubout d(> mcqiy
^ho have IxM-n there lor idjoiit nine vturs, nad anv thfT luiw Hie
governor of Louisiana'* |)ermis.sriai to sett4e there. IJcsidcs thest*,
tlieie are r»n>biini; himtfirt^ ipavlics of >then) to Ijc imet n ith all
over Lower Louii^niiKi. 'I'liey are at war with iht UaddcKjnes,
and liked by mrither uA nor w brie poople.

AUKKXiSAS', bv* on the ArkmiBa river, «7nlh side, iii
three villa;i5t'H, -about Itt luilts above die ,poiit, or slnlicm. 'Jlw
name of ibe lii.it villltiifro is Tuicunhna, fiecund 'i)>t)'otU; vn\t\ the
third Orapu ; in all, it is bt'lieved, they do nttt at prcBont xik-
<;ei'd 100 meti, and (!*iHiiii>4iiMg. 'I'hey are «t v.ar w'ttk tin;
Okafjes, but fiicndly with all ot^cr "peofjxk-, Yvhrtc and red; i»re
tlk' origiaal lyeoprietors of tne counUy onllie river, 1o all wliieb
they claim, for about SOi) miles above them, to the jmuniofj <if
the ri\HJv 'Crt'.lv.n witli ArLensa ; nbove liiis fork the (>t<;ii»es
claim. 'J'lieir Jaiiguaj^e i» 'Osag^*. 'i'heyp,OKril!y ruise eoj«n to
sell ; are called honciit a»d fi'iendly poopio.

TIjo forementioned are all ihe Ivwi-an tribes that T have nf>\'
kno\vle(ly,e of, or can obtain an ticeount ol", in Lonisinna, ,*toutli
of the river Arkwsa, btlM'eeii tlwj MlsBi.s.sipin aiUl river ^«Vaiid.
At Avoyall there dkl live u eonsilkrable tri'.'c of thai ntmii', bwl,
as far as 1 can kurn, have lnvn extinct fv)r many years, two uv
three women excepted, who did Kitely live amon^ the 1*V« neb
iithabitauls on U a.shita.

'J'here are a tew of llie Humus still living on tl:(; east side of
the Alississippi, in lx!<usees parish, below Manehack, hut
seareely e\ist, as a nation.

'I'hat there are errors in these sketchj s is not to be doubled,
btit in all casts out of my own personal knonledire 1 have endea-
vomed to proeure the best inl«irmation, whirli 1 have faithlnlly
related ; and I am contident any errors tii:a do exist are too un-
important to aiicct the object fur which they are intended.
1 am, Sir, &,e.
(Sii'ncd)

\v il

w.l

JOHN SIBLEV

General H. Deaiiboun

NaicLUochcSj ulpr'd b, \tOJ.

tRAVELS IN AMttLitk^

TO GENERAL HENRY DEARBORN,
secretary of war.
Sir,

YOU request me to give you some account of Red rivcf^
and the country adjacent: I will endeavour to comply with youi*
request, to the best of my knowledge and capacity. My perso*
nal knowledge of it is only from its mouth to about 70 or 80
miles above Natchitoches, being, by the course of the river,
Bear 400 miles. After that, what I can say of it is deiived from
information from others, on whose veracity I have great reli-
ance; principally from Mr. Francis Grappe, who is my assistant
and interpreter of Indian languages ; whose father was a French
officer, and superintendent of Indian affairs, at a post, or sta*
tion, occupied by France, where they kept some soldiers, and
had a factory, previous to the cession of l^uisiana to Spain, si-
tuate nearly 500 miles, by the course of the river, above Nat-
chitoches, where he, my informant, was born, and lived upwards
of 30 years; his time, during which, being occupied alternate-
ly as an assistant to his father, an Indian trader and hunter, with
the advantage of some learning, and a very retentive memory,
acquired an accurate knowledge of the river, as well as the lan-
guages of all the different Indian tribes in Louisiana, which,
widi his having been Indian interpreter for the Spanish govern-
ment for many years past, and (I believe) deservedly esteemed
by the Indians, and all others, a man of strict integrity, has, for
many years, and does now possess their entire contidence, and
a very extensive influence over them ; and I have invariably found,
that whatever information I have received froni him, has* been
confirmed by every other intelligent person, having a knowledge
of the same, with whon^ I have conversed.

NOTE. Contrary to geographical rules, as I ascended die
river, 1 called the right bank the northern one, and the left the
souUiern.

THE confluence of Red river with the Mississippi is, by
the course of the latter, estimated about 1I<20 miles from New
Orleans. Descending the Mississippi, after passing the Spa-
nish line at the 31st degree of north latitude, it makes a re-
markable turn to the westward, or nearly north-west, for some
distance before you arrive at the mouth of Red river, as though,
notwithstanding the immense quantity of its waters already,
from its almost numberless tributary streams, it was still desirous
of a farther augmentation, by hastening its union with Red river

1 rlvoi*^
til jour
' perso*
or 80
13 river,
!(! from
ijat reli-
issistaiit
French
or sta*
irs, and
tain, si-
ve Nat-
ipwards
ternate-
er, with
leinory,
the lan-
Avhich,
igovem-
iteemed
las, for
ce, and
f found,
•ds been
l)wledge

\ed the
left the

] •

is, by
New
|e Spa-
ll re-
sonie
though,
jheady,
lesirous
td river

ACCOUNT or RED KIVEB, &C.

(whicli, perhaps, is second only in dignity to it) that they might,
from thence, flow on and join the ocean together, which, for
many leagues, is forced to give place to its minhty current.
Hut there are reasons for believing the Red river did not always
unite with the Mississippi, as it does at present ; and that no
very great length of time has elapsed since the Mi^sis^if^y-ii left
its ancient bed, some miles to iht- eastward, and t(»ok its course
westvvardly for the purpose of intermarrying wiiii Red river.
The mouth of the Chalfeli, winch is now, propeily speaking,
one of the outlets of the river Alississippi to the ocean, is just
below in sight of the Junction of U. d river with the Missis-
sippi ; and from its resemblance to lied river in size, growth on
its banks, appearance and texture of sod, and differing from
that of the Mississippi, induces strongly the belief that the
Chaft'eli wais once but the continutition of Red river to the ocean,
«nd that it had, in its bed, no connection with the Mississippi.
There is no doubt but the Mississippi has alternately occupied
different places in the low grounds throtisih which it meanders,
almost from the high lands of one side to those of the other, for
the average space of near 30 miles. These two great rivers
happening to How, for a distance, through the same mass of
swamp, that annually is almost all inundated, it is not extraor-
dinary that their channels should find their way together; the
remarkable bend of the Mississippi, at this place, to the west-
ward, seems to have been for the express purpose ot forming
this union; alter which it returns to its former course.

In the month of March, 1 80:5, I ascended Red river, from
its mouth to Natchitoches, in an open boat, unless when 1 chose
to lantl and walk across a point, or by the beauty of the river
bank, the pleasantness of its grovis, or the variety of its shrubs
and llowers, I was invited ashore to gratify or please my curio-
sity. On entering the mouth of the rivtr I found its waters
turjiid, of a red colour, and of a brackish taste; and as the Mis-
sissippi was then falling, and Red river rising, found a current,
from its mouth upwards, varying considerably in places, but
averaging about two miles an hour, for the first hundred miles,
which, at that time, I found to be about the same in the Mis-
.sissippi ; but, when that river is high, and Red river low, there
is vcrv little current in the latter, for sixtv or sevenlv miles : the
liver, for that distance, is very crooked, increashig the distance,
by it, from a straight line, more than two thirds; t!ie general
course of it ni'arly.west : that 1 was able to ascertain, from hear-
ing the morning gun at Fort Adams, for thre(i or four mornings
after entering the river, which was not at the greatest height
by about foiu'teen feet; and all the low grounds, for near seven-
ty miles, entirely overflowed like those of the Mississippi, which,

.5fl

TRAVnLS IN AMBRICA.

! I

in fact, is but a continuation of the same. Sonic plf^ron ap-
p«arc«', by Uie high water mark on the li^t^on, to ovtifloNv uot
iwoKc than two or throe feet, particuhirl} the rifiht h»i>k, below
the inouth of tlje Black liver, and the hMt bank above it; the
growth on the lowest places, willo^v and cottou wood, but on
the liighcirt, handsome oaLs, swamp hickory, aaii^ gruj)t' viovs,
See.

I made my cah:ulation of oiir rnto of aFV<'nt and distav^ces wp
the river, by my watch, netini;- car elully with my pencil the mi-
Mnte of our stops and settings off, the inlets and onlk-ls, rcuuirk-
able bends in the river, and uhutevcr I obscrv* »l any way re-
markable. j\bout sis miles iVoni the nvoutli of liie river, left
side, there is a baynu, as it is oalkcl, ctnnts in, that communi-
cates with u lake cnlltd lake Lt>np:, wliich, b\ au' thor bayau,
cornniunicates ngain with the river, through which, wlicn there is a
»v»s\\ in the river, boats can pass, and cut off about 30 miles, being
only 14 or 16 through it, and about 45 by the course of the river ;
and through the lake there is very liltie or ro current; but the
passage is intricate and difficult to liud : a straucer should not
attempt it wiiliout a pilot ; people have been lo8t in it for seve-
ral days; but not difficult for one acqiiniutcd: we, having no
pilot on board to be depended on, kept tho river.

From the mouth of Hcd river to the nu)uth of Black
river I made it 31 miles: the water of Black river is clear,
and when contrasted with the water of Red river has a black,
appearance. From the mouth of lilack river, lied river makes
a regular twining to the left, for about 18 miles, called the Grand
Bend, forn)in^ a si <inient of nearly three fourths of a circle ;
ifvlipn you arrive at the bayau that leads into lake Long, which,
perhaps, is in a ri«;,l!t line, not exceeding IJ miles from the
month of iherivfr. From i3?nau I^ikc l^ong, to Avoyall land-
ing, called Baker's landing, I made .S'] miles, and the river is
remarkably crooked. At this place the guns at Fort Adauis are
distinctly heard, and the sound appears to be but little south of
<?flst. We came through a baynu culled Silver Bayau, that cut
off, we understand, six miies; it was through the bayau about
four miles. Until we arrived at Baker's landiiip;, saw no spot
of ground that did not averflow ; the high water mark generally
from 3 to 15 feet above its banks. yMtrr pa.'sing Black river, the
edge of the banks near the river are highest; thi' land falls, from
the river back. /\t Br.ker's Ir.iiding f v ent I'slioie; I under-
st od, from Baker's lar.diug, cross the point, to Le Glass' land-
ing, was only three or tour miles, r.nd by water 15; but I found
it () at least, and nu t w ith yome diflieulty in getting from where
1 landed to the high land at Baker's house, for water, tkough ut

tioi
pro
trie

ACCOUNT OF RED RIVER, &C.

a «ot

• tUe
Hit on

CCS HV^

he iw'»-

,ay je-
er, left
mnuni-
bayavi,
lere is a
s, being
ic viver ;
but lUc

)u\fl MOt

for &eve-
aviug no

f Black
lis clenr,
5 a bluck.
er make*
lie Graiul
a circle-,
, wliich,
[iVouv the
Ivall laud-
river i»
dauis are
soulU of
t\)at cut
au about
Iv no spot
gcucrally
river, the
[alls, iVoni
I uudtr-
lass' lauil-
tt 1 i'ouud
vn Nvherc
tltough at

low water' it Is a dry cart road, and less than a mile. I found
Baker and his family very hospitable and kind ; Mr. Baker told
me he was a native of V^irginia, and had lived there upwards of
30 years. He was living on a tolerable good high piece of
land, not prairie, but joining it. After leaving Baker's house,
was soon in sight of the prairie, which, I understand, is about
40 miles in circumference, longer than it is wide, very levels only
a few clumps of trees to be seen, all covered with good grass.
The inhabitants are settled all around the out edge of it, by the
woods, their houses facing inwards, and cultivate the prairie
land. Though the soil, when turned up by the plow, has a
good appearance, what I could discover by the old corn and
cotton stulks, they made but indifferent crops ; the timber land
that 1 saw cleared and planted, produced the best ; the pr?' ie
is better for grass than for planting. The inhabitants have < n-
siderable stocks of cattle, which appears to be their principal
dependence, and I was informed their beef is of a superior
quality: they have likewise good pork; hogs live very well; the
timbered country all round the prairie is principally oak that
produces good mast for hogs. Corn is generally scarce ; they
raise no wheat, for they have no mills. I was informed that
the lower end of the prairie that I did not see was much the
richest land, and the inhabitants lived better, and were more
wealthy ; they are a mixture of French, Irish, and Americans,
generally poor and ignorant. Avoyall, at high water, is an
island, elevated 30 or 40 feet above high water mark ; the quan-
tity of timbered land exceeds thatf of the prairie, which is like-
wise pretty level, but scarcely a second quality of soil. La Glass'
landing, as it is called, I found about a mile and a half from the
upper end of the prairie ; but the high lands bluff to the river.
After leaving this place found the banks rise higher and higher
on each side; and tit for settlements; on the right side pine
woods sometimes in sight. I left the boat again about eight
miles from Le Glass' landing, right side; walked two and a
half miles cross a point, toa Mr. Hoome's; round the point is
called Id miles. I found the lands through which I passed
high, moderately hilly; the soil a good second quality, clay;
timber, large oak, hickory, some short leaved pine; and several
small streams of clear running water. This desc 'ption of lands
extended back 5 or 6 miles, and bounded by open pine woods,
which continue, for 30 miles, to Ocatahola. 1 found Mr.
Hoomes' house on a high bluff very riear the river; his planta-
tion the same description of land through which I had passed,
producing good corn, cotton and tobacco, and he told me he had
tried it in w heat, which succeeded well, but having no mills to

LEWIS AND CLARK.] H

h:i

TRAVELS IN AMERICA.

manufacture it, had only made the experiment. Mr. Hoomea
told me all the lands round his, for many miles, were vacant. On
the south side there is a large body of rich, low grounds, ex-
tending to the borders of Appalousa, watered and drained by
Bayau Robert and Bayau Beauf, two handsome streams of clear
water that rise in the high lands between Red river and Sabine,
and after meandering through this inunense mass of low grounds
of 30 or 40 n)iles square, fall into the Chatfeli, to the south-
ward of Avoyall. 1 believe, in point of soil, growth of tim-
ber, goodness of water, and conveniency to navigation, there
is not a more valuable body of land in this part of Louisiana.
From Mr. HoonjCM' to the mouth of R:ipide Bayau is, by the
river, .So miles. A few scattering settlements on the right side,
but none on the left ; the right is preferred to settle on, on ac-
count of their stocks being convenient to the high lands; but the
settlers on the right side own the lands on the left side too ;
the lands on the Bayau Rapide are the same quality as those on
Bay us Robert and Beauf, and, in fact, are a continuation of the
same body of lands. Bjiyan Rapi()e is somi^what in the form
of a half mooii ; the tw o points, or horns, meeting the river
about 20 miles from each other : the length of the bayau is
about 30 miles; on the back of it there is a large bayau falls in,
on which there is a saw mill, very advantageously situated, in
respect to a never failing supply of water; plenty of timber;
and the plank can be taken from the mill tail by water. This
bayau is excellent water; rises in the pine woods, and discharges
itself each way into the river, by both ends of Bayau Rapide.
Boats cannot pass through the bayau, from the river to the river
again, on account of rafts of timber choaking the upper end
of it, but can enter the lower end and ascend it more than half
through it. On the lower end of the bayau, on each side, is
the principal Rapide settlement, as it is called. No country
whatever can exhibit handsomer plantations, or better lands.
The Rapide is a fall, or shoal, occasioned by a soft rock in the
bed of the river, that extends from side to side, over which,
for about tive months in the year (viz.) from July to December,
there is not sufficient water for boats to pass without lightening,
but at all other seasons it is the same as any other part of the
river. This rock, or hard clay, for it resembles the latter al-
most as much as the former, is so soft it may be cut away with
a pen knife, or any sharp instrument, and scarcely turn the edge,
and extends up and down the river but a few yards ; and 1 have
heard several intelligent persons give it as their opinion, that
the extraordinary expense and trouble the inhabitants were at, in
one year, in getting loaded boats over this slioal, would be more
than sufficient to cut u passage through it ; but it happens at a

ACCOUNT OF RED RIVER, &C.

amea
On
, ex-
d by
clear
abine,
ounds
south-
f tim-
, there
lisiana.
by the
tit side,
on ac-
but the ,
3e too;
nose on
,n of the
he form
the river
bayau is
u falls in,
uated, in
tunber;
;r. This
lischarges
Uapide.
the river
pper end
han half
11 side, is
country
,er lands,
ick in the
r which,
lecember,
ightening,
jt of the
latter al-
way with
the edge,
M 1 have
[iiion, that
ere at, m
be more
[pens at a

season of the year when the able planters are occupied at home,
and would make no use of the river were there no obstructions
in it; but at any rate, the navigation of the river is clear a longer
proportion of the year than the rivers in the northern countries
are clear of ice. But this obstruction is certainly removable,
at a very trifling expense, in conipurison to the importance of
having it done; and nothing but the nature of the government
we have lately emerged from, can be assigned as a reason for
its not having been effected long ago.

After passing the Rapides there are very few settlements to be
seen, on the main river, for about 20 miles, though both sides
appeared to me capable of making as valuable settlements as any
on the river; we arrive then at the Indian villages, on both
sides, situate exceedingly pleasant, and on the best lands ; after
passing which you arrive at a large, beautiful plantation of Mr.
Gillurd ; the house is on a point of a high pine woods bluff,
close to the river, 60 or 70 feet above the common sur-
face of the country, overlookiug, on the east, or opposite
side, very extensive fields of low grounds, in high cultivation,
and a long reach of the river, up and down ; and there is an
excellent spring of water issues from the bluff, on which the
house is situated, from an aperture in the rock that seems to
have been cloven on purpose for it to How ; and a small distance,
back of the house, there is a lake of clear water, abounding
with iish in summer and fowl in winter. I have seen in all my
life, very few more beautiful or advantageously situated places.

Six miles above Gillard's you arrive at the small village of
Bolu.. Indians, where the river is divided into two channels,
forming an island of about fifty miles in length, and three or
four in breadth. The right hand division is called the Rigula de
Bondien, on which are no settlements; but, I am informed, will
admit of being well settled; the left hand division is the boat
channel, at present, to Natchitoches: the other is likewise boat-
able. Ascending the left hand branch for about 24 miles, we
pass a thick settlement and a number of wealthy inhabitants.
This is called the River Cane settlement; called so, 1 believe,
from the banks some years ago, being a remarkable thick cane-
brake.

After passing this settlement of about forty families, the river
divides again, forming another island of about thirty miles in
length, and from two to four in breadth, called the Isle Brevet,
after a reputable old man now living in it, who first settled it.
This island is sub-divided by a bayau that communicates from
one river to the other, called also Bayau Brevel. The middle
division of the river, is called Little river, and it is thickly set-
tled, and is the boat channel : the westward division of the river

H 2

:5:ikl

""■■x

I' I'

'f|''4t I

WiK\

! Ill- !' '

«0

TRAVELS IN AMERICA.

is called False river, is navigable, but not settled, the banks are
too low; it passes through a lake called Lac Occassa. When
you arrive at Natchitoches, you find it a small, irregular, and
meanly built village, half a dozen houses excepted, on the west
side of that division of the river it is on, the high pine and oak
woods approach within two or three hundred yards of the river.
In the village are about forty families, twelve or fifteen mer-
chants or traders, nearly all French. The fort built by our
troops since their arrival, called fort Claiborne, is situated on a
small hill, one street from the river, and abjut thirty feet higher
than the river banks. All the hill is occupied by the fort and
barracks, and does not exceed two acres of ground. The
southern and eastern prospects from it are very beautiful. One
has an extensive view of the fields and habitations down the river,
and the otiier a similar view over the river, and of the whole
village. This town thirty or forty years ago, was much larger
than at present, and situated on a hill about half a mile from its
preient site. Then most of the families of the district lived in
the town, but finding it convenient on account of the stocks and
farms, they filed off, one after another, and settled up and down
the river. The merchants and trading people found being on
the bank of the river more convenient for loading and unloading
their boats, left the hill on that account : and others, finding the
river ground much superior for gardens, to which they are in the
babit of paying great attention, followed the merchants ; after
them the priests and commandant ; then the church and jail (or
calleboose), and now nothing of the old town is left, but the
form of their gardens and some ornamental trees. It is now a
very extensive common of several hundred acres, entirely tufted
with clover and covered with sheep and cattle. The hill is a
stiff clay, and used to make miry streets ; the river soil, though
much richer, is of a loos9, sandy, texture ; the streets are nei-
ther miry nor very dusty. Our wells do not afford us good wa-
ter, and the river water, in summer, is too brackish to drink,
and never clear. Our springe are about half a mile back from
the river, but the inhabitants, many of them, have large cisterns,
and use, principally, rain water, which is preferred to the spring
water. The planters along on the river generally use rain w;iter;
though when the river is high, and the water taken up and set-
tled in large earthen jars, (which the Indian women make of
good quality and at a moderate price), it can be drank tolerably
well, but it makes bad tea.

Near Natchitoches there are two large lakes, one within a
mile, the other six miles to the nearest parts. One of them is
fifty or sixty miles in circumference, the other upwards of
thirty: these lakes rise and fail with the river. When the river

I 1

/ '

ACCOUNT OF RED RIVER, &C.

.3vi

4 <

are

hen

and

A'est

oak

iver.

mer-

f our

on a

ligber

t and
The
One

river,

whole

larger

om its

ived in

cks and

[I down

jing on

iloading

Jing the

e in the

s; after

jail (or

but the
1 now a
y tufted
iill is a
thougli
[are nei-
lod wa-
) drink,
k from
cisterns,
le spring
iiNV liter;
[and set-
[lake of
tolerably

kvitbin a
jtlieni is
lards of
Ihe river

is rising the bayaus that connect with the lakes, run into the lakes
like a mill-tale, till the lakes are filled ; and when the river is
falling, it is the same the contrary way, just like the tide, but only
annual. On these creeks good mills might be erected, but the
present inhabitants know nothing of mills by water, yet have excel-
lent cotton gins worked by horses. I do not know a single me-
chanic in the district, who is a native of it, one tailor excepted.
Every thing of the kind is done by strangers, and mostly Ame-
ricans. Though Natchitoches has been settled almost one hun-
dred years, it is not more than twelve or fifteen years since they
ever had a plow, or a flat to cross the river with ; both which
were introduced by an Irish Pennsylvanian, under a similar op-
position to the Copernican system. 'TIS almost incredible the
quantity of flsh and fowl these lakes supply. It is not uncom-
mon in winter for a single man to kill from two to four hundred
fowl in one evening ; Uiey fly between sundown and dark ; the
air is filled with them ; they load and Are as fast as they can,
without taking any particular aim, continuing at the same stand
till they think they have killed enough, and then pick up what
they have killed ; they consist of sevei'al kinds of duck, geese,
brant, and swan. In summer, the quantities of flsh are nearly
in proportion. One Indian will, with a bow and arrow, some-
times kill them faster than another, with two horses, can bring
them in ; they weigh, some of them, thirty or forty pounds.
The lakes likewise afford plenty of shells for lime ; and at low
water, the greater of them is a most luxuriant meadow, where
the inhabitants fatten their horses. All round these lakes above
high water mark, there is a border of rich land, generally wide
enough for a field. On the bank of one of them, there is plen-
ty of stone coal, and several quarries of tolerable good building
stone ; at high water boats can go out of the river into them.
Similar lakes are found all along Red river, for five or six hun-
dred miles, which, besides the uses already mentioned, nature
seems to have provided as reservoirs for the immense quantity
of water beyond what the banks of the river will contain ; other-
wise no part of them could be inhabited : the low grounds, from
hill to hill, would be inundated. About twelve miles north of
Natchitoches, on the north-east side of the river, there is a
large lake called Lac iSloiz ; the bayau of it communicates to
the Rigula de 15ondieu, opposite Natchitoch, which is boatu-
ble the greater part of the year. Near this lake are the salt works,
from Nvhiclj all the salt lliat is used in the district, is made ; and
which is made nitli so much ease, that two old men, both of
them cripples, with ten or twelve old pots and kettles, have,
for several years past, made an abundant supply of salt for the
whole district : they inform me they make six bushelt. j;er day.

^ih

TRAVELS IN AMERICA.

I have not been at the place, but have n bottle of the water
brought to me, which 1 found nearly saturated. The salt is
good. 1 never had better banon than I make with it. 1 am in*
formed, there are twelve saline springs now open ; and by dig-
ging; for thrm, for aught any one knows, twelve hundred might
be opened. A few months ago, captain Burnet, of the Mis-
sissippi territory, coming to this place by Washita, came by the
salt works, and purchased the right of one of the old men he
found there, and has lately sent up a boat, with some large kettles
and some negroes, under the direction of his son; and expects,
when they get all in order, to be able to make thirty or forty
bushels a day. Cuptuin Burnet is of opinion, that he shall be
able to supply tlie Mississippi territory, and the settlements on
Mississippi, from point Coupee, upwards^ lower than they can
get it in New Orleans and bring it up. Cathaitic salts, and
magnesia, might likewise be made in large quantities, if they
understood it. The country all roimd the Sabine and Black
lake is vacant, and from thence to •Washita, a distance of about
one hundred and twenty miles, which 1 am informed aft'ords
considerable quantities of well timbered good uplands, and well
watered. There is a small stream we cross on the Washita road,
tlje English call it Litt/e river, the French Dogdimonay af-
fording a wide rich bottom : this stream fails into the Acata-.
hola lake ; from thence to Washita, it is called Acatahola ri-
ver; its course is eastvvafdly, and falls into Washita, near the
mouth of Tensaw, wliere the road from Natchitoches to Nat-
chez, crosses it: from the confluence of these three rivers,
downwaitls, it is called Black river, w Inch falls into Red river,
sixty miles below. There is a good salt spring near the Acata-
hola lake.

Ascending Red river, above Natchitoches, in about three
miles arrive at the upper mouth of the Rigula de Bondieu :
there are settlements all along ; plantations adjoining. From the
upper mouth of the Rigula de Bondieu, the river is one chan-
nel through the settlement called Grand Ecore, of about six miles;
it is called Grand Ecore, (or in English the Great Bluff) being
such a one on the left hand side, near one hundred feet high.
The face next the river, almost perpendicular, of a soft, white
rock; the top, a gravel loan), of considerable extent, on which
grow large oaks,' hickory, black cherry, and grape vines. At
the bottom of one of these bluffs, for there are two near each
other, is a large quantity of stone-coal, and near them several
springs of the best water in this part of the country; and a lake
of clear water within two hundred yards, bounded by a gravelly
margin. 1 prettnd to have no knowledge of military tactics,
but lliiuk, from the river in this place being all in one chamiel«

) f

ACCOUNT OF RED R,VER,&c.

fh^ _, -'''" «1VER, &c. ^-

purchase it u J h r ' .^'^^*' «ppeared to i„e tn^ '"'^"^*^'''

"es, and coal ; and IVlJZf 'f''"^'.?'"^ '«'^^' »'«« «lorauar

f several large bajaus tha? ?al| i, / '' 5'"'" "' "P "'« mou h^
'» particular called bmn n '" "' ''"' '«»ne distan,^ T

«itl.in one and ThJ nl'Tt 7 "'"^•'' ''"''t. ma^ ,' „"

he left hand branch k^ar e^^rd t "' '■""'"" °'' "'<= "ver"
pasMhis way into ,he n.,i„ r ve^; „"" T" "«"' ""'"* '^^^o

1 hecoumry bounded to .L e « a h " f'™''"- ^'"■WislnneJ
d.v.s.„„ of, he river, is called reb'vlrp'''' ""^ ">" '•""^" or

ceded f„"s' ""'^"T "f "-e lands.SeJL' '"'t""^"'' "'"''«
ceacd to Spam bv France inW J »."'™ "e^ofe Lou s aua mm

of the commandant o" x;,d.t .''''""'''.■'''''er Ihe jnrisdTctl^
"■go when, by an ag^en.em bet '' "",'.'' "'""" '»™.y vear"
•■""'d^nt of this p4e, and ^"Mr",?,*''-/og„„e, ihc^n com!
Aalclmoche,, tl/seukmen. catl'j h""'^V ^mmandant",
M. .e ,nr.dic.ion of .,. I^t^ a^Ta/::- S.^^^

TRAVELS IN AMERICA.

since. The settlonicnt, 1 believe, contains about forty families,
and generally they have lar;?e stocks of cattle: they supply us
with our cheese entirely, and of a tolerable quality, and we get
from them some excellent bacon hams. The country is inter-
spersed with prairies, roscniblinjr, as to richness, the river bot-
toms, and, in si/e, from live to five tliousand acres. The hills
are a }j;ood grey soil, and produce very well, and afford beau-
tiful situations. 'I'he creek calK'd JJayau Pierre, (htony creek)
passes through the settlement, and ati'ords a number of good
mill seats, and its bed and banks lined with a good kind of build-
ing stone, but no mills are erected on it. So^ie of the inha-
bitants have tried the uplands in wheat, which succeeded well.
They are high, gently roHing, and rich enough; produce good
corn, cotton, and tobacco, i was through the settlement itfi
July last, and found good water, either from a spring or well,
at every house. 'J^he inhabitants are all French, one family ex-
cepted. A few miles to the westward, towards Sabine, there
ia a Saline where the hihabitants go and make their salt. On
the whole, for health, good water, good living, plenty of food
for every kind of animal, general conveniency, and handsome
surface, I have seen few parts of the world more inviting to
settlers.

Returning back again to the fork of the main river we left,
for the purpose of exploring the Bayau Pierre branch, we find
irregular settlements, including Campti, where a few families
are settled together on a hill near the river, north east side. For
about 20 miles the river land is much the same every where,
but the Campti settlement is more broken with bayaus and la-
goons than any place I am acquainted with on the river, and
for want of about a dozen bridges is inconvenient to get to,
or travel through. The upper end of this settlement is the last
on the main branch of Red river, which, straight by land, does
not exceed Q.5 miles above Natchitoches. At the upper hoi»se
the great raft or jam of timber begins; this raft choaks the
main ciianncl for upwards of 100 miles, by the course of the
river; not one entire jam from the beginning to the end of it,
but only at the points, with places of several leagues that are
clear. The river is very crooked, and the low grounds are wide
and rich, and [ am informed, no part of Red river will afford
better plantations than along its banks by this raft, M'hich is re-
presented as being so important as to render the country above
it of little value for settlements ; this opinion is founded en-
tirely upon incorrect information. The first or lowest part of
the raft is at a bend or point in the river, just below the upper
plantation, at which, on the right side, a large bayau, or divi*

Loa

.vvel"

ACCOUNT OF RED TllVEn, &C.

|e left,
ve find
itnilies
e. For
where,
ind la-
r, and
'et to,
[he last
I, does
hoi>^e
iks the
of the
of it,
iiat are
Ire wide
afford
Ih is re-
above
led en-
part of
ii upper
r divi-*

sion of the river, calleM Buyaii Channo, coiiu's in, which is free
of any obstructions, ami the grtafer part of tlit year boats of
any size may ascend it, into lake Bisiino, tbrou<;h v liicli. to its
communica ion with tlitlako, is onl\ ahout timt miles; ihe lake
is about fiO uiileH lon<;, and lay!> ncnrly purullcl with tiie river,
from the upper end of whicli it connnunicates a|;ain with the
river, by a bayau callttl Uaicliet, about foity miUs above tjjc
upper end of the raft ; from the lake to the river, through Jiayau
Daichet, is called nine miles; there is always in this bayau .suf-
ficient water for any boat to pass; from thence u|>wards Red
river is free of all obstructions to the mountains. By lake Bis-
tino, and these two bdyautt, an i^land is formed, about 70 miles
lono, and three or four wide, capable oliirtoKlmg settlements infe-
rior to none on the river. Fron» the above account you will
perceive, that the only ditticulty in opening a boat jKissage by
this raft, through the lake, which is nuicli shorter than by the
course of the river, and nvoid the current, and indeed, was the
river unobstructed, would always be preferred, is this small jam
of timber at the point, just below the buyuu Chanuo, as it is
called.

After the receipt of your letter I had an opportimity of seeing
some of the inhabitants who live near tiiis place, who informed
me, that that small raft was easily broken, and that they had
lately been talking of doinsy it. 1 persuaded them to make the
astempt, and they accordingly appointed the Friday followin<^,
and all the neighbours were to be invited to attend and assist.
They met accordingly, and effected u pa-isag'^ next to one bank
of the river, so that boats could pass, but did not entirely break
it; they intend to take anotler spell at it, when the water falls
a little, and speak confidently of succeeding.

The country about the head of lake Bistino, is highly spoken
of, as well the high lands, as the river bottom. There are
falling into the riv« r and lake in the vicinity, some handsome
streams of clear v^holesome water from towards Washita, one
ill particular called bayau Badkuh by the Indians, which is boat-
able at some seasons ; this bayau passes through a long, narrow,
and rich prairie, on which my mformant says, 500 fannlies
might be desirably settled ; and from thence up to where the
Caddos lately lived, the river banks are high, bottoms wide and
rich as any otler part of the liver. From thence it is much the
same to the niosith of the Little river of the left ; this river is
generally trom 50 to an 100 yards wide; heads in the great
prairies, south of Red river, and interlocks w ith the head branches
of the Sabine and Trinity rivers; and in times of high watei is
boatable 40 or 50 leagues, affording a large body of excellent,
well tindjcred and rich land, the low grounds from 3 to 6 miles

lEWiS AND CLARKE.] I

Pi',,

^1,

TRAVfLS IN AMERICA.

wide; but the fjiiiility of llie water, tlioupli clear, is very inferior '
to that of the «lrran»s that fall into UvA rivrr on the north side.
The general course of the Ked river from thi.s upwards is nearly
from wi'st to cast, till wo arrive at the Panis towns, when it
turns north weslwardiy. After leaving tlie mofUh of the Littlo
river of the U ft , hoth banks are covered with slroii;:; thick cane
for about 20 miles; the low gronnd-i very wide, rich and do not
overrtow; the river widening in proportion as the banks an* less
liable to ovei'flow ; you arrive at a handsome, rich prairie, '2.^
miKs long on the right side, and 4 or 5 miles wide ; boinided
by handsome oak and hickory woods, mixed with some short
leaved pine, interpersed with pleasant streams and fountains of
water. 'J1ie opposite, or left side is a continuation of thick
cane; the river or low lands 10 or 12 miles vide. After leav-
ing the prairie, the cane continues for about 40 miles; you
then arrive at another prairie, called Little prairie, left side,
about .5 miles in Icnuth, and from 2 to in .'} breadth ; opposite
side continues cane as before; low lands wide, well limbered,
very rich, and overflow but little ; the river still widening.
33ack of the low grounds, is a vvi !l timbered, rich upland coun-
try; gently rolling and well watered ; from the Little prairie,
both banks cane for 10 or 1(2 miles, when the oak and pine
woods come bluff to the river for about 5 miles ; left hand
side, cane as before; then the same on both sides, for from 10
to 20 miles wide, for about 15 miles, when the cedar begins on
both sides, and h the principal growth on the wide, rich river
bottom for 40 miles ; in all the world there is scarcely to be
found a more beautiful growth of cedar tirtiber ; they, like the
cedars of Libaniis, are large, lofty and straight.

You now arrive at the mouth of the Little river of the right ;
this river is about 150 yards wide ; the water clear as crystal ;
the bottom of the river stony, and is boatable, at high water,
up to the great prairies near 200 miles by the course of the ri-
ver; the low grounds generally fro HI 10 to 15 miles wide, abound-
ing with the most luxuriant growth of rich timber, but subject
to partial indundation at particular rainy seasons. After leaving
this river, both bunks of lied river are cane as before, for about
20 miles, when you come to the roiuul prairie, right side,
about 5 miles in circumference. At this place lied river is I'or-
dable at low water; a hard stony bottom, and is the first place
from its mouth where it can be forded. This round prairie is
high and pleasant; surrounded by handsome oak and hickory
uplands ; left side cane as before, and thou the same both sides
for 20 miles, to the long prairie, left side, 40 miles lona- ; op-
posite side cane as before ; near the middle of this prairie,
there is i» lake of about 5 miles in circumference, in an ova\

ACCOUNT OP Rl.I) RIVEK, iKC.

«7

side,
early
nil it
.iltio
cainJ

not

(' U'SS

uided

sliort
liuR of

tliick
r leav-
i ; you
ft side,
)posite
ibered,
iU'uing.

1 coun-
piairie,
id pine
It luiiid
roiii 10
ipjins on

h livtT
ly to be
llike the

right ;
;rystal ;
water,
the ri-
ibound-
subjcct
leaving
)r about
lit side,
Ir is I'or-
Ist place
\rairie is
hickory
kh sides
\vy ; op-
prairie,
Ian ova\

foriYi, neither tree nor shrub near it, nor Ktreani of water rn»i-
iiin;;; eitlicr ni or out of it ; it is very deep, and the water 80 lim-
pid that a li»h may be seen 13 feet from the Murl'act!. Hy tlie
side of this lake the Cad(h)quies have lived from time im-
inemuriul. About one nnle from die lake in the hill on \\hich,
they say, the (ireat Spirit plact d one Cadilo family, who were
saved when, by u general dehijie, all the world utre drowni'd ;
from which family all the Indians have originated. Tor thi»
little natural eminence all die Indian tribts, ns well as the
Cuddo(|uies, for a jireat distance, pay a devout and sacred ho-
in:i}^e. iJ«Me the Frtnch, for many years before Louiaiana was
ceded to Spain, had erected a small fort ; kept some soldiers to
guard a factory they had here established for the Indian trade,
uiid several French families were settled in the vicinity, built u
flour mill, and cultivoted wheat successfully for several years ;
and it is only a few years n;^o that the mill irons and mill stones
were brought down ; it is about 'J.5 years since those French fa-
milies moved down, and 14 years ^ince the Caddoquics left it.
Here is another fording place when the river is low. On tho
opposite side a point of high oak, hickory, lUid pine land onics
blnir to the river for about a mile ; alter which, thick cane to
the upper end of the prairie ; thru the same on both sides for
about i'.J miles; then prairie on the left side for 20 miles, op-
posite side cane ; then the same for 30 miles, then an oak high
bluft' three miles, cane again for about the same distance, on
both sides ; then for about one league, left sidc; is a beautiful
grove of paeans, intermixed with no other ^^rovvth ; after which,
cane both sides for 40 miles; then prairie, leftside, for 20
miles, and from one to two miles only in depth ; about the mid-
dle of which comes in a bayau of clear running water, about
50 feet wide ; then cane again both sides of the river for about
40 miles ; then, on the right side, a point of high pine woods
blutf to the river for about half a mile, cane again 15 or 15
miles ; then a bluff of large white rocks for about half a mile,
near 100 feet high, cane again about 46 miles, to a prairie on
the right side,* of about 50 miles long, and 1^ oi 15 miles
wide ; there is a thin skirt of wood along the bank of the ri-
ver, that when the leaves are on the trees, the prairie is, from
the river, scarcely to be seen. From the upper end of this
prairie it is thick cane again for about six miles, when we ar-
rive to the mouth of Bayau Galle, which is on the right side,
about thirty yards wide, a beautiful, clear, running stream of
wholesome well tasted water ; after passing which it is thick
cane again for 'is miles, when we arrive at a river that falls in
on the right side, which is called by the Indians Kiojnitchk, and
hy tli^ French La Rivkre la Mine, or Mine river, which ;«

I 2

'in

^RAVEts ry AMfiRieA.

about \66 rards wide, the water clear and good, and is' boat-
able^ about 60 miles to the silver mine, which is on the bank of
the river, and the ore appears in large quantities, but the rich-
ness of it is not known. The Indians inform of their discover-
ing another, about a year ago, or a creek tlui empties into the
Kiomitcb'e, about three miles from its mouth, the ore of which
they say resembles the other. The bottom land of this river is
not wide, but rich; the adjoining high lands are rich, well tim-
bered, well watered and situated. About the nunc ihe current
of the river is too strong for boats to ascend it, the country
being hilly. After passing the Kiomitchie, both banks of the
liver are covered with thick cane for 25 miles, then, left side,
a high pine bluff appears again to the river for about half a
mile, after which notliing but cane again on each side for about
40 miles, which brings you to the mouth of a handsome bayau,
left side, called by the Indians Nahaiicka, which, in.Enghsh^
means the Kick; the French call it Bois d' Arc, or Bow-wood
creek, from the large quantity of that wood that grows upon it.
On this bayau trappers have been more successful in catching bea-
ver than on any other water of Red river ; it communicates with a
lake, three or four miles from its mouth, called Swan lake,
from the great number of swan that frequent it ; it is believed
that thi* bayau is boatable at high water, for 20 or 30 leagues,
from w hat 1 liave been informed by some hunters with whom I
have conversed, who have been upon it. The low grounds are
from three to six miles wide, very rich, the principal growth on
it is the bois d'arc. The great prairies approach pretty near the
low grounds on each side of this creek ; leaving which it is
cane both sides for about eight miles, when we arrive at the
mouth of the Vazirures, or Boggy river, which is about 200
yards wide, soft miry bottom, the water whitish, but well tasted.
Attempts have been made to ascend it in perogues, but it was
found to be obstn^cted by a raft of logs, about 20 miles up it.
The current was found to be gentle, and depth of water suffi-
cient ; was the channel not obstructed might be ascended far
up it. The low grounds on this river are not as wide as on
most of the rivers that fall into Ked river, but very rich ; the
high lands are a strong clay soil ; the principal growth oak.
After leaving this river the banks of Red river are alternately
cane and prairie ; the timber is very small and scattered along
only in places ; it is only now to be seen along the w ater courses.
From tlie Boggy river to the Blue river is about 50 miles^
which comes in on die right side. The water of this river is
called blue, from its extreme transparency ; it is sjid to be well
ta^i^ed, and admired, for its quality, to driiik. 'Ihe bed of
this river is iined gcuerally with black and gi eyisU dint stoues ;

ACCOUNT OF RED KIVER, &C.

bo»»t-
inkof
; rich-
cover-
to the
which
iver is
U tim-
:iirrent
;oantry
of the
ft side,
half a
r about
bayau,
inghsh,
kV-wood
upon it.
ing bea-
s with a
an lake,
believed
leagues,
Iwhom I
inds are
owth on
near the
tich it is
!e at the
out 200
1 tasted.
It it was
5S up it.
;er sufl&-
nded far
lie as on
ich; the
th oak.
fernately
id along
|courses»
miies^
river is
be well
bed of
stoues ;

it is about 50 yards wide^ and represented as a benutiful stream ;
perogues ascend it about 60 or 70 miles. The low grounds of
Blue river are a good width fur plantations, very rich ; the
growth paean, and every species of the walnut. The whole
country here, except on the margin of the water courses, is one
immense prairie. After passing this river copses of wood only
are to be seen here and there along the river bank for 125 miles,
to a small turgid river, called by the Indians Bahachaha, and
by the French Fauioachita, or False oachito ; some call it the
Missouri branch of lied river ; it emits a considerable quantity
of water ; runs from north to south, and falls into Red river
nearly at right angles, and heads near the head of the Aike:isa,
and is so brackish it cannot be drank. On this river, and on
a branch of the Arkensa, not far from it, the Indians find the
ualt rock ; pieces of it have often been brougiht to Natchitoches
by hunters, who procured it from the Indians From the
mouth of this river, thrciugh the prairie, to the main branch of
the Arkensa, is three days journey ; perhaps 60 or 70 miles in
a straight line. F'rom this to the Panis, or Tovvrache towns, by
land, is about .30 miles, and by water, double that distance ;
the river is nearly a mile wide. The country on each side, for
many hundreds of miles, is nil prairie, except a skirt of wooJ
along the river bank, and on the snialltr streams ; vvliat trees
there are, are small ; the grass is green summer and winter.
In between S3 and 34 degrees of north latitude, the soil is very
rich, producing, luxuriously, every thin-.s; that is planted in it :
the river, from this upwards, for IJO miles, continues at least
a mile wide, and may be ascended in perogues.

Mr. Grappe, to whom 1 am indebted for the foregoing ac-
curate description of Red river, informed me, that his personal
knowledge of it did not extend but little above the Panis towns :
but Mr. Brevel, of the Isle Brevel, who was born itt the Caddo
old towns, where he was, had been farther up it, and that what-
ever account he gave me might be relied on.

1 therefore sought an opportunity, a few days after, to obtain
from Mr. Brevel the following narrative, which I wrote down
from his own mouth, as he related it:

** About 40 years ago, I set off, on foot, from the Panis na-
tion (who then lived about 60 leajiues above where thev now
live), in company with a party of young Indian men, with
whom 1 had been partly raised, (»n a hunting voyage, and t<»
procure horses. We kept up on the south side of Red river, li-
near it as we could conveniently cross the small streams tliit fall
in, sometimes at some distance, and at others very near it, and
in sight of it. We found liic country all prairie, «;xcept small
«opses of wood, cedar, cutLon wood, ')r muskft<», atntv,>(^<r
6 *

tRAVtLS IX AMERICA^

which a stick six inches in diameter coukl not be found ; the
surface bocominp; more and more hgiit, sandy and hilly, with
ledges of clifts of a greyish sandy rock, but every where coverert
with herbage. We found many small streams falling into the
river, but none of any considerable size, or that discharged much
water in dry seasons, but many deep gullies formed by the rain
water. After travelling for several days over a country of this
description, the country became more broken, the hills rising
into mountains, amongst which we saw a great deal of rock salt,,
and an ore tiie Indians said was my (meaning the white people's)
treasure, which I afterwards learned was silver. And tliat
amongst these mountains of mines, we often heard a noise like
the explosion of a cannon, or distant thunder, which the In-
dians said was the spirit of the white people working in their
treasure, which, I afterwards was informed, was the ;blowing of
the mines, as it is called, which is common in all parts of
Spaiiish America where mines exist. The main branch of the
J iver becomini» smaller, till it divided into almost innumerable
streams that issued out of the vallies amongst these mountainti ;
the soil very light and sandy, of a reddish grey colour. We tra-
velled on from the top of one mountain to the top of another,
in hopes the one we were ascending was always the last, till the
small streams we met with ran the contrary way, tovards the
.setting sun, and the lands declining that way. We continued on
till the streams enlarged into a river of considerablesize, and the
country became level, well timbered, the i<oil a rich black
loam ; the waters were all clear und well tasted. Here we found
a great nvany different tribes of the Hietan, Appaches, avu-, Con-
cee Indians; we likewise fell in with them frequeutly from the
t:me we had been a few days out from the Panis towns, and
were always treated kindly by them. 1 believe the disiance from
the Panis old towns to where we saw the last of Red liver
water, is at least one hundred leagues; and in crossing over the
lidge, we saw no animals that were not common in all thecoun*
try of Louisiana, except the spotted tyger, and a few white
bears. After spending some duys on the western waters, we sot
off for the settlements of St. a Fe, steering nearly a south -east
course, and in a few days were out ol the timbered country iiKo
prairie ; the country became broken and hilly ; the v, aters all
rmming westwardly ; the comUry clothed with a luxuriant herb-
age, awd frequently passing mines of silver ore. We arrived, at
length, at a small meanly-built town in the St. a l'\'* settlement,
containing about one hundred houses, round Mlu';h were some
small culiivated ticids, iVnccd round with sniuli ceilar and uuh-
keto brush, wattled in stak'js. This iiltle town wuii on a smaU

ACCOUNT OF RED RIVER, &0.

i; the
, with

ovcreft
ito the
I nmch
lie laiu
of this
J rising
>ck salt.,
eople's)
ul Uiat
>ise like
the In-
in their
)wing of
parts of
I of the
imerable
tuutmnti ;
We till-
another,
;, till the
lurds the
tinued on
and the
ch black
we f'.)iuid
alio Coii-
IVoin the
.wns, and
nee from
cd rivtr
over the
|the coun •
w white
|rs, we sot
loutli -eiist
.mtry iiuo
vaters all
lant herb-
irrived, at
aileinent,
ere some
and muH-
lU a biuidl

stream of water that nui wcstwardly, and in a dry season scarcely
run at all ; and ihat the inhabitants were obli;j;ed to water tlu ir
cattle from wells- And J understood that the bayan upon whicli
this town is situated, was no par!; of Jtio Grandi, but h 11 inU>
the western ocerni ; but of that I miglii have been mistaken. I
und»!stood that similar small towns, or mis.siojis, were v. iiliin
eertain distances of eaeli other for a great extent southwardly, to-
wards Mexico; and that the inhabiUmts were nlo^i!y chrisi.an-
ised Indians and Matifiis. That the mines in that setdeiatni af-
forded v( ry rich ore, which was taken away in lai;^e (piuntitics,
packed on nniles, and had the same aj-peavance of what we
met with about the head branches of lied river. AfUr luniiih-
in^ou!>ieIves willi horses at this place, ve set off agani h^r th.e
Panis towns, fr»'>m whence we started, steeiinp; at iirst soiith-
Tiardly, in order to avoitl a high moiuitainons eoimlry that is d'.f-
f'Cnlt to cross, that lies between St. ;i le and Red river. Alter
travelling some distance south, we turned our course uorth-east-
wardly, and arrived at the Panis towns in eighteen days iVoin thtt
day we left St. a Pe setM«Mnents, and three moutlis and Iwenly
days from the time we Uarted."

He is of the opinioji, that from the Panis towns 1o St. a Fe^
in a right line, is nearly three hundicd miles, and all the <;umitry
prairie, a few scattering cedar knijbs excepted. After he had
linished his narrative, 1 asked him hnv far Ped river was boot-
able, lie saiil, not nuieh above the Panis old towns ; not that
be knew of any particular falls or obstructions, but that the head
branches of the river came from steep mountains, ou which the
rain often poured down in torrt nts, and runs imo the river with
such velocity, sweepins: along w ilh it large quantities of loose

"s and mountains are comi

iiesc

rolls like a sw(?ll in the sea, and would t itluM' sink or carry alon-;
with it any boat diat it might meet in the river. Put, he ob-
served at the same time, that Ins opinion w as founded on no t x-
perimentthat he had ever known made. 1 asked hit)i if the in-
((iiaiis had no perognes high u}) in tht river. He told me, tl nt
the Indians there kiiew notlnng of the use of them ; for, insiead of
there being for hundreds of miles a tree laige enough for a canoe,
one could scarcely be found large enough ti> make a fow i trough I.
asked him what animals were lt)mid in tlu- Ciieat prairies. Ik:
told me, that from Bine river, unwards, on l)oth sidts of 1;. d

river

lere were mnum

u'rable (|u;.ntiti( s of wild horses, hulia-
loe, bears, wolv(,'s, elk, deer, foxes,i.anglicrs m wild hogs, aiil( ! jfo,
white hares, rabbits, &.c, and on the mouniains the j^jjoILi dty .<. r,
j>anther, and wildcat. He farther told me, that ahoiii twen's-
liijee years ago, he was employed by the governor of St. Au-

: •■■(

TRAVELS IN AMERICA.

toinc, to go from that place into some of the Indian nations
that lived towards St. a Fe, who were at war with the Spa-
niards, to try to make a peace with tliem, and bring in some of
the chiefs to St. Antoine. He set oif from that place with a
party of soldiers, and was to have jxane to St. a Fe ; they passed
on a north-westwardly course for about two himdred miles, but
after getting into the Great Prairie, being a dry season^ they
were forced to turn back for want of water for themselves and
horse«, and that he does not know how near he went to St. a Fe,
but believes he might have been half way.

The accounts given by Mr. Brevel, Mr. Grappe, and all
other hunters with whom I have conversed, of the immense
droves of animals that, at the beginning of wiiiter, descend
from the mountains down southwardly, into the timbered coun-
try, is almost incredible. They say the buffaloc and bear
particularly are in droves of many thousands together, that
blacken the whole surface of the earth, and continue passing,
without intermission, for weeks together, so that the whole
surface of the country is, for many miles in breadth, trodden
like a large road.

I am, sir, &c. &c,
(Signed) JOrL\ SIBLEY,

'Natchitoches, lOlh April, 180j.

Distances up Red river by the course of the river.

Miles.
From the moiuh of Red river to Black river
to Baker's landing, lower end avoyal
La Glee's ditto, upper end avoyal
Rice's ....

Hoonie's ....

I^icholas Grubb's ., ,

mouth of bayau Rapide

Indian villages

Mount Pleasant, Gillard's place

mouth of Rigula de Bondieu

Mounete's plantation

mouth of Little river

bayau Brevell .

Natchitoches »

31
51
15
(1
iS
21
15

— 167
22

6
10
24
20
20

— 109

206*

nations
3 Spa-
me of
with a
passed
63, but
n, they
;es and
t. a Fe,

and all
nmense
descend
id coun-
nd bear
ler, that

passing,
2 whole

trodden

BLEY.

er,

ILES.

131
51
15

28
121
115

— 167
I22
7
6
10
124
20
20

:i\

109

200*

' ACCOUNT Ot BED RIVER, 8CC.

Continued, Mi

Cfand Ecore • . '

Coinpti . *

bayau Channo ...»

lake Bistiiio, through bayau Channo
through lake Bistino to the upper end of

Channo
through bayau Daichet to the river again
late Caddo villages where they lived 5 years ago

Little riv«r of the left
long prpirie, right side
upper<-nd of ditto
little prairie, left side
upper end ditto

pine Bluff, right side . *

upper end ditto
cedars . . •

4ipper end ditto and mouth of Little river of
the right ....

I'ound prairie, right side (first fording place) .

lower end of long prairie, left side

upper end ditto . ,

next prairie, same side

upper end of the same

3 mile oak and pine Bluff

Paean grove . , • .

iippei* end of the same

prairie next above the Paeans

upper end of the same

pine Bluff, right side .

white oak Bluff

next prairie, right side

upper end ditto . .

bayau Galle, right side

mouth of Kiomitchie, or mine river

pine Bluff, left side

bayau Kick, or Bois d'arc creek

the Vazzurei;; or Boggy river, right side

Blue river, right side

J'aux Oaclcto or Missouri branch

:lewis and clakke.]

LliS.

26e \ f

10
20

}\.

107 1

I ■

!■

—

175 1

20
25
40
12
20
30

9
6

40
25
45
15
45
30
6
25

25
40
8
50
25
148

1,251

231

Tf^'Wr^'iJ^'T'^ •r:"W-5T-

< *

TRAVKLS IN AMEKICA.

Conti tilted. MILES. 1,251

Panis or Towiaclie towns . . 70

Panis ur ditto old towns . . 150

head branch of fled river, or dividing ridge 300 — 5C0
To which may be added for so mnch the distance
being shortened by going through lake Bistino,
than the course of the rivir . • 60

Coniputei! length of Red river from where it falls
into the Mississippi, to which add the distance
fruni the mouth of Red river to the ocean, by
either the Mississippi, or the Cheffeli, which was
once probably the mouth of Red river

l,8.'n

tno

Total length of Red river

Miles. 2,1 J 1

ORSERVATIONS

Made in a voyage commencing at St. Catharine's landing, on
the cast bank of the Mississippi, proceeding dortmcards to
the mouth of Red river, and from thence ascending that
river, the lilack river, and the Washita river, as nigh as
the hot springs in the proximity of the last-meutioned river,
extracted from the journals oj tVilliam Dunbar, Esquire,
and Doctor Hunter.

Mr. DUNBAR, Doctor Hunter, and the party employed by
the United States to make a survey of, and explore the country
traversed by the Washita river, left St. Catharine's landing, on
the Mississippi, in latitude 31® 2G' 30" N. and longitude 6h 6'
56'' W. from the meridian of Greenwich, on Tuesday the iGth
of October, 1804. A little distance below St, Catharine's creek,
and five leagues from Natches, they passed the White Cliffs,
composed chiefly of sand, surmounted by pine, and from one
hundred to two hundred feet high. W^hen the waters of the
JNlississippi pre low, the base of the cliff is uncovered, which
consists o. different coloured clays, and some beds of ochre, over
which there lies, in some places, a thin lamina of iron ore,
Small springs possessing a petrifying qua'ity flow over the clay
and ochre, and numerous legs and pieces of timber, converted
into stone, are strewed about the beadi. Fine pure argil, of va-
rious colours, chiefly white and red, is found here.

On the 17th they iinived at tlie mouth of Red river, the con-
fluence of which with the Mississippi, tig ecably to the observa-
tions of Mr. de Ferrv.'r, lies in latitude SI'' 1' 15', and longitude

3'20

that

6h5'

iGth
creek.
Cliffs,
ni one
of the

which
e, over
u ore
|ie clay
iivertcd

of va-

ie con-

)Sjrva-
kigitude

BED AND BLACK HlVF.KS.

f)h 7' 1 [" ^'cst of Grcenw ich. Red river is here about five hun-
dred yards wide, and widuuit any sensible current. The bunks
of the river are clothed wiih willow ; the land low and subject
to inundation, to the height of thirty feet or more above the level
of the water at this lime. 'J he mouth of the Red river is ac-
counted to be seventy-five leagues from New Orleans, and tinee
miles higher up than the Chafalaya, or Dpelonsa river, which
was probably a continuation of the Red river when its waters
did not unite with those of the j\lissis!$ippi but during the in-
undation.

On the 18th the survovof the Red livcr was commenced, and
on the evening of the lyth tlie party arrived at the mouth of the
Jilack river, in latitude ^l'^ 15' 48" N. and about 2(j miles from
the Mississippi. The Red river derives its name from the rich
fat earth, or nutric, of tliat colour, borne clovvn by the Hoods ;
the last of which appeared to have deposited on the high bank a
stratum of upwards of iialf an inch in thickness. The vegetation
on its banks is surprismgly luxuriant ; no doubt owing to the de-
position of marie durnig its annual floods. The willows grow to
a good si^e ; but other forest trees are much smaller than those
seen on the banks of the Mississippi. As you advance up the
river, it gradually narrows ; hi latitude 31° 08' N. it is about
two hundred yards wide, which width is continued to die mouth
of Black river, where each of them appears one hundred and
fifty yards across. The banks of the river are covered with pea
vine and several sorts of grass, bearing seed, which geese and
ducks eat very greedily ; and diere are generally seen willows
growing on one side, and on the other a small growth of black
oak, packawn, hickory, elm, ik,c. The current in the Red
river is so moderate as scarcely to afford an impediment to its
ascent.

On sounding the Black river a little above its mouth, there
was found twenty feet of water, with a bottom of black sand.
The water of l^lack river is ralher clearer than that of the Ohio,
and of a warm temperature, \>hich it ni ly receive from the
water flowing into it from iho valley of the Mississippi, parti-
cularly by the Catalioola. At noon on the *iod, by a good
meridian observation, they ascertahie<l their latitude to be 80"
3(i' il[)'' N. and were then a little below die mouths of Cata-
lioola, Washita and Bayau 'i'enza, the united waters of which
form the Black river. The current is very gentle the wholo
length of the Black river, which in many places does not 4?x-
toed eighty yards in width. The banks on the lower part of
ihi- river present a great luxuriance of vogetation and rank grass,
Willi red and black oak, ash, paccawn, hickorv, and some

TllAVELS IN AMERICA,

eliiis*. The soil is black marie, mixed with a modoratc pro-
portion of sand, resembling much the soil on the Mississippi
banks ; yet the forest trees are not lofty, like those on the mar-
gin of the Great river, but resembling the growth on the Red
river. In latitude 31° 22'46"N. they observed that canes
grew on several parts of the right bank, a proof that the land
is not deeply overflowed ; perliaps from one to three feet : the
banks have the appearance of stability; very Httle willow, or
other productions of a newly formed soil being seen on either
side. On advancing up the river, the timber becomes lai*ger,
in some places rising to the height of forty feet ; yet the land
IS liable to be inundated, not from the waters of this "va^A ri-
ver, but from the intrusion of its more powerful neighbour the
Mississippi. The lands decline rapidly, as in all alluvial coun-
tries, from the margin to the Cypress swamps, where more or
less water stagnates all the year round. On the (21st they passed
a small, but elevated island, said to be the only one in this ri-
ver for more than one hundred leagues ascending. On the left
bank, near this island, a small settlement of a couple of acres has
been begun by a man and his wife. The banks are not less than
forty feet above the present level of the water in the river, and
are but rarely overflowed : on both sides they are clothed with
rich cane brake^ pierced by creeks lit to carry boats during the
inundation.

They saw many cormorants, and the hooping crane ; geese and
ducks are notyet abundant, but are said to arrive in myriads, witli
the raina and winter's <old. They shot a fowl of the duck kind,
whose foot was partially divided^ and the body covered with a
bluish, or lead coloured plumage. On the morning of the
twenty-second, they observed green matter floating oji the river,
supposed to come from the Cutahoola and other lakes and bayaus
of stagnant water, which, when raised a little by rain, flow into
the Black river : and also many patches of an aquatic plant, re-

* Among the plants {^rowiiii; on tljc margin of the river is the rlicnii
root, used in medi« iiic, and the eiintiic, occasionally used l»y the hunters
for food : tlie last has a bulbous rout, ten times the size of a man's fist.
In prepariiif? it, tliey iirst wasli it clean from earth, then pound it well,
and add water to the mass and stir it up ; after a momcnt'.s settlement
the water and I'cculu i-j p juit d oft" : this operation is repeated until it yields
no uiore fecula, the librous part oidy being left, which is thrown away as
useless: the water is then poured from the sediraenf, whicJi is dried in the
sun ;iiid will keep a long time. If. is reduced into powder on J mixed with
Indian meal or Hour, and malves wlio!{!s<m»e and agreeable food. The la-
bour i* performed by liie wgi>oa wi list ihey are keepuijj the camp, aRii
their hiisbaudt) are in the wouU:> huiuinj^,

CATAIIOOLA RIVER.

;se and

I, witli

kind)

with a

,f tlie

liver,

taynus

|\v into

lit, le-

chciiu
liitinters
Mi's fist.

it well,
tUmciit
It yicld3

wvviy as
[l ill' the
led vsith
lie lu-

sembling small islands, some floating on the surfacR of the rt>
ver, and others adhering to, or rcstinj; on tin; iliore and logs.
On exanihiing this plunt, it was fotnid a lioiio a-, jointed stem,
with roots of the same fortii, extremely liglit, with very narrow
wiiioNV shaped leaves projecting; from the Joint, tmbr;icing, how-
ever, the whole of the tube, and i xteiidni!^ to the next inferior
joint or knot. TJie extremity of each branch is terminated by
a spike of very slender, narrow seminal leuvi s from one to two
inches in length, and one tenth, or less, in breadth, producing
its seed on the undersino of the leaf, in a double row almost in
contact ; llic ijrains alternately placed in perfect regularity : not
being able to lind the llower, its class and order could not be
determined, altli()iip;h it is not probably new. 'I'owards the up-
per part of the Black river, the shore abounded with nuiscles
and periwinkles. The muscles were of the kind culled pearl
muscles. The men drcssetl a quantity of them, considci ing them
as an agreeable food; but Mr. D. found them tough and un-
palatable.

On arriving at the mouth of the Catahoola, they landed to
procure information from a rreiichman settled there. Having
a grant from the Spanish government, he has made a small set-
tlement, and keeps a ferry boat for carrymg over men and
liorses travelling to and fion> Natchez, and settlements on Ued
river and on the Washita river. The country here is all alluvi d.
In process of time, the rivers shutting up ancient passages and
elevating the banks over whitdi their waters pass, no longer com-
municate with the same facility as formerly ; the consequence
is, that many larger tracts formerly subject to inundation, are
now entirely exempt from that in..onvenience. Such is the situ-
ation of a most valuable tract upon which this Frenchman is
settled. His house stands on an Indian mount, with several
others in view. There is also a species of rampant snrrouiuling
this place, and one very elevated mount, a view and descrip-
tion of which is postponed till the return; their present situation
not allowing of the requisite delay. The soil is equal to the
best Mississippi bottoms*.

"^ llicie is an oml)ankmont lunniug from tl'o C.ifahoolu to Black river
(iiii loiinj; about two hundred acres «t" rich hind), at present ahuut ten
Irct hijih, and ten feet broad. This surrounds four large mounds of
<'arth at the distance of' a h<»w-sliot from cnrh other; each of which inav
he twenty foot hij^hjonc hundred leet hroad, and three hundred feet lonj; at
the top, besides a stupendous turret situate on tlie back part of the whole,
<ir tiirtherjt from the water, whoso base eovirs about an acre of <»roun(l,
risinj^ by two steps or stories tapeiini; in the ascent, the whole surmounted
by a ;^rf at rone witli its top rut olV. This tower of earth on adn»eastH*e-
;ni^iit was foiind to be eighty feet p<,M"petidicnlar,

78 TRAVELS IN AMERICA.

Tliry obtained from the French settler the following list of
ilistHnces bct«ve»Mi the. mxith of Red river ami tht; post on the
Wa.shlta, cailtil fort M;ro.
I'lorn the nioulh of Uccl river to the moiitli of Rla<k river,

iO kMgucs.
To the mouth of Catahoola, Washita, and

Tuiza, 2'J

To the river Ha-ha, on the right, 1

To tin Prairie de Villemont, on tl»e same side, . 5
To the hayau TiOnis, on the same side, rapids here 1
To bayau Ha'afs, on the same side, .... 4
To the Prairie Noyu, (drowned savaiir.a), . . ..1

To Pine Point, on tlie left, 41

To hayau Calumet ."j^

To the Coahnine, on the ri|;ht, and (jvpsuin

on the opposite shore, .1

To the first settlement, J 'J

To fort Miro, C'2

Leagues, fH
From this place they proceeded to the mouth of Washita, in
lat. 3/>o .'37' 7" N. and encamped on the evening of die 2i>d.

This liver derives its appellation from the name of an Indian
tribe, formerly resident on its banks ; the remnant of which,
it is said, went into the great plains to the westward, and either
compose a small tribe themselves, or are incorporated into ano-
ther nation. The Black river loses its name at the junction of
the Washita, Catahdola and Tenza, ahli()Uii,h our maps repre^
sent it as taking plact. ^'^ Washita. I'he Tenza and Outahooifi
are also named from u»...^,. tribes no v extinct. The latter* is a
creek twelve leagues lonjr, which is the issue of a lake of the saino
name, eight leagues in length, and about two leagues in breadth. It
lies west from the mouth of the Catahoola, and comnnmicales with
the Red river during the great annual inundation. At die west or
nordi-west'angle of die lake, acreekcalled Jitde rivcr,entcrs, which
preserves a chatmel with rtnming \\uter at all seasons, meander-,
ing along the bed of the lake ; but in all odier ])arts its superficies,
during the dry si ason from July to November, and often later,^
is completely drained, and bet jmes covered with the most lux-
urious hei bage ; the bed of the lake then becomes the resi-
dence of immense herds of d'^er, of turkeys, geese, crane, 8cc.
which feed on the grass and grain. Bayau Tenza serves only to
drain of}" a part of the waters of the inundation from the low
landq of the Mississippi, which here comnumicale with the
Black river during the season of high water.

Between the mouth of the Washita, and Villenjont's prairie
on the right, the current of tiie river is gentle, and the baiiks

vr^LE^foNTft pRAiriC

]8 a
sumo

1th. It

ts will I
est or

iNvIiich
UKlcr-.

[fjcics,
latcFj^
\t lux,
resi-
?, &.C.
|j»i_v to
je low
Ih the

hraiiie
bajiks

favourable for towinj*. The lands on both sides hav(? the appear-
ance of being above the iruiiidation ; the timber generttlly such
as high lands produce, being chiefly red, white and black oaks,
inters|)er9ed with a variety of other trees. The niuguolia
gi'an«hflorn, that int'ullible sign of the land not being subject
to inundation, is not, however, anoong them. Along the banks
a stratum of solid clay, or niarle, is observable, apparently of
un ancient deposition. It lies in oblique positions, making nn
angle of nearly thirty degrees with the horizon, and generally in-
clined with tiie decent of the river, although in a few cases the
position was contrary. Tiniber is seen projecting from uiuicr
the solid bank, wi.ich seems indurated, and unquestionably very
ancient, presenting a very diftVrout appearance from recently
formed soil. The river is about 80 yards wide. A league
above the mouth of the Washita, the bayau Ha-ha comes in un-
expectedly from the right, and is one of the many passages
through which the waters of the great inundation (XMielrate
iind pervade all the \o\\ countries, annihilating, for a lime, the
cuneuts of the lesser rivers in the neighbomliood of the Mis-
sissippi. The vegetation is remarkably vigorous along the al-
luvial banks, >\hich are covered with a thick shrubbery, and
innumerable plants in full blossom at this late season.

Villemont's prairie is so named in consequence of its being
included within a grant under the French governinont t(» u
gentleman of that name. Many other parts on liie Washita
are named after their early proprietors. The French people
projected and begun extensive settlements on this river, but
the general massacre planned, and in pari osecuted by the In-
dians against them, and tiie consequent destruction of the Nalche/.
tribe by the French, broke up all these undertakings, and
they were not recommenced under that govcrnni^^nt. Those
prairies are plains, or savannas, without t.inber ; generally very
fertile, und producing an exuberance of strong, thick and coarse
herbage. \Vhen a [)iece of grouj'd has once got into this state,
in an Indian count!) , it can have no opportunity of re-pro-
ducing liu'.l'.er, it being an invariable pralicc to set fi»e to the
dry graas in the fall or winter, to obtain tbe advantage of at-
tracting game wlicn the younii; tender grass begins to spring :
this destroys the young tiniber, and the prairie annually gains
upim the vood-land. it is probable that the immense plains
known to exist in Aincica, may owe their origin to this custom.
The plains of the Washita lie chietly on the east side, and being
generally formed like the Mississippi land, sloping from the
bank of the river to the Great river, thev are more or less sub-
ject to mundaMon m the rear ; and in certain great floods the
water has advanced so far as to be ready to pour over the

■f,

IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-S)

i.O SfUi I2i
1.1 J.-^'^o

yiiiii4iJ4

— 6"

HiolDgraphic

^SoHices

Corporatton

.«f<^

^vT

// v*'^.^^

/J^^^

•SJ

-•\

23 WIST MAIN STRIiT

WnSTIR,N.Y. USM

(716) •72-4503

-«^:*<»^ "^

tfeAtEtS fA AMERICA.

tnargui into the Washita. This has now become a very rar^
thing, and it may be estimated that from a quarter of a mile
to a mile iu depth, will remain free from inundation during high
floods, lliis b pretty much the case with those lands nearly as
high as the post of the Washita, with the exception of certain ridges
of primitive high-land; the rest being evidently alluvial, although
not now subject to be inundated by the Washita river in con*
sequence of the great depth which tlie bed of tlie river has
acquired by abrasion. On approaching towards the bayau
Louis, which empties its waters into the Washita on the right,
a little befow the rapids, there is a great deal of high land on
both sides, which produces pine and other timber, not the
growth of inundated lands. At the foot.of the rapids the navi-
gation of the river is impeded by beds of gravel formed in it.
The first rapids lie in latitude 8l''48' 57" 5 N. a little above
which there is a high ridge of primitive eartli, studded with
abimdance of fragments of rocks, or stone, which appears to
have been thrown up to the surface in a very irregular manner.
The stone is of a friable nature, some of it having the appear-
ance of indurated clay ; the outside is blackish from exposure to
the air, within it is a greyi.sh white ; it is said that in the hill
the strata arc regular, and that good grindstones may be here
obtained. The last of the rapids, which is formed by a ledge
of rocks crossing the entire bed of the river, was passed in the
evening of the 27 th ; above it the water became again like a
mill pond, and about one hundred yards wide, llie whole of
these first shoals, or rapids, embraced an extent of about a
mile and a half; the obstruction was not continued, but felt at
short intei'vals iu this distance. On the right, about four
leagues from the rapids, they passed the " Bayau Aux Boeufs,"
a little above a rocky hill : high lands and savanna is seen on the
right. On soundhig the river they found three fathoms water
on a bottom of mud and sand. The banks of the river, above
the bayau, seem to retain very little alluvial soil ; the highland
earth, which is a sandy loam of a light grey colour, with streaks
of red sand and clay, is seen on the left bank ; the soil not
rich, bearing pines, interspersed with red oak, hickory and dog-
wood. The river is from sixty to one hundred yards wide here,
but decreases as you advance. The next rapid is made by a
led»c of rocks traversing the river, and narrowing the vater
channel to about thirty yards. The m idth between the l:igii
bank.s cannot be less than one hundred yards, and the baukt
from thirty to forty feet high. In latitude 30,^ 1(1* 13' rapids
and shoals again occurred, and the channel was very narrow ;
the sand bars, at every point, extended so far into the bend as
to leave little more than the breadth of the boat of water suffi*

and
the
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Ohio

POST OP THE WASHITA.

cicntly deep from lier passage, altlioiigli it spreads over a width
of seventy or eighty yards upon tiic shoal.

In the afternoon of the 31st. they passed a little plantation or
settlement on the right, and at night arrived at three others ad-
joining each other. Tliese settlements are on a plain or prairie,
tlie soil of which we may be assured is ulluvial from the regular
alope which the land has from the river The bed of the river
is now sufficiently deep to free them from the inconvenience of
its inundation; yet in the rear, the waters of the Mississippi ap-
pronch, and sometimes leave dry but a narrow stripe along the
bank of the river. It is however now more common, that
the extent of the fields cultivated (from 4 to J mile) remains
dry during the season of iiundation ; the soil here is very good,
but not equal to the Mississippi bottoms; it may be esteemed
second rp.te. At a small distance to the east are extensive cypress
swamps, over which the M'aters of the inundation always stand
to the depvh of from fifteen to twenty-five feet. On the west
side, after passing over the valley of the river whose breadth
varies from a quarter of a mile to two miles, or more, the land
assumes a considerable elevation, from one hundred to three
hundred feet, and extends all along to the settlements of the Red
river. These high lands arc reported to be poor, and badly
watered, being chiefly what is termed pine barren. There is
here a ferry and road of communication between the post of
the Washita, and the Natchez, and a fork of this road passes
on to the settlement called the rapids, on Red river, distant
from this place by computation one hundred and fifty miles.

On this part of the river lies a considerable tract of land grant"
cd by the Spanish government to the marquis of Maison Rouge>
a French emigrant, who bequeathed it with all his property to
M. Bouliguy, son of the late colonel of the Louisiana regiment>
and by him sold to Daniel Clarke. It is said to extend from
the post of Washita with a breadth of two leagues, including
the river, down to the bayau Calumet ; the computed distance
of which along the river is called thirty leagues, but supposed
not more than twelve in a direct line.

On the 6th of November, in the afternoon, the party arrived
at the post of the Washita, in lat. 32«» 9Sj 37'' 2i N. where
tiiey were politely received by lieut. Bowmar, who immediately
offered the hospitality of his dwelling with all the services in
his power.

From the ferry to this place the navigation of the river is, at
this season, interrupted by many shoals and rapids. The gene-
ral width is from eighty to a hundred yards. The water is ex-
tremely agreeable to drink, and much clearer than that of the
Ohio. In this respect it is vei7 uulike its two neighbours, the

JLEWIS AND CLAKKE.] L

•8

TRAVELS IN AMERICA.

Arkansa and Red rivers, whose waters are foaded with earthy
matters of a reddish brown colour, giving to them a chocolate-
like appearance; and, when tho^e waters are low, are not po-
table, being brackish from the great number of salt springs which
flow into them, and probably from the beds of rock salt over
which they may pass. TIk; banks of the river presented very
little appearance of alluvial land, but furnished an infinitude of
beautiful landscapes, heightened by the vivid colouring they de-
rive from the autumnal changes of the leaf. Mr. Dunbar ob-
serves, that the change of colour in the leaves of vegetables,
which is probably occasioned by the oxygen of the atmosphere
acting on the vegetable matter, deprived of the protecting pow-
er of the vita! principle, may serve as an excellent guide to the
naturalist who directs his attention to the discovery of new ob-
jects for the use of the dyer. For he has always remarked
that the leaves of those trees whose bark or wood ai'e known to
produce a dye, are changed in autumn to the same colour which
IS extracted in the dyers vat from the vvoods; more especially by
the use of mordants, as alum, &c. which yields oxygen : thus
the foliage of the hickory, and oak, which produces the quer-
citron bark, is changed before its fall into a beautiful yellow ;
other oaks assume a fawn colour, a liver colour, or a blood co-
lour, and are known to yield dyes of the same complexion.

In lat. 32^ 18" N. doctor Hunter discovered along the river
side a substance nearly resembling mineral coal : its appearance
was tliatof the caibonated wood described by Kirwan. It does
not easily bum ; but on being applied to the flame of a candle.
It sensibly increased it, and yielded a faint smell, resembling in
a slight degree, that of the gum lac of common sealing wax.

Soft friable stone is common, and great quantities of gravel
and sand, upon the beaches in this part of the river. A reddish
clay appears in the strata, much indurated and blackened by ex-^
posure to the light and air.

The position called fort Miro being the property of a private
person, who was formerly civil commandant here, the lieutenant
has taken post about four hundred yards lower ; has built him-
self some log houses, and inclosed them with a slight stockade.
Upon viewing the country east of the river, it is evidently al-
luvial ; the surface has a gentle slope from the river to the rear
of the plantutiotts. The land is of excellent quality, being a
rich black mould to the depth of a foot, under which there is
s( friable loam of a brownish liver colour.

At tlie post of the Washita, tliey procured a bo^t of less
draught of water than the one in which they ascended the river
tbus far; at noou, ou the Utb of November, tbey pi:oc.eec|ed

ItOQUE RAW, &C.

on the voyage, and in the evening encamped at the plantation of
Baron Bastrop.

This small settlement on the Washita, and some of the creeks
falling into it, contains not more than tive hundred persons, of
all ages and sexes. It is reported, however, that there is a great
quantity of excellent land upon these creeks, and that tlic settle-
ment is capable of great extension, and may be expected, with
an accession of population, to become very Hourishing. There
are three mercliantH settled at the post, who supply, at very
exorbitant prices, the inhabitants with their necessaries; these,
with the garrison, two small planters, and a tradesman or two,
constitute the present village. A great proportion of the in-
habitants continue the old practice of hunting, during the winter
season, and they exchange their peltry fur necessaries, with the
merchants, at a low rate. During the summer these people con-
tent themselves with raising corn, barely sufficient for bread
during the year. In this manner they always remain extremely
poor: some few who have conquered that habit of indolence,
which in always the consequence of the Indian mode of life, and
attend to agriculture, live more comfortably, and taste a little
the sweets of civilized life.

'I'he lands along the river above the post, are not very inviting,
being a thin poor soil, and covered with pine wood. To the
right, the settlements on the bayau Barthelemi and Siard, are said
to be rich land.

On the morning of the thirteenth, they passed an island and
a strong rapid, and arrived at a little settlement below a chain
of rocks, which cross the channel between an island and the
main land, called Roque Raw. The Spaniard and his family,
nettled here, appear, from their hidolence, to live miserably.
The river acquires here a more spacious appearance, being about
one hundred and fifty yards wide. In the afternoon thoy passed
the bayau Barthelemi on the right, above the last settlements,
and about twelve computed leagues from the post. Here com-
mences Baron Bastrop's great grant of land from the Spanish
government, being a square of twelve leagues on each side, a
little exceeding a million of French acres. The banks of the
river continue about thirty feet high, of which eighteen feet from
the water are a clayey loam of a pale ash colour, upon which
the water has deposited twelve feet of light sandy soil, apparent-
ly fertile, and of a dark brown colour. This description of
land is of small breadth, not exceeding half a mile on each sidl*
the river, and may be called the valley of the Washita, beyond
M'liich there is higli land covered with pines.

The soil of the *^ Bayau des Buttes," continues thin, with a
growth of small timber. This creek is named Irum a numbeif

TRAVBLS IN AMERICA.

of Indian mounts discovered by tlu; liuntRis alnr.;; its cnursi>.
The ir.argiii of the river bej^ins to be tovtrcd with such timber
n» usually ]^rows on inundated land, particularly a species of
vhite oak, vulgarly called the over eup oak; its timber is re-
markably hard, solid, ponderous and durable, and it produces
a large acorn in peat abundance, upon which the bear feed^,
and which is very flattering to hogs.

In lat. 3'I° 5(.y 8" N. they passed a long and ntnrow island.
The face oi the countr)' begins to cluin;re; the banks arc low and
8teep: the river deeper and more contracted, from thirty to iifly
yards in width. The soil in the neighbourhood of the river is
a verv' sitndy loam, and covered with such vegetables as are fuund
on the inundated lands of the Mississippi. The tract presenls
the appearance of a new r.oil, very different from w hat they passed
beluw. This alluvian tract may be supposed the site of a great
lake, drained by a natuial channel, from the abrasion of the
vatirs ; since which pi-i iod th<; annual inundations have depo-
sited the superior soii ; eighte< .1 or twenty feet is wanting to
render it h::bitable for man. It appears, nevertheless, well stock-
ed with the beasts of the forest, several of which « ere seen.

Quantities of water fowl are b<'<>iniiing to make ihtir appear-
ance, which are not very numerous here until the culd rains and
frost compel them to leave a more northern eliuiale. I'ihh i^
nor >o abundant as might be exp< cted, owing, it i* said, to tho
inundation of the Mississippi, in the year I ?!>!)* which dammed
up the Washita, some distance above the post, and produciHl
a stagnation and consequent corruption of the waters that de^
stroyed all the tish within its intlutnci;.

At noon, on the 15th of Novenibcr, they passed the island
of Mallet, and at ninety yards north-east from the upper point
of the island, by a good observation ascertained their latitude
to be 32° 59' ^7" 5 >J. or two seconds and a half of latitude
south of the dividing line between the territories of Orleans
and Louisiana. The bed of the river along this alluvial
country is generally covered with water, and the navigation un-
interrupted; but in the afternoon of this day, they passed three
contiguous sand bars, or beaches, called " les trois battures,"
and before evening the '< bayau de grand Marais,"or great marsh
creek on the right, and " la Cypreri Chatttlrau," a point of high
land on the other side, which reaches within half a mile of the
river. As they advanced towards the marais de saline, on
the right, a stratum of dirty white clay under the alluvial
tract, shewed them to be leavmg the sunken, and approaching
the high land country. The salt lick marsh does not derive Ha
name from any brackishness in the water of the lake or marsh,
but from its contiguity to some of the licks, sometinies called
** saline," and sometimes " glaise," generally found in a ciny,

REAR nUNTINn, &C.

compact rnou«;li for potter's ware. Tim bayau do la Tulipe
foiiiH a coninuitiicMtiuii bi'tvvoon the lake and ilie river. Op-
posite to tiiis place, there is u point of lii;;l» land, fornji:j^ a
pruiiioiitory, advancing within a mile uf the river, a'ld to wliirh
boats resort when the low «(rotnids are under water. A short
league above is the month of the ^rand baynu do la Saline (Salt
Lick creek). This creek is of a considerable len<;th, and navi-
gable for small boats. 'J'he hunters ascend it, to one hnndrt d
of their l<>agties, in pursuit of game, and all a<iiee that utine f)f
the springs which feed thiseu*-!-: are salt. It has obtained its
name from the many butl'aloe salt licks which have been dis-
covered in its vicinitv. ^Mthoii-'h most of these licks, bv di«j-
gmg, furnish water which holds marine salt in «>olntion, there
exists no rt ason for believing that many of them would produce
nitre. Notwithstanding Miis low and alluvial tract appears in all
resjwcts well adapted to the growth <»f the long moss (lilandsia),
none was observed since entering it in latitude f]*l° 'y'l', and as
the pilot informed them nom^ would be seen in then progress
up die river, it is probable that the latitude of thirty-three de-
grees is about the northern limit of vegetation. The long-leaf
pine, frequently the growth of rith and even inundated land,
was here observed in great abundance : the shorl-ltnived or pildi
piue, on the contrary, is always found upo i arid lands, and ge-
nerally in sandy and lolly situutions.

'I'his is the season when the poor setders on die Washita turn
out to make dieir annual hunt. The deer i« now fat and the
fikins in perfection; the bear is now aiso in his best slate, wiiii
regard to the quality of his fur, and the quantity of fat or od he
vields, as he has been feastini; luxuriautlv on the antirnnal fruits
of the forest. It is here well known that he does not coniine
himself, as some writers have supposed, to vegetable food ; he
is particularly fond of iiogs flesh ; sheep ami calves are frequent-
ly his prey, and no animal escapes him which comes witlim his
power, and which he is able to conquer. He often destroys tlie
fawn, when chance throws it in his way ; he cannot, however,
discover it oy smelling, notwithstanding the excellence of his
scent, for nature has, as if for its protection, denied the fawn
the property of leaving any eflHuvium upon its track, a property
so powerful in the old deer*. The bear, unbke most other

* It may not be generally known to nnturnlists, that Itotwern the lioof
of the dfLT, &c. there is fuiiiid u sack, with its mouth iiicliniii;:; npwards,
coiitainin>; more or loss of musk, and whicli, by escaping o\«.r tlie open-
ins;, ill proportion to the secretion, causes the foot to leave a scout on thp
f^round wherever it passes. During the riittini^ season t'lis musk is so
abundant, particn'arly in old niate*i, as to be siuclt by the bunlerttata
cunsidurulilc distouce.

rnAVMI.S IN AMERICA.

brnsts of prey, dois not kill tlir aiiiniiil he; has seized upon
btfore lie ealsit; but Kiruidlcss of its sinii^'glcs, cties and lanieii-
tations, lusU'iis upon, ::ikI ii the expiessiuii la allowable, devours
it ahve. The hunters count much on their profits from the oil
drawn from tiic bears i'at, which, at New Orleans, is uhvays of
ready sale, and nutch esteemed for its uhuksomencss in cookin;;,
being preferred to butter or ho^s lard. • It is found to keep
longer Uian any other animal oil uithout becoming rancid; and
boiling it, from time to time, upon su eet bay leaves, restores its
sweetness, or facilitutes its conservation.

In the afternoon of the ITlh they passed flome snnd beaches,
tind over a few rapids. They liad cane brakes on both sides of
the river; the canes were suvxW, but demonstrate that the water
does not surmount the bank more than a few feet. The river
begins to widen as they advance: the banks of the river shew the
bigh land soil, with a stratum of three or four feet of alluvion
deposited by the river upon it. This superstratum is greyish,
and very sundy, with a small admixture of loam, indicative of the
poverty of the mountains and uplands where the river rises. Near
this they passed throu£>li a new and very narrow channel, in
which all the water of the river passes, except in time of freshes,
when the interval forms an island. A little above this pass is
a small ch-ariuj?, called " Cache la Tulipe" (Tidip's hiding place);
this is the name of a rrench hunter who here concealed his

})ropcrty. It continues the practice of both the white and red
umters to leave their skins, &c. often suspended to poles, or laid
over a pole placed upon two forked posts, in sight of the river,
until their return from hunting. These deposits are considered
as sacred, and few exampl(;s exist of their being plundered.
.After passing the entrance of a bay, which within must form a
great lake during the inundation, great numbers of the long leaf
pine were observed ; and the increased size of the canes along
the river's bank, denoted a better and more elevated soil ; on the
left was a high hill (:}00 feet) covered with lofty pine trees.

The banks of the river present more the appearance of up-*
land soil, the under stratum being a pale yellowish clay, and the
alluvial soil of a dirty white, surmounted by a thin covering of a
brown vegetable earth. 'I'he trees improve in appearance, grow-
ing to a considerable size and height, though yet inferior to those
on the alluvial banks of the Mississippi. After passing the
•' liayau de lliichis," on the left points of high land, not
subject to be overflowed, frequently touch the river, and the
valley is said to be more than a league in breadth on both sides.
On the left are pine hills, called " Code de Champignole." The
river is not more than liltv or s'xtv )ards wide. On the morning

CUTB DE FINN, &C.

I**

of the 20th they pnssi J a number of sand beaches, and some
rapids, but found good depth of water l)ctween thcni. A creeic
called " Chcinin Coiivut," which forms a deep ravine in the
higli lands, here enters the river ; almost immediately uhove this
i» a rapid where the water in the river is confined to a ehsnmel
of about forty yards in width ; above it they had to quit the
main channel, on account of the shidlowuess and rapidity of the
water, and paw along a narrow channel of only sixty feet
M'ide : without a guide a stranger might take this passage for a
creek.

Notwithstanding the lateness of the season, and the northern
latitude they were in, they tins day met with an alligator. The
banks of the river are covered with cane, or thick under brush,
frtquently so hiterwoven with thorns and briurn as to be impene-
trable. IJirch, mnple, holly, and two kinds of wood to which
names have not yet been given, except '* water side wood," are
here met with; us also persinions and small black g.apes. The
margin of the river is fringed with a variety of plants and vines,
among which arc several species of convolvulus.

On the left they passed a hill and cliff one hundred feet per-
pendicular, crowned with pines, and called ** Cote de Finn"
(Fin's hill) from which a chain of high land continues some dis-
tance. The cliiV presents the appearance of an ash-coloured
clay. A little farther to the right is the Jiiiyau d'Acnsia (Locust
creek.) The river varies here !V<>m eighty to an liuiuired yards
in width, presenting frequent indications of iron a!;)!' ; it? banks,
and some thin strata of iron ore. The ore is from half an inch
to three inches in thickness.

On the morning of the C2d of Novemhcr, they a ^'d at the
road of the Chadadoquis Indian nation, kidding to ti Arkansa
nat'.on ; a little beyond this is the Ecor a Frubri (Fabri's cliffs)
from 80 to 100 feet high ; and a little distance above, a smaller
clifF, called " Le Petit Ecor a Fabri" (the Little Clif!*of Fabri).
7/hese cliffs appear chiefly to be composed of ash-coloured sand,
with a stratum of clay at tlie base, such as runs all along under
the banks of this river. Above these cliffs arc several rapids ;
the current is swifter, and denotes their ascent into a higher
country : the water becomes clear, and equal to any in its very
agreeable taste, and as drinking water. In the river are immense
beds of gravel and sand, over which the water passes with great
velocity in the season of its floods, carrying with it vast quantities
<^of drift wood, which it piles up, in many places, to the height of
twenty feet above the present surface, pointing out the difHculty
and danger of navigation in certain times of the flood ; accidents,
however, are rare, with the canoes of the country.

As the party ascended they found the banks of tlie river less

it.

TnAVELS IN AMKUrCA.

clrvati'd, biing only from nine to twelvp feet, and arc probably
MitniiouiitCii by iIh' frr»h«'s soim- tVet. 'J'lie river becomes mon?
nltstrucUid by rapids, Uid .muihI and gravt I beuches, among whieb
are found frn|j;incnts of .s|i*,it ol all forms, and a variety of co
lours, some lu-^ldy p(tlisliril and romuKd by friction. The
banks of tlit: rivtr in tlii.'^ upper country suiTer greatly by abra-
Kion, one side and Homelimcs botb being btoken do\«n by every
flood.

At a place railed " Auges d'Arclon," (Arclon's tronglis) is
lumintited iron ore, and a stratum of black sand, very trnucions,
shining with minute crystals. 'J'lic breadth of the river is here
about eighty >ards : in some places, however, it is enlarged by
islands, in otlitrS; contracted to eighty or one hundred feet.
Ilocksof a greyish colour, and rather friable, are here found in many
places on tlie river *'. On the banks grow willows of a ditVerent
form from those found below, and on tlie margin of the Mis-
Mssippi ; the hi!>t are very brittle ; these, on the contrary, are ex-
tremely pliant^ resembling the osier, of which they are probably
a sjKcic!

A^ noon on the 24th, they arrived at the confluence of the
lesser Missouri with the >\ashita ; the former is a considerable
branch, perhaps the iourtii of the Washita, and comes in from
the iut't hiind. The hunters often ascend the Little Missouri,
but are nol inilnit li to penotratc far up, because it reaches near
the great plains or prairi's upon the Ucd river, visited by the
lesser Osage trills -.f Indians, settled on Arkansa; these last
frequently carry war into the. Chadadoquis tribe settled on the
lied river, abcttt wesl-south-west from this place, and indeed
they are reported not to spare any nation or people. They are
prevented from visiting the head waters of the Washita by
the steep lulls in which they rise. These mountains are so dif-
ficult to travel over, that the savages, not having an object suffi-
ciently desirable, never attempt to penetrate to this river, and it
is supposed to be unknown to the nation. The Cadadoquis (or
Cadaux, as the FrencI-. )>ionouuce the word) may be considered
as Spanish Indians ; tliey boast, and it is said with truth, that
they never have imbrued their hands in the blood of a white
man. It is said diat the stream of the Little Missouri, some-
distance from its mouth, ilows over a bright splendid bed of mi-
neral of a yellowish white colour (most probably martial py-
rites), that tliirty years ago, several of the inhabitants, hunters.

.-,

• The banks rise into hills of free stone of a very sharp ami fine grit,
fit for grind stones ; ihc stralu irr«ijulttr, inclining from 20" to 30" down the
river.

COAt M.i\'E NRAR CACHE MACON

•9

^ovkcd H|)oii this mine, and sent u quantity of tlu* ore to the gu>
vernnu'nt ut New OileaiM, and tiiey were prohibited iVoni work-
iu^ any more.

There is u ^roat sameness in the oppearanco of the rivor
banks : the islands arc skirted withoviiT, and immediately Nviihiii,
on the bank, grows a range of birch treen and .some willou s ;
the more, elevated bunks are covered widi cano, among wliiili
grows the oak, maple, elo), sycamore, nsli, hickory, dog-wood,
holly, iron-wood, &C. From the pilot they learned that there
is a body of excellent land on the Little Missonri, particularly
on the creek called the " Hayau a terrc noire," which fulls into
it. This land extends to lied river, and is connected with thu
great prairies which form die hunting grounds of the Cudau.v
nation, consisting of about two hundred warriors. Th(>y are
Murlike, but frequently unable to defend themselves a<;;:iinst th«
tribe of Osages settled on the Arkanvu river, who, pussin;; round
the mountains at the head of die Washita, and along the prairies,
M'hich separate them from the main chain on the west, where the
M'aters of the Red and Arkansa rivers have their rise, pass into
theCadaux country, and rob and plunder them.

The water in the river Washita rising, the party are enabled to
pass the numerous rapids and shoals which they meet with in
the upper country, some of which are difficult of ascent. Hie
general heij;ht of the main banks of the river is from six to
twelve feet above the level of the water ; tlu; land is better in
quality, the canes, &c. shewing a more luxuriant vegetation. It
is subject to inundation, and shews a brown soil mixed widi sand.
Near Cache Macon (Maison's hiding place), on the right, they
stopped to examnie a supposed coal mine : doctor Hunter and
the pilot set out for this purpose, and at about a mile and a half
north-west from the boat, in die bed of a creek*, they found h
substance similar to what they hud before met with under that
name, though more advanced towards a stale of perfect coal. At
the bottom of die creek, in a pluce then dry, was found detached
pieces of from Hfty to one hundred pounds weight, adjoining to
which lay wood changing into the same .substance. A stratum
of this coal, six niches thick, lay on both sides of diis little creek,
over another of yellow clay, and covered by one foot of gravel:
on the gravel is eight inches of loam, whieli bears a few inches
of vegetable mould. This stratum of coal is about three feet
higher than the water in the creek, and appears manifestly to
have been, at some period, the surface of the ground. The
gravel and loam have been deposited there since, by the waters.

• Culled Coal-inine crcck.
LEWIS AND CLAUK£.] M

IK)

TOAVRLS IN AMBRICAI.

Some piocos of (liincoiil wi-rc vciv bluck ami lolii], of iinTioiTn>«
gcnooiiH n|)|H>aruiK'r, inucli rcsemblin<4 pit coul, but of less 8|M*(-i-
fic Krinitv. ItdocA not appear sunitit nll> iiiipn ;:iintci1 with bi-
tiinieii, but may be cunsidcrcd an vcgrlabtu uiuttvr in the progioi
of trauhuuilalion to coal.

lU'loNv the ** H;i\au tie IVau Froiih'," wbicli runs into the
\\ asliita from tluM'i*;lit, tlir river is 1*0 yarils, llowin;; tliroii«{ii
toleralily «:oo(l land. 'Hm ypusiied a beautiful Airestt of pint s,
and on the '2^l\\ fell in witli un old Duteli bunter and lii:i puity^
consisting in all of five persons.

'J his man has resided forty years on the Washita, and before
that period, has been up the Arkausta rivrr, the White river, and
the river St. I'Vaiici.<^ ; the two last, he informs, are of dii^eult
iiavi^^ation, similar to the Washita ; bnt the Arkansa river is of
great mapuitude, haviu*; a lar^e and broiul chaniH.'l,and when the
water is low, luis «;reat sinul banks, like those in the Mississippi.
.So far as be has been up it, the navigation is safe and commo-
dious, without iuipediments from rocks, shoals, or rapids, its bed
being formed of mud and sand. The soil on it is of the fust-
rate quality, "^rhe c<iuntry is easy of aecess, being lofty optii
forests, uui iid):urussed by canes or under growth. 'Ilie water is*
dii>agreeab!e to druik, being of a red colour, and brackish when
the river is low. A multitude of creeks which flow into the
Arkan*ia furnish sweet water, which the voyager is obliged to
carry with him for the supply of hi» immediate wants. Hiis
man conlirms the accounts of silver being abundant up that river:
be has i.jt been so high ns to see it himself; but says he received
a silver pin from a hunter, who assured him that he himself col-
lected the virgin silver from the rock, out of which he made the
epinglete by hammering it out. The tribe of the Osage live
higher up tlian this position, but the hunters rarely go so high,
being afraid of these savages, who are at war w ith all the world,
and destroy all strangers they meet with. It is reported that the
Arkansa nation, with a part of the Choetaws, Chickasaw s,
bhawiieese, Scc. have formed a league, and are actually gone, or
gojng, SCX) strong, against these depredators, with a view to de-
stroy or iiri'.c them entirely off, and possess themselves of tlu ir
iine prairies, which arc most abundant bunting ground, b* ing
plentifully stocked vviUi buifaloe, elk, deer, bear, ami every ollur
benst of the chase common to those latitudes in America, 'iliis
hunter having given inffirmuiiou of a small spring in their vici-
nity, from which he frequently supplied himself by evaporating
the water, doctor Hunter, with a parly, accompanied liim, on
the morriiugof the ^gth November,, to the place. They found a
saline, about a mile and a half north of the camp from whence
they set out, and near a creek which euters the SVashita a little

Jen

TOlRrHr. OE rAT)Al\.

nbovr. Ft ii situatt'H in the hottotn of the Im'<1 o( u dry jrullrv.
Tlir siiirniiiuiiii;; land is ruli nmi ui'll tiiiil>ii« d, but ^iiltjiTt io
imimiution, except an liuiian mount on tliu cri>t*k side, Imviiig a
base of ei*;;lity or a hundred foet (hanivtcr, and twenty feet l>i<;h.
After di}j;'j;in«4 uhout tliree feet, tlirougli blue clay, they came to a
«)uirk Miuid, from wliieh the water flowed in abundance : it<4 tustu
wail suit and bitter, re.sembling that of water in the ocean. In a
second hole, it required them to dig six feet before they reached
the quick sand, in doin;^ w hicli they tlirew u|t several broken pieces
of Indian pottery. The upecirtc gravity, compared \\i\\\ the river,
va«t, frouf the fust pit, or that tluee feet deep, I,()'i7-0, from
the second pit, or that six feet deep, l,()*|()i, yieidinj; a sniine
njass, from the evaporation of ten •jU'.uts, whi<li, when jlry,
weighed eij^ht ounces. This brine is, therelore, about the . same
strength ns that of the ocean on our const, ;iiui twice the slren;;ih
of the famous lids in Kent icky, called Uidlct's lick and Mauit's
lick, from which so much salt is made.

The " Fourche de Cadanx" (Cadadoquis fork) which they
passed on the morning of the .'iOth, is about one hundred yaids
wide at its entrance into the Washita, from the h»ft : immediately
beyond which, on the same side, the land is hiu;h, probably ele-
vated three hundred feet above the >fater. The shoals and ra-
pids here impede their progress. At noon they deduced their
latitude, by observation, to be r)0° H' .'J? ' N. Receiving in-
formation of another salt lick, or saline, doctor Hunter landed,
with a party, to view it. The pii was found in a low flat place,
subject to be overllowed from the river ; it wns wet and muddy,
the earth on the siirfru'e yellow, but on di':,' iig through about
four feet of blue clay, the salt water oo/o*! from a quick sand.
Ten quarts of this water produced, by evaporation, six ounces
of a saline mass, which, from taste, was principally marin*- salt ;
to the taste, however, it shewed an admixture of soda, and nui-
riated magnesia, but the niarhie salt greatly preponderat«.*d. The
specitie gravity was about I,()70, prolrably weakened from the
rain w liich had fallen the day before. The ascent of the river be-
comes more troidilesome, from the rapids and currents, jiailieu-
Jarly at the ** isle du bayau des Roches" (Uocky creek inland),
where it required great exertions, and was attended with some
luizarii to pass them. 'J'his island is t'uee-lburths of a mile in
length, 'riie river presents a series of shoals, rapids, and small
cataracts ; and they passed several points of high land, fidl of
rocks and stones, much harder anil more solid than they had yet
met fi'ith.

The rocks were all silicious, with their ilssureg penetrate d liy
sparry matter. Indications of iron were frequent, and fragments

M '2

TH^VCLS in AMERICA.

of poor ore were common, but no rich ore of thai or any other
metal was found. Some of the hills appear well adapted to the
cultivatiuu of the vine ; the soil being a sandy loam, with a con-
siderable proportion of gravely and a superficial covering of good
vegetable black earth. The nature! productions are> several va-
rieties of oak, pine, dog-wood, holly, Su:. with a scattering
undergrowth of w hortlel>erry, h^iwthorn, china briar, and a va-
riety of small vines.

Above the Isle de Mallon, the country wears another pros-
pect : high lands and rocks frequently approach the river. The
rocks in grain resemble free stone, and are hard enough to be
used as hand mill-stones, to which purpose they are Tiequently
applied. The quality of the lands improves, the stratum of vege-
table earth bcinr* fro- 1 six to twelve inches, of a dark brown
colour, with an admixture of loam and sand. Below Deer
Island they passed a stratum of free stone, fifty feet thick, under
which is a quarry of in: perfect slate in perpendicular layers.
About a league from the river, und a little above the slate quarry,
is a considerable plain, called " Prairie de Champignole," often
frequented by bufifaloe. Some salt licks are found near it, and
in many situations on both sides of this river, there are aid to
be salines which may hereafter be rendered very proc ictive,
and from which tlic future settlements may be abu^ -lantly
supplied.

About four miles below the " chuttes" (falls), they, fr n a
good observation, found the latitude 34'* 21' Sio' 5. The laud
on either hand continues to improve in quality, with a suf :ient
stratum of dark earth of a brov nish colour. Hills freq :ntly
rise out of the level country, full of rocks and stones, ha , and
flinty, and often resembling Turkey oil stones. Of thi. '^^md
was a promontory which came hi from the right hand, a little
below the chuttes ; at a distance it presented the appearance of
ruined buildings and fortitications, and several insulated masses
of rock, conveyed the idea of redoubts and out-wurks. This
effect was hcighttiutd by the rising of a Hock of swans which
h^d taken their station in the water, at the foot of these walls.
As tiie voyagers approached, the birds Hoated about niajestically
on the glassy sut iace of the water, and in trenmlous accents
ctecmed to consult upon means of safety. The whole w?is a
sublime picture. In llie afternoon of the »''d of December,
ihey reached the cluiltes, and found the falls to be occasioned
by a chain of rocks of the same hard substance seen below, exi-
tending in the direction of north-oast and south-west, quite •cro§3
the river. The water passes through a number of branches
WQjfU b^f the impotuosisy of the torrent where it forms so inany

i\u

V«t^, ' ■

rODRCHE OF CALFAT, 8CC.

icr,
led
ext-
ols

cascades. Tlic chain of rock or hill on the left, appears to have
been cut down to its present level by the abrasion of the waters.
By great exertion, and lightening the boat, tliey passed the
cliuttes tiiis evening, nnd encamped just above tiie cataracts, und
within the hearing of their incessant roar.

Immediately above the chuttes, the current of the water i.i
slow, to another ledge of hard free stone ; liio reach between ?s
spacious, not less than two hundred yards ^vide, and terminated
by a hiii, three hundred feet high, covered with beautiful pines:
this is a line situation for building. In latitude 34*-' 23' 48" they
passed a very dangerous rapid, from the number of rocks which
obstruct the passage of the water, and break it into foam. Ou
the right of the rapid is a high rocky hill, covered M'ith very
handsome pine M'oods. The strata of the rock has an inclina*
tion of 30" to the horizon, in the direction of the river descend-
ing. 'I'his hill may be three hundred or diree hundred and fifty
feet high ; a border or list of green cane skirts the margin of the
river, beyond which generally rises a high, aiul sometimes a
barren hill. Near another rapid they passed a hill on the left,
containing a large bodv of blue slate. A small distance above
the bayau de Saline Uiey had to pass a rapid of one hundred and
fifty yards hi length, and four feet and a half fall, which, from
its velocity, the French have denominated " La Cascade." Be-
low the cascade there are rocky hills on both sides composed of
vei'y hard free stone. The stone in the bed of the river, and
which has been rolled from the upper country, was of the hard-
est flint, or of a quality resembling the Turkey oil stone.
** Fourchc au Tygree" (Tyger's creek), which comes in from the
light, a little above the cascade, is said to have many extensive
tracts of rich level land upon it. The rocky hills here frequently
npproach Uic Washita on both sides ; rich bottoms are never-
theless infrequeht, and the Upland is sometimes of moderate el« -
vation and tolerably level. The stones and rocks here met widi
have their fissures HUed by sparry and crystalline matter.

Wild turkics become more abundant and It ss difficult of ap-
proach than below ; and the howl of the wolves is heai d during
ilu* night.

To the " Fourche of Calfat" (Caulker's creek) where the voy-
age terminates, they found level and good land on the right and
high hi. Is on the left hand. After passing over a very precipi-
lous ri»})id, seemingly divided into four steeps or falls, one of
wiiicli svas at least lilteen inches iii perpendicular height, and
j.\hich together could not be less than five and a half feet, they
arrived at Ellis's camp, a small distimce below the Fourrhe au

the Gth of December, as the pi-

they slopped

TnAVELS IN AMERICA.

v-«.

lot considered it the most convenient landing from wlience trt
carry their necessary baggage to tlic hot springs, tite distance
being about three leagnes. There is :i creek abont two leagues
higher up, called " bayau des sources chauds" (li<>t spring creek),
upon the banks of which the hot springs are .sitiiatcul at about
two leagues from its mouth. T'hc banks of it are liilly, and the
road less eligible than from Ellis's camp.

On ascending the hill to encamp, they found the land very
level and good, some plants in flower, and a great many ever-
green vines; the forest oak with an admixture of other woods.
The latitude of this place is 34*^ 27' 31" .>. 'J'he ground on
which they encamped was about fifty feet above the water in the
river, and supposed to be thirty feet higher than the inundations.
Hills of considerable height, and clothed with pine, were in
\iew, but the land around, and extending beyond tlieir view, lies
handsomely for cultivation. The superstratum is of a blackish-
brown colour, upon a yellow basis, the whole intermixed with
gravel and blue schistus, frequently so far decomposed as to have
a strong alluminous ta^te. Trom their camp, on the V\ aslrtn,
to the hot springs, a distance of about nine miles, the first six
miles of the road is in a westerly direction, without many sinuo-
sities, and the remainder northwardly, which courses are neces-
sary to avoid some very steep hills. In this distance, they found
three principal salt licks, and some inferior ones, which are all
frequented by buffaloe, deer, &c. The soil around them is a
white tenacious clay, probably fit for potters' ware : hence the
name of "glaise," which the French hwuters have bestowed
upon most of the licks, frequented by the beasts of the forest,
many of which exhibit kio saline impregnation. The first two
miles from the river camp is over level land of the second-rate
(juality ; the timber, chiefly oak, intermixed with other trees
common to the climate, and a few scattering pines. Turther on,
the lands on either hand rise into gently swelling hills, covered
with handsome pine woods. The road passes along a valley,
frequently wet by the numerous rills and springs of excellent
water which issue from the loot of the hills. Near the hot
spring* the hdls become more elevated, steeper of ascent, and
rocky. They are here called mountains, although none of them
in view excet-d four or tivi^ hundred feet in altitude. It is said,
that mountains of more than five times the elevation of these
hills are to be seen in the north-west, towards the sources of the
Washita. One of them is called the glass, crystal, or shining
mountain, from the vast number of hexagonal prisms of Very
transparent and colourless crystal which are found on its sur-
face; they are generally surmounted by pyramids at one end,

ACCOUNT OF HOT SPRINGS.

rarely on both. These crystals do not produce a double re-
fraction of the rny.s of light. Many searches have been made
uver these mountains for tlie precious metals, but it is believed
>vithout success.

At the hot springs they found an open log cabin, and a few
huts of split boards, all calculated for summer encampment, and
uhich had bvvu erected by persons resorting to Uie springs for
the recovery of their health.

They slightly repaired tliese huts, or cabins, for their accom-
modutiun during the time of their detention at the springs, for
the purpose of examining tluun and the surrounding country ;
and making such astrononiicul obst rvatiovrs as \\ ere necessary for
ascertainhig their geographical position.

It is understood that the hot springs arc included within a
grant of some huiwlred acres, granted by the late Spanish com-
mandant of llie Washita, to some of his fricnfls ; but it is not
believed that a regular patent was ever issued for the place ; and
it cannot be asserted that residence, with improvement here,
form a plea to claim the lund upon.

On their arrival, they iininedialciy tasted the Waters of the
liot springs, tliat is, after a few minutes cooling, for it was im-
possible to approach it with the lips M'hen first taken up, with-
out scalding : the taste does not dificr from that of good water,
rendered hot by culinary lire.

On the lOlh they visited all the hot springs. They isstie on
the east side of the valley, where the huts are, except one
spring, which rises on the west bank of the creek, from tlie
sides and foot of a hill. From the small quantity of calcareous mat-
ter yet deposited, the western spring does not appear to be of long
standing : a natural conduit probably passes under the bed of
the creek, and supplies it. Ther«i are four principal springs ri-
sing immediately on the east bank of the creek, one of which
may be lather said to spring out of the gravel bed of the run ;
a fifth, a smaller one than that above mentioned, as rising on
the west side of the creek ; and a sixth, of the same magnitude,
the most northerly, and rising near the bank of the creek : these
are all the sources that merit the name of springs, near the
huts ; but there is a considerable on6 below, and all along, at
intervals, tiie warm water oozes out, or drops from the bank
into the creek, as appears from the condensed vapour floating
along the margin of the creek where the drippings occur.

The hill from which the hot springs issue is of a conical
form, 'terminating at the top with a few loose fragments of
rock, covering a flat space tweuty-iive feet in diameter. Al-
though the figure of the hill is conical it is not entirely insulated,

*rRAVELS in A^tERl^A*

but connected with the ncighhoiiring hills by a very narrow ru\0t
The primitive rock of this hill, above the base, is princi|niliy
silicioiis, some part of it being of the hardest flint, others^
freestone extremely compact and solid, and of various colours.
The base of the hill, and for a considerable extent, is composed
of a blackish blue schistus, which divides into perpendicular
lamina like blue slate. The water of the hot springs is, there-
fore, <l(!ivered from the silicious rock, generally invisible at
the surface, from the massof calcareous matter with which it is in-
crusted, or rather buried, and which it is perpetually precipitat-
ing from the water of the springs: a small proportion of iron,
ill the form of a red calx, is also deposited ; the colour of
which is frequently distinguishable in the lime.

Jn ascending the hill several patches of rich black earth are
found, which appear to be formed by the decomposition of the
calcareous matter : in other situations the superficial earth is
penetrated, or encrusted, by limestone^ with line lamina^ or
minute fragments of iron ore.

Tne water of the hot springs must formerly have issued at a
greater elevation in tlie hill, and run over the surface, having
formed a mass of calcareous rock one hundred feet perpendi-
cular, by its deposition. In this high situation tliey found a
spring, whose temperature was 140*^ of Fahrenheit's thermo-
meter. After passing the calcareous ngion they found the pri-
mitive hill covered by a forest of not very large trees, consist-
ing chiefly of oak, pine, cedar, holly, hawthorn, and others
common to the climate, with a great variety of vines, some
said to produce black, and others yellow grapes, both excellent
in their kinds. The soil is rocky, interspersed with gravel, sand,
and line vegetable mould. On reaching the height of two
hundred feet perpendicular, a considerable change in the soil
was observable ; it was stony and gravelly, with u superficial
coat of black earth, but immediately under it lies a stratum of fat,
tenacious, soapy, red clay, inclining to the colour of bright
Spanish snufi', homogeneous, with scarcely any admixture of
sand, no saline, but rather a soft agreeable taste : the timber
diminislies, and the rocks increase in size to the summit. The
whole height is estimated at three hundred feet above the level
of the valley.

On examining the four principal springs, or those which
yield the greatest quantity of water, or of the highest tempera-
ture. No. I was found to raise the mercury to 150, No. '2 to
154, No. 3 to V}(i and No. 4 to 132 degrees of Fahrenheit's
thermometer ; the last is on the west side of the creek : No. 3
is a small basin in which there is a considerable quantity of
grccu matter, having much the appearance of a vegetable body.

ACt'OUKt OF HOT SPRINGS.

iai
at.

he
,tl

Ito

It's

lof

b»

but detached from the bottom, yet connected with it by some-
thing like a stem, which rests in calcarious matter. The body
of one of these pseudo plants was from four to five inches in
diameter ; the bottom a smooth film of some tenacity, and the
upper surface divided into ascending fibres of half or three
fourths of an inch long, resembliii»» the gills of a fish, in trans-
verse rows. A little further on was another small muddy basin
m which the water was warm to the linger : in it was a vermes
about half an inch long, moving with a serpentine or vermicular
motion. It was invariably observed, that the green matter form-
ing on the stones and leaves covered a stratum of calcarious
earth, sometimes a little hard, or brittle, at others soft and
imperfect. From the bottom of one of the hot springs a fre-
quent ebullition of gas was observed, which not having the means of
collecting, they could not ascertain its nature : it was not in-
flammable, and there is little doubt of its being carbonic acid,
from the quantity of lime, and the iron, held in solution by the
water.

They made the following rough estimate of the quantity of
water delivered by the springs. There are four principal
springs, two of inferior note ; one rising out of the gra-
vel, and a number of drippings and drainings, all issuing from
the margin, or from under the rock which overhangs the
creek. Of the lirst mentioned, three deliver nearly equal quan-
tities, but No. 1, the most considerable, delivers about five
times as much as one of the other three ; the two of inferior
note may, together, be equui to one; and all the droppings
and small springs, are probably underrated at double the quan-
tity of one of the three ; that is, all together, they will deliver
a quantity equal to eleven times the water issuing from the one
most commodiously situated for measurement. This spring
filled a vessel of eleven quarts in eleven seconds, hence the
whole quantity of hot water delivered from the springs at the
base of the hill is l65 gallons in a minute, or 377 1 ^ hogs-
heads in 24 hours, which is equal to a handsotne brook, and
might work an over-shot mill. In cool weather condensed vapour
is seen rising out of the gravel bed of the creek, from sprmgs
which cannot be taken into account. During the summer and
fall the creek receives little or no water but what is supplied by
the hot springs : at that season itself is a hot bath, too hot, in-
deed, near the springs; so that a person may choose the tem-
perature most agreeable to himself, by selecting a natural ba-
sin near to, or farther from, the principal springs. At three
or four miles below the springs the water is tepid and unplea-
sant to drink.

From the western mountaiui estimated to be of equal

LEWIS AND CLARKE.] N

TRATELS IN AMEBIC!.

height with that from which tlie hot springs flow, there are se*
veral fine prospects. The valley of the Washita, comprehended
between the hilLs on either side, seemed a perfect flut, and
about twelve miles wide. On all hands were seen the hills, or
mountains, as tliey are here called, rising behind each other.
In the direction of north, the most distant were estimated to
be fifty miles off, and are supposed to be those of the Arkansa
river, or the rugged mountains which divide the waters of the
Arkansa from those of the Washita, and prevent the Osage
Indians from visiting the latter, of whom they are supposed
ignorant : otherwise their excursions here would prevent this
place from being visited by white persons, or other Indians. In a
south-west direction, at about forty miles distance, is seen a
perfectly level ridge, supposed to be the high prairies of the
Red river.

Notwithstanding the severity of the weather, a considerable
number, and some variety of plants were in flower, and others
retained their verdure : indeed the ridge was more temperate
than the valley below ; there it was cold, damp, and penetrating ;
here dry, and the atmosphere mild. Of the plants growing
here was a species of cabbage : the plants grow with expanded
leaves, spreading on the ground, of a <leep green, with a shade
of purple ; the taste of the cabbage was plainly predominant,
with an agreeable warmth inclining to that of the radish ; seve-
ral tap-roots penetrated into the soil, of a white colour, having
the taste of horse radish, but much milik r. A quantity of them
taken to the camp and dressed, proved palatable and mild.
It is not probable that cabbage seed has been scattered on this
ridge ; the hunters ascendmg this river have always had different
objects. Until further elucidation, this cabbage must be consi-
dered as indigenous to this sequestered quarter, and may be de*
nominated the cabbage radish of the Washita. They found a
plant, then green, called by the French " racine rouge," (red
root), which is said to be a specific in female obstructions; it
has also been used, combined with the China root, to dye red,
the last probably acting as a mordant. I'he top of this ridge is
covered with rocks of a flinty kind, and so very hard as to be
improper for gun-flints, for when applied to that use it soon
digs cavities io the hammer of the lock. This hard stone is
generally white, but frequently clouded with red, brown, black,
and other colours. Mere and there fragments of iron-stone were
met with, and where a tree had been overturned, its roots
brought to view fragments of schistus, which were suffering de-
composition from exposure to the atmosphere. On digging
where the slope of the hill was precipitous, they found the
second stratum to be a reddish clay, resembling that found on

PLANTS NEAR HOT SPRINGS.

the conical hill, east of the camp. At two-thirds down the
hill, the rock w:is a hard freestone, intermixed with fra;;mcnts
of flnt, which had probably rolled from above. Still lower
was found a blue schistus, in u stute tendin;; to decompo<iition
where exposed to ' the atmosphere, but hard and resembling
coarse slate in the interior. iVhmy stones had the appearance
of Turkey oil stones : at the foot of the hill it expands into
good farming lands.

Dr. Hunter, upon examining the waters of the hot springs,
obtained the following results :

It differed nothing from the hot water in smell or taste,
but caused a slight eructation shortly after drinking it.

Its specific gravity is equal to rain or distilled water.

It gave to litamus paper, a slight degree of redness, evincing
the presence of the carbonic acid, or fixed air sulphuric, and
threw down a few detached particles. Oxylat of ammoniac
caused a deposition and white cloud, shewing the presence of a
small portion of lime. Prusiat of potash produced a slight and
scarcely perceptible tinge of blue, designating the presence of
a small (juantity of iron.

Sixteen pounds of water evaporated to dryness left ten grains
of a grey powder, which proved to be lime.

The myrtle wax tree grows in the vicinity of the springs. At
the season in which the voyagers were there, the wax was no
longer green, but had changed its colour to a greyish-white,
from its long exposme to the weather. The berry when exa-
mined by a microscope, is less than the smallest garden pea,
approaching to an oval in form. The nuclus, or real seed, is the
'size of the seed of a radish, and is covered with a number of kidney
shaped glands, of a brown colour and sweet taste ; these glands
secrete the wax which completely envelopes them, and, at this
season, gives to the whole the appearance of an imperfectly
white berry. This is a valuable plant and merits attention: its
favourite position is a dry soil, rather poor, and looking down
upon the water. It is well adapted to ornament the margins of
canals, lakes, or rivulets. The cassina yapon, is equally
beautiful, and proper for the same purpose : it grows here along
the banks of this stony creek, intermingled with the myrtle, and
bears a beautiful little red berry, very much resembling the red
currant.

The rock through which the hot springs either pass or trickle
over, appears undermined by the waters of the creek. The
hot water is continually depositing calcarious, and, perhaps,
some silicious matter, forming new rocks, always augmenting
and projecting their promontories over the running water of the
creek, which prevents its formation below the surface. Where-

;!l:

100

TRAVELS IN AMERICA.

vcr thii calcarious crust is seen spreading over the bank and
margin of the creek, there, most certainly, the hot >vater will
be tbundj either running over the 8urfuce, or throujih some
channel, perhaps below the new rock, or dripping from the
edges of the overhanpng precipice. The progress of nature
in the formation of this new rock is curious, and worthy the
atti-ntion of the mineralogist. When the hot water issues from
the fountain, it frequently spreads over a superficies of some
extent; so far as it reaches, on either hand, there is a deposi-
tion of, or growth of green matter. Several lamina of this green
matter will be found lying over each other, and immediately under,
and in contact with the inferior lamina, which is not thicker
than paper, is found a whitish substance resembling a coaguluni ;
when viewed with a microscope, this last is also found to con-
sist of several, sometimes a good number of lamina^ of which
that next the green is the finest and thinnest, being the last for-
med ; those below increasing in thickness and tenacity until the
last terminates in a soft earthy matter, which reposes in the
more solid rock. £uch lamina of the congulum is penetrated in
all its parts by calcarious grains, extremely miimte, and divided
in the more recent web, but nmch larger and occupying the
whole of the inferior lamina. The understratum is continually
consolidating, and adding bulk and height to the rock. When
this acquires such an elevation as to stop the passage of the wa-
ter, it finds another course over the rock, hill, or margin of
the creek, forming, in turn, accumulations of matter over the
whole of the adjacent space. When the water has found itself
a new channel, the green matter, which sometimes acquires a
thickness of half an inch, is speedily converted into a rich ve-
getable earth, and becomes the food of plants. The surface of
the calcarious rock also decomposes and forms the richest black
mould intimately mixed with a considerable portion of soil ;
plants and trees vegetate luxuriantly upon it.

On examining a piece of groun'd upon which the snow
dissolved as it fell, and which was covered with herbage, they
found, in some places, a calcarious crust on the surface ; but
in general a depth of five inches to a foot of the richest black
mould. The surface was sensibly warm to the touch. In the
air the mercury in the thermometer stood at 44° j when placed
four inches under the surface, and covered with earth, it rose
rapidly to 68° ; and upon the calcarious rock, eight inches be-
neath the surface, it rose to 80°. This result was uniform over
the whole surface, which was about a quarter of an acre.

On searching they found a spring, about fifteen inches undci
the surface, in the water of which the thermometer shewed a
temperature of 130°. Beneath the black mould was found a
brown mixture of lime and silex, very loose and divisiblcj, ap-

SOIL NEAR HOT SPRINGS.

101

icy

)Ut

ick

the

:ed
>se
)e-

kver

Idci
Ida
jida
ap-

parently i;i a state of decomposition, and progrcs-Hinp; towards
the i'oimation of black inonld ; under this brownish nutss it be-
came gradually whiter and harder, to the depUi of from six to
twelve inches, wlure it uas a » alcarious sparkling stone. It
was evident thai the water had j>a.*5*td over this plac , land for
med a tlat Mipcilicies of silicious litntstoue ; and that its posi-
tion, nearly h vi 1, had facilitated the accunuilatiun of earth, in
proportion as the decomposition advanced. Similar spot's of
ground were found higher up the hill, resembling little savannas,
near which hot springs were ahvays discovered, which had once
flowed over them. It appears probabh' that the hot water of
the springs, at an early period, had all issued from its grand
reservoir in the hill, at a much greater ehvalion than at present.
The calcarious crust may be traced up, in most situations on the
west si<le of the hill looking down the creek and valley, to a
certain height, perhaps one hundred feet perpeiuiicular ; in this
region the hill rises precipitously, and is studded with hard si-
licious stones; bel<»w, the descent is more gradual, and the soil
a calcarious black earth. It is easy to discriminate the primi-
tive hill from that which hasaccunnilated, by precipitation, fron\
the water of the springs ; this last is entirely confmed to the
nest side of the hill, and waslitd ai its base by the waters of
the crctk, no hut spring being visible in any other part of its
circumference. Jiy actual measuremtnt along the base of the
hill the indurncc of the springs is found to extend seventy per-
ches, in a direction a little to the east of north : along the
whole of this space the springs have deposited stony matter,
calcarious, with an addition of silex, or crystalized lime. The
accunnilation of calcarious matter is more considerable at
the north end of the hill than the south ; the first may be
above a hundred feet perpendicular, but sloping much more
gradually than the primitive hill above, until it approaches
the creek, where not unfrequently it terminates in u precipice
of from six to twenty feet. The difference between the prnni-
tive and secondary hill is so striking that a superficial observer
must notice it ; the first is regularly very steep>and studded with
rock and stone of the hardest flint, and other silicious com-
pounds, and a superficies of two or three inches of good mould
covers a red clay ; below, on the secondary hill, which carries
evident marks of recent formation, no flint, or silicious stone,
is found ; the calcarious rock conceals all from view, and is,
itself, fre<|uently covered by much fine rich earth. It would seem
that tiiis compound, precipitated from the hot waters, yields
easily to the influence of the atmosphere ; for where the waters
cease to flow over any portion of the rock, it speedily decom-
poses; ; probably more rapidly from the heat communicated

102

TRAVELS IN AMERIOA.

fniin the interior of tlic hili, ns insulated musses of the rock
ure observed to remain without change.

The cedar, the wax myrtle, itnd tlie rafisiim ynpon, all
everpeeus, attach thcniseives particularly to tho culcarions re-
gion, and seem to grow and titrive even in the cicib of the solid
rock.

A «prin«:, enjoying a freedom of position, proceeds with
great regularity in depositing the matter it holds in solution ;
the border or rim of its busin forms an elevated rid^'e, from
Mhenre proceeds a glacis all around, where the waters have
flowed for some time over one part of the brim ; this becomes
more elevated, and the water has to seek a passage where there
is less resistance, thus forming, in miniature, a crater, resem-
bling in shape the conical sunnnit of a volcano. The hill being
steep above, the progress of petrifaction is stopped on that
side, and the watera continue to How and spread abroad, incrust-
ing the whole face of the hill below. The last formed calca-
rious border of the circular basin is soft, and easily divided ; at a
small depth it is more compact ; and at the depUi of six inches it
is generally hard white stone. If the bottom of the basin is stirred
up, a quantity of die red calx of iron rises, and escapes over
the summit of the crater.

Visitants to the hot springs having observed shrubs and trees
with their roots in the hot water, have been induced to try expe-
riments, by sticking bo'anches of trees in the run of hot water.
Some branches of the wax myrtle were found thrust into the
bottom of a spring run, the water of which was 130" by Fah-
renheit's thermomeier ; the foliage and fruit of the branch were
not only sound and heahhy, but at the surface of the water
roots were actually sprouting from it : on pulling it up the part
which had penetrated the hot mud was found decayed.

The green substance discoverable at. the bottom of the hot
springs, and which at first sight has the appearance of plush,
on examination by the microscope, was found to be a vegetable
production. A film of green matter spreads itself on the cal-
carious base, from which rises fibres more than half an inch in
length, forming a heautifid vegetation. Before the microscope
it sparkled with innumerable nodules of lime, some part of
which was beautifully crystalized. This circumstance might
cause a doubt of its being a true vegetable, but its great
resemblance to some of the mosses, particularly the byssi,
and the discovery whicli Mr. Dunbar made of its being the
residence of animal life, confirmed his belief in its being
a true moss. After a diligent search he discovered a very mi-
nute shell fish, of the bivalve kind, inhabiting this moss ; its
shape nearly that of the fresh water muscle ; the colour of the

CAUSK or HOT SPRINGS.

lOS

shvll a greyish brown, M'ith spots of a purplish colour. When
the aniintil iy undisturbed, it opens the shell, and thrusts out
four legs, very trnns|)areiit, and articulated like those of a qua-
druped ; the extreniilie.'i of the fore legs are very slender and
shai'|>, but those of the hind legs somewhat broader, apparently
armed with minute toes : from the extremity of each shell is
sues three or four forked hairs, which the aninnd seems to pos-
sess the power of moving ; the fore-legs are probably formed
for making incisions into the moss for the purpose of procuring
access to the juices of the living plant, upon\^hich, no doubt, it
feeds : it may be provided with a proboscis, although it did not
appear while the animal was under examination : the hind legs
are well adapted for propelling it in its pr<jgress over the mo!»Sy
or through the water.

It would be desirable to ascertain the cause of that perpetual
fire which keeps up the high temperature of so many springs as
flow from this hill, at a considerable distance from each other :
upon looking around, however, suHicicnt data for the solution of
the difficulty is not discoverable. Nothing of a volcanic nature
is to be seen in this country ; neither could they learn that any
evidence in favour of such a supposition was to be found in the
mountains conncctcjil with this river. An inmienso bed of duric
blue schistus appears to form the base of the hot spring hill, and
of all those in its neighbourhood : the bottom of the creek is
formed of it ; and pieces are fruijuently met with rendered soft
by decomposition, and possessing a strong aluminous taste, re-*
quirhig nothing but lixiviation and crystalization to complete
the manufacture of alum. As bodies undergoing chcmicul
changes generally produced an alteration of temperature, the
heat of these springs may be owing to the disengagement of ca-
loric, or the decomposition of the schistus. Another, and per-
haps a more satisfactory cause may be assigned : it is well known,
that w ithin the circle of the waters of this river, vast beds of
martial pyrites exist ; they have not yet, however, been discovered
in the vichiage of the hot springs, but may, neverthdess, form
immense beds under the bases of these hills ; and^as in one place
at least there is evidence of the presence of bitumen*, the
union of these agents will, in the progress of decomposition, by
the admission of air and moisture, produce degrees of heat ca-
pable of supporting the phenomena of the hot springs. No sul-
phuric acid is present i\\ tliiti water : the springs may be supplied

ts
[e

* Hnving thrust a stick down into the crater of one of the springs, at
some distance up the hill, several drops of petroleum, nr naptlin, ruxe nud
fpread upon the surface : it ceased to rise ufter three ur four attempts.

t I

101

TRAVEL! \}i AMERICA.

by tl»c vapour of lieatcd water, osrendinjj from caverns wlif r«
tlio licat i.«t p;(.'ncrutrd, or tlic heat may be immediately applied lo
tlie bottom of nn immense luitnral cauldron of rock, contain* din
the bowels of tlie hill, from which as a reservoir the springs may
be supplied.

A series of nccnrate ohservalionn drtermintd the latitude of
the hot springs to be 34" 31' 4' lO N. and long. 6^ 11' 25", or
J)'^" M)' 4.y'west from the meridian of Ureenwiih.

While Mr. Dunbar uas making arrangements for transporting
(lie ha<;G;ai;u back to the river camp, doctor Hunter, \vith a
Nmall party, went on an excursion into the country. He left
the hot springs en the nmrnins; of the '27th, and after travelling
tionietimes over hills and sterp crajigy mountains wiUi narrow
valleys between them, then up the valleys, and t^enerally by the
Kide of a branch emptying into the Wa»hita, they reached the
main branch of the Calfat hi the ovenin<;, about twejve mdes
from the springs. 'ITie stones ihey met with during the first
part of the day were silicious, of a whitish grey, with fluits,
white, cream-coloured, red, 8ic. The beds of the rivulets, and
often a considerable way up the hills, shewed immense bodies of
h'chistus, both blue and grey, sonie of it uftU)re»iing and tasting
Mtrongly of alum. 'J'he latter part of the day, they travelled
over and between hills of black, hard, and compact Hint, hi
shapeless masses, with schist as before. On ascending these
high grounds, you distinctly perceive the commencement of the
piney region, beginning at the height of sixty or seventy feet, and
extending to the top. The soil in these narrow valleys is thin
and full of stop.es. Tlie next day, which was stormy, they
reached a branch of the bayau de saline, which stretches towards
the Arkansa, and empties into the Washita many leagues below,
baving gone about twelve miles. The mountains they had passed
being of the primitive kind, which seldom produce metals, and
baving hitherto seen nothing of a mineral kind, a little poor iron
ore excepted, and the face of the country, as far as they could
see, presenting the same aspect; they returned to the camp, at
the hot springs, on the evening of the thirtieth, by another route,
in which they met with nothing worthy notice.

In consequence of thf; rains which had fallen, Mr. Dunbar,
and those who were transporting the baggage to die river camp,
found the road watery. 'I'he soil on the flat lands, uiuler the
stratum of vegetable mo\jld, is yellowish, and consists of decom-
posed schistus, of which there are immense beds in every stage
of dissolution, from the hard stone recently uncovered and ptir-
tially decomposed, to the yellow^ and apparently homogeneous
earth. The covering of vegetable earth between the hills and
the nver is, in most places, suiiiciently thick to constitute a good

Jeai:

TrRKr.Y OIL 8T0NP.. fcc.

105

)ar,
np»

)ni-
iage
)ur-
kous
land
lood

•nil Jxfiiia; from foiti ^> six iiuhcs; nmlit U llic opinionoftlic people
upon the Wanliita, tluii ulic^nt will grow Ihmu lo groHt perfection.
i\ltliniiv;h tlie liiglit r liilU, id' iMiiuired to vix hmidred feet in
liei<;lit, lire very roclcy, fit tii«> uili lior hills, and the sloping
bn^cii of thclirst, .re gfiitrull) covered with u soil of a middling
«^iiality. The iiuttiial f/roductions are Hiiflieiciitly luxuriant, coii>
sistiiig chieHy of hhuk aiitl i<H oak, iiiterniixid with a variety of
other wood.M, niid a considerable undergrowth. Kven on these
rocky liilli arc three or four species of vint's, said to produce uu-
nually au ahundunee oi' excellent grapes. A great variety of
plunlii which ;,'row here, some of which in their season are said
to prodnco flowers highly ornaroeutal, vvould probably reward
the researches of the botani^it.

On the morning of the Bth January, 180.^, the party left
Kllis's on the river camp, where they had been detained for seve-
ral days, waiting for such a rise in the waters of the river, as
would carry their boat in safety over the numerous rapids below.
A rise of about six feet, which had taken place the evening be-
fore, determined them to move this morning ; and they
passed the cluittes about one o'clock. They stopped to ex-
amine the rocky promontory below these falls, and took some
specimens of the stone which so much resembles the Turkey oil
stone. \t appears too hard. The strata of this chain were ob-
served to run perpendicularly nearly east and west, crossed by
fissures at right angles fr(^ live to eight feet apart ; the lamina
from one-fourth of an inch to live inches in thickness. About a
leai^ue below, they landed at Whetstone-hill and took several
specimens, 'i'his projecting hill is a mass of greyish blue
sehistns of considerable hardness, and about twenty feet perpen-
dicidar, not regularly so, and from a qiuirter to two inches iu
thickness, but does not split with an even surface.

I'iiey landed again on the morning of the <)th, in sight of the
bayau de la prairie de champignole, to examine and take speci-
mens of some free stone and blue slate. The slate is a blue
schistus, hard, brittle, and unfit for the covering of a house ;
none proper for that purpose have been discovered, except
on the Calfat, which Dr. Hunter met with hi one of his ex-
t'Uisions.

Oi) t!io evening of the lOth they encamped near Arclon's
Troii^hj. kjving been only three days in descending the distance
which look ihem thirteen to ascend. They stopped some time at
the can)p of Ji.Mr. Le Fevre. He is an intelligent man, a na-
tive of the Illinois, but now residing at the Arkansas. He came
liere with some Delaware and other Indians, whom he had litted
out with goods, and receives their peltry, fur, &c. at a stipulated

lliWlS AND CLARKE.] ' • O

I I

■I

106

TRAVELS IN AMERICA.

price, as it is brought in by the hunters. !Mr. Le Fovrc pos-
sesses considcruhle knowledge of the interior of the country ;
he confirms the accounts before obtained, that the hills or moun-
tains which give rise to this little river are in a niannor insulated ;
that is, they are entirely shut in and inclosed by the immense
plains or prairies which extend beyond the Red river, to the
south, and bevond the Missouri, or at least some of its branches,
to the north, and range along the eastern base of the great cham,
f)i dividing ridge, commonly known by the name of the sand
hills, which septirate the waters of the Mississippi from those
which fall into the Pacific ocean. The breadth of this great
plain is not well ascertained. It is said by some to be at certain
parts, or in certain directions, not less than two hundred leagues ;
but it is agreed by all who ha'-e a knowledge of the western
country, that the mean breadth is at least two-thirds of that dis-
tance. A branch of the ^Missouri, called the river Platte, or
Shallow river, is said to take its rise so far south as to derive its
first waters from the neighbourhood of the sources of the Red
and Arkansa rivers. By ' -expression plains or prairies in this
place, is not to be nn' tood a dead flat, resembling certain
savannas, whose soil is stitt' and impenetrable, often under water,
and bearing only a cotirse grass resembling reeds ; very different
are tiie western prairies, which expression signifies only a country
without timber. I'hese prairies are neither flat nor hilly, but
undulating into gently swelling lawn?, and expanding into spa-
cious valiies, in the centre of which is always found a little tim-
ber growing on the banks of the brooks and rivulets of the
finest waters. The whole of these prairies are represented to
be composed of the richest and most fertile soil ; the most lux-
uriant and succulent herbage covers the surface of the earth, in-
ters^persed with millions of flowers and flowering shrubs, of the
most ornamental kinds. Those w ho have viewed only a skirt of
these prairies, spealt of them with enthusiasm, as if it was only
there that nature was to be found truly perfect ; they declare,
tliat the fertility ai)d beauty of the rising grounds, the extreme
richness of the vales, the coolness and excellent quality of the
water foiuid in every valley, the salubrity of ihe atmosphere, and,
above all, the granrit^Mt- of the enchanting landscape which this
country presents, inspire the soul \vitii sensations not to be felt
in any other region of the globe. This paradise is now very
thinly inhabited by a few trihes of savages, and by the immense
herds of wild cattle (bison) which people these countries. The
cattle perform regular migrations, according to the seasons, from
south to north, and from the plains to the mountains, and in due
time, taught by their instincts, take a retrograde direction. These
(ribes move in the rear of the heeds, and pick up stragglers, an(j[

t|]
d(
sis
th(
mc
pr(
tra
joii
spe
low
t«e<
with
of ri
are t
broo
the d
Ked
vince
wiiJio
small
raised
suflici(
in irrej
tender,
sufficit
crops t<
The
pass thi
gable t.
the Ark
advanta^
^cult pli
after m h
compute
the voya;
nient of
which c(
leagues, (
by every i
derable tii
every thin
trees of a
passed wi
the animal
the low ffr

KED AND ABKANSA RIVERS

reireshjuiT showers of rain • nn.l . ' ^ ^" ^''""^ * '« effect
tender, spongy, and nV-h I !, ^^*^ ^« "^ture. The ,nil •

Xr • 7''' ■'•" •^-'eo- s^f r/' '" -'="" ^"S,"

Th R ""^^^* "eaven, to bring the

computed ieag^efof t Z±f'f "'"' "''^'^^^'^ (P " aUv
the voyager meet, «;.! """"'3' "b""! two iiii|,.° car > l .i ^

"'ent of ^h. "1ft ""''. » >"=■•> *e'io"s obstacle ll ^ ' ""•'''^
«,i.: 1 ""^ '"ft. as It is calUI. ,i . . "<^> "'e cominence.

'^"ch conceals the ,vhole river .i,'''!' ''' ," "«''™' '-erarg
jeagues, coiitimia] y au.r,„e„,;„' . l^"^ f^ "««" of seve„tee.?

108

TRAVELS IN AMERICA.

ture, unaided, will excavate a passage sufficient for the waters of
Red river. About fifty leagues above this natural bridge, is the
residence of tlic Cadcaux or Cadadoquie.s nation, whose good
qualities arc already mentioned. The inhabitants estimate the
post of Nakito^h to be half way between New Orleans and the
Cadeaux nation. Above this point the navigation of lied river
is said to be embarrassed by many rapids, falls, and shal-
lows. The Arkansa river is said to present a safe, agreeable,
and uninterrupted navigation as high as it is known. 1'hc
lands on each side are of the best quality, and well watered
with sprites, brooks, and rivulets, affording many situations for
mill-seats. From description, it would seem that a lung thi<i
river there is a regular gradation of hill arnl dale, presenting their
extremities to the river ; the hills are gently swelling eminences,
and the dales spacious vallies, with living water tTi<}an(lering
through them; the forests consist of handsome trees, chieily
what is called open woods. The quality of the land is supposed
superior to that on Red river, until it ascends t«> the prairie
country, where the lands on both rivers are probably similar.
About two hundred leagues up the Arkansa is an interesting
placc^ called the Salt prairie. Tliere is a considerable fork of
the river there, and a kind of savanna where the salt water i»
continually oozing out, and spreading over the surface of a plain .
During the dry summer season the salt maybe raked up in large
heaps ; a natural crust of a hand breadth in thickness is formed
at this season. Tliis place is not often frequented, on account of
the danger from the Osage Indians ; much less dare the white
hunters venture to ascend higher, where it i-^ generally believed
that silver is to be found. It is further said, that high up the
Arkansa river salt is found ui form of a solid rock, and may be
dug out with the crow-bar. The waters of the Arkansa, like
those of Red river, are not potable during the dry season, being
both charged highly with a reddish earth or mould, and extremely
brackish. This inconvenience is not greatly felt upon the Ark-
ansa, where springs and brooks of fresh water frequent : the Red
river is understood not to be so highly favoured. Every account
seems to prove that immense natural magazines of salt must
exist in the great chain of mountains to the westward ; as all the
rivers in the summer season, which flow from them, are .stron<;ly
impregnated with that mineral, and are only remlercd |>aliit-
abl« after receiving the numerous streams of fresh w alor n\ liicli
join them in their course. Tlie great western prairies, besides
the herds of wild cattle (bison, commonly called bufi'aloe), are
also stocked with vast numbers of wild goat (not resembling the
domestic goat), extremely swift footed. As the description
given df this goat is not perfect^ it may trom its swiftness prove

ANTELOPE, tJNiCORN, &C.

109

liile

[the

be
like

ing

ely

Irk-

lied

lunt
lust
(the

lut-

licli

liies

lare

lUic

[ion

love

to be ttie antelope, or it possibly may bo a •i^oat nhicli has csra|)ed
from the Spanish settlements of New Mexico. A Canadian, who
had been much with th« Indians to the westward, speaks of a wo<^!-
bearing animal, larger than a sheep, the wool nuieh mixed witit
hair, which he had seen hi large Hocks. Me pretr nds also t«>
have seen a unicorn, tl>e single horn of which, he savs, rises
out of the forehead and curls buck, conveying the idea of the f'i!«^
sil cornu anunonis. This man says, he iias travelfcd beyond
the great dividing ridge so far as to nave seen a large river Bow-
ing to the westward. 'l'l»e great dividing mountain is w lofty,
that it requires two days to ascend from the base to its top ; otficr
ranges of inferior mountains lie before and behind it ; they are
all rocky and sandy. Large lakes and vallies lie btl>\c't'n the
mountains. Some of the lakes are so large as to contain consi-
derable islands, and rivers ftow from some of them, (.jreat
numbers of fossil bones, of very large dimensions, ai-e seen
among tlie mouutains, which the Canadian supposes to be the
ele|>hant. He does not pretend tdh.ive seen any of the precious
metals, but has seen a mineral which he supposes might yield
copper. From the top of the hitih mountain the view is bounded
by a curve as upon the ocean, and extends o\er the most beautiful
j)rairic8, which seenj to be unbounded, particularly towards the
east. The finest of the lauds lie has .«cen arc on the Missouri ;
no other can compare in ricluiess and ferlility with them. 'Urn
Canadian, as well as Le Fcvrc, speak of the Osagrcs of tli«
tribe of Whitehairs, as lawless and imprincipled ; and the other
IiKlian tribes hold them in abhorrence as a hai barons ami unci-
vilized race ; and the different nations who hunt in their neigh-
bourhood, have their concerting phuis for their ile.«tructioii. ()n
the morning of the 1 Ith, the party passed the jx^tit ecor a Fabri.
The osier, which grows on the be aches above, is not awn below
upon this river ; and here they begtai to meet with the small tree
called " charnier," which grows only on the water side, v,v.(\ is met
>vith alt the way down the Washita. The latitude of .^J" 40'
seems the northern bountlary of the one, and the southern
boundary of the other of those vcgotwbles. Having noticed the
limit set to the long inoss(Telandsia), on the ascent of the river,
in latitude 33°, Mr. Dunbar made inquiry of Mr. l.e Fevre, as
to its existence on the Arkansa settlement, which is knov.nto lie
In about the same parallel ; he said, that its growth is limited
about ten miles south of the settlement, and that as remarkab!/
as if a line had been drawn cast and west <x>r the purpose, as it
ceases all at once, and not by degrees. Hence it appears, lh'.it
nature has ma;kcd with a distinguishing feature the line esta-
blished by congress, between the Orleans and Louisiana tt^i rito-

TRAVELS IN AMERICA.

lies. Tlie cypress is not found on the Washita higher than 34
degrees of north latitude.

J n ascending the river^ they found their rate of going to exceed
that of the current about six miles and a half in twenty^four
hours ; and that on the ISth they had passed the apex of the tide
or wave, occasioned by the fresh, and were descending along an
inclined plnne : as they encamped at night, they found themselves
in deeper water the next morning, and on a more elevated part
of the inchned plane than they had b«icn in the preceding eveU'
ing, from the progress of the apex of the tide during their
re))oae.

At noon, on the l6th, they reached tlie post of the Washita.

Mr. Dunbar being anxious to reach the Natchez as early as
possible, and being unable to procure horses at the post, took a
4'anoe with one soldier and his own domestic, to push down to the
Catahoola, from whence to Concord there is a road of thirty
miles across the low grounds. He set off early on the morning
of the 20th, and at night reached the settlement of an old
hunter, with whom he had conversed on his way up the river.
This man informed him, that at the place called the Mine, on the
Little Missouri, there is a smoke which ascends perpetually
irom a particular place, and that the vapour is sometimes insup-
portable. The river, or a branch of it, passes over a bed of mi-
neral, which from the description given is, no doubt, martial
pyrites. In a creek, or branch of the Fourche a' Luke*, there is
found on the beaches and in the cliii's a great number of globu-
lar bodies, some as large, or larger, than a man's head, which,
when broken, exhibit the appearance of gold, silver, and precioijs
stones, most probably pyrites and crystalizcd spar. And at the
Fourche des Glaises a' Paul (higher up the river than Fourche a*
Luke), near the river there is a cliff full of hexagonal prisms,
terminated by pyramids, which appear to grow out of the rock:
they are from six to eight inches in length, and some of them are
an >nch in diameter. There are beds of pyrites found in several
small creeks communicating with the Washita, but it appears that
the mineral indications are greatest on the Little Missouri, be-
cause, as before noted, some of the hunters actually worked on
them, and sent a parcel of the ore to Mew Orleans. It is the be-
lief here, that the mineral contains precious metal, but that the
Spanish government did not choose a mine should be opened so
ntar to the British settlements. An express prohibition was is-
sued against working these mines.

* Tiiree Ictigues above EUi&'s camp.

" &^:^:i *^'-- D..nbar ob,„i„ed one

Some «ore of ,V ''•'^"'■J' ''<''"'-<= <'-at„ri°v Iv? "'^,Mi«<«<ri.
fwdes • iL '"'^ of » smaH on,.™ " ' . "'*" ""e ground

("fHy as In "e a,""^;™ '»"' «he„ laden «i.h i,, „
«P'enclid anp,a°rL°' "-f ""SSof a„ ostrich, '* "^' S"'*" fiilit

forest tree ^1 "'" "•''"•Sc tree i„d "^ ^'^"' '•e'einl.liiar

b'"^ "? the'"' ITf"'"""' -t '"oClr ''"!."''*. "»

- "he,f';:jpr™"^-^ o' "'""ood cor"*'."!" •'»s-«"d

"hich seem ,„ ™ '""'' »'•<' »"" of s|„i« .i *"''"<'us ; the

rnnde S60) '^i ' i,"",^ ""f ^rkansa, high Vd 7^^^ '" 'at'lude
atitude 380 t " 4oo ''tf'"'''. P'-"'»'''e that "f ifl''?' '» '»-
^"■'ted States if- 1 ' ""' "'" 'c a great ,^' "f"™ '"><»

•ouches the rivet "' 'V'"""'' » "»' 'irs Wll '^i, ';'• y'r"" « has
'he other is ,1"" "'^»'«'. above ,he I "v. '«/' ^'' "''■'■<^''
"'«e are t«^ n'L ''7:1'' ''%'' 'and on tltl? *^"'."!"«> a„rt

"'•he hii" Tjf "' »P»""> Willie ft,5^'.'"fP'-ol'aWe

ll.e,„. "'■"<' "'e> meet, and perhaps e"' J" ""•■ *""«'»

«» <l'e evenin. „f „ '^ ™*"« '^"^ ''«ond

snnimrr ^encnn ^'. ' »»a upon the LttilJ \i ^ "'^'''er up.

Il«

TRAVTLS IN AMERICA.

seen, >vl)icli is termed the blovviii;; of the mountains ; it is con-
fined clastic gas forcing a passage through the side or top of a
liill, driving before it ti great quantity of earth and mineral mat-
ter. During the "^vintLT season the explosions antl blowing of
the mountains entirely cease, from whence we may conclude,
that the cause is comparatively superficial, being brought into
action by the increased heat of tlie more direct rays of the sum-
mer .sun.

The connucnce of the Washita, Catahoola, and Tenza, is an
interesting place. The last of these conmumicutes with the
JNIississippi low land.<t, by the intervention of other creeks and
lakes, and by one in particular, called " Bayau d'Argent," which
empties into the Mississippi, about fourteen miles above Nat-
chez. During high water there is a navigation for batteaux of
any burthen along the bayau. A large lake, called St. John's
)ake, occupies a considerable part of the passage between the
Mississippi and the Tenza ; it is in a horse-shoe form, and has,
at some former period, been the bed of the Mississippi : the
nearest part of it is about one mile removed from the river at the
present time. This lake, possessing elevated banks, similar to
those of the river, has been lately occupied and improved. The
Catahoola bayau is the third navigable stream : during the time
of the inundation there is an excellent communication by the
lake of that name, and from thence, by large creeks, to the l{ed
river. The country around the point of union of these three
rivers is altogether alluvial, but the place of Mr. Hebrard's resi-
dence is no longer subject to inundation. There is no doubt,
that as the country augments in population and riches, this place
will become the site of a commercial inland town, M'hicli will
keep pace with the progress and prosperity of the country. One
of the Indian mounts here is of considerable elevation, with a
species of rampart surrounding a large space, which was, no
doubt, the position of a fortified town.

While here, Mr. Duubnr met with an American who pre-
tended to have been up the Arkansa river three hundred leagues.
The navigation of this river he says is good to that distance, for
bouts drawing three or four feet water. Implicit faith, perhaps,
ought not to be given to his relation, respecting the quantity of
silver he pretends to have collected there. He says he has
found silver on the Washita, thirty leagues above the hcl pungs,
so rich, that thrte pounds of it yielded one pound of silver, and
that thi8 was found in a cave. He asserts, also, that the ore of
the mine upon the little Missouri, was carried to Kentucky,
by a person of tlie name of Boon, where it was found to yield
largely in silver. This man says he has been up the Red river

I '

RETURN OF THE TRAVELLERS.

113

)re-
les.
for
ips,
of
|lia»

ind
of
Iky,

leia

Iver

likewise, and that there is a great rapid just below the raft, or
natural bridge, and several others above it ; that the Caddo nation
is about fifty leagues above the raft, and near to their village
commences the country of the great prairies, M'hich extend four
or five hundred miles to the west of the sand mountains, as they
are termed. These great plains reach far beyond the Red river
to the south, and northward over the Arkansa river, and among
the numerous branches of the Miifsouri. He confirms the ac-
count of the beauty and fertility of the western country.

On the mornins; of the 2Jth Mr. Dunlxir set out, on horse-
back, from the Catahoola to Natchez. The rain which had
fallen on the preceding days rendered the roads wet and muddy,
and it was two in the afternoon before he reached the Bayau
Crocodile, which is considered half way between the Black river
and the Mississippi. It is one of the numerous creeks in the
low grounds which assist in venting the waters of the inundation.
On the margins of the water courses the lands are highest, and
produce caues ; they fall o<f, in the rear, into cypress .swanipg
and lakes. The waters of the Mississippi were rising, and it
was with some difficulty that they reached a house near Concord
that evening. This settlement was begun since the cession of
Louisiana to the United States, by citizens of the Mississippi
territory, who have established their residence altogether upon
newly acquired larnis, taken up under the authority of the Spanish
commandant, and have gone to the expense of improvement
either in the names of themselves or others, before the 20th of
December, 1803, hoping thereby to hold their new possession!
under the sanction of the law.

Exclusive of the few actual residents on the banks of the Mis-
sissippi, there are two very handsome lakes in the interior, on
the banks of which similar settlements have been made. He
crossed at the feny, and at mid-day of the 26th reached his own
house.

Dr. Hunter and the remainder of the party, followed Mr.
Dunbar, down the Washita, with the boat in which they ascend-
ed the river, and, ascending the Mississippi, reached St. Ca-
tharine s landing on the morning of the 3 1st January, 180J.

LEWIS AND CLARK£.]

114

METEOROLOGICAL Ohsenathm made htj Mr. Dunbar
and Doctor Hunter, m their Voyage up the Red and Washita
Rivers, in the Year 1804.

'I imc of obiic

rv.

TIIKIIMOMKTKII.

Wind.

Weuthrr and '\fpleoioloBlcnl

ShiiV
Kiso,

Ill

riiciionuMiu, iS:i'.

Ilayof the month. |

JPM

;! P M

River

i; '

Wuler.

1804.

October

40°

80°

730

8.S

—

8. S. V,

l.iirlit clouds. -'.s

^«— ■

—

S S. E.

Cloudy. , /i

»» ' ',

—

V. VNW.

Cloudy in morn, ercnincrclear

«...' ^ '

—

North.

Cloudy morn ; clt-ar evening.

»*- •

— >

N, \y.

I.'jiht riourls.

—

Norlli,

Ho;ir fro-t, i'v^ on river;

• • ' ' '. r'

clear above.

' • A

7.1

' ..;■ ■>'' }

.mm

N\V. ^W.

Fog on river.

—

()0

w, X. w.

Ko.sj on rivtr; t-bar above.

„

—

N N \V.

Ditto, ditto

November

R->

Calm ond clear above. ■*

...

7»

S. S. I'..

Some light clouds. ,
Clear. '' "' ' ^

•n>,

<>4

—

\m^

Jf'. .

5ft

N. W.

Heavy focr and damp air. .' ;^?

—

W<>t.

Heavy fog.

—

Cloudy. A djsaj;recable damp'
day.

..,

—

Cloudy, damp and cold. , .f

—

7':

— .

Cleur iind ealui.

—

Do. ditto

—

Cltar & oalm ; cloudy evening

— »•

3;j

•55

Siitith.

Foa: on river; calm evening;
cloudy

—

— Clear and calm.

—

l.S

— Clear ami calin. »

—

North.

Morning calm; afccruooN
cloudy, damp it disagreeable.

"* i

— ■

Calm, top: on riv. lat. 3:>^ 13' .V.

—

Serene mornmg ; cloudy even.

_^,

—

Cloudy ; calm.

^^^

(>l

—

Cloudy; calm.

„__

58'

— Calm ; a little fog. - » ■•

—

<i!?>

7-2

— ]Light clonils; calm.

—

L'^ht clouds; calm.

, 1

—

Haiuy.

^^.

6'2

— iCIear.

71 66

~ IClou.lv.

^__

Cloudy ; calm.

—

South.

Cloudy & strong wind ; rain i'
A. AI. clear at noon.

—

Cloudy and calm.

11
nuarj

''"yoithemonih

1804.

1805.

"^"'iWiS:^"--'

Harand ^.,
fU.^ar a«d ,.aio,.

K 7 «"«' calm.

,'-^.34o?r'^^;"^ moderate.
Cloudv, dark t ^ ^^'' "^ 't'/c

h'f »"J "da's"*" ^ »'>'■'■
cloudy 1 „l°'^' ""fk «nj

I ff'ound. ^ ' s'"^* on

^.^'« "nd cloudy. ,.v

fe!'"«i ^od'SaJ;.''"-^"^^'-
iC oudy.

t''---*'- and w,„dr

' nftei„ro„""™'"- «"o»- m
' St;;'^ "'""">' after
^ f..id. ' "** "'?* very

""■ /Snoiv.
' ■ '*'• p'nd moderate.

.V. \y, s r. 'r-i

%ii

I'-'t.

Timeof observ.

Day of the month

1805.

January 9

— 10
«- 11

— 12
~ 13

U
15
16

201

fil

Sun '«
Kise.

•-»;l

iJ'v Wt-U* 1

£9
30
31

TIlEUMUMblER.

42°

23
11
20
27

23
30
36
60

56
21
it

55
36
32
24
26

34
36
56

••5 P M

•360

32
32
43
53

5.1
63
65

58
51

36
48
64
50
40
36
50
56

56
55

JPJli Rivfi
Water.

240

lU
26
30
30

32
43.
60

50
40
26
40
54
46
40
33
32
40

440

42
39
40
40

40
40
41
44

43
43
40
39
4i^'
43
40
42
44
34

Wind.

.^3 <Mi' {VtWcf:

. V/t-;jP»tJ:» .) 1I «,> ' .'.-»;

.»;^tl"'>',n.--. I:, i\

. '-s : '|v.ur.'i.-.;7 111 Vf i'.':
,•..>■' (•■.♦. ^ t.

.fj'il^*' •

.w -•,

Wetthenmil M H ferc l agl o l
Phenomena, lie.

■ r4

'"I

North.
North.

N. t.
N. w.

8. E.
S. W.
S. W.

East.

N. E.
S. E.

V. E.

East.
North.

North.

N. B.

S. E.

Dark, cloudy and eotd, with
hail.

Cold and damp. Lat. 34^ N.

Pine mornin^^, and very cold

The air damp and penetrating.

Morning flric and dry ; even-
ing moist.

Light wind ; atmosphere dry.

Cloudy ; Wind light.

Cloudy.

Clear, p 1 ; .

Cloudy, and drtzzly rain.

Wind variable.

Weather raw ai.^ cold.

Cloud.? and drir/ly ra#.

Rain. Lat. 3lo*r''N.

Windy; cold avi raw. "

Stormy and snow.

Lat. Sio N.

On Mississippi river ; clear

and moderate.
Fine weather.
Raw and cloudy.
Cloudy and moderate.

... ->

■,(.

'■i--
i r

ISND OF LEWIS AND CLARKE S TRAVELS.

iJ. 1.

.•si-

■1

id eold, With

Lat. 34« N.
id very cold
I penetrating.
I dry J even-

Bphere dry.

ht.

L 320 30' N.

ly rain.

coid.
y ra#.

raw. '

iver i clear

vte-

/ ' .