L I B RA RY OF THE U N I VLRSITY Of ILLINOIS IUIN0B BtSTBRlCAL SBRVH \x fc/fc 1 17 J^v**^^ ^W-t-K A X&t-*^. t^-o /£-^srj r ^ Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign http://www.archive.org/details/washingtonirvingOOells WASHINGTON IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE tyf^/wnaton Storvrw on tkz ^waAajl OR A NARRATIVE OF A TOUR OF THE SOUTHWEST IN THE YEAR 1832 By HENRY LEAVITT ELLSWORTH Edited by Stanley T. Williams and Barbara D. Simison NEW YORK AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY MCMXXXVII Copyright, 1937, by AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY All rights reserved Ellsworth's Washington Irving on the Prairie W.P. I MADF IN U.S.A. CONTENTS INTRODUCTION, vii NARRATIVE OF HENRY LEAVITT ELLSWORTH, 1 SELECTED LIST OF BOOKS, 149 ILLUSTRATIONS MAP of Irving's Route during his Tour of the Southwest in the Year 1832, facing page 1 in text PAGE OF ELLSWORTH'S JOURNAL, facing page 74 in text PAGE OF ELLSWORTH'S JOURNAL, describing the Encounter with the Wild Horses, facing page 110 in text INTRODUCTION ON May 2i, 1832 Washington Irving landed in New York after an absence of seventeen years in Europe. During this period he had become the friend of Walter Scott, had lived in the Alhambra, had served as Secretary of the American Legation in London, and had become famous in three nations as his country's first man of letters. He was, as Mayor Philip Hone and the committee of welcome perceived, a sophisticated citizen of the world. The tributes to him at the grandiose dinner in his honor emphasized his identification with the literature of Europe. 1 Indeed, his love of England had aroused some suspicions in the critics whose chief test of a native writer was his nationalism. To the denunciations of his alleged expatriation Irving had long been sensitive, and his three books on the West 2 now had their motivation partly in his desire to demonstrate his enthusiasm for American themes. Yet the important fact is that in this year (1832) Irving, apart from his rather docile adjustment to these criteria of his age, still cherished a boyhood passion. This passion was a deep and honest interest in the life of the American frontier. Beginning in childhood in his family's association with the New York State trading posts and strengthened by a rigorous journey to Montreal at the age of twenty, 3 this interest had survived, through 1 See the New-York Mirror ; June 9, 1832. 1 The Crayon Miscellany . . . No. 1. Containing A Tour on the Prairies (Philadelphia, 1835); Astoria, or Anecdotes of an Enterprise beyond the Rocky Mountains (Philadelphia, 1836); The Rocky Mountains: or, Scenes, Incidents, and Adventures in the Far West; Di- gested from the Journal of Captain B. L. E. Bonneville, of the Army of the United States . . . (Philadelphia, 1837). In the Introduction of A Tour on the Prairies Irving dis- cussed the criticisms of his Anglophile tendencies. 3 See Washington Irving, Journal, 1803, ed. S. T. Williams (London and New York, 1934). [vii] viii INTRODUCTION his persistent reading of travelers' tales, both his indolent life in Seville and his exhausting diplomatic career with Louis McLane and Martin Van Buren in Chandos Street, London. In his fiftieth year he still heard the rumbling ox-cart on the trail of the St. Lawrence River, and he still jotted down in his notebooks tales of the Indians. 1 This curiosity was, of course, intermittent, casual, dilettante. To Schoolcraft and Catlin he left the frontier's eth- nology; to Cooper its adventure; to Crockett its tall tale. Incurably urban, Irving viewed the wild life of stream and forest through the eyes of a Europeanized romantic; Indian ponies recalled Andalusian steeds; interlaced silhouettes of trees Moorish castles; French villages in Louisiana the old songs of Languedoc; the rangers in camp Robin Hood's merry men. 2 While Ellsworth studied vegetation, Irving lay under a tree and dreamed of Don Quixote. The significance of the frontier in American history troubled him not at all. He saw and described only the picturesque surfaces of this mighty force. Yet these limitations hardly diminish the value of these encyclo- pedic, vivid records of his association with the frontier, surprising documents from " Geoffrey Crayon," the author of "Westminster Abbey" and "Rip Van Winkle." 3 While studying this interest of Irving' s the present edi- tors discovered the Journal of Henry Leavitt Ellsworth. 4 1 This interest found an early expression in his essays, "Traits of Indian Char- acter" and "Philip of Pokanoket," contributed to the Analectic Magazine for February and June, 1814, and reprinted in The Sketch Book (1820). 2 See A Tour on the Prairies, The Crayon Miscellany, Author' 's Revised Edition (New York, 1869), p. [49]. 3 See S. T. Williams, The Life of Washington Irving (New York, London, 1935), Chaps. XVII and XIX. 4 Although sent to Mrs. Ellsworth in the form of a letter, this manuscript was a transcript of Ellsworth's journal, and is, therefore, referred to in the present work as "Journal." It consists of one hundred and sixteen pages written in ink on sheets of folio size. Ellsworth's handwriting is occasionally illegible; his spelling is inconsistent (even in proper names) ; and his punctuation is erratic, especially INT RO D UCTIO N ix In it were amusing and informative portraits of a differ- ent Irving, not the familiar Irving beheld in Paris in 1824 in pigeon-tailed claret coat and silk stockings, or on Broadway in 1850 in a Talma cloak. 1 Here was the most popular American author of the 'thirties not as Tom Moore or Longfellow saw him, but as he appeared to the contemptuous eyes of Billett, the Indian guide. 2 Disgusted, Irving secretly throws a skunk into the river, but later is thankful to dine off this species of game. 3 Here, in brief, was a salty episode in Irving's career, re- lated by a shrewd and downright observer. The document adds to our knowledge of Irving, enriching both his la- conic Journal, 4 and his tinted, conventionalized Tour on the Prairies. Ellsworth's narrative is now an indispensable bit of Irvingiana. Through this manuscript and that of "Polly Holman's Wedding" 5 Irving appears appreciably closer to the actual frontier of a century ago. Yet Irving's experiences form but a slender portion of Ellsworth's manuscript. Written from Fort Gibson, on November 17, 1832, as a letter to his wife, it describes with an accuracy lacking in Irving's version {A Tour on the Prairies) the adventures of the expedition in the region in the cases of periods and dashes. The manuscript, now in the possession of Yale University, has been reproduced, in so far as possible, exactly as Ellsworth wrote it. Deleted passages and a few corrections in another hand have not been printed. Pages 15 and 16, although numbered, are blank. The manuscript contains one drawing, reproduced in the present work. See illustration facing p. no. Ells- worth's Journal concludes with a letter to Irving. See, in the present work, p. 146. 1 See The Life of Washington Irving, I, 257; II, 202. 1 See in the present work, pp. 47, 102. 3 See idem, p. 47. 4 This Journal, in the possession of the New York Public Library, begins on September 3, and ends on November 17, 1832. It includes much supplementary material on the West, and may be compared day by day with C. J. Latrobe's The Rambler in North America, MDCCCXXXII-MDCCCXXXIII (New- York, 1835), and with Irving's A Tour on the Prairies. 5 A racy narrative of the frontier apparently obtained by Irving in the South- west in 1832. See "Polly Holman's Wedding. Notes by Washington Irving," ed. S. T. Williams and E. E. Leisy, Southwest Review, July, 1934. x INTRODUCTION of Oklahoma. Few husbands have written home longer epistles than this, and occasionally the reader shares the author's misgivings about Mrs. Ellsworth's unflagging interest in bees, bears, buffaloes, or a broken coffeepot. We agree with him that, like his horse, his pen should be "hobbled." 1 Yet, whatever this lady's wifely feelings, the students of this particular period of American history will read the Journal to the end. Ellsworth tells his story well, and the distinction of his later public career adds weight to his testimony concerning that "Southwest" which, through the writings of Mr. Grant Foreman, Mr. Joseph B. Thoburn, and others, has attracted renewed and deserved attention. The manuscript is, therefore, published entire as of interest not merely to devotees of Irving but to such historians. These historians have discussed fully the extensive background of Ellsworth's narrative; 2 only a brief re- capitulation of particular events is needed here. The passage by Congress in 1 830 of the Indian Removal Bill stimulated not merely the migration westward of the tribes east of the Mississippi River, but provoked a long series of complex disputes among the whites and the various groups of red men, notably the Cherokee and Creeks, 3 living in the regions of the Arkansas River. The Government's treaty of May 6, 1828 with the Chero- kee gave to this nation certain sections of land which had been previously occupied by some hundreds of Creeks. 4 1 Sec in the present work, p. 61. a See Grant Foreman, Pioneer Days in the Early Southwest (Cleveland [Ohio], 1926), pp. [i3]-84, and, in particular, "Washington Irving at Fort Gibson, 1832," pp. [85J-I02; Foreman, Advancing the Frontier, 1830-1860 (Norman [Oklahoma], 1933), pp. 15-48; Foreman, Indians & Pioneers . . . (New Haven, London, 1930), Index; J. B. Thoburn, Oklahoma, a History of the State and Its People (New York, 1929), I, [I491-I53- 3 See Advancing the Frontier, p. 15. 4 See idem, p. 16. INTRODUCTION xi These peoples quarreled with each other, with the white squatters, and with the emissaries of President Jackson, to whom the Creeks sent a memorial begging for adjust- ments and for definitive boundaries of the land. Other factors, political, social, and military, complicated the problem, but the story affecting Ellsworth's expedition really begins with this Creek memorial and with the report by the Secretary of War to Congress on February 1 6, 1832, which stated that there were then living west of the Mississippi twenty-five hundred Creeks, six thou- sand Choctaw, thirty-five hundred Cherokee, and three thousand Delaware. 1 The President's recommendation, which became a law on July 14, 1832, 2 decreed the appointment of three commissioners to study the country, to mark the bound- aries, to pacify the warring Indians, and, in general, to establish order and justice. Those who finally accepted this delicate charge were Montfort Stokes, Governor of North Carolina, the Reverend John F. Schermerhorn, of Utica, New York, and Henry L. Ellsworth, of Hartford, Connecticut. 3 At about the same time the Secretary of War urged Colonel A. P. Chouteau to aid the Commis- sion on its arrival with his intimate knowledge of the Indians. 4 Meanwhile Captain Jesse Bean of Tennessee, recruiting a company of Mounted Rangers, marched toward Fort Gibson, where he was to arrive on Septem- ber 1 4 5 and play an important part in the fortunes of the "Irving party," 6 as it was sometimes ineptly called. Such, briefly reviewed, were the events which were to strengthen Ellsworth's reputation as a public figure and 1 Pioneer Days in the Early Southwest, pp. [85J-86. 2 Idem, p. 86. 8 Idem, pp. 86-87. * Ide ™, P- 87. 6 Idem, p. 88. 8 See in the present work, p. 14. xii INTRODUCTION indirectly to create three contemporary narratives con- cerning this Oklahoma frontier. Of these, two appeared exactly a century ago; l the third is this informal record of Henry Leavitt Ellsworth, Government Commissioner to the Indians. Ellsworth, 2 now in his forty-first year, was a New Eng- lander of distinguished family and varied attainments. A native of Windsor, Connecticut, the son of Chief Justice Oliver Ellsworth, he had been graduated from Yale in 1810, had served as Secretary of the Hartford County Agricultural Society, and had acted as President of the ^tna Insurance Company in Hartford, of which city he was to be elected Mayor in 1 835. 3 In fact, many of Ellsworth's other achievements still lay in the future. He was to be appointed by President Jackson United States Commissioner of Patents, to be the instigator of the first government appropriation for agriculture, and to be an official agent in Lafayette, Indiana, for the settlement and purchase of public lands. On the whole, he was a matter-of-fact, capable man, this Ellsworth, viewing the sensibility of his companion, the renowned author, with an amused respect. Irving was traveling, unaware, with the "Father of the Department of Agri- culture." Such interests, however, could hardly account for the real friendship between Ellsworth and Irving. Nor was 1 Irving's A Tour on the Prairies and Latrobe's The Rambler in North America. Latrobe dedicated his book to Irving. 2 No biography of Ellsworth has been written, but there exists in scattered sources a considerable body of comment concerning him. See Selected List of Books, relating to Ellsworth, Irving, and to the expedition of 1832, in the present work, pp. 149-152. 3 Ellsworth was the twin brother of William Wolcott Ellsworth, Governor of Connecticut from 1838 to 1842. INTRODUCTION xiii the intimacy based on the strong religious strain in the commissioner's nature, which emerges at intervals in the Journal. He thought Irving's laughter at the stories in the Old Testament regrettable, 1 and he was careful, appar- ently, not to express to his easy-going friend his occa- sional longing to hear a New England church bell. He had a tendency, born of the land of Cotton Mather, to perceive, though he could at times be hard-headed enough, something of the glorious God in all these occur- rences. When that irritating libertine, Pour tales, strayed away for his longest absence, Ellsworth pointed the moral: I know the feelings of being lost is dreadful indeed — and here let me ask if [?] it is so dreadful to be lost for time ! what is it to be lost for eternity ! who can tell? 2 Who can tell indeed? Surely not the sophisticated Washington Irving; he was not much interested in eternity. He may have smiled a little at the meta- phor in Ellsworth's affectionate farewell letter; at the New Englander's pious hope that after they had passed "through the cross- timbers and praries of life," they might "enjoy together the Paradise which lies beyond." 3 He evidently found other qualities in this "very gentle- manly and amiable person," 4 in "the good, kind- hearted commissioner," 5 as Latrobe called him. Ells- worth emerges very clearly in this Journal, which he cautioned his wife was for "private use," 6 more clearly 1 See in the present work, p. 72. 2 Idem, p. 125. 3 Idem, p. 146. 4 Irving to Mrs. Daniel Paris, Cincinnati, September 2, 1832. P. M. Irving, The Life and Letters of Washington Irving (New York, 1 862-1 864), III, 34. 6 The Rambler in North America, I, 1 60. 8 See in the present work, p. 146. xiv INTRODUCTION than in the formal estimates of his career. Here may be found his scientific tastes, his affectionate anxiety for his distant family, his quiet scorn of Pourtales, the "heir ap- parent," l and, most of all, here appears his love of com- panionship and conversation. On this side his nature responded freely to the sociable Irving's. The Ellsworth of whom Irving was fond was the adventurous, restless Ellsworth, whose rather casual bankruptcy in 1830 had dismayed his family. 2 The family letters show his concern not merely with eternity and agriculture but with the society of the D wights and Sigourneys of Hartford. He loved singing, levees, late parties, and weddings which were not too "still." Like his friend Irving, he sojourned happily at Saratoga and Ballston Springs. 3 One must not temper too freely the solid New England fiber in him, but Irving understood and enjoyed this genial, speculative, pioneering Ellsworth. This New Englander was certainly no Ichabod Crane. 4 Irving had indeed in the past traveled with far less engaging comrades. His friendship with the substantial Ellsworth was symbolic of a new epoch in his life. In his way he was as successful in his career as this matter-of- fact Yankee; his characters in books were household words, and his name was bracketed in the periodicals with those of John Jacob Astor and John C. Calhoun. Nevertheless, in the reception tendered him by his fellow countrymen he had been acutely conscious, as said, that they deplored in him one lack. He had written of English customs, of German folklore, and of Spanish 1 See in the present work, p. 48. 2 See Mrs. Delia Ellsworth Williams to Mrs. Frances Ellsworth Wood, Hart- ford, Connecticut, February 22, 1830 (letter in possession of Yale University). 3 See Family Letters to and from Mrs. Frances Ellsworth Wood, 1809- 1840 (in the possession of Yale University), passim. 4 Irving's prejudice against Yankees persisted throughout his life. INTRODUCTION xv peasants, but he had not turned his facile pen to the service of the new America, the America of forest, prairie, and Indian. Extremely sensitive to public opinion, and already uneasy without an occupation, Irving earnestly desired to publish a popular book on a native subject. What he had done so often in Europe he hoped to repeat in America: to roam with a notebook, and to write. Moreover, he had been attracted, since his return, to the type of American whom Ellsworth represented: active, forceful, exploratory, non-literary. For the next decade of his life, until his return to Spain in 1 842 as Minister at the court of Isabella II, he was to fraternize with such persons as Mayor Philip Hone, John Pendleton Kennedy, and Ellsworth. He was, in fact, undergoing, after his long expatriation, an Americanization. 1 On his re-identifica- tion with his native land and on the composition of his three successful books on the West, this journey with Ellsworth was to exert a profound influence. 2 The meeting with the Commissioner was accidental. 3 On August 4, 1 832 Irving had left Tarrytown for a tour in western New York, vaguely hopeful that he might dis- cover materials for writing. With him, when he reached Saratoga Springs, were two other wanderers who were to be his companions in Oklahoma, Charles Joseph Latrobe, the English traveler, and the latter's protege, a Swiss youth, Count de Pourtales. 4 Of the cosmopolitan Latrobe Irving remained an admirer: He was a man of a thousand occupations; a botanist, a geologist, a hunter of beetles and butterflies, a musical ama- 1 See The Life of Washington Irving, Chaps. XVII-XIX. 2 Idem, Chap. XVII. 3 See Irving to Mrs. Daniel Paris, September 2, 1832, and in the present work, p. xvi, note 3. 4 Irving had met Latrobe and Pourtales on the steamship Havre, en route for New York. Here the acquaintance was continued. xvi INTRODUCTION teur, a sketcher of no mean pretensions, in short, a complete virtuoso; added to which, he was a very indefatigable, if not always a very successful, sportsman. Never had a man more irons in the fire, and, consequently, never was man more busy nor more cheerful. 1 For Pourtales, on the other hand, he, and apparently Ellsworth, too, soon acquired a thorough dislike, though of him Irving's characterization is politely reticent; Pourtales, he said, was "full of talent and spirit, but gal- liard in the extreme, and prone to every kind of wild adven- ture." 2 Such was his very gentlemanly description of the ne'er-do-well whose true nature appears in Ellsworth's candid narrative. The route of the three travelers can be reconstructed from Irving's letters, from his Journal, beginning on September 3, and from Latrobe's book. We see them, after brief stays at Trenton Falls, Albany, Niagara Falls, and Buffalo, on a Lake Erie boat, where they fell in with Ellsworth and yielded to his persuasions to join his ex- pedition to Fort Gibson. 3 The route of the party lay 1 A Tour on the Prairies, p. 14. For Ellsworth's description of Latrobe, see in the present work, pp. 67-69. 2 A Tour on the Prairies, p. 14. Latrobe refers to Pourtales as "a cheerful and accomplished travelling companion." The Rambler in North America, I, 18. For Ellsworth's very full description of Pourtales, see in the present work, pp. 67-68. 3 In the summer, probably in July, Latrobe and Pourtales met Irving by ap- pointment in Boston, from which place the three undertook a tour of the White Mountains. See The Rambler in North America, I, 50-59. Irving then returned to New York, while Latrobe and Pourtales continued their excursion into Vermont, pledging themselves to a reunion with Irving in Saratoga Springs early in August. Irving tells the story of the journey from Tarry town through Albany to Niagara Falls in a journal, August 4-31 (in the possession of W. M. Hill, Chicago), and Latrobe gives an account of the stay at Niagara ( The Rambler in North America, I, 64-70). Latrobe then describes the unforeseen meeting with Ellsworth with its solution of conflicting destinations among the three tourists: On our departure from Buffalo ... an important change was effected in the previous plans of our little party. These had in some measure threatened a separa- tion from our friend Washington Irving, to whom the Canadian provinces, which Pourtales and myself had intended to take as our next step, offered no particular INTRODUCTION xvii through Ashtabula, Cleveland, Cincinnati, to Louisville, where they arrived on September 4. On the way Irving, in high spirits, filled his notebooks. Under the "wavering light of moon and stars" 1 and over water glassy under the golden sunshine they sailed down the yellow Ohio past the greenish-blue Wabash. 2 By September 1 1 they were on the Mississippi, and two days later at St. Louis. Here they saw the two Chouteaus, Governor Clark, and the recently captured Black Hawk. 3 Ellsworth now embarked in a steamboat for Independence, Mis- souri, the rendezvous of the party, while the others traveled by land with horses and a light wagon. 4 On September 26, three days in advance of Ellsworth, Irving, Latrobe, and Pourtales came to Independence, Missouri. Five days afterwards they crossed the Osage River while a group of Indians looked on curiously: Camp after sunset [wrote Irving in his Journal] in a beautiful grove at the foot of immense trees — by a brook opposite a prai- rie — moonlight — owl hoots . . . bells of our horses among the trees — supper — beef, roast ducks, and prairie hens — others boiled. Fine effect of half moon among lofty trees — fire of camp with guides, Indians and others round it — dogs lying on grass — waggons — tents by fire light. 5 interest. He therefore meditated a return to New- York by the Ohio. ... A few hours before the separation was to take place, an unexpected circumstance was the means of re-uniting us in one common scheme. We had taken our passage on board a steamboat, bound for Detroit, but touching as usual at the intermediate ports, at one of which, on the Ohio shore, Mr. Irving proposed landing, while we accompanied the vessel to the end of the voyage. It was our fortune to meet on board with a gentleman . . . Latrobe then describes Ellsworth's invitation. Idem, I, 70-71. Ellsworth's account of the meeting is retold in a letter from his sister, Mrs. Delia Ellsworth Williams to Mrs. Frances Ellsworth Wood, Hartford, September 8, 1832 (in the possession of Yale University). 1 Irving, Journal, September 6, 1832. 2 Idem, September 8, 1832. 8 See The Life of Washington Irving, II, 39-40. 4 The Rambler in North America, I, 97. 6 Irving, Journal, October 1, 1832. xviii INTRODUCTION On October 8 they reached Fort Gibson, and here Ellsworth's literal narrative begins. From now until November 17 his realistic pen must tell the story. It is a clear, buckram tale without literary embellishments, in powerful contrast to Latrobe's ex- pansive recital of the same events, and to Irving's elegant narrative. Irving's book, said Philip Hone, offered matters of thrilling interest to comfortable citizens who read of them in their green slippers, seated before a shining grate, the neatly printed page illuminated by a bronze astral lamp; or to the sensitive young lady who, drawing up her delicate little feet on the crimson damask sofa, shudders at the hard- ships which the adventurous tourist has undergone. 1 So the world judged the popular author's romance of the frontier. Meanwhile Mrs. Ellsworth quietly read and then put aside the interminable letter of her Connecticut Commissioner. It now reappears, 2 and in it may be found the true record of a memorable adventure. 3 Stanley T. Williams Barbara D. Simison New Haven, Connecticut May /, 1937 1 The Diary of Philip Hone, 1 828-1851, ed. Bayard Tuckerman (New York, 1889), April 10, 1835. 2 A few brief passages from the Journal were printed in S. T. Williams, The Life of Washington Irving (New York, London, 1935, Oxford University Press). See II, 42, and Index. 3 John Treat Irving, Irving's nephew, accompanied Ellsworth in another ex- pedition to these regions in the year 1833. Washington Irving on the Prairie NARRATIVE OF HENRY LEAVITT ELLSWORTH [i] My dear N 1 Fort Gibson 2 Nov 17 1832 In my last letter, I alluded to several scenes of interest during our absence from Fort Gibson 3 — M r Irving has gone, 4 and I am left quite alone in my neat little log cabin, with two rooms only — a small kitchen is built in the rear, about 20 yards, where, the cooking is done — and having passed through the perplexity of commencing housekeeping, by purchasing everything myself — from stores distant several miles; I embrace the first leisure — to fill up a few large sheets with extracts from my journal. Ellsworth's wife, Nancy Allen Goodrich, whom he married in 1813. Mrs. Ellsworth was the daughter of Elizur Goodrich of New Haven. She died on January 14, 1847. Ellsworth remarried twice. 2 Fort Gibson, established in April, 1824 as the first United States military post in Oklahoma, was situated about three miles above the confluence of the Grand and the Arkansas rivers. Its position near the first trading post and the Creek and Osage agencies made it an important center of social and official life in the Indian territory. Abandoned in 1890, its name is perpetuated in the town of Fort Gibson. See Grant Foreman, Pioneer Days in the Early Southwest {op. cit.), pp. 63-64, and J. B. Thoburn, op. cit. } I, 64-66; also Grant Foreman, "The Centen- nial of Fort Gibson," in Chronicles of Oklahoma, June, 1924. 3 From October 10 to November g, 1832. 4 Irving sailed on November 1 o on the steamboat Little Rock, bound for New Orleans. For an account of his journey home, see The Life oj Washington Irving, II, 42-43. [l] 2 IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE It would not I know be interesting to a stranger, who felt no interest in my personal wellfare; but to you I believe it will repay a perusal — On the morning of the 8 of Oct, we reached the north side of Neosho or Grand River; l and came in site of the numerous little log buildings, that compose Fort Gibson lying on the opposite side of the river — Although I had formed no definite idea of the Fortress, yet it did not equal my expectation — the barracks were erected in a square form 700 by 800 feet; In some instances the walls of the building & in others the stockades with port holes for musketry, form the exterior — We hailed the boat to carry us over — The officer on "ferry detachment" soon brought us the flat 2 owned by Gov 1 , and we were safely landed without any pay for ferriage — it was formerly the custom to let out the ferry, by the year and then all passengers were taxed; but the Indians who came on business to the fort, and to supply the market with fresh meat (other than beef) poultry, butter & eggs, were dissatisfied, and the present com- mander has directed the boat to pass without asking any compensation — a very good regulation especially as there are here 500 soldiers, whose fatigue duty, though considerable, is by no means oppressive — We hastened to Col Arbuckles 3 quarters, whom I found in his office, and intraducd myself and my friend M r Irving — we were kindly rec'd, and very hospitably entertained in batchelors stile — 1 Flowing through southeastern Kansas and northeastern Oklahoma into the Arkansas, the Neosho or Grand River was one of the important commercial routes to the Fort Gibson region. 2 Before the introduction of the steamer the flatboat was a convenient means of transporting large cargoes of merchandise by river to the New Orleans market. 3 Colonel Matthew Arbuckle (i 776-1 851) was in command of the army forces in eastern Oklahoma for almost twenty years. ELLSWORTH' S NARRATIVE 3 My first enquiry was, for the other commissioners; 1 none of them had arrived, although we [were?] 2 all ordered to rendevous here on 1 Oct — My next enquiry was for letters, which I confidently expected, but alas! my [disappointment! 3 I found none — 2 newspapers only were brought me, both sent from Hartford 4 and issued the day of my departure — What increased my a[n]xiety was, the fact, that no tidings had been rec'd from the Commissioners, except D r Robertson 5 had declined and Judge Anderson 6 of Nashville had been appointed — Col Arbuckle said he regretted very much, that we had not arrived a few days before; as M r Irving [2] was anxious to visit the BufTaloe country lying 1 00 miles west and a detachment of Rang- ers, 7 had already gone to explore that Country. It seems 1 Governor Montfort Stokes (i 762-1842), of North Carolina, and the Reverend John Freeman Schermerhorn (1 786-1851), of Utica, New York. Their secretary was Colonel Samuel C. Stambaugh of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, formerly editor of the Pennsylvania Reporter •, and but recently (1830) Indian agent to the Menominee at Green Bay, as well as their commander in the Black Hawk War (1832). 2 This word is blotted and is almost illegible. 3 The first two letters of this word are blotted out. 4 Ellsworth's home. 6 Doctor Felix Robertson (i78i?-i865) of Nashville, Tennessee. The son of General James Robertson, agent to the Cherokee, and the first white boy born in Nashville, he was prominent in that city as a banker, mayor, and physician. According to a letter of the War Department, dated September 22, 1832, Doctor Robertson had declined the appointment of Commissioner, which had been offered to him by letter on August 31, 1832. (This correspondence is on file in the Office of Indian Affairs.) 6 Judge William E. Anderson (d. 1841), of Nashville, who later moved to Mississippi. He was active in Tennessee politics and was selected by the President to fill the position left vacant by Governor William Carroll. Dr. Robertson had just declined the same appointment, and on September 25 Anderson also wrote to the War Department refusing the commission. For the correspondence, see the archives of the Office of Indian Affairs. See also Grant Foreman, Pioneer Days (op. cit.), pp. 86-87, for information concerning other candidates for the same position. 7 Mounted men who enlisted in companies for short periods of service. Their existence had been authorized by Congress during the Black Hawk War. See J. B. Thoburn, op. cit., I, 152, note 12, and II, 790-791. 4 IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE that Col Arbuckle had not been advised of the intentions of the War Department, to place the Rangers at the disposal of the Commissioners, and acting under previous orders "to keep the Rangers in active service," he ordered them to the BufTaloe Country where the Pawnees l & other tribes were likely to meet in hostility — We spent the remainder of the day in examining the Fort — The buildings upon inspection appear to be fast going to decay, having been erected several years, and constructed of materials not durable when exposed to the weather — The only timber here is the oak; and it is ex- treemly difficult to get pine for window sashes — indeed none is obtained except from Fort Smith 2 — The diffi- culty of building here, may be imagined when it is men- tioned, that all the plank [s] are sawed by hand — the sides of the buildings are hewed logs, plasterd with mud in the interstices — the roofs are covered with oak staves — the inside [s] of the best houses are the square sides of the timber, sometimes white washed. Small windows admit sufficent light to see the way through the rooms, which have neither presses 3 or closets — nails drove into white washed walls contain our wardrobe A highway surrounds the barracks, and beyond the travelled path, are erected mess houses, stores for settlers houses for officer [s] who are married — a hospital reading room Theatre and Council house and billiard room — I will not detain you, with a more minute description — in the evening Col Arbuckle informd us that Gov Houston 4 (whom you know left Tennessee while Gove [r] nor and 1 Between the Arkansas and the Red rivers. The Pawnee roamed widely over these prairies. 2 In western Arkansas, at the juncture of the Poteau and Arkansas rivers. 3 Large cupboards. 4 General Samuel Houston (i 793-1863), in the interim between his governor- ship of Tennessee and his career in Texas, had joined the Cherokee tribe. ELLSWORTH' S NARRATIVE 5 came to this Country to join the Indians) had just ar- rived, from Nashville, with information that Gov Stokes 1 and M r Anderson 2 would not probably be on, under 2 or 3 weeks. So anxious was M r Irving to join the Rangers, that he had almost concluded to hire some Indians to escort him to their camp by forced marches; for he longed to see Wild horses & Buffaloe. Our travelling companions M r Latrobe 3 & Pourteles 4 had stopped at the Verdegris 5 about 4 miles from Fort Gibson, having determined to follow the trail of the Osage 6 hunters, who had gone towards Red River, 7 on their fall hunt. M r Latrobe pre- ferred to accompany us, but M r Pourteles had become so completely beguiled by the stories of Osage customs and privileges, that notwithstanding all objections as to his course, he determined to part with us — M r Chouteau 8 had assured him of the facility of getting an Osage wife during his residence. That this object blinded his eyes to all danger — I asked Col Arbuckle if he could provide me an escort of 20 men to overtake th[e] rangers — he remarked that about 20 were left sick, when the others started and he would ascertain how many could go. In the meantime I inquired what his instructions to the army were — He very politely gave me all the informa- 1 Montfort Stokes, Governor of North Carolina from 1830 to 1832, resigned to accept the post of Commissioner to the Indians. He served as Indian agent for Arkansas until 1841. 2 See p. 3, note 6. 3 See Introduction, p. xv. 4 Ibid. 5 As suggested in the Introduction, Ellsworth's spelling of this and of other proper names varies throughout his manuscript. This river rises in eastern Kansas and empties into the Arkansas. 6 There were Osage settlements on the Neosho as well as on the Verdigris. 7 This river forms the dividing line between Oklahoma and Texas, and flows through Arkansas and Louisiana until it reaches the Mississippi. 8 Colonel Auguste Pierre Chouteau (1 786-1838), who owned the Osage trading post on the Grand River, where he lived with his Indian wife. 6 IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE tion requested — finding [3] it practicable to get an es- cort, and supposing the army not more than 60 or 70 miles in advance, I immediately determined to dispatch 2 cheerokee Indians on the trail of the troops, with orders to halt untill my arrival — Col Arbuckle aided me in getting the expresses, and ordered the Rangers to halt untill my arrival and then to be under my entire controul & direction — My determination was joyfully rec'd by M r Irving, 1 who now could be safely convoyed to the Army, and pursue the route he so much desired, for he had expressed a decided objection in joining the Osages who were filthy in the extreeme, and exposed to attacks from the Pawnees & Comanches, 2 which they might not be able to resist — He also duly appreciated my desire, to make myself useful in exploring a country, so much dis- puted, and yet, so difficult to examine — I well knew the necessity of exploring this country during my stay, and also the impossibility of doing this at any other time so convenient — for the flies & musquitoes abound in summer — in the spring the streams are high & the mud deep — and later in the fall the immense praries are on fire, to destroy both man & beast — without therefore, stopping a single day, to recover from a long journey; I made up my mind to start immediately, on a still more fatiguing and dangerous tour — The remainder of the 9 th was occupied in making arrangements — We were without horses, clothes, or provisions We rode up to the Verdigres, to see our friends Latrobe & Pourteles to invite them to join us — but M r Pourteles was fixed up- 1 "Here, then, was an opportunity of ranging over those dangerous and interesting regions under the safeguard of a powerful escort." A Tour on the Prairies, p. 18. 2 The Comanche led a nomadic existence near the heads of the Arkansas and Red rivers. ELLSWORTH' S NARRATIVE 7 on the Osage trail, and could not be diverted; they had bought their horses, one riding horse for each — a race horse for each (to catch wild horses, & to kill Buffaloe) ; and two pack horses — M r Pourteles loaded one, with shawls blanketts & & & presents to the squaws — their pack horses, were two of our horses bought at St Louis evidently too poor to endure such fatigue as they were exposed to — There was no flour they could obtain, and I made requisition for some from the garrison, & sent them — as they expected soon to overtake the Osages, they said they wanted but little food — M r Brialy [?] l a clerk in M r Chouteau ['s] store joined them & took a spare horse to bring home as I suppose peltry — They hired also an Osage interpreter — M r Irving & myself, or rather the Commissary at my request, purchased a large pack horse for us, at the Verdigris at $80; and there we hired Piere Billette 2 as a guide & interpreter — a quapaw indian whose home was at M r Riquois, 3 on the Neosho, about 24 miles from the garrison — his compensation was $1.50 per day, finding his own horse — we saw him towards evening — He said he would go home that night & get his gun & horse & meet us next morning at 9 — We pur- chased a grey horse at $85 at the garrison for M r Irving, but the gate did not suit; and he concluded to take his little poney at least as far as the Verdegris next day & try 1 Irving mentions "a young man clerk of Mr. Chouteau" in his Journal, October n, 1832. He also speaks of "Mr. Brailey," October 13, 1832. 2 This is the Pierre Beatte of Irving's book. Irving instantly disliked this guide. See A Tour on the Prairies, pp. 25-26. See also Latrobe's description of him in The Rambler in North America, I, 140. According to Grant Foreman his surname was spelled variously Beatt, Beatte, Bayatte, Billett, Beyatt, Royotte, etc. {Ad- vancing the Frontier, op. cit., p. 143, note 14), and his Christian name was really Alexo, not Pierre. "Irving gratuitously bestowed on his servant the name of Pierre," Foreman (p. 143, note 14) declared, from evidence given him by Curtis J. Phillips of Sapulpa, Oklahoma. 3 William C. Requa (b. 1796) of Winchester, New York, conducted New Hopefield Mission on Grand River. 8 IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE to buy another — I purchased a small poney at Inde- pendence l [4] and determind to take him, which was contrary to the judgement of M r Irving, who was posi- tive, he could not endure the jaunt — In our hurry to get away it is not strange that we should forget some things very necessary for our comfort — I purchased a soldiers great coat, at $5, a pair of panta- loons, at $2.12, a flannel shirt at $1.12, & these with some of my poorest clothes, composed my wardrobe — The commissary, agreed to fix the pack horse, with provisions & & for 1 5 days which made together with the tent and blanketts & camping furniture about 175 pounds — I took for defence a double barrell gun, be- longing to the United States, rec'd from M r McCoy 2 — a pistol from Major Love 3 & my dirk — my pistol was a rifle pistol, & so heavy, as to make my holsters side un- balanced & I took a very large ear of corn to preserve the ballance, and also to parch, in case of sickness or want — The evening of the 9 th , we spent in writing letters to our dear friends at home — Soon after breakfast, on the 10 th , the Lieutenant (M r Penticost) 4 was introducd to us, and informed us the escort was ready — we went to see the troops. Their countenances showed the effects of late sickness, and they appeared too feeble — but they were all eager to go — their costumes, were as as 5 various, 1 Located on the frontier in western Missouri, two or three miles south of the Missouri River, Independence long served as the rendezvous for prairie explorers. 2 Either Isaac McCoy (i 784-1846), Baptist missionary to the Indians, who was appointed in 1832 to survey reservations for the Shawnee, Seneca, and Ottawa in northeastern Oklahoma, or his son, John Calvin McCoy, also employed as a surveyor. Irving mentions McCoy in his Journal, undated passage at end of MS. 3 Possibly Colonel Hugh Love, who kept a trading establishment on the Verdigris. 4 Joseph Pentecost, first lieutenant, was honorably discharged on October 1, 1833. 5 Ellsworth's repetition. ELLSWORTH'S NARRATIVE 9 as the mock parades of the military in New York & Hart- ford. No man's hat coat or pantaloons was like any other — the hats were many colors & shapes — every one, wore that, which he supposed would not return — the only arms, were a rifle for each — swords, & pistols, will soon be furnished by Gov* — indeed they are in the river, coming up — a few officers of the garrison accompanied us, to the Verdigris 4 miles; and to the rest we bade fare-well — there is something peculiar in the adieu of soldiers. They part so often to meet no more on this side of the grave — I started with a heavy heart — conscience approved my decision — still, the danger from wild Indians, and some of them cannabals too — the exposure to so much inclement weather far from medical treatment & good nursing — the conflagration of the praries — the reptiles that must every night be my companions & the wild beast [s] on all sides! then, all rushed upon my mind, & it was difficult to preserve a cheerful countenance for the first few hours after my departure — The Secretary of War l had authorized us, to appoint M r Irving, Secretary pro. tern., in case M r Stambaugh 2 had not arrived; and I accordingly; asso- ciated him with myself as Secretary, and required the army to obey him accordingly. He was much gratified, by my desire to make the journey economical & safe — Although, he will refuse the compensation of a regu- lar Secreetary ($5 a day) — still, he will permit me to remunerate him for some losses which he has sustained, and may sustain in the excursion — you may desire to know what Provisions we took from Fort Gibson — nothing but pork — flour coffee & sugar & a little salt 1 Lewis Cass (1782- 1866), Secretary of War from 1831 to 1836. 2 See p. 3, note 1. io IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE — supplies sufficent for 3 men 1 5 days — as we depended on game after that period — it was impossible to carry more without another horse — [5] In packing our blankets, we adopted the usual mode of putting one, under the saddle to prevent the horse's back from injury by the saddle, and the other on top, to make our own seat easier — The former being often moist, and generally soiled, we used as the bed and the latter as the covering — a bear skin was spread over the luggage on the pack horse, to prese[r]ve the provi- sions from the rain, and protect us, at night from the dampness of the ground — our double barrell gun was for a while tied to the pack horses load — With these preperations, we left the Garrison about 9 o clock, and crossed the Grand River and proceeded to the ford, over the Verdegris about 6 miles from the fort, and hav- ing crossed the river, we passed down the stream to Col Chouteaus store at the Creek agency l so called — M r Irving left the fort on a grey horse, but was dissatisfied with it, and determined to purchase another — Col Chouteau sold him, a fine looking bay horse, for 125 dollars — Here we met M r Latrobe and M r Pourtales, with their servant desirous to accompany us, as far as the Osage trail — We were detained here untill after dinner — our servant Billet here joined us agreeably to his promise — He brought with him besides his riding horse a beautiful bay horse, which he designed for racing the Buffaloe & wild horses, having his Lariats fixed to a Spanish saddle — you doubtless know what a Lariat is — a small leather rope, made of tough hide of great length and having a noose at one end, which the rider when pursuing, throws over the wild horses head — Billet we 1 Three or four miles from the mouth of the Verdigris on the eastern bank. ELLSWORTH' S NARRATIVE n looked upon as our hunter, guide, & interpreter as I have mentioned — Antoine whom we called Tonish l was our cook as well as hunter and driver of the pack horse — No sooner had we started than M r Latrobe & M r Pour- teles found their single serv 1 was wholly inadequate to drive 2 pack horses besides 2 Racers — We travelled about 1 o miles, through a fine section of land, improved by several enterprising creek farme[r]s who seemed to have all the necessary provisions, in the field and good comfortable cabins for themselves — The numerous swine that started every now and then, by the side satis- fied us the Creeks had a great supply of Pork, and the fine cattle feeding in the cane breaks and rich vines, was an interesting spectacle, to strangers, who were rejo[i]cing to witness the progress of the natives in civilization. We pitched our camp in the door yard of a half breed Indian [6] because we could here procure corn for our horses for the last time — The Indian offered us what he had to spare, which was corn and fodder — by the term fodder, is meant corn leaves which are gathered when the corn is unripe, and dried & bound in small bundles — we built a fire on the ground and prepared our supper — we hoped to get milk at least for our coffee, but could not — we cooked a little meat, and drank our coffee with sugar only, and spread our blankets for an early repose — The Indian's family were mostly sick, with the bloody flux; and as we understood the disorder was Catching, we took good care not to enter the house — some children too, had the whooping cough; and the groans & coughs 1 Irving persistently romanticizes "Tonish," calling him "a kind of Gil Bias of the frontiers," A Tour on the Prairies, p. 14 and passim. See also The Rambler in North America, I, 118. He was in reality Antoine de Hatre, of Florissant, Missouri. See Thomas James, Three Years among the Indians and Mexicans, ed. Walter B. Douglas (Saint Louis, 191 6), p. 176, note 11. is IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE kept me awake during the first part of the night — our evening was spent in reproaching ourselves, with forget- fulness in not providing any plates to eat on — these we forgot, and the only thing we had, was the top part of our tin pail, which was our boiler — knives and forks we had forgotten too except some old ones in Tonish[ 5 s] saddle bags, which would accommodate a part of us — Just in the rear of our camp w r as an iron mill for grinding corn, by hand, and the soldiers who avered, that the flour they had, contained terrapins, purchased corn, and kept the mill going a perpetual round — they said it was "their last chance — " Some of the poor flour was furnished one of our servants, and I do not wonder at the complaints — it was awful stuff — musty and a little sour — we were informed at the fort, that no flour had arrived there for 1 2 months, but they expected some daily — In the morning 2 of the Rangers found themselves too sick, to go on, and I advised their return — fearing I should suffer from cold at night I purchased a blanket of one returning, which made my compliment of three — M r Pourteles, who is extreemly car [e] less lost his boots, the first day; and one of the rangers who was detained, found one and brought it up to us — upon enquiry we learned that a Cheerokee, had picked up the other, and was riding into town with much joy & pride with the prize on his leg — one boot was of no use to M r Pourteles — so he left that and de- pended upon mocassins to wear through the journey — Soon after we left camp, on the 1 2 M r Brealey, expressed some fears at overtaking the Osages, and the Indians, whom we met assured us, there was much danger in ac- companying, the Osages; for the Pawnees, would surely attack them, when they might avoid us — besides this, the Osage camps were represented as extreemly filthy in- ELLSWORTH' S NARRATIVE 13 side, and outside, — the men & women were both lousy — and the dirt on their skin was only a fit counterpart to their behaviour & indecencies — M r Latrobe endeav- oured to dissuade Pourteles, but in vain — about 1 o oclock we met an Osage Indian leading a horse towards us with apparent innocence — but some cheerokees saw him — it was their horse. They seized the animal and was advising to whip the "damn rascal" when we interfered — The Indian said, he found the horse loose, and was bringing him back — the Cheerokees declared, that the Osage had stolen him, and he should be flogged — there was not the slightest evidence that the Osage had stolen the horse. The Cheerokees finally went off without doing a personal injury, but I could not but wonder, that the savages had so [7] [few?] quarrells and even wars, such was the severity of conduct to individuals of different tribes — This Osage informed us of a small Osage camp, a few miles from our path, and M r Latrobe employed him to conduct him to this camp, where the trail of the Osage hunting party began — M r Brailey although starting with them for their jaunt, became alarmed, and refused to go with them & while they turned off, he kept along with us, much to our surprize — He conversed freely with me, and told me his fixed determination not to go with them; for he doubted whether they could overtake the Osages, and even if they could, there would be much danger, and the Osage hunt might be protracted untill winter, and it would be hazardous to return alone — After Pourteles had left us, 1 1 entered fully into the exam- ination of his conduct, and told M r Irving that I rejoiced that he was not considered as M r Ellsworth ['s] party — 1 See Irving's romantic account of this incident, A Tour on the Prairies, pp. 34-37- 14 IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE His passions led him to great extreemes — His conduct at the Union mission was censureable in the highest degree — Stimulated by the example of Col Chouteau, he at- tempted to seduce an amiable young Indian girl at that school — the mother had been won by presents, and went to talk with Mrs Vail, the wife of the superintend- ant, 1 about the matter, & see whether the girl might go — what presumption ! indignation and refusal, ought to have covered the Swiss gentleman [with?] shame — There were other instances of misconduct more gross, but I will not pollute my pages with a recital of them — I told M r Irving some remarks I heard about the "Irving party' ['] while travelling, which mortified him very much, and he determined, however he respected M r Latrobe, he would not travell any more with M r Pourteles — And yet we were both sorry that, he should run into dangers with the Osages, & perhaps get killed; and we both regretted his determination on his own account — M r Brailey was then without provisions, thrown upon us — he was Col Chouteaus clerk. M r Chouteau had treated us with great hospitality, and we invited him to share with us our limited portion of provisions — M r Latrobe & Pourteles left us at 1 1 . At noon we stopped to rest our horses amidst pea vines (their most delicious food) and by the side of a fine creek — after starting again, we met an object of some compassion — it was an Indian's dog, who had become blind, and was wandering about the paths for his master — Some of 1 Reverend William Fowler Vaill (i 783-1865), of North Guilford, Connecticut, Yale 1806, was superintendent of Union Mission, which was on the western side of Grand River, twenty-five miles north of that river's juncture with the Arkansas. The station was abandoned in 1834 because of the unsettled state of the Osage. Irving speaks vaguely of Mrs. Vaill as a "Connecticut woman" (Journal, Oc- tober 7, 1832). She was formerly Asenath Selden (d. 1834) of Hadlyme, Con- necticut. ELLSWORTH' S NARRATIVE 15 the rangers wanted to shoot him; but we prevented this and left the poor dog scenting his masters track over the deep ravine & through the water courses l — we trav- elled all day, along the north side of the Arkansaw River and left the last settlement (M r Hardrigers) 2 a Creek about 1 o o clock — the distance we travelled today was at least 20 miles in a north west direction — the land was well timbered & generally well watered, and will soon become the abode of wealthy farmers — for the soil will bear fine tobacco — cotton corn & wheat — Cotton however does not flourish every season [8] so far north as this, in the interior — the same latitude on the Mis- sisippi, will yield good cotton, but the climate is different as you approach the high lands towards the Rocky Mountains. We encamped on a fine stream of water; and at this encampment met our Cheerokee express 3 returning from the main army with a letter to Col Arbuckle 4 — I opened the letter — it contained a notice of the order to halt — mentioned their distance, which was about forty miles beyond us, and the pleasing intelligence that there was "at Camp plenty of game" — In the evening much to our astonishment, M r Latrobe & Pourteles came riding up with their ser[v]ant — they became discouraged & disheartened in their pursuit of the Osage trail, and wished to join us — they brought with them the Osage (whom the Cheerokees wanted to whip for stealing) as an additional ser[v]ant — We could not refuse them admis- sion to our mess — they had been our companions a 1 Cf. A Tour on the Prairies, pp. 38-39. 2 Grant Foreman, Pioneer Days {op. cit.), pp. 174-175, mentions Josiah Hard- ridge, a Creek Indian, who was engaged in "kidnapping free colored people" and "selling them into slavery." "Hardage" is also a common Creek name. 3 On October 12. 4 See in the present work, p. 6. 16 IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE long distance, & M r Irving' s from Havre in France 1 — They had no provisions but the flour I procured for them & some sugar & coffee — Their Osage ser[v]* was naked, except his breech cloth — and a blanket which was sometimes on him and sometimes not — M r Pourteles was highly indignant at M r Brialy, who left them so unceremoniously, and grieved to think his pack horse, loaded with trinkets for the squaws, must travel several hundred miles or the kick-shews 2 thrown away — The evening upon the whole was not a very happy one, but sleep had softened the rough edges of day, and in the morning we gathered round our fire with cheerful countenances, determined to make common cause with our eatibles and share alike the privations of the cam- paign — [October] 1 3 — Travelled 1 2 miles — found excellent food for hor[s]es & good water & stopped about 1 1 — We crossed several streams, at one particularly I noticed an excellent ford, being an old dam, to all appearance — upon enquiry, ascertained it was an old Beaver dam — my curiosity was excited, to examine it, but I was in- formed we should soon see others lately erected, and we did not spend time to notice its structure — we passed the late camp of the Osage War party, who had been out against the Pawnees — The Osage War party fell in 1 As an example of Irving's method of narration, see A Tour on the Prairies, p. 41 : "The young Osage would ride close behind him on his wild and beautifully mottled horse, which was decorated with crimson tufts of hair. He rode, with his finely shaped head and bust naked; his blanket being girt round his waist. He carried his rifle in one hand, and managed his horse with the other, and seemed ready to dash off at a moment's warning, with his youthful leader, on any madcap foray or scamper. The Count, with the sanguine anticipations of youth, promised himself many hardy adventures and exploits . . . with his youthful 'brave,' when we should get among the buffaloes, in the Pawnee hunting- grounds." 2 Kickshaws, or toys, trifles, gewgaws. ELLSWORTH'S NARRATIVE 17 with the Pawnees, but the latter were so powerful, that the Osages fled and returned beyond the point of danger — In crossing some small prairies we discovered that excellent plant the golden rod or India Tea — Tonish had mentioned the article to me, and as my nerves cannot bear coffee, or East India tea, I asked him to gather the first he found — we tried this tea often — it is an excellent substitute for our beverage — it is sudorific, gently stimulating and an active diuretic — in large quan- tities it is laxative — M r Irving is so much pleased with it, that he has ordered a quantity for New York; and M r Pourteles, has collected some to send to Switzerland — I have preserved some seeds for my family, together with a few drawings for our little mess at home if we ever meet again — could this plant be cultivated exten- sively, and I have no doubt it can from the seed, how much would be saved both in money and health? [9] On our way about noon we met an Indian, dressed completely in skins — he had on deer skin leggins, and a buffaloe skin for a blanket — this was all his dress except a breech clout about his middle — his hair was shaven tight except a small comb in the middle, and that tuft stained with vermillion — he said he saw deer, but had no powder — some was given him; although he had a plenty concealed, it was supposed, and after taking out his pipe, from his wooden mould hanging at his waist, and begging tobacco, he left us directly. We were glad to learn that the Rangers were only 1 2 miles ahead of us — We often enquired of the Indians, if they saw many white men with horses & guns — they said yes, and there was too they said, one man blowing a great horn, making noise like little thunder — Whenever our rangers stopped they were immediately 18 IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE seen shooting at a mark — it occurred to me that their bullets would soon be exhausted, and I mentioned my fears to the Lieutenant; who told me the lead was all saved for they fired at a hole in a large tree, and when they had finished shooting, they cut out the balls and melted them over again — In our journey today we mistook the Osage trail for that of the rangers, and unexpectedly found ourselves on the Banks of the Arkansaw in the midst of an Indian encampment — about 500 Osages had taken up their residence there, during the hunting season. The warriors, & braves, had gone to fight the Pawnees, and kill Buffaloes, and left in this place the old men women & children and those who were too poor to equip themselves with horses & guns for battle — The huts were constructed entirely of bushes & skins, and never did I see such a dirty disgusting set of beings — They were many of them, naked — several little boys 13 years old came out before us, and when I was addressing them and urging them to peace & not to fight the Pawnees, or steal horses, and provoke revenge; these little boys made water before all the women, and even upon some of them, laughing, heartily to show us how they could, wet the folks around by their jet, clean [?] The squaws were more dirty than the men — both were lousy and some diseased by vicious indulgence — [10] I had previously heard that at this camp was a Pawnee prisoner, a young girl, who could act as inter- preter; and after conversing with M r Irving, I concluded to see if it was possible to obtain her assistance — Upon enquiry I found she had accompanied the War party — I did not regret it, for however desireable it might be to have an interpreter, if we fell in with the Pawnees, I did ELLSWORTH' S NARRATIVE 19 not know how we could accommodate a female — I should feel bound to protect her from Insult and yet could not take her into my mess or tent — M r Pourteles thought it would be an excellent plan — but his opinion, had little weight We invited some few warriors who had bows to accompany us — but they feared the Pawnees — they said they would come to our camp, and see us farther — we left them and retreated upon their trail untill we discovered the trace of the Rangers bearing northerly, to avoid the swamp, and travelled untill dark in hopes of overtaking the main army — We rode at least 30 miles, during the day, & were compelled to stop — although we encamped late, we found good pea vines for horses and good wood & water for ourselves — during the last part of the day, we passed through oak land suitabl[e] for wheat & grain. The timber from the Fort to this place was an intermixture Peccan, Cotton, wild cherry — Elm — sycamore Walnut & Hickory — The fruit trees were (besides the peccan which grows very large & bears abundant) the black Haws Persimmon — Pawpaw Chickasaw plumbs l — (of these a great variety) — Mulberry — Whortle berries and some wild goose berries were seen and strawberries in great quantities — grape vines were entwined around many treess [sic], and single strait branchees [sic] extended from the ground to the top of the highest trees — If the clusters bore any proportion to the number and magnitude of the vine, the woods must have presented a most deligh[t]ful spectacle, during the vintage season — We were unfortunately too late, for all the fruit except the Haws — persimmon — 1 A variety of plum common in the United States from Kansas to Texas, and particularly abundant on the banks of the Red River, which was a popular hunting ground for the Chickasaw Indians. 2 o IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE pawpaw and winter grape, which resembles in taste and size our Fox grape in New England — [i i] I had long heard so much of the fine fruit of the Arkansaw country that I was dissappointed, in seeing nothing but the little that I have mentioned — M r Irving and others relished the Pawpaws & Persimmons & Peccans, and M r Pourteles was extravagantly fond of the Haws and Fox grapes — The Pawpas resemble in taste and appearance a small dead ripe yellow cucumber — the seeds of the Pawpaw are as large as a pumpkin seed — they possessed no relish to me — The persimmon and Haws both grow on trees about the size of our common small cherry trees — The former in size and appe[ar]ance is about 4 times the size of a yellow seed Potato top — the pulp is a soft mush resembling the Pawpaw — the Haws is [sic] a little oval black berry about the size of a white bean — perhaps a little longer — the seed is large in proportion to the fruit, and the fruit is more pleasant, than the Pawpaw or persimmon; and if eaten in moderate quantities, is healthy to those who are not injured by astringents — many people injure themselves by swallow- ing the stones — This imprudence, made several of our men very sick for a short time — The Peccan is a good fruit, resembling in taste our Walnuts — the shell is not much harder than the soft almond — the size, equal in length to 2 acrons [sic] & the form much like the latter fruit — Peccans, grow in abundance in Illinois, and Ohio, and can generally be found in our large Eastern cities — I have seeds of all the fruits described, and doubt not, but most of them would thrive in Connecticut — I shall try them From the conversation overheard between my serv- ants Tonish & Billett, I was fearful, some disgrace, might ELLSWORTH' S NARRATIVE 21 be brought upon my embassay, by the introduction of squaws to our camp — I had previously, advised the Lieutenant, not to pitch our tents, near the Indian encampments. And I now took my servants, one side, and told them decid[ed]ly, they should not act as imps, and that no squaws, under any pretence should spend a night with either of our mess — But Pourteles, had engaged Billet, to go back in the morning early to the Osage camp, for the avowed purpose, of getting an indian wife — There was a small encampment of Osage [12] Indians, about half way back to the main body whom we saw — After packing up shawls, strouds, l and kickshews, for the squaws, Pourteles & Billet started off expecting to over- take us before night — Billet perfectly knew my direc- tions, and he completely decei[v]ed his master — for he went to the small encampment, and then talked with th[e] Indians and interpreted to Pourteles, that the large body of Indians whom we saw, had crossed the Arkansaw and could not be seen — dissappointed in his main object, he exchanged some of his goods, for articles highly valuable to our mess, and for which we often thanked him — As I remarked before, we started without a single dish, or plate, and thus far, eat out of the top part of a tin kettle. M r Pourteles, purchased three Osage bowls, made out of knots of a tree — the largest holding 4 quarts, & the smallest 3 pints — he also purchased a Buffaloe skin, dressed, so as to be impervious, to water and such, as we were told the Osages used, to cross their children, when the streams were not fordable — The bowls were distributed, as follows. The middle sized one, to M r Irving & myself, the Largest, to M r Latrobe, Pourteles, & 1 Breechclouts or blanketing, made of coarse woolen rags about a foot wide and often blue in color. These were sold or bartered in trade with the Indian*. 22 IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE Brailey, & the other, to our 3 servants. Many & many are the times, when M r Irving, & myself, curled up our legs, (like tailors on their boards) and bent over, to sip out of the bowl our joint allowance — M r Latrobe, inc[r] eased our table comforts very much, by presenting each of us with two clam shells, which he found in a creek near by, while hunting game — the large one served as a plate, and would hold a pancake or small piece of meat, and the small one, served as a salt cellar — untill this time each one used a leaf as salt cellar — Our bowls, were made with a small handle, perforated with two holes, by which they were fastened to the pack-saddle, and our little shells, were carefully packed up, after every meal in our pocketts, or saddle bags, as objects of great value — [October] 13 Saturday. Our nights were very long — for we had no candles, and could only amuse ourselves, by conversation, which often dragged — But last night, was merry enough — 3 Osage Indians came to our camp, and after having feasted on our bounty, they lay down to sing — no sooner, had they struck up their song, than the blanketts were thrown from their bodies, and they sang, and drum[m]ed upon their bellies — they kept excellent time, and though their drums were stuffed full, they made a loud sound l — we laughed heartily, and M r Pourteles began to pra[c]tice — and ever and anon, he would strike up [13] an Indian song & rub, a dub, dub, on his belly — He even got so completely master of the art as to imitate the natives drum, with much accuracy — Yet, while our new friends were singing to us, they were often seen talking to the Osage servant whom M r Pourteles had hired, to help along his horses — they told the servant, 1 Cf. A Tour on the Prairies, pp. 44-45. ELLSWORTH' S NARRATIVE 23 the Pawnees would kill him & & — they accomplished their object; for when we awoke, and called our servants — the Osage servant had taken French leave, and fled and nothing more, was ever seen or heard of him by our party. This is by no means an uncommon trick with the Osages. They regard no promise, or engagement, and break both, upon the [most?] trivial pretence, and often, without any apology whatever — Our friends relieved themselves from their embarrassment, by hiring some of the rangers to help along their horses — By our reconings, we concluded we must be near the main army, and we started soon after breakfast confident of dining with them, on their profusion of game — Nor were we dissappointed, for at 9 o clock, we heard the sound of many bells, which we knew must be the sound of bells, on the horses, at feed — we hastened on & soon saw the camp fires, and pressed down the hill to see Capt Beans 1 & his men — the meeting was very pleasant — we were glad to overtake the main army, and those in waiting were not only pleased at the increase of the party by the arrival of the Commissioner & his friends, but, great, were the congratulations among the soldiers. For those who escorted us, were left all of them very sick, and though anxious to go to Buffaloe hunting; were confined to the Hospital — every one seemed delighted, and we concluded to rest the remainder of the day and enjoy the company of our friends, not forgetting our horses, who, having come on by forced marches, needed a little recruiting — Capt Beans, soon informed me, that although he started under orders from Col Arbuckle, he now was placed at my controul & disposal entirely — 1 "Capt. Bean, about forty years of age, in leather hunting dress and leather stock[in]gs." Washington Irving, Journal, October 13, 1832. Capt. Jesse Bean, 24 IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE [14] Capt Beans is a very worthy, good natured, easy sort of a man — personally brave, and possessing the qualities of a good woods man — He is worthy of con- fidence, and actuated by correct motives — But he is greatly deficient in energy and more so in discipline — his army were without the least discipline — they often went in a row (Indian file) because it was difficult for the horses to travel without a trail — The surgeon of the army, was Doct Holt, 1 an experienced practitioner, and well calculated for his station — He does not belong to the Army, but is hired, at assistant surgeons pay, by the Commander of the Post — Doct Holt, had a compas and was Capt Beans adviser and scribe — Among the Lieutenants, none possessed energy enough for the station, but Calwell 2 — he was very active & vigilant M r Penticost & King 3 i* & 2 d Lieutenants, were pleased to take the execution as gentlemen, but rarely appeared as soldiers on duty & under pay. The Rangers generally, were smart active men at home, good farmers & respectable citizens. They enlisted for only one year, to explore the country and expect to return to their families again when their term is out — In the mean- time, they seemed determined, to keep up republican equality, by acknowledging no superior, and look upon grades of Commission in the army as a regulation, to effect regular soldiers, but not to extend to Rangers who ride upon their own horses — and let me here say, I con- originally of Tennessee, had been given orders to raise a company of Arkansas Mounted Rangers in July, 1832. He resigned from the service on May 31, 1835. lc 'Dr. Holt — grey jacket, linsy woollen jacket and trousers, cloth hunting cap." Ibid. This was Dr. David Holt, civilian surgeon. 2 George Caldwell, third lieutenant of the Mounted Rangers, enlisted July 30, 1832. He was honorably discharged on October 1, 1833. 1 Robert King, second lieutenant of the Mounted Rangers, enlisted July 30, 1832. He was honorably discharged in March, 1833. ELLSWORTH'S NARRATIVE 25 sider the Rangers, as a case [?], almost a failure 1 — their dress in the first place is practically (leathern dress is the uniform) the poorest clothes they have or can get — their equipments are only one rifle — this often gets out of order, and then, the Ranger has no weapon — I believe swords & pistols are to be furnished by Gov* — if so, their efficincy, will be much greater — Now, their appearance is that of so many poor hunters — they strike no awe. They exhibit no force — should however the glittering sword, be unsheathed, and the pistols drawn, and fired — these, together with a rifle, would over awe the native tribes If the Gov* mean to make a show of force, they must exhibit different objects, than our present mounted Rangers — By the present regula- tion, each rangers horse is owned by himself (his com- pensation being for himself & horse $ 1 a day besides his personal rations) [ 1 7] 2 and valued before he is accepted — For what cause I do not know, but the horses are valued about 25 per cent more than they are worth — In consequence of this, a Ranger has a pecuniary motive, to throw the horse upon the Gov', who pay for the horse if lost in the Service of the U States — How the losses will be adjusted I know not, but every one expects, that his horse, if frightened by Buflaloe, and runs away, or runs away from camp, will be paid for at the valuation — I think some will be dissappointed, for I recollect one or two instances, when the horses, not being hobbled, wandered away too far to be found, and in these cases, the owners expect remuneration, and even too, when Capt in my presence, had ordered " every man to hobble his horse without fail" 1 Latrobe's opinion of the Rangers is interesting. See The Rambler in North America, I, 142. 2 Pages 15 and 16, as said, are blank. 26 IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE We inquired the luck of hunting, which we saw was great; for venison, turkeys, and honey, were seen in great profusion around every camp fire — 10 deer — 20 turkeys, and 1 5 bee trees had been the reward of a little exertion — we gratefully rec'd some of each; and after making a full repast, we went through the camp, to see the active operations going on. Some were cooking, some were dressing game, and others were bringing in con- stantly greater accession — Hunters on foot, were seen coming over the hills, with a deer on their shoulders — sometimes several turkeys were tied & ballanced across the shoulders — among other new sights, I beheld a strange looking thing, in the bushes — it had 4 legs, a round body without head or tail — neither of our mess, knew what it was — it was, a harmless doe cased, which is nothing more, than a deer skin taken off whole — " haired" and smoked & blown up like a bladder — These cases, are water profT, and hold honey or even bears grease — some were preparing the deer skin for moccasins & — the mode of dressing skins, is, first to cut of [f ] the hair with a sharp knife — then stretch them to dry — after this, they are grained by draw- ing them many times across a sharp stub. — (The brains of the animal are used to make the leather soft) a tough small tree is selected for this object and cut off about 3^ feet high & th[e] stub is [18] brought to an edge, over which the skin is repeatedly drawn — the skin is then smoked, and fit for use — if however, a decoction of sumac is made, and the skin steeped in the liquor 24 hours, the durability of the Leather is much inc[r] eased — I was greatly amused to witness the mode of making bread or rather baking it, for it is all made up alike with water, without yeast. A few bake pans only were taken ELLSWORTH' S NARRATIVE 27 along — most, preferred to bake the bread, in the ashes, which was done, by making a hole in the hot embers, and throwing in the dough — others, daubed the wet flour, on the end of a stick, making it resemble a large swab, and then stuck one end of the stick in the ground, and the other was bent, inclining over the fire — This last seemed the favorite method — either way, made poor stuff — the bread was heavy, and nothing but the inviograted [sic] stomach of a hunter, whose gastric powers were in their highest perfection could digest it — There is no such thing as dispepsia, heard of in a Buffaloe hunt — the stomach is constantly filling & constantly digesting — I have in the former part of my journal, from In- dependance, described the first scenes of encamping, and cooking especially — but as those sheets may never reach you, I will just tell you briefly how we live & pass the night — After the camping ground is selected (which is done, with reference to three objects — getting good water — good wood, & good range or feed for horses) each mess, chooses his quarters — even ground to lie upon & shady trees to protect from the dew determine the spot — The horses, are immediately unladed and hobbled, which is, tying their fore legs together with a cord, so that they cannot move except by jumping with both fore legs together — a horse fettered in this manner, cannot wander far, and is easily overtaken — his course too is easily discovered by his peculiar trail — the next thing, is, to make a fire; and here ingenuity is often put to the rack — when the leaves & grass are dry, no diffi- culty occurs — spunk, 1 & flint, & steel ought to be found in every woodman ['s] pouch — the spunk, when fired by a 1 Tinder. 28 IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE spark from the steel will communicate a blaze to many dry objects, by a little blowing — small dry sticks, are first added — then larger limbs, untill logs, are burnt with ease — when there is no spunk, a piece of paper saturated with wet gun powder, will by the aid of a spark, communicate a blaze — but, it is when the leaves are drenched with rain, when nothing dry, is seen around, [19] that difficulties and delays beset you — In this dilemma, I once watched with much curiosity and some anxiety for, I was wet " through & through" the conduct of my excellent servants — they looked for an old dry tree — the outer bark was wet — but they cut into the tree, and found some light decayed wood, that was dry — with this and the help of dry roots which have been pro- tected from the rains by the inclination of the tree (and willow roots are the best) a fire was slow[l]y got up — After fire is made, a pole is cut about 6 feet long, & stuck into the ground, so as to extend diagonally over the blaze — from the end of this, a wooden hook is suspended by a string or vine to hold the kettle for heating water or boiling coffee — the different kinds of meats are then spitted, and placed nearly perpendicular before the fire — both ends of the stick are sharpened, and the meat is shifted occasionally, to cook it thoroughly — when pork is plenty, a little of that is fried, and in the fat is boiled some fritters — i e small pan-cakes — In no way, will flour go farther, than in this — if we except a thick- fen] ing for soup, which closes uniformity the remnant of rations — I need not say, that appetite waits impatiently to devour the repast — the hungry travellers, gather round the fire in a circular form, so that the light may not be obstructed, and the legs being adjusted, secundem artem, the spit is passed around and stuck down firm in ELLSWORTH'S NARRATIVE 29 the ground before each person, who cuts off as much as he desires — when all are helped it is put to roast or to keep warm, untill it is called for again — Little tin cups are usually carried to drink the coffee in; and this bever- age must be taken always without milk and seldom with sugar — After supper, a watch is set, with regular reliefs, to protect us from enemies, & thieves, and our attention is then turned towards our repose — We carried a small tent, but never used it unless the weather was bad — it was sometimes difficult to get tent poles — often we were belated, and we all found it more pleasant to sleep under the broad canopy of Heaven, than cooped up in a tent, where each one, had his measured distance, beyond which he could not (and yet must) encr[o]ach — A bear skin, on the ground, with two blanketts, to cover us was all that we had — this was sufficent in mild weather, but in cold freezing weather, it was inadequate protection from the eliments [20] You will probably ask how / liked those accommodations? I cannot say they were very agreeable — the ground is hard, and my bones ached often, esp[e]cially when the small limbs & stones were not picked up before the blanket was spread — M r Irving said he never slept better — this I cannot say — in addi- tion to this reptiles, are creeping over you consta[n]tly. Wild beasts are howling around you, and seemingly very near — Custom soon familiarizes us to these dangers, and such is our fatigue, at night, that we lie down, and are quite unconscious of what passes in the night — for often when we awake, our blankets are covered with snow several inches — I have mentioned the quantity of honey found in the woods; and as a party, was starting to hunt out some 30 IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE more hives, 1 M r Irving & myself joined the number, and walked ^4 a mile to the place where the bait was placed — the bait was a piece of honey comb, burnt, to give it a greater scent, and fixed upon an old log in the edge of a prarie — the bees descended, and lit upon the bait and having loaded themselves with honey, they flew in what is proverbially a Bee line (directly strait) to their hive — by watching carefully, their flight, you could take their course, and follow them for a long distance — we followed not more than X of a mile, and discoverd a small hole about ^ up a old oak tree — the Bees were going in and out, constantly — our axemen were directed to cut the tree — in the meantime we fortified ourselves, against the attack of Bees when the tree should fall. A small fire was made at that point, where it was supposed, that part of the tree, containing the hive would strike; in order to stifle the exertions of the bees by the smoke — our heads were covered with our silk hand [k]erchiefs — through which we could distinguish all the interesting operations going on. Our hands covered with gloves — The tree fell with a tremenduous crash — the hive broke nearly in the middle — the bees poured out upon us, in great numbers but we stood still, and did not show fight, and they soon became "good natured" — they surrendered the fortress at discretion, and abandoned their winter residence, and gathered their little republic or kingdom, on the tree adjoining, where they were, when we left them, settling matters of state — The quantity of honey was unusually great — 8 of us eat our fill, on the spot and carried away several buckets to the camp — it was emphatically, a sweet scene to M r Irving 1 Out of this incident Irving created one of the most interesting short chapters in A Tour on the Prairies. See pp. [52]~56. See also his Journal, October 13, 1832. ELLSWORTH' S NARRATIVE 31 & myself, who were not less interested in the novelty of detecting [?] the fortress, than in our revelry at ransacking the citadel — Soldiers are extreemly improvident — and great success at one time only lessens their belief that want can overtake them — Honey was a substitute for sugar — and the woods were filled with sweetness — it was in vain, to urge econemy with our sugar, after this days surfeit of honey, alas ! our sugar was soon gone and our march allowed us time to hunt no more honey. [21] At this camp Billet & Pourteles went hunting; each had one shot at some Turkeys; the former with a rifle, the latter with shot gun brought from Europe — they killed 2 turkeys each, and fired from their horses — The mode of preparing turkeys, for the spit or pot, is very expeditious — the legs and head are cut off, and then the skin is stripped, which of course, takes all the feathers — The soldiers had long poles over their fires covered with small pieces of venison, which had been salted a very little — After the meat has been smoked a few hours, it is called jerked, and can be transported a great distance without damage — indeed, it is excellent to eat without any farther cooking — in our long tedious rides, I often relieved my appetite by chewing a small slice of jerked venison — It is quite amusing to witness the pastimes of the soldiers, when off from duty — one group was playing ball — another base, l and a third playing cards — I have seen gamblers so intent upon their game as to play untill 12 at night by the flickering light of a few dry sticks [October] 1 4 Thursday 2 — Bugle sounded at dawn of 1 The popular old game of prisoner's base. 2 Cf. Irving, Journal, October 14, 1832: "Bugle sounds at daybreak — bustle in camp — catching horses — driving them in — 'Have you seen my horse?' 32 IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE day and we arose to make preperation for an early start — Tonish our cook gave us an excellent meal — a fore quarter of venison — a fat Turkey coffee and fritters fried in the fat of salt pork — To those who may travell a simular route, I advise them without fail, to take large rations of salt pork — it seasons fresh meat, if they are cooked to- gether, and the lard used to fry cakes, will make the flour hold out a long time — M r Latrobe & Pourteles took no pork, and the rations of M r Irving & myself were soon exhausted in our large mess of 7, including servants. We are fortunate in the selection of our servants — Tonish who came from St Louis, has been in the same capacity, for twenty years — he is a good cook — a fine hunter — a stranger to fear, and as fleet as a deer — Billet is a Quapaw l Indian, who resides with the Requois 2 band on the Neosha — he does not understand cooking so well as Tonish — in all other respects he is equal [22] As a guide he is vastly superior — He knows every star — and by looking at the moss on the trees, can tell the points of compas in the most cloudy day — Whenever we came to swift water courses, whose depth was uncertain, either Billet or Tonish would plunge in, with horse or on foot, and many, very many, short fords were secured, by their daring intrepidity — cries one. 'What horse is that broke loose over the brook?' Night guard comes in — dismissed — fires made — breakfast preparing — some packing — blankets that have formed tents dismantled — singing — laughing — joking, whooping — saddling horses. In a little while the forest so suddenly and temporarily alive and animated soon relapses into its primeval silence and solitude." 1 The Quapaw were located within the territory of Arkansas. 2 See p. 7, note 3, and also Grant Foreman, Pioneer Days (op. cit.), pp. 46, 212. He says (p. 46), "... Those members of the Osage tribe called Requa's band for years maintained a position for industry, sobriety and comfort that set them quite apart from the remainder of the tribe." Billett served Mr. Requa as hus- bandman for eight years. For Billett's actual relations with Requa see Irving's A Tour on the Prairies, pp. 176-177, and Grant Foreman's Advancing the Frontier (op. cit.), p. 143, note 14. ELLSWORTH'S NARRATIVE 33 The ground on which we encamped was a rich bottom, but the surface of the ground ahead, look'd rough, and exhibited precipitous hills — we now thought ourselves about 1 2 miles from the mouth of the red fork l — Previous to my joining the main army, they were travelling under instructions, to go westward on the north side of the Arkansaw to the mouth of red Fork — cross the Arkansaw at this point — proceed westwardly on the northerly side of the Red fork 60 miles, which Col Arbuckle supposed would carry them through the cross timbers, so called, and bring them into the vast prairies, that lie beyond, Their course then was, south to the Red River, the southern boundary of the U States — thence down the Red River to the mouth of the false Washita 2 — from there to the waters of the Blue river 3 in a northerly direction, and passing up that stream to strike the prairie, lying West of the cross timbers and down the north fork of the Canadian 4 — a tour certainly much greater, than could be accomplished at this season of the year; and circumstances compelled me to change the route materially as you will see; else no horses would have returned to the garrisson, and privation & hard- ships carried off many men — We started at 8 o clock — most of us were violently purged by the honey, eaten during the previous day, but no serious illness followed our imprudence — The land was hilly and stony, and after passing about 1 Red Fork or Cimarron River flows through northern Oklahoma into the Arkansas River. 2 So named to avoid confusion with the "true Ouachita" of Arkansas and Louisiana. It joins the Red River from Oklahoma. 3 This river empties into the Red River from southern Oklahoma. 4 The North Fork of the Canadian River crosses central Oklahoma and joins the main fork before that branch reaches the Arkansas River. 34 IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE 1 2 miles we came to the Arkansaw l — the stream was turbid and swift — we looked in vain for the mouth of the Red fork. The grape vines, plumb trees, briars & grass, were so thick that horses could not penetrate them untill the vines were cut — and even then, the poor horses refused to encounter [23] the remaining difficulties untill they were goaded by spurs — Such are the obstruc- tions, that those horses who lead the van, are often clad with Leggins — otherwise their flesh would be scratched from their bones — My horse was tolerably courageous, but I never could get him out of the trail but with extreeme exertion, and then, he would jump along leaping the obstructions rather than removing them by a regular gate — There is scarcely any one article, more useful in the equipment of a woodsman than a large knife, which is hung in a belt that surrounds the waist — almost every hour it is in requisition — I have frequently seen the dexterity of the Rangers in opening a road through the bushes, and vines, by the help of the knife alone, and even without any apparent detention — From the difficulties in the van, you might naturally suppose, that it was most desireable for the horse to bring up the rear, in a well beaten trail — but there are other impediments, besides the vines — there are the deep, muddy & steep ravines — the bottom of the rivulet, and more especially the shores, are miry — the first horses pass over tolerably well, but the last sink so deep as often to be fastened in the mud — A middle station would be preferable to a traveller merely, but to those who had curiosity to see game, the advance part is the only one, which affords this gratifica- 1 The Arkansas River heads in Colorado, flows through Kansas, northeastern Oklahoma, and across Arkansas to meet the Mississippi. ELLSWORTH' S NARRATIVE 35 tion — and I assure you we were constantly delighted, with the sight of wild game — deer — and other game were started every hour, and occasionally brought down by the rangers with their rifles — by a shot 300 yards distant — Whenever any game was killed and needed for provision, a small detachment of men were detailed, to dress and pack the meat for the next camp — and when- ever we were short of provisions, a flanking party on the right & left, scoured the wings and obtained a good supply. In our travelling today M r Irving while riding next before me, came near being seriously injured — in ascending one of the steepest rocks his saddle girths both broke, and he was thrown from the horse upon [24] the sharp flinty ground — the horse somewhat frightened sprang forward, and left the rider covered up by the saddle port-manteau blanket & — I immediately alighted from my horse, to give him assistance, and the surgeon Doct Holt, in a few moments came to inquire into his wellfare — He fell upon his hip, and received little injury, except a general shock, to the whole system — I lent him one of my girths and when our factotum Tonish came up, he mended the best girth which was broken, and we pursued our journey — Tonish was a wonderful fellow for strings; every pocket was full of something to mend with, and we always called upon him for help of this kind and was never dissappointed in getting aid — We now imagined our distance from the Fort 1 1 2 miles and after travelling seven hours and mak- ing only 15 miles headway, we were forced to encamp without reaching the mouth of Red Fork as we expected — Billet guided us today, and brought us to a good camping ground — Our horses were much fatigued in climbing the hills and siezed their food with great 36 IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE avidity — i oo bells were rattling on their necks a few moments after we stopped. As I passed the camp of the Captain, I noticed the men drinking something like indian meal mixed with water — Doct Holt offered me some, from his little bag — it was a most agreeable beverage — I enquired, for I was anxious to know its composition, I learnt it was cold meal or parched corn, ground & sifted — it is good in water without sweetning, but mixed with a little sugar it possesses a peculiar zest[?] — The best mode of transporting it, is to mix a suitable quantity of sugar with the meal in the commencement of the journey — a spoonful then thrown into a cup is prepared immediately — and it is said that the deliterious effects of bad water, is in a great measure avoided, by this mixture — It can easily be prepared by yourself and will be palitable even in Hartford — As for myself I shall never travel here again without it — I have ordered a half bushell of it for my own supply — the recipe is simple — the corn is taken before quite ripe and boiled — it is then dried and hung up untill wanted — it is finally pounded or ground & sifted — it will keep a long time, and no article can be packed for a long journey, contain- ing so much sustenance in so little weight — Hard corn makes a tolerably good beverage, when boiled dried & prepared in a simular manner — but it is far inferior — Whenever we passed an Indian camp we always saw more or less dried corn hanging in their huts or cabins [25] Antoine Lumbard l the Servant of M r Latrobe & Co went a hunting for us, and brought in 4 Turkeys — 1 Latrobe says of him (The Rambler in North America, I, 139-140) that indo- lence seemed to be his "prevailing feature. It was depicted in his heavy, sleepy, dark eye . . . He was willing and active enough when excited, but it was no common occasion that would incite him to action." See also A Tour on the Prai- ries, pp. 91, 98, etc. ELLSWORTH'S NARRATIVE 37 there were several deer killed at this camp, and one of the Rangers was seen coming in with the ribs of some larger animal than the deer — it was soon announced that he had killed a fine elk — as this was the first Elk killed, great joy was manifested throughout, the camp, and the fortunate hunter, was raised up, upon the shoulders of his grateful mess-mates, who saddle some horses to bring in the meat — for the Elk was about the size of a two year old steer — The camp was fully sup- plied with the meat, which was highly relished by most, but I consider it inferior to tender beef — The return of the hunters inspired us all with raised expectation, for Buff aloe track [s], bears tracks and Elk tracks were dis- covered in many places — M r Latrobe discovered that his riding horse had lost a shoe from his fore foot, and would soon become disabled unless the hoof was protected from the stones. As a choice of evils, he determined to take the shoes or rather one shoe from his old pack horse, whose spare ribs and totering gate clearly foretold his speedy failure — but fortunately one of the Rangers, had a spare shoe and some nails, and fixed the horse in good travelling condi- tion — So the poor old horse, nicknamed "Gumbo" was left with his shoes, untill another demand in favor of his betters — Here a calamity befel our mess, small indeed in a land of plenty but here quite distressing — Our only coffee pot, while hanging to the pack-horse, got en- tangled in the vines, and lost the spout — The spout could be spared, but how could the holes be stopped — we thought it useless — but I asked Tonish what could now be done?, he said "it no hurt not much at all" he could fix it, putting his hand into his pockett, and pulling out some deer skin strings. These he said would stop the holes 38 IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE "pretty well" I told him they would burn out — he replied "no it not [26] burn none at all" — so he drew some strings (selecting the driest leather) through the holes and cut them on both sides of the coffee pot smooth or nearly smooth — I watched the operation of the experiment — it suceeded entirely — The leather swelled — the holes were tight and although the external part of the Leather was singed, there was no leak ever occurred, and the coffee is now used without any hesitation — Tonish said he had often stopped holes in the bottom of kettles in the same way, and if water was kept in the kettle to cover the leather, the leak would be cured for a long time. Seeing the success of Tonish[ 5 s] exp[er]iment on our coffee pot, I thought I would try to stop one of my teeth with a leather thong — for I had the bad luck to loose the gold foil from a decayed tooth, and the nerve was exposed to the weather — The leather with which, I filled my tooth soon swelled to the full size of the cavity and yet remains — What would Doct Crane l our dentist say to this? Perhaps I shall take out a Pattent for the invention — on my return; in the meantime my friends are permitted to try the experiment without infringing my rights 2 — Some of the game killed at this encampment was left in the woods, because the hunter could not bring it all in — in such cases it is usual, to hang up the meat on a limb, to keep it out of the way of bears and wolves, who smell a carcase at a great distance, and destroy it in few hours — if powder is left around it or if urine is made near the game the scent of either will keep off Bears & wolves ! ! 1 Warren S. Crane, dentist, had an office "over 4 State," Hartford, Connecticut (1838). * Ellsworth, as said, became Commissioner of Patents in 1836. ELLSWORTH' S NARRATIVE 39 — Our hunters tried both experiments so they assured us — [October] 15 th Fair day — all slept sound and arose at the sound of the bugle, after breakfast we travelled about 4 miles and came to the Arkansaw at the mouth of Red Fork — The stream of Arkansaw was swift & high — the Capt pro- posed to cross here — after some reflection I proposed to him, to go up the river and try to find a better ford, for it was certain that several horses would be lost by swimming the stream at this place. The Gov* of course would be the ultimate sufferers, as the horses would die in the service of the Country — The Capt and M r Irving acceeded to my proposal, and followed up the Arkansaw a short distance, where we found that the abrupt hills, would compell us to go far into the interior [27] to get around them — we looked again for a ford — Billet said he would examine — he threw off a few of his outer garments, and waded in — the water soon rose to his shoulders and he was wafted down the current and swam towards the opposite shore. About half way acros the river, he was able to touch bottom and with occa- sional swimming over some deep holes, forded to the shore — he returned in a different place, but with the like success — The determination now was formed, to build rafts and the axes were plied on every side — It was at this moment, that our eyes were turned to the Buffaloe skin, bought by M r Pourteles of the Osage In- dians. We took it off from the horse, and speculated some- time, whether it would be sufffcent to carry over our plunder, much less ourselves — In the mean time while M r Irving and the rest of us were doubting, we saw Tonish & Billet preparing to tie up the corners, and risk 4 o IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE the experiment — they were confident — it was only the gentleman that doubted — The Buffaloe skin was of common size only — The corners were drawn together, so as to leave the bottom when filled in the shape of an oblong boat — Plunder or baggage which words are synonimous here, was then put into the skin to fill it quite to the top — M r Irving said it would certainly sink. When the boat was loaded Tonish & Billett stripped themselves, and we aided to launch the boat into the river — it floated, and was so buoyant that more plunder was still added — then Billett tied a string to the fore part and plunged in with an Indian yell, taking the string in his mouth and drawing the boat from the shore — Ton- ish followed behind with a simular yell, shoving the boat with one hand — both swam with hand over hand like dogs — at times I feared they would perish and the little bark go down stream — not only were our eyes intent upon them, but the ferry boat was new to the whole army, who flocked around to witness the scene. [28] The Arkansaw river, was about as wide and swift as Con- necticut river at Hartford, when the freshet is up to M r Bucks store l — you will of course perceive the difficulty of crossing, with a Buffaloe skin — While Tonish & Billet were crossing our plunder Capt Beans and Doct Holt were just by collecting the dry timber to form a raft. A few rangers went farther up, and happily found a place where the river could be forded with little swimming and if the horses were high, perhaps without swimming — Yet the plunder saddle & lower parts would certainly get wet — 1 Probably the firm of Daniel Buck & Co., merchants, whose store was located at 29 Commerce Street, not far from the Connecticut River (1838). Daniel and Dudley Buck were prominent in Hartford business and social life, and fraternized with the Ellsworth family. ELLSWORTH'S NARRATIVE 41 Tonish & Billet crossed over a second load in same manner as the first, and untill the ford was discovered above we all calculated to cross in the Buffaloe skin — M r Latrobe Pourteles & Braily went up to the ford — M r Irving was going also — I proposed to him, to try the Buffaloe skin — our servants were almost exhausted but we cheered their spirits by giving them a dollar each for the ferriage — I offered to go first, but Irving desired the opportunity and I consented — his boat was filled nearly full and launched regularly into the river — He was then taken in the arms of Billet & Tonish and placed with great care in the centre of the tottering craft, and re- quested to sit perfectly still — The swimmers plunged in with their hideous yells, and M r Irving sat motionless, proud enough to be borne across the deep in a Buffaloe skin ! ! — when the swimmers had passed more than half the distance, and become able to touch the bottom, M r Irving was more car [e] less as to his perpendicular stillness, and seizing one of the guns which lay beside him, he fired a salute to those who were behind — He soon reached the shore, and strided the sand along the beach on the opposite side as one who had just discovered and was taking possession of a new country ! ! — He was a short time left alone, in the Pawnee country l — The ferrymen soon came for me, hoping to carry myself and all the remaining plunder the next load — I told them it was impossible — they thought not — they accordingly collected all the scattered effects and when I saw the quantity [29] and estimated the weight, I became suspicious I should get into the river, and without undressing entirely, I prepared to disencumber myself of some things, if the dangers should be great — Travellers 1 For Irving's vivid recital of this episode, see A Tour on the Prairies, pp. [72]~74. 42 IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE tell great stories; and speak at random — I have an exact inventory of the baggage that was put in before I was placed upon the top of it, by the arms of Tonish & Billet — 3 full saddle bags — 4 Guns — Holsters & pistols; powder horns & shot pouches — J/2 a bushell of corn, besides all the fresh provisions of our mess — 8 blanketts — 3 buck skin dresses — 4 sir singles — axe, frying pan tin kettle, coffee pot & eating bowls ropes & 1 bridle 2 great coats — On the top of these with several other small articles I was placed, with my double barrelled gun in my hands loaded for a salute if circumstances should be favorable. The swimmers plunged in — I never felt placed in so ticklish a situation — we descended rapidly with the current and yet gained fast upon the other shore When the servants touched bottom, I was exceeding glad & felt tolerably safe, and fired my salute, and curled down again as the water grew deeper fast — I reached the shore safely, and was greeted by my friend M r Irving, who was busily filling his little sketch book, with the interesting events of the day ■ — soon M r Latrobe & Pourteles joined us They were drip- ping wet from about the middle. While we were packing our horses, we saw Capt Beans & Doct Holt paddling along their rough made raft — Both were in the water 2^2 feet — the current carried them much below us, and although they reached the shore in safety, a consider- able part of their effects got wet, and especially their flour; to save which they were forced to bake it immedi- ately — Some of the rangers who could not swim, and whose horses could not carry them over, threw in a dry log, and clung to that stemming the current as well as they could — 1 The basis of all Irving's writings lay in such notebooks. Those describing this tour are in the New York Public Library. ELLSWORTH' S NARRATIVE 43 [30] The whole day was spent in passing the river, and we pitched our camp a short distance from the place where we landed. Upon calling the muster roll, we found several men absent, and quite a number of horses missing — In the morning we sent across the river for 3 of our horses, and found several Rangers who could not swim and whose horse [s] had swam acros, making a raft to transport themselves. As soon as we first determined to proceed farther up the Arkansaw, some Rangers left the trail to go hunting — calculating to find the red fork far- ther up, and they remained behind still — we could get no tidings of them — they were however good woodsmen and able to supply themselves with food, when there was any game — we encamped at the bottom of a precipitous ravine, and from the fresh sign of bears, we called our camping ground Bears den l — M r Pourteles was clad in a thin cheerokee hunting shirt, decked out with many beads; mocassins & thin pantaloons He complained of sleeping chilly and, he this night tied himself or rather was tied up in a large bears skin — I have mentioned before, that a guard is regularly set about our camp — these guards have fires to warm themselves during the night — early in the morning they come into camp, from their watch stands, imitating with great exactness, the different wild beasts & birds & especially the Turkeys. The owl was a constant compan- ion at night, and got frequently brought down by the sharp shooters — [October] 16 th — Cloudy morning — M r Irving com- plains much of a swelling of the eye-lids and an erruption about the wrists — Doct Holt gave him a wash of the sugar of lead but salt water was his greatest relief — He 1 Latrobe calls it "Bear's Glen." See The Rambler in North America, I, 147. 44 IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE thinks he is poisoned — I think it is owing to his diet which is chiefly meat, salted when eaten very highly — a vegitable diet moderate in quantity would cure him; but it is extreemly difficult to moderate the appetite when hunger is so great — all of us are ashamed of our voracity, and were we not kept in countenance by others around us, we should feel bound to make apology — Several of the army are quite unwell and they have only 3 days rations and a long journey before them — There will be I fear be much suffering as the measles are breaking out here & there. Some want to return — some want to stop — I feel much the responsibility of the army, and hope I shall he judicious and reasonable in all my exactions [3 1 ] We left the camp about }4 past 8 — We pursued a too northerly course and for the first 1 o miles kept within 3 miles of the Arkansaw — discovering our error we struck south and encamped near the Red fork and al- though we travelled untill 3 P M I suppose we did not gain more than 6 or 7 miles on our true course — The land during the first 10 miles was high & rolling — generally timbered with oak though here & there a prarie — too stony for tillage — better fitted for grazing — The last part of the days journey carried us through a more stony country and more barren soil — The waters of the Arkansaw and Red fork are neither very good for drinking or culinary purposes — There were several fine streams in the ravines passed today — Antoine not yet come up he went to hunt our horses left on the north side of Arkansaw — Billet went in pur- suit at the same time & found the horses and brought them over the river — Antoine did not hear of his suc- cess, and searching for the trail, took the trace of several rangers who had gone hunting up the Arkansaw & got ELLSWORTH'S NARRATIVE 45 seperated from the main army — Antoine followed what he supposed to be the tracks of our horses for the distance of 1 o miles, when he was hailed by the lost rangers — they were exceeding glad to see our servant, and learn the tidings of our army — They accompanied Antoine back to our camping ground, but we had left it — Antoine killed a bear one of the Rangers had simular good luck, and the lost party and Antoine made a rich repast — half of the Bear killed by Antoine he packed up to bring to us if ever he should find us — I could not but pity those bootless fellows, who had nothing but mocassins — In dry weather mocassins may be pleasant, but in damp cold frosty weather, deer skin becomes extreemly uncomfortable — I would recom- mend to my friends to do as I have done — wear stout cowhide boots and keep them well greased — And remember too to grease the soles as well as the [32] upper leather — Aside from the econemy (for a sole well filled with tallow will wear twice as long one left without any grease) Leather whose pores are thoroughly filled with tallow is impervious to the water — While passing streams my feet (if water not over my boots when on horse back) were entirely dry, when my travelling com- panions were wet and either compelled to travel in this condition or to stop and change their stockings & panta- loons — Billet returned from hunting this evening with a very fat doe — we gave a quarter to the Capt' [s] mess and jerked the remainder after taking out enough for supper & breakfast — all which took no inconsiderable quantity — that which was jerked was tender and very delicous, and we regretted the misimprovement of prior advantages; for we have often left camps in the morning, when the choicest parts of fresh meat were left for ravens 46 IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE & the wild beast — Tonish however, always turned what was left, cooked or uncooked to some advantage — He would take pieces of meat and place them on sticks in the direction we were going to inform future hunters the way we have gone — An Indian pra[c]tice [?] [October] 1 7 Wednesday — several men very sick with the measles and some yet left behind, so we con- cluded to stop at this camp and rest — Capt Beans selected 20 of the best hunters to search for game be- lieving, a few, could kill more than a large number, as the noise was usually in proportion to the number of hunters — We had a leisure moment & examined our wardrobes — M r Irving & myself went to the Creek and washed our linnen & wollens — it was a new employment to both — I soaked mine sometime in the water but it was extreemly difficult, to get out the dirt, especially from my wollens — I plied soap liberally and made my clothes tolerably decent & that is all — ironing was of course dispensed with — The night was boisterous and I could scarcely keep my blanketts on my bed, and there was less sleep than usual and the night was very long — Our stores begin to grow short, and I have proposed to limit our allowance — but it cannot be done — hunger will be satisfied and the song of the Epicurean, is the song of the camp Let us eat drink & be merry for tomorrow we die — [33] I was surprised to find M r Irving opposed to any restrictions and ridi[c]ule the idea of taking thought for tomorrow 1 — After suggesting the subject twice I determined not to resume it, knowing that I could bear privations as well as the rest — I had however one loaf, of white sugar, when that was demanded, I told the 1 A characteristic attitude. ELLSWORTH' S NARRATIVE 47 gentlemen I would save a piece for sickness, and did so, to my future comfort as I needed it to take some medicine in afterwards — To show you how improvident we were — I will only mention that our coffee cups were small tin dippers, holding not more than a common tea cup — M r Pourteles & Latrobe both put in two table spoonfuls of sugar to sweeten one dish, and I will not task your credulity to believe how many times the cups were filled — M r Irving has also a sweet tooth and mine is proverbial — Our mess was constituted of different [?] materials — M r Pourteles was full of fun & frolic with the serv- ants, and by his familiarity impeded our government of them — M r Irving is quick in his feelings, and easily excited by anything the least disre[s]pectful, and several times had a complete blow up with Tonish & Billet l — One day Billet caught a pole cat (skunk) and brought it to the tent, M r Irving was mad, and when Billett was absent threw it into the river — subsequently when pro- visions were scarce, our pork gone, and nothing could be got to fry fritters in, but the grease of a skunk, he liked the meal much, and even ate the roasted meat, and pro- nouncd it very good — after this we ate several at one time. We had no less than 3 dressed for eating & roasted 2 of them for part of a meal and none was left — Billet became so much offended by M r Irving's treatment, that he determined to return, & told M r Irving that "he knew the way home" — I saw the difficulties thickening and by seperate talks with M r Irving & the serv*, things went on more smo[o]thly — I believe if I [34] have any good qualities — they consist in an equanimity of mind which meets provocation without exhibiting passion and 1 No account of this incident occurs in A Tour on the Prairies or in Irving's Jour- nal, but there is no doubt of his dislike of Billett. 48 IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE tenders the best services I am capable as a peace maker — So eager was M r Pourteles to prepare in the best manner for game by getting linnen patches, for his balls, which he heard [?] recommended, that he cut up his finest linnen collars for that purpose — But he is heir apparent to a large estate in Switzerland & Bohemia ! ! We all regret that we have no more prarie tea — it sel- dom grows so far west as we now are, and our little stock is exhausted — We have a pound of " store tea" (hyson) but it is very insipid without sugar or milk — When we first started we used to take a lunch at noon — but the days are so short that we make no stop from morning untill we pitch our next camp at night — We are now getting into the Pawnee country 1 — we look for their tracks, and their fires — they doubtless have seen us from the heights around, but will fear to attack us — At i P M Antoine came up whom we left looking for our horses, on the north side of the Arkansaw — we feared he had either met some accident, or played Osage, and taken French leave — Antoine killed a fat bear and brought yi of it, together with the skin to our camp — we roasted the ribs, for supper & fried fritters in the grease. Both were acceptable — the meat resembled fat pork, and was equally good — The quantity eaten by our mess gave them many gripes, before morning & kept them on active service most of the night — none suffered essentially from the purgative — Last evening Capt Beans went out hunting & discover- ing a large gang of Elk (about 60) fired upon a fat doe, and from the trail of blood, presumed [?] the animal was mortally wounded; but it fled too far, to be overtaken that night — M r Irving was delighted with the news and 1 On the Arkansas River. ELLSWORTH'S NARRATIVE 49 begged to accompany the Capt today, not only to look for the stricken Elk but to kill more — [35] The wounded Elk was found soon, & brought to the camp — It was much larger than a deer, though resembling that animal in shape and movement — the deer however are much the fleetest — a good horse will overtake an Elk but be outstripped, by the deer — The flesh of Elk is palatable, but inferior to venison or bear-meat — Some of the Elk was spoiled — If game is left over night with entrails in, the same becomes injured by morning, unless the weather is cold — I speak of meats rather than fowls — In our leisure today, M r Latrobe tried angling in the creek which surrounded us with much success The fish were not large, but plenty — Pickerel swam around the hook but refused to bite — Roache or sun fish were the only ones he caught — even these were not cooked, such was our profusion of turkeys venison & Bear and Elk meat — By several casualties the Hobbles for our horses were many of them lost, and Capt Beans "cried" through, the camp the intelligence that ['] 'every man that wants hobbles may come up here and get one" I need not say that the Elk hide was soon cut into strings about a yard in length. [October] 1 8 Thursday — I went early to ascertain the condition of the sick. I found two unable to go on — it being uncertain when they would be able to travel, indued me to advise Capt Beans to leave the sick with 8 or 10 good woodsmen, with orders to join us if health was restored [?] in one or two days, otherwise to return to Fort Gibson on our trail — it was from this place that I wrote you a letter on the rump of my horse. The table was convenient — fatigue kept the horses legs steady, but 5 o IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE hard usage made the slope rather too sharp — I gave the letter to the Rangers to put into the post office — I understood they obeyed my direction yet marred the letter so as to require a new envelope, [36] and of course additional postage — during the last evening it was mentioned that one man was lost — the Bugle was sounded again and again, without effect — after we had proceeded about 5 miles we heard a gun fire on our right — A detachment was sent to see what it proceeded from — Lo ! it was the lost man M r Sawyer [?] l firing for help — He was overjoyed at seeing some of his old com- rades, and was found bearing his course directly from us — It was cloudy and he mistook the points of compass — South was north — Like thousand [s] of others he was con- fident in the correctness of his way, but I need not add willingly changed his course and joined us. — He had killed a turkey, which he tied to his back — But feelings of being lost oh what a word ! destroyed his appetite & he never thought of food — After travelling 5 miles we struck the red fork — The bed of the River was wide — the waters low and very red — too brackish to drink — the river is not navigable unless in high water — the sand bars appear in sight almost acros the stream, and was covered with Elk, Bear, & deer tracks — There are few good bottoms, on the Red fork — the hills extend nearly to the river and break off too abrrupt for cultivation — The land through which we passed today is high rolling land — too flinty for tillage and adapted only for pastur- age — In New England the land would be esteemed [?] excellent hill pasture — In our morning's ride we started a drove of wolves — we mistook them for bears and our x Latrobe labels Sawyer "a comical old fellow, the butt of the troop" {The Rambler in North America^ I, 152). ELLSWORTH' S NARRATIVE 51 error was not discovered, untill 20 or 30 rangers had given them a long chase — The object was not thought worth pursuit and none were killed — I mentioned before the purchase by M r Irving of a fine steed — his gate and conduct suited exactly — We had not travelled more than 8 miles from camp when M r Irving told me his horse was lame — I examined him — we thought it nothing but a sprain, and M r Irving fell in the rear & walked his horse very slowly — he grew worse & worse untill he stopped and quivered with pain — a sad dilemma ! We had taken a little bay poney as an extra, being one of our horses purchased at St Louis [37] He was however too small to carry M r Irving and leap the ravines so frequent on our way, and too low to ford, without getting the rider wet all over — It was nevertheless our only relief, and what was to be done with the lame horse — we finally concluded to hire two rangers, to get him back if possible to the last camp, where the sick would probably lie sometime to reccruit; hoping his lameness would soon dissappear so that he could be brought on, if not, at least, that he might be taken back to the Garrisson; for $125 dead loss was quite an Item — The remainder of the days ride was unpleas- ant to M r Irving — He felt much compassion for his poor steed, but regretted more his inability to hunt the wild horse & BufTaloe — The Elk signs were now abundant, and we were told they were sure precursors of the BufTa- loe, and when the former dissappear, we are sure to find the Latter — The weather today was fine, but warm — I took off my drawers vest & waistcoat & coat and put on a flannel shirt purchased at the Garrison for %\.\<2.yi — my dress was quite comfortable — I had lent M r Irving when he started from the Garrison a pair of wollen SITY OF ILL1NUJ* LIBRARY 52 IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE stockings, and a pair of drawers — He took off his panta- loons and rode in my drawers protected from mid leg by his deer skin leggins — Several bears were killed at this camp — M r Rians l son shot a bear, and jumped off to secure it, when the horse took fright and ran away, with saddle bags, provisions, brass kettle & & and after dili- gent search the horse was found, but no trace of the " plunder" — The young man has lost his all, for in the affray he broke his gun so as to make it entirely useless — The next day M r Rians father & one or two more went to search for the plunder, & found all but the brass kettle — At our camp this evening was brought in a great sup- ply of meat, and in the morning the ground around our fires resembled the appearance of a slaughter house — a camp is a most offensive place after [38] 24 hours — several of the rangers shot at Bears but could not get them — indeed it is difficult to kill them, after they are wounded, they run to the most impassable thicket, and there by slow advances, elude the pursuit of the hunter. They often show fight, and make an attack with great violence, and woe be to the man not prepared for the grasp — The tracks on the sand terrified me, from the hunt of them — for a two year steer, would hardly make with his hough a larger impression — Although men become wounded in a shocking manner and literally torn in pieces, yet they recover — several instances were related by Capt Beans & others as we sat around the brisk fire beguiling the long hours between sunset & bed time — There were only two books, in the whole army; one was my pocket testament & the other M r Pourteles French bible — and if we had more, we were without candles to 1 See A Tour on the Prairies, pp. 59, 81, 83, etc.; see The Rambler in North America, I, 150-151. Irving terms Ryan "the Nestor of the camp" (p. 105), "our veteran hunter" (p. 150), and "real old Leatherstocking" (p. 150). ELLSWORTH'S NARRATIVE 53 read them Conversation was therefore our only enjoy- ment & visits were frequently reciprocated between the officers mess & our own — our camps were generally pitched contiguous, that is the next adjoining. Stories about bears are always interesting — so I'll tell you one mentioned this evening by Capt Beans who knows the characters concernd personally — In Capt Ashleys l band of hunters on the upper waters of the Missouri; a worthy member 2 of the party shot a bear, and after wounding the animal rec'd his attack and de- fended himself sometime — at length the Bear threw him down and tore the flesh from his sides, neck & thighs — He called for help — his faint cries were heard — his comrades ran to his assistance and found him in posses- sion of a huge white bear, and expiring aparently in the last agonies of death — The bear was driven away or killed — the poor mangled fellow brought up to the camp to die — No one thought he could live long, yet he was able to talk somewhat inchoherently, and begged them not to forsake him — he wanted to live, and thought he might get well — The hunters were on their return, and eager to get home; and while they all sympathized with the dying [39] man they did not believe it possible, for them to do anything more for him than to make his departure, more consoling, by their kind attentions — 1 General William Henry Ashley (ca. 1 778-1 838), who was a Congressman as well as a fur trader and explorer, made many expeditions in the vicinity of the Missouri. 2 A similar story is told of Hugh Glass (d. 1833?), who was deserted by his com- panions in 1823 while on an expedition to the Yellowstone under the leadership of Andrew Henry, Ashley's associate. Several versions of Glass's adventures sur- vived in oral tradition and were narrated around the campfire. Captain Bean's tale may well have a place in the bibliography of this so-called frontier epic. For other versions see Hiram Martin Chittenden, The American Fur Trade of the Far West (New York, 1902), II, [698P706. Cf. also Irving's rather sketchy ac- count of the same events {A Tour on the Prairies, pp. 174-175). 54 IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE It was impossible to wait for him — & he could not be carried on — it was finally agreed that a purse should be made up of two hundred dollars and this sum given to the two persons who should stay with the wounded, untill he should recover, or as was most probable untill he should die, and then give him a decent burial — Avarice is a strong motive — Two men l soon offered their serv- ices, promissing by the most sacred vows, to do every- thing they could for this unfortunate compainion — at least never to desert him while there was life — Having made this arrangement for the dying man, the re- turning band had only, to take his pale qu[i]vering hand, and bid him affectionately farewell — The tears of many showed their esteem, and sympathy, for one who had long shared their dangers & their joys — The sick lay that day & the next with no symptoms more favorable for recovery — his head & body had become extreemly swollen, and the appearance of the wounds indicated approaching mortification — A little appetite remained — The nurses were overheard to express a strong desire to join the company, now fast advancing home — He heard them conversing in a low tone by them [s] elves, and feared they would "desert' ['] him — He expressed to them his fears, implored them by every consideration to re- main with him — they smiled at his fears, and asked the cause of his alarm — he made no explination — but en- treated them for Gods sake not to desert him — The sick had now become too feeble to converse — he knew what was passing around & was attentive to the conduct of his suspected friends — Provisions grew scarce — A deer was soon hunted & brought to the camp and after being 1 According to tradition, one Fitzgerald and James Bridger (1804-1881). See J. Cecil Alter, James Bridger . . . (Salt Lake City, Utah, [c 1 925]), pp. 20-35. ELLSWORTH 9 S NARRATIVE 55 dressed laid near the side of the suffering man, who was still lingering on this side of the grave — suspicions were yet stronger excited, and fears realized — for the Judas like fellows were anxious to get the bag, and still over- take their companions — The sufferings of nature sunk in repose. As twilight appeared, no sound of the hunters was heard — The sun rose in stillness — not a leaf was moved — alas ! they had gone ! ! The only memento left was the carcase of that [40] which the suffering man was too feeble to eat — And what was the story of these good Samaritans ! — In a few days they came in sight of their friends who had hired them to pay the last offices of respect & kindness to a fellow being, helpless & fo[r]lorn — All enquired the circumstances of the death of their unfortunate compan- ion, which they were prepared to believe — "Yes he died after two days suffering — and we wrapped [him?] in his blanket and buried him beneath the reach of wild beast — " They brought his last message to his old com- rades — "Farewell". The money was paid them and they divided the the l bag — On their return at St Louis often was the story told of the death of one of their number in consequence of the wounds inflicted by a bear — But to return to the aganizing man — he was alone! — he could only move his hands — he expected soon to die — He had no protection but a few boards placed upon a pole — The fire had been extinguished by rain — For several days he ate nothing — at length he took a piece of raw venison; and continued to eat a little untill he felt able to move his limbs — he was about 3 rods from a brook. He attempted many times to get to the water without success — at length he reached the brook, and bathed his 1 Ellsworth's repetition. 56 IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE wounds and relieved his thirst — Every day he went to slake his thirst, and bathe his sores — His venison was now gone or spoilt — he ate a lizurds [sic] and frogs — and by slipping along with the help of one leg he moved down the stream untill he reached the mouth of the creek which empties into the Missouri — here he remained some time to reccruit — he could not go farther — he had no canoe, nor could he make one — He examined the shore, and one day saw a dry crooked log, lying loosely on the bushes, nearly balanced — The thought struck him, that he could push it in & get on to it [41] and float down the stream, if happily, he might meet some kind hand to help him — it was now two months since he was abandoned to die, in the wilderness — He had recovered so far as to use some of his limbs, though deprived of others — collecting some frogs and lizards and roots for a short voyage, he launched his log with great circumspection; and having placed in [a?] knot hole, his little articles of food he left the shore, at early dawn of day, and committed himself to the protection of "Him, who ruleth the waves", 'and tempers the wind to the shorn lamb 5 — He drifted all day, and met no human being — several days he passed in a simular manner untill he arrived opposite the fort at St Louis — The sen- tinal descried an old log descending the rapid current, with a man prostrate in one of the branches — the boat was launched, and the Gohst like man, was brought to shore — He was pale and emaciated and the scars & running sores proved the dangers he had met — His joy at reaching land was unspeakable — his gratitude was shown by tears which continued long to flow, before he was able to tell his sufferings — his story was short — but inc[r] edible ! — he personated one, who had not only ELLSWORTH'S NARRATIVE 57 died but [had been?] buried by persons living then in the city — still his story was simple & many believed it — He sent for friends — his compainions in the trapping expedition — they came to see him — they looked at him as one from the dead — he was alive ! — Oh ! the curses reeked [?] upon the two men who deserted him in one hour of peril — Where were they? — everyone asked where were they? — No sooner had the news arrived of the hunters return, than both the reckless villians [sic] fled — flight only saved them from claws worse than a bears, which would have rent them in pieces — [42] Had I time I could fill many sheets with well au- thenticated stories related during the evenings of our encampments — my object is now to give you so many details as to enable you, in a winter evening at home, to follow my course on the map, and witness our daily occurrences, trifling in many instances, but such as actu- ally filled up our day. [October] 1 9 Friday — Before we left camp Capt gave directions to travel West, and as he was going hunting, requested Doct Holt to keep the march in due course by his compass — The capt flanked our right — Doct Holt saw game & he too was off, and we were left with Lieut Penticost, and Billet — the weather was very cloudy — The Doct took the directions he supposed we should march, and waited for us in vain — we travelled some- time to little purpose as you will conceede, when you know, that after spurring & whipping to get our horses over a hilly monotonous road, we performed a circle and struck our track again — I was vexed, and ordered the men to halt for / had controul, and we went on more cau- tiously, but our guide Billett (so excellent and sure at all other times) never could believe, or would acknowledge 58 IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE our blunder — It was long before Doct Holt joined us, and as for Capt Beans he got lost, and it was late in the evening before he found our camp It was a very un- pleasant day to travel — it commenced raining about noon — the soil was spongy oak land, that becomes miry, when wet — I never knew it [to] rain harder — all of us got wet entirely through — when I stopped my boots were almost filled with water, which ran down from my clothes so completely saturated — The violence of the storm was only resisted by stopping & turning our backs to the storm, after the manner of cattle — It rained when we pitched our camp — our servants cut into an old dead tree & found some rotten wood that would burn, and after much blowing & [43] punching we got up a fire — The wind changed and the rain stopped — cool breezes sprang up, from the N West, harbingers of dry weather — Each one of us examined his saddle bags, and changed our clothes, as far as practicable — Our blanketts were wet, and could not be dried before bed time — I found my medicine box in a bad state — I had some blue pills — quinine pills & opium pills — all these had become wet — I took them out, and after drying them as well as I could, I rolled [them?] in flour which kept them from amalgamating — M r Irving put on my wollen stockings, (lent him) and those who had no change dried their feet & outside garments as well as they could — We travelled 15 miles but made not more than 10 miles head way — the truth is, there is no discipline among the rangers, each one does as he pleases, and as seemeth good in his own eyes — I called the Capt to my quarters, and expressed my unwillingness to blunder along in this way into an enemies country & requested him not ELLSWORTH'S NARRATIVE 59 to leave the active command again — He said he would not — but his passion for hunting is supreme — Several horses ran away last night and we left 10 men to look them up — When they came upon our trail they thought it impossible that so discreet men could make a circle, in going "a due West course — " One of them, however, rode round the circle, and you may rely upon it they laughed at us heartily — Billett still insisted that our course was strait, but the circle was only an Osage trail crossing our path — this story might have con- cealed the blunder of the guide, had not some of the rangers rode round the circle to ascertain whether we actually committed such folly — The soil today was light — oak opening — the land was better than some days ago but by no means good, when compared with the rich bottoms on Arkansaw Verdegres Canadian & Red Rivers — 20 Oct Our start this morning was delayed to dry our blankets and clothes — the water imbibed during the rain doubled their weight and it was not only from convenience & comfort that we dried our plunder but from necessity — for our horses never looked so bad as this [44] morning. The range for them was poor, and if it had been better, they were so excessively fagged that they preferred rest to food — In the morning they grazed a little but still looked lank — We left the camp at 9 and took a course West by South — we soon came to a large creek running into Red River, and about 6 miles farther we reached a larger creek still, and was obliged to travel along the north side of it, Y A mile, before we could find a good ford — we passed during the day many excellent running streams — The color of the soil has been simular for sev- 60 IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE eral days, being a deep red — the stones are a free sand stone of the same color From these causes the Red river, and many other streams receive their peculiar hue — during our journey since crossing the Red fork, we have seen several tracts of rock [?] iron ore and strong indica- tions of coal — from the vast quantities of coal discovered every day where the Indians have settled i oo miles east- ward, there is no doubt that coal of the finest quality abounds throughout the newly assigned Indian Terri- tory — both anthracite & bituminous coal is found — It is matter of great joy that such is the fact; otherwise the extensive prairies, though fertile beyond comparison are often destitute of fuel — On the streams there are beau- tiful skirts of timber for building and ordinary culinary purposes — You well know that the barren prairies are the great objection to this country — The public are un- informed — The praries are not so extensive, as some suppose It is true the majority of the land is prairies, but they are divided by streaks of timber — rarely very rarely are you out of sight of timber — Besides all this the prai- ries if not burnt over will immediately grow up to wood — such has been the fact with a large part of Kentucky & Tenessee — Timber is needed for fencing — but it is now found that ditching as practiced in Indiana [?] is more economical — ditches too, suffer — [45] no injury from the conflagration of praries, which would surely destroy dry fences — It is not my intention now to give any opinion upon the Indian Country — I shall defer this untill a fuller examination — in the meantime I will say, here is good land enough, for the present Indians in the United States, and none can behold the improve- ments and comforts of the Creeks Cheerokees & Choc- taws, without lamenting the mistaken policy of many of our ELLSWORTH'S NARRATIVE 61 eastern friends who oppose the emigration of the aborig- inees to this country — Politics are mixed up with the Indian question, 1 and representation [s] are made, often, on both sides for party effect — As for myself, I am far, very far, removed from all the scenes of political strife, and as my feelings become every day more & more in- terested in behalf of the Indians, my mind withdraws most willingly, from the heart burnings & reckless de- tractions of political conflict — to return to my journey — my pen will sometimes wander too far from camp, and deserves you will say to be hobbled — The country today is truely delightful — The prairies are smooth — the streams frequent, and meandering so as to present a vigorous growth of stately trees on every side — The flowers of spring have dissappeared, and left the numerous stalks covered with seeds as mementoes of vernal fragrance — But the autumnal blossoms mixed with the prairie grass never fail to attract the eye with delight, or refresh the lungs by their sweet odours — My late travelling companion, Doct O Dwyer 2 says, Eden was here, and not on the Euphrates — "Adams paradise was in these praries" ! ! M r Irving said often today, that the most splendid parks in England, did not suppass [sic] the beautiful scenery around us — and yet between, both there was 1 Many people opposed the government policy of removal, although many others, particularly in the West and South, favored the plan, "urged on by eco- nomic demand — as much by covetousness as by necessity." See J. B. Tho- burn, op. cit., I, [163]-: 64. See also Annie Heloise Abel, "The History of Events Resulting in Indian Consolidation West of the Mississippi," in Annual Report of the American Historical Association for the Tear igo6 (Washington, 1908), I, 377ff. For a general summary of the bribery practiced by the government to achieve its end as well as the "false treaty" of 1835 sce Grant Foreman, The Five Civilized Tribes (Norman, 1934), pp. 421-426. 2 For other mention of Dr. O'Dwyer see Irving's Journal, September 13, 27, 28, and October 3, 1832. 62 IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE such a striking resemblance as to recall to his mind at once the delightful rambles he had in Europe where art [46] had been lavish in her favors to enhance the beau- ties of nature l — I can say also, though my residence in Europe was short, 2 that I beheld no scenery there so truely beautiful and grand, as the rich prairies of the West — And if the prairies now, are so charming, what must they be decked with the variegated plumage of spring? In the midst of our revellings this day, through the praries, and while conversing upon the beauties of the landscape, we descried at a distance, a perfect re- semblance of an old Moorish castle in ruins — It lay on our left about 2 miles, and near the bank of the Red fork — dame nature in her pranks some way, had so arranged the rocks and stones, as to give the representation, of every part, of an citadel tumbling to ruins, and yet leav- ing all the traces of ancient magnificence — With leave of M r Irving Doct Holt named it "Irvings castle" 3 I ought perhaps to mention the woods on these parks afforded excellent varieties of fruits — the season now was too late for most of them — the persimmon — Hawes and winter grape were very abundant — Our ride was made more cheering by the fresh signs of Buffaloe — not the short grass but tracks and recent dung (resembling entirely that of our oxen & cows) assured us 1 During his first prolonged stay in Europe Irving observed landscapes in reference to American scenery. Now, after his long stay abroad, the reverse was true. 2 Ellsworth visited Europe for a few months in the spring of 1826, probably on business. Delia Ellsworth Williams to Frances Ellsworth Wood, Hartford, Con- necticut, January 5, 1826 (letter in possession of Yale University). 3 Irving lived in a Moorish castle, the Alhambra, during the spring and sum- mer of 1829. Cf. Irving, who writes {A Tour on the Prairies, p. 115): "To the southwest, on the summit of a hill, was a singular crest of broken rocks, resembling a ruined fortress. It reminded me of the ruin of some Moorish castie, crowning a height in the midst of a lonely Spanish landscape. To this hill we gave the name of Cliff Castle." ELLSWORTH' S NARRATIVE 63 we should soon meet these terrific animals Excavations in the ground, showed where they indulged in their great pastime, in wallowing — The excavations are generally about 10 feet in diameter and 12 to 20 inches deep — it is these hollows, especially when filled with water, that makes the chase, as I found it afterwards so difficult & dangerous — The trees, also, furnish their evidence and every low limb was worn by the Buffaloe, while scratching his skin, after coming out of his mud or sand bath — Our position in the front of the army afforded us an oppertunity to see much game — about noon Tonish called to us, to see the wolves killing a deer on our [47] left — 7 of these voracio[u]s fellows, had selected a deer, and run him down — We saw him fall, and several has- tened to his rescue, or rather to secure his capture — the distance was 1 }4 mile — before our rangers could reach the spot, the wolves had mangled the carcus so much as to make its possession for us, undesirable — the approach of horsemen alarmed the wolves, and they relinquish (for a short time) with great reluctance, their delicious prey — The wolves might easily have been taken by pursuit, but nobler game excluded them from our desire, and they were left to return again and enjoy their repast — We travelled 5^ hours and made 13 miles progress and encamped at 2 P M — We were not desirous of making a great days ride, as we left 10 men behind looking up lost horses — Soon after our camp was pitched (which consists in stopping our horses and building fires for cooking as we erect no tents) the absent rangers came up, with the lost animals — Both man & beast possess — a roving disposition — The horses had wandered 9 miles from our encampment and in pursuit 64 IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE of more distant novelties; when their career of curiosity, was checked by the bridl[e] l and spur — Nor do I blame the poor animals for stealing a little relaxation, where their sore backs can avoid the galling saddle, and their weary limbs rest, from the burden of a stout ranger with his plunder, half equalling his own statue [?] in weight — I doubt not considerations of this kind, urge the animals to tran[s]gress the rules of the camp, which by the way are better kept by far, by the brutes than their masters — Our excellent serv* Billet killed a few deer, which we divided with the needy — The arrangement which Capt Beans adopted to supply the army with fresh provisions (& this was their only dependance) was, to select a certain number of hunters, who were required to bring all the game killed to his tent, for division. [48] / did not feel bound by his regulations, nor dependant upon his hunters — but I always made it an invariable practice after taking, what was sufficent for our mess, to send the rest to the Capts tent, for such distribution as he thought proper — No hunters were so successful, as ours — often they killed the only game brought to the camp, and such begging for food, from the hungry you never heard — the stories of the mendicants were piteous indeed — I could not discriminate — so I sent to the Capt to select the objects of distress — It is in the woods, as in cities, where game and money are respectively plenty — some can get neither — and the beggar in both causes is such from simular causes — improvidence and laziness if trans- formd to econemy & industry, would supply both — The rations of flour, & pork issued from the garrison were exhausted except in a few instances — One old man M r Sawyer came to our camp, to beg a 1 This word is blurred. ELLSWORTH'S NARRATIVE 65 little flour, to thicken his soup, as he lost what he had reserved for this purpose, in crossing a deep creek — We gave him a little, which made his situation so much better than others, that flour charity was solicited by many, whom we thought comfortable till then, & whom we could not supply without robbing ourselves entirely — The very habits of depending upon rations makes the soldier improvident — He draws today enough to supply him till tomorrow, which day is provided for by the Govermment [sic] when it arrives — of course there is no principle of saving — all is absorbed in the consuming principle — The belly is the soldiers savings bank — He rarely commits the sin of usury, and is careful for nothing, but to make a sure deposit in his own stomach, of what he can get by fair or by foul means — Sensuality is the idol of the army — She is worshiped night & day; and in this far distant country where no sabbath marks are found but in the almanack — and no one to warn the white men of their dangers; where merchandise is trafficked alike 7 days in the week; and the regular routine of military commenced by the morning revellie & closed by the [49] evening tattoe, it is not strange that frail beings as we are, should forget obligations we felt in youthful days, when surrounded by moral examples and directed by christian counsel; and yielding, to the gradual obliteration of conscientious reproof, we become even worse than the savages — Yes it is lamentable, that for 1 000 men stationed at Fort Gibson by the Government there should be found no one who [is?] to proclaim to the soldier the temptations which beset him, the dangers which may so soon cut him off from the face of the living, and the necessity of putting on that armour, which becomes an immortal warrior — The breast plate of 66 IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE righteousness and the helmit of Salvation [?] l — Often while at the Post, I have heard the death march played and seen the solemn procession to the grave, of escorts, with reve[r]sed guns. And heard too, the salute over the grave of the departed, with none to offer religious con- solation to the afflicted or impress the providential event upon the living, save, the surgeon of the Post, who read a short service after the manner of the army, rather as.a duty assigned from superiors, than as a willing office And that the dying should have none to guide them even in their last wandering thoughts to Him, who alone can give rest — accept an apology for carrying you so far out of the way — The huntefrs] 2 at our camp designated by the Capt to supply provisions returned late, yet brought in a great number of Turkeys and Deer — M r Brailey whose name I mentioned before as having joined our mess without provisions killed two Turkeys — I mention this to his credit, for this is all that [he?] did for his share and much stands to his debit besides a board account. I will only now say, that he is a small man in size [50] and capacity, if we except his dexterity and long assiduity in eating, in which I venture to say, he [is?] not outdone, on this side of the Atlantic, and were I to wager upon voracity, I would select his merits, in prefer- ence to any others, beside my worthy English & Swiss friends. They all joined at one bowl, and as far [as] I observed their spoons, chimed a quick movement, and three parts were carried seccundem artem, as long as the cook had anything to place in the bottom to make harmony. If I have contracted a prejudice against M r B[r]ailey, it is not without cause; but I am sure he does not 1 As Ellsworth's narrative continues there emerges clearly the serious side of his character. He was practical, kindly, agreeable, religious. 2 The last two letters of this word are mutilated. ELLSWORTH' S NARRATIVE 67 suspect my feelings, for our intercourse [has] been marked [by?] great civility — I have frequently mentioned, the great appetite of some friends — dont think by this that I dislike them for that — I mention the fact as a quality rather than a defect, and in a private correspondence / may be justified in saying many things which would be uncivil or uncourteous to publish to the world. I have spoken very freely of M r Pourteles — he has a curious compound of character, brilliancy & fun mixed with frivolity and base sensuality — his age ( 1 9 nearing 20) is some apology, and his transatlantic indulgencies, may be added in charity — still his conduct cannot be justified, & he will later in life, look back upon his western follies (to say the least) with shame — I have ventured through a friend, to mention the deep mortifica- tion which may be inflicted upon his future domestic felicity (arrangement for which are making for him on his return at 2 1 ) by the appearance of red progeny, who will rise up to call him father ! I forbear to add more — Parents should be found, not among the least unwilling, to throw the veil of charity over the frailties of children, and I fear we shall be often reminded of the precept to do unto others children [as?] we would that their parents should do unto ours — [51] Having made mention so fully of M r Pourteles, I will add a word respecting M r Latrobe — When I first became acquainted with him, I knew him only as an English gentleman, nephew to the architect, 1 travelling the U States in company with M r Irving & his Swiss friend From the counsel he gave to his young friend, and the payments made in his behalf, I began to suspect, 1 Benjamin Henry Latrobe (i 762-1820) became surveyor of public buildings in Washington not long after his emigration to America in 1 796. From 181 1 to 181 5 he was interested in steamboat navigation at Pittsburgh. 68 IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE that he was a tutor or travelling mentor, to the Swiss — When I became sufficently acquainted with M r Irving, to hold confidential conversation, I made particular enquiries respecting M r Latrobe & the capacity in which he travelled — M r Irving had no positive information, but his suspicions were the same as my own — the remainder of the journey confirmed my suspicions, and such I believe to be the true character in which he travels; with this modification which M r Latrobe chooses to make in his remark to me, that as he was coming to this country on a tour of curiosity and information, the father & mother of Pourteles requested his supervisorship & assistance — From the immense estate of the Pourteles in Switzerland & Bohemia I doubt not M r Latrobe, in addition to all expenses will be handsomely compen- sated — It is the wish of the Parents that M r Latrobe should remain in this country or rather continent; for next year they go to Mexico to make their absence one year longer l — From a hint dropped one day, I infer the parents wish to have the child absent from Switzer- land to change some previous attachments, and to sow his wild oats in a foreign country — Whether the first object named will be accomplished I know not — The last I am sure will be done, unless his wild store is beyond measurement — Whether M r Latrobe deserves this character (honorable or any other) I must say he is a gentleman deserving the highest estimation — He is well informed, judicious, and moral in his example, and "draws a clear well defined line between virtue & vice" — and though he does not attempt absolutely [52] to restrain his ward, yet he is very observing as to his 1 They set sail for Mexico in January, 1834. Latrobe's account of the trip was published in 1836 under the title, The Rambler in Mexico: MDCCC XX XIV {"Lon- don, 1836). ELLSWORTH'S NARRATIVE 69 conduct, and prudently advises, when he supposes his influence can produce any effect — I have grieved for M r Latrobe' s mortification at the frowardness of his charge — To M r Irving he spoke very freely — and this was done I presume in self vindication, unless we might impute consent to what was so imprudent or inexpedient — These feelings of M r Latrobe, were particularly exhibited in the course, the young Swiss pursued respect- ing the hunting expedition — he must follow the Osage trail — he must sleep in Osage huts amidst lice and brawling brats & dirty squaws — To all this M r Latrobe was opposed, and wanted to keep with us — M r Latrobe has travelled much in Europe has read a vast deal, attended the fashionable circles and if any one taste predominates, it [is?] one which he daily gratifies among the wild seeds & flowers of these praries — I mean Botany — He always has a little bag slung to his coat button, to receive a new variety — from every kind of stalk and limb (not excepting the grasses) he makes a gathering, and the collection of months is thrown promiscuously together, to be sown in Europe — What a collection ! — who can ever name or class them? — and who shall essay the qualities? With the harmless are mixed all the poisonous plants. Such is the endless variety, that the American garden will produce much curiosity in Paris, and add essentially to what is a pride in Paris — the handsome boquet — In addition to the seeds collected here, M r Latrobe has boxed up for Paris & Switzerland a large supply of that delicious beverage Prairie tea — a drink so highly relished during our hunting trip, and never more valued by us, than when we were compelled to substitute either coffee or the India plant for our prairie weed — 70 IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE [53] I have broke my hobbles as horses often do, and wandered very far — but my thoughts being now turned upon my travelling companions, I remember your request, to know something more of M r Irving l — so I will tell you about our worthy countryman, who is not only deserving but proud of his nativity 2 — During our long journey, I have had the best opportunity to become acquainted with him — We have been always near each other by day, and never seperated but 3 times at night — Neither M r Irving or Myself liked to bundle, so we always slept seperate, whether one bed or two were allotted us in the same room — if we had but one, we divided that, and one took the floor, and the other the bedstead — and least our worthy landlady, should feel mortified at our accommodations, we always placed things in their natural order for one rumpled Couch — In his person M r Irving is very neat — he carries a great change of dresses, and says he never feels well unless he is clean — Before he sits down to write his sketches or other works, he always washes himself up nice, and with everything clean on him and around him, he says his ideas flow properly — but when he is dirty, the power of association dries up every litterary pore — He longs to get into a neat little room, where he can be by himself, and complete some of the 1 The following sketch of Irving in his fiftieth year ranks among the more important contemporary descriptions of him. Delia Ellsworth Williams quotes another of her brother's accounts of Irving in her letter of October n, 1832 (in the possession of Yale University): "H writes 'he is very companionable & is truly a social fellow — darker than I am & about as fleshy, & to appearance the last man that watches the midnight lamp — one gentleman observed to him he was disappointed in not finding him bear[ing] more the marks of a hard stu- dent — he is constantly penning down scenes which he will soon fill up as he says with fillagre work — his writings last year will bring him 8, 000 dollars — we are brothers in travelling & he appears to enjoy himself highly — expressing much gratitude to me for my attentions to him' — " 2 Irving was sensitive on this point. See The Life of Washington Irving, 11,35- ELLSWORTH' S NARRATIVE 71 numerous things now half finished l — M r Irving is very social in his disposition, and no man would bear an exile of solatary confinement, with less comfort than himself — He has visited all classes and and 2 none has improved his advantages in studying the book of nature more, than the author of the Sketch book Knickerbocker & — With the great, he feels sufficiently acquainted — He desires most to ramble among the natural actions of men — He watches every spring and looks with microscopic eye into the hidden wheels that move men along, on the common walks of life. His mode of recording events, is not to con- fide much to the memory, but to sketch in a little book every occurence [54] worthy of remembrance and espe- cially dates & facts — These he says are his foundations — he makes additional rooms when he builds his fabric and adds the rest [?] which he terms "filigree work" 3 — He is not a stranger to the strength of his fortress — He knows his weak points and his strong ones 4 — He cul- tivates imagination and gives it wings — she soars high, and (though sometimes cast into glens and among the rocks), generally glides gracefully through the air, charming in its flight the numerous eyes, that trace its progress. In private conversation he seldom takes up a "set subject" He dislikes political or polemic discussions — He dislikes to confine the mind long to any one point — He is familiar with the poets and bellettres — He has attended theatrical performances as much as any man of 1 The Alhambra had appeared in June of this year, but among Irving's notes in an unfinished state were numerous other Spanish sketches and also a biography of Mahomet. 2 Ellsworth's repetition. 3 This term William Hazlitt applied contemptuously to the writings of Irving, who may have remembered this fact in using the phrase here. See letter quoted on p. 70, note i, in which Ellsworth again uses the phrase. 4 An essential trait in Irving's character. 72 IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE his age and knows the merits of every actor — Chemistry, Botany, 1 mineralogy nor the exact sciences have ever engrossed much of his attention — He has rather floated along on the surface of life, in a light bark, than stem[m]ed the current with deeper craft — He draws a few morals in conversation and in his writings — but both are better adapted to make men happy in time, than to prepare them for eternity — On religious subjects his sentiments are termed liberal 2 — He seldom speaks on this subject, unless to condemn the strictness of puritanical folks 3 — In all his readings, he has not perused the bible as much, as I should suppose he would have done, from its sublimity and pathos, 4 if nothing more — That you may not think me incorrect in this particular I only notice the fact, of his joy at finding Pourteles had with him on our tour to the West, a French bible. He commenced it and read many pages but made a great merriment about the curious things that took place in those ancient days — and made many strange remarks about courtships & marriages & & during those old times — With myself he held no conversation on this subject — M r Irving is curteous & even kind — cheerful in submiting to those circumstances which are incident to time & place, while he generally censures defects of every kind, which can with proper exertion be remedied — Hence he [55] is sometimes impatient at privations in this western country which its present prosperous condition does not justify — 1 There is no hint that Irving's early studies in botany were of use to him on this journey or that he was able to discuss the subject with Latrobe. 2 A few years after this journey Irving began his long association with Christ Church, in Tarry town. 3 This prejudice endured. See S. T. Williams, "Washington Irving's Religion," the Tale Review, January, 1926. 4 Irving was more familiar with the Bible than Ellsworth realized. He never forgot his training in it at the hands of his father, Deacon William Irving. ELLSWORTH'S NARRATIVE 73 (And here I think him not unreasonable. A Landlord will take out license for a hotel and advertise good accom- modations — when 8 or 1 o will be crowded into one room for repose — and when all the accommodations he has, is inside of the house, and not even a privy beyond it — this a small subject yet not unnecessary to a trav- eller — ) The physiognomy of M r Irving denotes a good natured, social fellow, rather than a student and polished writer — At Cincinnati M r Flint l called to see us, and upon his introduction to M r Irving, remarked, that he was much dissappointed in his appearance — he ex- pected to see a pale faced, lean man, who had worn himself down, over the midnight lamp, instead of which, he found him, rosy faced and as plump as a partridge — M r Irving has a complexion a little darker than mine, which you know is not very light — His height is less than mine, but he is every way thicker set, and weighs I should suppose 20 lbs more than I do — His coat fits me very well & there cannot be much difference in the diameter of the body — his hair & whiskers are in color & gib [?] much like mine own — He is very particular to shave every day — and in this respect neither of us failed, while travelling together — but we were forced to perform the operation without a glass, which none took with them — it is difficult to shave without a glass at first, and experience is gained through blood, till at length a mirror becomes unnecessary — The character of M r Irving, is one somewhat unique — he posseses great charms as a writer — He even be- 1 Timothy Flint (1780- 1840), writer and missionary, who went west in 181 5 under the auspices of the Missionary Society of Connecticut. He was probably living in Cincinnati in 1832 before he traveled east to take charge of the Knicker- bocker magazine. His most important contribution to literature was A Condensed Geography and History of the Western States, or The Mississippi Valley (Cincinnati, 1828). Irving quotes from him in his Journal (undated passages at end of MS). 74 IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE witche[s] 1 the poor readers, and carries them in trans- ports along his beautiful scenery; and all who have read his writing, are impatient to seek his acquaintance. In my tour with him, I found everywhere the highest respect was shown him — everyone knew him as the author of some work that much delighted him; 2 and such were the flattering invitations he recieved, that he expressed his thankfulness, in travelling with one, [56] whose company strangers justified him in keeping, and whose duties limited his stay so as to prevent farther civilities than a call of friendship — Whenever urged to dine and spend a day, he left all to the Commissioner who "regretted on many accounts that imperious duties required him to use all reasonable dispatch" — Nor did I feign excuse, for with all my diligence, I did not reach Fort-Gibson untill 8 days after the time appointed or 1 of Oct — As we were jogging along one day conversing on personal matters, I asked M r Irving, what was his early course of studies — He gave me his biography in a few words which I will give you, being so authentic — His age is 49 — In looking back upon his past life he could not tell how he had got along — He had staggered through the world like a drunken man — In his early days he was placed at school under the tuition of M r Romeyn 3 in New York — He was a poor scholar — fond of roguery, with no disposition to bone down to study — he had a great thirst for reading voyages and travelled all over the world and became acquainted [with?] all nations — He applauded acts of daring interprise, and felt a longing to 1 The last letter of this word is blotted out. 2 In a theater in Cincinnati Irving was pointed out to the audience, to his great embarrassment, and elsewhere on the tour he was greeted as a distinguished American. See The Life of Washington Irving, II, 38. 3 Benjamin Romaine, an old soldier and New York schoolmaster. ^ - ^^ j^-iiZL c*~ **—*-4^ -*-«_*^_« ^ ^£s?si? _ ^jg^^^i ^*C/ £_ ^C ^«w^^£ «?i_^.0 -i ^ ^ ^C^^<: ^^J><^ -^ ,-rC^>^t^ ^L-> .- < — PP- 28 > 43. 17-118, 123, 138, 143, note 14. Foreman, Grant. Indian Removal; the Emigration of the Five Civilized Tribes of Indians. Norman, 1932, p. 321. Foreman, Grant. Pioneer Days in the Early Southwest. Cleveland, 1926, passim. Fowler, William Chauncey. History of Durham, Connecticut . . . Hartford, 1866, pp. 75, 120, 220. Fowler, William Chauncey. Memorials of the Chauncey s . . . Boston, 1858-180], pp. 162, 171, 347. Gall, Henry R. and Jordan, William George. One Hundred Tears of Fire Insurance, Being a History of the /Etna Insurance Company . . . Hartford, Connecticut, 1919, passim. Goodrich, S. G. Recollections of a Lifetime . . . New York and Auburn, 1857, I, 43> 524; II, [9]- 10, 534-535- Greathouse, Charles H., comp. . . . Historical Sketch of the U. S. Depart- ment of Agriculture; Its Objects and Present Organization. Washington, 1898, pp. 5, 8. SELECTED LIST OF BOOKS 151 Hartford, Conn. General Index of the Land Records of the Town of Hartford, from the Tear i6jg . . . Hartford, 1873-79, I, 11, passim. Hartford, Conn. First Church of Christ. A Brief Summary of Christian Doctrine and a Form of Covenant . . . Hartford, 1822, p. 16. Hartford, Conn. First Church of Christ. Commemorative Exercises of the First Church of Christ in Hartford, at Its Two Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary, October 11 and 12, i88j. Hartford, Conn., 1883, p. 185. Hartford Daily Courant, December 29, 1858. The Historical Magazine, III, 94-95 (March, 1859). Irving, John T., Jr. Indian Sketches, Taken during an Expedition to the Pawnee Tribes. Philadelphia, 1835, passim. Irving, Pierre M. The Life and Letters of Washington Irving. New York, 1862-64, HI, 26, 30, 33-43, 64-68, 254. Irving, Washington. The Journals of Washington Irving . . . ed. William P. Trent and George S. Hellman. Boston, 191 9, III, 101-171. Irving, Washington. A Tour on the Prairies, in The Crayon Miscellany . . . The Author's Revised Edition . . . New York, 1869. Kappler, Charles J., ed. Indian Affairs. Laws and Treaties . . . Washington, 1904-13, II, 383-391, 394~395> 400-401, 416-418. Kilbourn, Dwight C. The Bench and Bar of Litchfield County, Connecticut, iyog-igog . . . Litchfield, Conn., 1909, pp. 200, 241. Latrobe, Charles Joseph. The Rambler in North America, MDCCCXXXII- MDCCCXXXIII. New- York, 1835, I, 70-71, 96-193. Learned, Henry Barrett. The President's Cabinet . . . New Haven, Lon- don, 1912, pp. 309-312, 316, 331. Litchfield Law School, Litchfield, Conn. Catalogue of the Litchfield Law School, from ijg8 to 182J . . . Litchfield, Conn., 1828, p. 13. McCoy, Isaac. History of Baptist Indian Missions . . . Washington, New- York [etc.], 1840, pp. 454, 467. Morse, Samuel F. B. Samuel F. B. Morse, His Letters and Journals, ed. Edward Lind Morse. Boston and New York, 191 4, I, 11 2-1 13; Il,[ 69], 108-109, 189, 199-200, 217-218, 221-224, 250. The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography . . . New York, 1893- [in progress], VII, 516. National Institute for the Promotion of Science, Washington, D. C. Second Bulletin of the Proceedings of the National Institution for the Promotion of Science . . . March, 1841, to February, 1842. Washington, 1842, pp. 100- 101. National Institute for the Promotion of Science, Washington, D. C. Third Bulletin . . . February, 1842, to February, 1845 . . . Washington, 1845, passim. National Intelligencer [tri-weekly], December 18, 21, 1841. The New England Farmer, XXIII, 282 (March 5, 1845). New-York Observer, January 13, 1859. Orange J udd American Agriculturist, II, 61 (May, 1843). 152 IRVING ON THE PRAIRIE Osborne, James Insley and Gronert, Theodore Gregory. Wabash College, the First Hundred Tears, 1832-1932 . . . Crawfordsville, Indiana, 1932, p. 68. Peckham & Smith, firm, insurance agents, Lafayette, Ind. Ellsworth Land Agency. [Catalogue.] Lafayette, Ind., [i860?]. Prime, Samuel Irenaeus. The Life of Samuel F. B. Morse . . . New York, 1875, passim. Ranck, Samuel H. "Historic Name Passes," Grand Rapids Chronicle, June 21, 1929. Rhees, William Jones, ed. The Smithsonian Institution: Documents Relative to Its Origin and History. 1835-1899. Washington, 1901, I, 238-239, 1012. Stiles, Henry R. The History and Genealogies of Ancient Windsor, Connecticut . . . Hartford, Conn., 1891-92, I, 452; II, 219, 225. Swank, James M. The Department of Agriculture: Its History and Objects. Washington, 1872, pp. [3], 8-15. Thoburn, Joseph B. and Wright, Muriel H. Oklahoma, a History of the State and Its People. New York, 1929, I, 67-68, [149]—! 59. "A Tour on the Prairies" [review], The North American Review, XLI, 1-28 (July, 1835). Trumbull, J. Hammond, ed. The Memorial History of Hartford County, Con- necticut, 1633-1884. Boston, 1886, I, 128, 385, 594, 661-662. Williams, Stanley T. "Irving, Washington," in Dictionary of American Biography, New York, 1928-36, IX, 505-511. Williams, Stanley T. The Life of Washington Irving. New York, London, !935 3 n > 37-42. Wilson, Rev. J. G. The Mercies of Sanctified Afflictions: a Discourse, Delivered in the Second Presbyterian Chu[r]ch in Lafayette . . . Jan. ij, 184.J, on the Death of Mrs. Nancy G. Ellsworth . . . Lafayette, Ind., 1847. Wood, Mrs. Frances Ellsworth. [Family Letters to and from Mrs. Frances Ellsworth Wood, 1 809-1 840, manuscripts in the possession of Yale University.] Woodward, P. Henry. Insurance in Connecticut. Boston, 1897, pp. 23, 109. Woodward, P. Henry. 1 792-1 892. One Hundred Tears of the Hartford Bank . . . Hartford, Conn., 1892, p. 168. Wyman, William I. "Henry L. Ellsworth, the First Commissioner of Patents," Journal of the Patent Office Society, I, 524-529 (July, 1919). Yale University. Obituary Record of Graduates of Tale College . . . New Haven, Conn., 1870, p. 172. Yale University. Tale Endowments, a Description of the Various Gifts and Bequests Establishing Permanent University Funds . . . [New Haven], 191 7, pp. 138- J 39- Yale University. Class of 1810. An Account of the Meeting of the Class Which Graduated at Tale College in 1810, Held at New Haven, Aug. 18, 1840. New Haven, 1 840, passim. ■g Hi llllllllllllllllll I 111111 3 0112 0253* II «S 111 ■ M9_ »£>&83ll&i£ •>' ■.■■■:■'.