Part 8

Went up the East fork of the Crick about Eight miles—find the Bever Have been all taken out by Some trapers—the mountain is High and Steep and Croud Close to the Crick on both Sides We Returned to Camp Wheare Barbo and Simpson Had braught Eight more horses makeing in [all] twenty four—grass is Heare very good—the Horses Will Soon get fatt—this Evening Cloudey With thonder and a little Rain the first We Have Seen on this Side of the mountain

monday 6th may 1822

Clouday and a little Rain—the Horses all Collected the are all poor but the grass is good and the Will thrive—I purchased a bull from a Spanierd for which I gave Him my great Coat and one knife—the Beef Was Prety good it Rained a little In the Evening

tusday 7th may 1822

Cool With flying Clouds and a little Rain Battess braught taylors mule to Camp Which He Head Reported to Have been Stolen by the Indeans Potter[123] Came to Camp With Conl glanns Horse He Has Returned from Stafee—

Wensday 8th may 1822

Hard frost the Horses all presend Went down to the vilege—We Heare that the Congrass Has Convened at maxeco—and that the Indeans Have taken a great many Horses from this niborhood and killed Some Cattle

thorsday 9th may 1822

Hard frost In the morning and Rained a little In the Evening

friday 10th may 1822

Cool With flying Clouds and High Wind—our Horses all present

Satterday 11th may 1822

Some flying Clouds and warm In the evening

Sunday 12th may 1822

Cloudey With flying Clouds—the trees giting green the Cotten Wood leaves Half gron [grown]—the People not yet don Sowing Wheat

monday 13th may 1822

flying Clouds and High Winds Continues Cloudey With lightning threw the night

tusday 14th may 1822

Clouday and Rain threw the day

Wensday 15th may 1822

the Snow from 4 to 5 Inches deep—Clers up about 10 oclock and Warm the Snow disappers in the vallys but Hangs on in the mountains

thorsday 16th may 1822

Some frost In the morning but Warm after Sun Rise

friday 17th may 1822

flying Clouds and High Winds—

Satterday 18th may 1822

flying Clouds and High Wind

Sunday 19th may 1822

Cloudey and Warm for the Season

monday 20th may 1822

High Winds and Clouds—

tusday 21st may 1822

Clouday and Cool in the morning—High Winds about 12 oclock and Continu till Sundown—

Wensday 22nd may 1822

Clouday and Winday—

thorsday 23rd may 1822

Cloudey With thonder like for Rain—Clears off In the after noon With High Wind

friday 24th may 1822

flying Clouds and High Wind

Satterday 25th may 1822

the Wolves maid an atackt on our Horses the Wounded one Hors and two mules We Have maid a Strong Pen Close to Camp and Still Shut up all the Horses at night While We Remain at this place—to protect them from the Wolfes—

Sunday 26th may 1822

Clouday and Warm all day—

monday 27th 1822

Clouday With High Winds and thonder Several thonder gust With a little Rain in the night—

tusday 28th may 1822

Cool With High Winds and flying Clouds—Snow Storms In the Evening—but light—

Wensday 29th may 1822

Cool With flying Clouds We are now makeing Some araingements for our Jurney over the mountains Some few days back Robert Fowler killed two young White Bares and braught them to Camp

thorsday 30th may 1822

Road down to the vilege all Hands prepairing to Set out on the first day of June for the United States—Clouday With thonder in the Evening—Some Rain in the night—the Snow Still Continu on the High mountains—

Friday 31st may 1822

Cool With flying Clouds and High Winds—the Horses all Collected and Sent to the vilege Except those for Robert my Self and pall—We Will go down In the morning—

Satterday 1st June 1822

Clear With White frost We Set out Early to Join the party at the vilege Wheare We found all Ready to Start—all So James and mcnights party from Stafee Had Joined ours and all moved on together[124] East four miles to the mountain—and there took up a Crick[125] north 75 East aleven miles to the forks of the Crick Wheare We Camped for the night fine grass for the Horses—the timber on the mountains Heare is Pitch Pine Spruce Pine Hemlock and quakenasp the latter of Which there are vast quantityes. In the bottoms along the Cricks Cotten Wood Black alder and Willows With the Chock Cherry Black Curren [currant] goosbery and Wild Rose on the Hill Sides are Some Small White oak Brush from one to fifteen feet High and I Have Seen Some large Enof for a Hand-spike Every thing of the shrub or tree [kinds] that Bair frute is now In full Blume—the Choack Cherry is on[e] of the Handsomest Bushes I Have Seen and is now In full Blume—

Satterday 2nd June 1822

Hard frost our Horses much Scattered this morning and it Was late When We Set out up the left Hand fork of the [Ferdinand] Crick

the Hills Close In on both Sides and at about four miles We arive at the top of the mountain[126] and Crossing over and down a small drean [drain] about two miles to an oppen valley about two miles Wide Which We Crossed nearly [at] Right angles pasing a Small Branch[127] about the midle of the vally Which Runs north a little West from this We Went up a small Branch betwen High mountains five miles to the top of the great mountain In low gap High Peeks on both Sides of us We pased Into a large plain a little Roleing With Some groves of trees—and Crossed Several fine Streems of Watter—and all tho We are on a mountain—the grass Is tall and to all apperence ther Has ben Sesnable Rains Heare as the old as Well as young grass is tall and I think from Every apperence this Plain Wold make a good settlement for farmers. and tho We are on a High mountain We are not one third of the Hight of the mountain tops We pased threw this plain about twelve miles the Watters Run Into grand Pirarie and make part of the Kenadean [Canadian] forke of the arkensaw—after pasing this Plain We Began to desend the mountain Which is now Well Covered With timber that is Pine Spruce and quakenasp Pasing down the mountain We found the Rocks very troblesom amongest Which We See a great many Indean graves. or large Piles of loos [s]tone throne up In Heapes—about dark We got to the fut of the mountain and about one mile farther Camped on a Crick of Bold Runing Watter and find our Selves once more In the grand Pirarie of the arkensaw Cors this day N 80 East 25 miles[128]—Robert Fowler killed two deer In the mountain

monday 3rd June 1822

Set out Early and at about Seven miles pased the Head of a Small Crick but no Watter there Is no appeerence of Rain Hear for a long time—the ground is as dry as dust the grass not began to Sprout and Every thing look like the dead of Winter—and Still more So When We turn our Eye to the top of the mountain and see the Snow Which Is Still In Sight—at twelve miles We Crosed a bold Streem[129] of Watter 30 feet Wide it Cors South East—and at Eight miles farther We Camped on the bank of deep Crick[130] about 20 feet Wide Runs South—on the low bottoms of this Crick the grass begins to gro a little Heare Is much sign of Bever—Corse North 45 East 20 miles

tusday 4th June 1822

We Set out Early leaveing the mountain on our left tho Some of the Spurs pass in frunt of us and Exstend Some distance to our Right those Spurs We Have to Cross—and the appeer Some distance a Head at twelve miles Stoped for dinner on a branch[131] 20 feet Wide Runs South much Sign of Bever—In the Evening We Went up the Crick Eight miles and Camped[132] Ward killed one Cabery our Corse this [day] North 45 E 18 [_sic_] miles

Wensday 5th June 1822

We Went up the Crick 10 miles and Stoped for dinner In the afternoon We Went up the Crick 3 miles and Camped at a large Spring the Spanierd tells us that If We go from this We Will Have no Watter to night Robert Fowler killed two deer and Ward one—James & mcnight party kill one deer Heare the men geathered Some Wild Ineons [onions]—

the grass is a little better than Wheare We first Came Into the Pirarie Cors No 50 East 13 miles[133]

thorsday 6th June 1822

Set out Early up the Spur of the mountain and at about one mile We arived on a High Beed of table land about Eight miles Wide this land[134] is leavel and Rich the grass about nee High and Has all the appeerence of Haveing Had Seasnable Rains While in the low grounds on both Sides the ground is as dry as dust We pased on this High land one fine Spring of Watter We Seen two Buffelow and Some Caberey—

We Hear for the first time Seen the long Billed Bird[135] it is about the Size of a fesent and the Same Collor the legs and neck about like our Common dung Hill fowls—the Bill about one foot in length and about one Inch In deameter at the Head and Smaller at the point—We Crosed this plind [plain] and down the mountain to a branch of the White Bair Crick[136] Heare is good Watter and plenty of Wood—We Stoped for dinner—after Which We move on about 10 miles farther and Camped on the Same Branch[137] a buffelow Was killed and braught Into Camp We now leave the main mountain at a great distance on our left and the Spur to the Right Corse Nᵒ 20 East fifteen miles [19 by above text].

friday 7th June 1822

Set out Early and Steered for the point of the Spur of the mountain to our Right—at about 16 miles Stoped for dinner on a Crick Haveing one Hole of Watter—the Ballence being [dry] for some distance after dinner We proceded on leaveing the Spur of the mountain on the Right—and then Steered for a Small mountain Standing By its Self and leaveing it on our Right fel on the Head of a Branch that Was dry We Went down that about five miles and found Watter In the night Some of the party did not Come up till next morning—

the Pirarie over Which We pased to day is a little Roleing but So dry for the Want of Rain that grass is not more than one Inch and a Half long in any place

Cors this day north 55 East 30 miles five miles Was in the night—[138]

Satterday 8th June 1822

We did not Set out till late Waiting for the three men that lay out—the arived about Eight oclock We then Set out and maid twenty miles—and Camped at a Small Hole of Watter that you Cold Smell 50 yds When Stired—for all the anemels for many miles Round Come there to drink—We Have no Wood and Burn the Buffelow dung to Cook We are now In the oppen World not a tree Bush or Hill of any kind to be Seen for When you take the Eye of [off] the ground you See nothing but the Blue Horeson Cors this day north 60 East 17 [_sic_] miles[139] Ward and McKnight killed one Buffelow Bull—

Sunday 9th June 1822

Set out Early over the leavel Smoth Pirarie We Soon See a mound a Head in the Pirarie for Which We Steered it bore north 30 East—We Crossed Several Watter Corses all makeing South East but all dry We Stoped for dinner at a Small mud Hole Whear We maid fire of the Buffelow dung and cooked our dinner We then moved on and Camped on a Crick[140] of Clear Watter Whear there Was Wood and good grass for the Horses—the Buffelow killed this day Was two Poor for use and not Buchered the grass is Heare Better and there is sign of there Haveing been Some Rain Heare lately—

Cors north 30 East 25 miles

monday 10th June 1822

Set out Early and at three miles pased the mound[141] it Stands on the north Side of the Crick and about two miles from it I Went to the top of it Which Has two Heads about 70 yds apart Standing north and South of Each other and is about two Hundred feet High and about 300 threw the Baces the tops or Heads Consist mostly of Rocks Pilled By nature on Each other But Has been Some What Improved by the Indeans to make it aplace of defence as Well as place of look out—the Spanish name of the mound tewenna—from Heare We See another Branch[142] on our left and a Cross the main Crick another to the South all makeing a north East Corse—We Continu on twelve miles and Stoped for dinner on the left Hand forke and at Eight miles further Camped[143] on the main Crick a little above the forkes the Chanel is Heare about 60 yds Wide and We Have to dig Holes In the Sand to get Watter there being none above ground—Eaight Buffelow Was killed this day—our Corse Nᵒ 55 East 20 miles

tusday 11th June 1822

Set out Early Crosing the Crick and leaveing it on our left Hand Steered north 55 East at fifteen miles We See the valley of the arkensaw and on looking [back] We Can See the mound in full vew—at twenty miles stoped for diner on the arkensaw[144]—at an Island Covered With timber and some trees on the South Side of the River there Is Sevral Islands Heare Some Covered With Willow about one mile below the Island there is an old large Cotten Wood tree Stands on a point of High land—Cheefly Composed of gravel our Corse north 55 East 20 miles

11th June [continued.]

after dinner We proceded down the River ten miles and Camped[145] on the Bank In a grove of trees opeset an Island—the Sand Hills lay South of Camp With Some Cotten Wood trees on them—We pased the Camp Wheare We Slept on the fourth of november [1821] about one mile below Wheare We Struck the River to day—

Wensday 12th June 1822

We Set out at the ushal time down the River and pasing the Camp at the Bever Sign Where We lay on the 3rd of november last Continu to the Point of Rocks and Hoop Wood trees—Wheare a party of Indeans appeered on Hors back on the opeset Side of the River—We Hailed them the answered but Wold not Come a Cross—We then Camped for the night—the Indeans moved off and Soon after a party of White men appeered on the Same Side one of them Came over to our Camp this Was Conl Cooppers[47] party from Boons lick[146] on their Way to the Spanish Settlement With Some goods and Some traps to take Bever

thorsday 13th June 1822

Set out Early pasing the french Camp at five miles and Stoped for dinner at the Island Wheare We lodged on the 30th of october last then moved down the River about ten miles Camped on an Island makeing 30 miles—

Friday 14th June 1822

moved on Early and Pased our Camp of the 29th octobr last—and all So pased the Camp of the 28th and Camped opeset to an Island Wheare We Sent the Horses for the night—this day James and party left us and Commenced Crossing the River about 12 oclock takeing three of our Party With them—that Was duglas Priar and [illegible[147]]—maid 25 miles

Satterday 15th June 1822

moved at Sun Rise down the River fifteen miles and Comenced Crossing for Which purpose We used the green Hide of a buffelow Bull by Way of a boat—Heare are Some thousands of Buffelow to be Seen at one vew—I beleve We Have not been out of Sight of Buffelow Since We Came to the River Except in the night and When darke So that the Hunters Have Killed When the plased—We got on the north Side of the River and While We Ware Sadling up the Horses James and party pased us. it may be Remarked Heare that the River Was little more than Belly deep to the Horses. But for feer of the quick Sand it Was thaught best take all the Bagage over In the Boat and Send the Horses over Enty [empty] Waiding the River our Selves and drag the boat Wheare the Watter at times Was not more than Six Inches deep—as Soon as We Ware Readey We moved on Six miles pasing findleys Island[148] and Camped about Half a mile below James and party—

Sunday 16th June 1822

James and Party pased us Early down the River We Steered a little north of East to Cut off a bend of the River[149] makeing 25 miles and lay In Sight of the timber on the River large droves of Buffelow all day In Sight duglas and Prior Join us to day

monday 17th June 1822

moved on Early maid 25 miles and camped on the West Side of Buffelow [Coon] Creek at the Same place Wheare We Camped on the We Camped on the 21st of octobr last—James and Party Camp Close to us—Heare We Sopose We Cold See at one time ten thousand Buffelow

tusday 18th June 1822

We Comenced Crossing the Crick Early it being about mid Side deep to the Horses and the Banks Steep and mudey the men Waided and Carryed over all the Packs and then led or drove the Horses a Cross—We then moved on about Eight miles and meet With Some Pawne Indeans—With Home [whom] We Camped—there Was With them one of the Ietan Cheefs Who Stated that He Was lately from Was[h]ington Cetey—In the Corse of the Evening the Indeans Collected to the nomber of from four to five Hunderd—it is Hear proper to mention that Capt James Had two Spanierds With Him and that Conl glann Head two all So—but the last two Ware dresed like our Selves—but James Spanierds Wore their own Clothing and Ware Challenged by the Indeans as their Enemeys—a Councel Was Held Which lasted about two Hours the Inquirey Was Whether these men Ware Spanierds if so the must be killed as Ietan Cheef Insisted the Ware Spanierds and must be killed but the Pawne Cheef Refused to Have them killed till He new the Ware Spanierds the two men Ware Sot In the midle of the Councel and there Interageted but maid no answer leting on that the did not no What Was Said to them—to Which the had ben advised before they Ware takeing In to the Councel most of those Indeans understand the Spanish language but Cold not git one Word from the men the then asked Mr Roy the Inturpurter If those men Ware not Spanierds He told the Indeans He did not kno Who the Ware that He Cold not Speeke their langage to Which the Ietan Cheef Replyed you do not kno thim you kno How to gave them Horses and Can tell them How to Ride and yet you Can not Spapke to them Which is a little Strange How do you git them to Eat or Whare did you git them We See them Ride on your Horses—to Which mr Roy answers as followes—for it is Hear now be Com nesceery to fib a little—that about two days back We met a party of White men going up the River and that those men Ware With them that the Ware from St lewis and Wanted to go back and Had Come this far With us that We Head Some Spare Horses and that the Had got on and Road—the Pawne Cheef then Said that Some four or five years back He Had Seen Some English men and french men together and the Cold not talk to Each other that maybe those Ware English men—to Which Mr Roy answered that He Cold not talk English and did not kno these men—and So the Councel Ended the two Spanierds Pased for English men tho the Ware nearly as Black as pall—but at all Events the Ware Blacker than the Indeans them Selves—

We are now on the Crick noted on the 20th of october last [Pawnee fork.]—We Remained Heare all night but In the Evening the Indeans [s]tole all the neck Roaps of our Horses—We then took the lash Roaps and tyed up the Horses the Pawne Cheef Slept In our Camp—and after Some presents of knives from Conl glann and Hors from Capt James We Head lev to proced as Soon as We pleased In the morning—

Wensday 19th June 1822

We Set out Early the Indeans appeer frendly—We moved on about five miles and looking behind We See the Indeans Runing after us—and all tho We drove the Horses In a trot the Will overtake us In a few minets—We Conclude it best to Stop and let them Come up Which Was done—We Stood prepaired for Battle But Will Receve them frendly if We Can—now the Inturpreter prepaired a pipe and offered them a Smoke as the Came up Which the all axcepted of and looking amongest [us] asked Wheare the two men Ware Which the Soposed to be Spanierds and Ware Shone them—the then Went and Shook Hands With us all pointed us the Road Which We took and the Indeans Went Back the Ware fourteen In nomber—We then pushed on to the Pawne River[150] Wheare Crossed and Stoped for dinner Heare is large Hords of Buffelow one Cow Was Killed and braught In to Camp—We moved on In the afternoon and Went nineteen miles makeing 39 miles and Camped[151] on the River Bank the[n] We traveled Some time In the night for feer the Indeans Will follow and steel our Horses—James and His party did not Come up—

thorsday 20th June 1822

We Set out Early and Steered north 60 East Intending to go Close to the South Side of the Sand Hills as We Cannot travel threw them We Ware detained about two Hours By a Storm of Hail and Rain after Which We Went to a Crick[152] Wheare We found Some drift Wood and Camped for the night makeing 20 miles Nᵒ 60 East James and party Bore off to the Right down the River—

Friday 21st June 1822

Sot out late Some of our Horses Had gon a great distance from Camp—We Pased Close to the Sand Hills pasing several fine Springs Runing out of them to the South and In the Evening Camped on the little arkensaw—We Seen James and partey this day at a great distance to our Right makeing down the [Arkansaw] River the Cuntry threw Which We pased this day is leavel and Rich the grass tall and Has all the appeerence of Seasnable Rains. We Have In our openion layed down the Pawne River [= Walnut cr.] as the line betwen the Wet and dry Weather or the long and Short grass—

maid 30 miles north [_read_ south] 60 East[153]

Satterday 22nd June 1822

We Set out Early Crossing Several Branches[154] all Running to the Right We Camped on a Branch of White River[155] about 20 feet Wide With High Banks—the Pirarie this day is leavel and Rich the land Black mixed With lime Stone—the grass So tall that In [it] is Hard on the Horses to Brake it down—no more Buffelow to be Seen I beleve We Have left them all be Hind and Will be Hard Run for meat—

maid 20 miles South 65 East

Sunday 23rd June 1822

Rained Hard last night—

We Sot out about 9 oclock Crosing three Branches[156] Runing to the South all Well timbered Rich lime Stone land a little Roleing. We Camped on the third Branch—no game—

Maid 20 miles Nᵒ 80 East

Rained all night—

monday 24 June 1822

We Sot out Early and it Soon began to Rain We maid Six miles Crossing two Branches[157] and Camped on the Second Which is Well timbered With Walnut Buckiey Hickory oak and Elm. the land of the Richest kind—lime Stone In all Banks but the leave [level] land Clar of Stone—

6 miles north 65 East

Rained all night

tusday 25th June 1822

Set out about 10 oclock up the Branch and out at the Head of it and over a low deviding Ridge and fell on the Head Watters of the virdegree.[158] the land is more Roleing the Hills Higher but Rich We Camped on a Branch Runing nearly West With Some timber Peno killed one deer

maid 15 miles no 50 East

Wensday 26th June 1822

We Sot out Early pasing over a Rich Roleing Pirarie to a Crick[159] With Some timber—taylor killed two deer—We maid 8 miles no 15 East It Rains Heavely—

thorsday 27th June 1822

Set out Early Crossing five Cricks[160] all Runing South East Some timber on all of them one twenty yds Wide the Cuntry as ushal Rich and Roleing—Robert Fowler and Ward Each killed one deer—

maid 15 miles N 25 East

Friday 28th June 1822

Set out Early Crossing a Crick at Six miles Runing South and at 12 miles Cam to grand River or the Six Bull [the Neosho,[161] running] South East Went up it about one mile Crossed over and Camped on a Crick near the mouth this Crick Puts In on the north Side Heare Is one of the Best trakes [tracts] of land for a settlement I Have Seen the land is Rich and leavel Plenty of timber on the Crick as Well as all a long the River—taylor killed one Elk—Which Was Braught to Camp We maid 12 miles no 40 East

Satterday 29th June 1822

Set out Early and at ten miles Crosed a Crick[162] 50 yds Wide part of the Racuon fork of the osage River the Corse South East—at 14 miles Crosed a Branch of the Same Crick—and at 22 miles Camped Without Wood—Had no fier—the first 10 miles N 15 E the last 12 miles N 65 E the Bottoms Has Some timber the land all Rich Rained Heavily all night With thonder and lightning—

22 miles the first 10 N 15 E then 12 N 65 E

Sunday 30th June 1822

last night’s Rain Wett all our Bagage as Well as the bever furr the morning Clear We dry all our things and move on about 10 oclock—at 10 miles Crossed a Crick[163] and at Sixteen miles Crosed the osage River[164] Wheare We left one Hors He Coud not Rais up the Bank Which Was High and mudey—We moved out of the timber and Slept on a High point to avoid the musketoes Ward killed one young Elk We Have Seen many Elk In the two last days Rained Heavily all night

maid 16 miles N 65 E

monday 1st July 1822