Part 9

the last night Raised the Cricks So that We Have to leave the Waggon [road] We fell into two days back Which Road Was maid by Becknal and His party on their Way to the Spanish Settlement—We Hear took up a low Ridge betwen the Branches and over a low Ridge Eight miles to a large Crick[165] So Raised With the last night Rain that the loads on the Horses Will git Wett If We drive them threw But the men Waid over and Carry the Pack on their Heads—the Watter Swims the Horses—Heare is a large Bodey of timber along this Crick and land of the Best qualety for the Hole Cuntry is fit for Cultevation We Went Six miles In the Evening Crossing two Crick[166] all the Watters Runs South East maid 14 miles N 20 E the timber Increses as We aproch the mesurey [Missouri]

tusday 2nd July 1822

a Heavey thonder Storm Came on in the night and Rained Hard till Sun Rise We then Sot out and Crosing Several Small Branches[167] much Raised With last nights Rain maid five miles and Stoped to dry our Bagage—Heare Some Hunters Sot out to kitt meet [kill meat] Robert Fowler and Taylor Set out In frunt to meet at the Crick a Head of Which We Cold See the timber—We Sot out In the Evening—the gide Chaing His Corse did not meet the Hunters We maid 12 miles and Slept on the devideing Ridge[168] betwen the oasage [Osage] and Kensa or Caw [Kansas] Rivers—the Hunters did not Come In—We See on our left Hand a large Bodey of timber Soposed to be on the Caw River the Pirarie is a little Roleing and of the Richest kind of lime Stone land We maid 17 miles N 75 East

thorsday [Wednesday] 3rd July 1822

We Sot out Early and like a Ship With out a Rudder We Steerd from South East to north East—I Sopose the gide Was lost or did not as He Had toled us kno Wheare He Was—In this [way] We maid twelve miles and Stoped for noon for We Have not much to Eat tho We See many deer and Some Elk—the two Hunters not Come up yet—We moved on In the Evening and Soon fell on the Waggon Road We had left at the osage River this We followed ten miles and Camped on a Crick[169] Runing north West—and We Sopose to the Caw River—Ward killed a fatt Elk this Evening the Hunters not up—

We maid 22 miles N 30 East

Rich leavel land—

thorsday 4th July 1822

We Set out Early to follow the Waggon Road but Heare the Pirarie Has Been Burned In the Spring and the grass So gron up So that We Cannot find it—and after Winding about for about two Hours Steered N 45 East Six miles and fell on a Road Runing nearly East and West—along Which We took [to] the East Eand Wheare We found the Waggon tracks—a large Bodey of timber on our left and is Shorly the mesurey or the Caw River and at about Six miles Stoped for dinner—While Heare the lost men Came up the Ware much Woren down there feet Sore and mogersons Woren out—We Went ten miles In the Evening along the Road Crossing one Crick[170] Which Runs north—

the large Bodey of timber Still Continus on our left

the general Corse of this Road is north Eighty East—

Friday 5th July 1822

Sot out Early and at five miles Crossing a large Crick[171] 50 yds Wide Runs north the Bottoms and Hill Sides are Well Covered With timber—We Heare Went up a High Steep Hill over Some Rocks and Continu over High Roleing ground partly Covered With timber and Brush for about four miles then six miles over Roling Pirarie to a Crick[172] Wheare We Stoped for dinner there Is plenty of timber Heare and the gide tells us that He now knos Wheare We are and that it is about ten miles to fort osage We Sot out In the Evening and at three miles Came to a deep Crick[173] Wheare the men Had to Carry the Bagage all over on their Heads and drove the Horses threw—the Watter Was So deep that it Was over the mens Sholders and none but the tall ones Cold Carry the Packs—We then Set out for the fort[174] Wheare We arived about ten oClock at night but our Company Was much Scattered Haveing Sent mr Roy and Battes forward from the Crick to prepair Supper at the fort fore the Party—on our arivel We Called for them but the Ware not to be found nor Cold We find any purson for Some time but a negro man—and thonder gust Comeing—He Shewed [us] In to mr Sibleys Porch Wheare We Spent the Ballence of the night—

Satterday 6th July 1822

Early In the morning We found mr Boggs the asistant Factor Who Shewed us Into an Enty [empty] House In the garison—to Which We moved our Bagage. Exspecting to Remain there till Some provetions Cold be Precured—

the garreson at this time Was Commanded by one officer of the united States armey—Haveing two men under His Command Both of them Haveing disarted a few days ago and Carryed off all His amenetion—now It appeers that mr Boggs Had not advised Him of our Removel Into the garreson nor did We Sopose from the Shattered Setuation of Every thing We See—that any Command of men or officer Was there But Whin He looked up In the morning and Seeing our men and Bagage He Said to mr Boggs that He did not like to See the gareson taken In that kind of Stile—but on Receeving that Information from mr Boggs and the officer not Calling on us We that [thought] Proper not to be longer In His Way and moved about two Hunderd yds to a Spring and Camped Wheare after Some Diffequalty We Precured Some Previtions

It may Heare Be Remarked that. We Ware treeted Heare With more Coolness than amongest any Indeans or Spanierds We meet With But We feel greatful to mr Boggs for His Polightness—He in the morning Precure for us a Small Beef—and mr Sibley Sent us Some flour and Bacon—Which With Corn meel and Bacon We Purchased from one of the Citisons We maid out Prete Well—for two days to Rest and Purchased two Conus [canoes] With a platform and Shiped all our Baggage With our Selves leaveing four men to Bring on the Enty Horses to Cortsand Ca [?]—and We proceded to St lewis—Wheare I Remained two days and then took a pasage In the Steem Boat Calhoon to lewisvill and from that In a Small Steem Boat to Cincinati—and got Home[175] on the 27th day of July 1822—haveing [been] gon thirteen months and thirteen days

FOOTNOTES

[1] Present name of the town which has grown up on the site of the original military post, in Sebastian Co., Ark., about 5 m. S. W. of Van Buren, on the right bank of the Arkansaw river, at the mouth of Poteau river, immediately on the W. border of the State, where the river passes from the Indian Territory into Arkansas; lat. 35° 22´ N., long. 94° 28´ W.; pop. in 1890, 11,311. The original name of the then important frontier locality was Belle Pointe. “The site of Fort Smith was selected by Major Long, in the fall of 1817, and called Belle Point in allusion to its peculiar beauty. It occupies an elevated point of land, immediately below the junction of the Arkansa and the Poteau, a small tributary from the southwest. Agreeably to the orders of General Smith, then commanding the 9th military department, a plan of the proposed work was submitted to Major Bradford, at that time, and since commandant at the post, under whose superintendence the works have been in part completed” in Sept., 1820: Long’s Exp. ii, 1823, p. 260, where description of the place follows.

From this starting-point our author proceeds on the direct road to the Neosho river, vicinity of present Fort Gibson, Ind. Terr.

[2] The common cane, _Arundinaria macrosperma_, which forms extensive brakes.

[3] Tahlequah or Talequah, one of several small tributaries of the Arkansaw from the N., below the Illinois river; on which latter is the town of Tahlequah, capital of the Cherokee Nation, Indian Terr., about 45 m. N. W. of Fort Smith.

[4] Illinois river, the largest tributary of the Arkansaw from the N. between Fort Smith and Fort Gibson: see Pike, ed. of 1895, p. 558, and add: “The Illinois is called by the Osages, Eng-wah-con-dah or Medicine-stone creek,” Long, ii, 1823, p. 255. Fowler crosses the Illinois some 6 or 8 m. from its confluence with the Arkansaw.

[5] Bean’s or Bean and Saunders’ salt works were begun in the spring of 1820 about a mile up a small creek which flows into the Illinois at or near the place where Fowler crosses the latter, some 6 m. from the Arkansaw; description in Long, ii, 1823, p. 254.

[6] The Neosho, for which see Pike, ed. of 1895, pp. 395, 397-401, etc. “The _Neosho_, or _Grand_ river, better known to the hunters by the singular designation of the _Six Bulls_,” Long, ii, 1823, p. 253. This is a name which I missed in editing Pike. On the left bank of the Neosho, near its mouth, is Fort Gibson, which was not in existence in 1821.

[7] The Verdigris, Vermilion, Wasetihoge, or Wassuja river, for which see Pike, ed. of 1895, p. 400 and p. 555. Its confluence with the Arkansaw is about the distance said in the text above that of the Neosho. For a few miles from its mouth it forms a part of the boundary between the Cherokee and Creek Nations, and is then crossed by the Mo., Kas. and Tex. R. R., Gibson Station being about 7 m. N. W. of Fort Gibson. Fowler will proceed approximately up the Verdigris for a long distance before turning more westward to reach the Arkansaw again.

[8] Hugh Glenn or Glen, whom Fowler calls “Glann,” is readily identified as a well-known Indian trader of those days. “A party of men accompanying Mr. Hugh Glen on his way from Fort Smith, to the trading house at the mouth of the Verdigris,” Long’s Exp. 11, 1823, p. 171, with other remarks on p. 172: “5th [Sept., 1820]. At ten o’clock we arrived at Mr. Glen’s trading house near the Verdigris, about a mile above its confluence with the Arkansa. We were hospitably received by the interpreter, a Frenchman, who informed us that Mr. Glen was absent on a visit to Belle Point,” _ibid._, p. 251. As we next discover, “Conl. Glann” commanded our present expedition.

[9] From the above defective list of 20 persons, taken in connection with information regarding their names to be found further on in the book, we arrive at the following approximately correct roster of the party:

1. Colonel HUGH GLENN, in command. 2. Major JACOB FOWLER, the journalist, second in command. 3. ROBERT FOWLER, brother of Jacob Fowler. 4. BAPTISTE ROY, interpreter. 5. BAPTISTE PENO (French name, no doubt misspelled). 6. GEORGE DOUGLAS. 7. NATHANIEL PRYOR, ex-Sergeant of Lewis and Clark’s Expedition. 8. —— BONO (French name, no doubt misspelled, possibly Bonhomme). 9. —— BARBO (French name, no doubt misspelled, possibly Barbu). 10. LEWIS DAWSON (Fatally injured by a bear, Nov 13, 1821, died Nov 16). 11. —— TAYLOR. 12. RICHARD WALTERS. 13. ELI WARD. 14. JESSE VAN BIBER. 15. —— SLOVER. 16. —— SIMPSON. 17. DUDLEY MAXWELL. 18. —— FINDLEY. 19. BAPTISTE MORAN. 20. PAUL, a negro belonging to Jacob Fowler.

The most interesting of the above names is that of Nathaniel Pryor, of whose identity with the sergeant of Lewis and Clark I have no doubt: see L. and C., ed. of 1893, p. 254, delete the query there, and add: Nathaniel Pryor of Kentucky became an Ensign of the U. S. Army Feb 27, 1807, Second Lieutenant May 3, 1808, resigned April 1, 1810, was appointed First Lieutenant of the 44th Inf. Aug 30, 1813, promoted to be Captain Oct 1, 1814, and honorably discharged June 15, 1815. See also my article, “Letters of William Clark and Nathaniel Pryor,” in Annals of Iowa, 3d ser., Vol I, No. 8, Jan., 1895, pp. 613-620, for an account of Ensign Pryor’s disastrous attempt to convey the Mandan chief Shahaka from St. Louis, Mo., to the Mandan villages on the Missouri.

[10] Indian missionaries, several of whose establishments have been located in this vicinity.

[11] Approximately up the Verdigris, as already indicated. The road taken is marked on several maps I have examined. For the Osage village in mention, see Pike, ed. of 1893, p. 557. This “Arkansaw band” of Osages consisted of those called “Osages of the Oaks,” in Long, ii, p. 251. Their most influential man then, as in Pike’s time, was Clermont, surnamed the “Builder of Towns,” and I suppose that the village now called Claremore, among the Blue Mounds on the Verdigris, in the Cherokee country, was named for him. In 1820 some of Long’s party were assured “that Clermont had then four wives, and thirty-seven children! a number ... which may probably be attributed to this chief by mistake,” as the narrative sagely adds. Clermont’s band are also called “Chaneers,” _ibid._, p. 244, on the authority of Dr. Sibley.

[12] These are the Blue Mounds mentioned in the last note. The several “cricks,” which Fowler has spoken of crossing, are inconsiderable tributaries of the Verdigris flowing southerly, as those called Big, Otter, Dog, etc.

[13] The Verdigris has been crossed from E. to W. a very few miles above the confluence therewith of the Little Verdigris or Caney river, which is now on Fowler’s left as he follows it up approximately, but at some distance therefrom, on a general course about N. W. Of the series of its small tributaries, running to his left, the one on which he camps is perhaps Five Mile creek, or the next beyond that.

[14] The smaller one of the main two forks of the Verdigris, running on a general S. E. course from Kansas through the N. E. corner of Oklahoma into the Cherokee country, and joining the Verdigris in the vicinity of the Blue Mounds. Fowler continues up the Little Verdigris.

[15] Some obscure tributary of the Little Verdigris, up which river Fowler has come to a point probably not determinable from his itinerary. On crossing the meridian of 96° W. he passed from the Indian Territory into Oklahoma, and is now in the N. W. corner of the latter, in the Osage Reservation, not far from the S. border of Kansas. Hence he will take a general westerly course, through the Osage country, nearly parallel with the Kansas border and Cherokee strip, to the Arkansaw river. I find myself unable to trace this traverse satisfactorily, as neither the courses nor the distances given can be relied upon. I am inclined to think Fowler sometimes reverses the courses of streams—_i.e._, gives them as they bear from himself, not as they flow. At any rate I cannot identify the several streams he mentions Oct. 3-5. I suppose that, after finishing with the watershed of the Little Verdigris, he crosses some heads of Buck (formerly Suicide) creek, and then Beaver and Little Beaver creeks, whose united streams enter the Arkansaw at the Kaw Agency.

[16] Cabree or cabri—the American antelope, _Antilocapra americana_.

[17] _Read_ Bad Saline. But this is a mistake; the Saline or Salt fork of the Arkansaw is far from here, on the other side of the main river. Qu: is the supposed “Bad Salean” a headwater of Buck creek?

[18] Four questionable streams passed to-day; I suppose them to be the Beaver creek and its tributaries already mentioned, as Fowler must cross these to strike the Arkansaw at the only point which renders intelligible his itinerary up this river to the Little Arkansaw at Wichita, Kas., as given beyond. Fowler appears to be camped on Little Beaver creek, above its junction with Beaver creek; if so, he is in the Kansas Indian Reservation, a few miles N. of present Kaw Agency.

[19] At a point somewhere within the present Kansas Indian Reservation, in Oklahoma, perhaps not far from opposite the mouth of Chilocco or Chilocky creek, a little S. of the Cherokee strip.

[20] Apparently the stream now known as Grouse creek, which traverses Cowley Co., Kas., on a general S. S. W. course, to fall into the Arkansaw in the Cherokee strip, between Kansas and Oklahoma.

[21] White or Whitewater is a former name of that stream which is now known as Walnut creek, and on which is situated Winfield, seat of Cowley Co., Kas. Its general course is S. through Butler and Cowley counties, but it loops both E. and W. on approaching the Arkansaw. Fowler says that he struck it on its W. bend, which is above the place called Arkansas City, and if, after crossing it, he ascended it for 8 m., he proceeded about N. W. in the direction of Winfield.

[22] Nearly on the line between Cowley and Sumner counties, Kas.

[23] Vicinity of Mulvane, on or near the line between Sumner and Sedgwick counties, Kas.

[24] At Wichita, seat of Sedgwick Co., Kas., where the Little Arkansaw joins the Arkansaw river.

[25] Up which the party will continue for many days. Camp to-day in Sedgwick Co., near the border of Reno Co.

[26] Cow creek, a considerable tributary of the Arkansaw, falling in below Hutchinson, seat of Reno Co. See Pike, ed. of 1893, p. 424.

[27] At or near Hutchinson, Reno Co.

[28] The ultimate sources of Cow creek, at the mouth of which Fowler camped on the 15th, are of course afar off. He means a source of Bull creek, that branch of Cow creek which arises in the vicinity of Sterling, Rice Co., and runs approx. parallel with the Arkansaw past Nickerson, Reno Co., to join Cow creek a few miles below the latter place.

[29] The 1700-feet contour line is quite near the S. side of the Arkansaw for several miles along here, and crosses the river a little below Raymond, Rice Co., while on the N. side the same contour line is as far off as Lyons—some 11 or 12 miles. Fowler viewed the topography correctly.

[30] At or near Ellinwood, Barton Co. See Pike, ed. of 1895, p. 425. Fowler is fairly on the great bend of the Arkansaw, but not yet at the place called Great Bend.

[31] A mistake—Fowler has not yet reached the Pawnee fork of the Arkansaw. His “paney River” is Walnut creek, near which is Great Bend, seat of Barton Co. This identification is proven by: (1) The _west_ course assigned for to-day, the reach from Ellinwood to Great Bend being the only one in that direction. (2) The _walnut_ and other trees named as growing on this stream. (3) The statement that this is the _second_ stream crossed since leaving the Little Arkansaw—the only other one being Cow creek of p. 19. (4) The courses and distances given beyond for the identifiable streams crossed, namely: Pawnee fork, Coon creek, and Mulberry creek, all of which fetch out quite right, if the present adjustment be made, otherwise all wrong. It would be curious to know if this is simply a blunder of Fowler’s, or if Walnut creek was once known as “paney river”; most likely the former, as I have never met with the present malidentification before. See Pike, ed. of 1895, p. 425.

Fowler rounds the great bend, past Great Bend, and camps, as he says, 9 m. short of the true Pawnee fork. It will be observed that he has no name but “Red Rock” for the subsequently and long famous Pawnee Rock, which now gives name to a station on the railroad, said to be 16 m. above Great Bend and 13 m. below Larned. It is said to have received its name from a fight there in May or June, 1826, when an expedition which Col. Ceran St. Vrain had fitted out was attacked by Pawnees, and Kit Carson, then a boy, killed his own mule by mistake for an Indian during a false alarm the night before. “Pawnee Rock is no longer conspicuous. Its material has been torn away both by the railroad and the settlers in the vicinity, to build foundations for water-tanks, in the one instance, and for the construction of their houses, barns, and sheds, in the other. Nothing remains of the once famous landmark, its site is occupied as a cattle corral by the owner of the claim in which it is situated,” says Inman, Old Santa Fé Trail, 1897, pp. 404, 405.

[32] _This_ is the Pawnee fork, which Fowler crosses at Larned, Pawnee Co., and continues up the left bank of the Arkansaw. See Pike, ed. of 1895, p. 432.

[33] Big Coon creek, which skirts the Arkansaw for a long distance, and on which are Garfield, Pawnee Co., and Kinsley, Edwards Co. Camp in the vicinity of Garfield. See Pike, ed. of 1895, pp. 434, 435.

[34] The same Big Coon creek, up which Fowler is still going, approx. parallel with the Arkansaw. Camp in the vicinity of Kinsley, Edwards Co.

[35] One of the forks of the same Big Coon creek.

[36] Mulberry creek, falling into the right bank of the Arkansaw at town of Ford, Ford Co. Here is a case in which Fowler obviously reverses the course of a stream, giving the direction as it bears _from_ himself; N. 25° E. is about right for Mulberry creek. See Pike, ed. of 1895, p. 436. This identification of Mulberry creek shows that we have fetched Fowler correctly from the great bend, his courses and distances proving to be near enough.

[37] The distance given sets Fowler at or near site of present Dodge City, seat of Ford Co., for many years the most notable point along this portion of the river, as it still is. See Pike, ed. of 1895, p. 437.

[38] Vicinity of Cimarron, Gray Co. See Pike, ed. of 1895, p. 438.

[39] Vicinity of Ingalls, Gray Co., or rather beyond.

[40] At some point beyond Pierceville, Finney Co. See Pike, ed. of 1895, p. 440.

[41] Having passed Garden City, seat of Finney Co., by perhaps 8 or 10 m.

[42] This first southing seems to indicate a start from a point where the river reaches lat. 38° N., near the W. border of Finney Co., at about the distance last said beyond Garden City; whence the general course of the Arkansaw is nearly as said past Deerfield and Lakin to Hartland, Kearney Co. The distance given from this turn of the river would bring Fowler somewhere between the two last named places.

[43] Chouteau’s, whose name was long borne by a large island in this vicinity, not easy to locate exactly. If there has been but one of this name, Chouteau’s island has floated a good many miles up and down the river—at least, in books I have sought on the subject. Inman locates it near Cimarron, Kas., p. 42; at the mouth of Big Sandy creek, Col., p. 75; and his map agrees with the latter position. He says, pp. 40, 41: “As early as 1815, Auguste P. Chouteau and his partner, with a large number of trappers and hunters, went out to the valley of the upper Arkansas, ... The island on which Chouteau established his trading-post, and which bears his name even to this day, is in the Arkansas River on the boundary line of the United States and Mexico.... While occupying the island, Chouteau and his old hunters were attacked by about three hundred Pawnees, whom they repulsed with the loss of thirty killed and wounded.” (Auguste P. Chouteau, b. May 9, 1786, married Sophie A. Labadie Feb. 15, 1809; d. 1839. He was the eldest son of John Pierre Chouteau, and elder brother of Pierre Chouteau, jr., b. Jan. 19, 1789, d. Oct. 6, 1865.)

[44] Exactly so—passing Hartland, seat of Kearney Co., and continuing 10 m. N. 80° W. to camp near border of Kearney and Hamilton counties, nearly in the position of Kendall, in the latter county. See Pike, ed. of 1895, p. 440.

[45] Reading 4 + 6 + 6 = 16 m. to-day, and the last course W., we should bring Fowler past Syracuse, seat of Hamilton Co., to the vicinity of Coolidge, and thus near the boundary between Kansas and Colorado. This lap seems to me to stretch somewhat, but such advance as I here indicate appears to be required to adjust Fowler’s topography beyond, and bring him correctly to Purgatory river on the 13th. See Pike, ed. of 1895, p. 441. Compare also date of June 11, 1822, beyond.

[46] Apparently that now known as Two Butte creek, from the S., falling in nearly opposite Wild Horse or Little Sandy creek from the N., a mile or two above Hollys, Prowers Co., Colorado. Camp 3 m. above Two Butte creek would be about 2 m. short of the station Adana, on the A. T. and S. F. R. R. See Pike, ed. of 1895, p. 442.

[47] Past Adana, Granada, and Manville, to a point about opposite Carlton, Prowers Co.

[48] This large dry creek, from the N., is the Big Sandy, which falls in about the distance said above the camp which was on the island opposite Carlton. See Pike, ed. of 1895, p. 443. Somewhere about the mouth of Big Sandy creek is one of the locations of the shifty Chouteau’s island mentioned on p. 32.

[49] Willow creek, on which is Lamar, seat of Prowers Co. See Pike, ed. of 1895, p. 443.