PLEADING FOR V\ HlSKliY. 49 



hat required tribute of the Israelites passing through tliem to possess the 



'^i:! "^ 'EaHy UUhe forenoon we came to the Kansas and were em- 

 nlovS till neady n^vht in elTccting a ford. This proved rather difficult, as 

 KeCte was d^8?p"and the botto"o sandy ;-the course bearing direccly 

 fcrols till near mklw.y of the river, follows the current for six oi- eight 

 ^m red vaS a^d then turns abruptly to the opposite shore The Kansas 

 at the crossS was not far from six hundred yards wide, with steep banks 

 ocW and sand The fording accomplished we travelled some six md^^^^^ 

 nn,l Pn"amn«d for tlie night. Our visitors yet honored us ^Mh Vn.n pres- 

 n eT£Xun"er pietiice of trading horses; otljers ot artenu^^ 

 tobacco, whiskey, coffee, and ammunition ; but most of them toi the real 



^X^?S?J^ T^ of the Osage tnbe^Pef ^^^^^ ^ 

 l«m.„ao-P and identified b\ the same manners and customs. Ihey num. 

 k"l pSuLln^^^^^^^ h^^nd^'^d' ^-"^ ''^'^ ^1^ the terr tory west of he 

 SivSe Shawnee, and Pottowatomie line, to the head waters of the 

 KaSr The'rmain village is on the left bank of the river, a few miles 

 ibo" the crcSing. Their^houses are built Pawnee ^-^^-^%^ 

 form and covered with a thick coat of dirt, presenting a Loio at the apex to 

 emh the srSoke and another at the side to serve the double purpose of a 

 Tor and wSdow The whole building describes a complete circle m 

 ?4osecenrre is placed the hearth-fire, and at the circumference the couches 

 Jft inmates. L floor is the bare ground, and its ce ling the gr-s bmsh 

 and poles which uphold the supermcurabent earth formmg tht root and 



^"^ThP Caws are rrenei aUv a lazy and slovenly people, raising but little 

 corItS:Syl'ny%e%tables' For a 1-"^- tney depend -s^^^^^^^^ 

 the chase. Their regular hunts are in the summer, fall, and winter, at 

 which t me they all llave for the buffalo range, and return laden with a 

 Tall supjiy oV^-^hoice provisions. The robes and skins thus obtained, 

 furnish their clothin? and articles for traffic. 



As vet c Xatiof has made but small advances among them. Some 

 however 'are to erably well educated, and a Protestant mission established 

 with them, is beginning i.s slov. but oa.co...ai operations for heir good,- 

 whOe two or three families of halt-breeds near by occupy neat l>o"«es and 

 have splendid farms and improvements, thus affording a wholesome contrast 

 to the poverty and misery of their rude neighbors. . • . -i ;„ 



The^d'stance from Independence to this place, by the mountain ail, is 

 6ome eiffhty miles, over a beautiful f^nd fertile country, which I shall here- 

 Xr take o^ccasion to notice more fully. Before leaving we were further 

 increased by the accession of two Canadian voyagevss-Frenoh of courbe. 

 Our force now numbered some twentv-four-one sufficiently formidable for 

 all the dangers of the route. ... 



Sept. loL Resuming our way, we proceeded till late at mg^t, stiL 

 attenid by our Indian friends ; ,iiot the originals, bat a " few "lore of the 

 same sort," who kindly supplied their pLxe., -seeking to levy fresh drafts 

 upon patience and generosity.) These were more importunate lor liquor than 

 aSy preceding them-though, m fact, the whole nation is "owise rennss m 

 their devotion to King Alcohol One feUow. in parUcular, exhausted aU hui 



