W4 MMrrma o? companiss. 



In passing a village of Arapahos, near the Salt, Bottom, we had coiv 

 siderable difficulty with them on account of ten or fifteen domesticatec 

 buffalo connected with the caravan. The Indians were highly esaspera^ 

 ted, and accused the whites of stealing their buffalo. They even armed 

 themselves to fight us, and were deterred from their purpose only by a large 

 present of tobacco, but still threatened vengeance in case of a renewal of 

 the offence. 



Soon after this we v/ere joined by a young Arapaho Indian, named Fri 

 day, who was desirous of visiting the States. He had formerly lived in 

 St. Louis, where he had acquired a knowledge of the English language, 

 and still maintains a reputation for honesty, intelligence, and sobriety. 

 Hereafter I will have occasion to speak of hlin more particularly, in con- 

 nection with his previous history. 



Resuming onr course, we bore leftward from the river and struck into 

 the high prairie. Late rains had rendered the ground muddy, and travel 

 ling consequently became slow and tedious. 



The weather continued wet and disagreeable, in addition to which th" 

 unprecedented size and velocity of the streams caused us frequent deten 

 tion. 



The ti'ail, for four or five days, led over a number of timberless water 

 courses, known as " the coon creeks," which subjected us to great incon 

 venience in tJie item of fuel, as neither tree nor stick could be procurer 

 for cooking purposes, and bois de baclie, the substitue of buffalo countries, 

 had become so tlioroughly saturated with water it was almost impossible tt 

 ignite it. 



On the 23d of April, having arrived at Pawnee Fork, we were obUged 

 to remain some four weeks before a tbrd could be effected, — but the dense 

 bands of bufialo that thronged the vicinity abated somewhat the annoyance 

 of delay. 



The country, between the "Crossing" and Pawnee Fork, varies but 

 little in its general character from that previously described, and exhibits a 

 favorable contrast to the forbidding wastes of naked sand upon the oppo 

 eite side of the Arkansas. Although not absolutely sterile, it is not rich 

 and suffers more from lack of moisture than any actual defect of soiL 

 Its entire destitution of timber will pievent it from ever becoming inhab- 

 ited to any great extent 



Rock of all kinds is very scarce, and almost the only specimens prevac 

 lent are found in the pebbles and diminutive fragments which lie scattered 

 over the prairie. 



During our stay we were joined by Messrs. Bent and St. Vrain, and 

 three or four Spanish companies, which increased our caravan to fifty or 

 more waggons and nearly one hundred men. 



Witli the former of tlie companies was a Chyenne chief, (Slim Face,) on 

 his way to Washington to solicit the U. S. Government to adopt some effect- 

 ual means for the suppression of the sale of ardent spirits amoEig his 

 p«ODle. (A very laudable olgect, indeed.) 



