44 HOAD COMMISSIONEPwS. 



comrade or two, or even alone, from the Ar- 

 kansas river to Independence. 



The facts connected with the designation 

 of tliis spot are simply these. Messrs. Reeves, 

 Sibley and Mathers, having been commission- 

 ed by the United States, in the year 1825, to 

 mark a road from the confines of Missouri to 

 Sante Fe, met on this spot with some bands 

 of Osages, with whom they concluded a trea- 

 ty, whereby the Indians agreed to allow all 

 citizens of the United States and Mexico to 

 pass unmolested, and even to lend their aid 

 to those engaged in the Santa Fe trade ; for 

 which they were to receive a gratification of 

 eight hundred dollars in merchandise. The 

 commissioners, on this occasion, gave to the 

 place the name of ' Council Grove.' 



But, although the route examined by the 

 Commissioners named above, was partially 

 marked out as far as the Arkansas, by raised 

 mounds, it seems to have been of but httle 

 service to traveUers, who contmued to follow 

 the trail previously made by the wagons, 

 which is now the settled road to the region of 

 tlie short ' buffalo grass.' 



The designation of ' Council Grove,' after 

 ail, IS perhaps the most appropriate that could 

 be given to this place ; for we there held a 

 grand council,' at which ^ the respective 

 claims of the difibrent ^aspirants to office' 

 were considered, leaders selected, and a sys- 

 tem ol government agreed upon,— as is the 

 standing custom of these promiscuous cara- 

 vans. One would have supposed that elec- 



