16 ARMS AND EQUIPMENTS. 
they carried in their wagons, always well 
charged with ball and buckshot. Then my 
brother and myself were each provided with 
one of Colt’s repeating rifles, and a pair of 
pistols of the same, so that we could, if neces- 
sary, carry thirty-six ready-loaded shots apiece ; 
which alone constituted a capacity of defence 
rarely matched even on the Prairies. 
Previous to our departure we had received 
a promise from the war department of an es- 
cort of U. 8. Dragoons, as far as the borders 
of the Mexican territory; but, upon sending 
an express to Gen. Arbuckle at Fort Gibson to 
that effect, we were informed that in conse- 
quence of some fresh troubles among the 
Cherokees, it was doubtful whether the force 
could be spared in time. This was certainly 
no very agreeable news, inasmuch as the es- 
cort would have been very serviceable in as- 
sisting to search out a track over the unex- 
plored wilderness we had to pass. It was 
too late; however, to recede; and so we re- 
solved at all hazards to pursue our journey. 
We had advanced beyond the furthest 
settlements of the Creeks and Seminoles, 
and pitched our camp on a bright balmy even- 
ing, in the border of a delightful prairie, when 
some of the young men, attracted by the pros- 
pect of game, shouldered their rifles and 
wended their steps through the dense forest 
which lay contiguous to our encampment. 
Among those that went forth, there was one 
of the ‘down-easters’ already mentioned, who 
was much more familiar with the interior of — 
