18 - CAMP HOLMES. 
the far famed ‘ Cross-Timbers’ when we were 
gratified by the arrival of forty dragoons, un- 
er the command of Lieut. Bowman, who 
had orders to accompany us to the supposed 
boundary of the United States. On the 
same evening we had the pleasure of en- 
camping together at a place known as Camp 
Holmes, a wild romantic spot in latitude 35° 
5’.,and but a mile north of the Canadian 
river. Just at hand there was a beautiful 
spring where, in 1835, Colonel Mason with a 
force of U.S. troops, had a ‘big talk’ and still 
bigger ‘smoke’ with a party of Comanche 
and Witchita Indians. Upon the same site 
Col. Chouteau had also caused to be erected 
not long after, a little stockade fort, where a 
considerable trade was subsequently carried 
on with the Comanches and other tribes of 
the southwestern prairies. The place had 
now been abandoned, however, since the pre- 
ceding winter. 
From the Arkansas river to Chouteau’s 
Fort, our route presented an unbroken suc- 
cession of grassy plains and fertile glades, in- 
tersected here and there with woody belts and 
numerous rivulets, most of which, however, 
are generally dry except during the rainy sea- 
son. As far as Camp Holmes, we had a pass- 
able wagon road, which was opened upon the 
occasion of the Indian treaty before alluded 
to, and was afterwards kept open by the In- 
dian traders. Yet, notwithstanding the road, 
this stretch gave us more trouble—presented 
more rugged passes, miry ravines and steep 
