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Ex. Dec. No. 41. 521 



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'Ihe road took Ihe hed of a stream; the ice had been f^pcatei^lj 



overflowed and frozen, so that it was now very thick, and loo slip- 

 pery for us to venture upon. We were compelled lo asrend the 

 western b ink, and after proceeding about 40 yar.is,were obliged to 

 re-cross this stream. When we eatne lo dtscend tie bank, we 

 found one practicable place, and there the bank was not only steep, 

 but sidelin^Jf, and, to prevent the wagon from sliding off, we were 

 obliged to fix ropes to the top, and to cut a dvt^p channel for the 

 wheels. It required a long while to prepare the declivity, for the 

 ground was frozen extremely hard. 



January 11. — This morning w^e found that all our mules had 

 gnawed their ropes asunder and gone off. For a* long time we 

 searched in vain in various directions. Some of the men even went 

 as far back as the Rio Canadian; at last they were all found in 

 mountain ravine not far from our camp. 



At 10 o'clock we commenced our march; we were continuiilly 

 obliged to cross the stream, which was very tortuous and had high 

 banks. These crossings were lull of difficulty,. The mules would 

 run on until they reached the frozen stream^ w^hen they would sud- 

 denly stop, and the wagon, rushing down the declivity, would 

 throw al! the animals in a heap on the ice. At one time everyone" 

 .thoup-ht that some of our animals were kille<lj one mule wasthrowa 

 across the others, and it was with great difficulty fhat we could ex- 

 tricate them and set them on their feet. We now formed a strongs 

 pioneer party, and sent them in advance with their axes, pick- 

 axes, and spades, to break the ice, to strew it with sand, and clear 



away all obstructions. 



At lai^t w^e commenced ascending the ridge which separates the 

 waters of the Arkansas from those of the ^'Rio Canadum.'' We 

 reached the top of this dividing ridge in safety; but, as we com- 

 menced toUescend, one of the wagons slid off sidt-ways, and the fore 

 wheels being suddenly caught by a deep rut, the axle snapped off 

 in the wheel. We put the greater portion of the load into the other 

 wagon, and, having lashed a long pole so as to support that extre- 

 mity of the axle which had been^brokcn off, we dragged the wagoa 

 to our camp at the foot of the slope. 



One of the men killed a deer during the day; and we endeavore^d, 

 as well aa we could, to console ourselves for the misfortune of the 



axle with a feast of venison. .^_ i ^ 



As we were determined our mules should not gnaw thenis^lves 



loose ajrain, we, this night, made them fast with the trace chains. 

 W. w.r. now 17 miles from the Canadian, and had this dajr 



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marthtti Jl miles. „^t1o<I 



To-.lay we saw some curious birds, ^h.cli our oUlhunl^rs called 



the "pau^-ano;" its true name is the ^'geococeyx vaticus. I i.so 

 linle known that I have apppn.Ied a descriplioa of it to these notes. 



M< 



