12 NOTES TAKEN.. 
Shumard (a resident physician of Fort Smith,) who accom- 
panied him on his Red river exploration, as surgeon and 
naturalist, and joined us in the same capacity. He was an 
ardent enthusiast in the cause of science and, most indefati-— 
gable in its pursuit. 
By orders, we were to get our military escort at Fort 
“Arbuckle, about one hundred and twenty miles west, but the 
Captain determined, to march with our train through the 
Choctaw county to Fort Washita and meet the escort there, — 
as the road was smoother, and more travelled—a great differ- 
ence in our favor, with our heavy train. 
June Ist.—We left Fort Smith at noon, and crossing the 
Poteau river, immediately in rear of the garrison, entered 
upon the Choctaw Reserve, “en route” for Fort Washita, 
one hundred and eighty miles distant. 
Our train consisted of nine wagons, containing provisions, 
ammunition, camp equipage, small stores, and every thing 
necessary for our journey. Each of these was drawn by 
three yokes of oxen; we had, besides, ten horses, an ambu- 
ance drawn by two mules, and fifteen men, as teamsters, 
lartificers, cooks and hostlers. 
The road, which was narrow, with but a single ‘track, ran 
through a rich alluvial bottom, overgrown with a dense, 
luxuriant growth of wild cane and immense cotton-wood trees, 
and owing to the prevalence of late rains, was one quagmire 
for ten miles. 
_ Our oxen, (unaccustomed to their drivers, and to a service 
f 
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