74 LOSS OF A MULE. 



flowing from granite fountains, and winding, like net-work, in every 

 direction through, the valleys in the mountains — with the advantages of 

 good timber, soil, and grass, the pure, elastic, and delicious climate, with 

 a bracing atmosphere — all unite in presenting rare inducements to the 

 husbandman. It would only be necessary for our practical farmers to 

 visit this locality : they could not be otherwise than pleased with it. And 

 were it not for the fact that the greater part of the most desirable lands 

 lie east of the 100th meridian of longitude, and within the limits of 

 that vast territory ceded by our government to the Choctaws, it 

 would be purchased and settled by our citizens in a very few years. As 

 it is now situated, far beyond the limits of the settlements, and directly 

 within the range of the Comanches, it is of no use to the Choctaws 

 themselves, as they do not venture among the prairie tribes, and do not 

 even know the character of this part of their own territory. They have 

 a superabundance of fertile lands bordering upon the Red and Canadian 

 rivers, near the white settlements of Texas and Arkansas, and they prefer 

 occupying those to going further out. They have thrown aside their 

 primitive habits, in a great degree, and abandoned the precarious and 

 uncertain life of the hunter, for the more quiet avocation of the husband- 

 man. They look upon the wild Indian in much the same light as we 

 do, and do not go among them ; indeed, there is but little in common 

 with them and the wild Indians.* 



In consequence of losing one of our mules last night, we were de- 

 tained later than usual this morning. Two of the Delawares went out 

 at day -light in search of it, but returned in about two hours, not having 

 been able to strike the track. We had, up to this time, been so fortunate 

 as to lose no animals. I was, therefore, particularly desirous that the 

 lost mule should be recovered, and intimated as much to our inter- 

 preter, John Bushman, who had not joined in the first search. At the 

 same time, I asked him what he thought were the chances of success. 

 He replied, in his laconic and non-committal style, " I think maybe so 

 find um — maybe not." I directed him to make an effort, and not 

 give over the search as long as there remained the least prospect of 



* The lands included within the Choctaw reservation, which are not occupied 

 or made use of by them, are embraced within the 97th and 100th degrees of 

 west longitude, and are bounded upon the north and south by the Canadian and 

 Red rivers, being about one hundred and eighty miles in length by fifty in width, 

 and constituting an aggregate of about nine thousand square miles of valuable and 

 productive lands, or one thousand square miles more than the State of Massa- 

 chusetts. 



