82 SAFE RETURN OF THE PARTY. 



the road we emerged from the Cross-Timbers, and passing over a range 

 of low mountains lying south of Wild Horse Creek valley, encamped 

 nine miles from Fort Arbuckle. 



July 28. — At one o'clock this morning we were upon the road 

 again, and at daylight marched into Fort Arbuckle, where we found 

 our friends much astonished and delighted at our sudden appearance 

 among them, when they had supposed us all massacred by the Coruan- 

 ches. We are much indebted to the kind hospitality of the officers 

 stationed here for* the generous supply of vegetables with which they 

 furnished one entire command during our stay with them. After an 

 exclusive diet of meat and bread for several months, we could not have 

 had a more welcome present than the fine fresh vegetables which their 

 gardens afforded. 



I shall remain here for two or three days to dispose of the stores on 

 our hands, recruit our animals, and get the company in readiness to 

 return to its station at Fort Belknap, under charge of Lieutenant Up- 

 degraff. 



I feel a sincere regret at parting with the company, as the uniform 

 good conduct of the men during the entire march of about a thousand 

 miles merits my most sincere and heartfelt approbation. I have sel- 

 dom had occasion even to reprimand one of them. All have performed 

 the arduous duties assigned them with the utmost alacrity and good 

 will ; and when (as was sometimes the case) we were obliged to make 

 long marches, and drink the most disgusting water for several days 

 together, instead of murmuring and making complaints, they were 

 cheerful and in good spirits. I owe them, as well as the officers and 

 gentlemen who were with me, my most hearty thanks for their cordial 

 co-operation with me in all the duties assigned to the expedition. It is 

 probably in a great measure owing to this harmonious action on the 

 part of all persons attached to the expedition that it has resulted so 

 fortunately. 



We have lost no men by death, and, with the exception of the two 

 cases of scurvy, there has been no sickness of consequence. And in- 

 stead of any of our animals dying or straying away, we have had the 

 especial good fortune of adding three horses, which we found upon the 

 plains, to the number we received at the commencement of the march. 



The animals, and particularly the oxen, many of which were so poor 

 when they left Preston as to be considered almost useless, have all 

 returned in fine condition, and are now much better capable of perform- 

 ing service than when they came into our hands. 



