44 Expedition to the 



most of the gentlemen of the party were dispersed on shore 

 in pursuit of their respective objects, or engaged in hunting. 

 Deer, turkies, and beaver, are still found in plenty in the low 

 grounds, along both sides of the Mississippi, but the annoy- 

 ance of the mosquitoes and nettles preventing the necessary 

 caution and silence in approaching the haunts of these ani- 

 mals, our hunting was without success. 



We were gratified to observe many interesting plants, and 

 among them several of the beautiful famil) of the Orchidse,* 

 particularly the orchis spectabile, so common in the moun- 

 tainous parts of New England. 



The progress of our boat against the heavy current of the 

 Mississippi, was of necessity somewhat slow. Steam boats 

 in ascending, are kept as near the shore as the depth of water 

 will admit; and ours often approached so closely as to give 

 such of the party as wished, an opportunity to jump on shore. 

 On the first of June, several gentlemen of the party went 

 on shore six miles below the settlement of Tyawapatia bot- 

 tom, and walked up to that place through the woods. They 

 passed several Indian encampments, which appeared to have 

 been recently tenanted. Under one of the wigwams they saw 

 pieces of honey comb, and several sharpened sticks, that had 

 been used to roast meat upon, on a small tree near by was 

 suspended the lower jaw-bone of a bear. Soon after leaving 

 these they came to another similar camp, where they found 

 a Shawanee Indian and his squaw with four children, the 

 youngest lashed to a piece of board and leaned against a tree. 



The Indian had recently killed a deer, which they pur- 

 chased of him, for one dollar and fifty cents — one-third more 

 than is usually paid to white hunters. They afterwards met 



* The cymbidium hiemaleof Willdenow, which has been placed by Mr. 

 Nuttall under the genus corallorhiza of Haller, occurs in the fertile soils 

 of the Mississippi, with two radical leaves, as described by the early au- 

 thors; Mr. N.'s amended description is therefore only applicable to the 

 plant, as it occurs in the eastern 6tates, where it is commonly found to 

 have but a single leaf. 



