96 Expedition to the 



ing to traverse the country by land, to Fort Osage, where 

 they proposed to await the arrival of the steam boat. A pack- 

 horse was purchased for the transportation of their baggage, 

 and a tent, blankets, and provisions, furnished for their ac- 

 commodation. 



The party now remaining on board the steam boat, con- 

 sisted of major Long, major O l Fallon, Mr. Peale, and lieuten- 

 ants Graham and Swift. Having completed some repairs of 

 machinery, and other necessary operations, which had oc- 

 casioned a delay of six days at Franklin, we left that place 

 on the same dav, at four o'clock in the afternoon. The in- 

 habitants of the village were assembled on the bank of the 

 river to witness our departure, and signified their good wish- 

 es by repeated cheers and acclamations. The fuel we had 

 taken on board, being of an indifferent quality, we were able < 

 to make small progress against the rapid current of the Mis- 

 souri. We anchored, for the night, three miles above Frank- 

 lin. Finding the valves, and other parts of the steam en- 

 gine, so much worn by the fine sand, suspended in the water 

 of the river, as to become leaky, we were compelled to lay 

 by, and were occupied for a day in making repairs. In the 

 meantime the boat's crew, were employed in taking on board 

 a supply of dry mulberry wood, which is the best that the 

 forests along the Missouri afford. The water in the river 

 was now subsiding, and the rapidity of the current conse- 

 quently diminishing; we did not, therefore, so much regret 

 the necessary delays, as we might otherwise have done. 

 Some of the party went out on the south west side of the 

 river, to search for game. Most of the deer, and larger ani- 

 mals, as well as the turkies, have fled from this part of the 

 country, though it is but a few years since they were ex- 

 tremely abundant; they met however, with a raccoon, the 

 Maryland arctomys, some small birds, and some interesting 

 little animals. After leaving the river bottom, they passed 

 some groves of small and scattered oak trees, and bushes. 



