CHAPTER XVI. 



Boyer^s Creek — Visit to the Pawnees — Human sacrifices — 

 Anecdote of Petalesharoo—- Appendix . 



On the 12th Lieutenant Graham, Lieutenant Talcott of 

 Camp Missouri, Mr. Seymour, and I, accompanied by a 

 soldier, departed in our small row boat, for the purpose of 

 ascending Boyer Creek, and ascertaining the point at 

 which that stream discharges from the Bluffs. The rapidity 

 of the Missouri current soon transported us to the mouth of 

 the creek, and we encamped, after ascending it the distance 

 of a few miles. From this point Messrs. Graham and Tal- 

 cott crossed the bottom lands, to the base of the bluffs, and 

 by trigonometrical observation, ascertained the altitude of 

 the highest point to be three hundred and fifty feet above 

 low water mark of the Missouri. The next day we continued 

 our voyage, but about noon perceiving that some necessaries 

 had inadvertently been omitted in our loading, we despatch- 

 ed the soldier to the cantonment to procure them. 



The following morning we were awakened by the loud cries 

 of the sandhill crane, performing evolutions in the air, high 

 over their feeding grounds. This stately bird is known to 

 authors by the name of grus canadensis. It is mentioned by 

 the enterprizing and excellent traveller Bartram in his work, 

 and is very distinct from the grus americanus, of authors, or 

 hooping crane, although many persons have supposed it to 

 be no other, than the young of that gigantic species. The 

 sandhill crane, in the spring of the year, removes the surface 



