CHAPTER XIII. 



Indian huyuing encampment — Brackish water — The party 

 pressed by hunger — Forked tailed Jiijcatcher — An elevated, 

 almost tnountainous range of country — Desertion of three 

 men -—Red zvater. 



August I9th. Several small cornfields were seen this 

 morning along the creek. At a short distance from our 

 place of encampment, we passed an Indian camp, that had a 

 more permanent aspect than any we had before seen near 

 this river. The boweries were more completely covered, and 

 a greater proportion of bark was used in the construction of 

 them. They are between sixty and seventy in number. 



Well worn traces or paths lead in various directions from 

 this spot, and the vicinity of the cornfields induces the belief 

 that it is occasionally occupied by a tribe of Indians, for the 

 purposes of cultivation as well as of hunting. 



The increasing quantity of forest, partially obscuring the 

 course of the river, renders it now no easy task to trace its 

 inflexions. 



After proceeding twelve miles, over a rugged country, at 

 present destitute of water, we were rejoiced to find at our 

 dining place, a puddle of stagnant rain water, which had been 

 protected from the action of the sun, by the elevated and al- 

 most impending bank of the ravine, in which it was situate, 

 and which, though '' mantled o'er with green," was yet cool 

 and grateful to our pressing thirst. 



We left our cool and shady retreat, and again betook our- 

 selves to the prairies, vmder a temperature of 96''. Our re- 

 maining dog, Buck^ had been, since the regretted death of 

 his companion, treated with all the kindness and attention 



