Expedition^ &?c. 251 



5lh.» At ten o'clock we arrived at Mr. Glen's trading 

 house near the Verdigris, about a mile above its confluence 

 with the Arkansa. We were hospitably received by the in- 

 terpreter^ a Frenchman, who informed us that Mr. Glen 

 was absent on a visit to Belle Point. In reply to our inqui- 

 ries respecting the best and shortest route to the place of 

 GUI destination, two Americans who were present, assured us 

 that there was a path the whole distance, so obvious as not 

 to be mistaken, and that they were so much occupied as to 

 be unable to spare any one to pilot us. Unfortunately, how- 

 ever, for our informant, a military cap which was disco- 

 vered suspended from a beam, betrayed him to be a soldier 

 belonging to the garrison of Belle Point, temporarily employ- 

 ed at this place. When asked by what right he had entered 

 into any other engagements whilst in the service of the Uni- 

 ted States, he replied, that he had the permission of his offi- 

 cers, but as he could not show a permit he was ordered 

 to join our suite forthwith, as a guide, and to assist with the 

 pack horses. 



The interpreter informed us, that the distance to the town 

 of the Osages of the Oaks is about fifty-five miles; from 

 thence to the village of the second band of Osages, called 

 the Little Osages, residing near the Neosho, or Grand river, 

 more than sixty miles; thence to the village of the third 

 band, called the Great Osages, resident near the head waters 

 of the Osage river three miles. He assured us that Clermont 

 had then four wives, and thirty-seven children! a number 

 doubtless unprecedented amongst the North American In- 

 dians, and which may probably be attributed to this chief 

 by mistake. We also learned that at the distance of twen- 

 ty-five miles, was a copious salt spring, lately worked with 

 the permission of the Indians, but at present it is aban- 

 doned, and the apparatus removed. Mr. Nuttall in his 

 interesting journal of travels in the Arkansa territory has 

 given an excellent account of this saline. It produced agree- 



