Rocky Mountains. 267 



rocky hills, altogether covered with woods. The upland for- 

 ests are almost exclusively of oak, with some little inter- 

 mixture of hickory, dogwood, and black gum. They are 

 open, and the ground is in part covered with coarse grasses. 



At noon we arrived at the Cherokee settlement on Rocky 

 Bayou, and were received with some hospitality at the house 

 of the MetifF Chief, known by the name of Tom Graves. 

 Though entirely an Indian in his character and habits, he has 

 the colour and features of an European, and it was not 

 without some difficulty, we could be made to believe that he 

 was in reality, allied by birth to the people among whom he 

 holds the rank of a chief. His house, as well as many we 

 passed before we arrived at it, is constructed like those of 

 the white settlers, and like them, surrounded with enclosed 

 fields of corn, cotton, sweet potatoes, &c., with cribs, sheds, 

 droves of swine, flocks of geese, and all the usual accompa- 

 niments of a prosperous settlement. 



Graves, our landlord, though unable to speak or under- 

 stand our language, held some communications with us by 

 means of signs, being occasionally assisted by a black girl, 

 one of his slaves who interpreted the Cherokee language. 

 He told us among other things that the Osages do not know 

 how to fight, that the Cherokees were now ready to give up 

 the Osage prisoners, if the Osages would deliver into their 

 hands the individuals, who had formerly killed some of the 

 Cherokees, &c. He has shown his admiration of military 

 prowess, by calling one of his children Andrew Jackson 

 Graves. He treated us with a good degree of attention, and 

 showed himself well acquainted with the manner of making 

 amends by extravagant charges. Our dinner was brought 

 in by black slaves and consisted of a large boiled buffaloe 

 fish, a cup of coffee, corn bread, milk, &c. Our host, and his 

 wife of unmi xed aboriginal race, were at table with us, and 

 several slaves of African descent were in waitmg. The 

 Cherokees are said to treat their slaves with much lenitv- 



