296 Expedition to the 



cession from the west, in the course of a considerable bend 

 which it makes to the south, after receiving the waters of 

 Hot Spring creek. These two streams are mostly in a 

 mountainous country, though some fertile lands, and some 

 settlements occur on each. On the Little Missouri, Hun- 

 ter and Dunbar, found the maclura, a tree confined to fertile 

 soils. The first considerable stream entering the Washita 

 from the north is the Saline, rising in three principal branch- 

 es, twenty or thirty miles northwest of the Hot Springs. 

 The road from Dardenai to the Springs, crosses these 

 streams near their sources in an extremely rugged and moun- 

 tainous region. The Saline, like the Washita itself in this 

 part, and the other tributaries already enumerated, is liable 

 to great and sudden floods, and also to great depression in 

 seasons of drought. Originating in a mountainous tract, 

 and in the continuation of the range so profusely supplied 

 with springs in the country about the sources of White river, 

 we might expect the Washita would be fed by numerous 

 and unfailing fountams. It appears, however, to derive the 

 greater part of its supplies from the water of rains, and cohse- 

 quently to rise and fall according to the time of year, and 

 the state of the weather. At the point where Major Long 

 crossed it on the 31st December 1817, six miles southwest 

 of the Hot Springs, the river was one hundred and fifty 

 yards wide, about four feet deep, and running with a rapid 

 current. 



In the latter part of October 1820, at the time of our jour- 

 ney, the Washita at Keisler's settlement, about fifteen miles 

 below the springs, was something less than one hundred 

 yards in width, flowing in a deep and unequal ch;mnel over 

 abed of clay slate. The vvater is here ten or fifteen feet 

 deep in many places, and the current scarce perceptible. As 

 we looked down upon the river from the elevated banks, it 

 appeared like a quiet lake, and the unusual blackness of che 

 waters suggested the idea of its great depth. Little groups 



