356 Expedition to the 



maintain a freshet for any great length of time. The fresh- 

 ets are occasioned by a simultaneous melting of the snow 

 throughout the whole extent of the river, and by showers of 

 rain, which falling upon a rolling surface, is quickly drained 

 off, and causes sudden, but seldom excessive rises in the 

 river. We have witnessed in the Arkansa, no less than three 

 rises and falls of the water, in the course of two weeks. 



The most considerable streams tributary to this part of the 

 Arkansa, are the Negracka or Red Fork, and the Newsew- 

 ketonga, or Grand Saline on the South, and the Little Ar- 

 kansa and Stinking Fork on the north side. The Negracka 

 rises within a short distance of the mountains, and after 

 meandering eastwardly between four and five hundred miles, 

 unites with the Arkansa at the distance of about nine hun- 

 dred miles from the mouth of the latter. The Newsewke- 

 tonga has its source in the plains between the Arkansa and 

 Canadian rivers, and unites with the former about one hun- 

 dred and fifty miles below the Negracka. The head waters 

 of the Little Arkansa take their rise near the Smoky Hill 

 fork of the Konzas, and are discharged into the Arkansa, 

 about eight hundred and sixty miles above its mouth. The 

 Stinking Fork rises amongst the head waters of the Neosho, 

 and enters the Arkansa, about eight hundred miles from its 

 mouth. Besides these, there are many other streams ot 

 smaller size, entering on both sides of the river. 



The Canadian rises at the base of the Rocky Mountains, 

 and after a meandering course of about one thousand miles, 

 enters the Arkansa at the distance of about five hundred and 

 fifty miles from the mouth of the latter. This river iias ge- 

 nerally been represented upon the maps of the country as 

 having a north-easterly course, whereas its source is nearly 

 in the same latitude as its confluence: with the Arkansa, con- 

 sequently its general course is nearly east. In its course, it 

 forms an extensive curve to the southward, leaving a broad 

 space between it and the Arkansa, in which several streams, 

 many hundred miles in length, tributary to both of these ri- 

 vers, have their origin and courses. 



This river has a broad valley, bounded by bluffs from two 

 to five hvmdred feet high, faced with rocky precipices, near 

 its source, and by abrupt declivities, intersected by numerous 

 ravines, lower down. It has a spacious bed, depressed but 

 a few feet below the bottoms, and exhibiting one continued 

 stratum of sand through the greater part of its length. It is 

 the channel through which the water of a vast extent of 



