Ex. Doc. No. 41. 389 



black jack oak, (Q. ferruginea,) mulberry, (morus rubra,) walnut, 

 (F. nigra,) the hickory, the red bud, (ericis canadensis.) The 

 nettles (urtica canadensis) had grown to the height of 7 or 8 feet, 

 all of which show the prodigal fertility of the soil. 



As we approached the Kansas river its tributaries seemed to 

 multiply rapidly, and the rolls in the prairie became more abrupt. 



At 3 o'clock, we ascended a high ridge that gave us a fine view 

 of the whole surrounding country. Presently reaching a little 

 stream, whose banks were excessively steep and slippery, the wag- 

 ons attempted to ascend; but one of the wagon wheels sank 

 deep in the mud, and completely stopped all progress; we were 

 therefore obliged to unload everything, and then clap all hands to 

 the wheel, when we rose the hill amid the cheers of the men. A 

 Frenchman, mounted- on a wild mule, had already crossed and was 

 standing on the western bank, which is 10 or 12 feet in height, 

 when the mule suddenly sprung off the bank into the creek, just 

 grazing with its feet the head of one of the men ov er whom it 

 passed in its desperate leap. No one was hurt, and the Frenchman 

 still sat as firm as ever. 



As we neaped the Kaw or Kansas river, some of us w en t in ad- 

 vance ?:it\ soon reached an Indian house; the Occupants sa id they 

 were Shawnees. They appeared to be very comfortably fixed; had 

 plenty of line looking cattle, pigs, and chickens; within a few 

 yards of the house, a clear stream of good water spouted forth fro m 

 the side of a hill. We learned of the Indians that the distance to 

 the Kaw river was 1^ miles. 



Crossing a high ridge, we enter the Kanzas bottom; it was over- 

 grown with a tall grass (arundo phragmites) from 5 to 6 feet high, 

 and mingled with this wa"s the long-leafed willow and the cotton 

 wood. A quarter of a mile -from the river bank, we entered the 

 timber, consisting of the varieties already mentioned; the ground 

 on which it grew was a deep loose sand diffeult to get through. 



In the river we found two large flat boats or scows manned by 

 Shawnee Indians, dressed in bright-colored shirts, with shawls 

 around their heads. The current of the river was very rapid, so that 

 quired the greatest exertions on the part of our ferrymen to 

 prevent the boats from being swept far down the stream. We 

 landed just at the mouth of. the Wakaroosa creek. Here there is 

 no . hie current; the creek is 14 feet deep, while the river 



does not average more thnn 5 feet, and in several places is quite 

 shoal. 



It was nearly 10 o'clock before all our company had crossed, 

 and was so dark that we could scarcely see to arrange camp; so 

 we lay down on the river bank and sent our horses out on the 

 prairie to graze. We finished our suppers at 12 o'clock and lay 

 down again to sleep; but, worn out as we were, the nosquitoes 

 showed us no compassion, and large hooting owls, (bubo vhginianus,) 

 as if to condole with us, commenced a serenade. 



The pure cold water of the Wakaroosa looked so inviting that 

 some of us could not refrain from plunging beneath its crystal sur- 

 face; one of the flat boats formed a convenient place from which, 

 to spring. The sun was rising, surrounded by golden clouds; in 



