APPENDIX. 
228 
The danger to be apprehended from starvation was immi¬ 
nent. They however put the best face upon their prospects? 
and pursued their route towards the Rocky mountains at the 
head waters of the Colorado, or Spanish river, and stood their 
course E. S. E. until they struck the head waters of the great 
river Platte, which they undeviatingly followed to its mouth. 
It may here be observed, that this river for about 200 miles, is 
navigable for a barge; from thence to the Otto village, within 
45 miles of its entrance into the Missouri, it is a mere bed of 
sand, without water sufficient to float a skin canoe. 
From the Octo village to St. Louis, the party performed 
their voyage in a canoe, furnished them by the natives, and ar¬ 
rived here in perfect health on the 30th of last month, (May). 
Our travellers did not hear of the war with England until 
they came to the Ottoes ; these people told them that the Shaw- 
noe Prophet had sent them a wampum, inviting them to join in 
the war against the Americans; that they answered the mes¬ 
senger, that they could make more by trapping beaver than 
making war against the Americans. 
After crossing the hills (Rocky mountains) they happily fell 
in with a small party of Snake Indians, from whom they pur¬ 
chased a horse, who relieved them from any further carriage of 
food, and this faithful four-footed companion performed that ser¬ 
vice to the Otto village. They wintered on the river Platte, 
600 miles from its mouth. 
By information received from these gentlemen, it appears 
that a journey'across the continent of N. America, might be per¬ 
formed with a wagon, there being no obstruction in the whole 
route that any person would dare to call a mountain, in addition 
to its being much the most direct and short one to go from this 
place to the mouth of the Columbia river. Any future party 
who may undertake this journey, and are tolerably acquainted 
with the different places where it would be necessary to lay up 
a small stock of provisions, would not be impeded, as in all pro¬ 
bability they would not meet with an Indian to interrupt their 
progress—although on the other route more north, there are 
almost insurmountable barriers/. 
Messrs. Hunt, Crooks, Miller, M £ Clelland, McKenzie, and 
•about 60 men who left St. Louis in the beginning of March, 
0 r 
fin 
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