4 
ARRIVAL AT FORT SMITH. 
tenant Stanley, the acting commissary, was purchasing stores for tire subsistence of the party. 
To these were added a few presents for the Indians, from a small fund granted by the Indian 
bureau for this purpose. 
Unfortunately the Quartermaster’s supplies, sent by railroad from Philadelphia, had not yet 
arrived; hut as an agent had accompanied the train to attend to them, and as the rapid falling 
of the river created fears lest navigation might he suspended, it was not deemed prudent to 
delay our own departure on that account. We therefore immediately took passage for Memphis. 
There we learned that the State of Arkansas had already given a charter for branch railroads 
from Little Rock, which would connect Memphis with Fort Smith, and that no doubt was 
entertained of the feasibility of constructing them. Special examinations within the State 
seemed unnecessary, and we therefore hastened by the way of Napoleon, Little Rock, and Van 
Buren, to Fort Smith ; acquiring such information, and taking such notes, by the way, as cir¬ 
cumstances would admit. 
We arrived at Fort Smith on the 2d of July. Capt. Montgomery, the army quartermaster 
at that place, had, with great promptness and energy, made the desired preparations for our 
departure. The escort ordered from Fort Gibson had also arrived, under the command of First 
Lieut. Jno. M. Jones, 7th infantry. Nothing but the Quartermaster’s stores from Philadelphia 
were wanting to enable us to proceed with the reconnaissance. While awaiting these, astro¬ 
nomical and meteorological observations were made, as a basis for future operations ; and the 
geologist, the botanist, and the zoologist employed themselves in examining the surrounding 
country to obtain collections in their various departments. A special expedition was made to 
the summit of Sugar-loaf mountain, where meteorological observations were taken, and many 
interesting additions made to the scientific collections. 
On the 11th of July, I learned by letter from Mr. White, who was in charge of the camp 
equipage from Philadelphia, that the boat on which the property was being transported from 
Cincinnati had run aground upon a sand-bar in the Ohio river. To remedy, as far as possible, 
the misfortune of this delay, we borrowed tents and wagons from Capt. Montgomery, proposing 
to proceed with the survey so slowly as to afford the party an opportunity to become acquainted 
with the duties which would be required of them, and enable our own train to overtake us when 
it should arrive. 
