Further Account of the Konza Nation—Robbery of Mr. Say's Detachment by a War-Party of Pawnees—Arrival at the Platte.

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The Konza warriors, like those of some others of the Missouri tribes on their departure on a war excursion, sometimes make vows, binding themselves never to return until they have performed some feat which they mention, such as killing an enemy, striking an enemy's dead body, or stealing a horse. An instance lately occurred of a warrior who had been long absent under a vow of this sort, and finding it impossible to meet an enemy, and being in a starving condition, he returned to his own village by night, with the determination of accomplishing his vow, by killing and scalping the first person he should meet. This person happened to be the warrior's own mother, but the darkness of the night prevented the discovery until he had accomplished his bloody purpose.

On the 23d of August, Mr. Say's party began to prepare for leaving the Konza village, where they had been treated with much hospitality. They purchased a number of articles for their use on the journey they proposed to take, such as jerked bison meat, pounded maize, bison fat put up like sausages, mockasins, leggings, spoons made of the horn of the bison, two large wooden dishes, &c. They received also an addition to their cavalcade of two horses, one belonging to Major O'Fallon, and another which they procured from a Frenchman residing in the village.

A Pawnee prisoner, an interesting young man, {123} was brought to them, who said he was desirous to accompany them to his nation, but at the same time was afraid[pg200] his people would not recognize him, and would kill him for a Konza. He was promised protection, but at the same time it was remarked to him, that if he should attempt to steal the horses of the party on the way, they would certainly pursue him and take his scalp.

On the 24th, says Mr. Say, having been detained until afternoon in searching for our horses, we departed, accompanied by several Indians, who intended to pass the night with us and to return to the village the following morning.

Our path led along the margin of Blue Earth Creek, a stream of the width of twenty-five yards, and greatest depth of three feet, which discharges into the river a mile or two above the Konza village. The soil supports but a thin growth of grass, and the timber is far from abundant, consisting principally of different sorts of oak, confined to the margin of the creek, its ravines and tributaries. One of our Indian followers, who, although a chief of the extinct Missouri nation,[157] has yet much influence with the Konzas, wished to exchange a horse he had with him for one of ours, which was evidently a less valuable animal. The reason he assigned in explanation of his desire of such an apparently disadvantageous exchange was, that his horse had been presented to him by a person, who, he feared, intended to reclaim him, but that if he should exchange him for another horse, he would be secure in the possession of the individual so obtained, as an Indian will not reclaim a present which is not identically the same he had given. At the distance of seven miles from the village, our party encamped by the side of the creek, in a[pg203] narrow, but beautiful and level prairie bottom, which was bounded by an abrupt, though verdant range of bluffs.

Mr. Dougherty and one of the Indians went in {124} quest of game, and having supplied the two remaining Indians with a pipe and tobacco, we were partaking of some refreshment, when one of the party suddenly drew our attention to an extensive cloud of dust, which arose from the plain, and which we soon perceived but partially concealed a body of Indians, who had already approached within a quarter of a mile, and were now running with great swiftness. Our Indian followers now displayed all their activity; the chief seized his gun, and ran towards the advancing multitude to obtain his horse, which he mounted and rode off at full speed, whilst his companion disappeared in the bushes in an instant. This was a sufficient intimation that a hostile party was before us, and a timely admonition of the approach of danger. Our men were therefore drawn up in a line, and all prepared themselves for defence in case of extremity.

The advancing party were armed, decorated, and painted, for battle, but they manifested, as they rushed up to us, the most pacific deportment, shaking us by the hand, putting their arms about our necks, and raising their hands with the palm towards us, in token of peace. We were not, however, disposed to rely upon these assurances of friendship, being fully aware of the difficulties which their partizans would have to surmount in checking the inconsiderate prowess of the younger warriors. We now observed some of them seizing our horses, which were staked at some distance: they mounted them and rode swiftly in the direction that the chief had taken, but they soon returned. It soon became necessary to protect our[pg204] baggage by arranging ourselves around it; still, however, in despite of our vigilance, many of our small articles were stolen. They begged for whiskey and tobacco; and a small portion of the latter was given them. Amidst the confusion arising from the incessant and rapid movements of the Indians, we observed an individual bearing off a small {125} package of very fine pounded meat; I immediately pointed out the circumstance to the partizan, and directed him to recover it and punish the thief; he complied by wresting the meat from the grasp of the latter, and from that of several others who had been contending for portions of it, placed it beneath his feet, and defended it with his lance; but Chabonneau, to whom the meat belonged, declaring that he had given it to them, they were permitted to retain it. A tent which had been pitched for me in consideration of my illness, and in which my blanket, pistols, together with some small articles, had been deposited, was plundered of its contents; it was finally cut down, and would have been taken away, had we not made an effort to preserve it. During the whole transaction those warriors, who stood at a short distance, intently watched our movements, as if they were led to believe, from the attitude we assumed, that we would attempt to repel them, even with our inadequate force. No sudden action or motion of any one of the party escaped them; and individuals were frequently observed to draw their arrows to test the elasticity of the bows. At a critical juncture, a tall and graceful Indian cocked his gun fiercely, and put his war whistle to his mouth, but the signal was not blown. Amongst numerous incidents that occurred during the half hour that we were surrounded by them, an individual attempted to seize a knapsack belonging to one of the[pg205] soldiers, and immediately under his observation; the latter placed his foot upon the knapsack to detain it, and at the same time prepared his gun as if to shoot the offender, who leaped backward with great agility, and with an ejaculation of pleasure, drew his arrow to the head. The whole party precipitately retreated just as Mr. Dougherty returned from hunting; being briefly informed of the nature of their visit, he called aloud to the fugitives in their own language, but they passed on without heeding him, taking our {126} horses with them. I had by a rough estimate fixed their number at one hundred and forty; they were chiefly armed with the bow and arrow, and lance, with the usual accompaniments of tomahawks, war-clubs, and knives, together with a few guns. Fortunately no personal indignity was offered us; yet we could not repress a sensation of much mortification at the prospect of a frustration of our enterprise, which now seemed inevitable, and of extreme vexation at the irreparable loss of our horses, which no exertions of ours could have saved: an appeal to arms, except in the last extremity, would have been the height of imprudence, conquest being hopeless, and escape almost impossible.

Soon after their departure Mr. Jessup and Chabonneau set out for the village to procure assistance, for the purpose of removing our camp to that place from which we recommenced our journey at a moment so unpropitious; whilst we busied ourselves in removing the baggage to a situation amongst the neighbouring bushes, which appeared favourable for concealment, and for defence, in case of a night attack, which was confidently anticipated. Several alarms occurred during the night, and on the return of day we observed thirty mounted Indians riding[pg206] swiftly towards us. The chief, who left us so precipitately the preceding evening, on his arrival at the village, hastily assembled a little band of warriors for the purpose of returning immediately to our assistance, and it was he and his party, that we had now the pleasure to greet. They expressed great satisfaction, when they learned that we were all uninjured. After saluting us cordially, they pursued the trail of the Pawnees for some distance, and from the footsteps in the grass, and other appearances, to be duly appreciated only by the eye of an Indian, they estimated the number of the Pawnees at one hundred and thirty. On their return they restored to us some bacon and other articles, which had been {127} carried off by the fugitives, and rejected as not at all to their taste. We were now supplied with a conveyance for ourselves and our baggage, and were conducted back to the village.

The Indians who committed this robbery, were a war-party of the republican Pawnees, and were about one hundred and forty in number. Their nation was at war with the Konzas.

Mr. Say's party were kindly received at the village they had left on the preceding day. In the evening they had retired to rest in the lodge set apart for their accommodation, when they were alarmed by a party of savages rushing in, armed with bows, arrows, and lances, shouting and yelling in a most frightful manner. The gentlemen of the party had immediate recourse to their arms; but observing that some squaws, who were in the lodge, appeared unmoved, they began to suspect that no molestation to them was intended. The Indians collected around the fire in the centre of the lodge, yelling incessantly; at length their howlings assumed something of a measured tone, and they[pg209] began to accompany their voices with a sort of drum and rattles. After singing for some time, one who appeared to be their leader, struck the post over the fire with his lance, and they all began to dance, keeping very exact time with the music. Each warrior had, besides his arms, and rattles made of strings of deer's hoofs, some part of the intestines of an animal inflated, and enclosing a few small stones, which produced a sound like pebbles in a gourd shell. After dancing round the fire for some time, without appearing to notice the strangers, they departed, raising the same wolfish howl, with which they had entered; but their music and their yelling continued to be heard about the village during the night.

This ceremony, called the dog dance, was performed by the Konzas for the entertainment of their guests. Mr. Seymour took an opportunity to sketch {128} the attitudes and dresses of the principal figures.[158]

Finding it impracticable to obtain horses by purchase, out of their almost exhausted stock of merchandize, to enable them to prosecute their march to Council Bluff, after due deliberation, they saw no alternative, but to endeavour to hire horses on credit, and to make the best of their way for Cow Island, in hopes of meeting the steamboat there. A Frenchman, Mr. Gunville, resident with this nation, agreed to furnish two pack horses, and a saddle horse for Mr. Say, whose state of health would not admit of his continuing the journey on foot. Thus furnished they prepared to depart, and in the meantime two runners were despatched to inform Major Long of their situation by letter. [pg210]

On the 25th of August, Mr. Say and his party again left the Konza village, accompanied by the French trader, who had furnished them two horses, and by a Missouri Indian; but this last had followed them only a few miles, when he repented of his undertaking and returned.

In pursuing the most direct route from the Konza village to the Missouri, they crossed at the distance of seventeen miles, the Vermilion, a small stream bordered with handsome forests. Nineteen miles beyond this they arrived at the sources of Grasshopper Creek, where they encamped on the evening of the 27th.[159] Here the soil changes somewhat abruptly. The high prairies about the Vermilion and Blue Earth creeks are barren, almost naked, and inhabited by some orbicular lizards. About Grasshopper Creek the soil is fertile, the grass dense and luxuriant.

On the 29th they arrived at Isle au Vache, and were hospitably received by Colonel Morgan and the officers of his command, but had the mortification to learn that Major Long, after waiting a sufficient time to enable the Indian agent to complete his negotiations {129} with the Konzas, had departed with the steam-boat before the arrival of the messengers, that had been sent to notify him of their disaster. These runners had been despatched immediately after their arrival, with instructions to overtake the steam-boat, and to deliver Mr. Say's letter, but[pg211] after some days they returned, without having been able to effect any thing.

It was now determined that Mr. Say and Mr. Jessup, who on account of ill health, were unable to travel farther on foot, should for the present remain at Isle au Vache, while the other gentlemen of the detachment should continue their journey. Mr. Dougherty, from his intimate acquaintance with the country, was of opinion that by crossing in the nearest direction from Isle au Vache to the mouth of Wolf river, they might yet overtake the steam-boat. They accordingly placed themselves under his guidance, and, by great exertion, fortunately arrived at the mouth of Wolf river, on the evening of the 1st of September, as the steam-boat was passing.

The country south-west of the Missouri, between the Konzas and the Platte, is drained principally by Wolf river and the Great Nemahaw. These rivers, like the Nodowa and Nishnebottona, which enter the Missouri nearly opposite them from the north-east, rise in the prairies at an elevation probably of forty or fifty feet above the level of the Missouri. As they descend, their vallies becoming gradually wider, embosom a few trees, and at length, near their entrance into the Missouri valley, are forests of considerable extent. The surface of these prairies presents a constant succession of small rounded hills, becoming larger and more abrupt as you approach the beds of the rivers. The soil is deep, reposing usually on horizontal beds of argillaceous sandstone, and secondary limestone. In all the limestones along the Missouri, we observe a tendency to crystalline structure, and they have often a reddish or yellowish white {130} colour. There is,[pg212] however, always something in the arrangement and in the aspect of the crystals to distinguish these sparry varieties from the primitive granular limestone, to which they have something of general resemblance. The horizontal disposition of the strata of this limestone, the great numbers of organic relics contained in it, and its intimate connexion with coal strata, indicate with sufficient clearness its relation to the secondary rocks. No person who shall examine this stratum with the least attention, either about the Nemahaw and the Konzas, or in the mining district at the sources of the Gasconade, the Merameg, and the St. Francis, will for a moment mistake it for any of those varieties of transition or primitive limestone, which it in some respects so closely resembles. The crystalline varieties, no less than the compact blue limestones, embrace numerous masses of chert or hornstone. This occurs of various colours, and these are arranged in spots or stripes. Some specimens have several distinct colours arranged in zigzag lines, somewhat resembling the fortification agate. The hunters use fragments of this stone for gun-flints; the savages also formerly employed it in the manufacture of arrow points and other implements.[160]

The soil superimposed upon these strata of limestone, is a calcareous loam. Near the rivers it is intermixed with sand; this is also the case with the soil of the high prairies about the Konzas village. In ascending the Konzas river, one hundred, or one hundred and twenty miles from the Missouri, you discover numerous indications, both in the soil, and its animal and vegetable productions, of an approach to the borders of that great Sandy Desert, which stretches eastward from the base of the Rocky Mountains.[pg213] You meet there with the orbicular lizard, or "horned frog," an inhabitant of the arid plains of {131} New Mexico. You distinguish also some cacti, as well as many of those plants allied to chenopodium and salsola, which delight in a thirsty muriatiferous soil. The catalogue of the forest trees belonging to the vallies of this region is not very copious. The cotton-wood and the plane tree, every where form conspicuous features of the forests. With these are intermixed the tall and graceful acacia, the honey locust, and the bonduc, or coffee-tree,[161] and several species of juglans, carya and fraxinus, with pinnated or many-parted leaves. Trees of the family of the coniferÆ are not of frequent occurrence on the Missouri. About the summits of rocky cliffs are here and there a few cedars or junipers, the only trees that retain their verdure during the winter.

The prairies, for many miles on each side of the Missouri, produce abundance of good pasturage; but as far as our observation has extended, the best soil is a margin from ten to twelve miles in breadth, along the western bank of the river. In the summer very little water is to be found in the prairies, all the smaller streams failing, even though the season be not unusually dry. On account of the want of wood and of water, the settlements will be for a long time confined to the immediate vallies of the Missouri, the Konzas, and the larger rivers; but it is probable, forests will hereafter be cultivated in those vast woodless regions,[pg214] which now form so great a proportion of the country; and wells may be made to supply the deficiency of running water.

We have seen at Bellefontain, as well as at several other points on this river, a pretty species of sparrow, which is altogether new to us;[162] and several specimens of a serpent have occurred, which has considerable affinity with the pine-snake of the southern states, or bull-snake of Bartram.[163]

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Having received on board the detachment that had arrived from the Konza village, except Messrs. {132} Say and Jessup, who, on account of ill health, remained at Isle au Vache, we left the mouth of Wolf river on the 2nd of September. A party of hunters, furnished with a horse for the transportation of game, were despatched at the same time with instructions to hunt on the south side of the river, and to join us again in the evening. We had little difficulty in procuring a constant supply of venison. Deer are very numerous on this part of the Missouri, and we had several opportunities to kill them from on board, as they were swimming across the river.

Twenty-one miles above the mouth of Wolf river, and[pg216] on the same side, is the entrance of the Grand Nemahaw, a considerable river which rises in the plains between the Platte and the Republican Fork of the Konzas river, and running eastwardly about one hundred and fifty miles, discharges into the Missouri a little north of latitude forty degrees. In the straightness of its course, the rapidity and turbulence of its stream, it has a general resemblance to the other western tributaries of the Missouri. A few miles above the Nemahaw, and on the opposite side, is the mouth of the Tarkio, a smaller stream.[164]

On the 4th of September we were joined by the hunters, who brought two deer, and informed us they had killed several others. Lieutenant Field's boat was allowed to remain at the encampment of the preceding night, after the departure of the steam-boat, for the purpose of taking on board a large quantity of honey. Swarms of bees were found here in great numbers, and the honey they afforded made a valuable addition to our provisions, consisting now in a great measure of hunters' fare.

Finding one of the valves of the steam-engine much worn and leaky, we were now under the necessity of stopping for a day to have a new one, which we had brought, adapted to its place. Several of the men amused themselves by hunting and fishing. {133} We had now a plentiful[pg217] supply of game, and many large catfish were taken, some of them weighing more than fifty pounds.

We passed in succession the mouths of the Nishnebottona and the Little Nemahaw,[165] and arrived on the 7th at the Grand Pass. Here the Nishnebottona, a beautiful river about sixty yards wide, approaches within one hundred and fifty yards of the Missouri, being separated from it by a sandy prairie, rising scarcely twenty feet above the surface of the water. After pursuing for a short distance a parallel course, the two rivers diverge, and the Nishnebottona meanders along the side of the Missouri valley, about sixty miles to its confluence with the latter river.[166] From this point is a pleasing view of the hills called the Baldpated Prairie, stretching along the north-eastern side of the Nishnebottona, and diminished to the size of anthills in the distant perspective.[167] Here the navigation is much obstructed by sand-bars, and the ordinary current of the Missouri, according to the statement of Lewis and[pg218] Clarke, corroborated by our observation, is something more than one fathom per second.[168] In many places the Missouri hurries across concealed sand bars and other obstructions, with the velocity of seven, eight, or even twelve feet in a second.[169] Between these obstructions, the channel becomes deeper, and the current more moderate; consequently the aggregate velocity at times of low water may be reckoned something less than six feet to the second. As the volume of water is increased by the heavy rains, and the melting of the snows within the Rocky Mountains, the current is proportionably accelerated, and becomes more equable, running for many miles in succession, not less than seven hundred and twenty feet per minute. At the time of our ascent the summer floods had not entirely subsided, and in contending against the current, we found occasion {134} in a few instances to make use of the towing rope.

About thirteen miles above the Grand Pass is a point where Lewis and Clarke witnessed the falling of a portion, about three-fourths of a mile in length, of a high cliff of sandstone and clay. Appearances have considerably changed since the time of their journey. There is still an indentation along the bluff, showing the upper part of the[pg219] portion which had slid down, but the whole is now covered with grass. The river has retired from the base of the cliff it was then undermining. A grassy plain, of some extent, occupies the spot where the bed of the river must have been; but this prairie is, in its turn, experiencing the vicissitude incident to every thing along the bank of the Missouri, and is evidently very soon to disappear entirely. A mile or two above this point are cliffs of sandstone and indurated clay, in a state of rapid disintegration. Here we observed extensive beds of aluminous earth, of a dark grey colour, alternating with red and yellowish white sandstone. Here are also numerous vegetable remains, which Mr. Say thought to consist of the limbs of trees included in the rock, carbonized and often intermixed with pyrites; smaller limbs in short fragments lay intermixed, and crossing each other in every direction.

Among other things, we observed here what appeared to be the cast of the seed vessel of the nelumbium, of uncommon magnitude. Fragments of mineral coal were observed scattered about the surface.

The mouth of the Platte,[170] where we arrived on the 15th of September is, according to our observations, in latitude 41° 3' 13 north. We shall hereafter have occasion to speak more particularly of this river. Its mouth now exhibited a great extent of naked sand-bars, the water, which was transparent and of a greenish colour, flowing almost unseen through a number of small channels. Masses of sand accumulate at the mouth of the Platte, rendering the {135} navigation of the Missouri at that[pg220] point extremely difficult. The Platte, during its floods, pours into the Missouri a volume of water, considerably exceeding in magnitude that of the latter river, occasioning a reflux of the waters for many miles. From the Platte upward, the annual range from high to low water in the Missouri, may be rated at about eighteen feet.

Above the Platte, the scenery of the Missouri becomes much more interesting. The bluffs on each side are more elevated and abrupt, and being absolutely naked, rising into conic points, split by innumerable ravines, they have an imposing resemblance to groups of high granitic mountains, seen at a distance. The forests within the valley are of small extent, interspersed with wide meadows covered with carices and cyperaceÆ, with some species of limnetis, polypogon, and arundo, sometimes sinking into marshes occupied by sagittarias, alismas, and others of the hydrocharidÆ. The woodlands here, as on the whole of the Missouri below, are filled with great numbers of pea vines,[171] which afford an excellent pasturage for horses and cattle. The roots of the apios tuberosa were much sought after, and eaten by the soldiers, who accompanied us in our ascent. They are little tubers about half an inch in diameter, and when boiled are very agreeable to the taste. Two and a half miles above the mouth of the Platte, and on the same side, is that of the Papilion, a stream of considerable length, but discharging little water.[172] Here we found two boats belonging to the Indian traders at St. Louis. They had passed us some days before, and were to remain for the winter at the mouth of the Papilion, to trade with the Otoes, Missouries, and other Indians. [pg221]

The banks of the Missouri, above the Platte, have long been frequented by the Indians, either as places {136} of permanent or occasional residence. Deserted encampments are often seen. On the north-east side, near the mouth of Mosquito river, are the remains of an old Ioway village. Four miles above, and on the opposite side, was formerly a village of the Otoes. On the 17th of September we arrived at the trading establishment of the Missouri Fur Company, known as Fort Lisa, and occupied by Mr. Manuel Lisa, one of the most active persons engaged in the Missouri fur trade. We were received by a salute from this establishment, and encamped a little above, on the same side of the river.[173]