  1 Chapter xi of volume i of the original London edition.—Ed. 2 French for "earless." An Osage chief of this name who had been to Washington, returned to his tribe in Pike's company in 1806. See Coues, Expeditions of Zebulon M. Pike, index.—Ed. 3 This national trait of extreme hospitality, with respect to the disposal of the wife, is common to many nations in the various parts of the world; as amongst the African negroes, and the Laplanders; and, agreeably to the records of history, amongst the Romans, Spartans, and others.—James. 4 The allusion is indefinite. In the reign of Augustus a law was enacted under which conviction for this offense was liable to be followed by confiscation and banishment; as habitual prostitution was not so punished, Roman matrons often chose public shame to avoid the penalties of the law. A law of Justinian made the adultery of a wife punishable by whipping and confinement in a convent during life, unless the husband remitted the confinement within two years. See Dorsey, "Omaha Sociology," in Bureau of Ethnology Report, 1881-82, p. 364.—Ed. 5 Mana Genita, or Genita Mana, in ancient Italian mythology the goddess who presided at the birth and death of human beings.—Ed. 6 This custom is the same with that of the ancient Jews under the law of Moses, for which we have the authority of St. Luke. "Moses wrote unto us, if any man's brother die, having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother shall take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother." And Elphinstone, in his account of Caubul, informs us, that among the Afghauns, as among the Jews, it is thought incumbent on the brother of the deceased to marry his widow.—James. Comment by Ed. The number of Indian customs bearing a similarity to those of the Hebrews led to the now discarded theory that the former are descendants of the "lost ten tribes" of Israel. 7 A mode of expression common to the Indians, who are in the habit of communicating their ideas by allusions to the senses.—James. 8 Humboldt observes of the natives of New Spain, that "their head never becomes gray. It is infinitely more rare to find an Indian than a negro with gray hairs; and the want of a beard gives the former a continual air of youth. The skin of Indians is also less subject to wrinkles." In this latter character, at least, it will be perceived, that our observations on the Missouri Indians do not coincide with those of the Baron, respecting the natives he describes. Ulloa informs us, that the symptoms of old age are a beard and gray hairs. But the natives of the region of the Missouri have certainly no greater density of beard, when advanced in age, than during their earlier years, though it is equally certain, that owing to a neglect of personal neatness, their beard is suffered to grow; yet, agreeably to our opportunities of judging, its ordinary character of sparse distribution is never changed.—James. Comment by Ed. Catlin notes the common occurrence of gray hair among the Mandan as a peculiarity of that people; see Smithsonian Report, 1885, part ii, p. 82. However, it was not unknown in other tribes. 9 Sunstroke.—Ed. 10 The Crows, whom the French called Gens des Corbeaux, were an important tribe of the Siouan family. Lewis and Clark estimated their numbers at three thousand five hundred; they lived on the Yellowstone River. Nearly two thousand still reside on the Crow reservation in Montana.—Ed. 11 Many individuals attach small bags, of the size of the end of the thumb, to various parts of their dress, as talismanic preventives of personal injury. The custom of sacrificing their clothes to the medicine is unknown to the Omawhaws, but it is practised with the Upsaroka and some other nations.—James. 12 The tribe here mentioned belonged to the Siouan family, and its numbers were estimated by Lewis and Clark at two thousand five hundred. Their chief village was situated on Knife River, North Dakota. Minitaree means "to cross water;" Grosventres is French for "Big Bellies." The proper name of this tribe is Hidatsa, which distinguishes it from an unrelated tribe farther west, to which both of the former appellations are sometimes applied—generally with the addition "of the Prairie;" the Hidatsa being known as Grosventres (or Minitaree) "of the Missouri." Their numbers were thinned by an epidemic in 1837, and in 1845 they removed some sixty miles farther up the Missouri, where they were joined by the Mandan, and later (1862) by the Arikara. About four hundred and fifty Hidatsa now live on the Fort Berthold Reservation, in North Dakota.—Ed. 13 See sketch of Jessaume given in Bradbury's Travels, in our volume v, note 94.—Ed. 14 There are two streams in the Minitaree country now bearing the names respectively of Knife River and Little Knife River. The former flows from the west and debouches in Mercer County, North Dakota, just above Lewis and Clark's camp (Fort Mandan) in the winter of 1804-05. Little Knife River flows from the northeast; its mouth is at the northern line of the Fort Berthold Indian reservation.—Ed. 15 The present Vermillion River, of Clay County, South Dakota.—Ed. 16 See Bradbury's Travels, in our volume v, note 99.—Ed. 17 On the history and traditions of the Hidatsa, see Matthews, "Ethnography and Philology of the Hidatsa Indians," in U. S. Geological and Geographical Survey of the Territories, Miscellaneous Publications, No. 7 (Washington, 1877).—Ed. 18 Chapter i of volume ii of the original London edition.—Ed. 19 Richard Harlan (1796-1843) was a prominent physician of Philadelphia, and member of many learned societies. At the time of publication of the account of Long's expedition, he was professor of comparative anatomy in the Philadelphia museum. At the time of his death at New Orleans (1843), he was vice-president of the Louisiana Medical Society.—Ed. 20 The gravity of the Indian is almost proverbial: he will smile, but he rarely laughs. He does not indulge in badinage, or unnecessary remarks respecting the weather, merely for the purpose of talking, and generally addresses his companions in a low voice, and with few words, excepting in council, when his elocution is loud, rapid, and vehement: the voice is full, harsh, and somewhat guttural. The squaw, not unfrequently, offers a perfect contrast in this respect, in her vivacious demeanour, shrill loquacity, and pleasant smile, and laugh, readily excited.—James. 21 Now more commonly known by its Indian name of Niobrara, which signifies the same as L'Eau qui Court (Running Water or Rapid River), of which Quicourre is a corruption. The entire course of this river lies in Nebraska, just below its northern boundary.—Ed. 22 Sergeant Floyd, of the Lewis and Clark expedition, died here in August, 1804, whence the name of the stream, which it still bears. Its mouth is on the Iowa side, just below Sioux City.—Ed. 23 On the Cheyenne, see Bradbury's Travels, in our volume v, note 88.—Ed. 24 On Le Borgne see Bradbury's Travels, in our volume v, note 98.—Ed. 25 When on a war excursion, or a pacific mission, the Indians always address their companions in this manner: "My companion, my brave. My brother, my brave."—James. 26 The pipestone quarry is in Pipestone County, Minnesota, on Pipestone Creek, a branch of the Big Sioux. See J. Long's Voyages, in our volume ii, note 43.—Ed. 27 For sketch of Jonathan Carver, see J. Long's Voyages, in our volume ii, note 5.—Ed. 28 This paragraph, found in the Philadelphia edition, is replaced by asterisks in the London issue.—Ed. 29 Etienne VÉnyard, Sieur de Bourgmont (Bourmont, Boismont, Bournion), the builder of Fort Orleans, just below the mouth of Grand River, the first post established on the Missouri (1722 or 1723), undertook an expedition therefrom during the summer of 1724, under instructions from the government of Louisiana, for the purpose of making treaties of friendship with the tribes of the plains. For his journal, see Margry, DÉcouvertes et Etablissements des FranÇais, vi, pp. 398-448.—Ed. 30 St. Peter's was the former name of the Minnesota River.—Ed. 31 See Dorsey, "Migrations of Siouan Tribes," in American Naturalist, xv, p. 211; also Nuttall's Journal, in our volume xiii, note 84.—Ed. 32 On the Winnebago, see J. Long's Voyages, in our volume ii, note 86.—Ed. 33 The Moyene River is the present Des Moines. See preceding volume, note 123.—Ed. 34 This was Fort Orleans, referred to ante, note 29. For further details, see Bradbury's Travels, in our volume v, note 26. Notice of Du Pratz will be found in Nuttall's Journal, volume xiii of our series, note 89.—Ed. 35 The reference is to the English edition of Du Pratz, History of Louisiana (London, 1763), ii, p. 157. See Charlevoix's account in Wisconsin Historical Collections, xvi, pp. 413, 414.—Ed. 36 For Boyer Creek, see preceding volume, note 174.—Ed. 37 For sketch of Bartram, see AndrÉ Michaux's Travels, in our volume iii, note 177.—Ed. 38 Bennett Riley, of Maryland, began his army career in 1813, as ensign in the rifles, attaining a captaincy in 1817. In 1821 he was transferred to the infantry, in which he attained successively the rank of major (1837), lieutenant-colonel (1839), and colonel (1850). He died in 1853. Andrew Talcott entered West Point in 1815, from Connecticut, and on graduation (1818), was promoted into the army with the brevet rank of second-lieutenant in the corps of engineers. He resigned his commission in 1836, being then captain, and was engaged until 1860 chiefly on railroad and mining enterprises; he was a member of the Northwest Boundary Commission (1840-43). He died in 1883, aged eighty-six.—Ed. 39 Meaning "The Thief."—Ed. 40 Shell Creek is a tributary of the Platte, flowing from the northwest across Platte and Colfax counties.—Ed. 41 The Arikara; see Bradbury's Travels, in our volume v, note 83.—Ed. 42 Beaver Creek is a northern tributary of Loup River, which it joins in Nance County.—Ed. 43 Willow (now Cedar) Creek rises in Garfield County and flows southeast to the Loup; Fullerton, seat of Nance County, is at its mouth. Willows grew on its banks and cedars on the bluffs a little farther from the water; hence both names were applied by the Pawnee.—Ed. 44 I gladly avail myself of the opportunity of noticing the many attentions which we received from this gentleman. At this time particularly, he rendered us essential services, in which he appeared to take much pleasure.—James. Comment by Ed. Laforce Pappan (Papin, Papan) was probably the grandson of Joseph Pappan, a Canadian fur-trader who came to St. Louis about 1770, and was for many years a trader among the Pawnee. He died of cholera (1848) while on his way to St. Louis. Emily, his daughter by a Pawnee woman, married Henry, son of Lucien Fontenelle (see preceding volume, note 196). 45 The Sharitarish of Pike, whom he calls Characterish, was chief of the Republican Pawnee, whom he visited in September, 1806. He also mentions Ishcatappa (Iskatappe). See Coues, Expeditions of Zebulon M. Pike, ii, p. 409. The portrait of the younger Sharitarish is given in McKenney, Indian Tribes of North America (Philadelphia, 1854), i, p. 33. He succeeded Tarrarecawaho as grand chief, but died soon afterwards, aged about thirty.—Ed. 46 The hauteur here ascribed to Tarrarecawaho is in keeping with the story that he refused an invitation to visit Washington, esteeming the Pawnee the greatest people in the world, and thinking such a visit involved condescension. He sent Sharitarish in his stead. Ishcatappa succeeded Sharitarish in the chieftainship. By the Omaha he was called "The Wicked."—Ed. 47 Petalesharoo visited Washington in 1821-22, and the ladies of the city presented him with a medal for the humanity and bravery he had displayed in rescuing the Ietan girl. The incident was also made the theme of a rhymed effusion in the New York Commercial Advertiser, entitled "The Pawnee Brave." This accompanied by a portrait of Petalesharoo is to be found in McKenney, Indian Tribes, i, p. 143.—Ed. 48 The Arapaho were a tribe of Algonquian stock, which, with the kindred Cheyenne, had pushed their way through the country of the hostile Sioux to the region of the Black Hills; later, they entered Wyoming and Colorado. Their present number is about seventeen hundred, half in Oklahoma and half in Wyoming. The Kiowa are generally regarded as an independent stock (see Bureau of Ethnology Report, 1885-86, p. 84), whose pristine territory was rather indefinitely located on the upper Arkansas and Platte. The Comanche were closely associated. There are now about eleven hundred Kiowa in Oklahoma.—Ed. 49 John R. Bell was a New Yorker, who was graduated from West Point in 1812, and served in the light artillery through the War of 1812-15. For a short time prior to his departure for the Missouri, he was commandant of cadets and instructor in infantry tactics at West Point. Afterwards he was in garrison at Savannah and Fort Moultrie; breveted major in 1824, he died the succeeding year. For sketch of Edwin James, the compiler of this account of the expedition, see preface of volume xiv. The secretary of the navy at this time was Smith Thompson, of New York (1768-1843). He succeeded George Crowinshield, of Massachusetts, in this office (1818), and held the post until 1823. Previous to his appointment he had been on the supreme bench of New York (since 1802), and had become chief justice (1814). In 1823 he was made associate justice on the federal bench. John Torrey (1796-1873), one of America's greatest botanists, was the son of a New York Revolutionary officer. Entering the army as a surgeon in 1824, he taught the sciences at West Point until 1828; from that time until 1855 he was connected, as professor of chemistry and botany, with Princeton College, the University of the City of New York, and the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City. He was one of the founders (1817) of the New York Lyceum of Natural History, which became the New York Academy of Sciences, and was the preceptor and lifelong associate of Asa Gray, with whom he also collaborated. Of especial interest to readers of the present volumes is the fact that Dr. Torrey undertook the examination of the botanical collections made on Long's expedition. He also examined the collections made by several later exploring parties, notably those of FrÉmont to the Rocky Mountains (1845) and California (1853). John Eatton Le Conte (1784-1860) was descended from a Huguenot family which settled at New Rochelle, New York, about the close of the seventeenth century. He served in the corps of topographical engineers from 1818 to 1831, gaining the brevet rank of major. Known as the author of special botanical and zoological studies, he was also a member of the New York Lyceum of Natural History, and vice-president of the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences.—Ed. 50 See Wells On the Origin of Prairies, in the 4th number of Silliman's Journal.—James. Comment by Ed. "La Grande Prairie," as the French settlers of St. Louis called it, began at Fourth Street of the present city. 51 Bonhomme (Good Man) is the name of a creek, a township, and a post-office in St. Louis County, but has never been the name of a town. The post-office of Bonhomme is of comparatively recent origin, and even now contains but one store. The name as used in the text apparently applies collectively to the settlements along Bonhomme Creek.—Ed. 52 Genus Pseudostoma.53 Say.—Cheek-pouches exterior to the mouth; incisores naked, truncated; molares sixteen, destitute of radicles; crown simple, oval; anterior ones double. Species, Pseudostoma bursaria.—Body sub-cylindrical, covered with reddish-brown hair, which is plumbeous at base; feet white, anterior nails elongated, posterior ones short, and concave beneath. Mus bursarius, (Shaw, Trans. Lin. Soc. Lond. and Genl. Zoology.)—Body elongated, sub-cylindrical; hair reddish-brown, plumbeous at base; beneath rather paler; cheek-pouches capacious, covered with hair both within and without; vibrissÆ numerous, slender, whitish; eyes black; ears hardly prominent; feet five-toed, white, anterior pair robust, with large, elongated, somewhat compressed nails, exposing the bone on the inner side, middle nail much longest, then the fourth, then the second, then the fifth, the first being very short; posterior feet slender, nails concave beneath, rounded at tip, the exterior one very small; tail short, hairy at base, nearly naked towards the tip. This animal is congeneric with the Tucan of Hernandez, which Buffon erroneously considers the same as the Talpha rubra Americana of Seba, or Talpha rubra, Lin., an animal which is, however, entirely out of the question, and which, if we may be allowed to judge from Seba's figure, is so far from having any specific affinity with the bursarius, that it cannot now be regarded as co-ordinate with it. The late professor B. S. Barton, in his Medical and Physical Journal, says, that a species of Mus allied to the M. bursarius of Shaw, is common in Georgia and Florida; that he examined a living specimen of this animal, and was convinced that it is no other than the Tucan of Hernandez, and the Tuza or Tozan of Clavigero. He says nothing of its size; but on the same page he remarks, "that another species of Mus, much larger [than] the Tuza, inhabits west of the Mississippi about latitude 30°, of which very little is known." Dr. Barton was aware that the cheek pouches, in the figures given by Shaw, are represented in an inverted position, but not having seen specimens from the trans-Mississippi country, he was unacquainted with their specific identity with those of Canada, from which those figures were drawn. In our zoological reports to Major Long, in the year 1819, the specimens which we found on the Missouri were recorded under the name of bursarius of Shaw. Coxe, in his description of "Carolana called Florida, and of the Meschacebe," 1741, mentions a "rat with a bag under its throat, wherein it conveys its young when forced to fly." Several other writers have noticed these animals, of whom Dr. Mitchell, in Silliman's Journal, 1821, mentions the identity of specimens obtained beyond Lake Superior, with the M. bursarius of Shaw. The animals belonging to this genus are distinguished by their voluminous cheek-pouches, which are perfectly exterior to the mouth, from which they are separated by the common integument, they are profoundly concave, opening downwards, and towards the mouth. The incisores which are not covered by the lips, but are always exposed to view, are strong and truncated in their entire width at tip; the superior ones are each marked by a deep, longitudinal groove near the middle, and by a smaller one at the inner margin. The molares, to the number of eight in each jaw, penetrate to the base of their respective alveoles, without any division into roots, as in the genus Arvicola, Lepus, &c., their crown is simply discoidal, transversely oblong oval, margined by the enamel, and in general form they resemble the teeth of a Lepus, but without the appearance either of a groove at their ends, or of a dividing crest of enamel; the posterior tooth is rather more rounded than the others, and that of the upper-jaw has a small prominent angle on its posterior face; the anterior tooth is double, in consequence of a profound duplicature in its side, so that its crown presents two oval disks, of which the anterior one is smaller, and in the lower jaw somewhat angulated. All the molares of the lower jaw incline obliquely forward, and those of the superior jaw obliquely backward. The whole animal has a clumsy aspect, having a large head and body, with short legs, large fore feet, and small hind feet; and although it walks awkwardly, yet it burrows with the greatest rapidity, so that the difficulty of obtaining specimens may be, in a great degree, attributed to the facility with which the animal passes through the soil, in removing from the vicinity of danger. They cast up mounds of loose earth, which, like those of the blind rat, (Spalax typhlus) have no exterior opening. These elevations have been aptly compared, by Lewis and Clarke, to such heaps of earth as would be formed by the emptying of the loose contents of a flower-pot upon the soil. The mounds are of various dimensions, from the diameter of a few inches only, to that of several yards; the quantity of earth employed consequently varies from a pint to two or three bushels. So entirely subterranean is the life of this animal, that it is rarely seen; and many persons have lived for many years surrounded by their little edifices, without knowing the singular being by whose labours they are produced. It is known by the names of sand-rat, goffer, pouched-rat, salamander, &c.—James. 53 From ?e?d?, false, and st?a, a mouth, in allusion to the false mouths or cheek-pouches. 54 Chesterfield was situated on Bonhomme Creek, one mile from the Missouri River. It was laid out in 1818.—Ed. 55 Pond Fort was one of a half dozen posts erected by the settlers of St. Charles County during the War of 1812-15, for protection against the Indians. Boone's Fort, built by a son of Daniel Boone, was the largest and strongest of the group. Pond Fort was a short distance southeast of the site of Wentzville.—Ed. 56 On Dardenne Creek, see preceding volume, note 97. The Cuivre (Copper) River forms part of the northern boundary of St. Charles County.—Ed. 57 Views of the Lead Mines, pp. 180, 227.—James. 58 The Loutre is a Montgomery County stream.—Ed. 59 The correct name of this man was Isaac Van Bibber. His father was killed at the Battle of Point Pleasant (see Bradbury's Travels, in our volume v, note 156); he was brought up in Daniel Boone's family, and married Elizabeth Hays, daughter of Boone's eldest daughter, Susan. Emigrating to Missouri in 1800, he served during the War of 1812-15 as major of militia. In the autumn of 1815 he settled at the place called Loutre Lick, on the site of the present village of Mineola, Montgomery County, and a considerable immigration followed. A man named Massey had attempted a settlement even earlier, but from fear of the Indians had retreated. The settlement was sometimes called Van Bibber's Lick. An effort was made to utilize the spring in the manufacture of salt, but the brine proved too weak to yield profitably.—Ed. 60 The old mining district in Madison County, Missouri, centered around the town of Mine la Motte, named for the Frenchman who discovered the deposits. Mine la Motte was settled as early as 1722; its site is about four miles north of Fredericktown. St. Michael was settled in 1801, by immigrants from North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia, and in 1822 contained fifty dwellings; then it declined and almost disappeared. Its site is on the north bank of Saline Creek, opposite Fredericktown.—Ed. 61 Thrall's settlement was about four miles north of Rocheport, Boone County. The first settlers arrived as early as 1812, and after the War of 1812-15 the population grew rapidly. Augustus Thrall, for whom the place was named, came in 1816. The site was on land granted by the federal government to sufferers from the New Madrid earthquake.—Ed. 62 Willdenow. F. palustris. Nuttall.—James. 63 For Franklin and Chariton, see the preceding volume, notes 116, 122. Grand River is a considerable affluent of the Missouri; it rises in southern Iowa and flows southeasterly; its lower course forms the boundary between Chariton and Carroll counties, Missouri.—Ed. 64 The text does not make clear the route of the party through Carroll County, especially as Doe Creek cannot be identified. If this stream was a tributary of Grand River, the party could not have crossed a branch of the Wahconda in a course north, 45° west; for Big Creek, a tributary of the Grand, which flows southeasterly through the eastern half of the county, would have separated them from the Wahconda basin. It seems likely that they ascended the watershed between Big Creek and the Wahconda, and that Doe Creek was a small branch of the former. The two tributaries of the Grand which were crossed may have been Big Creek and one of its large branches, probably the Little Wahconda, which flows south through the centre of the county. The journey of twenty-two miles must have brought them near the northern line of Carroll County. Wahconda (sometimes Wakanda and Wakenda) is, as the text has explained, the Indian name for the supreme being (Master of Life). The stream pursues an eastward course across Carroll County. Its waters abounded in fish and its banks in game; to the Indians such abundance seemed to betoken the presence of the deity, and the stream was regarded as sacred. Another legend concerning the name is, that two Sioux died while passing a night upon its bank, and as they bore no marks of violence, the Indians attributed their death to the Master of Life.—Ed. 65 Eaton's Index to the Geology of the Northern States. First edition.—James. 66 A ceanothus, smaller than C. americana, the amorpha canescens, and the symphoria racemosa, are almost the only shrubs seen in the prairies.—James. 67 Nuttall's Travels into Arkansa, p. 165.—James. Comment by Ed. See reprint in our volume xiii, pp. 227-228. 68 For Mosquito Creek, see preceding volume, note 173.—Ed. 69 See preceding volume, note 174.—Ed. 70 It will be perceived, that in the following narrative no reference has been made to the notes or journal of Captain Bell, the reason of which is, that his journal, in the form of a report, was submitted to the Secretary of War, and consequently the compiler has had no opportunity of consulting it.—James. Comment by Ed. Bell's report was never published. 71 A. F. Baronet Vasquez accompanied Pike as interpreter. He was the fifth child of Benito Vasquez, a Spaniard, who came to St. Louis in 1770, at the age of twenty, in the capacity of a subordinate military officer. His mother, Julia Papin, was a French Canadian, daughter of Pierre Papin. Baronet Vasquez, born in 1783, was in 1808 appointed ensign in the United States army; he left the service in 1814, at which time he was a first lieutenant of infantry. Pike usually calls Vasquez "Baroney," and his name is so given in the army registers.—Ed. 72 Bernard Pratte was engaged in the fur-trade for many years, yet available information concerning him is scanty. When Astor retired from the American Fur Company (1834), the business of its Western Department was sold to the St. Louis firm of Pratte, Chouteau and Co. Pratte withdrew in 1838, but in 1842 reappeared as the head of the rival firm of Pratte, Cabanne and Co. In 1819, Pratte and Vasquez had a post above Council Bluffs, perhaps nearly opposite the site of the present town of Onawa, Iowa. See Chittenden, American Fur Trade, pp. 364, 366, 367, 951. The Vasquez associated with Pratte was a brother of "Baroney," probably Benito, Jr.—Ed. 73 The route followed by the expedition, from Missouri River to the site of Denver, became later the well-known route of the overland stage, and is now essentially the line of the Union Pacific Railroad.—Ed. 74 For Papillon Creek, see Bradbury's Travels, in our volume v, note 40.—Ed. 75 See preceding volume, note 182.—Ed. 76 In Father Venegas' account of California, published at Madrid in 1758, we find a description of a similar method of transportation, used by the natives of that country. "The inhabitants of the banks of the Colorado make of the same herbs (a vine called Pita,) little tubs or bins, called Coritas, which generally hold about two bushels of maize; and in these they transport their goods from one shore to the other, without being in the least damaged by the water, they themselves swimming behind, and shoving these vehicles along before them."Vol. i. p. 44. London, 1759.—James. Comment by Ed. See preceding volume, note 44, for sketch of Venegas. 77 See ante, note 40.—Ed. 78 See Lewis and Clarke, vol. i, p. 67.—James. Comment by Ed. See ante, note 21, for the Quicurre; and preceding volume, note 200, for Loup River. 79 This plant is destitute of the exterior calyx of the genus malva, to which, however, it is more closely allied than to sida, into which it would appear to fall by its artificial characters. It appears to be a congener to the two new plants lately brought by Mr. Nuttall from Arkansa, and which have received the name of Nuttallia.—James. 80 Astragalus carnosus, N. A. Missouriensis, N. A. Laxmani, Ph. Gaura coccinea, N. Troximon marginatum, Ph. Hymenopappus tenuifolius, Ph. Trichodium laxiflorum, Mx. Atheropogon oligostachyum, N. Viola palmata, Ph? in fruit. Hedeoma hirta, N. Hordeum jubatum, Anemone tenella, Ph. and other plants were among our collections of this day.—James. 81 The description of Grape Creek corresponds to the present Looking Glass Creek, in Platte County. The Pawnee called the stream "water that reflects your shadow." With cultivation of the adjoining lands and the advent of herds of wading cattle, the stream has lost its clearness.—Ed. 82 For Beaver Creek, see ante, note 42.—Ed. 83 Sylvanus Fancher (called "Doctor" by courtesy) was a native of Plymouth, Connecticut. An eccentric, uneducated character, his notoriety was due to the fact that he embraced the vaccine theory before it was adopted by regular physicians. His operations in the unoccupied field of New England were for a few years remunerative; but his improvidence prevented the accumulation of a competence, and as medical men took up the practice of vaccination, his means of livelihood declined. He died in Hartford in abject poverty. See sketch in Anderson, Town and City of Waterbury, Connecticut (New Haven, 1896), iii, p. 831.—Ed. 84 The first creek west of Beaver is Plum, so called from the abundance of wild plums growing on its banks; it is not shown on most maps. The name Creek of Souls is prophetic, as a mission station was established here in 1843. Next to Plum Creek was Council Creek, flowing south through Boone and Nance counties. Its name commemorates an Indian council held there some years later by Dougherty. The names of Plum Creek and Council Creek are sometimes interchanged. Beyond Council Creek is Cedar Creek (see ante, note 43). The Grand Pawnee village stood about thirty miles above the mouth of Loup River, which would be between the Loup and Cedar Creek. The other villages were in the neighborhood (see ante, p. 149). Within a few years the villages were moved to or below the mouth of the Loup.—Ed. 85 Ishcatappa; see ante, note 46.—Ed. 86 See Appendix B.—Ed. 87 The "Kaskaias" were closely akin to the Comanche, if not identical with them. The name is rarely used after the date of the present account, and the term Comanche is extended so as to include the Indians to which it is here applied. Jedidiah Morse, Indian commissioner, reckoned their numbers (1822) at three thousand, and located them along the base of the Rocky Mountains, in the same area over which the Comanche roamed.—Ed. 88 The Pawnee now number about six hundred and fifty souls.—Ed. 89 The purposes of the Yellowstone expedition included the establishment of this military post at the mouth of Minnesota River; during 1819 barracks were erected and fortifications begun.—Ed. 90 Arctomys Ludoviciana. Ord.—This interesting and sprightly little animal has received the absurd and inappropriate name of Prairie dog, from a fancied resemblance of its warning cry to the hurried barking of a small dog. This sound may be imitated with the human voice, by the pronunciation of the syllable cheh, cheh, cheh, in a sibilated manner, and in rapid succession, by propelling the breath between the tip of the tongue and the roof of the mouth. The animal is of a light dirty reddish-brown colour above, which is intermixed with some gray, also a few black hairs. This coating of hair is of a dark lead colour next the skin, then bluish-white, then light reddish, then gray at the tip. The lower parts of the body are of a dirty white colour. The head is wide and depressed above, with large eyes; the iris is dark brown. The ears are short and truncated; the whiskers of moderate length and black; a few bristles project from the anterior portion of the superior orbit of the eye, and a few also from a wart on the cheek: the nose is somewhat sharp and compressed; the hair of the anterior legs, and that of the throat and neck, is not dusky at base. All the feet are five-toed, covered with very short hair, and armed with rather long black nails: the exterior one of the fore foot nearly attains the base of the next, and the middle one is half an inch in length: the thumb is armed with a conic nail, three-tenths of an inch in length; the tail is rather short, banded with brown near the tip, and the hair, excepting near the body, is not plumbeous at base.91 The length of the animal, from the tip of the nose to the origin of the tail, is sixteen inches; of the tail, two inches and three-fourths; of the hair at its tip three-fourths of an inch. As particular districts, of limited extent, are, in general, occupied by the burrows of these animals, such assemblages of dwellings are denominated Prairie dog villages by hunters and others who wander in these remote regions. These villages, like those of man, differ widely in the extent of surface which they occupy; some are confined to an area of a few acres, others are bounded by a circumference of many miles. Only one of these villages occurred between the Missouri and the Pawnee towns; thence to the Platte they were much more numerous. The entrance to the burrow is at the summit of the little mound of earth, brought up by the animal during the progress of the excavation below. These mounds are sometimes inconspicuous, but generally somewhat elevated above the common surface, though rarely to the height of eighteen inches. Their form is that of a truncated cone, on a base of two or three feet, perforated by a comparatively large hole or entrance at the summit or in the side. The whole surface, but more particularly the summit, is trodden down and compacted, like a well-worn pathway. The hole descends vertically to the depth of one or two feet, whence it continues in an oblique direction downward. A single burrow may have many occupants. We have seen as many as seven or eight individuals sitting upon one mound. They delight to sport about the entrance of their burrows in pleasant weather; at the approach of danger they retreat to their dens; or when its proximity is not too immediate, they remain, barking, and flourishing their tails, on the edge of their holes, or sitting erect to reconnoitre. When fired upon in this situation, they never fail to escape, or if killed, instantly to fall into their burrows, where they are beyond the reach of the hunter. As they pass the winter in a lethargic sleep, they lay up no provision of food for that season, but defend themselves from its rigours by accurately closing up the entrance of the burrow. The further arrangements which the Prairie dog makes for its comfort and security are well worthy of attention. He constructs for himself a very neat globular cell with fine dry grass, having an aperture at top, large enough to admit the finger, and so compactly formed that it might almost be rolled over the floor without receiving injury. The burrows are not always equidistant from each other, though they occur usually at intervals of about twenty feet.92—James. Comment by Ed. The scientific name of the prairie-dog is now cynomys ludovicianus; see Bradbury's Travels, in our volume v, note 61. 91 This description is drawn chiefly from a well-prepared specimen belonging to the Philadelphia museum, the tail of which, if we may decide from memory, is somewhat too short. 92 In these villages, where the grass is fed close, and where much fresh earth is brought up and exposed to the air, is the peculiar habitat of a species of Solanum approaching the S. triflorum of Nuttall, which, he says, occurs as a weed "about the gardens of the Mandans and Minatarees of the Missouri, and in no other situations." It appears to differ from the S. triflorum in being a little hirsute, with flat, runcinate, pinnatifid leaves, and the peduncles alternating with the leaves. The Solanum heterandrum of Pursh, now referred to the new genus Androcera of Nuttall, is also very common, but is not confined, like the plant just mentioned, to the marmot villages. We collected also the Psoralea cuspidata, Ph. P. esculenta, N. P. incana, N. also a species of Hieracium—H. runcinatum. Plant hirsute, leaves all radical, elliptic-oblong, runcinate; scape few-flowered, somewhat compressed, and angular; glands on the hairs of the calix, very small and diaphanous; about one foot high; flower small. Hab. in depressed, grassy situations along the Platte. 93 Known as Grand Island. It extends from Buffalo County on the west through Hall into Merrick County. The dimensions given in the text are not accurate; it has an average width of only a mile and three-quarters, but is more than fifty miles in length. FrÉmont described it (1842) as well timbered, fertile, and above high water level; he noted it as the most suitable site on the lower Platte for a military post. See Report of Exploring Expedition to Rocky Mountains in the Year 1842 (Washington, 1845), p. 78. Fort Kearney was established in 1848, in Kearney County, near the upper end of the island.—Ed. 94 Now Wood River. It rises in Custer County, flows southeast through Dawson and western Buffalo counties, then turns and flows east by northeast to central Hall County, where it empties into the channel of the Platte, which runs north of Grand Island. The timber on its banks, from which it obtained its name, was consumed in building the Union Pacific Railroad.—Ed. 95 Among other plants collected along the Platte on the 15th and 16th June, are the Cherianthus asper, N., Helianthemum canadense, Atheropogon apludoides, N., Myosotis scorpioides, Pentstemon gracile. N. The Cherianthus asper is intensely bitter in every part, particularly the root, which is used as medicine by the Indians. In depressed and moist places along the river, we observed a species of Plantago, which is manifestly allied to P. eriophora of Wallich, Flor. Ind. p. 423, also to P. attenuata of the same work, p. 422. The base of the scape and leaves is invested with a dense tuft of long fine wool, of a rusty brown colour. Before the plant is taken up this tuft is concealed in the soil, being a little below the surface, but it adheres closely to the dried specimen. Its leaves, which are the size of those of P. lanceolata, are smooth, fine nerved, with a few remote denticulations. Scape slender, exceeding the leaves; bractÆas ovate, spike slender, few-flowered—P. attenuata, Bradbury?—James. 96 See Bradbury, p. 113.—James. Comment by Ed. See reprint in volume v of our series, p. 123. 97 For sketch of Sir Alexander Mackenzie, see FranchÈre's Narrative, in our volume vi, note 4.—Ed. 98 The Sand Hills begin at about the hundredth meridian, which crosses the Platte in western Dawson County.—Ed. 99 Argemone alba, a large plant, very distinct from A. mexicana.—James. 100 Other plants found here, were the great sunflower Helianthus giganteus, Asclepias obtusifolia, Ph., A. viridiflora, Ph., A. syriaca, and A. incarnata, Amorpha canescens, N., Erigeron pumilum, N., A. Veronica approaching V. deccabunga Scuttellaria galericulata, Rumex venosus, N., and several which are believed to be undescribed.—James. 101 In rain water puddles, we remarked a new species of Branchiopode belonging to the genus Apus; small crustaceous animals, which exhibit a miniature resemblance to the King or Horse-shoe Crab, (Himulus polyphemus,) of our sea coast, but which are furnished with about sixty pairs of feet, and swim upon their back. The basins of water, which contained them, had been very much diminished by evaporation and infiltration, and were now crowded to excess, principally with the apus, great numbers of which were dying upon the surrounding mud, whence the water had receded. This species is distinguished from the productus of Bosc, and montagui of Leach, by not having the dorsal carina prolonged in a point behind; and from cancriformis, by the greater proportional width of the thorax, and more obtuse emargination behind. The length of the thorax along the middle, is three-tenths of an inch, and its greatest breadth somewhat more. It may be named Apus obtusus. A very large species of Cypris, also inhabits these small rainwater pools in great numbers, of which the valves are more than one-fifth of an inch in length.—James. 102 North Platte River rises in Laramie County, Colorado, in the high valley called North Park, enclosed by the Park Range and the Medicine Bow Mountains. It flows north to Natrona County, in central Wyoming, and thence turns to the southeast.—Ed. 103 Castor fiber.—Some of the European naturalists appear to be in doubt, whether or not the beavers of Europe are of the same species with ours, from the circumstance of the former not erecting habitations for themselves, thus appearing to differ at least in habit, from the North American, (which are usually but improperly called, Canada beaver, as they are not confined to Canada, but are found far south in the United States, and east to the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi,) but it is possible, that the aboriginal manners of the European beavers, corresponded with those of ours, and that necessity, resulting from the population of the country by civilized man, compelled them to resort to a different mode of life, to escape the certain destruction, with which the great demand for their fur threatened them. But as the European beaver is smaller than ours, other naturalists have regarded it as a distinct species. In those districts of country of North America, from which they have not yet been exterminated, and which are populated by the whites, as particularly on the Mississippi, above the Ohio, and below St. Louis, we have not heard that they build, but it is more than probable, that, as in Europe, they change their mode of life, in order to be the more effectually concealed from view. From subsequent observation, we have learned, that the beaver does not attempt to dam large streams, perceiving at once the impracticability of the undertaking: his object in damming a stream appears to be, to preserve a constancy in the height of the water, in order that the entrance to his habitation in the bank may be concealed, and that the curious conical edifice may not be destroyed by a sudden flood, or too much exposed by a deficiency of water. An Indian informed us, that in his time, he has caught three specimens of this animal, that had each a large white spot on the breast. Singular accounts of this animal are given us by the hunters, but which we had no opportunity of verifying. Three beavers were seen cutting down a large cotton-wood tree; when they had made considerable progress, one of them retired to a short distance, and took his station in the water, looking steadfastly at the top of the tree. As soon as he perceived the top begin to move towards its fall, he gave notice of the danger to his companions, who were still at work, gnawing at its base, by slapping his tail upon the surface of the water, and they immediately ran from the tree out of harm's way. The spring beaver are much better for commerce than those of the autumn and early winter, as the fur is longer and more dense. But the beaver taken in the vicinity of the Rocky Mountains is almost equally good during the year. Mr. Frazer, a gentleman who has been several years engaged in the fur trade, in the interior of North America, on the Columbia, and in North California, in speaking of the beaver, mentioned a circumstance, which we do not remember to have seen recorded. The lodges are usually so placed, that the animals ascend the stream some distance to arrive at the spot whence they procure their food. They make their excursions under water, and they have, at equal distances, excavations under the bank, called washes, into which they go and raise their heads above the surface, in order to breathe, without exposing themselves to be seen. In winter the position of these washes is ascertained, by the hollow sound the ground returns when beaten; and the beavers are sometimes taken, by being pursued into these holes, the entrances to which are afterwards closed. Otters are frequent on the Missouri. We had an opportunity of seeing on the ice of Boyer Creek a considerable number of the tracks or paths of otters; they were the more readily distinguishable, from there being snow of but little depth on the ice, and they appeared as if the animal was accustomed to slide in his movements on the ice, as there were, in the first place, the impressions of two feet, then a long mark clear of snow a distance of three or four feet, then the impressions of the feet of the animal, after which the sliding mark, and so on alternately. These paths were numerous, and passed between the bank and a situation, where a hole had been in the ice, now frozen over.—James. 104 The narrative from which this sketch is taken, was published in the Missouri Gazette.—James. Comment by Ed. The article in the Missouri Gazette is reprinted in Bradbury's Travels, volume v of our series, Appendix III, p. 224. An account of Hunt's expedition and sketches of the partners of the Pacific Fur Company, mentioned in the text, will be found in the same volume, notes 2, 3, 72, 119. 105 The town of North Platte is now situated on this tongue of land between the forks of the Platte; and recently a family named Peale, relatives of T. R. Peale of Long's party, were among the residents.—Ed. 106 Charles Nicholas Sigisbert Sonnini de Manoncourt was a French naturalist and traveller, who visited Egypt, Greece, and Asia Minor during the years 1777-80. He lost his fortune by the Revolution, and spent the remainder of his life in writing and editing scientific works. The book here referred to is Voyage dans la haute et dans le basse Egypt (Paris, 3 vols., 1799). It was twice translated into English.—Ed. 107 Considerable additions were made, about the forks of the Platte, to our collections of plants. We found here, among others, the Pentstemon cristatum, N. Coronopus dydima, Ph. Evolvulus Nuttallianus, Roemer, and Shultz. Orobus dispar, Cleome tryphilla, Petalostemon candidum, Ph., and P. violaceum. Aristida pallens, N. two species of a genus approximating to Hoitzia, several species of Astragalus, and many others.—James. 108 Nuttall's Genera of North American Plants, vol. i. p. 296.—James. 109 John Lawson, a Scotchman, came to North Carolina about 1700, as surveyor-general; he was killed by the Indians in 1712. His book, A New Voyage to Carolina, etc., originally published at London in 1709, ran through several editions, and was reprinted at Raleigh in 1860. "He [the bison] seldom appears amongst the English Inhabitants ... yet I have known some kill'd on the Hilly Part of Cape-Fair-River, they passing the Ledges of vast Mountains ... before they can come near us." [In margin.] "Two killed one year in Virginia at Appamaticks." (See edition of 1714, in Stevens's Collection of Voyages, p. 115.) Cuming's Tour is reprinted as volume iv of our series. See p. 177 for passage quoted.—Ed. 110 Andrew Henry was born in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, between 1773 and 1778, and died in Washington County, Missouri, in 1832. He was one of the original incorporators of the Missouri Fur Company in 1809 and the next year built the first post established by an American trader beyond the crest of the Rockies; this was Fort Henry, on Snake River, probably near the present village of Egin, Fremont County, Idaho. It was abandoned the succeeding spring, but furnished shelter for a few days to the party under Hunt, bound overland to Astoria. (See Bradbury's Travels, in our volume v, note 2). Little is known of Henry from 1811 to 1822; at the latter date he entered into partnership with General W. H. Ashley (congressman from Missouri, 1831-37), and for a time prospered in the fur-trade, but lost his fortune by becoming a surety for others. Lewis River was the name given by Lewis and Clark to Salmon and Snake rivers. Fort Henry was not far from the headwaters of the former.—Ed. 111 Meles labradoricus.—James. 112 Lepus variabilis? possibly it may prove to be L. glacialis of Leach.—James. 113 Vultur aura.—James. 114 A. columbiensis. This is said to be the plant known to the party of Lewis and Clarke, by the name of "wild sage." It occurs abundantly in the barren plains of the Columbia river; where it furnishes the sole article of fuel or of shelter to the Indians who wander in those woodless deserts. See Nuttall's Genera, vol. ii. p. 142.—James. 115 There is a considerable error in the longitude of points in western Nebraska and Colorado as given on the map of the expedition. For example, the longitude of the town of North Platte, at the confluence of the forks of the Platte, is 100° 45' 53"; while on the accompanying map the one hundred and second meridian runs but little west of the spot. For this reason, and because of the few landmarks described, the location of the camps of the expedition can only be approximated; but that of June 26 must have been quite near the Nebraska-Colorado boundary. The South Platte leaves Colorado almost exactly at the northeastern corner of the state.—Ed. 116 The name "Black Hills," which is now associated with the mountains of southwestern South Dakota, has also been applied somewhat indefinitely to hills in Nebraska, Wyoming, and Colorado. Lewis and Clark's map places hills so named along the eastern side of the North Platte, running well into Nebraska. The name is sometimes given to the hills enclosed by the circular course of the North Platte, in southeastern Wyoming; while FrÉmont (1842) applies it to the hills through which Cache la Poudre River cuts its way to the South Platte.—Ed. 117 We may add on this subject the testimony of Lawson, the early historian of North Carolina. After describing the huts of the native inhabitants, he adds, "These dwellings are as hot as stoves, where the Indians sleep and sweat all night; yet I never felt any ill unsavory smell in their cabins, whereas should we live in our houses as they do, we should be poisoned with our own nastiness; which confirms the Indians to be, as they really are, some of the sweetest people in the world." New Voyage to Carolina, p. 177. London, 4to. 1709.—James. 118 See Humboldt's New Spain, vol. i. p. 184.—James. 119 There are a number of springs in the ravines south of the Platte between Ogallala, Nebraska, and Julesburg, Colorado. During this day's march, the party doubtless crossed the Nebraska-Colorado line.—Ed. 120 Cherry Creek is probably the modern Pawnee Creek, of Logan County, Colorado. The statement in the text relative to its source is misleading, as no stream debouching in this vicinity heads so far west; the heads of the several branches of Cherry Creek are all in eastern Weld County, many miles from the mountains proper. FrÉmont camped near Cherry Creek on July 7, 1843.—Ed. 121 A small fox was killed, which appears to be the animal mentioned by Lewis and Clarke, in the account of their travels, under the name of the burrowing fox, (vol. ii. p. 351.) It is very much to be regretted, that although two or three specimens of it were killed by our party, whilst we were within about two hundred miles of the mountains, yet from the dominion of peculiar circumstances, we were unable to preserve a single entire skin; and as the description of the animal taken on the spot was lost, we shall endeavour to make the species known to naturalists, with the aid of only a head and a small portion of the neck of one individual, and a cranium of another, which are now before us. In magnitude, the animal is hardly more than half the size of the American red fox, (Canis Virginianus, of the recent authors,) to which it has a considerable resemblance. But, that it is an adult, and not the young of that species, the presence of the large carnivorous tooth, and the two posterior molar teeth of the lower jaw, on each side, sufficiently attest; these teeth, as well as all the others, being very much worn down, prove that the milk teeth have been long since shed. The teeth, in form, correspond to considerable exactness with those of our red fox; but the anterior three and four false molares of both these species are sufficiently distinguished from the corresponding teeth of the gray, or tri-coloured fox (C. cinereo-argenteus) by being wider at base, and less elongated perpendicularly, and by having the posterior basal lobe of each, longer and much more distinctly armed with a tubercle at tip. Besides this disparity of dentition in the red and gray foxes, the general form of the cranium, and its particular detailed characters, as a less elevated occipital, and temporal crest, more profoundly sinuous junction of the malar with the maxillary bone, the absence of elevated lines bounding the space between the insertions of the lateral muscles, passing in a slightly reclivate direction between the orbital processes, and the anterior tip of the occipital crest, and in particular the want of an angular process of the lower jaw beneath the spinous process in the cranium of the red fox, are sufficiently obvious characters to indicate even by this portion of the osseous structure alone, its specific distinctness from the gray fox. In these differences the osteology of the burrowing fox equally participates, and although besides these characters in common with the red fox, we may observe a correspondence in many other respects, yet there are also many distinctions which the cranium of this small species will present, when more critically compared with that well known animal, which unequivocally forbid us from admitting their identity. The common elevated space on the parietal bones between the insertions of the lateral muscles is one-fourth wider, and extends further backward, so as to embrace a notable portion of the anterior angle of the sagitto-occipital crest; the recipient cavity in the inferior jaw for the attachment of the masseter muscle is more profound, and the coronoid process, less elevated than the top of the zygomatic arch, is more obtusely rounded at tip than that of the red fox. The dimensions of the cranium, as taken by the calipers: The entire length from the insertion of the superior incisores to the tip of the occipital crest, is rather more than four inches and three-tenths. The least distance between the orbital cavities, nine-tenths. Between the tips of the orbital processes less than one inch and one-tenth. Between the insertions of the lateral muscles, at the junction of the frontal and parietal bones, half an inch. Greatest breadth of this space on the parietal bones thirteen-twentieths of an inch. The hair is fine, dense, and soft. The head above is fulvous, drawing on ferruginous, intermixed with gray, the fur being of the first-mentioned colour, and the hair whitish at base; then black; then gray; then brown. The ridge of the nose is somewhat paler, and a more brownish dilated line passes from the eye to near the nostrils, (as in the C. corsac). The margin of the upper lip is white; the orbits are gray; the ears behind are paler than the top of the head, intermixed with black hairs and the margin, excepting at tip, white; the inner side is broadly margined with white hairs; the space behind the ear is destitute of the intermixture of hairs; the neck above has longer hairs, of which the black and gray portions are more conspicuous; beneath the head pure white. The body is slender, and the tail rather long, cylindrical, and black. It runs with extraordinary swiftness, so much so, that when at full speed, its course has been by the hunters compared to the flight of a bird skimming the surface of the earth. We had opportunities of seeing it run with the antelope; and appearances sanctioned the belief, that in fleetness it even exceeded that extraordinary animal, famed for swiftness, and for the singularity of its horns. Like the corsac of Asia it burrows in the earth, in a country totally destitute of trees or bushes, and is not known to dwell in forest districts. If Buffon's figure of the corsac is to be implicitly relied upon, our burrowing fox must be considered as perfectly distinct, and anonymous; we would, therefore, propose for it the name of velox.—James. 122 See Humb. Pers. Nar. vol. iii. p. 500.—James. 123 The results of several observations are as follows:
At eleven, A. M. Before sunrise the mercury fell usually as low as 60°.—James. 124 Mission to Caubul, p. 179. 4to. Lond.—James. Comment by Ed. Mountstuart Elphinstone (1779-1859), fourth son of the eleventh Baron Elphinstone of the Scottish peerage, was a notable official in the East Indian service, which he entered in 1796. In 1808 he was placed at the head of an embassy sent to Cabul to secure the alliance of the Afghans against a threatened French invasion. The work referred to, An Account of the Kingdom of Cabul and its Dependencies in Persia and India (London, 1815), was one result of the mission. Elphinstone returned to England about 1830, declining the governor-generalship of India. 125 See Monthly Review for May 1817. p. 3.—James. 126 Karsten Niebuhr (1733-1815) was a Danish scientist and traveller, who visited Egypt, Arabia, India, Palestine, and Syria during the years 1761-67. The first volume of his travels, Beschreibung von Arabien (Copenhagen, 1772), was published by the Danish government; the second and third volumes appeared in 1774 and 1778, bearing the title Reisebeschreibung von Arabien und anderen umliegenden LÄndern; while a fourth was brought out in 1837, by Niebuhr's daughter.—Ed. 127 See Humb. Pers. Nar. vol. ii. p. 196. vol. iii. pp. 358, 542.—James. 128 Rays of light, falling with any degree of obliquity upon the particles of that portion of watery vapour which lies near the surface of the earth, may be reflected, and pass off at an equal corresponding angle; so that if the eye be raised a few feet above the reflecting surface, an image of the corresponding arc of the sky is produced, as in the case of a sheet of water where the image, seen by the reflected light, is not that of the water, but the sky. Hence any object, which obstructs the rays of light in their passage from the parts of the atmosphere beyond the reflecting surface to that surface, is returned to the eye in a darkened image as from water.—James. 129 The party mistook this "highest peak" for Pike's Peak. This mountain, called by the French trappers Les deux Oreilles (Two Ears), is the one now known as Long's Peak, being named for Major S. H. Long, the leader of our party. FrÉmont found in 1842 that this name had been adopted by the traders, and had become familiar in the country. The elevation of Long's Peak is 14,271 feet, exceeding that of Pike's Peak by one hundred and twenty-four feet.—Ed. 130 At this point it becomes difficult to follow exactly the movements of the party, as the nomenclature of the region has in the interim changed almost entirely. Moreover, the itinerary is carelessly recorded and the map of the expedition is inaccurate. The journey of twenty-seven miles on July 1, reckoned from the camp of June 30, near the Bijeau, as shown on the map, brought the party nearly to the Cache la Poudre River, which flows from the northwest, reaching the South Platte below the bend where its course turns eastward. Cache la Poudre is shown but not named on the map, which, apparently erring, places the camp of July 1 and 2 above its mouth; for it is evidently the first of the large creeks passed on the third. At the bend is Thompson Creek, also unnamed on Long's map; and just above is St. Vrain Creek. Both of these flow from the west and the latter evidently corresponds to Potera's Creek of the text. The bend in the river, passed July 3, is the point of nearest approach to Long's Peak, still forty miles distant. Near the camp of that evening, at the mouth of St. Vrain's Creek, the important fur-trading firm of Bent and St. Vrain built St. Vrain's Fort about twenty years later. In favorable weather, Pike's Peak is visible from this point.—Ed. 131 Populus angustifolia, J.—James. 132 Other plants were collected about this encampment, among which we distinguished an interesting species of ranunculus, having a flower somewhat larger than that of R. fluviatilis with which it grows, often extending, however, to some distance about the margins of the pools in which it is principally found. R. amphibius; slender, floating or decumbent, leaves reniform, four or five lobed, divisions cuneate, oblong, margin crenate, petioles long and alternate. The submersed leaves are, in every respect, similar to the floating ones. Pentstemon erianthera, N., Poa quinquefida, Potentilla anserina, Scrophularia lanceolata, Myosotis glomerata, N.? &c. were also seen here.—James. 133 Crotalus tergeminus, S.—Body dusky cinereous, a triple series of deep brown spots; beneath with a double series of black spots. Body pale cinereous brown, a triple series of fuscous spots, dorsal series consisting of about forty-two large, transversely oblong-oval spots, each widely emarginate before, and obsoletely edged with whitish lateral series, spots transversely oval, opposite to those of back; between the dorsal and lateral series is a series of obsolete, fuliginous spots, alternating those of the two other series; head above with nine plates on the anterior part, on which are a band and about three spots, two undulated vittÆ terminating and confluent with the first spot of the neck, a black vittÆ passes through the eye, and terminates on the neck each side; beneath white, a double irregular series of black spots, more confused towards the tail; tail above, with five or six fuscous fasciÆ, beneath white irrorate with black points, six terminal plates bifid.
Another specimen, much smaller, Pl. 152. subcaudal, 20. scales at tip 3.—James. 134 The journey of July 4, and the ten miles travelled on the fifth, would carry the party thirty-five or forty miles up the river from the mouth of St. Vrain's Creek; this would, for their camp of the fifth, bring them near the site of Denver. Vermillion Creek, which was crossed early on the sixth, is evidently Cherry Creek, which flows through the present city.—Ed. 135 The ripened fruit of this widely-distributed shrub is variable in colour. In dry and exposed situations about the higher parts of the mountains, we have met with the berries of a deep purple, while in the low grounds, they are fulvous or nearly white. On the Cannon-ball creek we saw also the common virgin's bower. Clematis virginica, Ph. Lycopus europeus, Liatris graminifolia, Sium latifolium, Œnothera diennis, and other plants, common in the east, with the more rare Linum Lewisii, Ph. and Eriogonum sericeum, &c.—James. 136 Medicine Lodge Creek, Cannon Ball Creek, mentioned above, and Grand Camp and Grape creeks, referred to a few lines below, cannot be certainly identified. Streams most nearly answering the descriptions given are now called Clear, Bear, and Deer creeks.—Ed. 137 A. P. Chouteau and Julius De Munn formed a partnership in 1815, for trading on the upper Platte and Arkansas. De Munn soon after went to Santa FÉ, where he sought permission to trap within Spanish territory; but the negotiations, which at first promised to be successful, took an unfavorable turn, with the result that both partners were arrested in 1817, and after a short confinement deprived of their goods and ejected from the Spanish dominions. The Santa FÉ route was not fully open to trade until after the downfall of Spanish power in 1821.—Ed. 138 Defile Creek is the modern Plum Creek, which flows north through Douglas County.—Ed. 140 The deceptiveness of Colorado distances, owing to the rarefied atmosphere, is one of the commonest observations of tourists. Pike, in 1806, thought it would be possible to ascend the peak which now bears his name, and return to camp in the course of one day. From Colorado Springs it is apparently only a short walk to the summit; but the air-line distance is twelve miles, and that which must actually be travelled is two and a half times as great.—Ed. 141 Genus Galeodes, Oliv.—1. G. pallipes, Say.—Hairy, mandibles horizontal, fingers regularly arquated, abdomen sub-depressed livid. Body pale yellowish-brown, hairy; feet paler, whitish, first pair smallest, fourth pair largest and longest; abdomen livid, hairy, sub-depressed; palpi more robust than the three anterior pairs of feet, of subequal diameter, but rather thicker towards the tip; more hairy than the feet; eyes and tubercle blackish; mandibles dilated, with numerous rigid setÆ, and with parallel setÆ projected over the fingers; fingers regularly arquated, reddish-brown at tip, and with a reddish-brown line above and beneath, within armed with many robust teeth; thorax with a deep sinus at the anterior angles. 2. G. subulata, Say.—Hairy; mandibles horizontal; thumb nearly rectilinear, destitute of teeth. This species has the strongest resemblance to the preceding, both in form, magnitude, and colouring; but the superior finger of the mandibles is unarmed, and rectilinear or very slightly flexuous; the inferior finger is arquated, with about two robust teeth.—James. 142 G. intermedium, I.—Cespitose, sub-erect, pubescent, sparingly branched above. Radical leaves reniform deeply 5/7 cleft. The flower is a little larger than that of G. robertianum, and similarly coloured, having whitish lines towards the base of the corolla. We also saw here the Campanula decipiens, Tens. Lysimachia ciliata, Ph. Troximon glaucum, N., with two or three belonging to Geneva, with which we were unacquainted.—James. 143 Genus Troglodytes. Cuv.—T. obsoleta, Say.—Above dusky-brownish, slightly undulated with pale, tinted with dull ferruginous on the top of the head, and superior portion of the back; sides of the head dull whitish, with a broad brown line passing through the eye to the origin of the neck; primaries plain, being entirely destitute of undulations or spots; tail coverts pale, each with four or five fuscous bands; chin, neck beneath, and breast whitish, each feather marked by a longitudinal line of light brown; belly white; flanks a little tinged with ferruginous; inferior tail coverts white, each feather bifasciate with black-brown; tail simple, broadly tipped with ferruginous-yellow, and with black before the tip, the remaining portion colour of wings, and obsoletely banded; these bands are more distinct on the two middle feathers, which are destitute of the black and yellowish termination; exterior plume marked by four yellowish white spots on the exterior web, and by two larger ones on the inner web; the tip is dusky, length six inches; bill, from the corner of the mouth, rather more than one inch.—James. 144 The North Fork of the South Platte encloses South Park on the north, flowing from west to east; while the other branch, which retains the name South Platte, encircles South Park on the south and east. The Denver, Leadville, and Gunnison Railroad now enters the mountain district through Platte CaÑon. It is probable that Pike entered South Park in 1806 (see volume xvi, note 14); but Long's failure to penetrate the mountains at this point left the famous park unknown, save to wandering hunters, until FrÉmont's time, more than twenty years later.—Ed. 145 Among many plants collected in this excursion, some of them new to us, we recognized an old acquaintance in the bearberry (Arbutus uva-ursi, L.) an inhabitant of the mountainous districts of New York and New England; also the Dodecatheon integrifolium, Ph.; and a beautiful little plant referable to the genus Mentzelia of Plumier. On the higher parts of the mountain an oak is common, approaching in character to the Quercus banisteri, Mx. Also a small undescribed acer, the Juniperus communis and I. virginiana; in the ravines, the Rhus toxicodendron, SpirÆa opulifolia, olc; and at the base of the mountains the Prenanthes runcinata, leaves runcinate pinnatifid, ? inches long, five lines wide. Resembles P. Juncea, Saxifraga nivales, L. A. cerastium, olc.—James. 146 The words "of the same day" should here be inserted; so reads the Philadelphia edition.—Ed. 147 A series of erroneous dates begins here. The expedition undoubtedly left Platte CaÑon July 8, of which day the text gives no account. July 9 was Sunday, instead of July 10, as the text states below. A compensating error is introduced by giving the date July 12 to accounts of the journeys of parts of two days. The Philadelphia edition also has the erroneous dating of the ninth, tenth, and eleventh, but includes the remainder of the chapter under the last date, thus failing entirely to account for the twelfth, and really including the operations of three days (tenth, eleventh, and twelfth) under date of July 11. The itinerary for these days is more accurately indicated on the map.—Ed. 148 The camp of July 8 and 9 was probably near the site of Sedalia, at the confluence of the east and west forks of Plum (here called Defile) Creek.—Ed. 149 The route described on the next few pages is an impossible one. Chittenden characterizes it as "wholly indefinite and unsatisfactory" (American Fur Trade, p. 59). The date "July 12th," on the next page, does not appear in the Philadelphia edition, and was apparently inserted to remedy the confusion; it increases it, however, since the accounts of the journeys of two days (July 10 and 11) are intermingled in the text itself. From the camp of July 8 and 9, the party might, by noon of the tenth, have arrived opposite Castle Rock, which gives its name to the present seat of justice of Douglas County. This, however, would not bring them to a tributary of the Arkansas; by noon of July 11 they could have reached the upper waters of Monument, a branch of Fountain Creek, which unites with the Arkansas at Pueblo. The camp of July 10 is probably accurately located on the map, a short distance below Castle Rock. On the morning of the eleventh, the direction taken was almost due south, across the watershed between the Platte and Arkansas, which at this point is almost on the line between Douglas and El Paso counties. The map exaggerates the length of Boiling Spring Creek (see succeeding volume, note 10), or Fountain Creek, a branch of which (Monument Creek) they first encountered almost on the county line. The afternoon march carried them somewhat south of the base of Pike's Peak, necessitating the retracing of their route on the morning of the twelfth. The route on the eleventh probably lay through the region now famous as the Garden of the Gods.—Ed. 150 A. coerulea, James.—Leaves twice ternate; flowers terminal, remote, nectaries strait and very long. It inhabits shady woods of pine and spruce within the mountains, rising sometimes to the height of three feet. In passing from the headwaters of the branch of the Platte, called Defile creek, to those of one of the northern tributaries of the Arkansa, we noticed some change in the soil, and soon met with many plants we had not before seen. Several of these, as the common juniper and the red cedar, (Juniperus virginiana, Ph.) the black and hemlock-spruce, (Abies nigra and A. canadensis) the red maple (Acer rubrum, Mx.) the hop horn-beam (Ostrya Virginica, L.) the Populus tremuloides, Mx. Pinus resinosa, Pyrola secunda, Orchis dilatata, olc. are common to mountainous districts in all the northern parts of the territory of the United States; many others are here found, which require more careful and extensive comparison with the plants of Mexico, Siberia, and other countries, than have yet had the opportunity to make.—James. 151 One of these is a large and conspicuous plant of the natural family of the CruciferÆ, which may be referred to the new genus, Stanley of Nuttall, and distinguished as S. integrifolia; stem simple, leaves entire, ovate oblong, tapering to both ends; stem angular. Flowers in a terminal raceme, which is a little branched below; about six inches in length; stipe of the silique, about as long as the pedicle; flowers large yellow. The whole plant, seen at a little distance, has a remote resemblance to Lysimachia thyrsifolia. The leaves are ? inches long, ? wide, glaucous, and veined, nearly resembling those of the common cabbage, but smoother, which they are not wholly unlike in taste. The calyx is large, and of a brighter yellow than the other parts of the flower: it inhabits the summits of the sandstone ridges, along the base of the mountains. The S. pinnatifida, N., the original type of this genus, was found by its discoverer, Mr. Nuttall, to act as a violent emetic. It had been eaten by several of the party who accompanied him, as a substitute for cabbage.—James. 152 He was probably a member of the party of Chouteau and De Munn, arrested in 1817. See ante, note 134.—Ed. 153 Probably one of the branches of Cheyenne Creek.—Ed. 154 Cheyenne Mountain(?).—Ed. 155 Cactus cylindricus of Humboldt.—James. 156 Humboldt's Personal Narrative, vol. i. p. 362. Philadelphia Edit.—James. 157 Cucumis perennis, S.—Calyx, seated upon the germ, rugose, coloured campanulate, exterior divisions subulate. Masc. Three filaments, short, closely covering the central disc. Foem. Style short, stigmas three bipartite. Fruit. Pome large, orbicular, smooth, about four celled seeds, ovate, gibbous, margin acute; dissepiments torn, spongy; seeds in a double order; leaves alternate, triangularly cordate, margin undulate, tendrils axillary trichotomous; stems numerous, procumbent, grooved; flowers nearly as large as those of Cucurbita pepo; fruit round, smooth, and green, nearly sessile, resembling a small unripe water-melon. The leaves are rough, of a glaucous green colour, bitter and nauseous to the taste, and the whole plant emits a foetid odour. Root fusiform, very large, six feet in length, and often four inches in diameter, descending perpendicularly into the earth. It inhabits the arid and sandy wastes, along the base of the Rocky Mountains, from the confluence of the Arkansa, and Boiling Spring Fork, to the sources of Red River. By means of its long and somewhat succulent root it is peculiarly adapted to the soil it occupies, and is found to thrive with considerable vigour in wastes whose thirsty and burning soils bid defiance to almost every other vegetable. It flowers in July, and continues flowering and perfecting fruit during the summer. Some plants of this interesting species are growing in the garden of the University of Philadelphia, from seeds brought by Major Long, but they have not yet flowered. The leaves are thick and robust, from six to eight inches long, and four or five in width, on foot-stalks equalling the leaves in length; they are crowded along the stems, and usually stand erect. It does not appear that any insect or animal preys upon the leaves or other parts of this plant. It forms, by its deep green, a striking contrast to the general aspect of the regions it inhabits, which are exceedingly naked and barren. This plant has been mentioned by Mr. Brackenridge, from the information of hunters, but no detailed account of it has hitherto been given. The annexed figure is from a drawing by Mr. Peale, made of the plant in its native locality. The petioles and the extremities of the stems are usually affected with morbid enlargements, resembling galls. They may perhaps be caused by the irritation of the intense reflected light and heat of the sun, in the situations where the plant usually grows. In the gardens it has not hitherto produced these enlargements.—James. 158 1. Fringilla psaltria, Say.—A very pretty little bird, was frequently seen hopping about in the low trees or bushes, singing sweetly, somewhat in the manner of the American gold-finch, or Hemp-bird (Fringilla tristis). The tints, and the distribution of the colours of its plumage resemble, in a considerable degree, those of the autumnal and less brilliant vesture of that well-known species. It may, however, be distinguished, in addition to other differences, by the black tip of its tail-feathers, and the white wing spot. The head is capped with black; the cheeks are dusky; the bill yellow, with a black tip; iris burnt umber; neck above, and half its side, back, and rump olivaceous, more or less intermixed with dusky; smaller wing coverts blackish, edged with olivaceous; greater wing coverts brown-black, tipped with white, forming a narrow band; primaries fuscous, and, excepting the exterior one, slightly edged with white; third, fourth, and fifth feathers white towards the base, so as to exhibit a white spot beyond the wing coverts; secondaries margined with white exteriorly towards their tips: tail coverts black, varied with olivaceous on their shafts; tail emarginate, feathers blackish, slightly edged with dull whitish; the three exterior ones pure white on their inner webs, excepting at base and tip; all beneath yellow; feet pale. A specimen is deposited in the Philadelphia Museum. 2. Fringilla frontalis, Say.—Crimson-necked Finch. Head, throat, neck beneath, and upper portion of the breast brilliant crimson, most intense near the bill and over the eyes; rump and tail coverts paler crimson; between the bill and the eye grey; bill dark horn colour, lower mandible paler; vertex, occiput, neck above and each side brown, tinged with reddish, the feathers margined with pale; back dusky brownish; wings and tail fuscous, the latter feathers edged on the inner side with white; the primaries broadly margined within, towards the base, with white, and exteriorly edged with a grayish; coverts and tertials edged with dull grayish; inferior portion of the breast, the belly, and vent whitish, each feather with a broad fuscous line. Female, dusky brown, the feathers margined each side with dull whitish; wings fuscous, the margining and edging of the feathers not as distinct as in the male; all beneath, excepting the tail and wing feathers, whitish, each feather with a brown streak. This bird is much more closely allied, both in size and colouring, to the purple Finch (F. purpurea) than to the crimson-headed Finch (F. rosea), and may prove to be only a variety of it, when a comparison of many individuals can be made. The male, from which the above description is drawn out, may not be in its ultimate state of plumage, as it seems probable that the middle of the head, the upper part of the neck, and the back, in the perfect plumage, is more obviously tinted with crimson than we have observed those parts to be. It differs, however, from the Purple Finch in the tint of the crimson colour, which is far more lively and brilliant, and also in having each feather of the belly, vent, and inferior tail coverts broadly streaked with brown. We apply to it provisionally the name of F. frontalis. A prepared specimen of this bird is in the Philadelphia Museum.—James. 159 Having followed in general the course of Cheyenne Creek, the party must have encamped a short distance south of the site of Colorado Springs, where the stream flows into Fountain Creek. From this point there is a magnificent view of Pike's Peak, which Pike himself usually called Grand Peak. His estimate of the height was 18,581 feet; the error was due partially to his assumption of the excessive elevation of 8,000 feet for the plain at the base. See the estimate of Lieutenant Swift, in succeeding volume, note 11.—Ed. 160 One of the horses has been since found.—James. Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation are as in the original. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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