Atlas

Front matter

AN EXPEDITION FROM PITTSBURGH TO THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS. VOL. London: "Printed by A. Sc R. Spottis-n-oode, New- Street- Square. 02/^r^YiAe CUasm Uuylididaif flew stem aU TLmU ■ ffmnteitof . ,-,„„, A-3rmvn.M!3 ... Stynwuf dsl? ACCOUNT OF AN EXPEDITION FROM PITTSBURGH TO THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS PERFORMED In the Years 1819, 1820. J3Y ORDER OF THE Hon. J. C. CALHOUN, Secretary of War, UNDER THE COMMAND OF Maj. S. H. LONG, of the U. S. Top. Engineers. COMPILED FROM THE NOTES OF MAJOR LONG, MR. T. SAY, AND OTHER GENTLEMEN OF THE PARTY, By EDWIN JAMES, BOTANIST AND GEOLOGIST TO THE EXPEDITION. IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. II. LONDON: PRINTED FOR LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, AND BROWN, PATERNOSTER-ROW. 1823. Page 1 21 -17 67 93 CONTENTS OF THE SECOND VOLUME. CHAP. I. Death. — Mourning for the deceased- — Physical Character. — Senses. — Manufactures and Arts. — Domestic and Warlike Implements. — War CHAP. II.

War. — Negociation for Peace. — Revenge. — Self-esteem. — Hospitality. — Mimicry _ CHAP. III. Tribes and Bands. — Fabulous Legends. — Wit. — N innegahe, or mixed Tobacco. — Dances. — Otoes. — Migrations. — Language - CHAP. IV. Boyer's Creek. — Visit to the Pawnees. — Human Sacrifices. — Anecdote of Petalesharoo. — Appendix - CHAP. V. Journey by Land from St. Louis to Council Bluff. — Grand River. — Plains at the sources of the Little Platte, the Nishnebottona, &c. — Departure of the Expedition from Engineer Cantonment Page 147 188 212 231 245 2:? 288 VI CONTENTS. CHAP. VI. The Platte. — Desert Plains. — Mirage. — Arrival at the Rocky Mountains - - CHAP. VII. Sandstone Formation at the Base of the Rocky Mountains. — The Platte within the Mountains. — Granitic Mountains between the Platte and Arkansa. — Castle Rock. — Birds. — Plants - CHAP. VIII.

Excursion to the summit of the Peak. — Mineral Springs. — Coquimbo Owl. — Encampment on the Arkansa - - - - CHAP. IX. A Detachment from the exploring Party ascend the Arkansa to the Mountains. — Bell's Springs. — Descent of the Arkansa. — Grizzly Bear - CHAP. X. Natural Mounds. — Kaskaia Indian and Squaw. — Preparations for a Division of the Party. — Sandstones of the High Plains south of the Arkansa. — Fletz Trap Formation - - - - CHAP. XI. Sufferings of the Party from stormy Weather and want of Provisions. — Indications of an approach towards Settlements. — Inscribed Rock. — Cervus macrotis. — Volcanic Origin of Amygdal oid CHAP. XII. Kaskaia hunting Party. — Indian Encampment. — Unfriendly behaviour of the Kaskaias. — Some Account of their Persons and Manners. — Salt Plains. — Cumancias - - - - CONTENTS. vu CHAP. XIII.

Chapter I. Death

— MOURNING FOIt THE DECEASED PHYSICAL CHA- RACTER SENSES MANUFACTURES AND ARTS DOMES- TIC AND WARLIKE IMPLEMENTS — WAR. When an Omawhaw dies, his kinsmen and friends assemble around his body, and bewail their loss with loud lamentation, weeping, and clapping of hands. Ong-pa-ton-ga, being once on a visit to St. Louis, observed a number of cattle gathering about a spot, where one of their kind had been recently slaughtered, smelling the blood, and pawing the earth ; he said they behaved very like his own people, on the death of a relative. They suffer the deceased to remain but a short time previously to interment, and often bear the body to the grave, before the warmth of vitality is entirely dis sipated. The body is enveloped in a bison robe, or blanket, which is secured by a cord. It is then carried to the grave on the shoulders of two or three men, and followed by the greater portion of the mourners, without any order.

The grave is an oblong square, of sufficient length, and four or five feet deep. The body is placed in the grave, and VOL. II. B with it a pair or two of mockasins, some meat for food, and many little articles and comforts, the gifts of affection, to be used on the long journey which the deceased is supposed to be about to perform, in order to arrive at the Wa-noch-a-te, or town of brave and generous spirits. Tlie grave is then filled with earth, and a small tumulus is raised over it, pro- . portioned in magnitude to the dignity of the de ceased. The relatives bedaub their persons with white clay, scarify themselves with a flint, cut out pieces of their skin and flesh, pass arrows through their skin ; and, if on a march, they walk barefoot at a distance from their people, in testimony of the sincerity of their mourning.

For a considerable time, they nightly visit the grave of the deceased, to lament over it. A sor rowing relative may be seen, of a bleak wintry night, bending over the grave, clad in a scanty robe, which scarcely conceals the middle of the back, as an additional self-punishment and unequivocal manifestation of grief. For the death of a brave warrior, or of a chief, the lamentation is more general, and many of those who visit the body previous to its removal, present to it blankets, bison robes, breech-cloths, and mockasins, which are sometimes thus accumulated in considerable numbers ; of these presents, part is retained by the orphans, if any, but the greater number is en tombed with tlie body. Over the grave of a person of this description, a kind of roof or shelter is con structed, of pieces of wood reared against each other, and secured at top, then sodded over with grass sod.

The season prescribed by custom for mourning, is a period of from seven to twelve months ** during this time the violent expressions of their grief gradually diminish, and towards the expiration of the allotted season, the state of mourning is only manifested by the coating of white clay, and even this, like the black apparel of civilized mourners, is at length dispensed with, and with the same decorous gra dation. A cruel proof of heartfelt grief, is exhibited by some of the natives, on the upper parts of the Mis souri ; they cut off joints of their fingers ; the in dividual cuts the skin and ligaments of the joint with his common eating knife, then places the joint between his teeth, and twists it off with violence, the teeth performing at the same time the offices of a wedge and a vice.

In form, the Missouri Indian is symmetrical and active, and in stature, equal, if not somewhat supe rior, to the ordinary European standard ; tall men are numerous. The active occupations of war and hunt ing, together perhaps with the occasional privations, to which they are subjected, prevents that unsightly obesity, so often a concomitant of civilization, indo lence, and serenity of mental temperament. From this representation of the physical man, it is obvious that our observations do not correspond with those of Humboldt, regarding the natives of Canada, Florida, and New Spain, in as far as he represents them with the " squat body." The forehead retires remarkably backward, and the posterior part of the head (occiput) has a flat ness of appearance, attributable, perhaps, to the circumstance of its having rested so constantly during infancy, on the surface of a board, or on the scarcely less yielding interposed pad or pillow.

Yet that organ, to which, in the phrenological system, the seat of amativeness is referred, although not usually very prominent, is still marked and distinct. The facial angle of the cranium has been repre sented by Blumenbach at 73 degrees, an obliquity which induced him to place the American Indian in his series of the varieties of the human race, as the fourth in number. But his observations were made upon the cranium of a Carib, than which people, as Humboldt justly b remarks, " there is no race on the globe in which the frontal bone is more depressed backwards, or which has a less projecting forehead." This observation will not rigidly apply to the western Indian, who certainly possesses a greater verticality of pro file. Agreeably to the mensurations of Doctor Har lan, a cranium, which we obtained on the plains of the Platte, exhibits an angle of 78 degrees — A Wabash male 78°, female 80°, and a Cherokee only 75°.

The hair is coarse, black, glossy, and dense upon the head, sparse and slender upon the chin, independently of the custom of extirpating it, but although the hair is certainly oval in its transverse section, yet we could not perceive, that, in this respect, its proportions exceeded our own. The line of the direction of their eyes is nearly rectilinearly transverse, being in this respect inter mediate between the arcuated line of the eyes of the white man, and that of the Indians of New Spain, who, according to Humboldt, have the corner of the eye directed upward towards the temples. The nose is generally prominent, and either aquiline or Roman, with the wings not more dilated than those of white men. This form of nose is so pre valent, as to be regarded as the most beautiful ; it is no small compliment to tell a person that his nose is like that of a mule ; and beauty is indicated in their language of signs, by placing an arcuated finger upon the face in imitation of the aquiline curve.

The pug-nose, and the more common form of the noses of the white Americans, of a concave outline, are regarded as remote from the standard of beauty. The lips are more tumid than those of the white American, but very far less so than those of the negro. The lower jaw is large and robust ; the teeth are very strong, with broad crowns. The chin is well formed. The cheekbones are prominent, but not angular like those of the Mongul, and stamp a peculiarity on the contour of the face, characteristic of the American Indian. The expression of the countenance is austere, often ferocious. [1J Very few of them are left-handed, perhaps even a smaller number of them use the left hand in pre ference to the right, than is observable among white men. The squaw differs from the males, in having a more squat figure, or is shorter and more thick bodied, with a much broader face.

The colour of the Indian is, according to Volney, that of the skin of smoked bacon ham. It is suffi ciently obvious that this colour is independent of climate ; those parts of the body, which are, and, agreeably to their representations, always have been, perfectly shielded from the action of the rays of the sun, from their youth upward, are, notwithstanding, of the same tint with the face, which is never covered. In walking they preserve a perfectly upright car riage of the person, without any thing of the swing ing gait so universal with the white people, which is regarded by them as excessively awkward, and which they imitate in their sports to excite the merriment of the spectators, though not in the presence of those whom they thus ridicule. In stepping the feet are universally placed upon the ground in a parallel manner with each other ; they say that turning out the toes in walking, as well as turning them inward, is a very disadvantageous mode of progressing, in high grass or in narrow path ways.

The peculiar odour diffused by the body of the Indian, seems to be caused, not so much by the cu taneous transpiration, as by the custom of rubbing themselves with odoriferous plants, and with bison b grease. They also sometimes make necklaces of a sort of sweet-scented grass, and suspend small parcels of it about their persons. The various kinds of pig ments, with which they overspread their persons, may also be partially operative in producing this effect; and the ninnegahe, which they are so con stantly habituated to smoke, is doubtless another agent. The odour of the Indian is rather agreeable than otherwise to many, and that diffused by the persons of the Pawnee war party near the Konza village, increased by a profuse perspiration from the violence of their exercise in running, was rather pleasant to most of the members of our party.

The Upsaroka or Crow Indians, are said to anoint themselves with castor. To the acute sense of smelling of the Indian, the odour of the white man is far from pleasant, and is often particularly remarked by the squaw to be of fensive. Their sense of hearing is remarkably acute ; ordinary conversation amongst the men, as we have be fore observed, is conducted in a low tone of voice; often when you suppose from the compass of the speaker's voice, that he is addressing a person at his elbow, he is, in reality, directing his discourse to one on the opposite side of the room, or at a considerable distance. The ordinary conversation of the women is in a much louder tone than that of the men. Partial deafness, however, is not uncommon. The memory of the Omawhaw is exceedingly re tentive. The Omawhaw seldom renders himself unhappy with gloomy anticipations of the future, but almost literally takes " no care for the morrow."

He will say to his squaw, " cook what meat you have, for theWahconda will give us more to-morrow, and if not to-morrow, next day, and if never, let us eat what we have got." They have but little mechanical ingenuity, but an individual of this nation, who is now no more, without acquiring any knowledge of the white people, as far as we could learn, mended the guns and traps of his countrymen, when not too seriously injured. But they have not attempted to repair either, since his death. They rarely construct skin canoes ; they make war-clubs, rude saddles, hair ropes, stone pipes, wooden bowls, horn spoons, and many personal or naments. The squaws make mockasins and leggings variously ornamented ; and handsome necklaces, wrought with beads of different colours, which are symmetrically strung upon red silk, or thread coloured with vermillion.

In the manufacture of this common, and much admired article of dress, ten double threads are at tached by one end to a small wang or shred of lea ther, which is firmly stretched and fixed transversely to the work ; each double thread is placed at such a distance from the adjoining ones, as to give room for the beads. These are then strung on, one upon each double thread ; by this operation a transverse row of beads is formed upon the work, parallel to the wang ; this being done, the left hand double thread is passed to the right, not over and under, but through all the other double threads, parallel to, and in con tact with the row of beads, and in this position occupies the situation of woof or filling ; but its extremity is continued along on the right side of the work, so as to resume, in that portion of its length, the character of warp or chain.

Another row of beads is now put on ; after which the next left hand double thread is passed through each of the others to the right of the work, as the previous one had been. They also make handsome garters for supporting the leggings below the knee, of the breadth of the hand ; they are formed of beads strung on worsted yarn. b 4. Their art of painting is very rude, yet they manage to give some idea of a battle, by graphic representations in colour, on a bison robe. In the same manner are depicted the various animals, which are the objects of their hunts. These robes are also decorated with blue, red, and black broad lines, forming various designs ; indeed it is very com mon to see a robe thus ornamented, worn by an Omawhaw. The art of sculpture is also in its rudest state, and is almost limited to the ornamenting of the war club with indented lines, forming different angular figures.

Their persons are often neatly tattooed in straight lines, and in angles on the breast, neck, and arms. The daughters of chiefs, and those of wealthy In dians, generally are denoted by a small round spot, tattooed on the forehead. The process of tattooing is performed by persons, who make it a business of profit. Their instrument consists of three or four needles, tied to the truncated and flattened end of a stick, in such an arrangement that the points may form a straight line ; the figure desired is traced upon the skin, and some dissolved gunpowder, or pulverized charcoal, is pricked in with this instru ment, agreeably to the figure. The operator must be well paid, and hence it is not every one that can conveniently sustain the expense of having this distinguishing mark placed on the forehead of his children.

Their astronomical knowledge is very limited. They distinguish the north star (Polaris), and are aware of its being apparently stationary, while the others seem to revolve. Venus is known by the name of Me-ka-ka-tun-guh, or big star. The con stellation of the seven stars (Pleiades), is called Ta pa, or deer's head. The constellation of the great bear (Ursa major), is distinguished by the term Wa-bq-ha, or car for transporting sick or wounded persons on a march. The galaxy is called Wah conda-o-jun-ga, or the path of the Master of Life. When the moon is eclipsed, they say Me-om-bottsa, or the moon is dead ; and when the sun is eclipsed, they say the sun is dead. A comet they denominate Me-ka-ka-nare, or blazing star ; this name, at least, was given to the comet of 1811 ; they regarded it as portending the death of some great chief; and as it happened, one of the great Pawnee chiefs did die the same year, which confirmed them in their notion.

The three stars of Orion's belt, are called Me-huh-se, or the goose-foot. Wangewaha, the Hard Heart, chief of the Ioways, has made himself considerably acquainted with the manners of the white people ; he surprised Mr. Dougherty one day by inquiring, if it is true that the earth revolves round the sun ; he was of course answered in the affirmative ; when a sarcastic Indian of a group sitting near, was overheard to say in a low voice, that it was indeed a pretty story to tell them, when any person could see the sunrise there, pass along in that direction, and set there (pointing with his finger to the apparent course of the luminary). The day is divided into morning, noon, evening, and night ; and respectively indicated by the words, Cas-aht-te, Me-o-kons-ka, Paz-za, and Hon-da. Any particular hour of the day is denoted by pointing to the apparent place of the sun at the specified time.

The years are denoted by the number of winters, and the months by lunations. Their geographical knowledge of the country over which they roam is remarkably exact. They know intimately every river and creek in the vicinity of the Missouri, from Grand river up to the Arick aree nation, on the left side of the river, and as far down as the Osage river on the right, and south as far as the Black Hills, together with their courses and distances. Mr. Dougherty, accompanied with two or three young Indians, arrived at an Omawhaw hunting en campment, late in the evening, and, after inquiring at several of the lodges, at length entered the one in which he intended to remain. Being asked by which way he had come, he pointed out, as he thought, the true direction ; at this his fellow tra vellers smiled, and told him he was mistaken.

He was not undeceived till he went out of the lodge to observe the direction they had indicated, when he became satisfied of their correctness. They had, however, been less frequently in that part of the country than he had been ; but they had, without doubt, instinctively noted all the changes of the di rection which they had made in winding through the temporary village, for they could not avail them selves of previous local knowledge. But although they are remarkably accurate in their knowledge of the proper direction in which to travel, in order to reach a given point, yet they are often lost during foggy days, or during heavy snow storms. Their culinary utensils are few in number, and simple in kind. The original earthenware pots are now rarely used by the nations on the lower part of the Missouri, being substituted by brass kettles, which they procure from the traders in exchange for their peltries.

The Pawnees, however, whose in tercourse with the whites has been less considerable than that of the nations bordering more closely on the Missouri, still employ earthen vessels, and yet continue the limited manufacture of them. These vessels are not glazed, and resemble in composition the antique fragments of Indian earthenware, found in various parts of the United States ; the mementos of a numerous people, that have been destroyed by obscure causes, as well as by the avaricious policy, and cruelly unjust and barbarous encroachments of a people, professing the mild doctrines of " peace on earth and good will to men." Food is served up in wooden bowls, of a very wide and simple form, and of various sizes, generally carved, with much patient application, out of a large knot or protuberance of the side of a tree.

The spoon is made of bison horn, and is of a large size ; the handle, variously ornamented by notching and other rude carving, is elevated into an angle of fifty or sixty degrees with its bowl, which is about three inches wide, by about five in length ; a size which, in civilised life, would be inadmissible. The only implement of husbandry is the hoe ; if they have not an iron one, they substitute the scapula of a bison, attached to a stick in such a manner as to present the same form. The traders supply them with axes of iron. The weapons used in hunting are bows and arrows, and guns. The bow is about four feet long, of a simple form, composed of hickory, or hop-horn beam wood, (ostrya virginica,) or bowwood, (maclura aurantiaca of Nuttall,) the latter being greatly preferred. The cord is of twisted bison, or elk sinew.

The hunting arrow is generally made of arrow-wood, (viburnum,) about two feet in length, of the usual cylindric form, and armed with elongatetriangular spear-head, made of sheet iron, of which the shoulders are rounded, instead of the ordinary barbed form ; it is firmly affixed to the shank by deer sinew, and its flight is equalised by three half webs of the feathers of a turkey, neatly secured near its base, in the usual manner. The war arrow differs from that used for hunting, in having a barbed spear-head, very slightly attached to the wood, so that if it penetrate the body of an enemy, it cannot be withdrawn without leaving the point in the wound. The arrows are contained in a quiver, which is slung obliquely across the back, and which is gene rally made of Cougar with the tail of the animal dangling down from the upper extremity ; attached to this quiver is also a skin case for the bow, when not in use.

To bend the bow requires the exertion of considerable force, dexterously ap plied ; for this purpose three fingers are placed upon the string, whilst the thumb and index finger grasp the base of the arrow, where it rests on the string ; the wrist is defended from the percussion of the string by a guard of leather. The smooth bored gun is preferred to the rifle, the latter being too heavy for their use. Those called Mackinaw guns are greatly preferred to those which they more com monly procure from our traders, being far more substantial and serviceable. They make use of no traps, excepting those for catching beaver, which they obtain from the traders chiefly on loan. The hooks which they use in fish ing are bought of the traders. They have no fishing nets. We saw no other domestic animals in the Indian villages than horses, mules, asses, and dogs.

The first are by no means elegantly formed, but they are hardy and serviceable. The Indians are generally cruel horse masters, perhaps in a great measure through necessity; the backs of their horses are very often sore and ulcerated, from the friction of the rude saddle, which is fashioned after the Spanish manner, being elevated at the pummel and croup, and resting on skin saddle cloths without padding. They ride extremely well, and make great use of the whip and the heel. The former is attached to the wrist by a broad band, which passes through a hole perforated near the end of the handle. The handle is about fifteen inches long only, and very stout ; that of the whip of Hashea, the Oto warrior, is the section of a gun-barrel. The lash is composed of two thongs of bison skin, from one-fourth to half an inch wide.

These are alternately passed through small longitudinal slits cut in each, and, when finished, exhibit, on a cursory view, the appearance of a flat plait, thick, and longer than the handle. The dogs of the Konzas are generally of a mixed breed, between our dogs with pendant ears, and the native dogs, whose ears are universally erect ; the Indians of this nation seek every opportunity to cross the breed. These mongrel dogs are less common with the Omawhaws ; while the dogs of the Pawnees generally have preserved their original form. No regular sentinels are appointed to watch during the night ; but many of the young men, who are moving about the greater part of the night on their errands of love, often singing and hallooing to excite the attention of their mistresses, are the only guards of the safety of the village from surprise.

If, however, the nation have reason to believe that tlie enemy is near at hand, or that there is a pro bability of an attack, they are necessarily vigilant ; young warriors volunteer to look out at different points, or are requested to do so by the chiefs. Wars generally originate in the stealing of horses, and the elopement of squaws ; they are sometimes the consequence of infringing on each other's hunting grounds. Hostilities are generally conducted by small predatory parties, which are originated and formed under the influence of some ap proved warrior. An individual of this description, having determined to endeavour to assemble a war party, as a first step, paints himself over with white clay ; he then passes through the camp or village, crying aloud to the Wahconda, and requesting the young warriors of the nation to have pity on him, and accompany him to strike at the enemy ; he then ascends some hill or elevation, or repairs to the woods, and there continues for some time his ejacu lations.

The following day he gives a feast to all such as are willing to accompany him ; and it is dis tinctly understood, that all of those who partake of his hospitality on this occasion are enlisted for the excursion. He occasionally repeats this crying and feasting, until a convenient period can be assigned for their departure. During this interval he also occupies himself in making medicine, hanging out his medicine bags, &c. At his feasts he harangues his men, telling them that they must endeavour to make themselves known to the nation by their warlike deeds. This leader the French distinguish by the name of partizan, and the Omawhaws No-doh-hun-guh ,- his medicine parcel, upon which much reliance is placed, for the successful termination of their adventure, con tains, almost always, the skin of a sparrow hawk (Falco sparverius), and many small articles, such as wampum, beads, and tobacco, all attached to a belt, but carefully and neatly enveloped in bark, and tied around by strips of the same material, forming a cylindrical figure, of about twelve inches in length.

This is suspended upon the back or shoulders of the partizan, by its belt, which passes round his neck. Having their mockasins, leggings, guns, bows and arrows, spears, war clubs, and scalping knives pre pared, each man furnishes himself with some pro visions, and they all depart silently during the night, led by the partizan. On their rout towards the enemy they proceed with great caution, and constantly send forward runners, or spies, to reconnoitre. When encamped, some individuals are vigilant during the night, but if they suppose themselves to be distant from the enemy, they keep no watch. The medicine bag is not permitted to touch the ground ; accordingly on encamping, it is carefully suspended to a forked stick, which is stuck firmly in the soil ; the ceremony of smoking to it, is then per formed, the stem of the pipe being occasionally di rected towards it, the heavens and the earth.

After this ceremony, if the party is in the vicinity of the enemy, the partizan places the medicine bag about the neck of one of his trusty warriors, and, whisper ing in his ear, directs him to take two or three men, and look carefully about for signs of the enemy. On the return of this messenger the partizan runs to meet him, receives his report in a whisper, takes the important charge from his neck, and whilst returning it to its place, communicates the intelligence he has received to his party ; '■' no sign of the enemy has yet been discovered, but have patience, my brave young men, the Wahconda will soon have pity on us, and show us the enemy we so anxiously seek." If, on the contrary, the enemy is discovered, his position and numbers are reconnoitred, and the party prepares to attack them.