University of Virginia Library

2. CHAPTER II.

The anticipations of a young man are prone
to meet with disappointment. Unfortunately
for the count's scheme of wild campaigning, before
we reached the end of our journey, we
heard that the Osage hunters had set forth
upon their expedition to the Buffalo grounds.
The count still determined, if possible, to follow
on their track and overtake them, and for this
purpose stopped short at the Osage Agency, a
few miles distant from Fort Gibson, to make
inquiries and preparations. His travelling companion
Mr. L. stopped with him; while the
commissioner and myself proceeded to Fort
Gibson, followed by the faithful and veracious
Tonish. I hinted to him his promises to follow

the count in his campaignings, but I found the
little varlet had a keen eye to self-interest. He
was aware that the commissioner, from his official
duties, would remain for a long time in the
country, and be likely to give him permanent
employment, while the sojourn of the count
would but be transient. The gasconading of the
little braggart, was suddenly therefore, at an end.
He spake not another word to the young count
about Indians, buffaloes, and wild horses, but putting
himself tacitly in the train of the commissioner,
jogged silently after us to the garrison.

On arriving at the fort, however, a new chance
presented itself for a cruise on the prairies.
We learnt that a company of mounted rangers,
or riflemen, had departed but three days previous,
to make a wide exploring tour, from the
Arkansas to the Red river, including a part of
the Pawnee hunting grounds, where no party of
white men had as yet penetrated. Here, then,
was an opportunity of ranging over those dangerous
and interesting regions under the safeguard
of a powerful escort; for the commissioner in
virtue of his office could claim the service of this
newly raised corps of riflemen, and the country
they were to explore, was destined for the settlement
of some of the migrating tribes connected
with his mission.

Our plan was promptly formed and put into

execution. A couple of Creek Indians were sent
off express, by the commander of Fort Gibson,
to overtake the rangers and bring them to a halt
until the commissioner and his party should be
able to join them. As we should have a march of
three or four days through a wild country, before
we could overtake the company of rangers,
an escort of fourteen mounted riflemen, under
the command of a lieutenant, was assigned us.

We sent word to the young count and Mr. L.
at the Osage Agency, of our new plan and
prospects, and invited them to accompany us.
The count, however, could not forego the delights
he had promised himself in mingling with
absolutely savage life. In reply, he agreed to
keep with us, until we should come upon the
trail of the Osage hunters, when, it was his fixed
resolve to strike off into the wilderness in pursuit
of them; and his faithful Mentor, though
he grieved at the madness of the scheme, was
too staunch a friend to desert him. A general
rendezvous of our party and escort was appointed,
for the following morning, at the Agency.

We now made all arrangements for prompt
departure. Our baggage had hitherto been
transported on a light wagon, but we were now
to break our way through an untravelled country,
cut up by rivers, ravines, and thickets, where
a vehicle of the kind would be a complete impediment.

We were to travel on horseback, in
hunters' style, and with as little incumbrance as
possible. Our baggage, therefore, underwent a
rigid and most abstemious reduction. A pair of
saddle-bags, and those by no means crammed,
sufficed for each man's scanty wardrobe, and,
with his great coat, were to be carried upon the
steed he rode. The rest of the baggage was
placed on pack-horses. Each one had a bear-skin
and a couple of blankets for bedding, and there
was a tent to shelter us in case of sickness or
bad weather. We took care to provide ourselves
with flour, coffee, and sugar, together
with a small supply of salt pork for emergencies;
for our main subsistence we were to depend upon
the chase.

Such of our horses as had not been tired out in
in our recent journey, were taken with us as pack-horses,
or supernumeraries; but as we were going
on a long and rough tour, where there would
be occasional hunting, and where, in case of
meeting with hostile savages, the safety of the
rider might depend upon the goodness of his
steed, we took care to be well mounted. I procured
a stout silver-grey; somewhat rough, but
staunch and powerful; and retained a hardy
pony which I had hitherto ridden, and which,
being somewhat jaded, was suffered to ramble
along with the pack-horses, to be mounted only
in case of emergency.

All these arrangements being made, we left
Fort Gibson, on the morning of the tenth of October,
and crossing the river in the front of it,
set off for the rendezvous at the Agency. A
ride of a few miles brought us to the ford of the
Verdigris, a wild rocky scene overhung with
forest trees. We descended to the bank of the
river and crossed in straggling file, the horses
stepping cautiously from rock to rock, and in a
manner feeling about for a foothold beneath
the rushing and brawling stream.

Our little Frenchman Tonish, brought up the
rear with the pack-horses. He was in high glee,
having experienced a kind of promotion. In
our journey hitherto he had driven the wagon,
which he seemed to consider a very inferior
employ; now he was master of the horse.

He sat perched like a monkey behind the
pack on one of the horses; he sang, he shouted,
he yelped like an Indian, and ever and anon
blasphemed the loitering pack-horses in his jargon
of mingled French, English and Osage,
which not one of them could understand.

As we were crossing the ford we saw on the
opposite shore a Creek Indian on horseback.
He had paused to reconnoitre us from the brow
of a rock, and formed a picturesque object, in
unison with the wild scenery around him. He
wore a bright blue hunting shirt trimmed with

scarlet fringe; a gaily coloured handkerchief was
bound round his head something like a turban,
with one end hanging down beside his ear; he
held a long rifle in his hand, and looked like a
wild Arab on the prowl. Our loquacious and
ever meddling little Frenchman called out to
him in his Babylonish jargon, but the savage
having satisfied his curiosity tossed his hand in
the air, turned the head of his steed, and galloping
along the shore soon disappeared among
the trees.