Journal of a Tour into the Interior of Missouri and Arkansaw | Page 2

necessary
to gain a knowledge of things, of which we before knew nothing, and
in which we had not any experience, such is the art of hobbling a horse
properly, with safety to ourselves, and without injury to him-the best
method of building a camp fire-how to cook a piece of venison, or boil
a pot of coffee, etc. Such are now the objects which will engross our
daily attention, and to excel in which becomes a point of ambitious
exertion. An instance of our inexperience in these particulars occurred
this morning. Our horse, owing to a defect in hobbling, went astray
during the night, and we consumed the day until 10 o'clock, in hunting
him up, when we repacked our baggage, and continued our way in a
south-west direction toward the Fourche ˆ Courtois. After travelling
fourteen miles, the day being nearly spent, we arrived at an inhabited
cabin, and obtained permission to remain for the night. Our path this
day has lain across an elevated ridge of land, covered with yellow pine,
and strewed with fragments of sandstone, quartz, and a species of
coarse flinty jasper, the soil being sterile, and the vegetation scanty.
The weather has been mild, and very pleasant for the season, with an
unclouded sky, and light breeze from the south-west. General course of
travelling west-south-west. Distance, fourteen miles.
Sunday, Nov. 8th
In travelling two miles this morning, we found ourselves on the banks
of the Fourche ˆ Courtois, a considerable stream, and one of the
principal tributaries of the Merrimack river.Ê The Fourche ˆ Courtois
originates in high lands near the head of the river St. Francis, and after

running in a serpentine course for sixty miles, through a sterile country,
unites with the Merrimack 100 miles from its mouth. Its banks, at the
lace we crossed, afford some very rich lands, but they do not extend far,
consisting merely of a strip of alluvion running parallel with the river,
and bordered by hills, whose stony aspect forbids the approach of the
fanner. On this stream are settled several persons, who divide their time
between hunting and farming. The district of tillable land is much more
extensive, however, than has generally been supposed, and is capable
of supporting a considerable population, which will, eventually
enhance the agricultural character and importance of that part of
Washington county. We had proceeded but a short distance beyond the
Fourche ˆ Courtois, when the barking of dogs in a contiguous forest,
announced our approach to a hunter's cabin, where we halted to inquire
respecting the Indian trace to the country of the Osages, which we were
informed ran in the direction we were travelling, and might be pursued
for sixty or seventy miles with advantage. The owner of the cabin was
not himself in when we first arrived, but his wife very readily gave us
every information respecting the direction of the trace, the streams we
were to cross, the game we might expect to find for our subsistence,
and other particulars, evincing a perfect acquaintance with the subject,
adding, that it was dangerous travelling in that quarter on account of
the Osages, who never failed to rob and plunder those who fell in their
way, and often carried them in captivity to their villages, on the Grand
Osage river. She said her husband had contemplated going out on a
hunt into that quarter for several days, but was fearful of going alone
lest he should fall in with a party of those Indians; but she thought he
would be willing to accompany us a part of the way, and advised us to
await his return from the woods, as he had only gone a short distance to
kill some turkey. While we were waiting his return, she continued to
repeat several incidents of robberies and murders committed by the
Osages, and unusual hardships which had been encountered in the
woods by her husband and others. She told us, also, that our guns were
not well adapted to our journey; that we should have rifles; and pointed
out some other errors in our dress, equipments, and mode of travelling,
while we stood in astonishment to hear a woman direct us in matters
which we had before thought the peculiar and exclusive province of
men. While thus engaged the husband entered, and readily agreed to

our proposal, to accompany us toward White River, where he
represented the game to exist in great abundance. In a few moments he
was ready. Putting three or four large cakes of corn-bread in a sack, and
shouldering a rifle, he mounted his horse, and we all set forward
together, mutually pleased with the reciprocal benefits expected from
travelling in company. Our path, for the first four miles, lay across a
succession of sterile ridges,