Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1805-01-23

>'.~' - T" % al oounuauSCo Vi SAT- springs, treSl
water was very scarce. In one of the.s
trairiss, the salt springs ran into small
ponds, in which as the weather was hot
the water had sunk and left the edges OF
the ponds so covered with salt, that they
fully supplied themselves with that article,
and might have easily collected bushels
OF il. As they we're travelling through
the prairies, they had likewise the good
fortune to kill All animal which was nine
or ten feet high, and Of bulk proportion
ed to its height. They had seen two Of
the same species before, and they saw four
OF them afterwards. They were swift
footed, and they mad neither tusks nor
horns. Alier having passed through the
long prairie, they made it rule never to
eater on one which they could not see a.
cross. till they had supplied themselves
with a suihciency Of jerked venison,. to
last several days. After having travelled
a considerable time through the praries,
they came to very extensive lead mines,
where they smelied the ore aud furnished
themselves with what lead they wanted.
They afterwards came to 2 copper mines,
one Of which was three miles through. and
in scserai places they met with rocks Of
copper ore as large as houses.
+ When about fifteen days journey from
The second copper mine, they came with
IN sight of white mountains, which though
il was in the heat Of summer, appeard 10
them to be covered with snow. The sight
naturally excited considerable assonish-
rnent, but on their approaching the noun
tain, they discovered, that instead OF snow,
they were yered with immense bodies
of white sand. They had, in the mean
time passed through about ten nations of
Indians, from whom they received very
trendy treatment. 1t was the practice Of
the party to exercise tho osiice of spokes-
ma in rotation; and when the language
oil any nation through which they passed
was unknown to them, il war The duly of
the spokesman, duty in whlc the others
never intertered. to convey their meaning
by appropriate signs.
The labor of travelling thro' the deep
sands OF the mountains, was excessive, bu,
at length they relieved themselves Of this
difficulty by following the course Of a shall
low river the bottom of which being level,
they made their way TO the top ofthe noun.
tains, with toIerable convenience.
After passing the mountains they en-.
tered. "a hue, fertil tract of land. which hav
| ingtrayel.cd through for several DAYS, they
accidentally met with three white men in
the Indian dress. Griffith immediately
understood their language, as it was pure
Welsh, though they occasionally made
use OF few words with which he was not
acquainted. However as IL happened to
be the lurn of one of his Shawnese com
panlons to act as spokesman, or inierpre
ter; he preserved a profound silence, aud
never gave them any intimation that he
understood the language ortheir ne " com
Paaions.
| Alter proceeding with them four or five
days Journey, they came to a village ef
these white NEIL, where they EounL thai
! the Whole nation were Of the same color.
having all the European complexion. The
three men took them through their yiIlepe
LOT about the space Of fifteen miles, when
they came 10 the council house, at which
an assembly OF the king and chief men of
the nation was Immediately held The
council lasted three days, and as the stran.
gers were not supposed 10 be scquaisted
with their language, they were suffered to
A
great question before the council was.
what conduct should be observed towards
the strangers.--From their Gre arms, their
knives and their tomahawss, il was con
Guided they were warll,e people,-it
was conceived that they were sent to look
out country for their nation, that r they
were suffered to return, they might ex-
! peel body of powerful Invaders, but that
1t these six men were put TO death, moth
ing would be known Of their country and
they would still enjoy their possessions In
security, 1t was finally determined that
| they should be put TO death. Griffith then
thought it was time FOR him 10 speak. lie
addressed the council in the Welsh Ian
guage. He informed them that the had
not been sent by any nation tina, as they
were actuated merely by private curiosity,
they had no hostile intcnions: that il was
their yishio trace the Missourito its source.
and that they should return TO the rcouh.
try satisfied with the discoveries they had
made, without any wish to disturb the re.
pose oftheir new acquaintances. An in
s;aat astonishment glowed in the connie
nances not only of the council but Of hi.
Shawnese companions, who clearly saw
-