The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1813-07-05
AMERICAN ENTERPRISE.
From fhe Missouri Gazette.

we last week promised our readers an
account ofthe journey of the gentlemen at
tached to the New-York Eur Company,
from the Pacific ocean to this place we
now lay it before our readers as collected
from the gentlemen themselves.
On the goth June, 1912, Mr.. r. Steuart,
one oil the partners Of the Pacific Fur Com
paDy, with two Frenchmen, Messrs. Ram
sey Crooks and Robert Mcclellan, left the
Pacific ocean with dispatches for New
York.
Alter ascending the Columbia river 90
miles, John Day. one of the hunters be-
came perfectly insane and was sent back TO
the main establishment, under the charge Of
, some Indians; the remaining six pursued
their voyage upwards of 900 miles, when
they happily met with Mr.. Joseph Miller on
MS way to the mouth Of the Columbia: he
had been considerably to the south aud east
among the nations called Blackarms and
Arapahays. by the latter of whom he was
robbed; In consequence OF which he SUI
tered almost every privation human nature
is capable OF, and was in a state Of starva-
ton and almost nudity when the party me,
with him.
They now had fifteen horses, AID pursu-
ed their journey for the Atlantic world
without any uncommon accident, until
within about 200 miles of the Rocky noun
'ains, where they unfortunately met with
party of the Grow Indians, who behaved
with the most unbounded insoIence, and
were solely prevented from cutting off the
party by observing them well armed and
! constasily on their guard. They howev.
ever pursued on their track six DAYS ant
finally stole every horse belonging to the
party.
Some idea Of the situation of those men
| may be conceived, when we take into con-
sideratlon that th'y were now on foot
| and hadl journey of 1000 miles before
| than; 1900 Of which entirely unknown
| as they intended and prosecutedit conside.
| rably south of Messrs. Lewis and CIark's
route; the impossibility of carrying any
quantity OF provisions on their backs In adj
| dition to their ammunition and beddinp
will occur at first view. The danger TO be
apprehended from starvation was in,mi
nent.
They however put the best face upon
their prospects, and pursued their route
| towards the Rocky. mountains at the head
| waters of the Colorado or Spanish river.
and stood their course f. S. E. until tbev
struck the head waters of the great river
Platte, which they undeviatingly followed
to its mouth. 1t may here be observed.
that this river for about 800 miles Is nayi-
gable for barge; from thence to the Or.
to village, within IS miles of its entrance
into the Missouri, it is mere bed Of sand.
without water sufficient to float skin ca.
noe.
From the Otto village to Saint Louis the
party performed their voyage in a canoe
furnished them by the natives and arrived
mere III perfect health on the Sotb OF last
month. Our travellers did not hear of tba
war with England until they came to the
Ottos: these people told them that the
Shawanoe prophet had sent them a wam-
pun inviting them to Join in the war against
the hmericans-that they answered the
messenger that they could make more by
trapping beaver than making war against
the Americans
Alter crossing the hills Rocky noun
tains) they happily fell in with small par
ty oil Snake Indians, from whom they pur
chased horse, who relieved them from
any further carriage of food, and this faith
iui iour-tooied companion performed that
service TO the Otto village. They winter
ca OIL the river Platte about 600 miles from
its mouth.
by Information received from these gen.
tiemen 1t appears that journey across the
continent OF North America might be
performed with a Wagon, there being
no obstruction in the whole route that anv
person would dare to call mountain, in
addition to its being much the most direct
and short one to go from this place to the
mouth of Columbia river. ANY future par
y who may undertake this journey, and
are tolerably acquainted with the different