Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1833-05-08

der some new form oil government should
see those fine countries of the "iar west, while
still in state of pristine wilderness, and be-
hold herds of buffafoes securing their native
praries, before they are driven beyond the
reach of civilized tourist.
We, accordingly, traversed the centre OF
Ohio, and embarked in steam boat at Gin
Icinnati, for Louisville, in Kentucky. Thence
we descended the Ohio river in another steam
boat, and assembled the Mississippi to ST. Louis
Our voyage was prolonged by repeatedly run
ming aground, in consequence ofthe lowness of
the waters, and on the first occasion we were
nearly wrecked and sent to the bottom, by en-
Icountering another steam boat coming with all
the impetus of high pressure engine, and az
rapid current. Fortunately, we had time to
shear little so as to receive the blow obliquely,
which carried away part of wheel, and all the
upper works on one side of the boat
From St. Louis | went to Fort Jefferson,
about nine miles distant, to see Black Hawk,
the Indian warrior, and his fellow prisoners
IA forlorn crew, enaciaed and deiected-the
Iredoubtable chieltain himself meagre old
man, upwards of seventy. He has, however,
a fine head, a Roman style of face, and pre-
possessing countenance.
At St. Louis we bought horses for ourselves.
and a covered wagon for our baggage, tents,
provisions, &c. and travelled by land to indie
pendence, a small frontier hamlet of log houses,
situated between two and three hundred miles
Iup the Missouri, on the utmost verge of civil
cation.
From independence, we struck across the
Indian country, along the line of the Indian
missions; and arrived, on the Sth IF October,
off tor oil dow, IT,
a frontier fort in Arkansas. Our Journey Law
almost entirely through vast prairies, or open,
grassy plains, diversified occasionally by beau
tful groves, and deep fertile bottoms along the
streams of water. We lived in frontier and
almost Indian style, camping out at nights, ex-
cept when we stopped at the Missionaries, scat
tered here and there in this vast wilderness.
The weather was serene, and we encounter
ed but one rainy night and one thunder storm,
and found sleeping in a tent very sweet and
healthy repose. L. was now upwards of three
weeks since had left ST. Louis and taken to
travelling on horseback, and it agreed with me
admirably.
On arriving at Fort Gibson, we found that
G mounted body of Rangers, nearly hundred,
had set off two days before to make wide tour
to the west and south, through the wild hunting
countries; by way of protecting the friendly
Indians, who had gone to the buffalo hunting.
and to overawe the Pawnees, who are the wan
dering Arabs of the west and are continually
on the maraud We determined to proceed on
the track of this party, escorted by dozen or
fourteen horsemen Chat we might have nothing
to apprchend from sny struggling party of Paw
nees,) and with three or four Indians as guides
and interpreters, including captive Pawnee
woman. A couple of Creek Indians were de-
spatched by the commander of the Fort to over
take the party of Rangers, and order them to
await our coming up with them. We were
now to travel in still simpler and rougher stvIe,
taking as little baggage as possible, and deS
pending on our hunting for supplies; but were
to go through country Astounding with game
The finest sport we had hitherto had, was an
lncidental wolf hunt, as we were traversinc
prairie; which was very animated and pictures
que. l felt now completely launched in
savage life, aud extremely excited and interest
ed by this wild country, and the wild scenes
and people by which was surrounded. Our
rangers were expert hunters, being mostly from
| Illinois, Tennessee, &c.
We overlook the exploring party Of mounted
Rangers in the course of three DAYS. on the
banks of The Arkansas: and the whole troop
crossed that river on the 18th of October. some
on RATS, some tording. Our own Immediate
party had couple of half breed Indians as
servants, who understood the Indian customs
They constructed kind of boat or raft out Of
buffalo skin, on which Mr.. E. and myself
crossed the river and its branches, at several
times, on the top of about hundred weight of
baggage-an odd mode of crossing a river a
quarter of mile wide.
We now led a true hunting life, sleeping in
the open air, and living upon the produce of the
chace, for we were three hundred miles beyond
human habitation.
We got to the region of bufaloes and wild
horses; killed some of the former, and caught
some of the latter. We were, moreover. on
the hunting grounds of the Pawnees, the terror
OF that frontier; race who scour the prairies
on fleet horses, and are like the Tartars or
rowing Arabs.
We had to set guards round our camp. and
tie up our horses for fear of surprise but, though
we had an occasional alarm, we passed through
the country without seeing single Pawnee,
brought off, however, the tongue of buffalo.
OF my own shooting, as trophy of my hunts
tinp and am defermined tn rast nv, ,o,,,..