Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1834-10-06


loo mics st of the mouth Of wa.h's, they DIS
covered from hill, party Of hossein.o, who. by
he us. If classes, they aseerisinci 10 b; Indians.
Col d.. with some OF the other officers, approach
cd the party, IN advance Of the co nmand, bearing
white H. ard liter some apparent consultation,
one OF the Ind 1as with white flag attached 10 his
sacsf came nsarl the troops nj full ealiep. lie
,cpr. senie1 himself as a Spaniard taken by thu
Csmapcbes @asn qul'e young and the Indians ~
sight were party of CamaDshes, on hunting
excursion, nboat thdy IN nnln1er. After some
talk with the Span,ard, and assurances OF friendship
given By Col d.. tie parties approached each 9th
er and shook hsnds. The 1nd,hns MANIFESTED
strong desire 10 be considered friendly dfpos d.
They sad lheif camp vas about i~o Jays march
from that place. and invited the Colonel 10 visit y.
I On the following day nil the Caminchss ieil the
uoops with the exception of one Who renal ned to
act rs guide. Col ID presented hin ~rh gnn,
with which he Appeared delighted The command
reached the Camaociic canf on The second DAY al
ter meeting .ho fast lary, aGd were met about
/ three niles from tue camp By about one hundred
mo u,ed alreoes They shook hands with the OF.
6ccrs. and were very friendly When the troops
came within sight % the camp, IN American flag
wa" hosted by the Indians.
The Camanchca ure represented as wild, sov'
age looking fellows, armed with bows, well filled
]
ed, aud app AIRED to be accomplished AMI daring
horsemn Their camp consisted Of about /" o
hundred lodges, made OF skins, and having COM
cal 70 m md The num,er Of Indians occupying ih"in
appeared 10 be about four hundred. IL appears
scarcely credible, bu. the officers urlic IN saying
that the number Of horses possessed by this small
hunting party, which were grazing IN the vicinity
Of the camp, exceeded three thousand The pm
cipu chief Of the nation bad bern at this camp, ana
they said he was expected back next day Co'
d. remained for Tho purpose OF seeing The chief ou'
he did not make his Appearance; and on the Gay
following, Dish Of July,) the Colonel resumed his
march for the Pawncc Pct Cor Towcc ash) villa
ges, which he was informed were aboai sixty
miles from The Camnnche camp. lie n this time
had but two days prov isions for his command and
| in the eighborhood Of these numerous bands OF
Indians, the game was presumed IN be very scare
The prob ibly, therefore, wa 'hh' lew DAYS
more W. reduce the troops 20 the necessity ol
killing their horses for subsistcnce. About ok
miles I, ON the camanche emp, Col -. wns com
| pccd 10 form rncnmpmrrt Tor MS sick, seven
ty-Gss IN numbef, These ne lei with a small com
mand undel Lent. ,zud lAeu Moore, md pr.
| FndIay The main commhud now CONSISTED %
Gai 0.1 4trttcL ami eistty Arer effective Usn.
| Ihe country fron, tins camp 10 tng irwnce ar
T"v ash Villages, is very broken and uneven,
nume,ous high lodges Of g,sDnc rock, and as they
npproa' he'd near 10 the viiinIe. the WounlsGs rose
To an iinnlsn Sc height, and the passes leaan8 T.
the viage, ttoush Item wcra dithcnlt 10 hnd, long
and narrow, snu would have been n dangerous
ro,1 had the Indiana contested its passage lth he
soldiers
The low &C nsh or Pawnee PCT village, yisaed
by the Dregoons is represented as occupying ro-
mantle and beautiful spot Il Is situated IN fer
tic valley, about half mile IN width. on the north
bank folk Of K liver, and IN the rear II is sup
por,cd by stupenlou, mountains, composed of
lodges OF rock, apparently PeJ promscuously up
ON each othe,, and rising, N some places, TO the
hs III of about wv thousand feet from tho base Of
the valley. The village consisted Of about two
hundred iolges, in shape somewhat resembling a
zone, generally about thirty feet IN diameter, and
nom twenty five to thirty feet high. They were
formed with poles planted firmly IN the ground,
fastened tgcihcr at the top, and matched all over
with prairie grass. Comfortable hunks were erect
ed around the inside oI The lodges, about three feet
from the ground. This town had, at low es,i-
msto, about 200 ocrcs OF corn, we'll cultivated, und
secured by rude fence, substantially put up, with
poles and bushes. Tho officers report their corn,
beans, melons, and squashcs, as being very fine
ord Co, Dodgc informs m: that these Indians (,he
Taw-ec ash az Pawnee Pets have more The ap
pc orance oil hcing an agricultural people Than amy
in1,-ns 1t has ever seen, except those acknowled-
! gcd to be civilized
! Before mention any OF the incidents which oc-
Cured al has village II IL proper 10 say, that Col.
Dodge hid Io,c &c ash nnl kiopay girl with
him. who were cNptured by the Osages, and procut.
ed for the nnrpo,e OF accompanying tho expedition
before il lett this place lie mad also small delega-
,,On3 e,om The Chcrokee, Usage, Seneca and De-.
! AVA nations. with him IN approaching tho
Tow .e.a,a VILLAGE from the circumstance OF no In
81 IA
os.asions, me officers were induced TO think
tun hey had either abrn med .hor village were
nrcrarias for n fight, especially as it was known
in he village that the troops were advancing. "A
short distance from tho town, however, tho COM
mand was met by about sky warriors headed 10y
an old chief They sppoared much alarmed, beg
god Col. Dodge frequently not to fire. upon ,hcir
people, aud 1t WAS 9Th much d,ffculty he could
SATISFY them Of hi pacific and friendly disposition
The Pownee 81 was OF great service at this
crIsis.--Shc Vas Immediately recognized by her
peop', and 3he lost no time in assuring them Of the
friendly lu'coior OF the troops, and of the Z" kind
Teas she had rsccycd al the hands OF the imeri.
eans' Thst,oops cncampcd within Il mile of the
VILLAGE, aad on ihe same day most of,ho officers
yisled The Town, tni received with much kind
ness aud hospitality. were iDountiiully sup.
! Piled with corn and beans buiials meat water mel.
ons, and Wild plums. Immediately after the arrl-
val of the troops, the Camanches began to come IL
large numbers into the town.
On the pa OF July, the day after his arrival the
Towaynh Town, Col. Dodge held a council with
the chiefs IN their council house. He addressed
them in an appropriate manner, assuring them Of
his friendly feelings, and the deshe Of tho Govorn-
ment to better their condition., and establish peace
with their red brethren Of this country. He con.
cluded by inqurin; for Nj Abbey the ranger,
who was supposcJtc have teeG captured by them