Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1835-08-27
From the Illinois Register.

From tne Illinois Register.
From the Dragons. --We have been
politely furnished by o. FL. Browning, ESQ
with the following interesting extract from
a letter addressed to him from Canton.
ment Lesvenworth. by gentleman who
accompanied the u. S. Dragons, in the
summer Of 1884 in their expedition to the
Pawneo villages. The extract contain,
some new and entertaining historical facts
as also a graphic description Of the scene.
ry presented at the Pawnee Peaks and
we doubt not will be perused with interest
by our readers.
On the 10th Of July, we again resumed
our march under the guidance OF the a.
bovc named Pawnee Mohaw, who, TO my
mind. proved himself to be treacherous
william for he led us a circuitous route oil
three DAYS, over an excessively rugged
rocky country, and amid Inconvenience
Of every description, when on our return
to the encampment, we fraversed beau
'tiful prairc, and found the distance not TO
exceed forty five miles. Yet /, for one,
did not regret it, for our way led through
scenery not exceeded-I hardly believe
equaIled, have read of the Alps, and
have seen paintings Of the most celebrated
portions Of Alpine scenery. The Alps are
higher, but in sublimiiy, grandeur. and
general effect, they must and in time WiH
yield the palm 10 the hitherto unknown,
unyisited Pawnee Peaks. Here the grad.
nal swell, the beetliog precipice, the castel
lated battement, the solitary tower. the
the clustering roaring cascade, the shady
vale, and opening vista, disclosing in its
turn distant views Of new grandeur-all,
all the rich combinations Of mountain see
merry are here thrown together. forming
an unrivalled whole, which, ia years to
come, will be the goal Of all travellers on
earth.
On the evening Of the 2lst we reach
ed the goal Of our enterprise. the long
sought Pawnee village Here was new
matter Of wonder. We approached a
sweep Of perpendicular mountains, whose
tops are wholly inaccessible to the human
foot from this side, aud reached the vii
iage through the passage which leads to it,
a narrow defile. which 100 good men with
aproper armament, and a good engineer.
could keep against the countless legion.
that Napoleon led to Moscow.
"After passing through this defie, we
Immediately entered the village. situated
in beautiful bottom, on the margin of a
LIVER. supposed by some, to be main Red
river, but which is only principal fork Of
that stream.
Like others Of the southern rivers. lis
bottom is fiat bed of fine sand that main.
taius nearly the same level all the way
across, the water. now, but few inches
deep; yet, unlike the waters of other ri.
vers, this is nearly as salt as the water of
tho Kanhawa salines. When this stream
is full, it is 500 yards wide. and about ten
feet deep. The native, say that the salt
taste proceeds from great beds of rock
salt, about twenty miles above. and exhi
bited to us quantities that they had procu
red there. Our arrival here was timely ::
for we were hungry, and had nothing to
eat. They had plenty Of corn just in good
eating order. pumpkins, squashes, water
and muskmelons. together with dried tuf
faloe and horse meat. For supplies of
these articles we gave them tobacco, Tin
cups, buttons, the yellow stripes from our
pantaloons, &e., but when we offered them
money. they laughed at US, for the unso
pbisticated beings knew not its Value
When we could explain TO them the use
of any thing, they would trade for il; but
as we could not make them sensible of the
use Of money. none Of it would they have.
They call themselves Towea Indians,
and appear amiable and industrious. The
women are beauties, yes, real first rate
light copper beauties, for devil take the
ugly one that saw, that was less than a
centurion which word, a schooImate Of
mine once defined 10 be person one hun.
years old, and got logged for his pains.
"On the 22d and 23d. the Kiewa, Wa
co and Camanche Indians arrived, and
our little band was surrounded by between
and 1000 warriors. yet we trembled not
On the Gath the treaty proceeded, and by
1T, we recovered from them a little white
boy, the son of Gabriel Martin, a wealthy
planter. OF Louisiana. lie had gone up
with some friends, early last spring, on q
hunting excursion TO the False Wasbita
and whilst separated from the rest. was
attacked by the Indians and killed. and his
son taken prisoner They concealed the
boy on our approach, aud he probably
would never have been liberated had il no,
been for negro, likewise a prisoner