Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1851-01-08

use our camp chest As table; We have an
abundance Of blankets, with which we make
ourselves comfortable. After enjoying our
humble supper Of coffee, bnco" and biscuit,
we retired TO rest, pretty well pleased with
this our first days journey, and were lulled
to sleep by the hoo,ing Of owls and the
howling of wolves. We appointed guard
which is to be kept up Throughout, the
journey. each standing half night, alter.
na,eIy. Distance, 6 miles.
Thursday, March 29.--1'raveled over a
very bad road, :he wheels sometimes sink
ing 10 the axles, but our mules did no,
finch. Ferried over Poio rivera sluggish
stream about 40 yards wide. Passed lhro'
the "Choctaw Agency" a great many
Indians and squaws we're loungins about
The place some Of them have pretty COM
Portable cabins. and cultivate lew acres
of ground. They are very fond Of dress ;
some OF the squaws were clad in calicoes
Of the most gaudy colors. Some Of them
had papooses" lashed 10 wicker frame,
swung upon their backs !; in this way they
carry them for whole day. not even loo
sing them when they suckIe, and the little
''brats" never murmur. Liquor is no,
allowed 10 be sold in the Nation this is n
law Of their own, and very sensible one.
Indeed, it would be an example worthy Of
imitation by our enlightened States. They
raise a great many horses, cattle. hogs,
poultry. &c. There 10 detachment OF
Government soldiers in advance Of Us, sur.
veying new route for emieranls on the
south side OF the Canadian river to the
plains or "srea. American Desert" thence
on TO Santa Fe. on the same side oi the
river. Capt. X. B. Marcy, with detach.
men, Of US. Troops, is to leave For, Smith
in few days, as an escort to the company
Of emigrnn,s from that place. lie is to
travel by this new route. Strange that
persons living upon the border. or frontier
as the Fort Smith people Go,accus,omed to
dealing with the Indians. require an escort
Of troops. while many Of US from The old
States, who never saw an Indian, are obliged
10 fight and cut our own way. Senator
BorIand, of Ark whose influence brought
all this about, must be cute old 'un.-
When we came 10 where the new road
struck off from the old one. We were indu.
enced 10 take the former, BY a man sta
toned there for the purpose. We were the
frs, that ,raversed it, except The military
detachment, which consists Of two wagons
and Is men, who are bu, few miles ahead
of us-and ahead Of them. wilderness Of
$50 miles! They are guided by the old
Delaware Indian trail. which runs about
20 degrees 8. of w. to the edge of the
plains. We crossed a prairie few miles
in width the ground is very soft once
we mired down. and it was only by un-
loading, double.ieaming, and putting our
shoulders 10 the wheel, that we succeeded
in getting The wagon out. Obliged to en-
camp on the prairie, but found enough
wood and wafer to answer our purposes.
Saw a grea, many grouse, and prairie
snipe to-day; but. either because they
we're too wild, or we inexperienced in the
art. did not succeed in killing any oithcm.
Distance, ~ mies-26.
Friday. March 30.-Staried carly. Soon
found the road almost impossible; this
portion Of prairie had been lately burned
over, which made il much worse Mired
both wagons and mules. very frequently,
and it required all our strength. ingenuity,
and courage, 10 get them Out. We almos.
despaired getting through, for scarcely
would we &c. them out, ontil they were in
again. Came up with the troops this eve.
n:ng, and encsmped with them in a beanli.
ful spo, on the border Of a small prairie.
thro' which ran brook Of clear, delicious
water. The air vas perfumed BY variety
OF shrubbery that grew along iis banks.
now in full bloom. Saw Z few deer, at a
distance to-day. Out Of corn for our
mules, and the grass too short to afford
them much nourishment. Very much
la'igued by the days labor. and turned in
early. Distance. miles-33.
Saturday, March 3l.-Became acquain.
led with Lieuts. Dent and UpdegraG-bo,h
clever fellows Dent has
brother iE California. Almost worn oui, bot
" necessity is the mother Of invention" " and
we do not find ourselves 10 90 great dill
emma, when our teams bog down, as we did
at first, having learned 20 extricaie them
with less difficulty. Again encamped on
4 small stream, on the skirts Of q "min.
a,ure PRAIRIE" This evening, Howard
and myself each mounted mule. snd
started in search Of corn for our suffering
animals after following q trail about