The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-03-23
Cast. narsy's Adventure, and Explorations.
Irupsrsans Discoveries Amo : ths Head We
ser~ OF Red River.

AFRICAN GEOGHAfuicAL AND STATISTICAL
SOCIETY, ny CAPT. A. y. MARCY, q. :. A.
special meeting cf the American Statistical and
Geographical Society was held last evening. as ~
rooms in the University. the Hon. George Bancroft
LID, In the chair. Among the distinguished gen
temen present were DR. Kane, Of the sr 9enn
Franklin expedition: Mr. Henry Gnnnel ooe of ths
seciety's Vice Presidents; Mr.. Brcdhead, nc. &c.
After the transaction Of the ordinary sus.ness Of
the society il adjourned 70 the chapel Of the uaiver
sdty. where the President introduced 10 large and
brilliant audience Capt r. d. Marcy, Of the United
States army. who proceeded TO read very int-eeSt
ing paper on his recent important exploration q the
Red river country and his own discovery Of the head
waters Of that stream which was received with close
attention and much applause. The profound anxiety
which felt last year. for several months, In Al
parts Of the country, on account OF The supposed
massacre of this gallant oilcer and his party VII be
remembered by readers -
In submitting a paper 70 society composed Of
gentlemen SO distinguished for intelligence those Of
the American Geographical and Statistical Society.
feeling of diHidence comes over me, from want Of
confidence in my own abilities, such a. have seldom
before experienced.
Situated as / have been for the greater portion OF
the last twenty years, upon our extreme Western
borders, and subjected 70 the prvations incident 70
the life Of soldier with but few facilities for intel
iectual cultivation have not the vanity to suppose
neither trust win it be expected that any production
OF mine will be of character 70 impress the imagi
nation or please the fancy Of audience such a
now see before me- | shall therefore, condne myself
to concise and unpretendIg narration Of facts that
have come under my own OBJ -esyation and II any ef-
forts of mine can in the smallest degree add TO the
fund of information already possessad by the society
| shall feel most abuIdantly rewarded.
Permit me to remark IN the first place, that much
of my time during tue past four years has been
spent southwestern pra.ries, far beyond the
limits Of civilization and in the country occupied by
those cratic and migratory pc pile, the natives Of
the plains While among them, ! endeayored to
observe their habits closely and have atteGtively
studied their character aud shall take occasion, in
the course Of what have to say 10 lay before you
some Of the results Of my observations and redec-
lions.
Previous to the past summer, had been occupied
in exploring the country the Canadian river Of the
Arkansas and upon the bead waters Of the Trinity.
Brazos, and Colorado rivers Of Texas and my
noissances had extended as TAR Ness as the Rio
GraDde, in New Mexico. During tAs time my atten-
ton had frequently been called 10 the remarkable
fact, that a portion OF one OF the largest
and most important rivers III tue United States lying
directly within the limits OF the district had been
examining, remained up to that late period wholly
UNEMPLOYED and unknown. All the information we had
in regard to its derived from Indians and
of course, was very unreliable indefinite, and unsat
lsfactory. In o word. the country embraced within
the basin OF upper Red river bad always been TO
terra incognatd. Several enterprizing and exper-
fenced travellers had different periods attempted
the examination OF this river; but as yet, none had
succeeded in reaching its sources. Al very early
period, officers were sent out by the French govern
ment TO explore Red river, but their examinations
reached no farther than the country Of the Caddoes
and Natchitoches in the vicinity OF the present town
OF Natchit0ches Louisiana.
Three wears after the the United States
by the First Consul OF the French republic Of that vast
territory, then known Louisiana, {. small party
called the Exploring Expedition of Red river"
under charge of Capt. Sparks, embarked from St.
Catharines landing, NatcheZ Mississippi, with
instructions to ascend Red river to its head. This
party descended the Mississippi and on the Sd of
May 1906 entered Red river, intending to ascend in
their boats as high as the Pawaee Piqua " Indian
villages where they to leave their boats, pur-
chase horses sufficient to pack their provisions, and
then proceed Gas was EXPIRE sed ia their orders) to
the " top OF the mountains" the distance being, as
they coDiectured about three hundred miles From
this it is manifest that Red river was supposed 10
issue from a mountainous country. and all the
engagements Tor this expedition were made &C
cordingly
This party encountered many 9ilficulties aad OBJ
structions in the navigation of the river among the
numerous bayous below the Great Raft, but finally
overcame them all, and reached point above this
formidable obstacle They were, however soon met
by large force of Spanish troops, the commander
of which ordered them to proceed no iartLer and,
=
tanoe, they were forced to turn back and abandon
the enterprise.
Another expedition was fitted out by our govern
nent, in 1906 and placed under command Of that
terpriZng young traveller, Lieut. Pike, who was or
dered to ascend the Arkansas river to its sources
and thence to strike the country to the head
Of Red river, and to descend that stream to Natch
tOches. After encountering many privations and in
tense sufierngs in the deep of the lofty
tans about the head waters Of the Arkansas, Lieut.
Pike finally arrived upon stream running to the
east which be took to be Red river but which sub
sequently proved to be the Rio del Norte. Here he
was taken by the Governor of New Mexico, and sent
home, by way of Chihuahua and San Antonio, and
thus this expedition failed
General Wilkinson, under whose orders Lieut..
Pike serving at the time, IN letter to him, after
his return, says" The principal object Of your ex-
petition up the Arkansas was to discover the true
position of the sources of Red river This was
not accomplished" Lieut. Pike, from the most &C
curate information he could obtain, gives the geo
graphical position of the of Red river as in
latitude 33N and longitude l0i W., which is far
from correct.
Again. in 1920, Colonel Long of the United
States Typographical Engineers on his return from
exploration of the Missouri river, and the country
lying between it and the head of the Arkansas I'M
dertOOk to descend Red river from its sources. In
his interesting report. he speaks of the subject as
follows" We arrived at a creek having westerly
course, which we took to be tributary Of Red river.
Having travelled down its valley about two hundred
miles, we fell in with party Of indians, OF the ma
lion of Kaskaias, or Bad Hearts = who gave Us to
understand that the stream along which we were
travelling was Red river. We accordingly continued
march down the river several hundred miles fur
1her, when, to our 10 small appointment, we dis
covered that it was the Canadian of the Ar
kansas instead Of Red river, that we had been
exploring. Our horses be Eg nearly worn out
with the fatigue Of the long journey, and the season
being too far advanced to admit Of returning in
quest Of the Of Red river with thc possibility
of exploring it before winter, it deemed advisa-
BILE to give the enterprise for the present, and
kc yynv In flr rNn
We were led to the commission Of this mistake ia
consequence of not being able to procure good
guide acquainted with that part Of tie country. Our
only dependence in this respect was upon Pixies
map, which assigns to the head waters Of Red river
abe apparent locality of those Of the Canadian
Thus, it will be seen, taat Of oil the expeditions
which have attempted the exploration OF the Rcd
river, none succeeded in reaching its sources.
The Mexicans, and the Indians contiguous to their
territory, in the habit Of calling any stream tie
waters of which have red appearance, " Rio Colo