The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-04-14

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AS ths observations taken here made present posi-
ton only about twenty five miles from the Canadian
ef, IN me same Longitude. (where had passed in ls49
was anxious 10 determine how these results CORES
ponded with those arrived at that OCCASION partcu
aIy as The Canadian had by several travellers, been
mistaken ior Red river. Accordingly, with small de-
Intervening country, and found the road had made in
lS4s wh lhe river in the relative position indicated by
our astronomical observations at the head OF Red river
ms was 10 me matter oil much qualification and inter-
es as Il developed and confirmed the accuracy Of
points
Alter having completed the examination Of the north
branch oi HE'D river we turned south, elevated
waving prairie country, and travelled thirty miles, when
we reached The middle salt fork OF the river, which
ascended 70 It's source, and resumed The south
and marching hfty miles in this direction il brought us
the valley of the south principal branch OF the river
We arvssd al this stream, which The Camanches call ke
ho no, or "PTairledog town-river named
Tor The reason. presume that vast number of dogs
found along it's valley Indeed, in place, the
head of the passed for twenty five miles through
continuous community OF these quadrupeds SuppOsine
lis extent 10 have been the in other directions, the
town would occupy area of gas square miles, OF
900 acres, with the burrows at the usual distances o
about twenty yards apart and each containing family
of five or six dogs, the aggregate population would,
fancy, exceed that Of any city in the world This inter
esng little specimen OF the mammala OF our country
has often been described by travellers; but some facts
connected with their history which have never seen
mentioned IN any published account, may not be consid
cred out OF place here. ~ Naf
4 u
pear TO have regard to the distance from water which
has induced 10 believe that they do not require that
element which other animals so frequently have occasion
for, and without which they inevitably perish. have
occasionally them upon the elevated table lands OF
New Mexico, where there water on the surface
OF the ground for twenty miles, and where did not
probable that II could be found by excavation AS there
seldom any rains dews upon these plains during
the summer months, and the animals never wander far
from their burrows think | am warranted IN the con-
cuson that they require other aqueous sustenance
han hat they their Wh a pras
The Taesnake is often found with the dogs and has by
been considered welcome guest OF the proprietor
OF the establishment; but this is error, he preys
upon the dog and is undoubtedly regarded by him
intru udeT.
We found this branch OF the stream one thousand
yards wide. and flowing over sandy bed, through an
exceedingly rough and broken country, wholly mpas-
sable for wagons. was therefore under the necessity
of leaving my wagon train and proceeding from this pon
with small escort OF mounted men, directly along the
bed OF the stream and after three days hard riding
with the thermometer ranging from l02 10 ITO degrees
the shade and nothing but the nauseang and bite
water to drink during The time, al length arrived a
the source OF the main branch OF Red rve in latitude "a
degrees IL minutes and longitude lo2 degrees 35 minutes
about two hundred and twenty-five miles in a souheas
direction from Santa Fe.
Three miles from the head of the river, we found thai
its bed which, from It's confluence with the Mississippi
TO This point with one exception, had been sand. sud
denly changed TO rock, with the water (Which below
here had been turbd and bitter flowing clearly and rap
idly over 1t; and, much 10 our delight II was cool, and
enilfely free from salts. This was an unlocked for lux
nau everywhere OelOre lnlS found exceed
Iingly unpaaiabe The effect OF this water upon had
been 10 produce sickness al The stomach, attended with
loss OF Appetite and raging and feverlsh thirst, which
constantly mpelled us to drink IT, although it had still
contrary effect from what desired, increasing
thirst rather than alaying it, Alter intense suffering
4 IRON drinking this nauseang water, we INDUCED freely
in the pure and delicious element, assembled along
the dell through which the stream found its way
and, following up for two miles the lortuous OF
the gorge reached point where il became so much
obsfucied with huge piles Of rocks that obliged
fn hnrS a.Ir ph.r nt
the distance on foot
The gganuc walls OF sandstone rising TO the enor-
nous height OF eight hundred feet each sje gradually
closed in until they only few yards apart and at
last united above us leaving long corridor be-
meath, al the base OF which the handspring OF the
principal branch OF Red river takes ills rise This spring
bursts IRON lis cayernous reservoir, and, leapng down
the huge OF rock below, its long
journey 10 unite with other tributaries 10 the nobest
river IN the universe. On beholding this little rivuet,
II winds It's iortuous down the steep descent OF
the csnDn, IL is difficult realize that il forms the
cleus TO the largest and most important rver in America,
floating steamers upon lis bosom Tor nearly two thousand
miles, and deposlng alluyum along lis borders which
renders lis valley perhaps the fertile in the world
| We drank copous draughts OF the cool and refreshing
in the spring, and thereby considered ourselves,
with The pleasure derived from The beautiful and majestic
scenery around u.s. remune rated for all our fatigue and
pyaoDs The magnlhcence OF the views that presented
themselves 10 our eyes as approached the head OF the
river exceeded anything had ever beheld IL is mposs-
BILE Tor describe the sensations oil intense pleasure
experienced gazed on these grand and novel dis lays
o Nature.
/ The s,upendous escarpmenls OF the solid rock rising
to such height 10 exclude the rays OF the for
great portion OF the day, away, By The lapse
time and the action OF water and the weather. into the
fantastic forms, wblehit required bu little effort OF
the into works of arts all united IN
forming OF the most sublime and picturesque scenes
that be imagined, and all with accord, stop
ped and gazed with wonder and admr mraon upon pano-
rama which was Tor The first time exhibited to the
eyes of civilized man.
All here the aspect OF Nature IL sprang into
existence, Nature in its unecaimed submily and Wild
ness, and II inspired me with that veneralon which
one is apt TO feel in contemplating the beauty and gran
deur of the undsubed creations OF the Sovereign Ar
chiect, stamped apparently as with his own eternity
From the head OF this branch OF the river returned 10
the main body OF my command, and from the point they
had occupied travelled down between The two south
branches, reaching Fort Arbuekle IN the Chick
ton, on the 30th day of July Here, for the first time,
we heard the report that generally circulated in
relation TO massacre by the Camancbes This report
evidently originated with these Indians, who manifested
no friendly disposition toward aad always avoided
us Although considered selves fully prepared
meet any force OF Indians that could be brought against
us IN the country through which we passed, yet cannot
orego this opportunity OF ack edging the deep graft
ode feel to my counymen for the kind sympathy they
manifested IN the fate OF myself and companions.
In basy glance the face of The country which
We passed, OF the most striking and anomalous fea-
lures That presents isef is narrow strip OF woodland
from i've TO thirty miles wide, called the Cross Tmbers
extending from the Arkansas river in south westerly
direction, TO the Bmzos some FIVE hundred miles This
belt divides the arabic lands IRON tie great prares
which, Tor The most part, arid and sterile Upon the
east side there numerous spring brooks flowing
very productive champaign country with abundance
OF lumber and an exubefant vegetation, ieemng with the
delightful perfume of flowers of the most brilliant hues,
here and there with verdant ladies' and small
may han md t,a,