New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-03-25
SKETCHES OF LECTURES.
The Sources Of the Red River.


The Geographical and Statistical Society
held a special meeting last Tuesday evening at the
Chapel Of the University at which Captain Marcy read
paper ON the subject of the recent expedition under
his command to the sources Of the Red River wherein
he gave a graphic description Of this hitherto little
known portion OF country, and also Of its wild in
habitants. Hon George Bancroft occupied the Chair,
supported by Mr. Henry Grinnoll, Mr.. Brodhead, and
Dr. Kane aud upon rsng TO introduce the lecturer OF
the evening. said
LADIES AND GESTLEMEN: | am instructed
by the Society 10 say that there viii be public meet
ing of this Society, hessecond Tuesday Of next
month in this place at which time you invited
Join us, and listen TO a paper 10 be read by Captain
Henderson, upon Circassia. have the pleasure of in
Producing to you at this time Captain Marcy, who viii
spesk 10 us upon his visit 30 the Red River.
The lecturer then came forward and commenced by
remarking that In submitting paper to society com
posed of gentlemen, distinguished for intelligence
as those OF the American Geographical and Statistical
Society feeling of dhBdence came over him for want
Of confidence Ia his abilities, such as he had seldom
before experienced Situated he bad been for the great
er portion ofho last upon our extreme Western
borders subjected TO the privatons incdento helie
of solder with but few fac es for intellectual euldya
ton he had the vanity 70 suppose, neither, ne
trusted would IL be expected, that nny produeuon OF
his would be Of character calculated 10 impre$ the
Imagination or please the fancy Of nm audience sucn as
he now saw before him. He should therefore, CONNIE
himself TO concise and unpretending narration OF facts
that had come under his own observation ana II any
efforts of his could in the smallest degree add to the
fund Of information already possessed by the society,
he would feel most abundaDrly rewarded. 80,
He would romsrk in the fret place, that much OF hs
time during the past four years had been spent on our
sontb western praree far beyond the limits OF cviiza
ton and in the country occupied by those erstc ana
migratory people, the natives oi the plah,' Wnhe
among them he had endeavored 20 observe Their hAns
closely md he bad also atientyely studied their cha
racer; and he should take occasion IN the course OIL
what he had say lay before his audience some oil
the results OF his observations and Teiecnons
Previous TO the past summer, had been occupied IN
exploring the country the Canadian River oil the AT
KANSAS and upon the head waters Of the Trinity brazos
and Colorado Rivers OF Texas an9 my rec9nhU's NJ
had extended as far west the Rio GrSnde In New
Mexico During this time my attention hal frequently
been called 70 the remarkable fact that portion OF one
of the largest and important rivers In me Utei
States lying directly within the limits OF the district
had been examining remained up 70 that late period
wholly unexplored and unknown All the lnioT nls'lon
we had In regard TO s source was derived nom indahs
and of course wac very unreliable, indefinite and M
satisfactory In word the country embraced with'h
the basin Of upper Red River had always been TO US
feyTa iRoogRsa Several ontorpuzmg Hnd experiences
travellers had different perodF attempted the exam
nation Of this river but as yet none had snceeean
reaching its sources. AZ very carry period, ohSeIs
we're sent out bv the French Government TO explore
ea River but their examinations reached no turtAer
,bsn the country OF the Caddoes and Natehiochef IN
the vicinity of the present town oil Ndcaiocaes' La
Three wears after the cesson 70 the United States oy
the Firs Confu of the French Republic, OF that vast
territory then known Louisiana small party csiled
The Exploring Expedition OF Red River under eharse
OF Cant sparks embarked from 81 Cstharmes ianl,
inc near Natchez Mississippi with Instructions 20 ascend
Red River 10 its head. This party descended me MS
sisspp and on the 81 Of May, lSO0 cntSIe1 eu
TO ascend In their boats "a hieh - the raw"
nee Pous Indian villages, where they were 70 ieSYe
their boats purchase horses sufficient 10 PACK te" @
visions, and then Prpceed Gas wSs ~ ~
inc as they coniecturcd, about three hundred mavS
From this Il is manifest that Red River wes 70
Issue from mountainous country, ana All zoe sII
tnents for this expedition were male scSOfeilSY, -.
This marty encountered many duhcuities ahd oostEuO
lions In the cation of the RIVER among the numerous
hayous below the Great Raft but finally overesne men
ali and reached point above this formidable obstacle
They vere however soon met by large force OF SpSu-
ish troops the commander OF which ordered uleh W
proceed no further and, as their numbers Weres,o
small lor thought Of resistance they were oIVc@ :"
turn back aud abandon their enterprise ..
Another expedition was hltod out by our uoNerhueN
Ia 1900 and placed under command of inst e1tsrpAuS
young traveller Lieut. Pike, who was ordele1 70 SsSet
the Arkansas river to its sources and thence 20 s.'
the country 10 the head Of Red riNer ana ~ @
sCena that sfresIn % Natchi,sches AteE
many pliyRiions and intense snfcrings In tne ueet
SHOWS Of the Ioy mountains about the head waters Of
the Arkansas, Lieut. Pike finally arrived upon " III
running 20 the east which he took 10 DC ksd ,,St' ~
which subsequently proved 20 DC ne hoo 0ei w
Here he was taken by the Governor OF New Mexico A9
s,n, home by way OF chihuahua and san Antonio 1ie
thus this expedition fSlled. a..
Gen Wnkinson unicr whose orders Lieut., Pike wSs
Fefsipg 81 toe time in letter 10 him sfer ms retut
says THE principal object of your expedition up tne
Arkansas river was to discover the true position OF tae
sources Of Red river. This was not soeonpshed Ley1
Pike from the most accurate niormation he could %
trin Siyes the geographical position OF the sources OF
Rel I've, "a in latitude 50 " and longitude lOi W.
which Il far from correct -, -,
Again. In lsla-2o Col Long, OF me Uaked otases
srorcgIsnhicsl Tpsineers on bis return from an eA
plora,on Of the Missouri River, and the country Eins
between II and the head Of the Arkensss undertook %
dt scend Red River from rs sources In ns tlesans
rrport he speaks O. the subject a. follows: we ar
rived at a creek having westslly course which we
took 10 be tributary Of Red River Having Travelled
dowH is valley about 900 miles, we zen IN YIN sPsy
OF Ini.ns ~ the nation of Ksskass or bad Hearts
VITO gave us 10 understand that the stream along wnca
we were travelling was Red River. We accordingly con
:aaed eI pgeh down the river several hundred nAes