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

At recent special meelDK ol the American o'aVsuoa
and Geographical Society OF New York. held at The uni
yersy (the Hon George Bancroft in the chaif) after
the transaction of The ordinary business OF the society IT
adjourned TO the chapel of the University, where he
president introduced TO large aud brilliant audience
Captain r. b. Marcy OF the United States army. who
proceeded read the following interesting paper on MS
recent important exploration OF the Red rver country
and his discovery Of the headwaters OF that stream
which was received with close attention and much ap-
plause: .#u 8ar
CAPTAIN MARCY'S ADDRESS.
Gentlemen of the Geographical Society:
In Submitting paper society composed OF gentle
men 50 distinguished for intelligence as those OF lhe
American Geographical and Statistical Society, feeling
of dlfhdence comes me- from want Of confidence
in my own abilities. such have seldom before expe
rlenced ,a HgH HE.I rN y. s. .e4#a3 sl5 1a#4. 4g
Situated as have been for the greater portion OF the
last twenty years. upon extreme western borders and
subjected 10 the pIvalons Incident 10 the life OF SOL
deT, with but few facilities Tor intellectual cultivation,
have not the vanity 10 suppose, neither, trust, Will II
be expected. that any production o mine will De Of a
character 10 impress The magina please the fancy
of audience such as now see before me- shall
therefore conae my self to concise and unPretendmg
narration OF facts that have come under my own obser-
yaon; and if any efforts OF mine can, in the smallest
degree add to the fund of information already possessed
| by the society, shall feel most abundanty rewarded
Permit to remark in the first place. that much OF
my time during the past four years has been spent on our
praes far beyond the limits OF clyiliza.
tion and in the country occupied by those eTratc and
among them endeavored 10 observe their habits closely.
and have stlentvely studied their character and shall
take OCCASION In the course OF what have to say, 10
lay before you some OF the results OF my observations
and reflections #an 81.
Previous 10 the past summer had been occupied in
exploring the couatry the Canadian rve of the Ar
Kansas and upon the head waters of the Trinity braZos
and Colorado rivers of Texas, and my econnoissances
had extended as far ives, as the Rio Gtande, in New
Mexico During this time my attention had frequently
been called to the remarkable fact that portion OF one of
the largest and most important rivers in the United States,
lying directly within the limits Of the district have been
examining remained up 70 that lale period wholly unex-
gard to It's derived from lndians and OF
course very unreliable, indefinite. and unsatisfactory
In word the country embraced within the basin OF up
per Red river had always been TO us terra sntognad
Several enerpsing and experienced travellers had at dif
feIent periods attempted the examination OF this rver
but, as vet had succeeded in reaching lis
AT very early period officers by the French
government 10 explore Red river but their examinations
reached further Than the county OF the Caddoes and
Nachioches, in tue vicinity OF The present town ol
lNatchoches. louisiana. sle .sr
Three years alter the cesson to the United States by
the First Consul of the French republic. OF that vas
territory then known Louisiana. small party,
called the Exploring Expedition OF Red River, under
charge OF Capt Sparks, embarked from ST. Cahanne's
landing. near Nachez Mississippi, with instructions 10
Mississippi, and the 81 Of May, 1906, entered Red
river, intending TO ascend in their boats high as the
"Pawnee Piqua' Indian villages. where they were 10
leave their boats purchase horses sucient TO pack their
provisions and then proceed (as expressed in their
orders) TO the op Of the mountains, the distance being
as they coneclured, about three hundred miles From
this il is manifest that Red rver supposed 10 issue
from mountainous country and all the arrangements
for this expedition were made accordingly.
Il This parry encountered many diculiIes and obsTuc-
tons in the navigation of the among the numerous
bayous below the Grea, Raft bu, finally ovecame them
all, and reached pon, above this formidable obstacle
They were. however, met by large lorce oil Span
sb troops, the commander OF hch ordered them 10 pro-
coed fuTher and, as their numbers were too small
for thought Of resistance, they were forced 10 turn
back and abandon the enterprise.
Another expedition was fitted out by our government
in 1906. and placed under conmand OF that entepusng
young traveller Lieut. Pike, who was ordered 10 ascend
the Arkansas river TO lis and thence to strike
the country the bead OF Red river. and 10 de-
scend tnat stream TO Natchtoches After encounterng
many pnvaors and intense suiierngs IN the deep SHOWS
o the lofty mountains about the headwaers OF the Ar.
kansas. Lieut. Pike finally arrived upon stream running
to the east which be took TO be Red river, but which
subsequently, proved 10 be the Rio del Nore. 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 Lieutenant
Pike was serving al the time in letter 10 him. after his
return, saws; The principal object OF your expedition
up the Arkansas 10 discover the true poso Of the
sources OF Red river. This was not accomplished" +"
Lieutenant Pike, from the most accurate information he
could obtain, gives the geographical position Of the
sources ol Red uyef 10 dti uir 80 N. and onglud
lU4 w, which wss far from correct
Again, in lSlg-2), Colonel Long, OF the United States
typographical engineers, on his return from expora-
lion OF the Missouri river and the country lying between
~ ana The head OF TIE Arkansas undertook 10 descend
Red river from It's La his interesting report he
speaks OF the subject as follows : We arrived at a
cfeek having westerly course, which took TO be
tributary OF Red river Having travelled down It's valley
about two hundred mfes, we tell m with party OF ln.
dians of the nation OF kaskaas, or Bad Hearts, who
gave 10 understand that the stream along which we
were travelling Red river. We accordingly contin.
ued march down the river several hundred miles fnr
ther, when, small DISAPPOINTMENT, we dscov.
cred that it the Canadian OF the Arkansas instead Of
the Red rIver that we had been exploring Our horses
being nearly out with the fatigue of the long jour.
ney, and the season being too Tar advanced 10 admit OF
our returning IN quest OF the oil Red fver with
the possibility oil exploring before winter 1t deemed
advisable 10 give the enterprise for the presen and
make way TO the settlements upon the Arkansas We
were led TO the commission OF this mistake in conse
quence OF not being able to procure good guide &C
quaDted with that part OF the country Our only depend
in this respect upon Pixies map which asslgn ms
10 the headwaers OF Red river the apparent locality OF
those OF the Canadian Thus IA i'll be that All The
expeditions which have attempted the exploration OF the
Red river, none succeeded in reaching its sources
The Mexioans and the Indians contiguous TO their Ter
r,ory are in the habit OF calling any stream the waters
of which have red appearance "Rio Colorado or Red
river; and in region OF red clay like that upon the
Canadian. which impars to the water crimson cast, il
surprising that this river should have received from
them the appellaon OF "Ro Colorado !" and this fact
will account Tor the mistake into which Baron Hum
bodt led when he stated that the Red Of Na,ch
toches rises fifty miles east OF Santa Fe, (Which
information be must lave received from toe Mexicaas
and il will also account for the mistakes of Col Long
and Lieut.. Pike.
On The 5lh day OF March, 1859, received order
from the War Department TO take escort OF my
company Then stationed For, Bsknap, the Brazos
river in Texas, with few Delawae Indians ne guides
I lt.u .I1I a axpirf UaI