The Van Buren press., 1867-02-15
Letter from the Chootaw Nation.
Bod0Y DEPoT. c. "

/ DEAR Pass: The weather here At this good
hour i. pleasant and delightful, positively an
hour before rising this morning, and was up
by the SUM- feel perfectly comfortable
without either sheet or blanket 10 cover me
either would have proved a shade unpleasant
and yet, the folks tell me up here that over
coats and all "of that ilk." will be needed at
times, both this month and the next--but let
it come have for long time made tia rule
to enjoy the passing hour the future ever has
clouds enough TO encounter without making
present capital Of them
Here am | for the past two weeks right
among the Choctaws and Chlckasaws-with
the Indian, but not ofhim ;amongst them but
hardly with them; their habits, forms, fash
ions and language, are pretty much as ]
had previously pictured them, saving and cx-
cepting an absence ofloftines' of demeanor-
stateliness ofperson, wildness of sayagery and
unconformabiity to the civilized citizens
These latter attributes | had ascribed to them
through reading Coopers noyels-of the pic
ture that Scott has imprinted on the mind of
the whole reading world of Old Scotia, comes
no nearer the mark Of reality than Coopers
glowing pictures and descriptions Of 10, the
Poor Indian" ] can readily imagine the feel
ings and impressions of the tourist through
that Land a Cakes" and Burns.
Boggy Depot is about l55 miles from Fort
Smith, TO reach it, you start for the town of
f. mil To lY Pr ri
IL miles. where excellent fare and feather
bed makes the traveller on rising. wish for a
do cope the coming night the next place is g .
w. Riddles, 3j miles. fare "about mddllng'
and good bed the next casa is Mrs. Cobbs,
81 miles. would here remark that the tra5-
eler will find himself rewarded by going )
miles further to Mrs. Lewis; thence to Mrs
Elacks, 30 miles whore the bed and the fare
will prove all that u traveller can wish; from
hence it is II miles to this place,and where the
Florence Hotel, kept by the we'll known and
popular c, II. IIeald. is ever open to receive
and cater, for the wearied and Oft times worn
out traveller. The road from Fort Smith to
Boggy Depot, is about one of the best natural
roads ever Travelled, about two-thirds of the
distance is over the rolling prairie" These
stopping places, mentioned above. must be
made in order to secure bed and meal for
individuality and corn for the horse. Houses
are sparse the whole route-thc war has scat
tered the few hoJitoas that were ever there,
and those that are seen are habitcd by Indians,
who perhaps, have not enough in their cabins
for their next meal, and not Il bed or even a
clean floor for the waysideS. The price for
supper, nights lodging and breakfast, with
corn for your horse for the night and morn
ing, is from 50 to $3.50. There is no place and
no time for the traveller to get or stop for hi,
dinner-MEM always put a "dodgcr" in my
pocket on rising from the corning table, and
about noon find it n bonnc bouche.' sun
rise these short days, sees the traveller en-
route. OF course the one who cares for his ami
nal, has ieI it himself an hour prior to hi,
own breakfast
find business dull and but very little
money here, the principal trading is done by
barter. Peltrics, hides, stock and beef cattle
and ponies are the main and principal articles
that are produced here. Last year, in conse
quence Of the lateness Of the conclusion of tht
Indian Treaty-the people not being certain o.
any future certainty at that time-very little
corn was planted, and now very many of thu
Chocks and Chicks, live entirely on meat,
A small butterfly has just fallen on my per
n III. Al.
Papilan has departed wounded away to it
messolonghi (Grease) Land; this fact alone
will tell you ofthe Fahrenheit here.
The excellent loved and vcnerated Chief
or Governor of the Choctaw Nation, Hon. Al
LEN WRIGHT, is doing all his limited reSourc
es will allow, to relieve the pressing wants
and absolute necessities of his suffering peo
ple-but it will be ever partially thus, as Ions
as the L. 5. Government veritable pauperize,
them anomaly by annuities, and donations
and agents.
The land in this Nation for agricultural
purposes Is rs good rs any that the sun shine
on, but ii is wasted and useless to the rae,
that inhabit it. Inevitable or Manifest Des
tiny"whch embraces or implies Squattership
points to a reRrerSee de tout celia, and the soon
er Territory is formed the better for the In
dian and the future credit of Los Americanos
Au Reyoir. j. NJ