Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-23
pecial Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Arkansas vernacular goes. In Conway
county, and were accustomed to the care
Of horses and outdoor work.
The Equipment.
They decided to start from Fort Smith on
the border of the Indian territory. and early
in the month of September the long jour
ney was begun with an ordinary farm
wagon and trusty team Of horses. The
wagon was covered with heavy ducking,
thick enough to turn the average western
rain. Cooking utensils and a supply Of
provisions sufficient until Guthrie was
reached and a sufficiency Of bedding were
packed into the deep wagon box like sar-
dimes.
The first one hundred miles lay through
the beautiful Cherokee nation and the first
town Of importance was Talhequah, the
capital, which is situated on the banks Of
the Illinois river, a small, but beautiful
clear stream, which empties into the Ar
kansas twenty miles to the south. The two
nights out before reaching TahleQuah were
without incident, except the visit received
from a band of Indians on the second even
ing from the village of Waululah. The
young ladies had picketed out their horses
cheerful fire, which they had built near the
wagon.
The evening meal had been served and
Miss Stevens was entertaining her compan-
ions by picking Home, Sweet Home" on
the guitar. Music never sounded sweeter
and as the strains were waited down the
stream by which they had camped 1t fell
upon the ears of the drowsy red men at the
village two hundred yards distant. The
daring young heroines were not expecting
a visit from the noble red man, but before
they were aware of IT four big bucks stood
as II thunderstruck within thirty feet Of
the camp drinking In the melody of the
guitar. When the music died away the
Indians simply nodded their approval and
returned to their camp. The presence of
q ~ me rd .fr fhnf ion
currence, but the four big bucks will never
know how badly the young women were
frightened nor how happy they were when
the red men returned to their wigwams
At Tablequah the four young lady adyen-
turers attracted a great deal Of attention.
Here Is the capital of the Cherokee nation,
and here are located all of the leading In
dams OF the tribe. 1t Is the social center Of
the nation, and the young men and women,
half and quarter breeds, whose skin is
whittier than that Of the four sunburned
young women from Arkansas, eyed them
with degree of disgust which was any
thing but pleasant to the travellers. The
campers left Tahlequah the next morning
bright and early, glad to get away from the
peering eyes of Tahlequah's society leaders.
The journey from Tahlequah to Fort Glib
son was made In one day, and the party
went into camp on the banks of the Neosho
river. several miles above. They located in
q grove Of giant trees, where for the first
time during the trip they heard the familiar
MARBLE Of the Arkansas boot owl. In speak
ing of this Miss Myrtle Stanton said she
felt that they were not beyond the borders
of civilization.
For Seven Days.
For seven days the trip continued in a
northwesterly course along the Arkansas
river, where they passed many Indian set
Elements and not a few well-cultivated
farms. In describing this part of the jour-
ney Miss Esterbrook said: ITO the person
who has not visited this country 1 cannot
adequately describe the many changing
scenes to be observed on every side. There
il no section Of the United States so inter-
esting to the lover OF nature. The atmos-
phere in the sunny month of September Is
pure and transparent, and seems to battle
the very heart with gladness. Our journey
was parallel to the Arkansas river for a
distance Of nearly 100 miles. The gigantic
trees. the dense foliage, hanging vines and
sluggish brooks, all indicated quiet. peace
and contentment- Sometimes we scrambled
up broken hills, from the submits of which
we had extended views over wide prairies,
diversified by groves and forests, and on
the other, ranging along line of blue and
shadowy hills to the south, beyond the
waters Of the great Arkansas. Who could
not enjoy such trip?
1--WE were in the region of adventure. and
while many explorers had gone before, and
the once uninhabitable country was now in
the possession of the noble red man, the alb
sence of we'll cultivated farms. towns and
villages invested this part Of the trip with
special interest. The weather was in its
perfection; temperate. genial and enliven-
ing, a deep blue sky, an air pure and bland.
and a beautiful country stretching out far
and wide in the golden sunshine of an
autumn day. An occasional band Of Indians,
now and then a camp of hunters and fishers,
and a world of birds whose plumage and
song attracted and received our complete
admiration. At night when We retired for
rest from the tedious travel OF the day, the
whippoorwills and big boot owls would lull
al their
the morning at first peep Of dawn the mock
ing bird, the blue jay. the wren and the
brown thrush would greet US with their
medley"
None hut brave and resoute women would
have attempted such a trip as this unac-
companied by escorts. But with firm de-
terminate ton to complete the trip and with
confidence in their own courage these dar-
ing Young women, undaunted by the dis
couragin obstacles that rise up IN the path
of the adventurer, pushed ahead, and after
the first few nights out did not care for the
solitude that surrounded them. or course
thew were in several very hard and drench-
ing rains, but they were prepared Tor such
contingency and were not disturbed.
When they reached the mouth of the Red
Fork twenty miles above the crossing of
the ST. Louis and San Francisco railroad
over the Arkansas river they changed the
course of their journey westward along that
river. with Guthrie the capital OF Okla
homa territory, as the objective point. For
thirty miles to the west and south until
the eastern border of Oklahoma territory
was reached the journey was perilous one.
A great many Indian habitations were
passed, but the country was broken and
| rough. and for three days the four resolute
wanderers longed for another look upon
| the open prairie. They had passed through
forests and over hills and rocky submits
covered with scraggy oaks and were ia
| tigued and discouraged. Finally they cross
ed great divide and came upon beau
tiful level country, which stretched out
many miles before them. They could trace
the meandering course of numerous small
streams skfrted with timber and covered
with beautiful green foliage.
The landscape was delightful 10 look
upon, and scattered over the broad expanse
OF prairie and along the smiling valleys
were many farm houses, the first sign of
civilization since they had crossed the
eastern borders of the Cherokee nation They
were in Oklahoma and rejoiced thereat.
Under a Roof Again.
In the evening OF the first half days
travel In this new world the four young
ladies picked upon a nice grove near the
| home Of Capt. John T. Wilson. whose
quarter section of land adioins the town
site of Cimarron City. Capt. Wilson OBJ
served their movements in picketine out
their horses and preparing for the can,o
for the night and notlcils, that thew had
no gentleman escort walked down TO their
| wagon and introduced himself and invited
u